Some Common Themes – An Overview (1)

A story depends on schematas. The more common the schemata, the easier identifiable a story becomes…and perhaps more watachable as it offers pleasure rather than challenge. Here are some of the recognizable themes in Asian TV series.

Who am I…Is a question that always seems to be on our minds as week to define ourselves and our place in the world. And..it so happens that the grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence. We always seem to yearn for something we do not have, are forbidden to have. Other people do not understand our yearnings or our needs, so we argue with them, forcing our point of view..but do we understand them, do we listen to them??

Drama characters have the unique opportunity of rectifying the mistake of not listetning to others by actually exchanging places…and then they grow to understand our man or our woman. Ask Ha Ji Won and Hyun Bin, they have had some interesting adventures in a secret garden! But not only that..sometimes parents do that, because they are forced to..so instead of growing up in birth family, we do not know that, but we become forced changlings– these are the makings of a sure tragedy, and yet we continue of that path predetermined by the parents… Other times, we are even paid for agreeing to such a swap.. or we just  really need a way to get what is forbiddem from us- more frequently in case of women, who disguise for men to gain access to education or a profession and save themselves or solve the riddle of the past. . Who said it was easy being a woman (right, Hyunie?) and so far, few boys try that.. A drama came out in 2012, a special 3 episode drama that apparently seeks to change this It’s called Ma Boy.  

And so you swap with someone…and then you suffer an accident and…you lose your memory! And then it’s really bad, because you really don’t know who you are anymore..and you really become that someone else…you don;’ even remember who is after you… or where you belong.. (Save the last Dance)

And then someone comes along and you have a chance to become someone else. You meet a woman or a man…who offers you either shelter or …a love contract.. You pretend to be with someone for some very speific need, you both need that buisness deal to happen, for a time, sometimes for money…and then you really fall in love. The characters in Nagreboshi have a fairly unique experience with that. However, love contracts are most frequently signed when someone’s bothering you about getting a boyfriend or girlfriend; or otherwise you need a partner for some ocassion, there is no easier answer but to rent that girlfriend/boyfriend out for a while…until you do fall in love with them…On the other side of the extreme your parents will never give you the opportunity, as they may well arrange a marriage for you before you even think about a love contract.

But hey! Worry not! Destiny is on your side, sister! The man your parents chose for you to marry is actually that man you had a telephone conversation with years ago because he had accidentally dialled you instead of his father and then may have even helped you achieve something- and you never knew that this man, the man you marry now, was the one that soothed your dark day one night many years ago!

But be careful. Destiny is a fickle friend after all..it may turn out that your father hurt his family in the past and so this man is now marrying you in order to get revenge! You must become a prosecutor princess- and a really gfood one at that-  and help him clear this mess..and maybe then you can win his heart and you two can start over!

Whew…good luck, girl, to deal with all that, no wonder you’d prefer to stay at home like Ameiya Hotaru. But, do you remember you friend, Taro? Well, his love life isn’t any easier. He is now a widower with children when this celebrity Aya Ueto comes his way…what’s a man to do? She’s bratty and spoiled but he likes her…he has to change her heart by loving her….it;s not easy being one of the actors in the rich girl-poor man scenario…but heck, the rich man also tends to be one bog jerk when he meets the poor Cinderella girl.  But that’s because he is lonely and you must destory his defenses and open his heart. Go, go, go, Makino!  The F4 Boys will support you..but beware of that imposing mother of Doumyoji. The strong mother who makes difficult decisions…of course, she’s a witch, what else?

Hotaru: “Hey, to lay around is better than to fool around!”

Yes, dear Amemyia. But tsk..what’s that, the second lead is taking a liking to you..Ohh, Hotaru, you have your hands full now, for sure? Don’t you know, a love triangle is a necessary condition for true love to happen!

Do you know, a Chinese friend of yours, portrayed by Yang Mi experienced that too..only she time travelled…and was involved with two princes…one whom didn’t like to take no for an answer.. and would gladly pick up the rivalry theme with his other sibling and her leading man….

But while you’re pondering whether to heal the second lead syndrome or to subject yourself to the leading man, why don’t you play a game of love with Matsuda Shota, Tamaki Hiroshi and others in Love Shuffle?  They may yet help you decide!  Who knows…if things go really bad, maybe you will  become one of those casebook stories cases where a RESET (j-drama) guy gives you a chance for a second life..you will be reborn as an ex convict who meet a very lovely angelic friend and the teo of you will make the best of friends, with him supporting you as best as he can- letting you experience the power of bromance for a change.

Until next time..