What is it about "bad guys" that make women fall in love? In this write-up, we invite you to take your rose-coloured glasses off and assess why we love rooting for the slightly unconventional Prince Charmings
This trope has been going around many of our favourite K-Dramas: the bad guy falls in love with the damsel in distress and is soft to her but mean to everyone else.
On the surface, the dynamic looks cute but can be a bit problematic if you see everything that lies at the bottom of this swoon-worthy-but-only-in-romantic-TV-shows type of iceberg.
According to Madeleine A. Fugère, PhD, professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University and author of Social Psychology of Attraction and Romantic Relationships, women tend to become attracted to hyper-masculine men who are attractive, confident, and risky.
“These men ooze testosterone, which leads to boldness and is associated with exaggerated sexuality,” she explains.
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Marni Feuerman, Psy.D., licensed psychotherapist and author of Ghosted and Breadcrumbed: Stop Falling for Unavailable Men and Get Smart about Healthy Relationships, on the other hand, believes that women feel more secure around “Alpha Males” or men who show dominance. “It’s likely that some women feel more protected by the tough guy and his ease with aggression.”
“They desire to have someone in their life who is tough enough to face the world and punch back when necessary,” agrees psychologist Forrest Talley, PhD.
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In this article, Tatler Philippines lists a couple of very manly folks whose attitudes audiences should further assess: