Living Tribunal

I wasn’t comparing her actions to domestic abuse itself, but rather illustrating how flawed it is to blame the victim for staying in a situation where they’re emotionally manipulated. The point was to emphasize that just because someone agrees to something, it doesn’t make the other person’s behavior excusable, especially when there’s a clear imbalance in emotional needs.

But I understand that we have different perspectives on this, and I respect that. Let’s leave it at agreeing to disagree. Happy watching to you as well, and no hard feelings!

Your way of thinking is similar to saying that when a domestically abused woman goes back to her husband, the husband isn’t at fault because she chose to return despite knowing his abusive tendencies. By that logic, you're essentially shifting blame onto the victim. You’re implying that since the ML is an adult with free will, he should bear the responsibility for agreeing to the situation, and we shouldn’t criticize the FL's actions. This overlooks the fact that the majority of the emotional manipulation comes from the FL, who knows the ML wants more but continues to string him along. Just because someone agrees to something doesn’t mean their partner's actions can’t be scrutinized, especially when they know the other person is vulnerable.

Even if you haven’t watched Dear Hyeri, a quick look at the comments will show you how the ML is being torn apart for his commitment issues. While I agree that K-dramas tend to have more viewers than C-dramas, that doesn't automatically mean the criticism against the ML in Dear Hyeri should be harsher. The hypocrisy here is evident: the FL in Go Back Lover is getting a lot of support despite having similar issues. Just because one show has a larger audience doesn’t justify the unfair imbalance in how characters are treated.

Also, no one is saying the ML in Go Back Lover is a 'king.' In fact, if you watched the show from the beginning, you'd see that he was often labeled as a 'simp' and other negative terms. This isn't about praising one character and vilifying the other—it’s about addressing the double standard that gives the FL a pass for her selfish behavior while the ML is dragged for the exact same kind of issues.

The real issue is that the ML of Dear Hyeri faces intense criticism for his commitment issues, while the FL of Go Back Lover receives a far more lenient response despite exhibiting similar behavior. The backlash against the ML in Dear Hyeri is 5 to 10 times more severe than what the FL in Go Back Lover encounters, highlighting a double standard in how we perceive male and female characters.

While you mention that the ML didn’t have to agree to the FWB arrangement, the FL is fully aware of the ML's deeper feelings. By choosing to stay in a situation that doesn't fulfill him emotionally, she effectively leads him on, taking advantage of his feelings while denying him the commitment he desires. This isn’t just about adult consent; it’s about emotional manipulation and responsibility.

Calling the FL a prostitute might seem extreme, but it underscores the frustration viewers feel toward her actions. If the roles were reversed, the male character would be condemned as toxic for stringing along a female character. This inconsistency suggests that our judgments are clouded by gender bias, which is troubling.

Moreover, the notion that the FL’s choices are merely about adult consent fails to recognize the emotional stakes involved. Her actions reflect a willingness to prioritize her desires over the ML's needs, which isn't fair or justified.

In summary, we should hold both characters accountable and recognize that hypocrisy exists in how we respond to their actions. If we’re calling for equality in how characters are judged, we must be willing to apply the same standards to both men and women.

Where is it shown in the drama that he’s a rapist? If you’re referring to the actor, he was found not guilty by the court, so I don’t want to hear any nonsense about him being a rapist. If a legal entity of the country has proven him not guilty, then we have no right to accuse him of such. Even if it were still just an allegation, which it isn’t, you should be judging the characters, not the actor personally. The judgment of their personal lives should be left to the courts and other legal authorities.

Oh, of course! How could I forget? In a world where court verdicts don’t mean a thing, and online commenters are the true legal experts, who needs facts? Clearly, the ML being found not guilty is just a minor inconvenience. Let’s just keep calling him a rapist because, hey, why not let baseless accusations run the show? And as for female characters being 'held to a different standard,' you’re absolutely right—FLs are constantly scrutinized… except when they aren’t. Like in Go Back Lover, where the FL has commitment issues just like the ML in Dear Hyeri, but the ML gets dragged through the mud while people are writing love letters to the SML. But yeah, it’s totally not about gender—just pure, unbiased double standards at work. Thanks for the lesson in logic!

That's exactly why I’m asking everyone to check the comments on Dear Hyeri. The hate the ML is getting there is 5 to 10 times worse than what we see here, and it’s all because he’s a male—and not to mention, an ordinary-looking one. It’s frustrating how many viewers are pushing for the FL to end up with the good-looking SML just because of that. Meanwhile, the FL in this drama gets far more understanding and support for her actions. People are quick to dissect every single thing the ML does negatively, but when it’s the FL, her reasons are thoroughly analyzed and justified. It’s a clear double standard, and the hypocrisy in these discussions is glaring.

The ML of that drama has similar issues to the FL in this one. Both had rough childhoods, leading to commitment issues regarding marriage. They both break up with their partners, but the hate the ML is getting there is five times worse than what the FL is receiving here. Most of the comments suggest that his issues seem nonsensical because he’s a guy, and some are even hoping for his death so that the FL can end up with the good-looking SML. Here, the FL at least has some supporters who thoroughly try to analyze her reasons, but in Dear Hyeri’s comment section, every aspect of his behavior is dissected negatively without considering his perspective. This hypocrisy is frustrating to see.

No, she isn't two-timing. Her character has a valid reason for doing what she is doing. It's not the FL's character in Dear Hyeri, but rather the ML's character there and the FL's character here that are quite similar. Just read the comments on that drama, and you'll understand why there are so many negative comments about the FL in this one. The hypocrisy will be very interesting to see

You should watch her in Perfect and Casual. My favorite from her.

Yes, women can enjoy sex without commitments. It's their basic right, just like it is for men. But tell me one thing—if it was a man suggesting a FWB relationship instead of a woman, how would the reactions to the drama be? Wouldn't he be labeled the most toxic, red-flag guy ever just because he didn't want commitment due to his rough childhood, like what's happening in the comments section of Dear Hyeri? So why should we give preferential treatment to the FL in this case?

The other point is that FWB works as long as neither party wants more. But here, the FL knows the ML wants more than a FWB relationship, yet she continues with him. That does feel off when you think about it and justifies the hate she is getting in the comments.

Have you watched Dear Hyeri yet? See the comments there you will understand the hate here.

Have you watched Dear Hyeri yet?

You guys saw the new Schedule poster right? There is a heartbreak symbol on ep-17 and 18. I think Yi su is going to cause some problems in the lead's relationship which will make them breakup again or something similar to that.

Yep, the last quarter of 2024 is like a heaven for us Cdrama watchers. So many highly anticipated dramas are coming this quarter 🤩

Fangs of Fortune
A Beautiful Lie
Love Song in Winter
Love has Fireworks
Love Game in Eastern Fantasy
Smile Code
Northward are some of the ones that are scheduled to air this month too.

I haven't watched Blossom in Adversity. It's still in my PTW but I'm definitely going to watch it. Thanks for the reply 🙂

Yeah, I agree that they had a very healthy relationship despite the supposed flirty character of ML which got him a lot of hate when the drama was airing. I watched it while it was airing. Thanks 😊

One of my favorites again but you can't classify it as a proper romance drama as it had romance as a subplot but still Thanks 😊

Me too! You Are My Secret is also one of my favorites, despite some questionable decisions by the FL.

I watched all of them but still thanks. 🤗 My question was for this year and which drama you guys thought was quite balanced and healthy in respect to the relationship department.