Drama Special under fire for lesbian content
by javabeans
KBS’s Drama Special, an anthology series of one-act (aka single-episode) dramas, is into its second season now, and its latest installment has become a target of netizen controversy. Today’s (August 7) episode is titled Daughters of Bilitis Club and is peopled entirely with lesbian characters, its title borrowing from the American lesbian rights group Daughters of Bilitis.
Homosexuality is becoming more visible on Korean television screens in both scripted and unscripted forms, and has been a key story point in several network drama series like Coffee Prince, Personal Taste, and Life Is Beautiful. Off network, there was the cable reality program Coming Out, which featured real-life gay people and showcased their stories of identity and acceptance.
It’s promising to see the topic handled with sensitivity and thoughtfulness, even if the progress is slow. But it seems the public is still far from accepting, what with the ill-informed campaigns of netizen mothers who railed against Life Is Beautiful, accusing the show of possibly turning their currently-totally-straight children gay in the near or far future, yunno, just in case The Gay is transmittable through airwaves and the power of suggestion. And now Drama Special has received complaints for the Daughters of Bilitis Club episode, with demands to take it off the air immediately. Some have called its frank portrayal of its lesbian characters unfit for television.
This really is too bad, because when I first heard about this one, I was intrigued by the subject and was hoping it would be noteworthy for its story. Drama Specials can be hit or miss, but overall I find it to be a quality program that treats its stories with a light and thoughtful touch.
Featured in Daughters of Bilitis Club are several pairs of lesbian characters, who span multiple generations: Representing the 50s age range are two familiar veteran actresses, Choi Ran (Hong Gil Dong, You’re Beautiful) and Kim Hye-ok (Scent of a Woman, Bad Guy); in their 30s are careerwomen Han Go-eun (A Man Called God) and Oh Se-jung (Yi San); and playing teenage students are Jin Se-yeon (The Duo) and Ahn Ji-hyun (While You Were Sleeping).
Writing is Sohn Ji-hye of this year’s KBS series President, while the PD is Han Jun-seo, who worked on dramas like My Precious You and Capital Scandal and has directed a few other Drama Special episodes.
In the older generation, Kim Hye-ok is estranged from her daughter (played by Chuno’s Min Ji-ah), probably due to her relationship with her partner (Choi Ran). However, the daughter decides to meet with her mother before she departs for the U.S., and their meeting is rife with mother-daughter love and strife.
In the middle generation, Han Go-eun’s character is in a relationship with a woman (Oh Se-jung) who isn’t fully certain of her sexuality (I hesitate to use the word bisexual because she hasn’t made the choice to be bi, either; the description points out that she’s still undecided).
In the teen generation, Jin Se-yeon plays a senior in high school who likes a girl in a different class at school, and is in search of other lesbian teenagers like herself to connect with.
On the upside, Daughters of Bilitis Club has met with a positive response from some of its viewers who appreciated the subject matter and its treatment. By all accounts, the story is more about the emotions of these women than a salacious attempt at sensationalism. The motifs at play include a mother’s pain, a teenager’s uncertainty and angst, and the hurt of a woman whose lover left her and married a man.
And despite the loud voices of the offended, not all the responses are angry. Some comments have been more open-minded, stating that “The world is big and drama topics diverse, this is just one of many.” And “Homosexuality is no longer just for minority of people. It’s a subject that we should think about deeply and thoughtfully as a society.” And “I welcome the Korean version of The L Word.”
I’m not saying we all have to agree on our thoughts regarding homosexuality, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to suggest that all people be treated as people, regardless of whom they love. With that in mind, let’s keep the comments even-keel and insults to a minimum, yes?
Via Star News, Mk.co.kr, Star News
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Tags: controversies, Drama Special, Han Go-eun
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51 Rachael
August 8, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Haha, after leaving my own 80 million questions over the generally civil (from both sides even!) discussion I'm another crossing my fingers that this will be subbed. Though the main reason is this is Something Different.
Yes, if each couple just had a woman replaced by a man it wouldn't be different, but that's what's so interesting. That non-difference makes it different to men in how it's a lack of sensalizing, which makes me say, "Yay!"
Otherwise I'm another "sexuality is fluid" person as I have had my own struggles with the labels and the various societies in the US I've lived in. At this rate I've just kinda given up and decided to call it "Rachaelsexual" while still dealing with general societies' need for friggin' BINARIES. It's either this or that. If it's not either in our identifications then we're hostile because we don't know how in the world to react. Which is logical in initial introduction when binaries have been rejected, but highly unlogicaly when proven non-lethal/harmful to continue reacting with hostility.
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carpetfibers
August 8, 2011 at 8:45 PM
I couldn't help but notice that your questions regarding the (many) restrictions provided in Leviticus went unanswered.
This is slightly off topic, but it never fails to surprise me how easily the cultural influences denoted throughout the Bible are dismissed. Especially in the New Testament with so much of it being made up of letters to specific audiences. I mean, common sense says that you change the language of your message to ensure its recipient understands, right?
And yet, that flexibility in understanding is seen as somehow being symptomatic of a lack of faith or belief. I can read Paul's letters and find a truth in spirit within them, but still have a cultural and historical understanding of why he worded certain things the way he did.
Perhaps, if people were more familiar with the limited numbers of the early Israelites, the constant threats to the continuation of their people-- what with the enforced slavery, diasporas every half century or so, and constant occupations-- it's no wonder that the religious texts would be full of admonitions to ensure that more babies were being made.
It's not a case of 'Homosexuality is evil! God hates it!' but a case of 'We're a dwindling people, we needs the women preggers.' Thus the encouragement of multiple wives and even occasional suggestions of incest.
/shrugs/ History's fun! It enriches the Bible; history doesn't diminish it.
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52 Auntiemame
August 8, 2011 at 3:27 PM
Ya' know . . . the world is so full of life and death issues on which people needs to focus, instead of judging other people's lifestyles.
These opinionated people ought to get a life. Preferably a life in which they have to work 18 hrs/day to earn a subsidence wage and worry about the likelihood of having a next meal. pffft!
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53 AnnaBeau
August 8, 2011 at 3:36 PM
am really excited to watch this drama if I can figure out where to find it!
Homosexuality is not a choice, its a blessing!
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54 Kim Yoonmi
August 8, 2011 at 6:32 PM
I want this drama subbed. If Romance of Wolves and Bungee Jumping of their own can get subbed, why not this one which isn't such of a mind-bender?
I should also note for those quoting Bible passages that it would really be beneficial if you actually read the thing cover to cover. Because you'll realize that several passages would make our K-drama obsession a big sin if you were so literal.
We make false idols out of hotties that are half naked in the shower. We supported the giving of alms to the poor on other places than our front doorstep by supporting the Japanese earthquake relief efforts. We like shaved, wet men. (Song Seung Hyun-ssi! Handtowel man!) We watch heroines dressed in red and like it. (baby-faced beauty). We watch characters eat tons of shellfish, lobster and other non-kosher foods. (How many K-dramas have pork belly eaten in them?) We support women's rights and hate men cheating, even if the Bible says that a man can have more than one wife at a time. When a man is shown to have raped his daughter, we are disgusted with the characters. When a person hits a child out of anger, we support the child. And when people talk about sacrifice of animal flesh, we are equally distanced and call that an ancient practice. K-dramas, by that logic are a sin against the Bible. If Seogyeopsal is a sin against God, I rather eat a lettuce wrap and blush. And I absolutely cannot live without my Kimchi.
As a non-strict Jew and a Korean, I guess I'll have to *sniff* live in absolute sin and just watch some more dramas depicting sinful things like men coming back from the army and showering with water beading on their non-hairy muscled chests and watch them shave, drop towels and get hair cuts. Because that sin is most delicious and I'm not past being that shallow.
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Kim Yoonmi
August 8, 2011 at 6:34 PM
And of course eating Korean food while I'm doing so... I'll be returning to my Korean hotpot with things like pork and Kimchi in it now.
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ar
August 9, 2011 at 10:41 AM
awesome post! It really confuses me when people say they are against homosexuality because of their religion when 1. there are tons of contradictions in religious texts 2. not all rules in the religious texts are being followed, so why pick one over the other and 3. living exactly to the letter of a religion is almost impossible: http://www.amazon.com/Year-Living-Biblically-Literally-Possible/dp/0743291476
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msim
August 9, 2011 at 6:06 PM
Fantabulous post! Logical, sane, rational and funny.
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55 Leisel
August 8, 2011 at 11:12 PM
"if it's a sin to hate then how can it be a sin to love"?
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56 win0
August 10, 2011 at 8:44 PM
Hey, I like Amber of f(x). Does it means I'm a gay grandma?
My 35 year old engineer daughter is a lesbian. But I have no idea that she will become one. When she was a teenager, she loves to dye her long brown hair blond.
It cost me money. She loves makeup and girly outfit. She even have a full poster of Fabio in her room. Then she went to California for 3 years after highschool and when she came back she said she likes girls. She cuts her hair short and dresses like a man. I was shocked but accept it. Her choice.
My point here is what we do here on earth is our choice.
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57 Ang27
August 14, 2011 at 10:22 AM
Ya lo ví...demasiado bueno para no verlo.
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58 Ponalen
October 12, 2011 at 4:57 AM
Well, i think lesbians are restricted in some countries like Korean. But some countries are opened to lesbians. I think lesbians are restricted in Korean cuz it looks weird to love someone that have same sex. Don't you think it's kind of discrimination? To love someone, is it wrong? We can take this drama as an example. How they feel to be a lesbian? What's their difficulties? To be born like this it's hard for them, the harder is we discriminate them. Where they can live in this world if we all discriminate them? I really want to see this drama, I guess it'll be interesting and good topic to discuss. Lastly, I agree with Rita about where can I watch this drama? Any website that I can download it? I support this drama. it's great. Thanks.
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59 comradeS
January 25, 2012 at 7:54 PM
In general, I'm pretty traditional, and I don't like erotic homosexual films (or for that matter, erotic films at all) and so I hesitated to watch this one, since I had no idea what to expect. However, I found it to be very un-sensationalist. Just a simple story about six women and their loves and heartbreaks -- I almost found the content a bit mundane, and that's what I liked about it; a couple having to deal with a stupid decision, a teenaged girl having an awkward crush (just like any heterosexual girl), and an older couple choosing to retire together.
If it was inappropriately erotic, I might be able to understand why people would complain about its airing, but this is ridiculous. It's really a lovely story, with some wonderful characters, and totally worth the hour it takes to watch.
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60 Lilith
April 24, 2012 at 2:36 AM
I myself was born in a place were being gay is almost like a sin.
At ifrst i thought it was weird too.
But you know......For the first time, I saw some lesbian people fighting for their rights. it really suprised me. I didn't like myself....
But then i saw how happy they were together.....How they would cry together. And truly love each other.....It was the first time i thought, that it was sad nobody accepted they for who they were, but still, they fighted.
And i think that that's the most beautfull thing in the world. And i wouldn't want it any different. You can hate they for it, you can banish they for it. But in the end it's still love. Screw gender.
Gender has nothing to do with that, Because it's love.
Really, You can hate me for all i care.
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