tenoh27

Sorry for the long rambling, but it saddened me to read that some people dropped Coffee Prince after they read this article, because it was not deserved. Context is very important, and by highlighting that assault here, it seemed some thought that CP was a show which had abuse or promoted it, when it could not be further from the truth.

You are right.

Still, the fact that the CP show did address HG’s abominable behaviour already elevated it above some other dramas who might be portraying similar scenes as justified, or worse, ‘romantic’. Having forced kisses and wrist grabs - or even rape - in shows are not the problem, the main issue should be in how it was portrayed. In CP, the context did not support having that assault as an example in this article.

As the article pointed out in other examples, some shows just take it too far, and could be a reflection of the state of some parts of the world’s social hierarchy and culture. Or basically just poor writing/story-telling.

Nothing justifies rape, and no amount of rationalizations in those shows can ever be enough. Some shows are simply awful at propagating any sort of positive values. Still, if they provide other contexts for story development, and some people can find enjoyment therein, criticism of these shows should be in perspective too.

Thank you for your reply and I understood the intention, but just felt the term has been abused, since there is a definition for its meaning, and not just legally. I do not disagree forced hair-cutting it is a form of violation and physical assault. Thought provoking article, thank you.

I do not agree with equivocating forced hair-cutting with rape. While I totally agree that it is a form of physical assault, and traumatizing on its own, to say that it is akin to rape seemed to me to be going a step too far. Many forms of abuse and assaults can leave their own scars, but not all are rape.

That was a terrible kiss in Coffee Prince and was alluded to as such in the drama. It was not at all considered romantic or fine by the parities involved. Han Kyul apologized afterwards. It was true he was upset, but she did not deserve it and the show clearly made it obvious that his behavior was unacceptable. CP was a relatively progressive rom com, overall. Give it another try.

Strongwoman Do Bong Soon, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, Shopping King Louis and Guardian/Guardian all had relatively nice, gentle, supportive and swoon worthy male lead characters. Still, none of the above male characters are without flaws in other areas, and Strongwoman was particularly disturbing in the way it portrayed general violence throughout the show (not for the OTP though, which was simply adorably swoon-worthy).

I Hear Your Voice had great male leads (as well as most other characters), but the show was quite physical - handsy - at times in the way it portrayed interactions between characters, so I am not sure whether some would find it acceptable. Personally, in context, none of the physical moments were objectionable at all, and some were not portrayed as completely without issue in the show either. (I find most of the above examples on the list to be uncomfortable if not out right disgusting).

Thank you for the defense of CP. I think it was a bit unfair for that kiss to be included on this list due to the context. It was portrayed as violent and acknowledged by the parties involved to be so. The show was not romantisicing it. CP was a relatively progressive rom-com and it pained me so to see it criticized out of context.

That was a terrible kiss in Coffee Prince and was alluded to as such in the drama. It was not at all considered romantic or fine by the parities involved. Han Kyul apologized afterwards. It was true he was upset, but she did not deserve it and the show clearly made it obvious that his behavior was unacceptable.

I do not think that the CP kiss - in context - should be included in this list.

Never watched any and don’t plan to; never equated violent behavior with romantic passion. While hoping these show won’t be produced anymore, can’t ignore the fact that some people enjoy them (shrugs).

Nice to know that there is a downward trend in these types of shows, though.

Love this trope in dramas/movies/stories, and don’t even mind them much in real life as long as the student is of legal age, consented and both parties are single (and the relationship is not exploitative). Still, this is a very grey area in real life and should be treated with utmost caution.

Romance (2003) is a favourite even after all these years, but was traumatised by Majo (1999), though the first half was great if disturbing. Hoping to catch Biscuit Teacher one of these days.

Perhaps I was converted to a student/teacher relationship by the ultimate of its genre, ‘The Condor Heroes’ wuxia saga. Basically, am just a firm believer in “love knows no boundaries”, and “age is just a number”.

Such a beautifully poignant story of first love and the enduring beauty of simplicity.

This was a wonderful review, thank you！

This a good and intimate look at the lesser known personages of the Sengoku period, which I greatly appreciated.

I started to religiously follow this drama, however, only because of Ono Masatsugu, and the brilliantly amazing way he was portrayed by Takahashi Issei. I literally cried buckets of tears - for 3 months - for him and his stoic plight. However, after certain unavoidable events, the show just lost all interest for me.

This version is my favourite amongst the numerous adaptations I have watched. The cinematography, directing, cast and acting, not to mention the theme songs, captured the gritty and epic feel of this beloved Jin Yong saga. In many aspects, it was also the most faithful to the books. Personally, as a firm fan of the novel and saga, I think this production was truly an effort worth praising.

This version, however, was not the most popular or well received when it was first released, or even now. For a much prettier adaptation - not to mention a clever tugging-of-heartstrings via the main theme score - of the same story, the 2017 version was a relatively good watch too.

Best crack martial arts movie ever! The awesome cast of who-and-who from the heyday of Hong Kong cinema was a major attraction, but the story itself was crack-tastically fun and not to be taken seriously at all. A totally fabulous watch if you enjoy HK-style nonsensical humour! A cult classic.

There is no need to actually force yourself to watch something you don’t enjoy. Just drop it. No one thing can satisfy everybody, no matter how fabulous those who loves it think. Find a drama you can enjoy. Life is too short.

Finally managed to watch this after years, and all I can say is that regardless of its flaws, the story, the characters and the journey they went through, as well as the people they became by the end, resonated deeply - emotionally and intellectually - with me. What more could I ask of a story/drama?

It truly was a joy to come across such an imperfectly perfect story, thank you, writer, PD, cast and crew!