StrawberrySuga

Thank you for your kindness and understanding

You have every right to enjoy the drama, I just wanted to voice my opposition to the actions of the producers. I believe that the most inappropriate of romantic stories can still be edited/modified to become more appropriate. This would be a superior option to the complete removal of the romance. As an example, if an additional episode were to feature adult Se Kyung on a date with Yi Heon's body, now home to Deuk Pal's soul, I wouldn't object to the romance. It'd be an adult romance

I apologize for my abrupt intrusion in this thread, you were discussing the issue with someone else. There's no need to go further into the discussion. You have your opinion, that you shared with civility, and I respect that

The people supporting this homophobic censorship have been engaging in far more rude and mindless hating, some insulted gay people and called us "sinful" or "immoral." The people speaking out against censorship have been more polite and civil

"This isn't the case of keeping everything else but excluding romance to keep the gay away"

That's not true, the removal of the BL/gay romance was a tactical maneuver executed by the production team to run away from probable adverse economic consequences they claimed would be a product of the romance's inclusion. The BL/gay romance would provoke a negative response from this homophobic society, it'd result in a reduction in viewership and, by extension, a loss of revenue: https://m.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/A2024022007010001273

Translation:

"The BL genre faces limitations in terms of production costs, investment, and financial returns. So, we aimed to explore the concept of the project as a bromance"

https://x.com/BLUPDATE2022/status/1761240687729950917

"The team initially found the premise of the webtoon interesting and attempted to adapt it into a bromance. However, they ultimately changed course due to the ongoing challenge of ensuring commercial success"

I don't see how the drama adaptation is respectful to the source material. Censorship here is the exertion of market forces on the creator and producers, they were pressured to mutilate and disrespect their creation to satisfy the homophobic preferences and biases of the intended mainstream audience/society

The length of the drama wouldn't have been an insurmountable obstacle for skilled writers and directors. With careful attention to pacing, character development, and narrative structure, a time skip and romantic arc in a short format could've been as engaging as a romantic arc in a long format

"In the drama, there is no "new Yi Heon". Kim Deuk Pal retains his sense of self throughout the whole thing"

Deuk Pal's soul is operating in the physical limitations and framework of Yi Heon's body. The body can't be discounted in favor of a singular, unifying concept of the "soul." The other commenter has a point, the maturity of Deuk Pal's soul created a new individual that is both Yi Heon and not Yi Heon. It's a new "Yi Heon" possessing the body of Yi Heon and the mental maturity of Deuk Pal

The concept of "secondary genders" in omegaverse has the potential to generate an environment in which abusive behavior is tolerated and excused. Popular omegaverse works depict alphas as powerful and assertive figures exerting control over omegas, that are depicted as weak and in need of protection. The popular depictions can't be overlooked

BL might feature "abusive" relationships. The difference is that the relationships aren't tied to pre-determined gender roles. Consider a relationship between a wealthy businessman and a humble artist. The issues of class, status, and privilege would allow for a more complex, nuanced exploration of power dynamics

Thank you for standing against omegaverse stories that excuse abuse

And one person's "art" is another person's "vulgar and filthy"

Absolutely, you're free to disagree

Disagreements are an unavoidable part of life, and we should navigate them with understanding and respect. Insults or personal attacks would escalate tensions and make it difficult to find common ground

Our conversation has shown that we can disagree respectfully

Different cultures and individuals have different attitudes towards nudity and "sex"

The use of derogatory terms, "prudish," "childish," etc, to describe reservations about explicit content is itself morality policing. It implies that there's a "right" or "wrong" way to feel about "sex"

Freedom goes both ways. Just as creators are free to experiment with different content, viewers are free to voice their opinions and concerns about the content they consume

Even if a project is rated 21+ or labeled as containing explicit content, we don't have to accept the explicit content without question

I'm open to explicit content at times. When it's problematic, indecent, unnecessary, or excessive, I discontinue consuming the material

My objective here isn't to assert my preferences. I'm defending the rights of viewers to criticize the use of explicit content in a drama

Feminism is about equality and empowerment for women, and showing explicit content that objectifies women doesn't promote this value

Understanding the reality of abuse against women doesn't require watching explicit content. We can learn about and discuss the issue through education, awareness campaigns, or by listening to abused women

The meaning and purpose of explicit scenes are subjective and depend on one's cultural background or personal beliefs, therefore they can't be considered self-explanatory

Producers might've been trying to convey the hedonism of the time period, viewers might disagree, seeing the scenes as being excessive and more about shock value than anything else

Nude scenes can detract from the quality of a viewing experience for reasons that aren't a personal issue for the viewer. It could be the manner in which the scenes are incorporated in the narrative, the quality of the acting or writing, or the visual presentation of the scenes

It's not always possible to know in advance that you'll like or dislike a drama. It's not fair to expect people to only watch what they're guaranteed to like. They can watch and offer criticism

The amount of work that goes into creating a drama doesn't exempt it from criticism. If anything, the more effort that goes into something, the more important it is for it to be held to high standards and receive honest feedback

Explicit scenes have a ripple effect, influencing how the audience perceives the characters and themes of the drama. They can create a disconnect and detract from the quality of the viewing experience. It's not childish to take issue with them

I'm comfortable with explicit content at times, but I understand that everyone has different comfort levels. The people who are uncomfortable with explicit content should be free to share their opinions without being ridiculed

You don't need to look further than the explicit content you enjoy to talk about harmful stereotypes and toxic behavior

Shows that rely on shock value and vulgarity often perpetuate harmful ideas about "sex" and relationships. Wholesome content can show healthier relationships, stronger female characters, and more positive role models

Explicit scenes are often overused and unimaginative. This is a valid criticism that deserves consideration

Mature individuals are able to engage in respectful discourse and appreciate diverse perspectives, even when they disagree. Your comments suggest an unwillingness to do so, please grow up

From Westernization

The existence of some objectifying scenes in Kdramas doesn't excuse the inclusion of more explicit, objectifying scenes. A problem exists in some form, it's not okay to exacerbate or perpetuate that problem

Korea has every right to "talk about objectification"

There being some instances of objectification in the Kpop industry doesn't mean all Korean people condone or participate in that objectification

Explicit scenes are included for shock value or to satisfy modern-day audiences. Historical accuracy isn't dependent on them

The concept of "PG-13" is a modern invention that didn't exist in historical Korea. The historical accuracy of Kdramas shouldn't be measured against the standards of modern-day rating systems

You assume that historical Korea had a relaxed attitude towards "sex" and explicit content, that "PG-13" dramas are inaccurate

Historical Korean society had its own social norms and hierarchies. "Sexual" relationships were regulated by these norms. It'd be inaccurate to assume that "sex" was freely depicted or discussed. The absence of explicit content in "PG-13" dramas can be more reflective of the societal norms of this past

Labeling Kdrama fans and Korean people as "dumb" because they have differing opinions from you is dumb

"Theres actors and actresses that don't mind it"

They don't speak for everybody. Why are you ignoring the actors and actresses who mind it? They can't return their millions and get their dignity back

The people who criticize NSFW content in fiction might very well be putting energy into addressing real-life problems. We can care about both

Fiction is seen as an escape from reality. If the only thing women are escaping from is their clothes, we have a problem

Fiction reflects and influences society. It can inspire or reinforce harmful attitudes, and it can help to challenge or change them. The fictional "objectification" of women reflects a society that has a distorted, unhealthy view of women. Both the fiction and the society that creates it should be subject to scrutiny