Bras represent Yeong-hye’s resistance to societal conventions and boundaries. Even before she becomes a vegetarian, Yeong-hye explains to Mr. Cheong that bras are restrictive and make her uncomfortable, and she often chooses not to wear one, much to his dismay. He views this as the only unconventional thing about her, and it becomes a source of frustration in their marriage. Gradually, however, her choice not to wear a bra goes hand in hand with her vegetarianism, as both become points of contention when she and Mr. Cheong attend a dinner with his co-workers, who are appalled that they can see the outline of her nipples and are taken aback by her unwillingness to share in their meal. The co-workers, who become stand-ins for society at large, do not understand her insistence on maintaining her agency and breaking their conventions, and so they gradually ostracize her.
