non white skinned heroine?

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by seoktonin, Jul 2, 2022.

  1. Nightow1

    Nightow1 Well-Known Member

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    Don't forget one thing. How often does a Korean see anyone of "color"? Dark skin is very rare in their part of the world. And like you said, they got dark skinned ML already so it's not like they deliberately exclude dark skinned people. It's much more likely that they don't quite figure out how a dark skinned "beauty" looks like since they have never seen one before and can't portray them.

    Besides, demanding to insert a person of a specific color is as racist as excluding people of a specific color. It definitely separates people according to their skin color and demands different standards for one side. Real equality is when people make decisions without considering color at all. Remember there was a guy here once, Rodrigez or something like that which insisted that any manwa/manga had to have colored people or it's racist and demanded that people create what he wanted, which was "colored" people in their works. He was a racist through and through, Black supremacy is the same problem as White supremacy, just from the other side. The evil in the heart is the same for both factions.

    Actually I suspect it's because they don't know how to portray a "dark skin beauty", chances are high they have never seen one before. Why not do a mental exercise? How would you portray a dark skinned beauty?
     
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  2. seoktonin

    seoktonin burning eyes

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    asking people to diversify their characters is not equal to racism i have no ifea how youre getting there really and dont know what dark skin looks like?

    korea isnt all milky white people and its huge tourist spot do you really think they have no idea what other poc look like?
     
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  3. Professor Baka De DeluPerv

    Professor Baka De DeluPerv Consumer of Plastic Toys

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    Like you said, it's a huge tourist spot, and guess what? Majority of them are white! And, do you really think Authors got the time to go sight seeing? If they do, they'll see like a dozen or so dark people. In another words, not enough to care.
     
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  4. seoktonin

    seoktonin burning eyes

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    i genuinely have no idea why you think they have never seen a dark skinned person, thats some huge bubble you live in right there
     
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  5. Saorihirai

    Saorihirai Well-Known Member

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    not all Koreans are pale. Most aren't pale tbh. Instead, they cake themselves with light foundation and idolize being pale as shit. So yeah, having tanner mcs would be beneficial for the whole of Asian countries since they're only oppressing their own people, not foreigners. This is for all those saying "well Asian novels will cater to Asian beauty standards or Asian people".

    That beauty standard is horrible FOR Asians. Not all Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese people are pale/white. It's a colorist issue.
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2022
  6. seoktonin

    seoktonin burning eyes

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    !!!! MOST of them arent pale lmao, i find it weird how its acceptable for the male in kdramas to be darker than the fl but never ever a dark skinned fl.

    the asians they see on internet are those that are entertainers or so who are highly confident in themselves - fitting all beauty standards.

    atleast south asia is moving away from the pale/ghostly face is beautiful even if we arent quite there yet. it lowkey feels like east asians dont even want to try.
    the manhwas are so popular that showing a dark skinned character can actually make an impression on younger kids but no. its a cycle
     
  7. Saorihirai

    Saorihirai Well-Known Member

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    Yep. They're more lenient with male mmcs being tan but fmcs? GOD FORBID. I find Koreans and the Chinese to be the worst in this. If you read manga, you still get people with a variety of skin color (because Japanese people are indeed not all pale or even mostly pale) but webtoons, manhwa, or Korean webnovels? Never. The paler and whiter, the better. And this is a problem for all these young East Asian audiences. They're taught to reject and hate their own complexion.

    So for real seeing everyone say "Asian novels are for Asian people" yeah well, a Korean novel TRULY for Korean people would not make every single character pale. Because that simply not how it is.

    Also, this thread is full of weird comments lol. Ignorant
     
  8. seoktonin

    seoktonin burning eyes

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    ive been tryna say this for so long, the responses made me so confused like ???
    saying that theyre not white and so should maybe add more skin color variation is racist now? on god?
    only one skin color in a huge media medium is not racist but asking for more is??

    yes there is definitely a lot more diversity in mangas and esp if its set in a western world (not isekai, never isekai) they have other color people
    the kr novel and their obsession with dark skinned slave ml is kinda scary fr
     
  9. pass1478

    pass1478 I'm in Despair!

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    You're basically telling them to stop applying their own beauty standards. So you don't want a "fair-skinned" female protagonist? Sure, just read other stories that aren't Korean, you'll find plenty... or do you want it to be Korean specifically? Well, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

    So no, authors won't stop applying their beauty standards (based on the country and culture they grew up in) just because it's the vast majority of FLs.

    Well, you can preach about it, but the people are pointing out the beauty standards because it's why many authors write their characters based on said standards. Are the standards themselves detrimental to society? Yes, it is. It's propagated by capitalistic consumerism/consumer capitalism, the big corpos are manipulating the population's standards to buy their beauty products. But even if all that's said and done, it doesn't change the fact that said standard is why authors write "fair-skinned beauties."

    So if OP wants authors to "stop with the female MCs whiter than white people", then they should first tell the big corpos to stop manipulating the standards or to stop the population from being so easily manipulated. If they don't do that, then they're barking up the wrong tree.
     
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  10. Saorihirai

    Saorihirai Well-Known Member

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    I see this all the time on here. People defending colorism. Weird. Apparently, colorism is okay now because it's a beauty standard. Ha. Have they ever experienced it? It feels like crap.

    ???
    Koreans are not all pale. Paleness is not a trait for the majority of Koreans. Yet they perpetuate this disgusting and colorist beauty standard that forces young Korean girls to get facial whitening and apply foundation shades lighter. Is that okay? Culture and fiction are interconnected. If you influence people positively with fiction by helping them accept being a little tanned or having a warmer skin complexion is not inferior to pale whiteness, then WHY NOT? Why not have Korean novels ACTUALLY represent their people? Instead of this twisted white fantasy?

    Or are you saying that their beauty standard is not wrong or harmful?

    You probably have never experienced it. But I've seen many many East Asians harbor scars and trauma because they are darker than the beauty standard, and their own country tells them they are ugly because of this obsession with being pale. Go out and see actual Koreans, many of them have warm undertones and naturally tanned skin tones. Look at some of these K-pop stars constantly saying "I wish I was paler". Do you know why? Most of them are not PALE naturally but are forced into this standard.

    *so why not have novels promote a healthy love for how they naturally look instead of chasing harmful standards?*
     
  11. pass1478

    pass1478 I'm in Despair!

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    read my response to your first post, above.
     
  12. seoktonin

    seoktonin burning eyes

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    i feel like i gained nothing from reading the entire reply wow, why would i tell big corps to do that when the koreans themselves refuse change??? change starts from the people not the corps.
    weird to think that innisfree will say dark skinned people are also beautiful! and the koreans will immedia start agreeing and the characters will change from milk white to cream white lmfao
     
  13. Saorihirai

    Saorihirai Well-Known Member

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    lol okay, blame the government and capitalism and big corporations for everything.

    I think you missed out on the very foundations of literature. Literature has been for a very long time, a venue for social change. So someone wanting literature to promote social change is not barking up the wrong tree. Culture is also not just some big bad evil scheme by corporations. No, the world is not so simple and conveniently built for you to place blame on. It's deep-rooted and multi-faceted. And literature will always play a part in it.

    edit:

    I feel like we're the only ones here making sense...

    I have no idea what goes on in their minds. Someone comes and tries to advocate for Korean novels to create characters that resemble and represent Korean people more accurately (and also chill with this strange obsession with dark ml slaves) and people get upset? No one is telling anyone to cater to foreigners.
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2022
  14. asriu

    asriu fu~ fu~ fu~

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    eh~
    it just cliche stuff should this call it trope? unless it serious stuff hardly people (reader and author on general) pay attention toward it~ another point is as other mentioned "ideal type" such as beauty, wealth, intelligent, athletic ability and such~
    that not pointing south korea obsession toward beauty on society~ novel across east asia if you pay attention to most main character possesses their standard for beauty~ fair skin is one of it~ unless your head under trash searching for it rarely main heroine not posses such trait~

    so imo you kinda asking too much~
     
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  15. seoktonin

    seoktonin burning eyes

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    if i was asking for it id say it on twt and tag kr authors and artists.
    i was just pissed off. definitely didnt expect so many people to jump and defend it
     
  16. asriu

    asriu fu~ fu~ fu~

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    nah it not defend it just another point of view why is why tho~
    here another why people seem "jump" into it~
    on internet asking for diversity mostly painted with bad stuff cuz hollywood failure and or people just wanna diversity for sake of diversity not to mention "woke" stuff~ different culture~

    meh just usual stuff~
     
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  17. pass1478

    pass1478 I'm in Despair!

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    People are getting annoyed because of OP's unreasonable demands. And how many times do you have to be told that these "beauties" DO represent the Korean standards?

    "On what basis does fair-skinned = beautiful" you may ask. K-dramas, K-pop groups, Korean Models, Advertisements, etc. These represent the Korean standard accurately.
     
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  18. seoktonin

    seoktonin burning eyes

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    demands?? thats what you got here?? amazing
     
  19. pass1478

    pass1478 I'm in Despair!

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    Now you're just nitpicking lol.
    Yes

    Wait. This isn't novel general. You should have posted this thread under novel general instead of general chat. Now I just wasted my time trying to farm nuffies
     
  20. Professor Baka De DeluPerv

    Professor Baka De DeluPerv Consumer of Plastic Toys

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    Oh just shut down this thread, you're not going to see the other side of this. White beauty is the ideal. Don't like it, don't read it.
     
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