mango

the first thing that came to mind when I read the title was yoon shi yoon in fbnd, ha ha. especially in the panda suit.

I know this was 10/11 years ago but gosh, hyun bin looks so young! 2006 or 2017, he always looks good.


I tried snow queen in what feels like centuries ago but I had a difficult time getting into the first episode. I should give it another shot sometime!

I've always felt like there is censored content that is only censored because society & culture dictate something is "bad" & therefore harmful without realizing that thing is only bad because we said it's bad. it's really mindblowing to me that there are no issues when it comes to a m/f kissing, but turn that couple into anything but hetero & we have problems!

kmovies aren't restricted by the KCSC, so my understanding is that they're not necessarily free to depict whatever & however they want---because there is the KRMB to battle ratings with---but they do have greater range in what they can show.

I agree with @Paige & @Ceki. american TV contains more sex, & maybe violence(?), in comparison to south korean dramas, but I don't feel that america is as steep in sex as some people claim. I don't watch a whole lot of western programming, but I've never considered my favorites to be excessive in their violence or sexual content.

but what shows are really *about* sex? shows may contain it or mention it to varying degrees but they're not about it. I feel like there a lot of americans who simply are not comfortable with the topic of sex &/or think it's too much of an inappropriate, lewd act for TV, & so a lot of shows become written off as raunchy garbage. a show may not even be raunchy, but because it includes sex & sex is in some form "bad" for [x] reasons then the show is bad, too.

I'll also say that sex can be & is used not because shows are trying to be progressive but because they want ratings. in that sense, I do find it tiring. all the same, america is still a huge prude however much sex sells in this country. ergo, a woman can't even breastfeed in public without garnering negative attention because the focus is on her exposed breasts & not that she is feeding a child. I just wonder how much of an issue there would be if we stopped sexualizing bodies in addition to scandalizing sex.

censoring certain things, like with lit cigarettes, is silly because we all know what that is & blocking the image will deter no one from smoking. especially with those who are underage. they're going smoke if they want to smoke, or it's because they give into curiosity or peer pressure, & some kids just know where & how to get a pack. no blurred image on TV will prevent that, so the idea behind this cigarette censorship seems pointless. then there are other censored topics (such as the f/f kiss in seonam girls' high school) that I vehemently disagree with because they perpetuate discrimination & non-acceptance in an lgbtq-ignorant culture, which is harmful for lgbtq individuals & lgbtq communities.

then there's sex... I think the little to nil mention of it in kdramas relates to some sexually-conservative morals over there, so I see why some people prefer it over american/western TV. I don't *want* to watch sexual content so I'm not bothered by the lack (or rare inclusion) of it in kdramas, but I don't think promoting the normality of sex in a positive, nbd sort of way---which would mean including it in kdrama---is too wild of a concept to hope for. heart to heart might be a good example, IMO.

reply 1988 had it bad! I understand why they censored all those things for the licensed episodes, but the amount of censorship still felt totally ridiculous. nearly everything was blurred out, & here they'd be talking about a tv program or book but you'd have no idea what heck it was. it was so bothersome that I stopped watching it at DF.

& so it continues into episode five where kamiya-induced annoyance goes up by at least half a level.

omg. song sam dong from dream high. he is my perfect human being & forever drama boyfriend who no one should ever get me started on unless they enjoy watching me almost burst from glee. see? I can't stop smiling now.

koe koi's kaichou is also a precious cinnamon roll whose fumbling cuteness & genuinity speaks for itself. he's almost too adorable for me to handle.

I'm also liking ryu from everyone's getting married rn. he messes up sometimes, but he keeps the communication line open & stays honest. ❤

@Dani exactly! & I think part of that negative view toward housewifery comes from this idea that it's somehow anti-progressive. it's a "we've fought to attain these rights & freedom; why are you still in the kitchen?" sort of thing that gets bundled with very degrading stereotypes. I just feel like that within this continuing struggle for equality comes autonomy. if a woman decides, for & by herself, that being a housewife is what she wants---just like others decide they want to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, or, heck, even fashion models---what business do other have in looking down on her? because she has every right to want to be whatever she chooses, & that includes being a housewife/stay-at-home mom.

so re: this drama, it's great that everyone around asuka thinks no less of her for wanting to be a housewife---especially ryu. even tho he has no intention of marrying atm, he likes her for who she is & respects her dream. (which, also, creates an interesting contrast between the two of them that keeps me wondering how they'll work it out, unless ryu is the one to change his mind or middle ground is reached.)

what reasons do you think I think housewives & aspiring housewives are shamed for? there are people out in the world who look down on women—& men—who choose the occupation of housespouse over a "real job" for some of the reasons you even mention. I don't see those reasons as invalid, either—so be it that they are reasons for concern or disagreement & not reasons to judge—because is it possible that a housewife/stay-at-home mom will find herself divorced &, without years of work experience (or an education, in some cases), have difficulty supporting herself (and kid(s))? of course. this even happens to recently-divorced women who aren't housewives. however, not every marriage is fated to end or carry on in unhappiness. even in cases where it does happen, I will not think poorly of someone for making decisions that contributed to their present hardships. not to mention that it's that woman's life and therefore her right to choose which paths to take. you mentioned that you have seen traditional housewives fall to misfortunate circumstance, which I don't deny occurs, but it also does not mean the same will happen to all who choose that path nor does it make wanting to be a housewife wrong.

& as I said, I don't disagree with the points you raise because I also feel that it's smart to have a career or skill set to fall back on, but again: some people forgo that. sometimes it comes back to bite them; sometimes it doesn't. either way, it's their life & they get to choose how to live it, so I won't castigate or blame them for making 'wrong' decisions. adding to that, I also recognize that there are people for whom this lifestyle does work & it makes them feel content. who am I to judge & stigmatize? it's not my place. if someone wants to be a housewife or househusband because they aspire to recreate the loving environment that their stay-at-home parent provided, which is asuka's basis, that is their right regardless of whether I think it's the correct choice for them. we don't need to agree with asuka or those who relate to her, but I do feel that they're personal choices need to be respected at the very least. even if they have other reasons for wanting to stay home, I firmly believe that people should be able to make that decision for themselves without society judging or devaluing them.

one more thing:

"they chose to be traditional housewives and basically do nothing their whole lives."

this is part of the belittling I'm referring to, because this kind of thinking expresses a view that diminishes the value of a housewife solely because she lacks a job. it says that a woman has value when she's educated with a career; to give that up means to sacrifice merit. except the work of a housewife (or husband) & stay-at-home parent amounts to much more than just nothing. taking care of a family at home and raising kids is not "nothing," & it certainly doesn't make someone less valuable, less intelligent, or less deserving of respect because they spend their days at home. it's just unfortunate that certain societies or people fail to acknowledge this, & so to round it all back to the drama: this is why I love asuka's character. I love that she just /wants/ to be a housewife, & I love it more that the show doesn't treat her dream as a negative (which in turn dictates value in the role of a housewife/husband). I see plenty of dramas where the leads are women dedicated to their field of work, which I absolutely love—& love it more when they show adversity in the workplace (for women & men, tbh) & what bullshit it is—but a lead like asuka is not a lead I often encounter, so I'm happy to welcome this kind of representation.

I wondered if asuka would consider that she doesn't need marriage to achieve her end goal of creating a warm, loving home with family, but---although I'm ignorant on specifications---I know that would create issues later on, like with the koseki system. regardless, I am interested to watch asuka & ryu grow individually---& how that may alter their current conflicting views---along with the development of their relationship. I love their honest and upfront approaches, & that they're together out of mutual interest & affection despite knowing that they ultimately want two different things. I look forward to seeing where they end up, but in general I just look forward to seeing them. they're freaking adorable together.

I'm also responsive toward asuka's housewife dream. it's a traditional role that a lot of people look down on, but if that's the lifestyle someone chooses & it makes them happy then good for them. being a housewife isn't what I want to be, but I hate seeing housewives & stay-at-home moms belittled or shamed for choosing a traditional role, so, yeah, I am enjoying asuka quite a bit. she feels fresh since many of the shows I watch depict working women, children or no children, & so it's nice to see someone who has opposite life goals with a narrative that supports those dreams.

I share the same thought regarding her mentality of wanting or hoping to change ryu's perspective on marriage. granted that I don't know anything about the manga or how closely the show follows it, I wonder where the main couple will end up in terms of growth & their differing outlooks.

@MareSoares I think you're talking about the scene with the cooking event? my memory is poor but she probably looks dejected over the compliment received about her job, as I perceived it/remember it, because she realized this is another guy who wouldn't understand her wanting to leave a good career to be a housewife. (which is why, in contrast, she lit up over that one man who complimented her for wanting to be a stay at home wife.) she loves her job, but it's a greater dream of hers to be a housewife, &---honestly---I think that's a really neat aspect of the show.

women are looked down on for /just/ being housewives/housemoms---as are working women, too---but I see this show embrace both the career & stay-at-home lady without valuing one above the other. ofc I do think it lends a sympathetic view toward housewives/women with housewife-goals, but I don't see that as devaluing the career woman. part of the show's narration is just saying 'you keep doing you, asuka, 'cause there's nothing wrong with wanting to be a housewife.' it's a positive message.

I don't either, or why seirei no moribito won best historical & why yamaken won best idol actor---or why any of these guys were put in these categories for voting in the first place, actually.

I agree with @fanitha & @Dani. it's predictable, typical, & mediocre but I do think it's still watchable---or "enjoyable," I should say, to varying extents (depending on your preference). I thought it was so-so. it's not terrible but it's not great, except that all this overhype has really turned it sour for me.... kiritani was a big turnoff at the start, too, but she slowly felt more tolerable as the show progressed. honestly, tho, there are better shows to spend your time on.

I am going to be all over seirei no moribito II! & I didn't realize the new kimi wa petto was coming out so soon~

I'm also interested in quartet, mother can I quit, byplayers, kirawareru yuuki, shukatsu kazoku, daibinbo, & some others I don't think were mentioned like rakuen & kanjou 8-go sen. there are so many more dramas to list but it'll depend on which are picked up for subbing ofc.

the voice, defendant, & chief kim are on my 2017 PTW list, but I'm most excited for saimdong, light's diary with lee young ae's comeback! I'll be watching that one for sure.

I finally had the time to marathon episodes 2 - 5 off this week, but now that I finished it idk what to do. I'm sitting here with a pit of emptiness that only more kisaragi toko & co investigations can fill. suisho no kodo felt like a blessing, so I suppose it's too much hoping for a third installment?

anyway, I think any ishi no mayu fan will enjoy the heck out of this. it's an exciting sequel with more great development for kisaragi IMO.

@TroubleMcTrouble suki na hito ga iru koto is currently winning in every category it's listed in, even best idol actor (which is very confusing to me). people are free to vote for whatever they want, but this does make me wonder how many 2016 jdramas most suki na hito ga iru koto voters have really seen.