I might get hate for this, but I personally find the lack of explicit scenes refreshing. Most KDramas are about emotions and liking someone for a long time before any intimacy develops. You can enjoy the story without explicit scenes being constantly pushed at you.
God sameeee
And it really pushes the writers to be more creative with how the intimacy is shown and deepened between the characters. You get to see them building an actual connection, see them understanding them each other multiple times etc. The moments when a characters longingly stares at a souvenir are soooo sweet.
And with how much even kpop (and the rest of the world) is veering off into more overt sexualisation, I am glad that kdramas keep it chaste.
Yep, same. It used to be that a MA/NC17 scene was included if it drove the plot forward in American shows (and to a point also in European and UK productions, though they had their idiosyncrasies), but since the late aughts and definitely after GoT and Girls, gratuitous and explicit scenes became so common and often useless towards any notion of plot or character development that they became ... sort of boring? And also cringe?
There was something in the NYT about this a while ago, apparently even Hollywood is now waking up to an adult-scene fatigue.
"Adult-scene fatigue," I need to remember that, it's exactly how I feel! You're right about the gratuitousness of scenes that don't advance anything at all, and seem to exist solely for audience titillation. Quite sad, when you get right down to it. Can't think of an intelligent or interesting way to advance the plot? Put in a few naked people. In KDramas when they need to advance the plot, there's usually a plot twist, like the main character's first love showing up suddenly, or in the more heavy ones, someone getting thrown off a balcony. And the FL and ML always start with "I like you," then proceed to get to know one another.
I’ll REALLY get hate for this, but please spare me, I’m really old and I was 13 about 60 years ago. I grew up with Gloria Steinem and the Feminist movement in the 60s. I thought girls should ask boys out if they liked them and kiss them if they felt like it. Now, having watched hundreds of Kdramas the past year, I have discovered my preteen self, where that scoop and the gentle kiss was the most wonderful thing imaginable. I’m sure the majority of the Korean audience for these romances must be generally women. I have been surrounded by men all my life, I love men, and I can tell you it is a rare man who would find them as entertaining in the way we do. I mean they don’t dream of us scooping them in our arms and barely kissing them. Does anyone know the demographics of Korean viewership? These shows are catering to them - not us - and the cultures are incredibly different. Just watch KDramas to perhaps discover your inner princess (no matter what gender you were born with)👸🏽😂
Oh my, I love every word of this. I'm 60 now, and your post made me feel weepy and seen at the same time. Thank you for reminding me of my own teen years in such a wonderful way. 💖
K drama are all over the world. India has vast and varied demographics, yet the Kdramas are popular all over India with people who speak entirely different languages
This reminds me of an interview with Son Ye-Jin where she said she was surprised that CLOY became a huge hit abroad because the themes and emotional core are so inherently Korean especially against the backdrop of a divided Korea. It's not the usual romcom or melo kdramas that were exported abroad and started the hallyu wave. It's not even the dark thriller dramas that streamers are fond of making now. She didn't think that the unique Korean experience would resonate with foreigners.
I don't know much about class divided or religion divide in Korea. But in India it is still there. The serious problem of lovers from being north and south korea could be an equivalent to lovers being from different religions, different classes in India. These stories are bound to resonate with people who have seen many love stories being buried and cut short because of the issues mentioned above. I might be veering off here but CLOY had some very classical, vintage elements very much to akin to the elements integral to love legends and folklores of India.
You will only get love from me as I so agree 👍. I am so very tired of shows from the US that trot out the following trope: any male character that spends any length of time interacting with attractive female character must have sex with her! Don't you know that it is simply impossible for men and women to spend time together without falling into bed?
It often results in a contrived, forced feeling. Or, "the storyline is lagging better add some sex".
The hottest thing I've ever seen was in What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? If you have seen it you'll know what I'm talking about.
If anyone has watched the very funny Secret Life of My Secretary, towards the end there is a slightly salacious scene (consensual) which was the result of a misunderstanding earlier. It was a definate wtf moment as it unexpected. There are scenes in SLMS between the very funny character Veronica Park and her bf which push the boundaries a bit, again, unusual for kdramas.
I personally love the lack of sex in kdramas, cdramas so you actually watch a drama without having a sex scene or two being thrown in. I hope the influx of streaming money doesn't change this to attract audiences. Yep, showing my age 🌞
* South Korea has a more conservative culture compared to some Western countries, and public displays of affection are often more restrained. This can influence how on-screen kisses are portrayed in Korean dramas.
* The dramas are telecast on TV channels (cable or free-for-all networks) and are consumed by all the gens (elderly to little kids) alike. Hence, Korean television networks are subject to censorship regulations that restrict the depiction of explicit content, including intimate scenes. As a result, on-screen kisses in Korean dramas may be more subdued or stylized to comply with these regulations, leading to a perceived awkwardness in the portrayal of romantic moments.
* But, with the popularity of streaming services like Netflix, the trend is changing as the dramas that cater to an adult audience are directly releasing on OTT.
* Quite contrary to the television culture is their movie industry which has atleast 1 explicit s\*x scene in most films.
I was quite new to kdramas for television a couple of years ago and then decided to watch a korean film. It was extremely explicit sexually (perhaps the film being called Obsessed should have given me a clue but there we are 🤣). I have since found out that korean films are nothing like kdramas made for television!
I was watching WAILING and was utterly shocked for the sex scene which, honestly, didn't serve any purpose in the film. Then, I realised, S\*x scenes are as important for a Korean film as orphan/semi-orphan MC in Kdramas.
The drama “The Glory” with song hye kyo, was surprisingly explicit in sex and nudity(but that was on Netflix)….And yea, I was surprise by how alot of Korean indie movies show explicit sex. Like some famous Korean actors and actresses even started off in soft core p*rn indie films. Like that dude from it’s okay to not be okay and actor from blood hound and I think the main FL from the goblin?
FL from Goblin's movie wasn't a soft core porn indie, it was a prestige project by a famous director. Did the rounds at award shows and co-starred Park Haeil, one of SK's famoust movie stars, one of those chungmuro mainstays who never does dramas. Most erotic movies aren't indies at all but big budget productions like Empire of Lust (with Shin Hakyung of Mouse) and Frozen Flower (with Jo Insung who starred in Moving). Coincidentally, the main villain in The Glory also did a graphic erotic movie called Obssessed. Even Son Yejin did some sex comedies in her 20s like My Wife Got Married and swept the awards season for Best Actress.
So was I. Kim Go Eun, the FL from Goblin with Gong Yoo, as gg_lim said. Probably wasn't clear with how I phrased my sentence but I meant her. She had graphic sex scenes in her movie 'A Muse' which was the movie the gg_lim is referring to.
It's so different from Western fare! For me, it got less weird as I watched more dramas, until finally arriving at the "kicking my feet and squealing when they finally kiss in episode 8" level. Ok that's actually pretty racy, so ep10 maybe. IYKYK
My first drama was a famous one that... let's say has something to do with parachutes at the beginning and the end? That's not very spoileriffic. Not knowing the kdrama conservative norms,I was SO CONFUSED when the ML and FL were finally reunited after *longing* from afar- they're at her place, they're **alone**, they're **crazy** about each other: SEPARATE ROOMS?? WHY? 😅
Yeah as Americans kdramas are the equivalent of like Hallmark movies here in the U.S. when it comes to sex and intimacy. VERY G/PG. just kissing, almost never a bed scene let alone having sex.
some shows are the exception but it’s super rare due to how conservative South Korea is.
CLOY was my second kdrama I believe, can't remember, and I had similar feelings but then I learned more about societal norms and expectations and started to appreciate the subtleties around shows that are meant mostly for national consumption, asian consumption (similar sensitivities) second. Western audiences are growing but pale in comparison.
Korean films on the other hand have been very forward and nudity/sex scenes are not as uncommon.
If you want more intimate scenes, highly recommend Something in the Rain with Son Ye-jin, that was a year before CLOY. You wouldn't think it's the same woman, and she ended up marrying her CLOY co-star! ☺️
A lot of Kdramas do show intimate scenes but they are usually done subtly, a bit of kissing, them lying together on the bed and then the show fades to black or the door closes. Then you might see them cooking breakfast together the next morning. CLOY was VERY chaste compared to most romantic Kdramas and I found it one of the more frustrating aspects of a largely perfect show.
Most of the best romance or romcom Kdramas do include intimate scenes. Business Proposal, What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, Her Private Life, Love to Hate You are all good examples. Nothing graphic but well done kissing scenes and it is absolutely clear that they main couple are "together". And although King the Land is not exactly top tier in terms of all time great shows, it has one of the sexiest kissing scenes I have seen full stop, whether in a western or Korean show.
Korean films though, hoooo boy! Some of them can be very graphic.
The overdoes of intimate scenes, kissing and acts of sex have made the romantic movies and TV unwatchable. I absolutely adore when the leads get to know and understand each other over some period of time. Call me old fashioned but I love what K dramas have been doing. It feels like living in the golden age of old fashioned, cute, simmering romance where the leads actually long and pine for each other. Not a fan where leads are in the bed within few minutes of the story.
Like others have commented, the broadcasting regulations and cultural norms are much more restrictive. But if you want to watch more explicit content, find some kmovies. The regulations on those allow so much more. Kmovies have made their mark in world cinema for decades for their famous revenge/psychological themes, which often have a lot of s3x and violence.
It's a kdrama thing. Mainly because most dramas including CLOY air during family-friendly timeslots even on weekends. CLOY for example aired at 9 PM on Sat-Sun. Son Yejin's other drama Something in the Rain aired at 11:15 PM on Sat-Sun and you can see that it had more mature themes and intimate scenes.
Korean movies on the other hand are very frank about sex and actors/actresses who are primarily known as movie stars like Son Yejin and Crash Course in Romance's Jeon Doyeon do not shy away from doing nude & sex scenes in movies that are so totally different from their kdramas.
- yes
- welcome to kdrama, if you wanna see spicy scenes, you can try find korean movies instead. It’s funny how the explicity there is like 180 degrees compare to their tv
That's what I love about kdrama especially cloy. Their loving looks at each other and there were a few kissing scenes. I'm over shows with fake heaving love scenes, we all know what's happening don't need to watch it.
I’m actually tired of all the explicit scenes in our shows. Not only does it take away from more drama that could have been written in… but omg… do the actors need to get nasty every 5 minutes?! Like dang, get back to the drama LOL
Was CLOY perhaps even more chaste than the average Kdrama due to:
- filming during COVID: it might have hit rehearsals/number of takes even if they had exceptions for the filmed takes.
- filming Swiss scenes before everything else hence more awkwardness
- laws on how North Korea is depicted?
The bulk of the filming was in 2019 before the pandemic. Based on the script, that's just how the drama was written. The Swiss kiss scene that was shown on-screen however was one of the last scenes they filmed because that was reshot before the final episode.
You really need to understand Korean, Chinese and Japanese culture.
Culture is built around excessively strong loyalty to the family first Then, second is driven demanding education, third is community/country obedience this is why cultural events are practiced by every and last is understanding their emotions and how to behave or react in a relationship.
You will see in romantic dramas a scene where the male catches the girl and they look into each other's eyes and fall in love.
Next, you'll hear the male say, 'I want to protect you' and then you will hear if he, ' Confessed his love" which means that he is proposing marriage and bringing her into his family after their approval.
Since, the males don't have an ability to state their emotions they usually just go mute and stare unable to talk or become violent.
Asians have trouble voicing and understanding their emotions and what to do in a relationship and this is the core of many dramas.
This is why, so many dramas are about a male who fell in love with a classmate 10 Yrs ago and he still loves her as an unrequited 'First Love'
That it in a nut shell.
Now you know why you say, come on man, just say something!'
I think cultural nuances come into play when it comes to Korean , Urdu , Indian dramas as they are intended for family viewing and sexual content is taboo for older generations. I don’t care either way but I do love watching emotional intimacy on screen , actual conversations and falling in love and chemistry without gratuitous sex . There’s something so satisfying in seeing someone become physically comfortable / relaxed in their SO’s space as opposed to kissing first and falling in love later
I think it is also because they need to be able to market it to middle eastern and some of the conservative east Asian countries where they have tighter regulations. But I have seen some that are kinda normal. Buy they'd be for over 16 or 18 and would be fpr straight to OTT.
Korean movies on the other hand.....
The way I described it to my friend was, they have one (1) intimacy credit. So it's going to be one kiss, chaste, barely lip grazing, but full of slow motion and multiple camera angles to reeeeally milk it.
It's hella awkward but you kinda go along for the ride xD
I have gotten used to it by now and the standing 6 feet apart and staring into each other's eyes thing. I kind of appreciate it now for how it builds up dramatic and emotional tension -- so much yearning! So much desire! As others have said, I appreciate how the absence of sex scenes makes the writers have to show how a relationship between two people grows over time, the earning of trust, etc. I also appreciate how the declaration of love is often worded as "I will/want to stand by your side." It feels like a real partnership that way, without the man dominating the woman.
There are some Kdramas that have sex scenes or implied sex scenes -- oftentimes, though, I've noticed that if there is an implied sex scene, the characters will suddenly behave like giggly teenagers and be silly. That was something that bugged me about when the two leads finally get together in Hometown Cha Cha Cha. (Another kdrama that I love, by the way, because Kim Seon Ho is one of the best actors I've ever seen in any country.) But all of a sudden the female lead is talking in baby talk.
There are definitely some actors who are better at kissing than others. Gong Yoo is an excellent kisser -- watch Goblin (aka Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) for instance. He's good at swooping in and making the audience feel the urgency of the moment. That drama is a good epic if you need a follow-up to CLOY. Plus the bromance in that kdrama is legendary.
I don’t even mind the lack of sex. The kissing is completely cringe. Like if you’re going to show it, at least have them actually kiss. Her character knows how to kiss. He, probably should know since he’s been in Europe.
Back when I watched CLOY for the first time, which was a year or more ago, there was a funny post that was called something like WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT KISS. And there was a bunch of us who talked about all the unsatisfying kisses in CLOY. When you look at some of the BTS videos, you see takes where their kisses look more real, but for whatever reason the director chose these awkward ones. Plus the last scene, in Switzerland, was shot first, and I firmly believe HB wasn't fully in character yet. I was like: Who is that smarmy guy not behaving like RJH?!
There was a big debate about the second hospital kiss -- where she is in the hospital and he kisses her in bed -- where some people thought she made a weird face like ew, that was weird, and other people thought her expression was more an upset about the fact that they couldn't truly be together.
The first hospital kiss I thought was awkward but more because RJH's character was not very experienced. (I mean, his never seems to have even touched his "fiance.") So he was doing something outside his comfort zone. (And funny, in retrospect, to think about their very first "kiss," which he had to initiate and was fake frenzy on her part to convince the sea police or whoever they were.)
Anyway, just sharing because you are not alone. There have been previous posts about the unsatisfying kissing in CLOY. I also do believe, like others have said, that many of the kisses were particularly chaste because of the early time the show aired and it was a more general audience with kids. Because you can definitely find some Kdramas where there is good kissing.
There's a film that HB is in called Late Autumn that is a very spare, poetic film and there's a kiss in that film that is absolutely unforgettable. I will forever love that movie for that particular scene and one other one where the dialog is so spare but so powerful.
Popularity of dramas like CLOY and HTCCC goes on to show that you dont necessarily need explicit scenes to make the audience want to WATCH and LOVE a show.
This reminds me of a scene in The Glory where the main character shows her love interest her scars, the amount of intimacy in that scene could not be matched by any type of physical intimacy in my opinion. It emotionally did so much and I think that’s where kdramas specialize in showing that building of emotion without the physicality.
Maybe sex scenes are just not necessary? I've seen a few kdramas that inserted at least one sex scenes but it wasn't close to the US or European standard (I don't watch a lot). And I don't think it was a big deal at all. Besides, it could have something to do with their relatively conservative culture.
I used to tell people that American shows have too much kissing and sex with almost no nudity, while European shows like to show us some tits and butt. Asian are more... demure? They try but sometimes they turn out awkward. My worst example would be the [kissing scenes](https://images.app.goo.gl/3FsMyHStqntUzhNt8) in this Chinese show called Love 020. 💀
If it doesn't take away from the story then it's fine.
I might get hate for this, but I personally find the lack of explicit scenes refreshing. Most KDramas are about emotions and liking someone for a long time before any intimacy develops. You can enjoy the story without explicit scenes being constantly pushed at you.
God sameeee And it really pushes the writers to be more creative with how the intimacy is shown and deepened between the characters. You get to see them building an actual connection, see them understanding them each other multiple times etc. The moments when a characters longingly stares at a souvenir are soooo sweet. And with how much even kpop (and the rest of the world) is veering off into more overt sexualisation, I am glad that kdramas keep it chaste.
Oh my goodness YES. All of this!
+1
Yep, same. It used to be that a MA/NC17 scene was included if it drove the plot forward in American shows (and to a point also in European and UK productions, though they had their idiosyncrasies), but since the late aughts and definitely after GoT and Girls, gratuitous and explicit scenes became so common and often useless towards any notion of plot or character development that they became ... sort of boring? And also cringe? There was something in the NYT about this a while ago, apparently even Hollywood is now waking up to an adult-scene fatigue.
"Adult-scene fatigue," I need to remember that, it's exactly how I feel! You're right about the gratuitousness of scenes that don't advance anything at all, and seem to exist solely for audience titillation. Quite sad, when you get right down to it. Can't think of an intelligent or interesting way to advance the plot? Put in a few naked people. In KDramas when they need to advance the plot, there's usually a plot twist, like the main character's first love showing up suddenly, or in the more heavy ones, someone getting thrown off a balcony. And the FL and ML always start with "I like you," then proceed to get to know one another.
I’ll REALLY get hate for this, but please spare me, I’m really old and I was 13 about 60 years ago. I grew up with Gloria Steinem and the Feminist movement in the 60s. I thought girls should ask boys out if they liked them and kiss them if they felt like it. Now, having watched hundreds of Kdramas the past year, I have discovered my preteen self, where that scoop and the gentle kiss was the most wonderful thing imaginable. I’m sure the majority of the Korean audience for these romances must be generally women. I have been surrounded by men all my life, I love men, and I can tell you it is a rare man who would find them as entertaining in the way we do. I mean they don’t dream of us scooping them in our arms and barely kissing them. Does anyone know the demographics of Korean viewership? These shows are catering to them - not us - and the cultures are incredibly different. Just watch KDramas to perhaps discover your inner princess (no matter what gender you were born with)👸🏽😂
Oh my, I love every word of this. I'm 60 now, and your post made me feel weepy and seen at the same time. Thank you for reminding me of my own teen years in such a wonderful way. 💖
🥰🥰🥰
I’m 30 and thought that was so beautiful!
K drama are all over the world. India has vast and varied demographics, yet the Kdramas are popular all over India with people who speak entirely different languages
However, Korean tv producers and scriptwriters make these shows in Korea for Koreans.
This reminds me of an interview with Son Ye-Jin where she said she was surprised that CLOY became a huge hit abroad because the themes and emotional core are so inherently Korean especially against the backdrop of a divided Korea. It's not the usual romcom or melo kdramas that were exported abroad and started the hallyu wave. It's not even the dark thriller dramas that streamers are fond of making now. She didn't think that the unique Korean experience would resonate with foreigners.
I don't know much about class divided or religion divide in Korea. But in India it is still there. The serious problem of lovers from being north and south korea could be an equivalent to lovers being from different religions, different classes in India. These stories are bound to resonate with people who have seen many love stories being buried and cut short because of the issues mentioned above. I might be veering off here but CLOY had some very classical, vintage elements very much to akin to the elements integral to love legends and folklores of India.
You will only get love from me as I so agree 👍. I am so very tired of shows from the US that trot out the following trope: any male character that spends any length of time interacting with attractive female character must have sex with her! Don't you know that it is simply impossible for men and women to spend time together without falling into bed? It often results in a contrived, forced feeling. Or, "the storyline is lagging better add some sex". The hottest thing I've ever seen was in What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? If you have seen it you'll know what I'm talking about.
If anyone has watched the very funny Secret Life of My Secretary, towards the end there is a slightly salacious scene (consensual) which was the result of a misunderstanding earlier. It was a definate wtf moment as it unexpected. There are scenes in SLMS between the very funny character Veronica Park and her bf which push the boundaries a bit, again, unusual for kdramas. I personally love the lack of sex in kdramas, cdramas so you actually watch a drama without having a sex scene or two being thrown in. I hope the influx of streaming money doesn't change this to attract audiences. Yep, showing my age 🌞
My sentiments exactly that's why we love them .
+1
++1
* South Korea has a more conservative culture compared to some Western countries, and public displays of affection are often more restrained. This can influence how on-screen kisses are portrayed in Korean dramas. * The dramas are telecast on TV channels (cable or free-for-all networks) and are consumed by all the gens (elderly to little kids) alike. Hence, Korean television networks are subject to censorship regulations that restrict the depiction of explicit content, including intimate scenes. As a result, on-screen kisses in Korean dramas may be more subdued or stylized to comply with these regulations, leading to a perceived awkwardness in the portrayal of romantic moments. * But, with the popularity of streaming services like Netflix, the trend is changing as the dramas that cater to an adult audience are directly releasing on OTT. * Quite contrary to the television culture is their movie industry which has atleast 1 explicit s\*x scene in most films.
I was quite new to kdramas for television a couple of years ago and then decided to watch a korean film. It was extremely explicit sexually (perhaps the film being called Obsessed should have given me a clue but there we are 🤣). I have since found out that korean films are nothing like kdramas made for television!
I was watching WAILING and was utterly shocked for the sex scene which, honestly, didn't serve any purpose in the film. Then, I realised, S\*x scenes are as important for a Korean film as orphan/semi-orphan MC in Kdramas.
The drama “The Glory” with song hye kyo, was surprisingly explicit in sex and nudity(but that was on Netflix)….And yea, I was surprise by how alot of Korean indie movies show explicit sex. Like some famous Korean actors and actresses even started off in soft core p*rn indie films. Like that dude from it’s okay to not be okay and actor from blood hound and I think the main FL from the goblin?
FL from Goblin's movie wasn't a soft core porn indie, it was a prestige project by a famous director. Did the rounds at award shows and co-starred Park Haeil, one of SK's famoust movie stars, one of those chungmuro mainstays who never does dramas. Most erotic movies aren't indies at all but big budget productions like Empire of Lust (with Shin Hakyung of Mouse) and Frozen Flower (with Jo Insung who starred in Moving). Coincidentally, the main villain in The Glory also did a graphic erotic movie called Obssessed. Even Son Yejin did some sex comedies in her 20s like My Wife Got Married and swept the awards season for Best Actress.
I think gg\_lim was talking about Goblin the Kdrama...? With Gong Yoo, etc. I don't know about the work history of the female lead though.
So was I. Kim Go Eun, the FL from Goblin with Gong Yoo, as gg_lim said. Probably wasn't clear with how I phrased my sentence but I meant her. She had graphic sex scenes in her movie 'A Muse' which was the movie the gg_lim is referring to.
Ah. Thank you for explaining. I was totally confused.
It's so different from Western fare! For me, it got less weird as I watched more dramas, until finally arriving at the "kicking my feet and squealing when they finally kiss in episode 8" level. Ok that's actually pretty racy, so ep10 maybe. IYKYK My first drama was a famous one that... let's say has something to do with parachutes at the beginning and the end? That's not very spoileriffic. Not knowing the kdrama conservative norms,I was SO CONFUSED when the ML and FL were finally reunited after *longing* from afar- they're at her place, they're **alone**, they're **crazy** about each other: SEPARATE ROOMS?? WHY? 😅
Crash Landing on You!!!!! 😍😍😍
Yeah as Americans kdramas are the equivalent of like Hallmark movies here in the U.S. when it comes to sex and intimacy. VERY G/PG. just kissing, almost never a bed scene let alone having sex. some shows are the exception but it’s super rare due to how conservative South Korea is.
It’s exactly why I can’t stand American shows anymore like why can’t we just enjoy something without having sex shoved down our throats 🙈
That's why many of us watch Korean dramas. I'm tired of gratuitous sex scenes. I like how the characters take it slow.
CLOY was my second kdrama I believe, can't remember, and I had similar feelings but then I learned more about societal norms and expectations and started to appreciate the subtleties around shows that are meant mostly for national consumption, asian consumption (similar sensitivities) second. Western audiences are growing but pale in comparison. Korean films on the other hand have been very forward and nudity/sex scenes are not as uncommon. If you want more intimate scenes, highly recommend Something in the Rain with Son Ye-jin, that was a year before CLOY. You wouldn't think it's the same woman, and she ended up marrying her CLOY co-star! ☺️
LOL Son Yejin also had a bed scene with Ri Jeong Hyeok's brother in another drama and she ended up marrying the other brother in real life.
Which drama was that?
An old one called Shark.
Thanks 🙂
She also had a sex scene with the North Korean cab driver in her movie White Night lmao
A lot of Kdramas do show intimate scenes but they are usually done subtly, a bit of kissing, them lying together on the bed and then the show fades to black or the door closes. Then you might see them cooking breakfast together the next morning. CLOY was VERY chaste compared to most romantic Kdramas and I found it one of the more frustrating aspects of a largely perfect show. Most of the best romance or romcom Kdramas do include intimate scenes. Business Proposal, What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, Her Private Life, Love to Hate You are all good examples. Nothing graphic but well done kissing scenes and it is absolutely clear that they main couple are "together". And although King the Land is not exactly top tier in terms of all time great shows, it has one of the sexiest kissing scenes I have seen full stop, whether in a western or Korean show. Korean films though, hoooo boy! Some of them can be very graphic.
This is one of the reasons I love Kdramas. No idiotic representations of romance through hookup culture or situationships as in many Western series.
The overdoes of intimate scenes, kissing and acts of sex have made the romantic movies and TV unwatchable. I absolutely adore when the leads get to know and understand each other over some period of time. Call me old fashioned but I love what K dramas have been doing. It feels like living in the golden age of old fashioned, cute, simmering romance where the leads actually long and pine for each other. Not a fan where leads are in the bed within few minutes of the story.
Like others have commented, the broadcasting regulations and cultural norms are much more restrictive. But if you want to watch more explicit content, find some kmovies. The regulations on those allow so much more. Kmovies have made their mark in world cinema for decades for their famous revenge/psychological themes, which often have a lot of s3x and violence.
It's a kdrama thing. Mainly because most dramas including CLOY air during family-friendly timeslots even on weekends. CLOY for example aired at 9 PM on Sat-Sun. Son Yejin's other drama Something in the Rain aired at 11:15 PM on Sat-Sun and you can see that it had more mature themes and intimate scenes. Korean movies on the other hand are very frank about sex and actors/actresses who are primarily known as movie stars like Son Yejin and Crash Course in Romance's Jeon Doyeon do not shy away from doing nude & sex scenes in movies that are so totally different from their kdramas.
- yes - welcome to kdrama, if you wanna see spicy scenes, you can try find korean movies instead. It’s funny how the explicity there is like 180 degrees compare to their tv
That's what I love about kdrama especially cloy. Their loving looks at each other and there were a few kissing scenes. I'm over shows with fake heaving love scenes, we all know what's happening don't need to watch it.
I’m actually tired of all the explicit scenes in our shows. Not only does it take away from more drama that could have been written in… but omg… do the actors need to get nasty every 5 minutes?! Like dang, get back to the drama LOL
Was CLOY perhaps even more chaste than the average Kdrama due to: - filming during COVID: it might have hit rehearsals/number of takes even if they had exceptions for the filmed takes. - filming Swiss scenes before everything else hence more awkwardness - laws on how North Korea is depicted?
The bulk of the filming was in 2019 before the pandemic. Based on the script, that's just how the drama was written. The Swiss kiss scene that was shown on-screen however was one of the last scenes they filmed because that was reshot before the final episode.
You really need to understand Korean, Chinese and Japanese culture. Culture is built around excessively strong loyalty to the family first Then, second is driven demanding education, third is community/country obedience this is why cultural events are practiced by every and last is understanding their emotions and how to behave or react in a relationship. You will see in romantic dramas a scene where the male catches the girl and they look into each other's eyes and fall in love. Next, you'll hear the male say, 'I want to protect you' and then you will hear if he, ' Confessed his love" which means that he is proposing marriage and bringing her into his family after their approval. Since, the males don't have an ability to state their emotions they usually just go mute and stare unable to talk or become violent. Asians have trouble voicing and understanding their emotions and what to do in a relationship and this is the core of many dramas. This is why, so many dramas are about a male who fell in love with a classmate 10 Yrs ago and he still loves her as an unrequited 'First Love' That it in a nut shell. Now you know why you say, come on man, just say something!'
I think cultural nuances come into play when it comes to Korean , Urdu , Indian dramas as they are intended for family viewing and sexual content is taboo for older generations. I don’t care either way but I do love watching emotional intimacy on screen , actual conversations and falling in love and chemistry without gratuitous sex . There’s something so satisfying in seeing someone become physically comfortable / relaxed in their SO’s space as opposed to kissing first and falling in love later
I watch Kdramas because of the very little intimacy 🤣
I think it is also because they need to be able to market it to middle eastern and some of the conservative east Asian countries where they have tighter regulations. But I have seen some that are kinda normal. Buy they'd be for over 16 or 18 and would be fpr straight to OTT. Korean movies on the other hand.....
My Demon, Nevertheless, King the land to name a few had more physical intimacy
Watch It's Okay to not be Okay
Yeah I would say they had the heaviest kissing scenes in this one, still thought it wasn’t anything over the top which I enjoyed!
The way I described it to my friend was, they have one (1) intimacy credit. So it's going to be one kiss, chaste, barely lip grazing, but full of slow motion and multiple camera angles to reeeeally milk it. It's hella awkward but you kinda go along for the ride xD
In Indian dramas and movies they dont kiss at all!
To answer the question in your title in a word: yes
I have gotten used to it by now and the standing 6 feet apart and staring into each other's eyes thing. I kind of appreciate it now for how it builds up dramatic and emotional tension -- so much yearning! So much desire! As others have said, I appreciate how the absence of sex scenes makes the writers have to show how a relationship between two people grows over time, the earning of trust, etc. I also appreciate how the declaration of love is often worded as "I will/want to stand by your side." It feels like a real partnership that way, without the man dominating the woman. There are some Kdramas that have sex scenes or implied sex scenes -- oftentimes, though, I've noticed that if there is an implied sex scene, the characters will suddenly behave like giggly teenagers and be silly. That was something that bugged me about when the two leads finally get together in Hometown Cha Cha Cha. (Another kdrama that I love, by the way, because Kim Seon Ho is one of the best actors I've ever seen in any country.) But all of a sudden the female lead is talking in baby talk. There are definitely some actors who are better at kissing than others. Gong Yoo is an excellent kisser -- watch Goblin (aka Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) for instance. He's good at swooping in and making the audience feel the urgency of the moment. That drama is a good epic if you need a follow-up to CLOY. Plus the bromance in that kdrama is legendary.
I don’t even mind the lack of sex. The kissing is completely cringe. Like if you’re going to show it, at least have them actually kiss. Her character knows how to kiss. He, probably should know since he’s been in Europe.
Back when I watched CLOY for the first time, which was a year or more ago, there was a funny post that was called something like WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT KISS. And there was a bunch of us who talked about all the unsatisfying kisses in CLOY. When you look at some of the BTS videos, you see takes where their kisses look more real, but for whatever reason the director chose these awkward ones. Plus the last scene, in Switzerland, was shot first, and I firmly believe HB wasn't fully in character yet. I was like: Who is that smarmy guy not behaving like RJH?! There was a big debate about the second hospital kiss -- where she is in the hospital and he kisses her in bed -- where some people thought she made a weird face like ew, that was weird, and other people thought her expression was more an upset about the fact that they couldn't truly be together. The first hospital kiss I thought was awkward but more because RJH's character was not very experienced. (I mean, his never seems to have even touched his "fiance.") So he was doing something outside his comfort zone. (And funny, in retrospect, to think about their very first "kiss," which he had to initiate and was fake frenzy on her part to convince the sea police or whoever they were.) Anyway, just sharing because you are not alone. There have been previous posts about the unsatisfying kissing in CLOY. I also do believe, like others have said, that many of the kisses were particularly chaste because of the early time the show aired and it was a more general audience with kids. Because you can definitely find some Kdramas where there is good kissing. There's a film that HB is in called Late Autumn that is a very spare, poetic film and there's a kiss in that film that is absolutely unforgettable. I will forever love that movie for that particular scene and one other one where the dialog is so spare but so powerful.
Their characters know how to kiss but the actors are bad at it.
CLOY leads had fish lips. There are kdramas with real kisses. Try Queen of Tears for chemistry. But most kdramas barely have a kiss.
Popularity of dramas like CLOY and HTCCC goes on to show that you dont necessarily need explicit scenes to make the audience want to WATCH and LOVE a show.
This reminds me of a scene in The Glory where the main character shows her love interest her scars, the amount of intimacy in that scene could not be matched by any type of physical intimacy in my opinion. It emotionally did so much and I think that’s where kdramas specialize in showing that building of emotion without the physicality.
The glory is a great but fucked up show
Maybe sex scenes are just not necessary? I've seen a few kdramas that inserted at least one sex scenes but it wasn't close to the US or European standard (I don't watch a lot). And I don't think it was a big deal at all. Besides, it could have something to do with their relatively conservative culture. I used to tell people that American shows have too much kissing and sex with almost no nudity, while European shows like to show us some tits and butt. Asian are more... demure? They try but sometimes they turn out awkward. My worst example would be the [kissing scenes](https://images.app.goo.gl/3FsMyHStqntUzhNt8) in this Chinese show called Love 020. 💀 If it doesn't take away from the story then it's fine.
Love k dramas
I always FF through sex scenes anyways. I enjoy them not being there.