'The new season of Bridgerton fulfils a dream I didn't realise I had.'

For those of us who grew up rarely seeing ourselves reflected in the media, Bridgerton isn't just a show — it is a dream come true. 

Historically, the "once upon a time" treatment was a gated community. White characters were the default for fairytales, sweeping romances, and fantastical escapes, while everyone else was relegated to the sidelines of history or modern-day struggle.

That is why moments like Brandy's Cinderella were so groundbreaking. It wasn't just that the cast was diverse; it was that the magic felt organic.

It paved the way for Halle Bailey's The Little Mermaid, proving that our presence in folklore is a crucial form of representation for kids and adults (like me) alike.

Watch: Bridgerton Season 4 trailer. Article continues after video.

For years, we were told we didn't belong in these opulent Regency spaces. Bridgerton has dismantled that, without the need for a convoluted explanation. We simply belong.

We've seen this build over the years. Season 2 gave us the Sharmas, weaving Indian traditions like the Haldi ceremony and the use of hair oils into the ton's fabric. It was a celebration of culture and identity. 

Now, with season 4, I cannot tell you how much it means — particularly as a lover of Jane Austen and period dramas myself — to see a Regency romance with an Asian woman at its core. 

Introducing the iconic Yerin Ha. Image: Instagram @yerinha_.

As a community, I feel like we manifested the casting of Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek.

No, literally — my sister physically wrote countless comments under Netflix's posts begging for an Asian lead at some point in the show's run. 

For fans who have championed this character for years, seeing an East Asian woman step into the lead role feels monumental. It is a rare, beautiful thing to see an Asian woman on screen who isn't fetishised or exoticised, but is instead the object of a grand, sweeping, romantic obsession.

Not to mention, this character is just fantastic. Despite all the hardship she's experienced in her life, Sophie remains completely herself. She is intelligent, she's resilient, and she's self-assured. 

Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek. Image: Netflix

But what makes season 4 feel even more significant isn't just the introduction of Sophie. We have an entire family of complex, layered Asian women.

The casting of Katie Leung as Lady Araminta is inspired. Araminta is such a nuanced, interesting character — a woman driven by the pressures of her status, plagued by grief and resentment, but who bares a fierce desire to protect her family's legacy.

To see this complex family dynamic played out by Asian actors in a high-fantasy Regency setting is the kind of representation that heals the inner child who was told these stories weren't for them.

Lady Araminta (centre), played by Katie Leung. Image: Netflix.

There is a unique power in what many call "colour-blind" casting (a term I'm not fond of, but in this particular context, it works).

It allows us to exist in whimsical, fantastical stories where our race isn't a problem to be solved. We don't always have to see people of colour struggling at every point. There's a time for realism and there's a time for magic.

We, too, deserve stories of great romance and fantasy. 

Image: Netflix

However, this only works when balanced with the rise of culturally specific casting we are seeing elsewhere in the industry.

In productions like Shōgun, Sinners, or Heated Rivalry, the actor's culture is fundamental to the character's identity and the story's essence. In those cases, the details — the language, the specific cultural context, the little habits — are the point. It all contributes to the story feeling genuine. 

Bridgerton occupies a magical middle ground. It gives us the freedom of the fantasy, while grounding the characters in an authenticity that feels lived-in. 

In season 4, we aren't just seeing diversity — we are seeing a story that tells us, we too, deserve our happily ever after.

For more on Bridgerton, listen to our Watch Party deep dive on all the behind-the-scenes details.

Feature Image: Instagram, @yerinhaupdates.