Antonio writes:

Hi Fangirl,

Recently due to Noble Idiocy I abandoned the vision of a drama that I really enjoyed: Monthly Home Magazine.

Could you do a post with the list of dramas that contain this detestable gimmick?

I remember getting so mad on Clear With Passion With Me Now too and I would like to avoid investing hours of my life to be so disappointed. In the comments your readers could integrate the list and it would be a really useful service in my opinion.

Well! Let’s take a good look at noble idiocy, then, shall we?

Dear Antonio,

I hear and feel your frustration!

Yes, noble idiocy can be very frustrating to encounter indeed, especially if you were enjoying a perfectly fine show, until it raised it pesky head. 😅 It’s doubly aggravating, when you encounter it in quick succession, one drama after another!

In this post, I’ll do my best to shine the spotlight on noble idiocy, and the shows where it makes an ungraceful appearance. I have to admit though, that I appear to have scrubbed quite a few instances of noble idiocy from my memory, ie, it may have happened on my screen, but my brain seems to refuse to remember that it ever did. Coping mechanism, most likely, heh.

This means that I’m going to need everyone’s help in pitching in with more titles in the comments, so that we can come up with a list that will help Antonio. You guys can help me out, though, right?

WHAT IS NOBLE IDIOCY?

Hands up, if you’ve seen a noble idiot before!

So first and foremost, in case there is any doubt, I thought it would be useful to define what noble idiocy is.

It’s basically when one of the leads decides that they need to break off the relationship / remove themselves from their loved one’s life for the other person’s good. That bit, that it’s for the other person’s good, is what makes it “noble.” And often, the reasons for the break-up, are pretty dumb, which is what makes it “idiotic.”

In such a breakup, it’s like some kind of drama law, that the breaker-upper doesn’t tell the other person the real reason they’re breaking up with them. Instead, some substitute reason is often given, or worse, they just up and leave, without giving any explanation at all, for the sake of the other person’s wellbeing.

Cue angst, tears and much gnashing of teeth.

WHY NOBLE IDIOCY?

I had my reasons, I promise.. 😅

Essentially, noble idiocy tends to be introduced at a story’s three-quarter mark, or thereabouts. The reason for this, is that writer-nim is looking to introduce a Final Conflict that will take us into our finale, which, hopefully, works out to be a Happy Ending.

With most stories centered on a main romance, the most obvious Final Conflict would be some kind of separation for the OTP (One True Pairing). And because it has to be a fixable conflict that would give us a believable happy ending, the separation reasons tend to lean on the flimsy side of things. Cue noble idiocy, to fill the gap. Because the reason for the separation is idiotic, it becomes relatively easy to solve, in the few episodes that Show has left.

The Dramas Over Flowers ladies have a great guest post from author Anja de Jager on this very topic, which you can check out here.

WHEN IT MAKES NARRATIVE SENSE IT’S NOT IDIOCY

When it’s a good reason, it doesn’t hurt as much, I think..?

At this point, I thought it would be important and quite useful to mention that not all OTP separations count as noble idiocy. I mean, it’s only idiocy when it’s idiotic, right?

So if there is a real reason that the OTP actually needs to separate, and it’s not handled in an idiotic manner, I consider it a valid, non-tropey path for a narrative to take, and do not hold it against writer-nim.

Basically, let’s not be too quick to point fingers and yell, “NOBLE IDIOCYYY~!!” whenever an OTP separates on our screens. 😉

A SAMPLING OF SHOWS THAT SUFFERED FROM NOBLE IDIOCY 

Here’s a sampling of dramas that I felt suffered from the inclusion of noble idiocy. I realize that this is not a dealbreaker for most people, so I’ve also included some remarks on whether I think the show is still worth watching, despite it containing noble idiocy as a trope.

As I mentioned earlier, please feel free to add other titles and thoughts in the comments!!

Beauty Inside

Noble idiocy alert: episode 14 of 16

Still worth the watch?

I thought Show was frustrating for about 1.5 episodes, but overall, I didn’t hate it. I think Show can be predictable but quite pleasant, if you don’t take it too seriously.

Review is here.

DoDoSolSolLaLaSol

Noble idiocy alert: episode 15 (or so I’m told) of 16

Still worth the watch?

I haven’t seen this one, but apparently Show very much goes very, very south in its final two episodes, so I think it’s probably best to avoid this one, or watch up to episode 14, and then make up your own ending. 😅

Hospital Playlist 2

Noble idiocy alert: episode 4 of 12

Still worth the watch?

If you liked Hospital Playlist Season 1, then yes. The noble idiocy only affects one of the various lovelines, and I didn’t find it too much of a downer, overall.

Review is here.

Kill Me, Heal Me

Noble idiocy alert: episode 16 of 20

Still worth the watch?

The angst brought on by noble idiocy lasts about an episode, so it’s not too bad. If you like the rest of the show, this isn’t much of a downer on the story. If you don’t like the rest of the show, this nobly idiotic break-up is the least of your worries. 😅

Open Threads are listed here.

My Girlfriend is a Gumiho

Noble idiocy alert: episode 14 of 16

Still worth the watch?

Because this is an older drama, it’s almost expected, that Show would use noble idiocy as part of its story. I personally felt it was a fun show in spite of the noble idiocy, and Show brings it all back solidly, in its finale.

Open Threads are listed here.

Nice Guy / The Innocent Man

Noble idiocy alert: episode 20 of 20

Still worth the watch?

I.. did not enjoy this show as much as its fans, so I would’ve been quite happy to have given this a pass. However, if revenge melos are your thing, &/or you’re a big Song Joong Ki fan and just want to see him flex his acting chops, &/or you don’t mind suspending disbelief, this could work for you. 😅

Flash Review is here.

Prime Minister and I

Noble idiocy alert: episode 15 of 17

Still worth the watch?

No, not really. The coming back together of the OTP is infamously unsatisfying. [SPOILER] She breaks up with him to let him return to his recently-revealed-not-dead wife, whom he never said he wanted to return to, and then at the finale, the OTP finally meets again – and the show ends on a handshake. 🙄 [END SPOILER]

Review is here.

Save Your Last Dance For Me

Noble idiocy alert: episode 15 of 20.

Still worth the watch?

That depends. This is a vintage kdrama, so tropes – including noble idiocy – are par for the course. If you’re in a retro melo sort of drama mood, &/or are a fan of Ji Sung &/or Eugene, &/or are curious about where real life spouses Ji Sung and Lee Bo Young met, &/or really enjoy violin crescendoes in your background music, you might well like this one. 😉

This was my second kdrama ever, and I will always have a soft spot for it, and the double amnesia that it serves up. I just snuck an episode in the other night (well, highlights of an episode, anyway), and sank happily into all those familiar feels. 🥰

Touch Your Heart / Reach of Sincerity

Noble idiocy alert: episode 13 of 16

Still worth the watch?

I would say yes. Partly because the rest of the show is really sweet and cute, and partly because the noble idiocy is understandable, in the context of our story. Is it still noble idiocy, though? Yes. Which is why I included it on this list. But is it something that I can understand from the point of view of the noble idiot? Also yes.

Review is here.

Where Stars Land

Noble idiocy alert: episode 16 of 16 (or 32 of 32, depending on where you watch)

Still worth the watch?

Y’know what, not really. Show is admittedly quite messy on the writing front, but I did find the characters in this rather warm and relatable. I didn’t regret watching it, but this could’ve honestly been a lot better. And the kicker is, Show doesn’t resolve the noble idiocy in a satisfying manner. For some mysterious reason, they don’t even show male lead Lee Je Hoon’s face in the final time skip. 🙄

Review is here.

Winter Sonata

Noble idiocy alert: episode 10 of 20, and then 19 of 20.

Still worth the watch?

Ahaha. I kinda love the fact that Save Your Last Dance For Me features double amnesia (a trope of which I’m fondly amused), but I’d forgotten that Winter Sonata serves up the even rarer double noble idiocy! 😆

If you’re looking for a trope-free love story, this is not for you. But if you’re in a retro sort of mood, &/or are curious about what worked out to be quite the Event Drama for early Hallyu, this is worth a look. Just brace yourself for Melodrama with a capital M.

BONUS: SHOWS WITH WELL DONE ENDINGS

To soothe the sting of talking about all these dramas that feature noble idiocy, I thought it would be good to end the post with a quick spotlight on some dramas that I feel have solid endings, and which don’t feature noble idiocy.

Fair warning that “good” and “well done” are subjective labels, and so, what I personally feel is a well done ending, might not be a satisfactory ending in your books. 😅 Still, I wanted to share at least a handful of titles that I personally felt delivered endings that felt solid and narratively satisfying.

At Eighteen / A Moment At Eighteen

An understated, earthy coming-of-age story that leans thoughtful and poignant. The ending leans open-ended and hopeful, and I thought the entire show was very well done. Excellent, even if you’re not typically into high school stories.

Review is here.

Be Melodramatic

Quirky and refreshing, Be Melodramatic is a show I didn’t know I needed in my life, until it arrived in my life. I loved the central friendship, but I also appreciated each key character’s individual arc. The ending leans open-ended yet firmly hopeful. I managed to come away feeling satisfied, amid the poignance.

Review is here.

Familiar Wife

A fantasy do-over story that works out to be warm and satisfying. The ending isn’t super exciting, but it’s very pleasant and positive, and I came away from this show feeling very content.

Flash Review is here.

I’m Not A Robot

A very cute show with a very cute OTP, that’s just fun to watch. Suspension of disbelief is required, based on the premise itself, but Show makes it worth your while with lots of OTP cuteness, sprinkled with lashings of thoughtfulness and poignance. The ending is also full of The Cute, so no complaints whatsoever.

Review is here.

My Mister

A beautiful show that I wouldn’t hesitate to call a masterpiece. Such a haunting yet heartwarming exploration of what it means to be human. The ending leans open-ended and poignant, and I was perfectly satisfied with that.

Review is here.

Search: WWW

A refreshing and empowering tale of three women, their friendship and their various love interests. I loved this show, and found the ending completely satisfying.

Review is here.

Secret Love Affair

Thoroughly absorbing because of our story, our leads, their soul connection, and an amazing OST that makes the watch even more immersive. The ending leans open-ended but hopeful, and I thought that was perfect.

Review is here.

She Would Never Know

A sweet, earthy romance that I feel deserves more love than it gets. I found it swoony and absorbing, and altogether a very enjoyable watch. I found the ending solidly happy, and perfectly satisfying.

Review is here.

The Light in Your Eyes / Dazzling

A beautiful, poignant story that makes you think, and feel, and then feel some more. The ending leans bittersweet, but I found it pitch perfect and fulfilling.

Flash Review is here.

Thirty But Seventeen

A really sweet, earnest and heartfelt show, with so many feels. I really enjoyed this one and would highly recommend it. The ending is a touch bittersweet, but solidly satisfying.

Review is here.

Navillera

A beautiful, inspiring story that I loved from beginning to end. There’s so much tenderness in the writing, direction, and overall execution of the show. The ending leans bittersweet, but is so beautiful in that bittersweetness, that I couldn’t ask for more.

Review is here.

VIP

I found this show engaging and even rather cracky, in its angsty-emo sort of way. I remember slurping up episodes of this, because I just wanted to know what happened next. The ending leans poignant, but I found it solid, satisfying and hopeful.

Flash Review is here.

IN CLOSING

I do hope that this post helps to add some clarity around the whats, whys and wheres of noble idiocy!

I personally wish Dramaland would come up with better and more organic conflicts for our stories’ final chapters, but until Dramaland learns to do that, I continue to consider noble idiocy a bit of an almost necessary evil, almost.

Writers keep it in their backpockets for emergency Final Conflicts when they run out of time, energy &/or ideas (remember all the pressures and perils of the live-shoot system, which I covered in this post?), and I continue to close one eye to it – as long as the rest of the drama is enjoyable. And as long as noble idiocy isn’t suddenly applied to all dramas. Now that would be terrible. 😳

At the same time, YES, there are other undesirable ways in which a Final Conflict can be introduced, and I’ll be doing a post soonish, on the Forced Separation Trope (thanks, Molu16, for the question!).

Like I said earlier, if you guys have other titles, thoughts or insights to add, please share them in the comments!

Thanks, you guys.

Smooches. ❤️

~kfangurl

I hope that helped! ❤️

POST-SCRIPT:

1. If you feel that I missed anything, or if you have your own insights that you’d like to share with the rest of us, do tell us about it in the comments!

2. Do you have a question of your own? Drop me a comment here or on the Dear kfangurl page, or send me an email!