#Eternal Butler review

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Thailand Stuck the Landing! Thailand!

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

March 2025 Week 1

Ongoing Series - Thai

ThamePo (Fri YT) ep 13 end - A truly great final episode. The best that Thailand could do. Good rapping too. (I do enjoy a tonal language rapping) Could have done without the goddamn auto tune on the singing tho.

Still that Notting Hill moment with Po and his friends, “this is Thame, my boyfriend” will likely go down in history as one of my favorite claimings in all BL. And it’s one of my favorite BL tropes. I have already rewatched it multiple times. Genius.

Review 

The boyband idol romance I've been waiting for from Korea, only Thailand did it instead. Quintessentially Thai and very GMMTV with good production values, great chemistry, and a solid support cast. It also was a hung romance mostly driven by external conflict and a found family reunion trope so I didn’t mind (too much) that the romance thread felt secondary. I loved it (except, of course, the singing). 9/10 

Perfect 10 Liners (Sun YT) ep 19 of 24 - I love that GMMTV prop masters are just putting random American 80s bodice rippers lying around Thai men's dorm rooms. I don’t know why I find it so amusing but I do. I’m not happy about the friend snooping in his friend's box (kinky), but I’m pleased with the friendship itself after all is said and done.

“Heaven was fast” made me hoot. So damn funny. And now we have a Cyrano de Bergerac plot? Faifa = the eternal self sacrificer. And that was definitely the best kiss of the series so far. It has gone into consideration for best kiss of the year.

The Boy Next World (Sun IQIYI) ep 9 of 10 - Oh dear, I’m having one of those “please don’t make them actually act” moments. But I'm still enjoying this show. Miracles may never cease. I’ll just skip this front bit of ep 9 in the future. I’m not really feeling the side couple either. But the damn premise is so strong and the leads are good (when they’re not overacting). Mame sure loves her tired old BL tropes like faen fatalle but she has (so far) managed to avoid her worst inclinations with this one. Will she stick the landing?

Meanwhile, the single most unrealistic thing in this whole show is that there are actual physical photos in that yearbook.

Flirt Milk (Sat YT) ep 7 or 10 - Well at least stuff is actually happening in all the relationships. The question is, do we care? Also, I have a terrible case of second lead syndrome, and I have from the very start. I just love that actor. (Oppa!) 

Ossan‘s Love Thailand (Mon YouTube) ep 9 of 12 - I see it’s the Thai tourist board mandated “get them out of Bangkok occasionally” episode.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Secret Relationships (Korea iQIYI) ep 2 of 8 - Ooo, the bloody nose trope! Haven’t seen that in ages. Ooo x2, toxic exes! But Korea flavored toxic rather than Thai toxic. Interesting. It’s more reserved and mean-spirited and stylishly cruel. I’m certainly intrigued. I quite like the main couple too, they’re awkwardly adorable. I love the way they keep swapping the care trope back and forth. The workplace gossip and family abuse was really hard to watch though. This show is packed full of stuff, all the relationships are complicated and slightly dysfunctional and codependent.

I like it a lot. 

Eternal Butler (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 12 end - This was basically a wrap-up ep, it didn’t advance the plot much. Still it was nice to see a show tackle the eternal youth situation head on. The voice over at the end from our robot who will not age talking about the way the world will perceive them as his lover does age, THAT made me tear up.

Last Downlaod

The story of a boy and his bodyguard/butler/robot falling in love. The robot is very queer and kind of kinky and mostly in charge. This dynamic feels a little healthier and less like indentured servitude than the previous installment in this series, but it’s still somewhat troubling in base concept. Nevertheless, casting a pro bodybuilder as the robot certainly help me to rise above my scruples. BL made me do it. I'm a terribly shallow human. Ultimately, I pronounce this show oddly charming - if you can overlook the implications of "just a robot who can't say no." 8/10 

FC Soldout (Korea Thurs iQIYI) ep 8 end - cute scaredy-cat kiss. Cute soft proper kisses too. I love these boys. Adorable confession. I cackled over the resulting dynamic. But the football captain and the idol are still my favorites. Gutted we got no smooches from them. This time, when our captain uses the word "exercise" baby boy, I don’t think he means the football form of exercise.

Final Score 

An oddly cute sports reunion romance, about an actor and a football player who meet again for convoluted reasons. Essentially one of them is an obsessed fan, and the other one has been pining since high school. So they're kinda stalking each other. They get together after some shenanigans. With a solid side couple it was only the parasocial relationship thing that wigged me out, but it really bothers me. Especially since, had it not been there, this might’ve been the sports BL of my dreams. 8/10

Fight for Love (Vietnam YT) ep 5 - Full of exes and faen fatales. 

Impression of Youth (Taiwan Weds Viki) ep 9 end - Frankly, if you date a kid you shouldn’t be surprised when he behaves like a kid.

PAUSE.

Is that?! OMG yes. That is Marcus Chang playing the role of the professor! I wonder if this means we might get him in a BL? I might just lose my tiny mind.

Summary  

An artist seeking inspiration goes to a beach town to teach where he falls in love with one of his students. An odd disjointed little show that managed to somehow overcomplicate a simple premise. What could’ve been elegant was instead fussy. Despite some expectedly good sex scenes, there wasn’t much chemistry between either pair. Chemistry might have carried this show but without those naked shoulders to ride on, there was no structure and less hope. 7/10

Checkered Shirt (Korea YT) ep 5 of 8 - Ouch. Denial is apparently a river in Korea. This is a bit realistic for my BL. OH WAIT. The story about a man in the closet is called The Checkered Shirt?! I see what you're doing there. Clever, little KBL. Clever.

Exclusive Love (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 12 - What tf is going on with this show? It’s wild but not in an appealing way, in a weird wet dish towel away. I get why @heretherebedork finds the crazy pining side couple appealing, but they’re too frustrating for me. I now mostly just love the sweetly unhinged little assistant.

It's airing but......

Gelboys (Thai Weds iQIYI) ep 1 of 7 - I’m giving this show a pass. It’s just too far out of my wheelhouse. I don’t have patience right now.

Sashes and Hearts (Pinoy YT) - Philippines is doing Drop Dead Gorgeous only all gay boys queening their asses off. Doesn't interst me, not sure if it's BL.

The Last Time (Thai WeTV) 8 eps - Looks dark so I'm giving it a pass until I know about the ending.

Last Meal Universe (Thailand Sun ????) 10 eps - An alien who has come to destroy earth instead falls in love with Thai food and then the Thai boy who cooks it - realistic, actually. I got a link to watch but it still wouldn't work for me, so I guess I'm waiting to see what happens.

In case you missed it...

Wattpad author talks about trying to make a Thai BL out of her KP fanfic (Allure of the Siren). Trailer here.

A Perfect Match (Taiwan iQIYI) - A not very well regarded Taiwanese sports BL from earlier this year picked up for rerelease. Reports from spies (hi twig!) are that this is a "sports BL that did everything it could to show no sport at all" and NOT good. So it's getting a pass from me.

Next Week Looks Like This:

3/12 My Golden Blood (Thailand Weds YouTube) 12 eps - Trailer. GMMTV taking on Weds nights and midweek discourse (they hope) with this hotly anticipated vampire series. I happen to find Joss watchable but this looks very bad and also very Kissable Lips. But at least Thailand is finally giving us the trashy gay vampires we richly deserve? Just realize we don't deserve much.

3/12 Lost in the Woods (Thailand Weds Gaga) 7 eps - Announced for 2023, adapted from a novel of the same name. Fifa just graduated high school and travels to a remote province to take care of his grandma, before starting uni. There he meets Chief Hem, a forest ranger.

Bah, how annoying. We don't usually have a slump this bad in the spring. What am I gonna do with myself?

Upcoming March 2025

3/20 Top Form (Thailand Thurs WeTV) 10 eps - Trailer. Adaptation of a Japanese manga starring Boom (Chains of Heart) opposite Smart (Don't Say No). Actor recognized as the "The Sexiest Man of the Year" has his first-place position usurped by newcomer. But while he sees them as rivals, turns out the new kid has other ideas. I'm super excited for this but hate watching on WeTV so gonna be a challenge.

3/28 Heesu in Class 2 (Korea Fri ????) 10 eps - Trailer. Adaption of the comic by Lily, about a shy unpopular boy with a secret crush on best friend who somehow also ends up his school's relationship counselor. Supposed to have completed filming in 2022, the fact this has been in dev hell since then somewhat mitigates this being my most anticipated BL of it's original year.

2025 Line Up

BL Announced for 2025 - PART 1

BL Announced for 2025 - PART 2

20 BLs Announced for 2025 That I'm Really Excited About

GMMTV 2025 Line Up - My Totally Biased and Wildly Flawed Feels

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Aside from that idol boyfriend claiming?!

Yeah ThamePo ate this week. No room in brain or heart for others.

Not that it matter right now. Things are lackluster and dire.

(last week)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

[theside-b]

BL Review: Eternal Butler 🇹🇼

From all the original four series of the Vidol BL shows line-up, Anti Reset was the most unique, a tale of an android who develops feelings for his owner and refuses to be restored to factory setting in order to be with him.

Stemming from that Eternal Butler delves deeper into the lore and brings in another cyborg in a journey of love, but this time instead of a romantic caretaker we have a clueless military bot tasked into teaching a spoiled brat some manners. You know, your usual friday night taiwanese tv-programming.

If the initial synopsis might sound too crazy, nothing will prepare you for what comes next, this show is a constant stream of staple yaoi tropes: megane-dominator, aphrodisiac drug induced sex, they only have one bed, childhood friends to lovers, inter-species marriage... you get the gist. And what Vidol lacks in budget they most certainly compensate with sheer thoroughness for the material. They double down in all the strengths present in Anti Reset, here we are gifted with another couple ready for anything. The fact that the whole show does not fall apart by episode two is a testament of how good Kevin Chang and Eden Chen are with their silly-yet-deep characters.

On the surface both Heng 4 and Lo Bushi seem like very obvious walking tropes, but with each episode we get to peel a new layer out of them. Pretty rich stuff coming from what is sold as a sexy robot show.

It's pretty impressive how much both can do and are willing to do. Kevin being a former Mister International and Eden an active pop idol (you can often find Kevin in FEniX' shows, Eden's group). They are worthy additions to the taiwanese CPs hall of fame.

I wish I could say the same for the secondary couple, especially because we are talking about Sing Hom (Secret in the Hot Springs' Little Princess) who is slowly itching his way into BL leading man territory, but unfortunately they don't get enough screentime. Which is a shame, since they balance the wacky horniness of the main couple with a gentle sweetness that leaves you wanting more.

Also, again much like Anti Reset, this show doesn't hesitate to go where most don't, answering questions and doing surprising things; Heng 4 and Bushi getting an android kid, addressing the issue of robot rights and establishing an extensive lore around it, it's an interesting world-building not often seen anywhere else, even more so in a show with such outlandish plot.

And based on the announced line-up, everybody better be ready, cause' Eternal Butler is by far the most normal of the current season VBL shows.

[stephreviews]

Eternal Butler (2025)

Luo Bushi (Eden Chen) is the son of a wealthy self-made man who doesn't get along with his father and acts out to get attention. His father, Luo Da Qiang, hires Ever4 (Kevin Chang), a cyborg, to get him under control. Will Ever4 learn to understand human emotions? Or will Luo Bushi's many mood swings thwart his work?

This drama was a fun watch from start to finish. Ever4 was so relatable for me because his lack of understanding of human emotions is so autism-coded. He's my blorbo forever.

Luo Bushi acting out because his dad sucks? Very real. Honestly there wasn't a single thing the main characters did that I felt was ooc. However, I felt like 12 episodes was too much. At some points the drama between the leads just kinda dragged, although I did appreciate how they handled having Luo Da Qiang accept Ever4. It was an interesting take on a "coming out" story.

The side couple? I just wasn't invested. If anything, I would have taken some time away from the mains and given it to the side couple. I felt like I had no time to get to know them and then they were dating? For some reason? I literally forgot who they were.

Overall: 6.5/10

Chemistry? 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

New blorbo acquired? ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Main couple that switches? 10000/10 give me more pls

Side couple? 4/10 at least they had chemistry

[midlife-fangirl]

I would love to see them in another series together, but I know that’s not how the Taiwan BL industry works…

[milliondollarbaby87]

My Spy: The Eternal City (2024) Review

JJ a veteran CIA agent is about to reunite with his protege Sophie and they must work together depsite her rebelling teenage moments to prevent a nuclear scheme in Vatican City, where they just happen to be on a high school choir trip in Italy. ⭐️⭐️ Continue reading My Spy: The Eternal City (2024) Review

[austinbutlerslovers]

Highlight Reviews of:

Label Mature 18+

🔗Just Between Us 🔗Laced in Love 🔗 Temptation

Special thanks💕 @mrs-hardy-hunnam-butler-pascal @softmamawrites @unicoo @feralgodmothers @aust-een @eternal-love +++ @psycheetamore the in depth review of Just Between Us *chefs kiss*

🔗 Masterlist

🔗 Just Between Us

🔗 Laced in Love

🔗 Temptation

[bluestrawberrybunny]

Reviewing dumb fun facts about the Eternity sillies

Smg6 has very flexible legs

Smg5 has thousands if not millions of little shits that look like them but younger serving them as butlers and maids

Smg4 has an apple addiction

And Smg3 has a gun on him at all times

Felt silly :3

The only one that surprises me honestly is the apple obsession and flexible legs. The pixie versions I already knew about and SMG3 would totally have a gun on him at all times.

Curious about why SMG4 has an apple addiction tho…

[gaym3bo1]

Eternal Butler ep 1-4 review:

androids look and act too human :(

bad and stupid

why?? is it a comedy??? is it a comedy?? idek

the music choices are... a choice

why can't the whole show look as nice as the poster and the ending just give me some bare minimum coloring and mood lighting i'm begging

robot smart glasses bdsm mode best thing I've seen in years

immensely enjoyable and gossip worthy

this show feels like every trashy webtoon that u just start reading bc it has this one specific tag you were looking for and then u can't put it down

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

The Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop summer fundraiser is almost over! I am an alum, instructor and volunteer board member for this nonprofit workshop whose alums include Octavia Butler, Kim Stanley Robinson, Bruce Sterling, Nalo Hopkinson, Kameron Hurley, Nnedi Okorafor, Lucius Shepard, and Ted Chiang! Your donations will help us subsidize tuition for students, making Clarion — and sf/f — more accessible for all kinds of writers.

#10yrsago Iain Banks’s The Quarry, his final novel https://memex.craphound.com/2013/07/26/iain-bankss-the-quarry-his-final-novel/

#10yrsago What EFF learned at Comic-Con https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/07/what-we-learned-san-diego-comic-con

#10yrsago PIN-punching $200 robot can brute force every Android numeric screen-password in 19 hours https://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/07/22/pin-punching-robot-can-crack-your-phones-security-code-in-less-than-24-hours/

#10yrsago UK censorwall will also block “terrorist content,” “violence,” “circumvention tools,” “forums,” and more https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/sleepwalking-into-censorship/

#10yrsago No, Mr Cameron, you can’t solve porn with a hackathon https://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2013/jul/24/anti-porn-hackday-cameron

#10yrsago Teachers open camping kid’s sealed letter home; eject kid for confessing to eating chocolate https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/10190649/Child-banned-from-school-trip-for-eating-chocolate.html

#10yrsago David Cameron’s favourite censorware is built and maintained by Huawei https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-23452097

#10yrsago Jane Austen to grace £10 notes https://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/jul/24/jane-austen-appear-10-note

#5yrsago Bloom County’s second reboot collection: the election of 2016 and beyond https://memex.craphound.com/2018/07/26/bloom-countys-second-reboot-collection-the-election-of-2016-and-beyond/

#5yrsago Big Tech’s active moderation promise is also a potential source of eternal commercial advantage over newcomers https://memex.craphound.com/2018/07/26/big-techs-active-moderation-promise-is-also-a-potential-source-of-eternal-commercial-advantage-over-newcomers/

#5yrsago Facebook shares plummet on tiny shortfall in predicted growth https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-just-learned-the-true-cost-of-fixing-its-problems/

#5yrsago Appeals court kills the dirty trick of using Indian tribes as a front for patent trolls and claiming sovereign immunity https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/07/court-native-american-tribe-cant-be-a-sovereign-shield-during-patent-review/

#5yrsago What it’s like when Nazis infiltrate your conference https://twitter.com/JairusKhan/status/1021576115670933511

#1yrago “A Half-Built Garden”: Ruthanna Emrys’s stunning First Contact novel https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/26/aislands/#dead-ringers

[medea10]

My Review of Bibliophile Princess

How did I get into this anime? I think I was in the need for some romance during the fall 2022 season. No offense to that season of anime, but not everything has to involve testosterone, blood, and chainsaws.

Elianna Bernstein comes from a family that loves books. The family would forego food for just one more book to read. Elianna is pretty much that. She has no interest in anything else. What do you think would happen if a prince asks for her to be his fiancé? First of all, huh?!

As it turns out, Elianna comes from a family with some nobility. Crown Prince Christopher Selkirk Asherald wants Elianna to be his fiancé…in name only. Chris has no intention of getting married so early like what his parents want for him. He thinks if he gets a phony fiancé and every so often pushes the wedding date away, he’ll get them off his back. Prince Chris entices Elianna with giving her all the free time in the world to read the rarest books only meant for those of highest nobility. For the next four years, Elianna spent her time mostly reading but getting to know the people around her ‘fiancé's’ inner circle.

Good things do have to come to an end. It seems as though the prince might have intentions with another woman. Is this the end of Elianna’s weird fairy tale? And why should she care? She only cares about reading and nothing else. Unless she’s grown to like, even love Prince Chris. But does this possible love go both ways?

BETWEEN THE SUB AND THE DUB: Sentai Filmworks nabbed this one. Whether they decide to do something more with this or not is up to them. It’s not like they had a lot going on back in October. Nowadays, Sentai’s got its own cash-cow to milk. So, chances are it’ll be a while before we see this anime get anything other than a proper home release. I gotta say in the first episode, I thought that was Mamiko Noto voicing Elianna. But then I saw that it was Reina Ueda and I’m like, never mind, that was an honest mistake. Still good work! Here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

*Elianna is played by Reina Ueda (known for Mallow on Pokemon SM, Kisa on Fruits Basket 2019, Kanao on Demon Slayer, CereCere on Sailor Moon Crystal: Eternal, Jasminka on Little Witch Academia, and Young Hideyoshi on Tokyo Ghoul)

*Chris is played by Ryouhei Himura (known for Hinata on Angel Beats, Takizawa on Eden of the East, Kohaku on Yashahime, Grey on Black Butler, Shouma on Penguindrum, Tsubasa on Rinne, and Hiyori on Free!)

SHIPPING: Boy, anime really loves to give us fake-ass relationships these days. Either coincidence or Japan hopping on this trope’s bandwagon, 2022 had a lot of animes with that concept.

We get confirmation early in the series that both Prince Chris and Elianna have some (though awkward) feelings for one another. After living with the prince for 4 years, we see Elianna’s fear of this engagement ending. But was it because she will no longer have access to the rare books she’s yearned to read or is it that she really has feelings for the charming prince? As for the prince, Chris seems to have history with Elianna when they were younger. Elianna scolded the young prince for the mistreatment of a book. After that, they spent time with each other in the library.

Chris remembers. Elianna does not!

After Chris cemented this relationship by declaring there were no more objectors to the marriage, he started showing more affection to Elianna. And I gotta say, it started playing off like one of those rom-com sim games. You get that cute shoujo male and the cute, blushing girlfriend. It constantly felt like that. And when it wasn’t feeling like that, it was feeling like a setup for an old Popeye cartoon. Elianna gets in more trouble than Olive Oyl, no lie!

Now, there were other women in the picture that Elianna felt threatened by. It’s really nothing more than Elianna’s imagination getting the best of her. The prince really loves her and no other girl will do.

ENDING: You would think that after all that has gone down in the past 10 episodes, Elianna would see that Christopher is genuine when he only wants to be with her. Okay, maybe not. Hell, I would have been hella sus if I were in Eli’s shoes. Elianna has had to endure a lot of hearsay behind her back. Add to that, Elianna’s overall worry if she’s worthy of being the wife of a crowned prince. Girl, you have won over nearly everyone in that palace by episode 3, including the queen. Accept this as a win.

But a few daggers are out in plain-sight trying to set the soon-to-be-princess up. There are some women who hate Elianna so they do things out of pure vanity. You know them, catty bitches! But then you keep seeing this one chick named Sharon who keeps insisting to Chris to marry her sister Mirielle. We keep hearing about this woman but we don’t even see her. So naturally Elianna is concerned about everything. But then this thing about concubines comes up. It’s quite the norm for the royal family to have mistresses, concubines, etc. This family is no exception to that dirty little secret. Let’s just say that the concubine talk was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Elianna told Chris that to once again postpone the wedding and runs off. No matter what, Chris always comes to Elianna’s aid whenever she gets in an altercation. At the end of the episode 11, Elianna expressed her worry to Chris and asked him to make a promise to be loyal to her only. Chris makes it clear that Elianna is the only one for him.

Okay, final episode time. Is this the episode where Elianna and Chris finally get married? Nah, we’re getting this Holy Night Banquet. We still get some certain instigator wanting to push Elianna away. And it’s that Sharon chick that I mentioned prior. She even dangled a rare book in front of Elianna to entice her of giving up her fiancé. Episode 1 Elianna wouldn’t hesitate pushing some prince out of the way for a rare book. Episode 12 Elianna on the other hand has gone through some things. So yeah, there is no tearing up this couple. No need for affairs, mistresses, or rebound concubines.

They end with this annual banquet with some good notes for the prince and his soon-to-be-bride. No more objectors. No more sus women after the prince. The monarchy is happy for these soon-to-be newlyweds. The queen however wishes for Elianna to be more wary of suspicious folks and not be taken advantage of or get in too much trouble that would cause a ripple for the family. But she still gets a little choked up being called mother from Elianna. We don’t get a wedding. Just Elianna asking for some vacation time so she can read books. And we end with looking at trees lit up with pretty patterns. It was good timing when I saw it because the finale aired three days before Christmas.

Eh, this was an okay anime. Nothing to write home about. I honestly thought this was going to be one of those animes where the two characters were eventually going to fall in love for real instead of being fake fiancés near the end. As it turns out, Chris unveiled his feelings for Elianna in episode 2 or 3. The rest of the time was Elianna slowly falling in love with the prince with bumps in the road causing her depression and self-doubt. A LOT of self-doubt! There were a lot of characters featured in this anime and most of them do cause hiccups that make Elianna question her relationship with Chris. I honestly don’t remember most of these people. That’s how little of an impact they had.

Eh, it’s a toss up! There are many other romance animes out there I would watch before this one. But it is a short series if you want something small to watch. Hidive has the entire series available for streaming.

[lazanskywrites]

some films I'll be watching this summer...

I'm not completely sure why my brain won't allow me to start a new movie or show when I'm busy with work and school. I think it's because I feel guilty for relaxing and watching something for enjoyment when I have assignments I could be doing. I've missed out on watching the premiers of many great movies these past few years because of this mentality, and I typically use summer as an opportunity to catch up.

For my film class this semester, I've been able to watch films and not feel bad about watching them...because it's for a grade of course. I was able to recently rewatch The Virgin Suicides which is such a great movie, but by the end, I realized why it's not a film I can rewatch over and over. For this class, I watched Priscilla for the first time! I love Sofia Coppola, and Priscilla was nothing short of an amazing film. I'm also wholeheartedly convinced that if social media was around when Elvis was famous (and alive), I'd probably have a fan account devoted to him.

Here's a list of films I hope to sit down and watch this summer before the insanity of next semester ensues...

Elvis: I've yet to watch this film simply because I think I'll need a day or two to process what I've watched. I have heard nothing but great things about Baz Lurhmann's film and I'm sure it'll surpass my expectations. The only thing about Elvis, is that Austin Butler's Elvis was severely outshined by Jacob Elordi's Elvis, and Elordi doesn't still have the "Elvis Accent" after filming. Either way, I'm sure I'll enjoy the cinematography, the music, and the glimpse into Elvis' life behind the glitz 'n glamour of his fame.

2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: I will not be answering questions as to why I've never seen this indie "classic". The soundtrack of this film is remarkable, but I've never sat down the watch it. Many film reviews regard it as a rom-com, while others say it is simply a romance film. I really do not know what to expect.

3. The Notebook: I also will not be answering questions as to why I've never seen this movie. Honestly, I do not feel like profusely sobbing. I don't particularly choose sad films but I feel like this is one that everyone must see at least one time.

4. The Outsiders: I truly am ashamed to admit I've never seen some of these films, yet I quote them often(Stay Gold, Ponyboy). This classic 80s film is a must-watch, which of course, I have not. I also know the ending of this film is sad, which I am not particularly fond of.

5. Grease: I AM COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY HUMILIATED I'M ADMITTING TO NEVER SEEING THIS FILM. I've only seen the Glee version of Grease, and it's obvious that adaption is not as good as the original. I know almost every song on the soundtrack because they are fun to karaoke and my friends always listen to them. I will be watching Grease this summer so I can actually say I've seen it, not just say "Oh I love the soundtrack!"

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - I'm using the word "ridiculous" a lot

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Dec 2024 Week 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

Your Sky (Sun iQIYI) ep 5 of 12 - OMG they’re so fucking cute I can’t stand it. It’s too much. Everyone is adorable. Including the father. (That said, I wouldn’t recommend watching Naughty Babe with your dad. That’s a big leap there, cutie pie.) The 10 minutes of holding hand negotiation and then finally walking together across campus was truly fucking fantastic. This show is GLORIOUS. Now we also know when it finally does move from dreams to reality, that these two can kiss.

Actual name of this show?

How to Train Your Seme

Speaking of names, Fah's brother, whose name I forget, is now going to referred to by me as Sarcastic Cupid. Because that is his role in this narrative. I love him very much.

On a completely different note, and I know this is not that kind of show, but this is me so I have to say it, if these two ever do have sex it’s gonna take them hours. They just gonna spend half the night negotiating. Which is kind of tantric, but my goodness would they even make it into bed?

ThamePo (Fri YT) ep 2 of 12 - i just love this show!!!! so happy to have this one my screen. The dads have to save the little musical family! So cute! And illegally pretty.

Love Sick 2024 (Sun iQIYI) ep 14 of 15 - They substantially took steps to fix Phun‘s dad character in the new version and I really like that a lot. I'm chronicling my experience with 2024 as compared to 2014 here. 

Caged Again (Fri Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - Why is this absurd show so damn good? When Sun has to beg it’s just too much. It’s too sweet and aching and hurtful and wonderful. Catnip = the sex herb trope was not anything I’ve ever thought I would see in my lifetime. Okaaay now. Relax little show. Too far.

Fourever You (Thurs YT) ep 12 of 16 - The extended version is clearly better. But I’m not gonna bother to pay for it. Again, I’m liking the new couple more and more each week. I still prefer the first couple of course cause Pond but it’s enjoyable enough.

Note: I'm super grateful for those posting them as clips here on the hellsite. Because man can these boys kiss!

The Heart Killers (Weds Gaga) ep 4 of 12 - this show is so entirely and utterly ridiculous. I don’t even know what to do with it or myself. Or what to say. Carry on, I guess?

Also I don't know what GMMTV is smoking to tease this one, but I'll take a hit next time they pass the BL bong.

Perfect 10 Liners (Sun YT?) ep 7 of 24 - I am living for Pond & Sand. they are pretty much all I care about. Yes including the upcoming couples. I just want pond sand. sure the main couple was fine it was a perfectly serviceable ending to their arc such as it was. All in all I enjoyed this episode big smile on my face most of the time.

Secret Love (????) 1-60 of 81 eps - Someone dropped a cut together of episodes one through 60, and I actually quite enjoyed it. It’s a total soap opera and very much a pulp. But I kind of love that right now. Frankly, 1-60 is a completed story arc. If you want that. I will probably watch the whole thing if anybody ever uploads it or it turns up grey anywhere. But this was quite satisfying. Ridiculous but charming fluff about two stepbrothers, who aren’t really stepbrothers, who have loved each other forever and are reunited under trying family circumstances. 7/10 passes the sniff test

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Our Youth AKA Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu (Japan Tues Gaga) ep 7 of 11 - ARGH. The pain. what an absolutely stellar show. I can't believe we are only on ep 7!

See Your Love (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 9 of 13 - I love it. This show is fantastic. It’s classic BL, it’s hitting all of the tropes, and it reminds me of some of the best that Taiwan has done in the past. I’m charmed and enjoying it immensely. Taiwan isn’t great on endings so I’m reserving judgment, but what a current highlight to my week. I like these boys so much. Please be kind to me and them, Taiwan?

Eternal Butler (Taiwan Fri Gaga) eps 1-2 of 12 - Ever 4, a sophisticated AI combat robot, becomes the personal butler/bodyguard to Luo Bu Shi, a spoiled yet lonely young heir. And I like it a lot. Odd with a very old fashioned yaoi feel. Also actually kinky (not Thai kinky), I mean it's no JBL but I like it. Dommed into reading = hot. 

Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 12 of ? - I love our new rescuer, he v cute! Nice addition to the cast. I hope we get more of him. Otherwise, this was more of the same. I’m getting pretty fatigued with this bully stuff at this juncture.

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan (Japan Sat Gaga) ep 8 end - A lackluster adaptation of some already questionable content, that managed to lose all the limited charm and massive chemistry of the original. It was a mistake to do with less runtime not to mention put both climaxes in the final episode.  Too much all at once. By dividing up the two rescues and keeping them exclusive to their respective couples they highlighted the formulaic nature of the narrative and weakened the foundational friendships. The best thing about the original was the friendships both between the semes and the ukes. By having each boyfriend simply rescue his own boy without help, we didn’t get to see the depth of those friendships at all. For this reason, this installment was weaker than the original. My final feeling at the end was simply “OK whatever” not a ringing endorsement. 7/10 but barely that.

It's airing but......

Spare Me Your Mercy (Thurs iQIYI) ep 5 of 8 - on hold because it went out side genre conventions and I'm not sure what to expect. I'm waiting until it ends, then if safe I will binge.

Be Moon - Falling for my enemy's son (China YT) movie from HBD Studio airing in short bits but I couldn't find any this week.

Winter Is Not The Death of Summer (Thai ???) - has been picked up to air on WeTV, or something? Criminals who meet in prison fall in love. I did find it on YouTube, initially un-subbed, then subs happened by which time I got distracted. The first episode seems to be only six minutes long. It is very pulp. But it is intriguing. For now it's to the wayside until someone tells me it landed safely. Occasionally Thai pulps want to be edgy and it's not a good look on them.

0.5D (Japan ????) 4 eps - Supposedly a completed short. "Sales ace, Sada, has a secret that only his junior, Daiki, knows. He has pretended to have a gf for years, resulting in him being a virgin. But now Sada has fallen in love. Confused, Sada seeks advice from his junior." I sense another queer Cyrano De Bergerac. I can't find and it's good very poor review so Imma stop looking. Info here.

The Renovation (Thai mini One31) 2 eps - Writer turns his blossoming romance with holiday resort owner into a novel. Eh is it worth trying to find?

It Ended But?

Blue Canvas of Youthful Days (China Sun Viki) paused at eps 9-10 of 12 - I have been told the ending is OK if not great. I’m gonna hold off for a bit.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Final still to come:

12/29 Sangmin Dinneaw (Thai ????) ??eps - trailer Childhood friends (Thai & Korean) reunite after being apart for ten years. As the boys reconnect, their bond matures and feelings of romance begin to develop, in Thai.

Impression of Youth (Taiwan ????) ??eps - rumors are this is supposed to start this month.

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

10 years later and it's still one of BLs best cuddles (Love Sick)

Always like a seme who asks permission. (Perfect 10)

(last week)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

[theside-b]

I’m trying to gather the right words about Eternal Butler and I’m having a hard time, meanwhile here are my favorite moments of this crazy ass finale:

For a horny show about sexy good times with a robot this show sure liked to talk about death.

Bushi getting a custom made child robot that could make company to Heng4 when he dies, because while he can get company he most definitely cannot have another lover.

The product placement took me out 😂 I believe this is the first VBL series to score that kind of endorsement.

The sides actually got some decent screen time for one. But what do you mean it took them 10 YEARS to get married?!

Also: no Heng9 and Yi Ping cameos? Booooo!

I had a small laughing fit with Bushi’s dad and his aged look (and that was enough to confirm his own butler was one of the droids)

Much like Anti Reset — if they decide to make a special episode I assume they will ignore the time jump.

[stephreviews]

Steph's Weekly Watchlist (Feb. 17th)

QL Dramas - Currently Airing

Perfect 10 Liners (Sundays, 18/24)

Wine and Yotha trying to talk is the funniest thing ever. Introduce two shy introverts and you get....silence. The Wine and Faifa dynamic is honestly so good. Faifa isn't just a stereotypical extrovert, and Wine doesn't seem like just a stereotypical tsundere. In the previous episodes, we got to see how Faifa uses his bubbly exterior to hide his pain inside. I'm curious how Wine will be.

The Boy Next World (Sundays, 8/10)

JINWIM KISS! JINWIM KISS! Also holy fuck that NC scene. I felt like I needed to stop watching

Heart Stain (Thursdays, 5-6/8)

The first episode was very awkward, it was giving high school play. But starting from the second episode, it was SO much better. It's like they had the workshop between the 2 episodes. It's not a work of art, but it's cute as hell.

Eternal Butler (Fridays, 10/12)

I finally caught up!! I'm sorry, but the second couple is giving nothing. We've gotten like 5 scenes from them? Maybe? And now they're dating? But I will die for Lo Buoshi and Ever 4. Ever 4 is the manifestation of autism and he is my blorbo. I will love him forever ♥️

QL Dramas - Catching Up

ThamePo (Fridays, Airing: 11/13, Me: 5/13)

Did I catch up? No. Did I watch episode 10 anyways? Yes. Do I hate myself? Also yes.

Affair the Series (Completed, Me: 6/8)

My wife and I went on a Valentine's date instead of having Lesbian Wednesday, will update this week 🌹

QL Dramas - Completed

The Heart Killers ♥️🗡

I loved this drama! Especially Style. Ugh, he's so sassy and fearless and amazing. But! There were just some scenes in the drama that just pulled me out of it. Read more about it in my full review here.

Love Sea 🌊

Ohhh, I have many thoughts about this. Will be posting a review tomorrow. Main thought: very realistic interactions, Tongrak is very relatable, one of Mame's best works, in my opinion.

My Stand-In 🧍‍♂️

I missed watching this when it came out. Funny, I am just now realizing that I watched 2(!) dramas this week with toxic parents. Yay? This was a super thought-provoking drama, and it did not end how I thought it was going to end! I will also be posting the full review tomorrow.

Other Dramas

My Sweet Mobster (Completed, Me: 5/16)

Didn't have enough time 😐 Boooo work

The Witch (Airing: 3-4/10, Me: 1/16)

Forgot this was starting last week. Will definitely catch up this week!! I'm a HUGE ahgase, and I am on a mission to catch up with all of Jinyoung's works.

[ecsundance]

reviews, reviews, reviews!

How to Have Sex

My first movie at Sundance 2024 and it was probably the best way to begin. It follows three girls who go on vacation to drink, party, and celebrate. As the film progresses we focus more on one girl, Tara, and her new experience with sex and consent. In this relatable film, we are with Tara and her emotions. The use of sound really hones in this work. We are in the clubs with blaring music, but as Tara begins to dissociate, the music goes with her. 

I don’t even know where to begin with this film. It was absolutely amazing and made me tear up at the end. It was beautifully written with equally powerful characters. Each character was relatable in entirely different ways. The performance of these actors are what really make this film great. You can’t even tell that they are acting and they show the emotions and inner struggles we all seem to deal with. So far this has to be my favorite film and I highly recommend giving it a watch if you can.

Love Machina

A possibly controversial documentary about Martina and Bina Rothblatt with a focus on Bina48, an extended AI consciousness of Bina herself. This film not only explores the relationship between Bina and Martine, but also their Terasem movement and what they plan to do with their eternal love. While the main focus is on Bina48 and the guy who helped create her, we also go on this journey with Bina48 and what she has done for the scientific community. This AI robot uses uploaded mind files, which are Bina’s thoughts and feelings, to create answers on her own. Her answers greatly reflect Bina’s as that is exactly what she is.

Not gonna lie, I snoozed a bit during this movie. The beginning was a bit slow and boring, but I was also really tired. There were lots of moments in the film that could be controversial, especially considering these people created Terasum and were inspired by Octavia Butler’s Earthseed, which is an idea of a new world. I had to read Butler’s books for one of my classes and I have to say I was not surprised that it was mentioned in this movie as it relates a lot to what Martine and Bina relate to. If you give this film a watch, I recommend going into it with an open mind and a good night’s rest.

Greatest night in pop

We are the world! We are children! Has been stuck in my head since. A wonderfully crafted documentary about the making of, where the idea came from, and putting together, We are the World. If you don’t know, this is a song from the 1980s to help raise money and awareness for the hungry and homeless in Africa. It included a lot of great pop stars from that time period including, but not limited to, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper and many many more. This film takes never seen archival footage to tell the story of how this song came together.

An absolutely show-stopping film. We get to explore each of the artists and the part they played in this. We got to see the human side of these pop stars and understand that they aren’t that different from us. Normally, I think, we see pop stars as inhuman because of the status they have or the talent they hold, but here we get to see that even superstars get anxiety around someone else. The greatest singers in the world are scared to sing in front of each other as each wants to be seen as the best. This film explores those relationships while also showing how this can bring them together. 10/10 film and so far my second favorite. 

STEFANIE

[mermaidsirennikita]

It's always funny to me when people complain when awards shows have too many acting categories/slots per category because it doesn't mean that nobody was snubbed? Do people understand how many movies/tv shows come out every year? Even if the people everybody thought would get nominated got nominated there's still a bunch of people who were also in consideration that didn't get in.

Agree! I think the problem with the Globe categories isn't that there are too many, it's that they nominate the most ludicrous things in Musical/Comedy categories. Barry is not actually a comedy, lol. May December is so far from a comedy it's ABSURD.

I mean, if you want to talk snubs that aren't snubs... LET US NOTE lol that Jacob Elordi didn't get nominated for anything, and his stans are very upset, and as someone who thinks his recent attempts at being remade as a Serious Actor are ridiculous, I am... Amused. Like, look, these awards only matter in some cases, but he was clearly gunning hard for both projects, and...

I've seen Saltburn. I haven't seen Priscilla (hoping to see it very soon). I've mentioned my issues with Priscilla as a concept before (especially when it comes so quickly on the heels of Elvis) but I think that of all the things I could see it being nominated for, the, you know, girl playing Priscilla would hopefully be ahead of Elordi...? I'm not familiar with her at all, but if she can't carry the film then what is the point. Sofia Coppola also seems to be missing out this year, and while there are definite sexism issues with the directorial spot (and Greta got the woman's chair) (and the fact that both of them are white women with significant connections to prominent male directors is kind of disheartening) I'm not mad at it because I think Sofia is... hit or miss, and often extremely overhyped. And I don't like how she's handled the press around this movie at all.

But yeah, I haven't yet seen his performance as Elvis beyond clips. However... the clips I have seen? Are ROUGH, dude. His accent is in and out, he seems very one-note abuser (and hello, Nate!). And as I've waxed poetic about, I found him to be a black hole for charisma and a momentum-killer with Saltburn. A movie that was generally weak, but no shock that Barry got nominated because a) Barry is getting set up as a prominent character actor, and I'll be honest, I'm not like HYPE about his career and I hated The Eternals... so much lol.... but he was great in Banshees, really, and it's nice for an actual working class actor to come from the UK, so I'll bite and b) that dance scene was going to lock in noms for him. And tbh? I'm fine with that. Jacob Elordi cannot stand up next to actual actors.

Also, the delusionality to think that he was going to be the star breakout of the awards season after the reviews Charles Melton got...? There's a huge, specific prejudice Hollywood has against Asian men in prominent or leading roles. Charles is super gorgeous and super talented and has leading man written all over him, but he's still going to deal with that. However, if a breakout is going to stand up next to the big boys (the same way Austin Butler did last year) it's going to be Charles. If a breakout guy is going to beat out Ryan Gosling and De Niro and all them, it's going to be Charles.

I am a little sad Zac Efron didn't get a nom, but I haven't seen his movie yet. I am SUPER intrigued by the premise, and I do want to see it, and I have always had a soft spot for Zac because I think he's actually super talented and appreciate his candidness re: his struggles with eating disorders, etc. But yeah, I would've liked to see him get a nom, and him getting shut out from the GGs, however the Globes are not what they used to be, doesn't bode well for other, more prestigious awards.