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do men watch asian dramas??

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by Matto_Corvo, Aug 7, 2016.

  1. Matto_Corvo

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    It might seem like a silly question but I'm pretty interested in knowing if cis men watch dramas. Not just the historical or action ones but the romantic and romcom ones as well.

    To explain why I want to know:
    I'm a trans man who is constantly worried that watching J and K dramas will somehow invalidate me. In my teenage years I started watching a lot of anime to help deal with my depression, and it also became a way to bond with my brother. We started out with the usual Bleach, Naruto, and FMA. Then one day he watched Fruits Baskets and Outran High School Host Club with me and he grew to enjoy it mire than I did. It shocked me because it was belief that boys wouldn't like things that fell into the Shojo realm. This continue with manna as well. I started reading Skip Beat and was telling it about it. When I took a short break to wait for more chapters my brother began to pester me for updates on the story. Turns out he was interested in it but didn't want to have to read it and feel the second hand embarrassment first hand.

    Then I fell into kpop, became obsessed with it really, and he seem to loose interest though he did seem eager for the latest drama happen in the fanbases. Naturally kdrama was something I started watching as well. Both my brothers groaned when they saw me watching it, but next thing I know they are sitting next to me watching it as well. Even today, 2 years later, one of brothers sudden goes "Whatever happen to the doctor who got taken back in time? Did she ever make it back home?"

    So I wonder if other cis guys (be they asexual, bi, pan, straight, or gay) like dramas as well and do you hide this from your real life friends or are you open about it?
     
  2. SystemGlitch

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    Both of my boyfriends are cis, and both enjoy asian dramas. The three of us have watched asian movies/shows together in the past. :slight_smile: As far as I know they both are pretty open about it if they're asked about their interests - I don't think they'd ever hide it, and I wouldn't either I think unless I knew for a fact that the people around me would be derogatory because of it.
     
  3. iiimee

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    I'm not a cis guy, but I am fairly sure I can answer your question:

    Men, though usually not as emotional as women on average, possess every capability to like a romantic or girly show. Now, not everyone likes those shows for the same reasons. I'm a trans guy, but I do enjoy those shows, but for the exciting parts of the story or comedy in the show. :/ I could not watch a whole show about love and real life situations- I tried watching something called Nana before, and after the first episode I was done. XD It was horrible to me. Still, I've enjoyed Korean dramas like Coffee Prince and Faith, and anime like Love Stage!! and Kuroshitsuji. Now, I mostly enjoy all of those for the comedy (except Faith- that has lots of beautiful action but the comedy's poor.) though some of the major events in those stories were unappealing to me because of how driven by emotion they were. :/ Still, I'm extremely stoic- most people, including cis guys, are more emotional than me.

    That being said, some cis guys don't feel comfortable watching shows that are clearly made for women, while some really just don't like anime or Korean dramas: Foreign flicks are really only for a certain kind of person because they require patience to break into. Still, I can promise you that almost every guy in the US and UK has some slightly-to-very girly movie or show that they really enjoy.
     
  4. Adamaniac

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    I have a friend who is a cis male and straight and he's basically the official expert on k drama in my friend group. He likes to gush about it, explaining how he has a membership on dramafever, how he's watched basically everysingle drama, sometimes more than once. I go to him when I need a recommendation. Basically, like everyone said above, it's completely normal to like Asian drama.
     
  5. Synesthesia

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    Yeah I've met some who do.
     
  6. kingK

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    I LOOOOOVE K-dramas oh my goodness. I may be a bit biased because watching Korean dramas has become a bit of an Asian thing to do and a lot of my friends watch the same ones as me. For me, though, I've been watching them since I was in 8th grade. I'm a senior in highschool now. Not always but a lot of the time they're done right and have me my heart on an emotional roller coaster. Romantic ones are pretty much the only ones I actually watch. They're so adorable! I'm a hopeless romantic as well and extremely single so that may add to the issue.

    Now, I'll admit when you said you feel as though it may "invalidate" you, I was a bit annoyed. But being cis myself I don't completely understand the struggles. I'm also a bit more openly feminine so that probably makes it a little easier for me. And maybe you want to present yourself as more masculine and don't wanna steer people away or confuse them.

    Correct me if I'm wrong please I don't want to sound ignorant. Honestly though, sensitivity and liking romantic things does NOT make you any less of a man. I find it really cool when guys who you wouldn't normally expect that from open up about that kinda stuff. Guys who are emotional, who can open up and lay out their emotions is a HUGE turn on for me.

    So anyways, no person is 100% "manly" or 100% "girly." Whatever that means. And not saying that as if you don't know that. Just trying to explain my point. I personally think generally being more open and honest about you are will better convey what you're trying to represent yourself as. Whatever that may be. Don't hide your interests or hobbies from anyone because that's like hiding a part of who you are. Imagine all the cool guys you could meet who like Asian dramas as much as you.

    And by the way you should totally watch "She was Pretty" "Golden Time" and "Junjou Romantica." My absolute favorites. :slight_smile:
     
    #6 kingK, Aug 7, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2016
  7. Synesthesia

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    is junjou romantica in drama form? :O I watched the anime of that years ago as a teenager.
     
  8. gravechild

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    I have male friends who do, but they're all Asian. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  9. Jiramanau

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    If it's on TV there are men who like watching it. Period. Your interests don't define you, there are drag queens who identify as straight men, wear a suit n tie to their day job and couldn't be happier.
    There is a weird and wrong idea that permeates western culture that femininity is not only the polar opposite/kryptonite of masculinity, but also that a male displaying feminine behavior is weak and not only is his maleness questioned but also his sexual orientation and even his worthiness to participate in society. On the other side, masculine behavior by women is generally accepted as toughness, even though it is often just another mechanism for surviving in a society that glorifies masculinity

    ---------- Post added 7th Aug 2016 at 02:02 PM ----------

    The point was, that's not true. Femininity is equally strong, and an interest in feminine things or feminine mannerisms have no bearing on ones maleness. Stereotypes may have their origins in truth, they may represent an average, but they have no bearing on how we identify. The label you select tells people how to treat you, out describes how you see yourself. Nothing more.
     
    #9 Jiramanau, Aug 7, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2016
  10. Creativemind

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    I don't know about asian dramas specifically, but I know a lot of men who like more girly dramas. My Dad is almost a stereotypical looking hetero guy that looks super masculine, but he loves watching dramas with me. He loves anything with a good story, even the sappy romantic stuff. He's also more romantic than my Mom, she doesn't even like to kiss him most days, lol.

    Point is that gender roles are made up (well, at least the ones that have to do with socially constructed objects) and that the idea of someone being fully manly or fully girly in behavior does not exist. Everyone has a mix of both feminine and masculine traits.
     
  11. Shorthaul

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    I don't watch any dramas, romantic comedies or even most comedies for that matter. And it has nothing to do with my masculinity or that it isn't stuff "men" do. Truthfully, I just find it boring and lousy.

    Which is the same reason I don't watch sports, its boring.
     
    #11 Shorthaul, Aug 7, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2016
  12. kingK

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    Synesthesia - I WISH. )-: That'd be amazing. I actually don't know of any gay K-dramas. Are there even any? I just recommended it because he said he was anime fan too.
     
  13. AyaseKishimoto

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    Well don't worry, that doesn't make you any less trans. Let's say I like sports, soccer, rugby, tennis (I played tennis) but that does not make any less woman.

    Remember, gender expressions are things that you like to do, If you like anime, manga or Japanese and Korean Doramas it's okay (BTW I love them lol, they are awesome).
    Being a woman or a man isn't based on expressions or genitals, is based on the inner feelings of the person. It doesn't have to bother you being the sensitive guy who likes Doramas.

    Just be you.

    ---------- Post added 8th Aug 2016 at 03:06 AM ----------

    Hey hey Do not mess with Nana :v
     
  14. Rickystarr

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    Of course men watch Asian Dramas. There are men watching everything in existence. They may be less willing to admit it or even try it in the first place however. At first I thought your question was kind of trivial until I realized I have questioned my masculinity in the past because I like some shoujo stuff, often more than shounen as a matter of fact, but I am not too into action or violence, but that is just me. I mean I don't really like super cheesy stuff either but that has nothing to do with gender. My fiancee loves k drama and I don't get it at all but I can guarantee you there are thousands of cis men watching it, and I bet if I gave it a chance I could find some merit in it.

    Funny story, not really about asian drama but about "girly" shows in general: generally I don't hang out with the type of people who watch "trash" tv, but I have two dear friends who loved Jersey Shore and love Pretty Little Liars and they are two of the last people I would expect to be into shit like that. One is a cis, straight, black guy who is very deep and intellectual. Or at least we all assume. He is very quiet. The other is my ftm/nonbinary friend who has been on testosterone for like five years.

    All types of people like all types of things.

    So yeah, guys like everything. Same with chicks. I just think for more guys it is more of a "guilty pleasure" and not something they would talk about openly.

    I mean, my fiancee is waaaaaaaaay more feminine than I do and she likes action movies and I don't, but she also likes period dramas and kdrama and all that shit. I am more likely to get into a romantic comedy, or a vulgar comedy, which she usually can't stand, or superhero movies, which she will only tolerate if there are bright colors. (so marvel.)

    I work in an office with 80% women, and most of them are obsessed with sports, particularly baseball, and here I am the lone butchy tran with zero thousand percent interest in such things. (Our city did just win the world series I've heard though, so maybe all this interest in fucking baseball will end soon lol)

    Like what you like!
     
  15. Synesthesia

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    Ah yeah that'd be cool. I can't think of any Korean ones but I did come across some clips on YouTube of something Japanese a while back, but it might have been from a film instead of a series. Seems to be more anime with gay characters than live action stuff.
     
  16. lnamae

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    nah, there's heaps more live action stuff and it's much better quality than most gay anime imo. Check out Grey Rainbow (Thai), Love's Coming (Thai), The Lover (Korean - has a gay couple). They're three of the best ones I've seen recently and you can watch then all online. I think KissAsian has all, or at least two, of them.

    Re: original question :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: I'm not cis but I see heaps of guys posting in comment sections online all the time for asian drama. I know a couple guys irl who watch it (although one of them's Asian haha). I think like drama, or anime, or Kpop or whatever is more of a personality thing than a gender thing... like anything. I don't see it as something particularly "feminine". There are some awesome Asian dramas out there. And I'm sure many cis Asian men watch them :icon_wink
     
  17. AmyBee

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    A good friend of mine is cis het and he was CRAZY about J-Dramas. He was always texting me whenever he watched one. The one he liked most was Life, based on the manga, about a girl bullied in HS and cutting and depression.
     
  18. Matto_Corvo

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    I haven't actually watches any Thai dramas yet but have been planning too. I have a friend who tells me they tend to be the more gay friendly of the Asian dramas.