@Sleepninja ... like you, I find the storylines addictive,... Not that I like them for the abuse, but I like them in spite of it..... Writing and acting are a strong factor in whether the male lead is hate-worthy ... I don't hate him if he's written and portrayed as being a good person behaving badly, vulnerable and only needs to learn how to better express his love....
Oh, and to be likable, he has to be paired w/ a strong leading lady, who can take what he dishes out and gives it right back...
Anyway, the aggressive assertive male is prevalent in Asian dramas.... When viewers ask for an alpha male, they usually mean the possessive kind who grabs her wrist and drags her away in a fit of jealousy , nothing more .... and nothing like any of the slap/kiss crazy-in-love hateful male leads ... so I rarely recommend lakorns, unless I know for certain that is what the person wants.
