flowermoon9

The only Thai drama I found that didn’t follow the typical lakorn template was The Crown Princess (starring Nadech and Yaya). Although the storyline is a bit weak and has some loopholes, I watched it for the main leads and wanted to see how they overcame their problems together. It was refreshing to see how well the lead characters complemented each other; specifically, the ML wasn’t your typical abusive lakorn ML, so I didn’t even mind the plot holes!

As for Turkish dizis, I managed to find four gems after being disgusted by multiple popular dramas that glorified chronic cheaters, manipulators, and abusers as MLs. It’s shocking how often the FLs in the majority of those series don't just smack the hell out of them for their nasty behavior, but instead stay with them as if they were the last men on earth. So these four Turkish dramas felt like a breath of fresh air, and it makes me wonder why it’s so hard for writers to create more stories like this.

I totally understand what you mean about tolerating an ML who is unpleasant at first but changes over time to become kind and loving! That’s exactly why Adim Farah is number one on my list. You have to see the growth of Tahir Lekesiz; despite being involved in the criminal underworld, he has a heart of gold that only begins to shine after he falls for the FL. He is incredibly loyal and devoted. The FL has a complicated history, but even when she is forced to leave him, Tahir never lets go. I was so impressed! Just ignore the second male lead here because he’s a total douchebag; it really sickens me that such a character was even created for this drama. He felt completely unnecessary, but I guess that’s a trait Turkish writers can't easily erase, even for an exceptional series like Adim Farah.

The other three are:
​Her Yerde Sen: Nothing extraordinary, but definitely better than most popular series and it was a fun watch. It’s the only drama where I couldn't even hate the ML’s ex because she wasn't toxic lol
​Dolunay: I watched it a long time ago and, while I've forgotten the details, I remember the leads were mutually understanding and the ML wasn't a cheater/abusive.
​Early Bird: The ML did act like someone who runs away from his problems instead of facing them head-on towards the second half, and I didn't like how they dragged out the misunderstanding, but the first half was good and definitely better than the usual Turkish fare.

I’ve really loved our conversation; it was such a delight talking to you!! You probably won’t believe it, but I created this MDL profile specifically to back your comment when I saw others accusing you of blowing things out of proportion. You were the first person I saw highlighting the unfair treatment of the ML and the hypocrisy of the FLs in current Chinese dramas. And I couldn't resist sharing my thoughts too -especially given the mismatch between this drama's high rating and its inconsistent characterization, clichés, and fillers. I really appreciate your viewpoints and the fact that we had this detailed talk!

If it’s hard to find a manly ML in Chinese or Korean dramas who doesn't become subservient to the 'girlboss, I'm never wrong' FL just to prove his loyalty and undying devotion, it's equally hard to find a Turkish or Thai drama where the ML isn't borderline toxic and the FL isn't too meek to fight for herself, tolerating his BS.

​More often than not, the Thai/Turkish MLs are either playboys or cheaters, or they simply turn a blind eye to the injustices the FL faces, treating them as if they aren't an issue. Both extremes are nerve-wracking and give me the ick. Selecting a good show from a sea of these bogus options is like finding a needle in a haystack. That's why I return to the older Chinese and Korean dramas that made me fall in love with the genre in the first place; I rewatch them whenever I feel bored or disappointed with current shows.

I’m not from the US, but I absolutely get what you mean. It makes me glad to find a kindred spirit who shares such similar values and viewpoints on these topics. I honestly thought I was alone.

It has become increasingly common in current dramas, whether Chinese or Korean, for the FL to do things that would incur the absolute wrath of the audience if the genders were reversed.
​There are viewers who actually rejoice when the ML suffers in agony while the FL neglects him. They justify her actions and claim he needs to suffer more, even when he isn’t at fault. If a male lead treated a female lead with that same level of unfairness, those same viewers would complain endlessly. This double standard has caused the quality of recent dramas to deteriorate. Most now follow a predictable template: the ML falls hard and eventually gives in to every demand the moment the FL sheds a tear, regardless of how much like 'garbage' she treated him previously. Older dramas felt more balanced; the leads had a mutual understanding, neither took advantage of the other's devotion, and they truly complemented each other.

Now, everything feels forced into a 'female-centric' mold. In many recent costume C-dramas, we see this 'Mulan-ification' where the FL suddenly gains God of War skills, effortlessly taking down men and becoming the 'knight' for the ML. Personally, this saps my interest. While an FL can have great fighting skills and intellectual depth, she doesn't need to 'become the man' or save him constantly to be a strong character. Take Bai Qian from Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, for example. She was immensely powerful but never needed to be the 'knight' for Ye Hua and yet she protected him with her life.

In shows like TMOPB or Ashes of Love, when the ML made mistakes that hurt the FL, he truly suffered and repented for years. You almost never see that level of repentance from an FL, even when she has deeply wounded the ML. It’s as if writers are afraid that holding an FL accountable will get them labeled as misogynists. The end result? A narrative where women aren't held responsible for their actions, suggesting that if a man truly loves a woman, he should just endure her harsh treatment without question.

Yeah. The accident storyline part and her way of treating the ML were completely out of her character. Since ep 1, she was shown to know exactly how to do the right thing when it came to her parents or her best friend, she even sacrificed herself to cater to their needs. Yet she strangely lacked that same discernment regarding the ML.

She overstepped his boundaries from the get-go, and pushed him away when he needed her most. The moment she realized how deeply he cared for her, she became reckless with his feelings, consistently putting her own desires and needs above his and ignoring his emotions whenever her own were at stake. This directly clashed with the personality the drama built up from the beginning.

Overall, the drama was fine, but it wasn't exceptional enough to warrant an 8.8 rating, especially given the inconsistent characterization of the FL and the fillers scattered throughout. Even the ending felt abrupt and incomplete. While the cinematography was well-crafted, the music was lovely, and the leads had great chemistry, the story did rely on cliché tropes.

The childhood connection and the 'coincidence' of the ML crossing paths with the FL in real life - only to become her tenant almost immediately -felt too convenient to be believable. Even if he had valid reasons for renting in her neighborhood, the timing was just too unrealistic. For once, I’d like to see a drama where the leads fall in love based on their current lives, where one main lead doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting in the relationship, and there's no pre-existing past connection. I started this drama because of the high rating, but I didn’t get the hype.

It was almost as if, from the moment he caught her interest, she became obsessed with him to the point of overstepping boundaries without a second thought. She clearly knows how to do the right thing when it comes to her parents or her best friend, even sacrificing herself to cater to their needs, yet she strangely lacks that same discernment regarding the ML. This shows she took him for granted.

​The moment she realized how deeply he cared for her, she became reckless with his feelings, consistently putting her own desires and needs above his and ignoring his emotions whenever her own were at stake. This directly clashed with her personality the drama built up from the first episode. She treated him unfairly, and pushing him away with such harsh words was completely unnecessary.

Had the writers not created such an ungrateful, self-centered FL, who only cared about her own feelings and prioritized her parents' opinions over the ML's despite knowing they were wrong about him, I'd have rated this drama much higher. She intentionally wounded the ML with her words, treated him like a doormat and took his love for granted. I honestly don't understand how the drama maintained an 8.8 rating.

I couldn’t agree more! The FL was the one who fell first and made the first move, yet she got upset when the ML didn't reciprocate immediately. She tried everything to make him realize his 'mistake,' but once he finally reached the point where he couldn't bear to be away from her and she became his whole world, she failed to prioritize him the way he did for her when it mattered most.

The real test of a relationship is how you act when your partner is going through their worst moments. If you let go of their hand during their darkest hour, your love simply isn't strong enough. The FL didn't just break up with him; she did it using the harshest words imaginable - words he never deserved to hear from the love of his life. She even claimed she should never have fallen for him. Then, despite seeing that he wouldn't leave her side after her father’s accident, she brought him to her parents' house only to blurt out how he reminded her father of his painful past.

Later, when she discovered his secret search for his father’s perpetrators and ran into him at the factory, she pushed him away yet again. She only gave in after he pulled her into a tight embrace, following her accusations that his words were hollow and that he cared more about hatred and secrets than her. She only yielded after he repeatedly proved that she was his ultimate weakness.

While she protected him from being insulted by others, that doesn't excuse her cruelty during her father’s accident. She could have simply expressed her dilemma - the guilt of being with him after learning about his past and explained that she needed to separate for her father’s sake. Instead, she chose the harshest words possible to pierce his heart, forcing him to chase her endlessly and endure her moods.

This is why it doesn't absolve her when she eventually helps him with his father's case. She only did that after he proved his devotion and respected her boundaries. A perfect example is when she ran into his mother at his place; he rushed there to formally introduce her not as his 'girlfriend,' but as the 'love of his life.' He respected her decision to stay apart while still acknowledging his own feelings.

​It also really irked me when she rejected his marriage proposal in front of her parents. Given how supportive he had been from the start, it was obvious he would have championed her dreams. Instead, she argued that she had spent her whole life doing what was expected of her and wanted to focus on her career first. She spoke as if being married to him would somehow hinder her. Believing that, let alone saying it in front of him, is like an insult to his love. Yet, in the end, he still gave in to all her demands.

The problem isn't that the FL didn't support or love him; the problem is that she didn't prioritize him the way he prioritized her.