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| I don't think she's watching this drama for the plot. |
Anyway~ moving on. (Focus, Hope, focus!) I've been reading my favorite blogs for a while now (even though I haven't been commenting, everyone I'm sorry!) and have started noticing that all of them -- after quite a few dramas are under their belts -- all start to lose a bit of that starry-eyed wonder that they had in the very beginning of their drama escapades. Pretty much, over time, they become a lot more critical of the dramas they watch and the things that used to be acceptable in dramas (even amusing!) no longer get to fly under the radar without notice (and usually end with a knock in that said drama's overall review score, too).
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| I want to be a grumpy drama viewer, too! |
I've been watching dramas for 5 years (I started when I was 12 or 13 years old -- I was in seventh grade -- because of my love of all things manga and anime and have been avidly watching since) and yet, I haven't lost my starry-eyed view. Well, at least, most of it. Some things in drama-land just aren't acceptable, no matter how starry-eyed you are (cough bad writing cough cough) but, I still seem to be able to enjoy a drama through all it's (sometimes terrible) faults and can only look back on it critically after reading reviews and things about it from people who no longer view drama-land through rose-colored lenses.
Is it because I'm still a teenager (and in turn, still think like a child) while all the blogs I read are written by adults with actual jobs and lives? They are inherently more mature then I because they've gone through more things in life than I have, thus they can look at things more clear-headed-ly than me? I don't know. On the one hand, this starry-eyed view probably lets me seemingly enjoy dramas more than other people -- but on the other hand, what can I learn from these stories and characters if I think everything is just good and can't figure out when something is wrong or off when I could take something away from the story by knowing?
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| My view of dramas? Nope. I ain't that cute. |
Ultimately, I want all of the bloggers I follow to know that being grumpy about this years crop of dramas isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think it lets you analyze dramas in a valuable way that better helps you learn things from the dramas that are true gems.
What do you think is better? Being starry-eyed five years in or gaining a view for what's good and bad in drama-land -- even if it makes you seem a little grumpy?
Welcome back to blogging!
ReplyDeleteI think this is funny- because I go through the 'grumpy' stage of watching dramas every few weeks- until I find the next best thing, or at least change the genre/time period/country. And then I'm cool again. I've always figured this was just another phase of my life, and I go through them in several year doses, and yet I still don't entirely foresee a day when I'll quit watching dramas altogether. Rather, I look forward to seeing this generation of actors (and even singers) grow and mature and find out who has staying power, not to mention- to see if a younger crop of entertainers will continue to keep me fascinated with the culture.
In the meantime, I pick and choose what I want to analyze, over-analyze, or just watch with no ulterior motive. It still keeps me happy. :)
Thank you!
DeleteI've never gone through a 'grumpy' phase for watching dramas. I'm always just happily watching dramas, being entirely strung along for the ride. Err.... Maybe not happily... I've cried many a time while watching dramas. And screamed. In anger. Erghh, evil mother-in-laws. = = (Have I mentioned I watched 3 Dads 1 Mom without much qualms? Looking back, I don't know how I watched it. But during? I thought it was a nice story with some comedic moments about family -- even if they're not blood. The writers had me hook, line, and sinker -- they always do.)
That's what I meant by wanting to be a 'grumpy' drama watcher sometimes. You become grumpy because you can form thoughts and opinions about a drama outside of it and say when a drama's gone bad. I can't form opinions about dramas while watching them because I think and feel what the writers want me to feel. Even if it's ridiculous.
I thought To The Beautiful You was heartfilled, thoughtful fluff. Now I know, it's just fluff with no brain to speak of. (It's still got heart, though, in the form of Cha Eun Gyul. He also seemed like the most fleshed out character to be perfectly honest. Wish I could say the same for the others)
I also can't wait for what you said about the actors. It's interesting to think that maybe, the actors we love today might not be the things they are now tomorrow. And vise-versa.
I watch with an ulterior motive. I want to be a film and television writer (and actor!) and watch everything to make mental notes about mistakes not to make in the future. And what to do in terms of story structure and characters from the better dramas. So... I over-analyze with a purpose? ;)