Dramas Over Flowers listeners: We want to do both a blog post and a podcast episode on what makes something problematic in a K-drama—and how that affects our experience of a show. Send us your questions, issues you’d like us to highlight, and/or specific shows you’d like us to address. Reply/comment here, send us a DM, email us at [email protected], or record and send a voice memo which we’ll happily play on the episode. We’ll keep whatever level of anonymity you’d like.
The lackluster second halves plus the lackluster endings. Also the forced happily ever after endings even when not needed. The endings issue is applicable to way too many shows, only a few writers know how to end a show well.
Give me a while and I’ll probably think of more, but…
Really problematic:
Blackface
Negative stereotypes of ethnic groups / races
Kinda problematic:
Wrist grab
Forced kiss
Trip kiss (but I’d give them a pass if someone chips a tooth)
Boss/subordinate romances
Those really short skirts on high school girls
Slapping
Irritating:
Childhood connections
Forced happy endings & dull 2nd halves (as @wapz said above)
Know-it-all male leads with fancy clothes &/or muscle cars (especially if they are speeding)
Clumsy people dropping things
People around the corner overhearing things
People talking to themselves out loud
Anisa
June 23, 2020 at 1:47 PM
Dramas Over Flowers listeners: We want to do both a blog post and a podcast episode on what makes something problematic in a K-drama—and how that affects our experience of a show. Send us your questions, issues you’d like us to highlight, and/or specific shows you’d like us to address. Reply/comment here, send us a DM, email us at [email protected], or record and send a voice memo which we’ll happily play on the episode. We’ll keep whatever level of anonymity you’d like.
wapz
June 23, 2020 at 2:18 PM
The lackluster second halves plus the lackluster endings. Also the forced happily ever after endings even when not needed. The endings issue is applicable to way too many shows, only a few writers know how to end a show well.
Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
June 23, 2020 at 5:00 PM
Give me a while and I’ll probably think of more, but…
Really problematic:
Blackface
Negative stereotypes of ethnic groups / races
Kinda problematic:
Wrist grab
Forced kiss
Trip kiss (but I’d give them a pass if someone chips a tooth)
Boss/subordinate romances
Those really short skirts on high school girls
Slapping
Irritating:
Childhood connections
Forced happy endings & dull 2nd halves (as @wapz said above)
Know-it-all male leads with fancy clothes &/or muscle cars (especially if they are speeding)
Clumsy people dropping things
People around the corner overhearing things
People talking to themselves out loud
Anisa
June 25, 2020 at 2:12 PM
Thanks for your responses @wapzy and @lordcobol!