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Yes! Let's do a new google documents. I don't think it will be only one article for this last idea. I'm thinking we would need to split it into a series of maybe 3 articles. Will reply to ypur PM with some ideas of how we can structure it later today. I am excited as well!

And you are rigt after The Greatest Love! I think what he hid was simply the message he had recorded for her in case he didn't make it, which ended up being leaked.

Thank you for reading :).

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Hwasa MARIA.
The imbalance of power between the leads is something that I not only pay close attention to, but something that is very important to me. I think a lot of time, people don't understand that a romance built atop that dis-balance can quickly become something frightening. While dramas are fictional and some leeway is to be had, some of the situations the FLs find themselves stuck into would spell disaster in real life! So I guess people would call me hormonal as well. Though, in reality, that makes us active audiences rather than passive ones. Meaning, we question what we're watching. ;)

Interestingly enough, the difficult economy coupled with perhaps the advent of the #metoo movement, has pushed Korean women into trying to pursue a career rather than marriage. So statistics tells us that, if the birthrate trend continues to decline, by 2750 there will be no more South Koreans. https://www.businessinsider.com/south-koreans-could-be-extinct-by-2750-2015-6?r=MX&IR=T

And it is this same shift in culture that could mean we'll start to see Female Leads written with more power and independence. While we might also star to see more balanced Male Leads. The very fact that nowadays romance drama rarely end in marriage between the leads is quite telling. And I'd say this year we got some well-written Female AND Male Leads! So I think it will get better :).

Ok, you've convinced me. Not only in that my memory is not as good as I'd given it credit for. But that I need to re-watch that drama, because I didn't remember at all about her friend!

I remember I liked the secondary couple, but I didn't remember why or who they were. And she would make for a great example of the integration of a disability that didn't require a fix. That instead, we see the character accept that disability and find a way to continue living in her new condition.

In King2Hearts, Fight for my Way, Sweet Home, and The Third Charm, there is a secondary character who's also in a wheelchair and we see them struggle with their own reality and eventually make peace with it. So that makes three dramas with secondary couples where their disability didn't need to be "fixed" to create a compelling character.

"Oh my goodness, I DEFINITELY AGREE with you here!! 100%, actually. We should write a whole article on this! (I'm serious.)" >>

You have opened a pandora's box... so prepare for a SUPER long response because I'm excited. I've been wanting to talk about this for a while because it's something I feel very strongly about. So here we goooooo!

Yes, we SHOULD definitely write that! I've been wanting to do an article regarding the issue for quite a long while now. Comparing good portrayals of disability vs just plain bad ones (as you said, those were the writer's imagination just disappeared).

So, if we follow that train of thought, two dramas come to mind where Main Characters (MLs) are in a wheelchair: Tell Me What You Saw and Where Stars Land.

In the case of TMWYS, we quickly find out (around episode 3 or 4) that the ML isn't really disabled... he was just pretending so the baddie he was after would try to attack him -_-. To say I was disappointed is an understatement, as it was shaping up to be similar to 1999's thriller The Bone Collector and I was excited. In WSL, the ML basically gets robotic legs... like a cybernetic attachment. We're later told that said attachment will kill him if he continues to use it... then he falls off the grid during the last episode, we get a time skip, and we see him return... still walking, lol. So I'm unsure what that means, but either he got his legs fixed or he prefers dying to being disabled. :/

The point being, it seems that second leads have a better portrayal of diseases/disabilities than the main leads. As we seldom see second leads get a quick fix for their problems.

Not only that but when it comes to second leads, their trials and tribulations are kept on display as part of their stories. We see them struggle through their disease as those around them lend a hand. Whereas with leads (especially MLs), their fight against their disease oftentimes happens off-screen and out of sight of the FL. That was the case with at least Oh My Venus, Doctor John, The Beauty Inside (to an extent), and Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol. And, of course, in all of them said disease is "fixed" after a time skip and the ML is able to return to the FL in a state of "perfectness"...

What do you think? Are there other dramas that come to mind that got a "fix" to a disease or disability?

Other that comes to mind:
>> Angel Last Mission Love (FL) and The Spies Who Love Me (2ML) show someone who is blind after an accident recovers their sight later on.
>> Uncanny Counter showcases the ML limping due to an accident when he was young, but after becoming a counter (2 episodes) his leg gets fixed.
>> The School Nurse Files the ML also has a limp, but interestingly enough he isn't "fixed", so he actually makes for a realistic portrayal (despite the fantastical story).
>> In Voice 2 we're told the FL will lose her hearing, but by the end of the show she apparently gets surgery and recovers fully. :/ (I never understood why they even introduced that plot point, tbh).

Update:
>> The Greatest Love the ML has a heart (?) condition towards the end, which gets fixed after surgery. But I can't recall whether he hid that from the FL. I think he did and she found out only AFTER he had gotten the surgery. One of the issues I have is that MLs tend to deal with their issues alone.
>> The Third Charm, the 2FL gets cancer but the FL and her brother (guy in a wheelchair) actually find out about it and help her through that difficult time.

Ah, now that you mentioned the sister, I vaguely remember I liked her character but it's been so long since I saw the drama, that I also hardly remember her! Didn't she get adopted while the ML did not (or am I thinking of a different drama)?

I do recall that the ML had a very sweet relationship with an old lady (neighbor?) who sold medicine from her house (kind of like a black market, but with only good intentions) and he took over her business when she passed away. So the drama certainly had a ton of good moments.

Regarding the liver transplant deal. Honestly, I was under the impression that the doctors in the series had stressed how difficult it was to find a match, so that made the outcome feel very "Disney" like to me. So was the surgery a success? I remember that it was (again, Disney type of ending), but I might be wrong. Looking back at my own review, I didn't mention the disease, so it might be that I'm merging a lot of dramas together in my head.

I know that for a while now, I've been disappointed by how quickly dramas introduce disease or, worst, a disability... only to "fix" it right away because drama-gods permit that a main lead is not whole and perfect.

It leaves me with a sense of wishy-washiness from the writers. Like there's no commitment to having a character accept their disability and thrive despite or even because of it. When they introduce a disease one episode only to have them quickly "fix it" (like I believe it happened in Just Between Lovers?) an episode or so later, it feels like it got introduced to stretch the drama and elicit an emotional response without paying for the consequences. Like they needed a quick problem that could be cleanly solved in order to have content for those 16 episodes formula (like fillers).

I recently watched Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, which got that same treatment. Doctor John is another one where the ML's condition is at the heart of the drama, but by the end, he gets treated via an experimental procedure so he can return as well as new back to work. In the Beauty Inside, the ML also gets to treat his face-blindness via a medical procedure towards the end of the drama.

Devilish Joy is about the only drama I've watched wherein the ML didn't get a miracle procedure/cure and instead, had to accept his condition. So the ending was, thus, appropriately bittersweet.

BTW, I am one of those weird people that enjoy a tragedy more than a "disney-like" ending, lol. And I'm well aware I'm in the minority XD. So dramas with a more bitter ending end up becoming more memorable to me.

I agree that we're looking at dramas through different perspectives. With the rise of the #metoo movement, however, I'd say we'll start to see a shift in dramas wherein we'll get Female Leads that are ambitious, successful and more independent. Likewise, we'll start to see Male Leads that are portrayed more human and less perfect.

At the end of the day, with so many dramas launching every few months, there will always be something for everyone.

Only note I want to make, yes I know couples who run businesses and there's a balance of power (mostly because the business is co-owned). In Oh My Ghostess there was the "boss-employee" relationship which tilted the power in favor of the ML. So, in that specific case, allowing the FL to study abroad and having her come back to the ML, but work elsewhere (with the father of the 2FL) placed them on an even plain-field. Now, had the ML and FL started a restaurant together (co-owned) that would've also been a great ending. In fact, in Big Issue that's exactly what happens. The ML, who was the employee of the FL, ends up becoming a Co-CEO with the FL, getting rid of the power-dynamics in the workplace.

Forest is a very lighthearted series. It has a ton of flaws and some very strange transitions between events/scenes, but it has one of the best kissing scenes I've seen in K-Dramaland. Plus, it's just plain fun!

The Nokdu Flower is a good drama overall, very solid. The FL doesn't have a lot of agency, truth be told. It's a drama that's worth watching for the 2ML, who becomes a tragic hero and a character that stole the show for me. Yoon Shi Yoon really showcased amazing acting chops with his portrayal.

What did you think about Tale of the Nine-Tailed?

It's a show that had so much production, but I couldn't get into the story. I found the Male Lead was written too simple, with too many strengths and not enough flaws to make him complex or engaging. It's the perfect example of Fearlessness vs Courage. Fearlessness is someone who doesn't fear anything/anyone, so it's something that asks us to suspend our disbelief and makes it harder to empathize or sympathize with his plight. Whereas Courage is acting despite one's fear. A character that displays courage makes us root for him and hope s/he's okay.

Thank you for reading. As you can imagine, I share your problem as I have watched all the dramas I mentioned, lol. Out of curiosity, which ones have you not watched out of the ones mentioned?

I guess Dain can now be tagged as a "Perpetual Damsel in Distress"...

>> Episode 3 she needed to be saved once.
>> Episode 4 was the worst since she needed to be saved four times.
>> Episode 5 was between missions, so she didn't need saving (save for one scene at the start which continued the last damsel scene from Episode 4).
>> Episode 6, though, she needed to be saved two times...

At the very least I got enough gifs (examples) of this frustrating trope in case I ever do an article about Female Leads who need constant saving... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah... she continued to be used as a Damsel in Distress this week. Here's a quick rundown so far...

>> Episode 3 I think she needed to be saved once.
>> Episode 4 was the worst since she needed to be saved 4 times.
>> Episode 5 was between missions, so she didn't need saving (save for one scene at the start).
>> In episode 6, though, she needed to be saved 2 times...

I agree 100%. I've always believed that when someone puts effort into simplifying things as much as possible it's because they strive to be understood. While someone who overly complicate things usually does so to "show off" their knowledge. But i find more value in being understood than in showing off. So while I always write hoping that someone finds my article interesting, my intent is simply to deliver my message in a way that even someone whose main language isn't english, can still understand my points. And this comes from someone who speaks English as a second language :).

That's fine, we all see dramas differently, but the best practice is not to take a different opinion as a personal attack. At the end of the day, we can see the same drama with different set of eyes and get a vastly opposite experience, but that doesn't make our experience (even if we are in the minority, or especially when we are in the minority) any less real or valid :).

I think it also doesn't help that i am currently watching uncanny counter, which built the emotional aspect of the characters beautifully. So I can't help but be disappointed with how the characters are being developed here. I might just wait until this one finishes to decide whether to pick it up or let ir drop.

Aww thank you! I look forward to working on our article once we finished watching relevant dramas!

Ah, perhaps I was too vague. It wasn't his illness what i had problems with. It was having his friend be a 100% match that I felt was too much - especially after emphasizing the risk and the low possibility of being a match since they weren't family. It's the concept of introducing a problem then getting a quick and clean solution that fails for me.

Now it's been a while since i watched it, so my memory may be failing me. But i remember that my biggest issue was that aspect of the solution (ergo the miracle comment). Aside from that, the show was quite solid and I would've given it a higher rating (gave it an 8), had they ended it before that arc.

Awww thank you, i am happy to learn you enjoy my articles! My undergrad is in science of communication, so you can say I learn to think analytically, do research and write because of my career choice. I also had cinema, design and scriptwriting classes, so i learn a little about many things. I later got an MFA in advertising with an emphasis in art direction. So that taught me about conceptualizing, simplifying explanations and finding ways to use design to help get my messages across.

So every decision paved the way for me to walk a road full of growth. But the key in growth is to keep learning, so that's what I strive to do constantly :).

Indeed, Hyena I'd recommend for the Female Lead mostly and the Female friendships that get established (rivals to friend is a rare thing in dramas when it comes to female characters, truth be told). The plot itself isn't anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps what I most appreciated was that we got a Female Lead who had a clear goal set for herself, who had the motivation to pursue said goal and the skill to make it happen.

My Name is Nokdu is a beautiful show that makes for an enjoyable, light watch that is, nonetheless, very heartwarming. It gets extra points for having quite a number of female characters engaged in the story and giving their relationships, motivations and skills a chance to shine.

He is Psychometric is a drama I enjoyed greatly. In part because the Male Lead was written refreshingly flawed. But we also got a great story when it comes to the antagonists and a consistently strong female lead.

Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, @Popcxqueen. Indeed, the problem with finding out patterns is that once you see them, they remain... for better or worse.

I actually wrote a review about Just Between Lovers because I found it was a solid drama, though not without its flaws. I agree that the best thing about it was the characters, and how the ML especially, broke away from the norm. In fact, the ML reminded me more of how 2MLs tend to be portrayed, which is usually more balanced and far from perfect.

I have to admit that the one thing I hated (and this is like a trend/trope all on its own) is the miracle cure scenario. I didn't think adding his medical issues by the end, only to have him make a recovery miraculously, added anything of value. In fact, it felt more like an excuse to extend the drama because there was no more plot to explore.

Thank you for reading and joining the conversation, @Yogesh Jain. I always find conversations where people have a different take/perspective very interesting and I appreciate that you took the time to share your thoughts.

1) It's Okay to Not Be Okay >> As I recall, the FL very certainly said that the collab with the ML's brother would be her last book since she had no more stories she wanted to say. While that is good, I can't help but feel frustrated at how easily Female Leads tend to give up on their success vs Male Leads. While that show aired, for example, we had "Was it Love?" wherein the ML is a successful writer and, by the end of the show, we learned he wrote another bestseller under a different name --showcasing how talented he is. I can only lament that Female Leads aren't given a similar treatment.

2) Vagabond >> I hesitated to add this one because, in all fairness, the ML ALSO gave up on his dream of being a stuntman and instead decided to pursue vengeance. So when the FL did the same, it felt at least more righteous. (This just so happens to be a drama I greatly enjoyed. I can only hope they will continue it and not leave us hanging with that open ending).

3) Come and Hug me >> While this is a drama I greatly enjoyed (even did an article on it), I still wished they could've shown the FL succeeding in her career (or at least getting a role or something) because that was really the only growth she could've had as a character. But, as I wrote in my article, this story really was about the ML.

4) The Greatest Love >> The entire drama was about her trying to make it (pretty similar to Jealousy Incarnated, which happens to star the same actress). So the fact that she didn't (regardless of the reason) was disappointing to me. Of course, considering this is a 2011 drama the ending makes sense for its time; as dramas tended to show that a woman would always choose love over success (and couldn't have both). Fortunately, that trend is changing.

5) Angels Last Mission >> I may give you this one, as I don't recall whether we got told she would continue to pursue her career or not (the love line taking the focus of the drama kind of lost me by the end). Still, I bet you that --had this been about a male lead who dances-- we would've seen him become an acclaimed and successful dancer by the end.

6) Do Do Sol Sol >> in "Do you Like Brahms?" the ML also hated the piano but was very talented. By the end, he grows to love the piano again. The FL in DDSSLLS actually didn't hate the piano, she just didn't have any aspirations to become a pianist. (BTW, I never said she changes her dream for the ML). The heart of the problem lies in that Female Leads tend to have fewer aspirations (it any), goals, and/or dreams in dramas compared to Male Leads. This is something I hope will change.

7) Dr. Romantic >> Her dream actually changed to wanting to perform a surgery with the Male Lead (not her love interest, but her teacher). That was her only goal. A goal that the 2ML (her love interest) manages to accomplish way before her and almost without breaking a sweat. In fact, this is a show where the female lead was constantly being punished for breaking the rules while the 2ML was rewarded for breaking those rules. Don't get me wrong, I loved the show, but I disliked that the FL was basically kept frozen in a spot (career-wise) due to her injury and psychological issues, a situation that allowed the 2ML to outgrow her when it came to their medical career.

8) Thirty but Seventeen >> Let's agree to disagree on this one. As having her go to Germany and polish her craft would've made for a greater story in my books (similar to how they did it with "Oh My Ghostess").

9) Wok of Love >> The problem with this one is that the Female Lead didn't really have a dream or aspirations. To me it always felt like she wanted to cook so her goal would align with the ML, rather than having her find her own dream/goal and work on it. Again, "Oh My Ghostess" did that better, because the FL ends up getting an opportunity to go abroad to study cuisine (working in the kitchen was always her love). When she comes back, she now stands on more equal grounds with the ML and she ends up working at a different place from him --getting rid of the pesky power dynamics and allowing them both to be together, yet flourish in their careers separatedly.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Swara Bose. Interestingly enough, someone once told me that they'd seen an article where it explained that the male fantasy was having a female character be nice to everyone except the male lead (lol). Whereas the female fantasy was to have a male character be mean to everyone except the female lead.

So, in that regard, I feel dramas (especially from a few years ago) kind of built on this idea. So Male Leads tended to be portrayed as mean or jerk-like. My personal view is that there has been a change in that tendency and we are now getting nicer Male Leads. And for my tastes, that's a great thing since I dislike characters who are overly aggressive. In fact, I tend to dislike male characters who are only nice to the female lead, because if they are really nice, they should be nice to everyone.

It's been a while since I watched the Master's Sun, so I can't recall if he was portrayed as aggressive. Though given that show is from 2013, I wouldn't be surprised if he was aggressive/mean throughout most of the drama.

I also saw 1% of Something a long time ago... and I recall very little about it. I only remember that I struggle to finish it because it's simply not my type of drama and I rated it with a 6. In my notes I just wrote: "Meh" (which sums it up pretty well).

Thank you for joining the conversation, estellenijma. I actually haven't watched One Spring Night despite the fact that I've been wanting to see Jung Hae In in a leading role since "While you Were Sleeping". I think the comments and reviews when it ended kept me from watching. But I'm always willing to give it a chance. Would you recommend the show?