Am I Feeling Crazy Right Now With My Preferences With Taiwanese, Japanese And South Korean Entertainment?

Just right now, I feel like I want to go haywire like Dr. Kuroto Dan and Dr. Mikoto Nakadai. I'm stuck in a game of juggling between preferences. Whether it'd be within the realm of Tokusatsu (since I prefer mostly new school Kamen Rider and mostly old school Super Sentai) or with other passions. That's why I never call myself a die-hard fan of just anything. I can't forget how I had a taste fatigue with Super Sentai last 2013 yet I find myself watching new school Super Sentai this 2016 and I'm looking forward to Kyuranger this 2017 and to Zyuohger's finale on the first Sunday of February. 

I can't forget how there were a few times that I wasn't watching Tokusatsu earlier last decade. It was because I got caught with what I consider as "better stuff" like some Taiwanese, Japanese or Korean drama. Taiwanese drama helped me get in touch with my ancestral roots though I speak very little Chinese. Korean drama gave me a different cultural immersion though I'm still not that fond of it. So what's this real struggle? I could talk about a lot of silliness involved with this struggle where I feel crazy about it. Remember this is a wacky post that I wanted to come up with and here it is. 

My relationship with Korean shows

I think Korean entertainment is not something that I like so much compared to Taiwanese and South Korean entertainment. I don't really give too much of a care about K-Pop over Mandopop and J-Pop. I even have the guilty pleasure of listening to songs or watching raws though I've become a translation addict after watching more fan subs. I don't listen to K-Pop but I watch some Korean series. There's some good plot and at times good action scenes.

But the problem can be that sometimes some people get it partly right - I'm not there for the plot (initially) but for the lust object (the leading lady). Though there were some female leads I didn't find all that attractive but there was such a good story. One good example is Spring Waltz. Han Hyo Joo isn't all that pretty compared to Song Hye Kyo in Autumn in My Heart but but I prefer the latter. Spring Waltz doesn't get too sad compared to Autumn in My Heart. Autumn in My Heart was one show that could have caused me to dehydrate. 

As much as I like Korean cuisine but I don't really find myself crazy over Korean entertainment. Sure I could enjoy some good shows but I don't find myself that crazy over it. I tend to think that it's just overrated. Come on, South Korea isn't the only East Asian country!

Taiwanese shows vs. Japanese shows

Although Japan and Taiwan are allies but both of them tend to become "enemies" in my head. It just reminded me that I I tend to take a break from Super Sentai or just any form of Japanese Tokusatsu or entertainment when I get taste fatigue. Even if I eventually returned to watching Super Sentai via fan subs but I couldn't like it more than I used to be. Age? Perhaps but I don't think that's the only factor behind it. But even if I've restored my interest to new school Super Sentai because I'm still that interested with new school Kamen Rider but Taiwanese dramas tend to take over my head more often than not. Then again, new school Kamen Rider can also Rider Kick away Taiwanese drama from my mind. 

What's ironic is that the very first Taiwanese drama TV series that I watched was based on a Japanese TV series. I couldn't forget how I first thought that the F4 boyband were Japanese not Taiwanese. I wondered what in the world were the traditional Chinese subtitles doing there. Then I found out by listening to the opening theme song that Meteor Garden was a Taiwanese localization and live adaptation of Hana Yori Dango. It was pretty new and pretty good at the same time so I had every reason to try it. I don't care how new or how old something is but garbage is garbage. It was new and good so I had no reason not to avoid the trend. Then I watched more Taiwanese TV shows.

It doesn't mean that I've actually forgotten about Japanese shows. When I started watching some J-Drama series for the sake of something new (and Nodame Cantabile had me the most hooked but didn't care too much about the live adaptation of Hana Yori Dango) I thought I'd watch them when I'm not watching Taiwanese drama. When I don't find myself watching Taiwanese drama I find myself watching new school an old school Tokusatsu depending on my mood. Some newer Toku can be very interesting while others can be a step backwards. Some old school Tokusatsu have aged well but some of them may have not aged well. 

In the end, it's all about the mood or is it?

Last decade also had me watching Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese shows all at once. I could remember how I watched some Super Sentai, Korean drama and Taiwanese drama at the same time. It can lead to fun and it can be confusing. Sometimes, I just feel that maybe a momentary abstinence of either which would be better. But if the plot's so good and/or there's a pretty lady (a bad reason for me to watch any show) there's my tendency not to resist. I still find myself still watching the J-Dramaish Heisei era Kamen Riders (though we're abut to get a new era by 2019) even if I don't find any attractive female if there's a good plot then I'm willing to watch it. I don't find most Kamen Rider girls attractive but most of what Kuuga up to Ghost have to offer are still entertaining in spite of flaws.

Should I mention there are times that I actually momentarily quit watching Taiwanese shows and Korean shows to focus on Super Sentai and Kamen Rider? Doing so at least helped me to focus on on them. Then time comes I get bored so I take a momentary break from Tokusatsu. Maybe I don't really like one over the other. Maybe I like them all the time. But I still find myself more inclined to watch more Taiwanese and Korean series than Tokusatsu. But still, I can enjoy them all the same but not always all at the same time. 

In the end, what I write would usually be my personal preferences. But I always need to at least back things up with why I like them. Otherwise, I may just be stuck in between extremes. You can tell how much juggling I've passed through in my mind by just reading this crazy post.