Why do people always hate on the female lead?

General Discussion
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Is it a romance drama? The pic seems to make us want to believe so.

I’ve found myself not being able to watch romance dramas anymore. I’d like to be able to enjoy it again, but I can’t anymore. There’s no desire that makes me want to watch it (no triggers that induce me). And when I try to watch 1 or 2, there’s like a “Stop” sign that makes me take my phone and change activity.

But I still can enjoy some romance books (phew!).

The synopsis doesn’t seem fair to this drama: (source: novelupdates)

I give it a try! With books, I have no “Stop” sign :slight_smile:

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I would not say it is 100% romance drama. The description you posted is so weird :smiley:

It is a drama about an unprotected girl and later woman who must learn to survive in harsh conditions, despite being born into a rich family. She does it by first controling her emotions and later on intelligently manipulating people around her. She becomes so good at it and so distrustful of others, that when she meets her future husband, she does not believe he loves or even likes her and she cannot “let him in”, cannot trust him. The beautiful part is precisely the way both of these characters, Ming Lan and her husband healing in each other’s presence.

However, I hear the book translation is not very good. And also contains time travelling, unlike the drama :blush:

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Idk how natural shows like Return of Superman are, but I think they are quite natural since kids don’t listen that well to direction all the time :joy:

But in shows like Running Man, they are definitely playing a character. Even in shows like My little old boy - yes they show their life, but they do have to make it more interesting for the camera’s. Recently Hong Jin Young was added to the show and some of the comments about her were undeserved.

Yes! These are the comments that I enjoy too. But I rather not take the chance anymore.

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We are on the same boat, maybe you have different reasons than mine but in fact, I just can’t stand one more romance drama to watch in here. Why? Same thing over and over again dirt poor girl, a CEO falls in love with her (what a lucky girl! yeah right!). Even if by chance, she’s a career woman, she’s clueless and dumb as it can be. Does that makes any sense?

They do the same things in dramas, she gets drunk, pony rides spreading her legs when she’s suppose to be such a decent young woman! What decent woman gets drunk like that, and ends up being carried away like a sack of potatoes in a men’s back? I just can’t see one more scene like that. It turns my stomach.

It seems like the writers have nothing better to do but copy the scenes from other writers instead of creating new and different acceptable scenes.They have no respect for women since they continue to degrade the woman’s image by repeating these disgraceful scenes.

I’m not ever going to cater to these types of dramas, and it seems to me, that’s what they have mainly in here. I love this young actress but was so disappointed when I see her doing this ridiculous role where she’s a pig, he’s a rich, clean freak but of course falls in love with her. Her behavior is so out of her character, she disappointed me big time. I never thought she would accept a role like this.

Then we have the second lead that was there first but god forbid the rich guy doesn’t get the prey he wants. He never has any interest in the girl until the other guy shows interest.

My youngest daughter detest Asian dramas because of that, and she can’t understand what respectful young woman encourage this kind of dramas by watching them.

Yes, we all have different taste, some don’t see anything wrong with that kind of scenes. But enough is enough. We are in the 21st century, times are changing, We have many love stories that can empower women and show their struggle as they no longer fall victims that are stuck in the old centuries.

It’s not funny anymore that the guy is sober while the girl is dirt drunk! It’s not funny anymore that a woman has a career but the guy saves her skin bc she’s dumb and clueless in her own profession. IT’S not funny or entertaining that women to this day in the Asian society are still being portrayed this way.

For all of you that will comment about ‘‘Western TV’’ Guess what? We also rarely watch regular TV, and we pick and chose the dramas, movies that we watch. All the Asian drama here so far that i liked bc of the cast in it, I had to stop watching bc of those scenes I detest so much to see in a drama.

I was watching a drama from 2013 and I realized those were the kind dramas I liked so much and miss seeing here now.

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well back to “the item”, one of my favorite actresses in under the spell of the crazy guy, due to being threatened about her father , anyway she is kinda protrayed as a villiness. quite different from her other ones she played in. a person you love to hate here… but to be sure this will turn out ok

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I like time travelling! Because the modern character will always fight against the past order when it’s going in the past.
But you have time traveling in Princess Agents, lol!
If it doesn’t take a lot of the story, it’s okay.

I’ve tried the ch1 of ming lan and I’m already confused xd. There’s no link between sentences? :thinking: I don’t know if it’s the translation or the original work. I gotto re-read it! I thought the story would be told from the female perspective, but it’s not! I prefer female perspective for this kind of novel.

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Lol one of the reasons must be because men could be… so love story with men being white knight armors… Who cheat the most? Women or men?
So portraying men like they’re Prince Charming, it’s nice to dream or watch this once in a while, but I still prefer a man with flaws or just someone being himself, showing human nature in all its beauty.

I prefer more authenticity and deeper relationships when I want to watch about love.
Portraying relationships like that, when I compare with my relationships and others’, it’s like erasing something really important in relationships. I’ve never felt heartache in a romance drama.

The other reason is: busy… today, no diner because of work, it was almost midnight when I got home and I’m tired as hell with my period.
When you have little time to relax, you’ll be picky about you do, watch or read. No time! Kind of have to make a choice: I probably take the one I think I’d be less disappointed in.

Yup, what they lack in dramas is freedom, or could be imagination.
In books, there’s not this question of socially acceptable or politically correct to show. I appreciate this freedom.

I don’t know which dramas you’re talking about!
Which drama from 2013 are you missing?
I prefer old dramas, too compared to recent ones. But no time to rewatch them!

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I made a mistake with that statement when I first started watching K-drama’s back in 2013, I fell in love with Asian dramas. Including Taiwanese Lakorn, Japanese etc. I loved watching Secret Garden, BIG, Spy Myung Wol (SK) and SPRING (taiwanese) and many more I can’t remember their titles now. They were so different , full of romance, action, beautiful music, just enchanting.

I don’t feel that anymore in the new dramas now. especially K-dramas where some scenes are so disgusting I lose my appetite. One time I even threw up after I was watching a drama where the guy falls in top of his own excrement (ugh!) I never expected that scene so it was a bad experience for me. The guy was cute to top it off I don’t remember his names either.

I just don’t see anything funny in a scene like that. I am so afraid to watch dramas now bc of that.

Well, I hope you take time to enjoy your reading, too. Sometimes we rush through life and forget to really live it. My favorite books to read are Chicken Soup For The Souls. Inspirational and moving LIKE THIS ONE.

FIRST I WAS DYING TO FINISH HIGH SCHOOL AND START COLLEGE
AND THEN I WAS DYING TO FINISH COLLEGE AND STAR WORKING
AND THEN I WAS DYING TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE CHILDREN
AND THEN I WAS DYING FOR MY CHILDREN TO GROW OLD ENOUGH FOR SCHOOL, SO I COULD GO BACK TO WORK
AND THEN I WAS DYING TO RETIRE
AND NOW I’M DYING … AND SUDDENLY REALIZED, I FORGOT TO LIVE.

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I’ve never watched BIG or Spy or Spring, might be the occasion :slight_smile:
LOL, hope you weren’t eating while watching this scene.
I feel old dramas were more adventurous in their script and less monotonous.

I’ve begun to read Chicken Soup, wow, it seems good. I love that it’s written like tales. Some are good, for example, the teacher story and the research study “Because I loved them.”
Caring for others motivate them.

The way I enjoy life (not the only way, but this is what I prefer to do for my case XD):
When I read, I skip it if it doesn’t interest me. It’s like for watching dramas, it’s like when you go to the museum.
If you have been to Louvres, at the beginning, you begin to observe each painting and sculpture, but more you advance and see them everywhere, more you take less time in really watching them and you just “go through them.”
What’s the meaning of stopping at each painting if they don’t pull you and end skipping the ones that might interest you?
Take time for a painting that will catch your eye to study it, to observe it, to appreciate it.
Instead of watching many, I only pick a few that I think I’ll appreciate.

It’s like in the Return of Superman, one dad told his children to buy only 1 item among many that they picked, because we can’t have everything even if we like everything that we picked and it was necessary to teach them the value of money.
When they pick, some of them didn’t take the one that they wanted the most for themselves only, but something that he could share with his brother or sister.
It could be the same with dramas?

LOL, many including I recognize ourselves in the excerpt! I’ve always been impatient and moments when I’m satisfied are really short. Oh! Yesterday night, the cab chauffeur and I began to talk and we had the same kind of conversation: I have little time for myself, so I don’t sleep a lot to catch up, because I want to enjoy more free time. I don’t want that during my day, the only thing I did was working so I often fall asleep in front of my computer or while listening to lessons XD Life is so short, carpe diem!

Viki was a good alternative for me to relax, but the standards are deadlines on Viki for some dramas, so I don’t enjoy it as much as before. It reminds me of my work. And if I begin to think of this as a second job, it’s sad, no? Where’s my freedom?
I feel like instead of finding freedom in what I do, I only add more restrains to my life + I also need a meaning in what I do!

Okay, I should stop talking, because I want to do many things today, the weekends are the best :slight_smile:

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for the chicken soup book! This one, I will surely take my time to read it.

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THIS POST HAS SPOILERS OF MANY DRAMAS. If you don’t like them, don’t read. You’ve been warned.

Really? How old? Because k-dramas from 2000 to 2009 were horribly cliché, especially in their depiction of the bubbly clueless but kind-hearted poor female who gets the cold chaebol. All those tropes were established back then and they never ventured away from them (with exceptions, such as Soulmates, Beethoven Virus, Jewel in the Palace and a few other gems).
Whereas today we have

  • interesting, more realistic dramas with capable, mature females like “Pinocchio”, “Perfect Wife” , “On the way to the airport”, “Just Between Lovers”, “My Ajussi”, “Memory”, “Ms Temper and Nam Jung Gi”, “Romantic doctor Kim”, and “Secret Love Affair”
  • Dramas with no romance like “Chief Kim” and my all-time favourite, “Misaeng” (“Incomplete Life” here at Viki).
  • A drama like “Jealousy Incarnate” where the female lead is helpless because of love for part of the first episode, but then she becomes so capable that she juggles two perfectly fine men who are crazy for her - to the point that she asks them to live all together so that she can choose which one she wants, and… they agree!
  • In “I am not a robot” it’s the rich guy who is vulnerable and somehow “manipulated” by the girl.
  • In “The Wife I know” she is a shrew who bullies her husband both psychologically and physically and then makes him plead her pardon on his knees to take him back.
    -In “Madame Antoine”, where the leading lady is intelligent and doesn’t become stupid just because she’s in love.
  • Even in tropey dramas like Sungkyunkwan Scandal, the female lead sometimes needs to be rescued from difficult situations, but she’s more capable and clever than the guys.
  • And even romantic comedies like “Secretary Kim” where the girl is, yes, poor, but the rich guy has a lifelong crush on her and is the one in need of help.

I think that the tropes and the clichés surely haven’t died, nevertheless we do have a more varied panorama nowadays, with lots of choice. You want fluffy and cliché or melodrama and cliché, you can find plenty. You want something more interesting, there’s also something for you. I am happy that I happened to discover k-drama on a period where these choices are available.

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32

I forget to add “some” but didn’t forget the word “feel” :slight_smile: Irmar, purist from purist (one of your quality).
I find KMedical dramas not diluted with romance that makes it weird not monotonous, Beethoven was original, some Chinese dramas, too!
Some old/new dramas contain cliches, but there’s some originality for me.
Some new dramas will catch my attention because I find them original.
For thrillers, I love new ones!

For me (strictly my pov), original / new:
New dramas have new scripts, new settings, new developments = it’s new.
But it doesn’t mean adventurous or not monotonous.
Some Chinese romance dramas are not adventurous or less monotonous, even if they have aliens in it.
All depends on how they created it, how it is played, how they incorporate it to the drama and you, what you’ve already watched or experienced (or read), or how imaginative the watcher could be.
Overall, even if it’s set in Paris, even if there’s a robot, yes, there are new situations, but similarly all books that talk about robot are not innovative or original.

It really depends on you and on each personal taste:
I don’t like all dramas or books with strong women, there are other criteria that make me like it or find them less monotonous than a drama where the female is naive.
I don’t like all historical dramas or books because they are tagged “historical”
I don’t like every drama or book that has a new concept Dramaworld or Bride of Water God?
And then it might be even more different for each one.
I think in reviews, they should have criteria and not only stars to vote:
Could be story development, originality, music, characters design, world background… (such as the ones we have on reading books app or like culinary shows, you don’t only vote for the taste, but the aesthetics, etc.)
Could be fun to add more criteria to review a drama!

I don’t mind if people think otherwise or have different tastes. After all, it’s just a question of “I prefer tea, what about you? Oh you prefer tea, too? Oh not you, you prefer coffee?” Let’s all be unique and singular in our plurality :slight_smile:

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I’m glad you are going to start reading: Chicken Soup for the Soul. I suggest you start from the first book I think the best one are the first volumes… The ones published Starting from June 28, 1993. I remember I found this book in the Library and once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down.

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It would surely be fun for you, me, and all the people who like using their intellect. For most, it would be a nuisance, because it would oblige them to stop and think what they liked and why and they can’t bother.
As you see, many of the reviews are just “Oppa is in this drama so it must be good”, or something concise as “I loved this show”.

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Oh no, not sentences for each category but stars for each category and at the end, they calculate the average note and we can always add our written review.

On the reading app I’m reading, we have this:
(I suggest we don’t keep the translation quality or the stability of updates… the translators are paid for their work if I remember it well, but we can keep other categories:

And same with other drama website where you can review dramas:

We could add if we watched every episode when we reviewed it or if we had dropped it at ep number lambda.

=> At least, viewers would know that for reviews, there are no categories for the speed of subs, but for the drama only XD

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https://www.soompi.com/article/1306441wpp/female-k-drama-characters-we-wish-had-more-backbone

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There are way too many Asian dramas in our days that make women total bimbos as we call them here in US blond, beautiful but dumb and brainless. Thank goodness that era is dying and blondes no longer act as dumb characters. The actress thankfully stopped taking in those kind of roles, and we are finally moving on with the times.

I mainly blame the actress that accept these types of roles no matter how desperate they are for the money or to be a star, their pride should guide them, and they should say a loud NO! to these degrading roles. Enough is enough.

I especially hate to see my favorite actress playing this kind of roles, and it breaks my heart to know that they have very little choices (especially in SK). If they were to take a survey South Korea would rank #1 in giving roles to women that are demeaning to women in general.

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I don’t know how old this one is. but I thought I would like to reply. Yes I do like a strong woman character, not one that takes over guys, and not a “dumb blonde” that has been so worked in the ground(oh yeah I was a blonde, not dumb just for clarification)

anyway, I don’t care for wimps either. that one show I watched, woman slapping another, boy I wanted that other gal to step up and give that other a what for(Sam soon? I think)
a strong woman that has been to hell & back, yes she is strong and don’t take stuff off anyone,
that one cooking classic show is one, . women who stand up for whats right,not just for her but for others, like I said not a bully, or push over or even a dumb blonde,
virtue, faith, a belief I CAN DO IT, and she did it. so if she has an attitude and doesn’t take stuff from people. yeah a person you love to hate comes to mind those ladies, no emotion showing but a storm inside .
anwyay I thought I would share my thoughts today, the lead woman you love to hate, it makes the drama too.