#Drama: Love in The Air KOI

[save-the-data]

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan | S01E10 Special

Japanese Drama - 2024, 8 episodes + 2 specialsLinks: Gaga | Viki | YouTube | iQIYI | WeTV | Youku | Tencent

[pharawee]

But you're the one who started this, right?

—Bonus: Love in the Air Thailand » Gifset Comparison

[heretherebedork]

Came out deciding I'm down for this pairing.

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Characters who are dealing with emotions. (Part 3/?)

Because it is Christmas and that is the time for chaos and crisis and emotions!

I Feel You Linger In The Air

Love Is Better The Second Time Around

Love Tractor

My Love Mix-Up

I Became The Main Role Of A BL Drama: Crank Up Edition

I Hear The Sunspot

The On1y One

Love For Love's Sake

I Became The Lead In A BL Drama: Crank Up Edition

Jazz For Two

My favorite bl-tropes collection, in no particular order.

[25shadesoffebruary]

[he-is-lightning-in-a-bottle]

I am enjoying how the tighter script in the Japanese version is making it even more obvious that Payu/Arashi really did have every reason to believe Rain/Rei was coming onto him.

It felt obvious to me in the Thai version, but there was so much filler dialog that it was easy to get lost in the weeds. In the Japanese version, we see Rei blurt out to Arashi that he is handsome, then cut directly to him gushing about how handsome he is to Kai. Then we get Kai reminding Rei (and us) that his admiration of Hot Motorcycle Guy doesn't sound very hetero, and then we see Rei defending Hot Motorcycle Guy's hotness against the rumors of Arashi's hotness only to be floored when he discovers they're the same person. And then he really DOES look like he's attracted to Arashi that night, everything from staring at him at the dinner to initiating touch to agreeing to go home with him to sitting on his bed when invited to SAYING YES when Arashi asks if he can do more. Arashi is pretty blameless in this scenario, and immediately backed off when he realized Rei wasn't meaning to offer sex (just mutual attraction). And after finding Rei in his bed in the middle of the night, is it any wonder he continued to flirt in the morning? Rei hasn't said he's not attracted to Arashi, only that he wasn't trying to seduce him that night.

It's just such a clear, direct thread between point A and point B. I made essentially the same mental journey in the Thai version, but the filler scenes and dialog made it a less obvious path to traverse. It felt like Rain wasn't consciously aware of his attraction, so Payu's advances felt both surprising and unwanted (but I could still see how Payu could have sincerely misread the situation). Yet in the Japanese version, it seems everyone is aware of Rei's attraction (from Kai to Arashi to Rei himself) because they're all spending the whole episode talking about it. It's talked about in basically every scene other than the 30 second montage of his failed attempts at flirting with Rinka.

All this to say, tightening the script in this Japanese version is proving really, really helpful for character and plot development, and I am here for it.

[bengiyo]

Random QL Superlatives: 2024 Edition

It seems @lurkingshan has begun the end of year listicle game. Time to shout out our faves.

Presented (mostly) in the order I watched them.

Favorite Blorbo of the Year: Dynamite in Cooking Crush

I love when a show reveals that someone who has been upbeat or strong is actually carrying a ton of pain. Learning about how Dynamite suffered so much because of his family touched me to my core, and forever solidified the friendship he has with Samsee and Prem.

Favorite Use of Visual Comedy: I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama

This show really had everything, and more than anything it had some of the best visual gags of the year. There is so much humor in the framing of scenes in this show. It was a genuine delight, and I'm so happy I'll get to see Aoyanagi Hajime again next year.

Favorite Facial Hair: Gu Jing in VIP Only

This show ended up rather flat, but damn do I think about this man's face sometimes.

Favorite Disappointment: Last Twilight

This show really could have been great if it didn't fuck up so badly.

Favorite Existential Crisis: Love For Love's Sake

The way this show telegraphed that it would be heavy, and then still managed to gut the audience, is one of the most impressive things I got to witness this year. I love that this show left people with so many different interpretations that don't contradict each other.

Favorite Use of Omegaverse: Tadaima, Okaeri

Yes, there were two BL omegaverse shows this year. No, I did not enjoy the other one. I was instead overinvested in the success of my gay dads and their kids every week. HIKARU IS OUR HERO!

Favorite Use of Food: She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat 2

I love this show with my whole being. If the Japanese don't figure out a way to get this cast to crossover with What Did You Eat Yesterday? honestly what is even the point of putting queer people on TV?

Favorite Reunion Romance: Perfect Propose

I really loved that this show was about two childhood friends both at the end of their ropes. I also loved the way this show used a questionable sexual encounter to jumpstart the dynamic. I'm so glad Hirokuni quit that nasty job, because this was so difficult to watch after having left a very difficult workplace.

Favorite Cast Dynamics: Ossan's Love Returns

"We are family!" In their 3rd or 4th outing, depending on how you want to look at it, I continue to be obsessed with Haruta, Kurosawa, Maki, and their extended network. I loved seeing Haruta and Maki working on their relationship, and I loved seeing them all grapple with the changes in their lives. I hope I never have to fight my in-laws in my kitchen.

Favorite Version of Tay Tawan: Cherry Magic Thailand

Tay Tawan was at his most charming as Karan. I'm so glad that Tay and New are able to work together again.

Favorite Version of Cherry Magic: The Cherry Magic Anime

Despite my opinion that Cherry Magic TH is the best version of Cherry Magic, I still think the anime is my favorite. The characters have an ugliness to them in this version that I really love.

Favorite Use of Yukata: Love is Better the Second Time Around

Despite my qualms with the final arc of this show, I still think about the way this show handled its second chance romance and especially the way it handled sex. Also, this show has a great visual gag in a woman who doesn't deserve this physically restraining a man from proposing to her.

Favorite Performances: The Cast of Unknown

I really think this is my favorite cast of the year. I really loved the way they all played together, and loved the handling of growing up in this show.

Favorite Use of a Mirror: Memory in the Letter

To be clear, I do not recommend this show. However, I was very impressed with all of the acting and technical work around the mirror in this show.

Favorite Show About Actors: At 25:00 in Akasaka

I really loved the way Niihara and Komagine played actors in this show. It's rare that a character withholding the truth of their feelings works out this well. This is one of the best things I watched this year.

Favorite Boy: Igarashi Daichi from Ossan no Pants ga Nandatte Ii Janai ka!

Not BL, but I love Daichi so much that he gets a shout out here. I love that he wasn't a manic pixie dream gay, that he was allowed to be angry, and that he was allowed to be imperfect. Daichi is now forever a part of my soul.

Favorite Rambutan Enjoyer: Venice in Marahuyo Project

Venice is so funny to me. I love that she's not the brightest one in the group, but she understands everything important. She protects Archie because she understands how hurt and scared he is. She accepts everyone who joins their group unquestioningly. She is eating in almost every scene. She is perfect.

Favorite Flirt: Vee in San's Dreams in Century of Love

I think we should let Offroad flirt with Daou more in future shows.

Favorite Narrative: Knock Knock, Boys!

This is favorite show from Thailand this year. I loved the use of every story in this show. The kindness pouring out of this show was really something special. I loved that this show never made fun of Almond for being a version, let Latte have positive relationships with his exes, let Thanwa dress like a normie, and treated Peak's closeted storyline with immense respect. I look forward to showing it to many more people.

Favorite Back: Mahasamut in Love Sea

I loved the way Fort played this man, and I love that we got another BL romantic lead that doesn't look dehydrated. More romantic leads should get to deck abusive fathers in BL.

Favorite Collector of Marbles: Takara in Takara no Vidro

A rare version of the Knowing blessed us this year in Takara. He was overwhelmed by Taishin's naivete, and I really loved seeing a character who absolutely knew who he was. I loved watching a character manage obsessive tendencies, and I loved how he spent much of the show holding back because he was afraid of himself. What a blessing these two were.

Favorite Use of a Workplace: The Trainee

I really loved that GMMTV used one of their best production houses to tell a story about interns in a production house. It was genuinely refreshing to see a workplace show from Thailand where everyone involved understood the work they were portraying. This was a really solid ensemble piece.

Favorite Homo: Shion in Twilight Out of Focus

I love this pink-haired boy. He was loud and competent. He was clear in what he wanted. He said plainly that he wanted a boyfriend, and HE WON. For everyone who got called slurs in their youth, Shion is for you.

Favorite Second Chance: Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo

Hwang Da Seul was determined to get it right this time, and boy did she! This show did a wonderful job establishing the teen romance, justifying its separation, and earning its reunion. Best BL of the year.

Favorite Adaptation: Love in the Big City

Also not BL technically, but there's no way we make a list of shows form this year without acknowledging Nam Yoon Su's incredible performance as Go Yeong and the efforts of literally everyone involved in this show. If there's one show you need to watch this year, it's this one.

Favorite Angry Outburst: Qi Lu in Blue Canvas of Youthful Days

I loved the way Qi Lu got mad about Qian Xiao holding back with him. It's the most I've enjoyed a character being wrong this year. It was the exact right response for a character like him. He knew who he was, what he was feeling, and that Qian Xiao was feeling it, too.

Favorite Cross-Cultural Exchange: Love in the Air: Koi no Yokon

We've had more than a few Thai adaptations of Japanese works. This is the first time MAME work crossed over to Japan, and it's been so cool seeing how much the Japanese team really loves Love in the Air. I feel no competition between the two adaptations of this novel, because it's clear that the Japanese show is a huge fan of the Thai show. It makes so many loving homages to the source work that it's clear this is a passion project for many people involved. It's so cool that we're now seeing Japan adapt Thai works, and I'm so excited to see where this takes us next.

Well, this was fun! Tag me with your list if you make one!

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Upcoming QLs - November

🇹🇼 Bad to Bed

Nov 2nd | MDL | Trailer | YT - JCShow

🇵🇭 Haunted Hearts (Film)

Nov 2nd | Trailer | YT - Regal Entertainment Inc

🇯🇵Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan

Nov 3rd | MDL | Trailer | GagaOOLala

🇯🇵Miseinen / Our Youth

Nov 5th | MDL | Trailer | GagaOOLala

🇯🇵Doku Koi: Love Is a Poison

Nov 5th | MDL | Trailer | Netflix - Worldwide

🇹🇼 The Nipple Talk

Nov 8th | MDL | Trailer | GagaOOLala [8/11 EP1 ~ EP5 22/11 EP6 ~ EP10]

🇯🇵Kimi no Tsugu Kaori wa / Fragrance You Inherit

Nov 8th | MDL | Trailer | TBD

🇹🇭 Caged Again

Nov 15th | MDL | Trailer | iQIYI

🇹🇭 Mhom Ped Sawan

Nov 17th | MDL | Trailer | TBD

🇹🇭 Your Sky

Nov 17th | MDL | Trailer | iQIYI

🇹🇭 The Heart Killers

Nov 20th | MDL | Trailer | Gmmtv YT ; iQIYI (Uncut)

🇹🇭 Petrichor

Nov 23rd | MDL | Trailer | iQIYI

[thii-nii]

Love is like a poison (2024) 毒恋～毒もすぎれば恋となる～

Episode Six.

[theside-b]

Nagatsuma Reo as Sorano Kai in LOVE IN THE AIR — PREMONITION OF LOVE (2024)

[ineffable-opinions]

MAME & BL Literacy Part 1

Another MAME show is airing and I thought it was good time to discuss what makes that author controversial.

As usual, critiques and corrections are welcome.

-

For those who don’t know MAME is a unique Thai BL creator. I have discussed in a previous post (that can be found here and here) how Thai BL is lacking in BL literacies. MAME is one of the exceptions. This is because:

she is a BL author & hence, one of the creators of BL literacies

she studied BL and its production academically [you can find her research output by searching her name: อรวรรณ วิชญวรรณกุล]

then she started producing live action BL.

In an industry which is lacking in BL literacies, what she brings to the table is fu-culture (BL fan culture) in all its glory. Unfortunately, the live action audience who are fans of sweet BL, have a hard time adjusting.

This is an exploration of response to her works, starting with the review of Love by Chance @waitmyturtles discussing all the ships in that series: AePete, TinCan, TarTum and KengklaTechno. This pretty much ties up what I identify as the first issue with BL literacies deficiency and MAME’s knowledge.

Here are some typical narrative progressions for a (Japanese) BL:

あまあま – sweet

ユニーク – unique

シリアス – serious

邪道 – evil road (Jadō)

王道 - royal road (odo)

Any theme/one-line plot can choose to take any of these narrative progressions. Moreover, Thai BL usually originates online which allows for innovation in narrative progression.

AePete

In Love by Chance AePete follows the typical sweet BL narrative progression. Sweet BL is characterised by an overall sweet flavor (characters, mainly the pairing, would be sweet in behaviour and motivation) and relationship progression is pretty smooth. This is the narrative progression that GMMTV sticks to. I have discussed their reasons as well as why it might not be a good thing in the long run here.

KengklaTechno

Their story follows jado narrative progression.

Quick note about Jado BL & Kengkla as a kichiku seme

One or more characters in a ship being emotional aggressors, physical abusers, sexual predators or outright villains is a very common trope in BL genre. These are popular sub-types (most notable: brute kichiku 鬼畜) of seme/uke/riba with these specific attributes and they have dedicated fans who thoroughly enjoy such characterizations. But these are clearly not everyone’s cup of tea. Some BL fans find these themes unbearable. That is why GMMTV and other BL live-action producers who don’t want to upset any of their audience members usually:

avoid such characterizations all together especially with sweet narrative progression

tries to soften such characters into more universally palatable forms

tries to redeem those characters by getting rid of those with odo – this is what currently airing My Stand-In would do.

make them villains – never making them the protagonists who gets any kind of happy ending

This is done not to trouble the average audience’s worldview (世界観) and is clearly a low effort and low skill (in terms of BL literacies) approach. But since a lot of audience don’t appreciate villain-like characterization, it is clearly low risk, no chance of a backlash from angry audience and the best method for assured money making.

Occasionally BL live-action producers venture into the risky terrains, especially with jado. The Japanese does it a lot, usually in movie format. China and Taiwan also delve into jado fairly regularly. But live action Thai BL seldom does anything commercially dangerous.  

In a jado BL, a character might do terrible things and manipulate the other character(s) in the ship. But won’t feel remorse, apologize and improve for better. This is a violation of the expectation placed on characters on sweet narrative progression. Sweet BL audience do not expect characters in a ship to be anything but good to each other, especially after they have become a couple. While audience don’t mind characters making mistakes, in this narrative progression audience also expect characters to learn from their mistakes and to grow closer by earning and giving forgiveness.

In jado BL that focuses on characters being villains, there are no such expectations. These BL work within the confines of their own worldview which don’t necessarily match with our IRL worldview. Characters are allowed to act in ways that goes against our everyday perception of what is right and what is wrong. Neither the characters nor the audience expect the characters to right their wrong, to apologize or to get punished, through judicial procedure or otherwise. Happy endings are not after reparations and resolution of issues, it would be in spite of those. Bad endings aren’t necessarily punishments for bad actions committed throughout the narrative, that’s just the ending of that story. Unlike with the BL with sweet narrative progression, these BL are not necessarily stories of two or more guys falling in love. Neither is their love (if at all there is love) expected to be healthy and wholesome. (It can be wholesome but it is just as well if it is not.) There are expectations from such narrative progressions too and resolution to most issues aren’t among those expectations. Clearly not everyone’s cup of tea, especially if they expect BL to be didactic like fables.

Problem getting papered over is the expected approach in jado. When characters get together/get back together with “problems” never really dealt with, it is proper meriba (merry bad ending). Plain bad ending where there is no resolution is also typical in jado BL.

Moreover, it is difficult to sell BL with jado and other narrative progressions. It becomes even more difficult to sell branded pairings when the characters they play are not impeccable. It is unlikely that actors playing bad guys can sell products for advertisers. (Imagine the characters from The Effect being in ads together!) It is even more unlikely that fans would go broke behind wicked characters and would want to attend fan-meetings and concerts featuring them in some way.

Kengkla is two-faced and an excellent yandere. He appears to be a cute and innocent junior in front of Techno. Audience also gets to see him in Machiavellian mode. This is something that Techno doesn’t have access to, at least in Love by Chance. Techno’s brother is his facilitator in the narrative, which in turn makes him two-faced too. Techno is not omniscient and Kengkla manages to trap him. And that’s where Love by Chance ends.

TarTum

There pairing is an excellent example of MAME’s skilled employment of BL literacies. TarTum is a sweet BL, complicated by them being step-brothers. While their pairing is barely odo, Tum as a character has a complicated odo progression. Horrors from his past haunts him. The journey is going to be complicated. It won’t be linear. There would be slip up on his part and that of others. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Those who love odo do so because of the pleasurable pay off, much more than sweet BL. It is a rollercoaster, and that’s why fans like it.

TinCan

This is another pairing with sweet narrative progression but with a rare dynamic: weak seme x weak uke, i.e., neither of them is strong in their pursuit. This is a notoriously tough dynamic to write, so much so that there are relatively few BL with this dynamic.

Multiple Pairings in a Piece

This is something I personally appreciate a lot. It is not often that we get a piece with different pairing with different types of narrative progressions. Authors choose this method and build universes so that they can reach the biggest audience.

A lot of people enjoyed Love by Chance because they could enjoy AePete. While I understand, I don’t relate to that. AePete was my least favourite pairing among them all. I enjoy dangerous characterizations over subdued ones and prefer a meriba over a happy ending. While there are plenty of BL media with those, they are rare in live action. In my first watch, I was constantly tempted to find fan-edits of every couple other than AePete. So, what is time wasted for some is actually really enjoyable moments for another. MAME gets that and I appreciate her for that.

Queerness, heterosexism and ‘Asian’ culture

@waitmyturtles also discusses “a kind of macro cishet perspective on AePete relationship” in relation to “Ae’s randiness and jealous tendencies” and Pete’s response or lack thereof as well as “Ae not being able to take Pete’s help, and Ae’s tendency towards stereotypically masculine POVs and behaviors” tied to “MAME’s story structure here is based in Asian cultural homophobia, in stereotypes of how the queer community should act by way of societal expectations in Asia.”

To unravel that:

I don’t know what “cishet perspective” means in relation to AePete, a pairing consisting of two androphilic male characters. I also don’t know what were the expectations on Ae and Pete in terms of randiness and jealousy.

More interesting I think is the question underlying the statement about Ae’s performance of “stereotypically masculine POVs and behaviors”. Now, what does that mean? In order to understand that it is important to figure out which type(s) of masculinity Ae would subscribe to based on his class, ethnicity and where he comes from (Thai masculinities show considerable variation with location). It will be meaningful to evaluate Ae’s behaviour with respect to: a) what he thinks is the “manly” thing to do b) what Pete does

Take “Ae not being able to take Pete’s help” for example. In their 2021 paper ภาพแทนชายรักชายในนวนิยายยาโออิ เรื่อง รักนี้บังเอิญคือคุณ [The Representation of Homosexual Men in the Yaoi Novel: My Accidental Love Is You] Phuwadech Doungmanee, Panunda Lerlertyuttitham & Natthanai Prasannam goes deep into this:

MAME employs four typical prejudices against male homosexuality perpetuated within the Thai society to create conflicts within the plot: 1) male homosexuality unacceptably deviates from the social norms 2) male homosexuality must not be “out” 3) male homosexuality brings disappointment and shame to the family, and 4) male homosexuality cannot earn true love; love must be purchased instead.

Pete trying to purchase Ae’s love is implied when he is offering ‘help’. This is a stereotypically masculine behaviour and an elitist one at that. As with other stereotypes listed above, this one too gets treated well (with Ae’s refusal to accept) even thought it might not seem so from a Western heterosexist lens.

Along with discursive clashes challenging earlier beliefs, those who hold the prejudices tend to be judged by poetic justice. The author thus educates the society and reading public on alternatives views in relation to male homosexuality. (source: The Representation of Homosexual Men in the Yaoi Novel: My Accidental Love Is You)

There is no one Asian culture. Here are the three popular types of masculinities in Thailand (these are very different from Malayali and Tamil masculinities I am personally familiar with):

Monk

secular male - chaai chatri (ชายชาตรี): embodies typical masculine features such as ‘authority, courage, self-assurance, physical and emotional strength, and sexual prowess’ as well as someone who ‘would under normal circumstances control his sexuality as much as possible and be loyal to his family.’

lower-middle-class - nak leng (นักเลง): ‘a man who is brave, daring, risk-taking but also fair.’ In more recent decade: ‘a man who is tough, loyal to allies and a playboy with numerous sexual affairs.’

Both Ae and Pete are very masculine in very different forms. MAME is not only familiar with different forms of masculinities and femininities, and their region-specific variations, but also plays around with it a lot. The male femininity is also achieved in both the characters in a similar manner. All of this might easily escape the audience members who have limited understanding of Thai masculinities and femininities.

Pete isn’t shown to be unsettled by Ae’s randiness because it is an interplay of two different masculinities done with grace. Pete not only plays the polished, prince-role to a kunlasatree (กุลสต กุ รี; a stereotypical good woman, defined as ‘proficient and sophisticated in household duties; graceful, pleasant, yet unassuming in her appearance and social manners; and conservative in her sexuality’), he is also an out-and-out chaai chatri.  

Physical Relationships and Explicit Content

One of MAME’s contributions to BL is in the toppling of certain beliefs, guided by sexism, BL live action creators were operating under prior to her.

Sathaporn Panichraksapong, an MD of GMMTV, a major producer of BL series, claimed that audience members who are mainly heterosexual women look for romantic relationships among the characters rather than sexual relationships.

We know that our audience are [sic] women. Women want to see only two boys having romantic moments together. They don’t want to see sex. Sexual relationships in BL are for a gay audience. That’s why in SOTUS the Series we have only two kissing scenes. With only these, audiences were already screaming. This is enough for them. (Interview with Sathaporn, GMMTV, 10 Aug. 2017)

Jirattikorn, Amporn. “Heterosexual Reading vs. Queering Thai Boys’ Love Dramas among Chinese and Filipino Audiences.” (2023).

As Jirattikorn goes on to highlight, this [wrong] perception about the audience (“women”) have changed ever since.

While early BL series tend to portray pure love without showing many sexual relationships, later BL series started to show more sex scenes between the two male lead characters.

Jirattikorn (2023)

Trauma & Porn

Itai Itai Itai (if you know, you know)

To claim that it is Asian cultural homophobia that MAME leveraged in Love by Chance through the inclusion of gang rape, incest, and unhappy ending is doing a disservice to BL and other queer genres including gei comi, all of which are well known for both trauma and porn. Aof Noppharnach and Cheewin’s lack of BL literacies is evident in their works. The way Aof Noppharnach shamed the use of the term เมีย ‘wife’ in Bad Buddy in spite of its usage by queer people, especially the little people among them, is evidence enough of the contempt and disregard he can bring in through his positionality as an “auteur”. To compare him to MAME is a little callous, especially when MAME constantly questions positionality and power through the stories she tells.

MAME’s trauma or lack thereof is none of anyone’s concern. So is what she does with it.

But the assumption that trauma in BL is a product of an author who themselves went through it is ludicrous and ignorant because BL from the days of tanbi (and its predecessors) have been engaging with it. There is already half a century’s history of BL with trauma and taboo themes.  

-

you can find the review discussed in this post here:

This is Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

[save-the-data]

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan | S01E03 Japanese Drama - 2024, 10 episodes

Native Title: #Love in The Air ～恋の予感～

Genres: #LGBTQ+

Tags: #Adapted from a Novel

Cast:#Shoma Nagumo | #Takuto Hamaya | #Akira Suzuki | #Reo Nagatsuma

Links:Gaga | Viki | YouTube | iQIYI | WeTV | Youku | Tencent

 Catalog: Episode GIF sets | Japanese Drama | Japanese BL

[pigglepiephi]

I liked the first episode of Love in the Air Koi. I feel like the story is gonna benefit from the Japanese gritty aesthetic and the shorter run time.

Though the first episode was pretty much a straight follow of LITA EP1, this scene worked so better for me here compared to how it played out in the original.

Shoma was looking stunning too! 🤩

[heretherebedork]

Very amused by the entire thing.

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Currently Watching - November

aka The Masterlist

Because I love a good little list - in alphabetical order! 😊

Regularly updated during the month, latest update 27.11.2024

A little link to my favorite bl-tropes-collection 💙

gif-requests are open, but you'll need to have some patience🌼

Here you can find all of my gifs.

At the end you can have a look at what we can expect in November with a MDL link and a link for a trailer (if avaible).

This is guaranteed to contain spoilers!

1. Blue Canvas of Youthful Days 🇨🇳 (10/12)

@bengiyo made me watch it. I wanted to wait until I could binge it, but he made me curious and now I am heartbroken and anxious! And in love with it. Well, at least the main story. The side couple didn't grew on me. There is a little bit too much obsession between them and I can't get a right feeling for them. They are a little bit off for me. But the main story? Oh so good! So much melancholy and pain and young, shakespearean love! So much trauma on both sides. I hate Qi Lu's father with all my heart. I hope someone will hurt him. And I hope Qi Lu can get away from him. But this is a chinese production. I don't know what to hope for in the final? A happy ending? Would that be too much too ask? Both of them happy, but separated? Well, that could work for me. A sad ending? Possible. I would be devastated. Thank you Ben for making me start it!

2. Love In The Air: Koi no Yokan 🇯🇵 (4/10)

As expected like the OG I don't like that one that much... The only reason I still watch this one is because of Nagumo Shoma. Guess this will be dropped next week... And instead I just watch Kiss x Kiss x Kiss: Love ii Shower...

3. Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu 🇯🇵 (4/11)

Those two are the bluest boys out there right now. They long for each other, and it is coming to the surface, slowly but steady. And sure Hirukawa, you're not going to fall in love with him. Who do you want to fool? You are already in love! I really like this series so much and I know I am not ready for the heartbreak.

4. The Heart Killers 🇹🇭 (2/12)

This whole scene? Gorgeous! Perfect! Incredible! Hot! Wow! The rest of the show? Meh... I enjoy the StyleFadel dynamic, but the rest of the show? Not so much, for now. Perhaps it will get interesting in the future, right now it is kinda boring.

5. Word of Honor 🇨🇳 (20/36)

Perhaps November will be the month I finally keep watching this series. Who knows.

6. Your Sky 🇹🇭 (2/12)

I am in love with them! Is this a bit cringe? Sure. Is the story flat and kinda predictable? Also yes. Do I get butterflies in my stomach whenever they look at each other? Yes, yes, yes! It is so obvious that Fah already likes Teerak. He is so smitten and happy that they can play couple. I can't wait for the feelings to grow on both sides and for them to become real boyfriends and not just fake ones. I guess there will be some heartbreak, because to fill 12 episodes with fake boyfriends is a bit too much. But oh, this series feels so good! I am enchanted!

Finished in November

Series

Let Free The Curse Of Taekwondo 🇰🇷

This series broke my heart, healed it only to break it again. I am very happy we got this domestic, happy ending. It has such a hopeful touch in it. Not everything is damned, just because you took a wrong path in the past. There is always hope for you to find love, to change the path, to get to a state of happiness you dreamed of as a kid. Trauma and abuse shape our lifes, but it doesn't have to dictate it. Tough topic that hits hard. A really good series with a great story and good acting. A good 9 out of 10 for me.

Every You, Every Me 🇹🇭

I was so in love with the first episodes. The concept of a series consisting of multiple episodes showing soulmates falling in love with each other over and over again was all I ever wanted and dreamed of. And then came the two last episodes and we got robbed of this sweet illusion and everything was just fake and acting. It took the magic away. It took the romance away, especially because I couldn't understand the conflict between Inn and Pun. And the time jumps were wild and confusing. I really wish they just have made two episodes more of them being soulmates in love. For episodes 1-8 I give this one a 10 out of 10, but because of the last episodes I can only give an 8 out of 10.

The Nipple Talk 🇹🇼

Oh man, this was so good. We have a small group of friends, a lesbian who likes changing sex-partners and doesn't believe in relationships, a sex-positive straight woman, who likes to have a relationship, but didn't meet the right person so far and has sex with as much men she wants on the way and our gay man, who believes in love and monogamy and who is now on the search for exactly that after the break up with his long term partner. This series was surprisingly good, very sex positive and everyone's guru MAMA has not just an interesting story in stock, but is our mirror and the voice in the back to not judge other people's lifestyles, just because it is not to your liking. It is a mature queer series, no bl. And in the end people can change, love can happen when you least expect it and you are continuously learning and growing. I am happy Leslie finally saw Jie for the perfect partner he would be. HIV was discussed and became an important part in the last part of the story and I love how Leslie understood that this is not a reason to not date a man, especially when you have planned your whole life together already. It is something you can live and love with. But it was great to see him learning, because this can be difficult in the beginning. This series is really just so good! A clear 10 out of 10 for me.

Kidnap 🇹🇭

Okay. This might sound a little bit harsh, but overall I think this was not the best series. It was boring and misleading. Yes, it did not meet my expectations. I thought about some more action and drama. Yes, Ohm and Leng were cute together. Yes, Leng is a rookie, but he did a good job. Yes, Ohm has incredible pretty puppy-eyes. And yet it was not to my liking. What I liked was the fact, that trauma was not healed with love, but got better with a therapist. What I liked was the relationship between Ming and his brother and later between Q and Mhen. It had enough good parts to keep me watching. But overall it was just a 6 out of 10.

Heartstopper Season 3 🇬🇧

I finally watched it! I looooove the comics and I loved the first season. And then there was season two and three and I couldn't bring myself to watch it, because then it would be over and Charlie and Nick would be back in their world and I must let them go again. But it was worth the heartbreak. Nick is the greenest flag on fictional earth and watching them growing together and taking next steps with each other and standing side by side through rough times, really let me believe in love for a short moment. They are perfect and I love this universe! Totally 10 out of 10.

Jack & Joker: U steal my heart! 🇹🇭

Was this series perfect? Nope. Do I care? Also nope. I just have a very soft spot for YinWar. I can't help it. Yes, the plot was kinda weak in the end. The idea of the ring of power was ridiculous, the resolution was just as ridiculous. But still, do I care? Nope, really not. I just love YinWar. They could remake Dinosaur Love and they would get a 10/10 from me. Perhaps one day I can rate this one with a clear mind, but until then this will be a 10 out of 10 for me, and if it is just because of YinWar's chemistry and onscreen kisses and stares and just every fucking interaction.

Movie

Short Film

Dropped in November

Bad Guy My Boss 🇹🇭 (8/12)

I can't deal with this anymore. I have no clue what is going on anymore. And the relationship between Elyes and Pat is so annoying. I have no wish to continue this show anymore. So I dropped it, finally. And made room for something else...

Looking forward to in November

The Nipple Talk - Trailer (Nov 1st)

Bad to bed (Nov 2nd)

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan - Trailer (Nov 3rd)

Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu (Nov 5th)

Episode 9. Nineteen, Eighteen / Love for Love's Sake special episode (Nov 9th)

Caged Again - Trailer (Nov 15th)

Your Sky - Trailer (Nov 17th)

The Heart Killers - Trailer (Nov 20th)

Petrichor - Trailer (Nov 27th)

[25shadesoffebruary]