miss kiss kiss bang
Blargh. You can ignore this, if you want. It's about Asian dramas, but also about relationships that annoy me but are praised as "so romantic~"
It Started With a Kiss + They Kiss Again
Taiwanese Drama
Main Character: Xiang Qin (Ariel Lin)
Primary Love Interest: Zhi Shu (Joe Cheng)
Secondary Love Interest: Ah Jin (Jiro Wang)
Most of what my ire is directed at happens in the second season, aka They Kiss Again. But I'll set this up by referring back to the first season, It Started With a Kiss.
Xiang Qin was essentially at the bottom of the class in highschool, with Zhi Shu at the top. When her house burns down in a fire, a friend of her father's invites them to live at their home for a while. This friend turns out to be Zhi Shu's father. Xiang Qin is at first appalled but soon excited to be living under the same roof as her crush, even as he makes his disdain for her quite obvious. But the usual trials and tribulations occur and in the end, Zhi Shu realizes that he prefers to have Xiang Qin by his side over any other girl, and the two are married. They continue living at Zhi Shu's family home (which has been added onto for their benefit).
So Xiang Qin is quite the brainless girl. So juvenile, in fact, that it's almost unbelievable. There are points in the series where I am appalled at how little she knows--not just school smarts, but her common sense is lacking as well. Not to mention she often dresses like a child and is commonly found with a doe-eyed expression.
She's also extremely, EXTREMELY insecure. Even after she gets married to Zhi Shu (her complete opposite in every way), the guy of her dreams, and it becomes obvious Zhi Shu (somehow)loves her back, she always worries a lot about other girls having any kind of contact with him at all. In part she is justified because Zhi Shu's typical special treatment of her consists of (admittedly affectionate, not that she is aware of it) teasing, while he treats every single other lady out there with polite, if distant, courtesy. He often says things to Xiang Qin that, while usually true, are not always the right thing to say...especially to someone like her. It's a very unconventional relationship they share.
Zhi Shu is a genius, no doubt about that. He's also what my roommates and I refer to as socially retarded. His mom used to dress him in girl's clothes, made him behave much like a girl without revealing his true gender, and he thought this was perfectly normal. Until, one fateful elementary school day, the truth came out, and his classmates humiliated him so much he retreated inside himself. He never speaks of this moment and diligently maintains his aloof persona, even (or especially) around his family. His "socially retarded"-ness comes into play when it's clear he lacks tact in his interpersonal relations, and he often acts as though everyone else's problems are unimportant. In short, he doesn't really know how to act around other people beyond basic courtesy. If he does, he's been doing a dang good job of hiding it.
As for the other guy, Ah Jin appears to be a better man than Zhi Shu. Mostly because he's actually, you know, friendly and personable. Even if he's kind of unpopular--but he is only unpopular because he's not as smart as Zhi Shu (which is strange because Zhi Shu is in a class of his own; he surpasses "smart"). He is unfortunately cast in a negative light because of his persistent heckling of Xiang Qin. You see, he has this big crush on her, for reasons unspecified most of the time. It is really obvious that he likes her, but Xiang Qin spurns him again and again without bothering to even get to know him. (Even when she does get to know him, she still doesn't REALLY care for or about him.) She has eyes only for Zhi Shu, and Ah Jin is apparently the only guy, the only person, who doesn't understand Zhi Shu's appeal.
While she would certainly have found undying devotion and loyalty in Ah Jin, he would most likely have coddled her. He would have done exactly what he said he would do, which is everything Xiang Qin asks of him. It's awfully sweet of him to offer this, but the burden would be too great for him alone to bear, and Xiang Qin would never learn to be independent, not with Ah Jin as the sole bread-winner. I'm not saying that Ah Jin would never stop being so protective. It might happen, might not. But based on how he normally behaves around Xiang Qin, it seems that the two are not on an equal level. Whether she would rise up to be as ambitious and independent as Ah Jin or whether he would stop doing everything for Xiang Qin remains to be seen.
At least in a relationship with Zhi Shu she must learn to operate on her own. He, well, kind of forces her to do this. It's extremely difficult for her, being who she is, but when she does manage to get caught up in sticky situations, she makes the best of it with only a little help from others. (Example: When marital strife leads her to run away from Zhi Shu and her family, she gets a job all by herself and refuses to stay too long at friends' places so as not to burden them.)
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However, the recurring problem is her extreme dependency to Zhi Shu. One thing that irked me was that her only goal was to help Zhi Shu. So basically, she plans her entire career around Zhi Shu's. Don't get me wrong, it's totally awesome that she was the one who kickstarted his ambition to become a doctor (because he was going nowhere fast, not with his overbearing father pushing him to take over the family company), but the fact that she only wants to be a nurse so that she can be with Zhi Shu (never mind the fact that she's helping other people along the way) raises some red flags.
There comes a time when Zhi Shu leaves for a long period of time after he finishes school. He goes to an island a ways from Taiwan to be a doctor as part of the military. No one is happy about his decision, especially not his wife, but Zhi Shu has grown a backbone over the years and does not budge. Now, what happens over the year or so he is away carries great potential for character growth in the case of Xiang Qin. With her husband away for so long, and with such a distance in between them, she would learn to become more independent and focused on her schoolwork. She does enjoy being a nurse; while staying in the program mainly because of Zhi Shu, helping other people really makes her feel worthwhile. Zhi Shu wants Xiang Qin to catch up in school, as she is behind. (You see, he is, unintentionally or not, a huge distraction for her.) But for days after he leaves, she sinks into an incurable depression.
In the middle of the episode where this is going on, there is a time lapse. A year passes, and it appears that nothing has changed. Nothing at all. Xiang Qin is still as mopey and depressed as the day her husband left, and has even started hallucinating, mistaking Zhi Shu's younger brother Yu Shu as her husband. It's as if a few days went by, not a year.
...Wait, what? What exactly has she been doing for a year? Oh, that's right. MOPING. Not respecting her husband's wishes that she concentrate on her career but PINING for him day in and day out.
And her mother-in-law, Zhi Shu's mom, is not helping matters. From day one I knew this woman was trouble and she has not proved me wrong since. Sure, she played matchmaker and got the two together, but she is not letting Xiang Qin grow up. She likes having a daughter who depends on her. She indulges Xiang Qin in her grief, and she too mopes around anxiously while her son is out in the world doing what he wants to do. Without telling anybody, Xiang Qin somehow, miraculously, finds the island where Zhi Shu is and travels there by herself, and manages to keep hidden from him for a day or two before he finds out she is there. He doesn't even appear remotely angry at her...actually, it's like he expected her to come after all that time. For what it's worth, she does help with the kids Zhi Shu is in charge of checking up on. And when it comes time for her to leave, she is teary-eyed and depressed, but she does go back to Taipei. Zhi Shu is also getting better at comforting his wife, but thankfully he doesn't indulge her wishes in wanting to stay with him.
--
I think this is just what happens a lot in Asian dramas. In fact it's rare to find a female lead that has a backbone (a good example would be Yi Sheng Xue from Bull Fighting, or the more popular/well-known Makino Tsukushi from Hana Yori Dango). But while It Started With a Kiss offers everything you might want in an idol drama (fluff, angst, humor, intrigue), it portrays this unhealthy relationship in a positive light. Yes, I am calling it unhealthy because I really don't like how much she depends on Zhi Shu for practically everything. I don't foresee Xiang Qin getting any less dependent in the future. She's been cast out on her own at least three times, and has learned absolutely nothing from those experiences. While her character has developed over the course of the series, her growth is minimal compared to other characters, even the supporting ones. The chemistry between her and Zhi Shu is undeniable, but I am left with a bad taste in my mouth.
I'm not saying that It Started With a Kiss and They Kiss Again are necessarily bad dramas. There are enough crazy-funny moments and cute-fluffy moments in this series to provide a worthwhile viewing experience, if that's what you like--plus the acting is very, very good for an idol drama. It's not as glittery and exaggerated as a lot of other dramas I've watched. What I am saying is that I'm getting sick of seeing these types of characters. :|
It Started With a Kiss + They Kiss Again
Taiwanese Drama
Main Character: Xiang Qin (Ariel Lin)
Primary Love Interest: Zhi Shu (Joe Cheng)
Secondary Love Interest: Ah Jin (Jiro Wang)
Most of what my ire is directed at happens in the second season, aka They Kiss Again. But I'll set this up by referring back to the first season, It Started With a Kiss.
Xiang Qin was essentially at the bottom of the class in highschool, with Zhi Shu at the top. When her house burns down in a fire, a friend of her father's invites them to live at their home for a while. This friend turns out to be Zhi Shu's father. Xiang Qin is at first appalled but soon excited to be living under the same roof as her crush, even as he makes his disdain for her quite obvious. But the usual trials and tribulations occur and in the end, Zhi Shu realizes that he prefers to have Xiang Qin by his side over any other girl, and the two are married. They continue living at Zhi Shu's family home (which has been added onto for their benefit).
So Xiang Qin is quite the brainless girl. So juvenile, in fact, that it's almost unbelievable. There are points in the series where I am appalled at how little she knows--not just school smarts, but her common sense is lacking as well. Not to mention she often dresses like a child and is commonly found with a doe-eyed expression.
She's also extremely, EXTREMELY insecure. Even after she gets married to Zhi Shu (her complete opposite in every way), the guy of her dreams, and it becomes obvious Zhi Shu (somehow)loves her back, she always worries a lot about other girls having any kind of contact with him at all. In part she is justified because Zhi Shu's typical special treatment of her consists of (admittedly affectionate, not that she is aware of it) teasing, while he treats every single other lady out there with polite, if distant, courtesy. He often says things to Xiang Qin that, while usually true, are not always the right thing to say...especially to someone like her. It's a very unconventional relationship they share.
Zhi Shu is a genius, no doubt about that. He's also what my roommates and I refer to as socially retarded. His mom used to dress him in girl's clothes, made him behave much like a girl without revealing his true gender, and he thought this was perfectly normal. Until, one fateful elementary school day, the truth came out, and his classmates humiliated him so much he retreated inside himself. He never speaks of this moment and diligently maintains his aloof persona, even (or especially) around his family. His "socially retarded"-ness comes into play when it's clear he lacks tact in his interpersonal relations, and he often acts as though everyone else's problems are unimportant. In short, he doesn't really know how to act around other people beyond basic courtesy. If he does, he's been doing a dang good job of hiding it.
As for the other guy, Ah Jin appears to be a better man than Zhi Shu. Mostly because he's actually, you know, friendly and personable. Even if he's kind of unpopular--but he is only unpopular because he's not as smart as Zhi Shu (which is strange because Zhi Shu is in a class of his own; he surpasses "smart"). He is unfortunately cast in a negative light because of his persistent heckling of Xiang Qin. You see, he has this big crush on her, for reasons unspecified most of the time. It is really obvious that he likes her, but Xiang Qin spurns him again and again without bothering to even get to know him. (Even when she does get to know him, she still doesn't REALLY care for or about him.) She has eyes only for Zhi Shu, and Ah Jin is apparently the only guy, the only person, who doesn't understand Zhi Shu's appeal.
While she would certainly have found undying devotion and loyalty in Ah Jin, he would most likely have coddled her. He would have done exactly what he said he would do, which is everything Xiang Qin asks of him. It's awfully sweet of him to offer this, but the burden would be too great for him alone to bear, and Xiang Qin would never learn to be independent, not with Ah Jin as the sole bread-winner. I'm not saying that Ah Jin would never stop being so protective. It might happen, might not. But based on how he normally behaves around Xiang Qin, it seems that the two are not on an equal level. Whether she would rise up to be as ambitious and independent as Ah Jin or whether he would stop doing everything for Xiang Qin remains to be seen.
At least in a relationship with Zhi Shu she must learn to operate on her own. He, well, kind of forces her to do this. It's extremely difficult for her, being who she is, but when she does manage to get caught up in sticky situations, she makes the best of it with only a little help from others. (Example: When marital strife leads her to run away from Zhi Shu and her family, she gets a job all by herself and refuses to stay too long at friends' places so as not to burden them.)
-
However, the recurring problem is her extreme dependency to Zhi Shu. One thing that irked me was that her only goal was to help Zhi Shu. So basically, she plans her entire career around Zhi Shu's. Don't get me wrong, it's totally awesome that she was the one who kickstarted his ambition to become a doctor (because he was going nowhere fast, not with his overbearing father pushing him to take over the family company), but the fact that she only wants to be a nurse so that she can be with Zhi Shu (never mind the fact that she's helping other people along the way) raises some red flags.
There comes a time when Zhi Shu leaves for a long period of time after he finishes school. He goes to an island a ways from Taiwan to be a doctor as part of the military. No one is happy about his decision, especially not his wife, but Zhi Shu has grown a backbone over the years and does not budge. Now, what happens over the year or so he is away carries great potential for character growth in the case of Xiang Qin. With her husband away for so long, and with such a distance in between them, she would learn to become more independent and focused on her schoolwork. She does enjoy being a nurse; while staying in the program mainly because of Zhi Shu, helping other people really makes her feel worthwhile. Zhi Shu wants Xiang Qin to catch up in school, as she is behind. (You see, he is, unintentionally or not, a huge distraction for her.) But for days after he leaves, she sinks into an incurable depression.
In the middle of the episode where this is going on, there is a time lapse. A year passes, and it appears that nothing has changed. Nothing at all. Xiang Qin is still as mopey and depressed as the day her husband left, and has even started hallucinating, mistaking Zhi Shu's younger brother Yu Shu as her husband. It's as if a few days went by, not a year.
...Wait, what? What exactly has she been doing for a year? Oh, that's right. MOPING. Not respecting her husband's wishes that she concentrate on her career but PINING for him day in and day out.
And her mother-in-law, Zhi Shu's mom, is not helping matters. From day one I knew this woman was trouble and she has not proved me wrong since. Sure, she played matchmaker and got the two together, but she is not letting Xiang Qin grow up. She likes having a daughter who depends on her. She indulges Xiang Qin in her grief, and she too mopes around anxiously while her son is out in the world doing what he wants to do. Without telling anybody, Xiang Qin somehow, miraculously, finds the island where Zhi Shu is and travels there by herself, and manages to keep hidden from him for a day or two before he finds out she is there. He doesn't even appear remotely angry at her...actually, it's like he expected her to come after all that time. For what it's worth, she does help with the kids Zhi Shu is in charge of checking up on. And when it comes time for her to leave, she is teary-eyed and depressed, but she does go back to Taipei. Zhi Shu is also getting better at comforting his wife, but thankfully he doesn't indulge her wishes in wanting to stay with him.
--
I think this is just what happens a lot in Asian dramas. In fact it's rare to find a female lead that has a backbone (a good example would be Yi Sheng Xue from Bull Fighting, or the more popular/well-known Makino Tsukushi from Hana Yori Dango). But while It Started With a Kiss offers everything you might want in an idol drama (fluff, angst, humor, intrigue), it portrays this unhealthy relationship in a positive light. Yes, I am calling it unhealthy because I really don't like how much she depends on Zhi Shu for practically everything. I don't foresee Xiang Qin getting any less dependent in the future. She's been cast out on her own at least three times, and has learned absolutely nothing from those experiences. While her character has developed over the course of the series, her growth is minimal compared to other characters, even the supporting ones. The chemistry between her and Zhi Shu is undeniable, but I am left with a bad taste in my mouth.
I'm not saying that It Started With a Kiss and They Kiss Again are necessarily bad dramas. There are enough crazy-funny moments and cute-fluffy moments in this series to provide a worthwhile viewing experience, if that's what you like--plus the acting is very, very good for an idol drama. It's not as glittery and exaggerated as a lot of other dramas I've watched. What I am saying is that I'm getting sick of seeing these types of characters. :|