Also bridal classes where girls are taught to be passive little creatures... so their husbands don't feel threatened.

The theme here is that patriarchy sucks dead rat through a straw.

Heavens forbid fragile little men-boys should feel threatened or uncomfortable.

Is this fiction ? That’s not really clear

BodhiPaperclip: I know, I knooooow... it's like The Onion, except it's a period costume story (Korean, not that it seems to make much difference).

Apparently either Confucius or his followers was/were serious pigs, and that's insulting the farm animals.

BodhiPaperclip: The story itself is fictional with documentable historical elements, and a modern filter.

They even get into the introduction of smallpox "variolation" later on! The protagonist is something of a fan of Western novelties.

In starting to become interested in a train wreck sort of way. Not that I have time, but, title?

well of course period dramas will show how the time has been back then.. and man, history is full of little fragile egos lol

This one is... Anglicized title, Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung on Netflix.

It's not train-wrecky at all, and characterizes some strong arguments for education (for everyone), classless society, touches on a form of liberation theology, anti-isolationism....