mooc

I think you got the whole premise of this drama wrong.

the guy does not want to be with her & went to great lengths to get away from her.
Unless the story is misleading, he was the victim in the marriage.
reconciling from his point does not make sense since he did not like being with her & as the victim he has nothing to apologize for.

Number of Cdramas with ML shown kissing other women than FL = 0

A non-virgin ML in a Cdrama is a very rare characterization.
In fact the number of Cdramas where the FL is shown enjoying looking at women and thinking of them sexually is a big zero.

it's a weird industry where the characters are disturbing.
My favorite ML is these dramas is the good looking virgin CEO. Imagine being a writer tasked with writing a near 30, good looking, rich and a CEO as a virgin who never liked any girls in his life.
The first question anyone would be thinking is, what happened to this guy when he hit puberty? Did he deposit his male organs in a locker and wait until he meets the FL to reattach them?

I am cutting down on asian romances,
They have somehow lost their charm.

There are exceptions, like Xu Kai in Lingjin mountain. He was a blast to watch. Not because the character was exceptional but because it was different to the usual ML's.

To be honest, the romance heavy Cdramas are hit or miss for me personally.
They need to either tone down the FL or make the ML more realistic.

You correctly pointed out the ML utter devotion and loyalty does not make sense when the FL in many of these dramas are meh....in their devotion to the ML.

A case in point would be 'Erternal Love', the same FL as this one.
the ML is utterly devoted to FL for tens of thousands of years and you never feel the same kind of returns from FL to the ML. I did like like it when I watched it, one of the earliest Cdramas I watched and really liked. On my second viewing, I noticed things I did not like at all.

My own peeve is the lack of variety.

I don't mind whether the FL or ML is doing certain things that makes viewers uncomfortable.
In fact I would rather have these main leads being fun and unpredictable than watch a drama where I know how the ML would be.

Any Cdrama in fantasy setting with romance as backdrop, the ML is absolutely predictable. He holds no surprises and predictably follows what every other ML has done in every other romance Cdramas.

You watch 2-3 episodes and you know how rest of the 40 episodes are going to be. Why would I even want to watch it?

What you said about perfect ML makes sense.
One of my fav drama last year is 'So Help me Todd'. Just check it out. It's awesome. The ML in that drama is more interesting than any ML in Cdrama in last 1 year.

This is one of those rare asian dramas where the drama actually takes time to show ML's perspective.
The writers have taken time and care to give us a thorough insight into not just FL but also the ML.

After 7 episodes we more or less have a good understanding of where these characters come from and it actually makes us understand and empathize with them better.

A lesson lot of writers of Asian dramas need to learn though.

I don't disagree with what you said

but I don't hate those part's where FL is commenting on good looking and handsome men. It is a human trait after all.
What I don't like is that these same dramas show their ML being stiff when it comes to opposite sex. It's not one off drama, it's each and every drama.

For me, it's about consistency.
The writers need to decide if they want to have their main characters behaving in certain way. If it's real life, then treat ML and FL characters as though they represent people in real life.
If they want innocent love story, go for it. Some Cdramas and Kdramas absolutely nail this premise.
but to have every drama where the FL has no problems interacting with multiple men, while the ML is smouldering in a corner rejecting every women except the FL is just silly.

As an example, take drama " The Law Cafe".
The FL dad dies but the actual trauma of this death is shown on the ML.
The FL has 4 good looking men surrounding her through out the drama, she has normal interactions with all of them, in spite of what happened to her.
The ML in the same drama, the only other women in his life are the 2 old ladies who he eats with.
And he has been in love with FL for like 20 years and never tried to move on.
The whole thing when you read sounds creepy.

So, what I can't digest is the inconsistency. Writers need to decide what kind of world building they want & be consistent in building their characters in that world.
otherwise, It just smacks of lazy writing at best or incompetent writing at worst.

multiple relationships - np
relationships with multiple people at the same time - recipe for disaster, condoms or no condoms.

All it took was a beautiful smile and little kindness for the ML to fall for the FL.
Writers nailed that scene, well done.

Regarding ML's POV, I won't hold my breath.
It has never happened in any recent dramas and I doubt this would be an exception. We will just be told now and then and will never really get his POV to understand what he went through.

She did not just verbally abuse him but also physically assaulted him.

Agree about character progression for her.

Point was that she is the victim in the drama based on what the characters did, although the drama tries to show us only how the FL feels.

The suffocation part was never expanded. We get like couple of minutes of it and that's it. The set up was that that was happening for years and FL was oblivious to what she was doing.

Abuse does not mean taking advantage.
ML felt suffocated enough to wanting to get out of the marriage.

In fact, post divorce, she physical thrashes him, verbally abuses him and financially suffocates him. The drama shows them as funny but those are pretty damning when you combine them with ML stated reasons for divorce.

ML was working in that place because he really had nowhere to go and he needs to pay a lot of money to the FL each month.

regarding the whole dating thing, her feeling jealous while she is enjoying herself with another man is....
And she did enjoy. All we need to do listen to the FL and her friend discuss it in detail.

Lack of ML POV is the worst thing in these dramas.
I have no idea why the Male lead is shown as 'main lead'. he is like a supporting cast. He does not even have 1/3rd screen time the FL has.
It's not just this drama. This is pretty much a recent trend in a lot of Cdramas and Kdramas in this genre. The Male leads are joke. They just pick the prettiest looking guy and the character is ....empty. Just like the ML in this drama.

There is a reason why Kdramas and Cdramas in this genre are going down the drain.

The drama shows us FL's perspective in minute details.
What the drama does not do is bother to show the ML perspective at all. It just throws few nuggets here and there and does not fully show us each episode the kind of damage he sustained during and after his marriage to FL.

the FL was abusive and controlling when she was married to ML. Communication is just an excuse to pass the buck from the FL actions. She was a grown women who was taking advantage of her husband. If she did not realize that she was being controlling and abusive, she comes across even worse.

The "cheating" part...was it tough on FL? May be. but was she a victim? She was not, the victim was always the ML. He felt so suffocated that he had to get away from her at any cost. Both the truths would have hurt FL anyway and she alone was responsible for being oblivious to what she was putting him through.

Post divorce the drama shows FL being physically abusive, mentally abusive and financially controlling towards ML for years in the name of revenge.
To all those who think her revenge is justified even if he cheated, let us all take a moment to realize she was a controlling wife. If he needs to start taking revenge on FL for what she did to him...I guess we won't like if the ML did similar things to FL that she did to him.

her jealousy and love towards ML is creepy.
She has her tongue down the throat of another man but still pines for ML. What an absolutely horrible situation to be in.
FL sharing how great making out with 2ML with her friend and talks about threesomes etc really hit home the point that FL is the one suffering while ML had been having a jolly good time for years.

These dramas need to get their act right and spend some time of these dramas on the other main leads like the Male Lead. Right now, the drama spends very little time to show how the ML suffered for years, the continuous and repeated abuse from FL during and after marriage.

Agreed that it is my opinion.

Look at FL and how her interactions with men in any Cdrama are. They are more interesting because of that fact.
In many dramas, FL are attracted to multiple men. They comment on physical attributes of men, engage them and interact with them.

Let me pose a challenge to you.
Why not show a Cdrama or Kdrama in the last year where the ML ever comments on physical attributes of a women that is not FL? In fact, the ML would not even comment on looks of FL. he just falls in love with her.
On contrary I can point to dozens of dramas where the FL practically drools over men, ML, 2ML, celebrities etc.

This is the fundamental issue with these dramas.
I don't mind if the drama world has innocent love, pure love etc etc
That is not the case.
the FL is projected to be somewhat normal, while the ML is someone who is fake.

regarding Gay or Bi, sure, I would buy that if the ML showed any sort of attraction to any creature in the drama except the FL.
It would not matter what the ML is as long as the dramas neuter the most basic thing that makes a man a 'man' and want us to consume it.

A random drama having these kinds of ML's, sure
but every Cdrama and Kdrama has these ML's as prototypes.
forget the ML being fake, the creativity of these dramas with such predictable main lead is zero.

barely 1 month in the year and this is like 100th drama with FL with two ML's,
How original.

reading the synopsis itself should be enough to give it a wide pass.
surely it will contain simping ML, clingy/manipulative 2ML and shit for brains FL.

the ML's are not shown hiding their thoughts,
in these dramas the ML is pretty much shown being unattracted to any other women than the FL.

And this is the same way with almost all Cdramas, the ML's are shown this character to probably show how dedicated they are towards the FL.

Imagine if most Cdramas show FL as not getting menstruation until she meets the ML and falls in love with him, not attracted to him but falls in love with him.
It would be silly.

That's how silly these dramas with these ML's come across as.
Men simply don't think or behave that way.
Men don't interact with their friends the way these ML's do.
Men don't talk with their other male friends the way these ML's do.
There literally is very little you can look at these ML's and say these are 'men' except for their looks.

I can imagine for creative purpose an add drama being shown that way.
but when almost every drama has this pattern of ML, it just becomes predictably boring.

This is where adding perspective of ML would really help these dramas.

Cold, distant, aloof, trauma, busy etc etc does not affect libido of men. They are physically not build that way.
A shy man would be as attracted to good looking woman as a normal man but just does not act on it.
Similar to a man with trauma or some other condition, they are all attracted to women but just don't show it.

Because ML's in Cdramas don't have a perspective like the FL's, they come across as not sexually interested in women, making them look like fakes.

Like you explained, why is the ML not looking at other women when talking to them? If a perspective is added, even a funny one, would help greatly improve the character.

Right not, almost all ML's feel very similar and very fake. These dramas need to take 15 mins to add some depth to ML's.

Will the drama show ML kissing 2FL or having sex with her?
we will then know if this drama is realistic or not.

In normal interactions, every human makes eye contact with other, irrespective of sex.

It's one of the basic courtesies as part of social contract with each other.

Usually people who think they are better than others would not look at others when interacting with them. Not a good look.

Imagine if one is talking to their colleague and that person does not even look at you. It can be disconcerting and disrespectful.

Yes, the ML's in Cdramas tend to not make eye contact with other women.
Take this ML as example, the actor who played the ML has similar behavior pattern in the last 3-4 dramas he acted in.

The setting changes shy, cold, trauma, celebrity etc etc but the outcome is these ML's exhibit similar behavior leading to similar interactions with other characters.

How boring would a drama be if you already know how the main lead would interact with other characters.

The ML in 'Blood of youth' has another Cdrama out. watched an episode and dropped it. The ML is basically same in both dramas. Same behavior, body mannerisms etc etc. It felt boring.

This drama has a minor variation of ML we usually see in Cdramas, just on the outside though.
The core though matches with most other Cdrama ML's.

Another thing I keep noticing in these dramas, the ML does not make eye contact with other women.
Whenever I see that happening on screen, the ML reminds me of a psycho. That is just not normal.

I think i finally understand the target audiences and their preferences.

probably why these dramas have these characters.
Still, watching them feels disjointed.

I don't mind the confident FL and shy & awkward ML but thats just about every Cdrama.
by episode 1, you pretty much know everything you need to know about this aspect of every Cdrama ML. There really is nothing to learn about their journey in this aspect.

in Asian dramas, only the ML's are shown as sexually regressive. they have zero reaction to hot women.

the FL and other women do react to handsome men. Quite a few dramas make this fact very clear through their actions and thoughts.

I can understand censorship but I have not seen on Cdrama ML that is realistic in this sense.
on other hand, a lot of dramas have FL showing bit of spark in this space.

There literally is no Cdrama that I have watched where the ML looks at a woman who is not the FL and says she is sexy or hot, not even one that I can recall.

Kdramas used to fare slightly better in this aspect but last year or so they seem to following the same pattern for ML like their counterparts in Cdramas.