If anyone remembers Orange Marmalade or thinks about how faithful adaptations should be, I wrote something you might like!

https://crabbyfordramas.wordpress.com/2021/07/25/orange-marmalade-and-the-question-of-adaptation/
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    No emoticon or gif exists for my expression when this show turned randomly into a Sageuk.

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    but when drama aired, fans did not like it

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    This is a really interesting analysis. I went in cold to the drama and didn’t go past episode 2, partly because I’m not into recent vampires (only very, very old ones) and it was pretty clear the central message was about discrimination and I’d already got it by episode 2. Also I find school kids and their “complications” a bit, “same old, so what”. Having read your analysis though, I’d begin again and I wouldn’t mind reading the webtoon. I like that you like both for different reasons. I guess I should read the webtoon first?

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      I know what you mean about recent vampires – I got into vampire fiction lately, and it’s so interesting seeing how the vampire has changed over time. First the vampire was a sexy woman tempting a decent man off the path of goodness, in everything from Don’t Wake the Dead to Lucy in Dracula, then it was a hideous monster like in Nosferatu, and then you’ve got modern sympathetic depictions like in Twilight that are reallyyyy underwhelming. Vampires work best when they’re a metaphor, I think – Twilight had no deeper intent with the vampires (except in that they represented idealised conservative values 😂), but Orange Marmalade really tries to have the vampire represent minorities who deal with prejudice everyday.

      Oooh, that’s a good question, should you do the drama or the webtoon first?
      Because I read the webtoon first, I found the drama really underwhelming… so maybe it would make more sense to watch the drama first? Then you would have nothing to compare it to, and it would be nice, and then you could introduce yourself to the more complex and challenging webtoon. Of course, if you don’t like it or you’re still bored, then skip the drama (I like it, but it is a pretty 6/10 show) and just read the webtoon, it’s definitely not boring!

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        I remember coming upon a book on vampires and something in it really stayed with me: the spiritual vampire!! No outward indication but after you’d been with one, you were exhausted, drained, walking dead. I’ve met a few in my time. I agree that metaphoric vampires are best, and referring to prejudice and marginalisation works very well. Thanks for the advice. I’ll locate the drama first up. I’m always happy to watch YJG too.

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