I've only watched Eternal Love on this list and I remember just being so frustrated at how the ML hid things from the FL in the name of "protecting her" which doesn't work and it lowkey pissed me off more than the villains. If it weren't for the supporting characters being awesome and waiting for FL to remember everything I probably would've dropped the show.
I feel like most dramas with 40-70episodes could be cut down to 16-20 episodes if people just talked and so many stupid misunderstandings could be easily avoided😒
Honestly! I struggle to finish the novel and drama because of this. If like 50 chapters in, and they don’t communicate, then I have no more time and energy to read them. That is why I prefer the one where romance is just sub-genre, not the main plot.
Add-on: If you are still a baby when the female lead is already a warrior fighting in battles, I guess you get a few free passes for dumb mistakes before you get the axe (that's just Yehua, btw, no other guys have this excuse)
It is funny how the moment I saw the title of the video, I knew who to expect in the video. I appreciate you giving the spotlight to someone other than Juichen
God I forgive ye hua for so much because of this very reason lol. I feel like even in the story universe it’s acknowledged he makes so many stupid mistakes literally because he’s too young to know better Dong Hua on the other hand………………………………..
I dont know about you gals but I forgave Ye Hua long time ago, immediately after every mistake he commited. And that's just because of his looks. I mean... cmon!
Males leads that "steal your heart...and maybe your eyes." I just about died laughing at that. That stupid storyline in "10 Miiles of Peach Blossoms" was one of the main things that ruined the drama for me. UGH--so creepy a plot-line and to have the male lead go along with it was really off-putting. Have to admit that the female lead bears a lot of the blame for my negative reaction too--she was so annoying I got to the point where I didn't care what happened to her. In "Eternal Love of Dream" the biggest problem was the two leads not communicating with each other and keeping secrets. I love Donghwa but seriously, couldn't he have sent a carrier pigeon with the message as to why he didn't show up for the wedding? And our nine-tailed fox girl who promised to love him and wait for him forever--well, until she's pregnant and keeps that info to herself for no good reason and acts very unloving. I do think that overall they did try to give us a good idea of how much power Donghwa had at any given time, and what was adding to it and draining it, but yeah, he was too much of a lone ranger all the time, never telling people who cared about him what was happening and getting their help. Thanks for your always entertaining and on point reviews!
Thanks for watching! Yes, the women in these dramas are honestly not blameless. Even if they want to make the male leads' life hell (which is totally justified in a lot of cases), the least they can do is ask some questions before jumping to conclusions.
Omg thank you so much for mentioning the whole thing regarding the supporting characters! When I was watching Eternal love of dream I hoped that the writers would make Zheyan, Si Ming and Liang Song be the ones saving the world instead of Donghua because he was super weak during the final battle and literally dying????? But of course, none of that happened lol 😬 Ps. I loved the ending, definitely not everyone can be Mark Chao. Anyways, amazing video! :)
I mean, "male lead doesn't know how to communicate his feelings, because even after 10 000 years he didn't have any time to ponder about this part of his experience" is still better than "I didn't tell you, so you don't have to worry. I broke up with you to protect you from this theoretical threat, that ends up coming your way anyhow, you weak-minded bird", that is prevalent in so many modern dramas. Makes me rage quit. I could handle the former, but we are never ever getting back together with the latter.
They don't realise it as disrespectful... sadly, they think this kind of "protection" is the purest and noblest thing they could do towards the LI, whether she needs any protection to begin with or not. 😕
@@quippequest yeah... I'm not exactly a woman, so the mindset is a bit alien to me, but I think a lot of women are various degrees of conflicted between wanting to be treated with respect, as equals who can make their own decisions, and what they've been told (in nauseatingly relentless messaging from all sides since they learned to talk) is "romantic" and heartwarming, damn HEROIC and idk, chivalrous and just the way that men SHOULD be when they're in love. it's a dynamic that has permeated cultures around the world (not just the west, for sure!) for centuries, probably millenia - an integral part of the patriarchal system and utterly typical in function: remove power & agency from women, isolate them in ignorance and platitudes, and tell them its just because their menfolk CARE so much, how could you complain about such sacrificial love, you should melt in their arms and instantly forgive them for "protecting and cherishing" you in such a way that you were left in MORE danger and deliberately deprived of any knowledge or resources to defend yourself - they meant well and they fought so hard for you, they love you so much, you should just swoon over how deeply they feel about you, what they were willing to sacrifice, and not think too hard about the logic of it all. 🙄 It depends on personality, background, how they were raised, etc., but I think women ARE sometimes swayed by arguments like this, or even feel seduced by the ideal, tempted by the idea of being cared for so strongly, of men having a duty to be noble and heroic, of feelings mattering more than practicalities, and/or of being worth that kind of sacrifice - at least to the point of accepting/enjoying the trope in fiction. The same messaging (that men are meant to be this way, that this is how they show love, how they prove their noble character, how they should protect their loved ones, etc) surrounds and bombards men and boys just as much, if in different ways. but the message comes through loud and clear on both sides, and many people never even think to question it, or have no awareness of the cognitive dissonance, the disconnect involved in believing in equality and respect on the one hand, and surrendering to or encouraging these cliches & stereotypes on the other, in the name of romance or tradition or honour, or whatever else. again, at least in fiction. .... shit, I did NOT mean to go on a rant, here. or ahh, lecture. sorry! 🤷
Omg great video - this is so true! One of the reasons I liked Fairy and Devil so much was any lack of communication had a very good reason, and the two leads had to learn how to talk very frankly with each other about how they felt about any given situation. I know you alluded to the show in this video but I'm wondering how you thought this drama in particular handled this trope?
Incredibly on point and enjoyable as always. The blood-spitting has been relegated to trope status in our home. Oh, he spit blood; it must be serious. 😆 It is interesting that out of all these examples that you have used I have only finished one, which was Love Between Fairy and Devil, probably precisely because it leaned heavily into the fairy tale aspect and also the characters made 'mostly' logical choices.
0:41 The scene out of context is hilarious. She: I am done with your shady behaviour and lack of explanation when you leave me for months and come back whenever you want. We're breaking up. He: *throws blood on her white new dress* The difference between a tragic love story and a comedy is less defins than we would expect
Finally, SOMEONE SAID IT. This trope has been annoying enough to turn me off most c-dramas of this genre. I recently watched the k-drama Alchemy of Souls where the male lead most POINTEDLY avoids this trope and the quality in storytelling is worlds apart. Why can't the male leads in these dramas evolve? I do have a soft spot for Yehua and Jiuchen - Yehua because his sheltered upbringing vs Su Su stupidity/Bai Qian's....DGAF attitude is a hilarious contrast and Jiu Chen...is portrayed and played as an emotionally stunted dumbass. I love them for it. But they took these characters and gave them personalities that made the trope make sense, rather than just STOIC AND UNCOMMUNICATIVE because that makes them mysterious and...mysteriouser.
I love your wit! Thank you for a wonderful laugh first thing in the morning. I’ve seen at least a few episodes of all the dramas you referenced; watched most of them to the end. Three of them are up there on my favorites list. But you are sooooo right that c-drama male leads tend to be really one dimensional. I don’t think it’s uniquely a fantasy drama thing. The aloof, no-flaw, can’t communicate guy shows up as CEO, scientist, and more in modern dramas, too. My Girlfriend is an Alien (1), You Are My Glory, and Romance of the Forrest come to mind, although I’m only 9 episodes into the latter so it’s possible that character growth and depth are coming. (I’m not holding my breath.) Yet I enjoy and keep watching these shows. Something about the female lead cracking into the heart of these cardboard, cut-out, aloof, lonely men draws me in. But when that mold is broken, and a powerful male lead is given depth, flaws, limits, and growth (both positive and negative), the real magic happens. Korean dramas do this really well and consistently. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God and A Korean Odyssey had very complex fantasy male leads with incredible plots. But Ning Yi still sets the bar. His charism, intensity. lust for power, loyalty to those close to him, unless that clashed with another need, angst, seriously well written intelligence, lack of omniscience, ability to see 10 steps ahead, but not perfectly, goal-accomplishment drive, vulnerability, and the ability to wrestle with himself and and other characters with equally well developed intelligence and depth when his objectives, morals, and needs are in conflict, make him one of the most complex and fascinating characters I’ve ever seen in TV anywhere in the world. I enjoyed your rant so much I had to rant, too!
Thanks for watching! Agreed, these things happen a lot in romance, no matter the genre. And when they're done right and result in the protagonists' development, it's always great to watch. And yes, Ning Yi changed the standards for everything, even hair 😁😁
Their "powerful" are just for facade due male leads only wasting time for their dialogues and romance later their fight scenes are so unnecessarily. I'm already watching Men Called Hero Hu Bing version which remake of ekin cheng version slightly different.
Noble idiocy. I always see it as stubbornness. They don't tell anyone which means I have to watch long scenes of panning shots of emotionless face for maybe a smirk at the cut. It gets old quick.
Good points throughout. I can't bring myself to watch Eternal love of dream for your stated reasons. The actors i love but the characters were annoying me in Ten Miles. I can't watch something focused on them.
So good! Your analysis are always so spot on but this is even better! I watch kissing scenes and interaction with FL only if I want to see a bad cdrama. I've only finished Love between fairy and devil which I loved, because the plot was decent. The blood spitting trope prevents me from watching most historical dramas altogether though. I always feel like throwing up at those scenes. So disgusting.
After hearing your opinion about "secrecy" of male leads i am 1000f convinced that bai jue of ancient love poetry did a pretty good job like dude had everything planned from splitting to dieing....
I quit half way through eternal love series. I won't go into detail cause everyone already had. Let's just say that compair to Ning yi from rise of the phoenix the male lead is quite eh..????
😂lol dont get the spitting of blood scenes. real serious in real life, but it just shakes me out of that suspension of disbelief. Instead, i snort myself silly with laughter disturbing my dormmates from their rest. ahhhh yes
LMAO "Not everyone is Mark Chao." (Forgiven for stealing hearts and eyes) Perfect summary ending of all powerful noble idiot ML! Also, the spitting of blood made me cackle.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
I've only watched Eternal Love on this list and I remember just being so frustrated at how the ML hid things from the FL in the name of "protecting her" which doesn't work and it lowkey pissed me off more than the villains. If it weren't for the supporting characters being awesome and waiting for FL to remember everything I probably would've dropped the show.
Yes, unfortunately most male leads in fantasy dramas are like that. It's like there's this strong demand to see men be bad communicators 😂
"Communication is beneath me" is a plot trope i wholeheartedly loath in any genre of drama 💀💀💀
I feel like most dramas with 40-70episodes could be cut down to 16-20 episodes if people just talked and so many stupid misunderstandings could be easily avoided😒
Honestly! I struggle to finish the novel and drama because of this. If like 50 chapters in, and they don’t communicate, then I have no more time and energy to read them. That is why I prefer the one where romance is just sub-genre, not the main plot.
Add-on: If you are still a baby when the female lead is already a warrior fighting in battles, I guess you get a few free passes for dumb mistakes before you get the axe (that's just Yehua, btw, no other guys have this excuse)
It is funny how the moment I saw the title of the video, I knew who to expect in the video. I appreciate you giving the spotlight to someone other than Juichen
Yehua gives a teensy weensy pass
God I forgive ye hua for so much because of this very reason lol. I feel like even in the story universe it’s acknowledged he makes so many stupid mistakes literally because he’s too young to know better
Dong Hua on the other hand………………………………..
@@amnal3983 Yes, only Yehua goes free. The other guys, nope💀
I dont know about you gals but I forgave Ye Hua long time ago, immediately after every mistake he commited. And that's just because of his looks. I mean... cmon!
Finally, the blood-spitting video I've been waiting for. 😄 Thanks! Also, I hope cdrama writers watch this.
Males leads that "steal your heart...and maybe your eyes." I just about died laughing at that. That stupid storyline in "10 Miiles of Peach Blossoms" was one of the main things that ruined the drama for me. UGH--so creepy a plot-line and to have the male lead go along with it was really off-putting. Have to admit that the female lead bears a lot of the blame for my negative reaction too--she was so annoying I got to the point where I didn't care what happened to her. In "Eternal Love of Dream" the biggest problem was the two leads not communicating with each other and keeping secrets. I love Donghwa but seriously, couldn't he have sent a carrier pigeon with the message as to why he didn't show up for the wedding? And our nine-tailed fox girl who promised to love him and wait for him forever--well, until she's pregnant and keeps that info to herself for no good reason and acts very unloving. I do think that overall they did try to give us a good idea of how much power Donghwa had at any given time, and what was adding to it and draining it, but yeah, he was too much of a lone ranger all the time, never telling people who cared about him what was happening and getting their help. Thanks for your always entertaining and on point reviews!
Thanks for watching!
Yes, the women in these dramas are honestly not blameless. Even if they want to make the male leads' life hell (which is totally justified in a lot of cases), the least they can do is ask some questions before jumping to conclusions.
Please do one on our "lovely" cdramas' Female lead with their "lovely" nasally childish voices and vibes 😁
Omg thank you so much for mentioning the whole thing regarding the supporting characters! When I was watching Eternal love of dream I hoped that the writers would make Zheyan, Si Ming and Liang Song be the ones saving the world instead of Donghua because he was super weak during the final battle and literally dying????? But of course, none of that happened lol 😬
Ps. I loved the ending, definitely not everyone can be Mark Chao. Anyways, amazing video! :)
Yes, I wished they used those side characters more too, especially General Ye :D
I can't the throwing up blood, it's in every fantasy drama. 🤣
It's a tradition XD
I mean, "male lead doesn't know how to communicate his feelings, because even after 10 000 years he didn't have any time to ponder about this part of his experience" is still better than "I didn't tell you, so you don't have to worry. I broke up with you to protect you from this theoretical threat, that ends up coming your way anyhow, you weak-minded bird", that is prevalent in so many modern dramas. Makes me rage quit. I could handle the former, but we are never ever getting back together with the latter.
Yes, that is the worst excuse ever. I wonder if these writers want their male leads to disrespect the women in their life on purpose😂
They don't realise it as disrespectful... sadly, they think this kind of "protection" is the purest and noblest thing they could do towards the LI, whether she needs any protection to begin with or not. 😕
@@riennarindo9727 Right, and the fact that these dramas are targeted at women...🤔
@@quippequest yeah... I'm not exactly a woman, so the mindset is a bit alien to me, but I think a lot of women are various degrees of conflicted between wanting to be treated with respect, as equals who can make their own decisions, and what they've been told (in nauseatingly relentless messaging from all sides since they learned to talk) is "romantic" and heartwarming, damn HEROIC and idk, chivalrous and just the way that men SHOULD be when they're in love.
it's a dynamic that has permeated cultures around the world (not just the west, for sure!) for centuries, probably millenia - an integral part of the patriarchal system and utterly typical in function: remove power & agency from women, isolate them in ignorance and platitudes, and tell them its just because their menfolk CARE so much, how could you complain about such sacrificial love, you should melt in their arms and instantly forgive them for "protecting and cherishing" you in such a way that you were left in MORE danger and deliberately deprived of any knowledge or resources to defend yourself - they meant well and they fought so hard for you, they love you so much, you should just swoon over how deeply they feel about you, what they were willing to sacrifice, and not think too hard about the logic of it all. 🙄
It depends on personality, background, how they were raised, etc., but I think women ARE sometimes swayed by arguments like this, or even feel seduced by the ideal, tempted by the idea of being cared for so strongly, of men having a duty to be noble and heroic, of feelings mattering more than practicalities, and/or of being worth that kind of sacrifice - at least to the point of accepting/enjoying the trope in fiction. The same messaging (that men are meant to be this way, that this is how they show love, how they prove their noble character, how they should protect their loved ones, etc) surrounds and bombards men and boys just as much, if in different ways. but the message comes through loud and clear on both sides, and many people never even think to question it, or have no awareness of the cognitive dissonance, the disconnect involved in believing in equality and respect on the one hand, and surrendering to or encouraging these cliches & stereotypes on the other, in the name of romance or tradition or honour, or whatever else. again, at least in fiction.
.... shit, I did NOT mean to go on a rant, here. or ahh, lecture. sorry! 🤷
Omg great video - this is so true! One of the reasons I liked Fairy and Devil so much was any lack of communication had a very good reason, and the two leads had to learn how to talk very frankly with each other about how they felt about any given situation. I know you alluded to the show in this video but I'm wondering how you thought this drama in particular handled this trope?
Same thoughts
I'm not that far into Fairy & Devil yet, but definitely following it. I'll be looking forward to how it handles these tropes too :D
I think you are the only creator I would always hit the Like button before the video even starts ❤
same!
Haha thanks!
Incredibly on point and enjoyable as always. The blood-spitting has been relegated to trope status in our home. Oh, he spit blood; it must be serious. 😆 It is interesting that out of all these examples that you have used I have only finished one, which was Love Between Fairy and Devil, probably precisely because it leaned heavily into the fairy tale aspect and also the characters made 'mostly' logical choices.
Yes, the characters in Fairy and Devil make a lot of sense (at least they try to before spitting blood😂)
2:15 When Xianxia actually creates a new field of Mathematics XD
Also side note: now I can see the consequences of Dong Hua's perfect conditioner, the secret formula affects the brain 😳😲
😂
@@raquelv9729 Yes! And he must use it a lot to maintain that look XD
0:41 The scene out of context is hilarious.
She: I am done with your shady behaviour and lack of explanation when you leave me for months and come back whenever you want. We're breaking up.
He: *throws blood on her white new dress*
The difference between a tragic love story and a comedy is less defins than we would expect
True😂
Ye Hua and Dong Hua can never ever catch a break with you!!!!!!! Such stray bullets 😂😂😂😂
Well, we can't let Bai Zihua take all the bullets XD
Finally, SOMEONE SAID IT. This trope has been annoying enough to turn me off most c-dramas of this genre. I recently watched the k-drama Alchemy of Souls where the male lead most POINTEDLY avoids this trope and the quality in storytelling is worlds apart. Why can't the male leads in these dramas evolve? I do have a soft spot for Yehua and Jiuchen - Yehua because his sheltered upbringing vs Su Su stupidity/Bai Qian's....DGAF attitude is a hilarious contrast and Jiu Chen...is portrayed and played as an emotionally stunted dumbass. I love them for it. But they took these characters and gave them personalities that made the trope make sense, rather than just STOIC AND UNCOMMUNICATIVE because that makes them mysterious and...mysteriouser.
True, it depends on the actor a lot to give this type of character something unique.
Donghua dijun saying nothing to fengjui about what was going made me so mad
clearly you didn't finish watching "love and redemption" or that blood spitting montage would have been funnier. fans of the drama know what I mean.
sometimes i can't tell if censorship or stupid plot device make the aspect of miscommunication very annoying.
That is always the issue with chinese dramas and different aspects - "is this just bad acting/writing/directing, or is this CCP's fault?" LMAO
@@SusantheNerdy let's just say its everything in one... Lol
@@SusantheNerdy if is a BG, its most likely the writing instead of the censorship.
@@newname3718 BG?
@@SusantheNerdy BG as opposed to BL, it means a boy-girl CP, the leads are a het relationship. BL/GL are for MC same-sex relationships.
sorry, ye hua. we will never let you forget what you did.
Never ever XD
Not just your content but I love your voice too... 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
I love your wit! Thank you for a wonderful laugh first thing in the morning. I’ve seen at least a few episodes of all the dramas you referenced; watched most of them to the end. Three of them are up there on my favorites list. But you are sooooo right that c-drama male leads tend to be really one dimensional. I don’t think it’s uniquely a fantasy drama thing. The aloof, no-flaw, can’t communicate guy shows up as CEO, scientist, and more in modern dramas, too. My Girlfriend is an Alien (1), You Are My Glory, and Romance of the Forrest come to mind, although I’m only 9 episodes into the latter so it’s possible that character growth and depth are coming. (I’m not holding my breath.) Yet I enjoy and keep watching these shows. Something about the female lead cracking into the heart of these cardboard, cut-out, aloof, lonely men draws me in. But when that mold is broken, and a powerful male lead is given depth, flaws, limits, and growth (both positive and negative), the real magic happens. Korean dramas do this really well and consistently. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God and A Korean Odyssey had very complex fantasy male leads with incredible plots. But Ning Yi still sets the bar. His charism, intensity. lust for power, loyalty to those close to him, unless that clashed with another need, angst, seriously well written intelligence, lack of omniscience, ability to see 10 steps ahead, but not perfectly, goal-accomplishment drive, vulnerability, and the ability to wrestle with himself and and other characters with equally well developed intelligence and depth when his objectives, morals, and needs are in conflict, make him one of the most complex and fascinating characters I’ve ever seen in TV anywhere in the world. I enjoyed your rant so much I had to rant, too!
Thanks for watching!
Agreed, these things happen a lot in romance, no matter the genre. And when they're done right and result in the protagonists' development, it's always great to watch.
And yes, Ning Yi changed the standards for everything, even hair 😁😁
Their "powerful" are just for facade due male leads only wasting time for their dialogues and romance later their fight scenes are so unnecessarily. I'm already watching Men Called Hero Hu Bing version which remake of ekin cheng version slightly different.
I always love your sarcastic commentaries xD
It's going to be a beautiful day... Ning Yi, BZH and Yuwen Yue in one video! Thank you for the hilarious rant!
Noble idiocy. I always see it as stubbornness. They don't tell anyone which means I have to watch long scenes of panning shots of emotionless face for maybe a smirk at the cut. It gets old quick.
Yes, it's all for the purpose of increasing episode numbers😂
Good points throughout. I can't bring myself to watch Eternal love of dream for your stated reasons. The actors i love but the characters were annoying me in Ten Miles. I can't watch something focused on them.
Waiting for your review on side story of fox volant
@quippequest if you finished Legend of Fuyao please could you do a characterization on the ML. FL also if you have time for extra. Thanks.
It's been a while since I last looked at it. Might need a re-watch :DD
They are so fuckin SLLLOOWW WMOTIONING EVERYTHING
Tell me about it
I'm dyyyying...xD amazingly worded and thought out video
They spoil that part of ELOD in ending by showing dong hua a complete stupid it was better explained in novel
Great video, as always.
Glad you enjoyed it
So good! Your analysis are always so spot on but this is even better! I watch kissing scenes and interaction with FL only if I want to see a bad cdrama. I've only finished Love between fairy and devil which I loved, because the plot was decent.
The blood spitting trope prevents me from watching most historical dramas altogether though. I always feel like throwing up at those scenes. So disgusting.
Blood spitting is almost traditional in these dramas :DD
@@quippequest Yes sadly for me :D :D :D
It's a really weird trope :D
Great commentary
This is why I never finish dramas
🤣🤣
After hearing your opinion about "secrecy" of male leads i am 1000f convinced that bai jue of ancient love poetry did a pretty good job like dude had everything planned from splitting to dieing....
It was supposed to be 1000% 🙂
Lol listen this video is so true....it's crazy. And I've watched almost all those dramas. Watching now Devil loves a Fairy.
have fun watching "fairy and devil."
I quit half way through eternal love series. I won't go into detail cause everyone already had. Let's just say that compair to Ning yi from rise of the phoenix the male lead is quite eh..????
dumped down?? I thought it was dumbed down.
subtitles are hysterical.
Yes, it should be "dumBed". Thanks for catching that :D
my pleasure!! it was very entertaining video AND subtitles.
You are hilarious and witty.
😂lol dont get the spitting of blood scenes. real serious in real life, but it just shakes me out of that suspension of disbelief. Instead, i snort myself silly with laughter disturbing my dormmates from their rest. ahhhh yes
LMAO "Not everyone is Mark Chao." (Forgiven for stealing hearts and eyes) Perfect summary ending of all powerful noble idiot ML!
Also, the spitting of blood made me cackle.