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Where Sex Doesn’t Seem to Exist

I think I’ve always been a cynic. One who has prided myself on being practical back when I didn’t even know what being cynical meant, though I used “yuck” quite liberally. Not surprisingly then, I have despised romantic comedies, soap operas and such genres for as long as I can remember.

Taiwanese television series are no exception. In fact, most such series that I know of involve family issues and romantic interests, combining moderate slapstick with the occasional dramatic twist. These series thus embody elements from both romantic comedies and soap operas. In short, “Yuck!”

It’s not that I despise Taiwanese TV series in particular, it’s just that being part-Taiwanese, I’ve been exposed to them more, usually the ones that air weeknights on KTSF. My mom occasionally watches, for lack of other Chinese language television program options. Lacking alternatives myself, I sometimes tune in half-heartedly, believing that it will be an educational experience and that I’ll gain insight on the language and culture I’m so interested in.

But for the most part, my mom and I are more amused by the corny scripts and Dickensian plotlines than by the show itself. While some viewers actually care about what happens to the characters, we find ourselves mocking the actors’ lines and wondering about the decidedly distasteful fashion trends taken up by the male actors.

In spite of their flaws, I’ve recently realized that I enjoy — or rather, admitted to enjoying — watching some of these series, especially the ones with main characters who are high school or college aged. Though I might be able to relate better to the characters for obvious reasons, the main reason that these teen series appeal to me is a strange sense of nostalgia I feel about the prepubescent innocence with which they deal with sexuality.

In these series, relationships are a main focus. But unlike their American counterparts (Dawson’s Creek and 90210, to name a few U.S. teen soaps), sexuality is not prevalent. In fact, a kiss or even a peck on the cheek is rarely shown. In one recent show, the main characters — who were in their late teens — lived together and slept next to each other tatami style (in separate blankets) like one big family or slumber party. (Apparently all their parents were conveniently MIA due to unrelated reasons, as I would later discover through various subplots — not that I was even paying attention or anything.)

It took me five consecutive installments of another series before I figured out that two characters were dating. Before that, I had thought that maybe they liked each other, or were really good friends, but nothing more.

I guess what I feel when I watch these series is not so much a nostalgia for something I once had, but more for something I sometimes wish I had. Sometimes I wonder how my life would be different if I had grown up in a society where mainstream media portrayed characters of the opposite sex who interact without sexuality being an issue. Of course I’ve considered the countless negative aspects of a sexually repressive society. And maybe kids in Taiwan also feel a sense of nostalgia when they watch the same series, because in reality, things aren’t like the shows. That may be an understatement, but either way, there’s something sweet about being an 18-year-old in a world where holding hands can still count as third base.