batatatamusic

Oh la la, we think exactly the same way. I 1000% agree with what you’re saying. Whether it’s the so-called “cinematic” sex industry, which many people are addicted to and where constant need for adrenaline being pushed so far (the same goes for cruelty) that, to feel excitement, we always need more and more—just like a drug.

When it comes to current Western TV shows and movies, that’s exactly what’s happening. I can’t watch them ((for most of the ones being released currently)) anymore either, for the same reasons: it’s either wokism, or cruelty for the sake of cruelty, or sex. Crudeness and sex are mainly what make people laugh now, and everything is portrayed the way you described, with no values at all.

That’s why I watch Asian content: precisely for the VALUES that still exist in some of them—for now at least such as friendship, family, love, a bit of modesty, and the absence of vulgarity, etc.

Of course, I’m not generalizing—there are beautiful works everywhere. But, in general, the content produced massively today is generative rather than crafted with the approach of a true work of art. It has become difficult for an artist to remain neutral and focus on what they can truly offer that is original and new. On one hand, there’s enormous economic pressure because production costs are huge; on the other—and most importantly—creators are flooded with “parasitic” information about audience behavior. They know absolutely everything: what people watch, how they watch it, at what speed, which moments they enjoy or reject, which colors and styles appeal to them… (it’s not just us reading the comments). In short, there’s almost no mystery left before release if you follow the formulas. Add to that the multiple tools of assistance—ChatGPT, AI in creation and editing—and the space for truly daring work becomes minimal.

These statistics—even those provided by YouTube and others—kill art, because an artist shouldn’t create on demand (that’s craftsmanship), but rather challenge, innovate, and offer what comes from within. Take Van Gogh as an example: imagine if he had created only what the public wanted in his time? That’s the difference. It’s not really the artist’s fault, as I said—it’s the system in general. There’s also overconsumption: imagine I want to make a great film, which requires much more time, but I would be overlooked and forgotten next to others who produce a 40-episode series every single day.

You articulated the counterbalance very well, in detail and from the narrator’s perspective. For the reasons you mentioned in your comment, I’ve continued watching, and as I said, despite all my analyses of the recurring relationship dynamics in C-dramas, I’m still following this series precisely to see how their relationship evolves ;)

me too

lol ! excellent

Your comment reflects word for word what I think and what I have observed. On one hand, I feel reassured that I’m not the only one who thinks this way, in a world where, as soon as you look at things a little differently from the majority, you are immediately seen as the one who is wrong.

Of course, the woman in me wants us to live in an era where women can finally find their rightful place. But this is not a men-versus-women issue; it’s simply that the dynamics have changed — as you said, it’s almost the complete opposite now. Historically, we know that when humans try to create a “revolution,” they never manage to do it in a balanced way. They always swing to the other extreme for a long period before eventually coming back to the middle, to something more balanced. I think we are currently in that phase when it comes to mentalities and attitudes.

I also made exactly the same observation about cooking: if a woman cooks, it means she is she’s a professional in the food service industry. ; if a man cooks, then suddenly it’s something admirable. Fine — I love it when men cook. But constantly showcasing it in a systematic way is exhausting. Why can’t a woman also be allowed to have talents (other than work)? Why must a heroine not be able to cook well, sew well, be kind, empathetic, and have multiple talents — and be loved for those qualities too? Why must she only be admired because she is rebellious or because she dares to dominate a general? (Especially since the qualities mentioned above do not prevent her from also having those latter traits.) I’m just saying: for a change, why not give us something different, instead of always serving us the same nauseating dish. In this way, I actually think we are also highlighting feminine qualities (not just portraying the man as perfect). Isn’t that feminist too — for a woman to be perfect as well? No, because commercially it works less: they’re afraid that women won’t be able to identify with the female character and project themselves through her in order to dream.

Another topic concerns men, their expectations, and those of women. For a very long time, men have fantasized about women as sexual objects. Even great Hollywood directors — take Scorsese, whom I love — portray women this way. Male fantasy is very raw; it goes hand in hand with desire and sexual, visual needs. Women, on the other hand, generally have far more criteria and expectations when it comes to visual and emotional substance (I am, of course, generalizing). This leads to dissonance and disappointment on both sides, because our “literary or visual material” for dreaming and fantasizing has never been the same.

lol

And welcome to this little corner of discussion! With your interesting point of view

Every sentence leads us to another philosophical reflection ahah ! And that’s how we can approach a C-Drama that seems purely commercial at first, by peeling back all the layers and still discovering another one. It’s like a kaleidoscope—depending on how we turn it and how we look

Thank you too. It’s really rejuvenating to analyze and point things out in a constructive and unbiased way.. People often say, 'Turn off your brain" or " if you don’t like it, just change it.' But I say, I can watch, and i can I like it, but also analyze and point out things I don’t. Art is also about that. And i love reading and sharing ideas—we learn and reflect from different perspectives too.

Well said! What I also mean is that anything can be shown, nothing is inherently disturbing, but it all depends on how it is shown and justified—whether a flaw is highlighted or presented as something positive.

Ok, let’s admit that everyone has the right to have lovers, whether in dynasty X or Y — I’m not judging this choice, it’s personal, and everyone lives their life as they see fit. However, having lovers does not guarantee mutual respect or equality in how one treats the other. True equality doesn’t lie in what we do in our private lives, but in how we consider, listen to, and treat each other, without domination or hierarchy between partners. Here, there is clearly a hierarchy, yet we are talking about equality.

I agree with you 100%. And I can add this: I’ve read hundreds of Western female literature works, and watched hundreds of Chinese and Korean series—always the same thing. So here, it’s not a cultural question; it’s a global question: what do we, as women, dream of in our time? What are our expectations?

Only, it’s utopian, even dangerous, to just watch and believe in these stories, because real life is so different, and relationships are not the same. In the end, it could even work against us, because I don’t think a man who is fundamentally different from what’s shown will watch this and say, “Oh, they’re right, from tomorrow I’ll become like this hero.”

So instead of only showing THAT, it would be useful to dig deeper into the subjects, to show more depth, different cases, various possibilities—weaknesses, strengths. To find that, maybe you need to read the classics. But the fact is, we spend more than 20 hours a week watching things that distract us from real issues, real historical context, etc. … What impact is that going to have on us in the long term? lol

Oh, this is a completely different context and country: Catherine could have ‘official’ lovers because she was a queen in an absolute monarchy, in a system where the nobility tolerated such relationships for power, alliances, or pleasure.

In Confucian China, the moral and social pressure was enormous for women, even for unmarried ones.

It was a pleasure to discuss this short analysis with you all ! thks

Well, in our times, if it were the other way around, people would straight up call it sexual assault lol. In a historical context, that wouldn’t have been possible. In a modern setting, though, it could be interesting if the show actually emphasizes this reversed role in a satirical way—pointing it out and destabilizing the audience. It highlights that for a long time, the dynamic that exploited men was considered wrong, but flipping it today makes it way more obvious

Honestly, there’s nothing we can do about it :)). Women’s literature seems to collect all the naive fantasies that women can have. Oh, and let’s not forget—the girl always gets to have men chasing after her until the very end! But if it’s a man—whether it’s her ex or anyone else—women are merciless. Or, the man says no from the start,and pushed 10,000 kilometers away this girl.

Here’s the funny part (and here comes my little feminist speech): our fantasies are actually quite naive compared to the ones men have had for centuries. And yet, somehow, society keeps pretending it’s all equal.

Let’s imagine a fictional matriarchy (because historically it’s not really possible). Here, it’s just an excuse to stage an idea. Deep down, the fact that in their generations men had concubines, that lineage is passed through men, and that politically and socially women don’t have a real role—this is still a patriarchy, with just internal female dominance. One could call it internal management by women. That’s how I understand it

Because I don’t want him to turn into a" servant", but I want him to keep his original character

ahhh okkkk

agree