I know this drama not romantical focus, but who love interest for FL? I need know before watching, to not ship…
I've watched until episode 70. From the start, the story obviously leans towards a relationship with the doctor, and the other characters root for them. Yet it's far too obvious and I bet ( I ship it too) fisherman Ryo's character will beat him on the finish line. Still in the dark though.
So I understood Vincenzo's murderous rage after his mom was killed. But I don't understand what his intent was…
Right, yeah? not very realistic but let's just enjoy the ride! Isn't it what we enjoy in Vincenzo? The character is a mastermind, scheming and planning carefully every details, and sometimes he's just a daredevil and unpredictable mafioso. Somehow he'll get back on his feet probably thanks to his recklessness.
Thank you for this enlightening article. Struggle for power and court intrigues seem to be indeed universal. I really hope you do more articles of this kind.
Thank you for this article. When I first came across My drama list and its reviews, I really wondered what would drive normal viewers like me to go and expose their thoughts like that on dramas, as if they were professional movie critics. Then I began to read more and more of these reviews, and I got impressed with how interesting, well written and well thought about a lot of them are. You nailed it with the three reviews' type in the introduction. Now I tend to read one review before watching a show ( to make up my mind) and then a couple of them afterwards. It helps me a lot to organize my thoughts and I work on my "critic" skills (what do I like or dislike, which mark does a show deserve), I think it's very important to train these abilities, not only as a drama viewer but to be part of our "highly debating societies" (sorry! this sounds really pretentious!!) I experienced just once writing a review (to do justice to an overlooked drama) but I totally loved the process. I just felt a bit sad that nobody would probably read it. Anyway now I really get why members of My drama list do it. So carry on!
Excellent and mind opening article. I really hope screenwriters read it and keep this in mind. We, audience, want more ML with real hardships and nice FL!! I reflected on my favourite dramas according to your criteria, very stimulating! Wouldn't you add One Spring Night to the list of "trope breaker " drama? I believe it fits in.
Thank you for your analysis. It brought a lot of good memories as I really loved this show, one of my favorites. Women and carrers are indeed an important topic here. I remember too the two senior female jounalists who had to struggle to maintain their position,first in a competitive mode and then as friends. Very interesting female characters. Sometimes I felt very frutrated though by Pyo Na Ri, how she accepted all kind of humiliating things and her boyfriend had to come and rescue her more than once. I wish she had sorted out her problems more on her own ( especially the harrassing colleague)
I have to say that I didn't know that about Kim Ki Duk, as I haven't really followed his work nor his public life.…
I'm sorry you got so angry over my comment, I didn't mean to be offensive. Your reaction actually gave me food for thought. I understand you may quit liking an art piece because you're so disgusted by what you find out that your perspective on it changes. But as far I'm concerned, I'm full of contradictions and it doesn't work automaticall this way. But it's not a choice, it's what I'm feeling. A choice, in the other hand, is what you decide to do about your responsibility as an audience. I do want to be on the side of the victims and I don't want to do anything that would contribute to perpetuate or legitimate the abusive behaviours. And I get that praising the work of someone may have this toxic outcome. As for the specific issue of preventing women abuse, a good thing would be to have many more women in charge, I haven't been for long in the kdramas world but I was happy to see that many screenwriters are women, and I was disappointed that so few directors are women (in Tale of Nokdu for instance), like in the western industry actually. So if someone could write an article about talented women directors in asian dramas and films, I would be grateful.
I have to say that I didn't know that about Kim Ki Duk, as I haven't really followed his work nor his public life.…
I understand your concerns and certainly it's important to be aware of that kind of things. But do you quit loving an art piece just because their creator's behavior is despicable ? especially if it's a master piece... We had the same problem last year in France with the director Polanski. I believe it's important to let people know about their past and wrong doings but excellent movies and artwork live for themselves. I'll definately watch Spring, Summer... yet I'm grateful that I am now aware of the issues around the director.
Thank you for the recommandations. I'll put them on my list. The only one I watched was My PS partner. I recommend it strongly. Ji Sung is great as usual with a one of a kind character. The love story is quite original and captivating.
Great article, thank you ! Tags are indeed a wonderful analysis tool. I have always been quite concerned over gender issues in the kdrama world, I enjoy dramas so much but I tend to feel uneasy when women characters suffer from obvious undermining status or writing treatment, which occurs all too often, as shows your analyse. That's why I have been a big fan of recent shows where both sismance and high status of FL were corner stones. Obviously you mentionned Search www and I couldn't agree more. Yet it does fall in the trap of evil 2FL or support roles ( Song Ga Kyung at first, than the CEO at Unicon and especially the CEO of KU group). As if whenever you have powerfull women, they should be evil people. For the sismance, I'd also recommand Jealousy incarnate, with 2 support female characters (Seong Sook and Ja Yeong) whose storyline evolves from hate to supporting eachother, I love how the show depicted their relationship. However this sismance does not involve the FL... The same show also gives a rare example of a bromance decaying throughout the episodes. And finally I'm sure that The world of the married would have got into your article if it was not so new. It's a great example of a better money status for the FL and also an interesting storyline with her neighbour and colleague, none of the characters being black or white in this show.
Great idea to write this article. I'd love it if each drama could get to have two different points of view like this. It makes you question your own judgement in a healthy way and you end up enjoying your real favorites even more. Among the dramas you have comented, I had mixed feelings about Cruel city and Suspicious partners. Therefore I really enjoyed reading your differents views on those 2. Thanks!
I've just watched Jealousy Incarnate. Best Romcom Kdrama I've ever come across. Witty, socially relevant, great female characters, original and unforeseen use of many usual cliches. I can't wait to watch another work from this screen writer
Thank you for your article, so happy I discovered it, even late. I love this kind of characters and thanks to you I have new shows to watch. I made a similar list for evil sexy characters, I included the Japanese original version of Kim Moo Young, Rio, played by Kimura, a must seen. And also Woo Do Hwan but in The Great Seducer
doctor, and the other characters root for them. Yet it's far too obvious and I bet ( I ship it too) fisherman Ryo's character will beat him on the finish line. Still in the dark though.
Isn't it what we enjoy in Vincenzo? The character is a mastermind, scheming and planning carefully every details, and sometimes he's just a daredevil and unpredictable mafioso. Somehow he'll get back on his feet probably thanks to his recklessness.
You nailed it with the three reviews' type in the introduction. Now I tend to read one review before watching a show ( to make up my mind) and then a couple of them afterwards. It helps me a lot to organize my thoughts and I work on my "critic" skills (what do I like or dislike, which mark does a show deserve), I think it's very important to train these abilities, not only as a drama viewer but to be part of our "highly debating societies" (sorry! this sounds really pretentious!!)
I experienced just once writing a review (to do justice to an overlooked drama) but I totally loved the process. I just felt a bit sad that nobody would probably read it.
Anyway now I really get why members of My drama list do it.
So carry on!
I really hope screenwriters read it and keep this in mind. We, audience, want more ML with real hardships and nice FL!!
I reflected on my favourite dramas according to your criteria, very stimulating!
Wouldn't you add One Spring Night to the list of "trope breaker " drama? I believe it fits in.
Women and carrers are indeed an important topic here. I remember too the two senior female jounalists who had to struggle to maintain their position,first in a competitive mode and then as friends. Very interesting female characters.
Sometimes I felt very frutrated though by Pyo Na Ri, how she accepted all kind of humiliating things and her boyfriend had to come and rescue her more than once. I wish she had sorted out her problems more on her own ( especially the harrassing colleague)
A choice, in the other hand, is what you decide to do about your responsibility as an audience. I do want to be on the side of the victims and I don't want to do anything that would contribute to perpetuate or legitimate the abusive behaviours. And I get that praising the work of someone may have this toxic outcome.
As for the specific issue of preventing women abuse, a good thing would be to have many more women in charge, I haven't been for long in the kdramas world but I was happy to see that many screenwriters are women, and I was disappointed that so few directors are women (in Tale of Nokdu for instance), like in the western industry actually.
So if someone could write an article about talented women directors in asian dramas and films, I would be grateful.
I have always been quite concerned over gender issues in the kdrama world, I enjoy dramas so much but I tend to feel uneasy when women characters suffer from obvious undermining status or writing treatment, which occurs all too often, as shows your analyse.
That's why I have been a big fan of recent shows where both sismance and high status of FL were corner stones.
Obviously you mentionned Search www and I couldn't agree more. Yet it does fall in the trap of evil 2FL or support roles ( Song Ga Kyung at first, than the CEO at Unicon and especially the CEO of KU group). As if whenever you have powerfull women, they should be evil people.
For the sismance, I'd also recommand Jealousy incarnate, with 2 support female characters (Seong Sook and Ja Yeong) whose storyline evolves from hate to supporting eachother, I love how the show depicted their relationship. However this sismance does not involve the FL... The same show also gives a rare example of a bromance decaying throughout the episodes.
And finally I'm sure that The world of the married would have got into your article if it was not so new. It's a great example of a better money status for the FL and also an interesting storyline with her neighbour and colleague, none of the characters being black or white in this show.
Among the dramas you have comented, I had mixed feelings about Cruel city and Suspicious partners. Therefore I really enjoyed reading your differents views on those 2.
Thanks!
I made a similar list for evil sexy characters, I included the Japanese original version of Kim Moo Young, Rio, played by Kimura, a must seen. And also Woo Do Hwan but in The Great Seducer