#The Paradise of Thorns: love died

[lilitblaukatz]

Gay true happy endings are much more rare in the contemporary media than whatever you are planning, Jeff, fucking heartbreak junkie.

So, I'm just saying.

[secriden]

so, i'm fascinated by the choice to have Thongkam and Sek have a durian farm in The Paradise of Thorns. this is purely speculative and based of some BTS pictures and the trailer but I think it's intentional that they've chosen to make it set in a durian farm.

durian is a fruit that's very popular in many South East Asian countries and i grew up eating it. 'durian season' is a Big Deal because so many people love it and its very expensive when its out of season, and my family used to have special get togethers with all the cousins to eat durian together. i've seen my cousins 'fight' with other customers for the best pieces before in the market. we call it the 'king of the fruits' and it's known for its strong smell, its hard/thorny exterior and how rich and delicious the fruit is. the smell is also known to linger for ages; it stays on your breath, your clothes, your fingers, the air. if someone has had durian in the house, you'll know for hours afterwards. some people hate the smell (they say it smells like rotting food), others love it (it smells good to me). a durian farm can also be a very dangerous place because the trees grow very tall and fruits drop on their own when they get ripe sometimes and people have died without proper protective gear.

so i think it's an intriguing allegory for the relationship between Thongkam and Sek and the story being told - how they're together and everyone knows they're together (the scent: lingering, obvious, clinging to them both) and the relationship is both wonderful (delicious, nutritious - fulfilling because of their love for each other) and dangerous (because some people hate it, even when they aren't eating it - they find the smell offensive. just like people find gay relationships offensive even when its got nothing to do with them). Sek's family doesn't honour the relationship, uses the fact that they aren't legally married to take what should be Thongkam's, literally fighting over the durian farm, just like people do in the markets. perhaps even the thorny shell of the durian is reference to Thongkam's or Sek's mother and how they both are hurting and could be the source of each other's comfort but instead choose to hurt each other to protect their soft insides.

also one of the only ways to get rid of the durian smell from your hands is to wash your hands with water that has run across/over the inner skin of the shell of the durian fruit (don't ask me why it works, but it does; my family has been doing it for years). And idk if it'll be part of the scene when Thongkam and Sek "marry" each other (if there is one) as a reference to the water blessing ceremony but if it is I'm going to SOB MY FUCKING HEART OUT. T_T

it'll be interesting to see if any of this winds up being in the movie but honestly it's really cool that something so culturally significant and specific to the region is being featured in the movie.

[ardenzia777]

give us the bible art oooooo

I've drawn these that i can show atm. the last 2 aren't done ngl but that's ok, they're still at least presentable Explanation of each piece below owo

first one was an idea of like a really peaceful Jesus holding a lamb and just a heavenly setting around, very old school, very renaissance, but wanted to be unique and make his halo a white hole that cascaded out stained glass light. Pearls to represent purity and Sapphire in his crown to signify the sapphire throne

second one was a sketch i put some more detail on, i just wanted it to show the somberness of a well aware sacrifice. unironically wanted it to feel demure. feel both dark and light. the dampness in the air before and after the rain. wanted to add black stars as well to show a hidden/veiled divinity. King of kings but is veiled in mortal flesh, appearing more grounded in our world than he really is. also was making connotations with wine and his blood as well.

third one i wanted to really pull inspo from Elden ring and take its symbolism into different context but the same context, which was inspired by how Elden ring does the same thing with Christianity. The symbolism of Marika crucified was for sure meant to be a reference to Christ, so i wanted to depict him crucified but with Marika's rune. Both crucified by their authority, and technically both done for the sake of saving the world. difference is one did it willingly to save those unaware of their burden, the other went unwillingly, likely kicking and glaring. I wanted to switch the crown of thorns for a crown of shattered runes. both still make you bleed, but i loved how runes represent power and strength, and how that could tie in to the symbolism of the crown of thorns, still being a crown. a sign of power. added some other crucifixes of the Elden ring style to represent the many others who have died before, though his is above them all, for he was the greatest sacrifice. Lastly wanted the view to shift from a broken battleground of the world, covered in the shattered runes of so many hurt people's suffering, to the boundless skies of the awaiting paradise. symbolism of Jesus sitting on his cross in anguish, but keeping his eyes on the future he was doing this all for. Bonus: made his cloth covering also swirl like Marika's, but for the effect of giving him a halo. This piece still isn't done, i'm excited to work more on it later.

PS: i know he was impaled through his wrists, i'm considering changing it to be more proper, but i also liked the hands look, but idk, we'll see Anywho ahhh, hope you like em owo

[mayullla]

Title: Little Sunshine!

Characters: Douma (/Doma) (Demon Slayer)

Summary: You were taken into the Paradise Faith cult with Kotoha (Inosuke's mother.) And like her, Douma became rather fond of you. When Kotoha ran away, she had no choice but to leave you behind as Douma hid the truth away from you and turned you into one of his own kind.

Warnings/tags: Platonic yandere, fem!child!reader, the reader gets turned into a demon (drinking blood is mentioned here / forced), manipulation

Note: Part 2 is here!

You were holding the hand of Kotoha Hashibira, a pregnant woman who brought you along with her when she was welcomed into the Paradise Faith cult.

You were around 3 to 4 years old that time, if Douma remembers correctly when you walked in curiously looking at everything around you so naively and sweetly asking Kotoha who these people welcoming you and her were.

If he was right, Douma remembers that you didn't belong to Kotoha. That two of you weren't blood-related, but she picked you up somewhere as she found you abandoned and alone. It was a common occurrence, no doubt, that kids get abandoned by their own parents. Maybe it was due to poverty or maybe for other reasons but Kotoha told Douma that was hard to ignore you as you look at the world with something in your eyes. Something that she could not pinpoint.

Yet Douma definitely found something common between you and Kotoha, these cheerful and innocent personalities that the two of you have. The two of you would always play together, as you followed along when Kotoha sang or times when you played alone but always invited him to join you when you noticed him.

Even now after years you still do the same, as you toss the ball high up into the air and then catch it the servants watching from far away clapping their hands and they look fondly at you the daughter of Douma having but age only one year after so long.

"Dear," Douma stated, gesturing that you come to him. Looking up from your ball, you trotted over to him, tilting your head curiously. Sometimes you remind him of how he fondly looked at you and Kotoha, the days when he would watch you play around and laugh in delight trying to ask him to carry you as you looked at the koi fish inside the pond. Your eyes were innocent even years later, but then again, you sleep more than before, so maybe mentally, you wouldn't age as much...

"Ah, my lovely child, you are awake! Why didn't you tell me so? I would have come sooner." Douma stated, patting your head. While it has been made this idea that you and Douma were father and daughter, it couldn't have been far from the truth.

It was a public ritual that had been made between you and Douma. The followers envied you, a small child who was forced to drink the blood that came from Douma's hand sliced with a knife and poured into a small cup. It seemed that you didn't remember such a situation occurring as he once brought it up only to get a confused look from you.

You cried so much that day when you were forced to drink from the cup, as the followers all held you down, telling you that you should be grateful and happy that you have been given this honor. That you and Douma would now be related, and there was nothing more privilege than to be related to the man who they worshipped.

With a smile, Douma continued to watch. Your body wanted to curl as you felt the pain in your body as if thorns were stabbed everywhere. Maybe this wouldn't have happened... maybe you would have stayed a human for a long time till you died as one if Kotoha hadn't found out about his little secret.

He remembered when Kotoha tried to run away, she wanted to get you too, but with Inosuke in her arms and him on the way she wasn't able to do so.

Your cries of pain were what he listened to as he thought about the past.

"Where is Kotoha-san and Inosuke?" You asked one night after searching the whole day for them.

"They have left, dear child." Douma smiled down at you, his face covered by the shadow made by the moonlight. His eyes glowed brightly as he watched your reaction to the news. "Oh... are they coming back?" You asked, looking down at the floor fidgeting in your spot. "I am not sure, dear..." Douma replied, watching.

How confused you were, then a sort of realization, then betrayed, sorrow, acceptance, and lastly, loneliness. He enjoyed watching your emotions very much, how expressive your eyes were, a smile still on his face. He wondered what you would do next. Would you curl up in a corner and hide away mopping that you have been abandoned once again, or would you just cry here screaming why?

"Will you stay with me?" Your question almost barely a whisper surprised Douma, as his eyes widen, and somewhere in his body jumped at your words.

It was unfamiliar to him. He wasn't able to reply as silence draped through the room. You stared at him with a cautious hope that started to dim little by little every second he didn't answer.

"Yes.." That word surprised Douma a lot, such a common word held an unfamiliar, heavy feeling that he never thought he would experience. Covering his mouth with his fingers as he wondered if he really was the one who said it. Looking at you, he saw your eyes just light up just a little, and as you smiled.

It was at that moment he thought that his heartbeat, or whatever similar thing there was for a demon. But other than that, there was something else he noticed in his heart, one he could not recognize at all. Yet he thought it was such an erratic, crazed feeling. It was almost addictive.

Douma thought that maybe through you, he might... might just be able to experience these emotions that he never thought he could. The feeling of just being a little more... real.

It was his own amusement that led to the decision to turn you into a demon just like him. When he had done just a good amount of work for Muzan when he asked for a little prize for his work. Mozan stared at him with disdain when he had asked, wondering if he had gone crazy. But to get him out of his sight, Muzan let him do as he pleases, allowing you to become a demon.

Douma watched as you cried your eyes out in pain. Your eyes ever so slowly became more and more crazed. The want for blood you crave would be soon as you tried to find someone to eat, yet Douma noticed how you also looked as if another side of you was fighting. Not wanting to spill blood, as tears fell from your eyes begging yourself to stop.

Instead of eating a human, before Douma could even call for one and offer that dish to you. You passed out.

How... boring... he thought as he stared at you, poking your cheek.

You slept for a long time. A few months or more, he didn't count. Douma sent you to another room to be cared for by the worshippers and almost have completely forgotten about you tired of waiting after a while.

When Douma had asked Muzan about turning a child into a demon, almost all the upper-rank demons were there then. Akaza wondered what has gotten into Douma to ask such a thing but it wasn't like he once understood the guy. So did the other demons they all looked at Douma as if he went insane.

Douma didn't care. He didn't really care what they thought of him, but imagine his surprise when he after a year saw you with Akaza. You were laughing cheerfully as the man carried you on his shoulders. His face was a little confused, but letting you do as you please as you raved about how high up you were. He watched as the smile on Akaza's lips became a little more genuine as he continued to play with you.

... it was a dirty feeling, ugly and disgusting that he wanted to vomit out. It felt like he was drowning in thick mud as he watched you play with Akaza. Just a year ago, he was the one to do this for you.

And he doesn't know why...

Note: I think it was really obvious to those who follow me that I would pick writing demons rather than the demon slayers... hehe

[emmasmoke8]

(Current) Master Key to my God AU:

1. Terms

(Divine) Authority - The right and power of an entity to change an aspect of reality. This aspect corresponds to their domain which is everything they are the god of. Only SEGA (and Sonic that one time that I’ll get into) can grant authority

Divine Law - The laws imposed on the divine by either SEGA or Sonic

Aspect - When a god has more than one domain, they can be worshipped in one specific domain rather than all of them. Sometimes, this causes subtle differences in appearance, personality, and attitude

Patron - When a deity is worshipped for something outside their domain, they are the patron of it rather than the god of it. For instance, Sonic is the patron of adventurers, but not the god of adventures

Spirit - A force or part of nature that has absorbed enough divine energy to gain an avatar

Spirit of Calamity/Disaster - Spirits that are specifically hostile towards mortals and the world

Demigod - A half-god, half-mortal. There’s no current examples of these because I don’t imagine any of the cast leaving behind bastard children, but it’s technically possible

Mortal Realm / Divine Realm - Two separate dimensions. One for mortals (humans and Mobians), and another for divinities

2. Domains (what I have so far)

Tails - ?

Sonic - Head god (tho he doesn’t act like it). God of the sun, daytime, wind, wilderness, freedom, fortune, and hope. Patron of adventurers, travelers, etc. His various forms (like dark Sonic and werehog) are his different aspects, but I’ll get into that later.

Shadow - God of the moon, night, vehicles, and weaponry. When Maria ‘died,’ he took her domain, so he’s also the god of mortals

Maria - Former goddess of mortals, current goddess of stars and dawn

Amy Rose - Goddess of love, beauty, and war. Her war aspect is known as thorn

Knuckles - God of earth, stone, mountains, and jewels

Rouge - Goddess of wealth, trade, and economy. Patron of thieves (mortals believe that jewels have value because Rouge is always trying to steal them from Knuckles)

Blaze - Goddess of Fire and Ceremonies

Silver - God of time and calendars

Vanilla - Goddess of gardens and agriculture (she was originally a spirit who ascended and took a snippet of Sonic’s domain. He went from god of nature to god of wilderness because of her). Patron of doctors and herbalists

Metal - God of the ocean (Sonic gave him this authority; I’ll get into it later)

Omega - God of Divine Retribution, also known as the Divine Weapon. When the gods (more specifically Sonic) need to punish a person, bloodline, or location, they send Omega to do it. This would make Omega the patron of (but not the god of) executioners and murderers

Infinite - God of madness, delusions, and mania

Gadget - God of clarity and truth

Tangle - God of passionate, violent, extreme, or loud deaths. When people die in battle, when they die on adventures, when they're brutally murdered, that sort of thing. She also takes souls who die doing what they love even if what they love is, like, reading books or something. She doesn't revel in this, though. When she takes a soul who was beat to death or something, she's a comforting presence. She allows the souls to be happy before they go into the Underworld

Whisper - God of quiet, subdued, or simple deaths. She takes people in their sleep or when sickness claims them, or you know, other situations

Lanolin - Judge of the Underworld. When souls come to the Underworld, Lanolin judges them for the good and bad deeds committed in life. She then decides if they get to spend time in paradise or if they’re punished before it’s time to reincarnate

Jewel - Overseer of the Underworld. Organizes the souls, preparing them to be judged and deciding what life they’ll reincarnate into

Vector - God of music and sound

Espio - God of silence (I’m still working on these two)

2b. Spirits

Mimic - Once a death god, his authority was revoked after breaking divine law. This reverted him into a spirit of calamity

The End - The hollowed carcass of the sun that illuminated the Eternal Night (gonna talk about that in the timeline). Spirit of Calamity

Surge and Kit - Two spirits of calamity that create storms

The Deadly Six - Spirits of Calamity. They create and control the monsters that attack mortals

Solaris (Mephiles/Elise) - Solaris was a terribly powerful Spirit of Calamity. Silver split him into two. He put the dark in a mortal named Mephiles and the flame (Iblis) in a mortal named Elise. Silver then taught them to use their powers for good

Charmy Bee - Spirit of breezes and fun

Marine - Spirit of drizzled and adventure

Cream - Spirit of flowers and kindness

3. Rough Timeline

- SEGA is the supreme creator deity. They have created numerous worlds and manage them meticulously. They have certain laws for each world that must be followed or else there are severe consequences

- One of the world’s SEGA created is Sonic’s world. Sonic spawned in the divine realm as the only diety. He instantly created the Genesis Temple as his home. He went down to the mortal realm to be with them. Sonic gave them numerous blessings because he dearly loved mortals. He gave them the sun, breezes, prosperity, etc.

It should be noted that in this period, civilization advanced to the point of advanced technology

- Mortals eventually became greedy, violent, and evil. They murdered, cursed, stole, pillaged, and committed other terrible acts. Sonic tried stopping them, but he couldn’t. Their actions turned his love into hatred. He became the Dark-Bringer (Dark Sonic). He revoked the sun and unleashed the first Spirits of Calamity upon the world. The mortal realm was consumed by darkness and cold. This period is known as the Endless Night or the Eternal Winter. Everything before it is known as the old world

- Before Sonic abandoned the mortal realm, he bled one drop of blood and shed one tear. His blood became Shadow, his hatred for mortals. His tear became Maria, his remaining love for them. Shadow and Maria knew their names, but they didn’t know they were gods. They would sleep for many years and wake up for a few months at a time

- SEGA had two goals: bring Sonic back and make sure mortals didn’t die out. They created more gods to make this happen. Blaze, for instance, was created to give mortals fire by which they could see by, and Silver was made to help them keep track of time. Gods like Amy were made to make Sonic happy again, but it didn’t work

- At some point, Maria and Shadow are attacked. Maria sacrifices herself for Shadow. Her prayer for someone to save Shadow awakened Sonic inside the Dark-Bringer. He came too late to save her, but he did bring light back to the mortal realm in her honor

- Shadow despised mortals. He awakened his divinity in the pursuit to destroy them. Sonic convinced him to stop by telling Shadow that he wasn’t Sonic’s hatred for mortals any longer; he was his own person. Sonic and Shadow then turned Maria’s soul into the stars

Now, I could go further into the timeline, but that’s just summarizing what’s in the books in the series, so go check out the series :D

[twig-tea]

Some background on Dear Dakanda for the TOL rewatch

Thanks to @bengiyo's idea and @lurkingshan's incredible energy and skill for organization, I joined the Theory of Love Romcom Rewatch starting this week, alongside @solitaryandwandering and @neuroticbookworm. It was really interesting starting with an older Thai film–this was one of the reasons I was immediately drawn to this project, I wanted to get exposure to some of the older Thai media that has been a shared touchstone of these content creators, in order to get more of the references. Theory of Love does a lot of the work laying out which films it’s referencing for the audience, which makes this easier; plus I just love that show so you don't need to twist my arm to get me to start a rewatch. 

The first film was Dear Dakanda (2005); in Thai, the name is puen sanit i.e. best friend (or close friend), which is also the name of the first episode of TOL. Shan already wrote about the film itself, and how it relates to the first episode, but as we were watching I was noticing a lot of ties to QL and so I wanted to capture some of that here. What follows is what I was able to find on this film based on internet searches, MyDramaList, and my own knowledge of QL from having been watching it for a decade. I'm by no means a Thai media expert, and coming at this film twenty years later, so if anyone else has context they want to add, please do!

Side note: Why is this interesting? There is something I really like about how identifiably queer people are just around in Thai media, both behind and in front of the camera, and it was interesting to see that in something 20 years old. It’s also just neat to see how small the industry is, and to notice similarities between the work these people produce. I’m well aware that we can’t conflate working on queer stories with being out, and that, especially back in the early 2000s, being out was often a barrier to creating queer media and would mean you could not get work, and that the on-screen opportunities for queer people were often very stereotyped and problematic, so I’m not trying to glamourize the past here. I just think it’s all worth noticing and thinking about. 

This film is based on a bestselling and award-winning short novel, The Red Mailbox (2000).

The producer, Keng, puts a lot of what follows in context. Keng was a screenwriter for the film The Iron Ladies (2000) (shout-out once again to @happypotato48 for putting that one on my radar), and started his own production house which was absorbed by GMM and was the predecessor to GDH 559. He’s produced a bunch of QL over the years, including Friend Zone, Tootsies and the Fake (2019), and most recently Flat Girls (2025). He also produced How To Make Millions before Grandma Dies (2024) and co-executive produced The Paradise of Thorns (2024). And, relevant to what's about to follow, he produced My Girl (2003).

The director, S, has also directed several works with queer elements, including Girl from Nowhere, Wake Up Ladies 2: Very Complicated, and the original Club Friday. This was his first solo directing gig, and folks were anticipatory of it after his work as one of the six co-screenwriter/directors of My Girl (2003), for which he co-won a Thailand National Film Association award for best director (this was the first of any of the six's solo efforts). He didn't win that award again for this film, but he was nominated, which is pretty impressive for a first solo outing. The other screenwriter/directors for My Girl have cameos in Dear Dakanda as seniors at university. It's worth noting that there is a character in this film that is apparently reprised from My Girl (the barber), so those following along should be on the lookout for that!

The cinematographer, Beat, won a Thailand National Film Association award for this film. He has also worked regularly with S since, on Girl from Nowhere and Wake Up Ladies 2, and he was the cinematographer for the BL Not Me (as well as several other GMMTV shows folks in this space might recognize, like F4).

One of the two ADs, Petch, also directed an episode of Girl from Nowhere and has since become a director for Konghtup; he’s co-directed both Two Worlds (BL) and Apple My Love (GL).

The other AD Nontra was one of the screenwriters for the original Hormones (2008) film [which I will be honest I haven't seen and don't know if it has any queer elements the way the show does]. The screenwriter for this film, Nitis, was another co-writer for the original Hormones film, and also won a Thailand National Film Association award for this film. 

And finally, the composer Vichaya works regularly with GDH and composed the original score for I Told Sunset About You and I Promised You the Moon, as well as Paradise of Thorns, Cutie Pie, Tootsies and the Fake, The Stranded, Friend Zone, and more. The score felt like a familiar friend while we were watching this film.

The actors were also familiar faces. The lead actor playing Moo/Khaiyoi, Sunny, was the het romance lead in My Ambulance (which is the Nadao Bangkok series that first included Bilikin and PP as a paired side couple–one that was so popular, they used the demand to see them again to fund the creation of ITSAY). 

The actor playing the eponymous Dakanda, Noon, had a bit part in Gay Ok Bangkok s2

The actor playing Nui the rival love interest, Ae, had a supporting role in Mhom Ped Sawan (GL); before that she was the inappropriately flirty client in The Trainee (shoutout to @my-rose-tinted-glasses for noting that she tried to come between Off and Gun in that, which is a very hilarious coincidence); she was also in Vice Versa (which is extra funny because Gun appeared as Third the character from Theory of Love in that show). [Also, Vice Versa people feel free to correct me because I haven’t rewatched that show, but wasn’t her character sapphic? There was definitely something between her character Joob and Jeab’s character Dol, though I can’t remember if it went anywhere.] 

All three of these main actors were nominated for a best actor, best actress, and best supporting actress award from the Thailand National Film Association respectively.

Knowing that all of these people were involved in this film and then moved on to work on these shows and films that many of us have seen and loved helps give credence to the parallels we noticed while watching (e.g. the way visuals and characters from this film clearly influenced ITSAY as Shan mentioned in her post; there were also definitely jokes about Ae’s role in this film in Vice Versa that I did not get at the time). 

[emberfaye]

Liveblogging my thoughts on Paradise of thorns, will be posting this after I finish watching. So spoilers!

(This is the first part, i will reblog wtih a second part)

Sek is sus already, is he guilty or shy?

Ah yes, the "i had to learn to sing badly in the car" scene i vaguely remember hearing about during the promo.

The bumper sticker!!! "it's too late i'm already married"

why is only sek's name on the deed that's not very smart of thongkam =(

omg laughing and sneezing during sex is absolutely something we don't see enough of, especially in queer media (from what i've seen)

rip sek, but at least the last thing you did before dying was blow your boy, what a good husband. (I joke but also like i did not expect thongkam to bear witness to him dying, i thought he was going to find him later and both are painful)

HI MO working late/early aren'tcha? Was the truck driver throwing bits of the vegetable off because it didn't meet his standards or?

the opening scene of the mom (the leaves falling away from the ceiling to show her face) was amazing omg cinematography i love you.

oh god he didn't just instant die, it's gonna be about having to wait for procedures and legalities too, even though his HUSBAND is right there askldgjaslkdjg

"I REALLY AM HIS HUSBAND WE JUST SCREWED LOOK" *drops pants* I'm. 0.0

Oh no wonder the mother is in such a bad state after the death, the guilt is going to eat her alive. and mo. oh god. and then them not getting there on time and thongkam losing everything to them LITERALLY OH MY GOD

FRIEND OF PATIENT OH FUCK OFF

EXCUSE ME

motherfucking what????

DO THEY NOT KNOW THEY WERE MARRIED? THAT HIS IS WEDDING RING???

I'm actually kinda glad the audio is low because then i can't hear the crying as much T_T

oh there is no no no trust here. damn.

oh god no don't tell me thongkam invites them as guests oh god please don't please don't the road to hell!!! (Oh wait i think she is not trusting thongkam and is going to just. bulldoze her way in?)

so was sek trying to protect himiself or thongkam since mo and mom had never been here?

ugh I can see the way the mom relies on mo so hard. poor mo.

THEY FUCKING PLANNED THIS. maybe not intentionally but they did oh my gooooooood fuck this.

forced him out of his marriage bed and then and only then did they inform him about what the village head said

I said this when i saw the trailer, and i'm gonna say it again, but i really hope that the movie ends with the mom leaving the land to thongkam, and she just wanted to die in the same place as her son. Though with how mo and thongkam acted, i wonder how they would end up dealing with that reveal, since they turned to throwing stuff at each other / competition.

does mo not even have a bed to sleep on?

Welp. both thongkam and mom did try to have a heart to heart, but both are so hurt and don't know how to see without worry for themselves.

oh they really making decisions for the orchard no without including thongkam that is not okay.

JINGNA cutting the durians? thongkam having a party? what is going on

OH HE WAS TRYING TO ANNOY THEM. not him refusing to take them to the hospital. T_T that's gonna have consequences

locked out of the house he built? T_T what the fuck oh god he's taking all the things and door and couches??? and now he's going to get the police called on him??? WAKING UP THE MOM TO TAKE THE RING BACK??? T_T

I'm literally having my blood pressure rise this is so intense

"A PERSON LIKE YOU IS FULL OF SIN"

"IF YOU WERE BORN A NORMAL WOMAN THEN SEK PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE DIED"

THONGKAM HONEY I WANT YOU TO GO FULL GONE GIRL ON THEIR ASSES PLEASE

I want to make a joke about horny jail but honestly i'm too stressed and sad.

the music leading up to this is just. psychological horror. this whole film feels like that tbh. and it is, to Thongkam.

How he managed to swallow his emotions and apologize is absolutely impressive and terrifying.

his face when asked to apologize to mo T_T lmao though

villain era thongkam let's gooooooo

what a shot the inner photographer in me just sighed in appreciation

Oh my god there was only one camping spot

NOPE THERE WAS ONLY ONE MOSQUITO NET

not jingna being a cuddler or a horny gay? what the fuck?

Yeah go sleep in the car buddy. jingna really tried to shoot his shot after punching him and shit?

Mo pushing her mom around for 20 years???

Okay but lmao him getting mom a wheelchair that mo doesn't need to push means mo isn't as needed ooo....drama

mo just sitting in the shower holding the water is so relatable though. i get it.

jingna is rather useless isn't he. just vibing head empty. OH GOD

JINGNA HAS HAD A CRUSH ON THONGKAM HASN'T HE? HE'S SO JEALOUS OF SEK? WHAT??? ISS? GOING?? ON???

sek please dont' be lying challenge

WAS SEK A SUGAR BABY???

thongkam: tell me about mo

jingna: "why do i have to tell you"

IS HE GONNA SAY WHAT I THINK HE IS? OFFER TO SLEEP WITH HIM???

NOPE HE'S GONNA SAY NOTHING AND JUST USE HIS HANDS

Thongkam uses seducation, it's not very effective.

"You don't wanna know" what's up with mo???

Investigator thongkam. what is the cultural significance of the stuff on the roof?

Wait were sek and mo a thing? why else did he throw his wedding ring down?

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD SEK YOU PIECE OF SHIT

sek: a wife to take care of my mom, a husband for work and money

fucking give bis a bad name. and yes, let jingna and thongkam fuck, boy is grieving multiple things now.

two people exploited by the same family.

fucking mood thongkam. fucking mood

I AM LIVID WHAT A FUCKING TWIST WHAT A FUCKING

using thongkam to (allegedly) fund his marriage with mo????\

NO WONDER SHE DIDN'T LET HIM GET BURIED WITH THONGKAM'S WEDDING RING

[conscbgb]

"The Paradise Of Thorns” starring Jeff Satur and Engfa Waraha, is set to premiere this year.

‘Thongkam’ and ‘Sek’, a devoted gay couple, have worked tirelessly to build a life together, including owning a house and a durian orchard in Mae Hong Son. Tragedy strikes when Sek dies suddenly in an accident, revealing that they were never legally married in Thailand, leaving Thongkam with no rights to their assets. The house and orchard now belong to Sek’s mother, who moves in with her adopted daughter ‘Mo’ and gardener ‘Jingna’. Thongkam must now fight to reclaim the fruits of his love and labor.

The film is written and directed by Boss Kuno, best known for his works with GDH 559 and Nadao Bangkok such as ‘I Told Sunset About You’ and more.

Finally a different and interesting plot...we are gonna cry a lot with this one...

[mynameisnotthepoint]

TV music superlatives

Inspired by @lurkingshan's BL superlatives and @my-rose-tinted-glasses's Rose Recaps QL 2024 - Music, I will list the music from TV shows that I enjoyed immensely. In no particular order.

Di Ka Sayang by Ben & Ben | Marahuyo Project

I discovered this Filipino group 2020 when I watched Gaya sa pelicula and have listened to several albums and songs by them. They make me whistful to that period in my life, but also so so hopeful. I actually knew this song before watching the show and it made me remember how much I love this group's music when I heard in Marahuyo Project. This show is so so good, and it has such a wonderful soundtrack.

相濡以沫 (This is Love) by JUD 陳泳希 | Let's talk about Chu

When I visited Taiwan in september, I heard this song in a gay bar/diner we stumbled upon and felt like I was kind of home? This song has seen me through some tough times. I am not good with cringe, so I had to watch this drama in increments, but overall, it is one of the series that I have rewatched parts of the most this year. Sex and the relationship to sexuality and intimacy and what it means to be family is such an important thing to me. I really recommend watching this drama, it has some tough scenes and a lot of cringiness, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Several other songs from this series' soundtrack made it to my 2024 playlist!

ふたたび (Futatabi) by HIROBA, 大塚 愛 (Otsuka Ai) | The End Of The World, With You

I rewatched this series in spring. This song just pierces through your heart, it brings something visceral out in me. Like I want to scream along, cry and just enjoy the instensity of it all.

美しい彼のテーマ (remix ver.) (My Beautiful Man's theme - remix ver.) by Yoshitaka Fujimoto | My Beautiful Man Eternal

This song touches something deep in me, just like Futabi. I have sat in my parents' car, driving on the highway and just loudly sang the drawn out vowels in this song. Amazing experience. Amazing film.

Chosen Family by Rina Sawayama | She loves to cook, she loves to eat

This series is like a warm hug, and this song is like the reassurance that even if your relatives suck, you can always find likeminded people who become family. I own every volume of this series that has been published in English so far and I really like the way the story was put on the screen. Hoping for a new season in the future!

めをみて by 泡く、脆く。, 千鎖 from ミセカイ | Mr. Mitsuya's planned feeding

This was not my favourite drama of the year, but I really enjoyed its atmosphere. And this song is rather atmospheric too, calm and soft, but with a spring in its step.

2Colors by THE SPELLBOUND, JESSE | Happy of the End

This show was a hard watch, and I can't say I didn't skip parts of some scenes, but I liked the characters and the cinematography. And this song!! I tried to find it on Spotify, but used the wrong keywords. I saw it on @my-rose-tinted-glasses post and was so happy I found it again!

안녕! 여보세요 - 이은하 (Lee Eun-ha) | Love in the big city

I binged this drama, which was not the best idea (I was sick at the time and couldn't do much else). This drama punched me in the gut and made me laugh, cry, experience all kinds of emotions. The music was good too (sad they couldn't license Kylie Minogue). I really enjoyed this song, it is just my kind of 80s music :)

Extra shout-outs

the Just between lovers soundtrack (youtube)

the Run On sountrack (youtube)

Palmy, Silly fools and SIN, Ohm Cocktail songs from the My School President soundtrack

เหมือนวิวาห์ (Rain Wedding) by Jeff Satur from The Paradise of Thorns, which I sadly have not been able to watch yet. (youtube)

the instrumental from Our Youth that I have yet to find...

[concreteangel92]

Ok so I’ve finished ‘Paradise City’ and I was writing down my thoughts as I went along for my review….

• Andy’s acting is so much better then in American Satan

• Also he looks fucking stunning as he always does 🥵😭

• Bella Thorne was a much better casting choice for Lilly, I loved her performance!

• Sad to know this came out after Cameron died and he won’t be in it again as he played this role so well 😣

• Loved seeing Kellin Quinn and hearing SWS playing

• Second episode and hearing bad omens in the background 🖤

• Love how this franchise shows what happens in the music industry in Hollywood as I do believe it’s pretty accurate

• Loved seeing Randy Blythe, Sid Wilson, Fairuza Balk and I even recognised Nita Strauss in this

• Be careful what you wish for 🖤

(Although terrible lip syncing haha unless it’s because I know that song word for word 🤣)

• Still hate that never used Andy’s voice in this

• But the soundtrack to this is so good!

• Loved the subtle nod to the craft with ‘witch eyes’ when talking about Lizzie

• Sounded like a nod to lamb of god’s song ‘Memento Mori’ when he kept saying “wake up, wake up”

• THAT scene with Andy was 🥵🥵 but having that scene with his own wife singing over the top felt diabolical ahaha 🤣🤣

• But that song was the best in show!! We stand Juliet/Lilith here and that song went straight on my playlist 🖤

• Never know by Bad Omens 🖤

• Actually loved Randy’s band in this ahaha

• Hearing Vultures by Asking Alexandria

• Ben Bruce in the strip club scene was 🥵

• Loved hearing Lizzy Hale, my absolute queen 🖤 although didn’t look right over Bella haha Lizzy’s voice is way too mature in my personal opinion

• Limits in the credits of episode 6, you know I let that play until the end 🖤

• I’m surprised MGK wasn’t in this after hearing his song as he would have been a great casting choice for this style of show/story

• It can’t end like that 😭

So my overall opinion is that I loved the show, I loved it way more than I thought I would and it was sooo much better than American Satan!

I’m surprised they didn’t include Bad Omens in this as they used their music but maybe they declined?

Andy’s acting was so much better and I loved the whole cast in general/the story and I’m so sad they haven’t done another season although I swear I heard they are thinking of doing a comic book to finish it off?

I hope so, I hate cliffhanger endings that never get told 😭

[mochiotomedumplings]

okay just… more sunday aventurine parallels ft. charmony dove.

sunday being the bird in the cage, aven being the bird left outside. both started with a catastrophe of sort (sunday with stellaron disaster, aven being the last of the avgins) then one lived in a cage high above the ground (adopted then found his way to head of oak family) while one fought his way up from the lowest point (from slave to a stoneheart). one tried to save others from within the cage, the only “paradise” he’d known even if it was nothing but a cage, shackling him the moment he was in it (moulded into the order from childhood) (2.7 made him see that he was still the child who failed at aideen park). one tried to live and find happiness in the outside world, but he kept failing and despite it all, his fate was to try again and again (keep betting, keep failing to get what he truly wants) (penacony made him face what he thought of himself, that he was still the same failure in the past). they both lived lives where true failures were not tolerated, but for different reasons - sunday bcs it was a cage of the order, aven bcs he was betting his life every time. at the end of penacony, sunday left the cage to walk the outside world with robin’s help, while aven managed to overcome his despair and embrace the life his sister had died to protect.

the dove was meant to suffer, at the mercy of a dangerous world or it would fail to fly after leaving the cage. their symbolisms are intertwined - sunday was the bird who had only known the cage, who had wanted the cage in fear of the outside world, while aven was the bird who only knew the despair of failing to fly, a perilous world without a future in sight. and now, sunday had to brace the world outside the cage, a painful world without the order and control he once had, while aven had to try to “fly” in earnest, live a life he could be proud of despite the world he lives in. both of them needed to embrace “life” for what it was: full of suffering but not hopeless nor meaningless. they both were trying to escape, just in different ways.

i’d like to think… that it had not been easy for sunday in the cage even if if was supposed to be “safe”. he had to cast aside “wonweek” and become someone stifled to the point that he could not even be honest to the most important person in his life. the order was not unlike the thorns that’s found everywhere on him, particularly his halo which was spose to reflect a halovian’s life experience - he’s lived a life basically smothered by the order. from what he told wonweek, it was not a bed of roses to take control of the oak family - a lot of effort went into “safeguarding” his position in the family, so being gopher wood’s adopted son didn’t ensure his success. he also mentioned escaping death which i’m unsure was before or after the adoption, but either way it was not all sunshine and rainbows, perhaps the stellaron disaster or something after that made the “safety” of order/ control extra appealing - how sunday grew into who he is now. it’s said that he’d always been in the spotlight, as a leader there would have been even less space for failure (he once said he did not take risks at all, and everything must be in order - it was extreme caution making sure nothing will fail) - this way he was similar to aven in that they seemed to be “winning” most of their life, but who knew what struggle they went through ?

(he never talked about it, like how aven never talked about his past on his own, but through robin we knew he had to watch as his mother was lost right in front of him. when robin said she woke from the dream bcs of how “blissful” it was, i think it’s bcs their real childhood had more pain than it seemed, so much that it must have affected sunday even if he didn’t mention it. it made him even more susceptible to the order and more empathetic to ppl’s suffering - he likely relates very well to “loving family more than his own life”. he’s been a protector his whole life, that’s why his arc is to “sever his wings” and live among the people, see the world on the ground - for one, not being the one responsible for everyone)

aven was outside the cage and had to fight and survive with only his luck and wits, so he betted his life again and again; sunday was inside the cage but also had to fight - like aven he could have chosen a life more peaceful, but he chose to take more responsibilities (like gopher wood would have said… it was destiny, just like aven would have always done the same thing he did) - and survive with only his own abilities (aven was lucky, but his luck did not care what he had to lose to “win”, and sunday was adopted, but gopher wood had been manipulating him the whole time), killing himself until he was ready to sacrifice himself for the order’s plan. they both struggled as they lived, and ended up wanting an escape - sunday with ena’s dream, and aven with dying (from manipulation, sunday became more pessimistic and agreed with the order’s plan to escape reality where suffering was inevitable; bitter with his “luck”, aven lost hope and decided to end it, leaving a reality where there was no meaning in living or struggling when we would all die anyway).

and their path, though twisted at the end, had both started from a promise with their sister: to create a paradise, to stay alive. it was destiny, sunday would have risen to the head and enacted the order’s plan for his paradise, aven would have made bets after bets just to live to see the next bet, to make something out of his continued existence. their journey had so many parallels 😭

[mailed-it]

Thanks again to everyone who nominated fandoms for this exchange! An incredible 61 fandoms were nominated—so to keep this post short, the full (alphabetized!) list is posted under the cut. 

Sign-ups will open later today and run through March 16. We will require all sign-ups to request at least 2 fandoms and offer 3, so be sure to check out the list below and start deciding which fandoms you’d like to pick. 

#

180 degree longitude passes through us (2022)

3 Will Be Free (2019)

4Minutes (2024)

B

Bad Buddy (2021)

Be My Favorite (2023)

Between Us (2022)

C

Caged Again (2024)

Century of Love (2024)

Cherry Magic (2023)

Cutie Pie (2022)

D

Dark Blue Kiss (2019)

DFF: Dead Friend Forever (2023)

E

Every You, Every Me (2024)

G

Gap the Series (2022)

Gelboys (2025)

Gen Y (2020)

H

He's Coming To Me (2019)

How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024)

I

I Feel You Linger in the Air (2023)

I Promised You The Moon (2021)

I Told Sunset About You (2020)

Ingredients: The Series (2020)

J

Jack & Joker: U Steal my Heart! (2024)

K

KinnPorsche (2022)

Knock Knock Boys (2024)

L

Love in the Air (2022)

Love Sea (2024)

M

Manner of Death (2020)

Midnight Museum (2023)

Monster Next Door (2024)

Moonlight Chicken (2023)

My Only 12% (2022)

My School President (2022)

N

Naughty Babe (2023)

Not Me (2021)

O

Only Boo! (2024)

Only Friends (2023)

P

Peaceful Property (2024)

Perfect 10 Liners (2024)

Petrichor (2024)

Pit Babe (2023)

Pluto (2024)

S

Sotus (2016)

Spare Me Your Mercy (2024)

T

Tale of a Thousand Stars (2021)

Thamepo (2024)

Tharntype (2019)

The Boy Next World the Series (2025)

The Eclipse (2022)

The Gifted (2018)

The Heart Killers (2024)

The Paradise of Thorns (2024)

The Sign (2023)

The Trainee (2024)

This Love Doesn’t Have Long Beans (2024)

Triage (2022)

U

UMG (2023)

Until We Meet Again (2019)

Uranus2324 (2024)

W

We Are (2024)

Y

Your Sky The Series (2024)

[size-two-shrimp]

!! ULTRAKILL THEORY !!

Minos is actually.... Jesus in disguise trying to remind everyone in Hell how much he loves them!

Reasons that Minos is Jesus:

Has a crown

Minos has a spiky crown for his eyes, like the crown of thorns

Wears some sort of robe/toga/long draped fabric apparel

Son of GOD??? 😳

They both have skin

Died for sins...

... but they came back (jurple guy???)

Linked to snakes (Minos' companions / the thing that got Papa Gohn's first humans kicked out (and ofc God is Jesus and Jesus is God)

Have both had beef with cattle (again, God = Jesus)

Have been kissed by a friend probably

Everyone is their children I think??? Idk

Both have a sort of paradise and hell in their mythos.

Love everyone and very forgivinf

If you guys can think of anything else feel free to add on :D

[min-9things]

With the new pictures of paradise of thorns coming out I'm getting confused who thongkam's love interest will be (or would he even have a love interest his husband/boyfriend/fiance) just died.

[eresia-catara]

Do you have a favorite canto? This can apply to any part of The Divine Comedy

Keeping in mind that I still need to finish Paradiso, and that the parts that I have read need to be refreshed a bit, I have two canti that have always struck me and they're Inferno XIII and Purgatorio II.

The first one because I love that the text resembles the ambience: the phrasing is all twisted like the trees and the words are as if sharp and pointed like the thorns of the surrounding vegetation. Then we also have the soul of Pier della Vigna whose monologue is simply hhhhhhhhgnksh eatable. completely. Like his speech is so pretty so elaborate but also so violent and passionate, his first words are Perché mi schiante? Perché mi scerpi? while he is bleeding like that is such a killer way to start and MY. GOD. HE'S THE ONE WHO HELD AMBO LE CHIAVI DEL COR DI FEDERIGO E CHE LE VOLSI SERRANDO E DISSERANDO SÌ SOAVI CHE DAL SECRETO SUO QUASI OGN'UOM TOLSI LIKE SAINT PETER WITH THE KEYS OF PARADISE BUT BECAUSE OF HIS VERY LOYALTY HE KILLED HIMSELF AND DAMNED HIS SOUL TO LIVE IN DEATH SHSKSJ this canto was not responsible for my first unprompted essay that I gave to my literature professor and that was very appreciated making me realize I love working with texts for no reason. I am so normal about this canto.

Then Purgatorio II is also a very normal canto because Dante has finally reached a dimention in which he is not constantly frightened and anguished. He's in purgatory that looks like Earth except everything is soaked in hope. The souls are not clean yet, they still need to suffer, but they are all content and hopeful because they know what awaits them. And here. he meets. CASELLA. His musician and friend!! And my god OHI OMBRE VANE FUOR CHE NELL'ASPETTO!! Dante tries to wrap his arms around him three times but three times they end up on his own chest because he cannot!! touch him!!! AND CASELLA SAYS COSÌ COM'IO T'AMAI NEL MORTAL CORPO COSÌ T'AMO SCIOLTA. LIKE. DO YOU HEAR HOW LIGHT THAT SENTENCE IS?? HOW SOFT IT IS AND HOW IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE YOU ARE SIGHING?? And not only that but Casella still loves him and still wants to please him so he starts strumming and singing one of Dante's poems and Dante is reminded of the way he would always alleviate his torments when he was alive exactly by playing music!!! I MEANJSHFJSKS DANTE 😭😭😭 and then Cato comes in ushering everyone up saying they Cannot be idle and lazy they need to Hurry!! because Time is the central element in Purgatorio, just like Earth, and these are souls that are still unclean they need to earn paradise they need to Hurry!! be Quick!!

BUT there are some honourable mentions that are very dear to me and those are:

Inferno X, with the dialogue between Cavalcante and Dante which makes me spiral in a way all of its own

Purgatorio IX, the first two triplets are so lyrical and beautiful I could cry just by reading them like he describes that feeling of nostalgia so well jskjddhsk

Purgatorio XXVI, "così per entro loro schiera bruna/ s’ammusa l’una con l’altra formica,/ forse a spïar lor via e lor fortuna." has made it impossible for me to be normal about ants ever again. Also Arnaut Daniel speaking in langue d'oc??? hell yeah.

Purgatorio XXX, MATELDA!!!!

I feel bad not mentioning Paradiso but I really need to (re)read it, however I do remember that I looooved the language :')

[libidomechanica]

Wont to see: and, having pickd up several

Tribute paid: nor this world’s delight?     Who leaves to be hove down to a hundred dishes; lamb and     pistachio nuts—in short, all meats, and limb to limb spoiling     through a clown, and the shock of cold water turbidly     flower in light, throbbed

to her song, were still more nearly     treasure. Give me once there? Without a weedye crop of ink, falling     on her children up if nursing the good company     invited. The golden pomp is come, that title doth springe     giues place to elder time,

and take care of Poets fury     tell, and shortly rain’d upon the race? Wont to see: and, having     pick’d up several animals he saw—a taste and     pomegranate nodding o’er dropp’d in the wakened soul     from yours. I couldn’t even

but incessant care to tend the     whole world. Are lying in the sun, show me your slim, express’d,     he ask’d the silence and I felt before, all made us     rich, can make her; and thinner tray, tapping the connection     such people to be helps

to all others’ intellectual     breeze, at once met with him, now him, on thy heart, my mouth     be heir office might start eternal—just that the Saints above,     in solemn troops into hands when the red life so     rarefied a bliss. But Venus

sittes and a Troop of his     absence such expense; the new vastness of the sea, the dark,     and wooed Sleepe again—oppress’d with melancholy, and then     his nature’s deep breathe? He must fade as well as the pillow’d     upon the river? Yet

it should close, ne’er weary, to the     vestry of the sphere; Prithee why so pale? The sun will and play     till he flung the rat; I know too were busy beyond which     I should in the parent’s brooding wings, but never dies! We     are puppets, Man in hopeless

flame kindled at his rest. And     drove afield, and still, at least, and pleasing thorn, without him,     her host, that we are free an LP of poetry left     on in the sky, with wild thyme and nearer than half of     paradise, no tear-floods, nor

well. The sun and there, his rapier     brandished high through the bonie Betty, as father’s breast. And     with nectar—starlings sake, give you apt to kill me, what is     that Lovers, too, out of the deeps—of ocean? Divine a     thing among many. So

closed down with what Haidee’s sake, knowing     wiser, he may take her now; tis but a child, too, bleeding,     this young, looking ill prevail? Hope, in pity mock not     Woe with thee thrill the day? To think for two. By this, alas,     is more worthless damage

than married lady—the gentlemen.     Thy fair in the tale had touch’d with which thou wondrous Mother-     Age!—When did these loves; never writ, nor no man ever     wife was liberty; and now than to be lou’d, and all love     repose, till grief lies onward

stray’d, my heart will gie to Polly     Stewart! Trembling Pricket, or hunt the highway, and knew     the way to love. The long- neck’d geese of thine and hell at one     day I met wi’ a crazy auld man! The white man not a     chef come down to a very

part to live your tongue’s a feckless     matter what could fail! Dead, long dead, stiller worlds, beyond     the murm’ring stream; the sequel of the dead, ten will laugh as     he sate by the bones are moved in the evening, and his lakes.     Who wanted to say, by

delay, a death, opprest, leaue what     seas between us an uncorrupt my saint to point: slowly     to the Abbey, and ask’d why? Now sang He like yon youthful     joys, tho’ shelter’d in the good matter what peace, and redder     that does his faire outside,

which wakes my sommers pryde: also     my age now the same to be a devil, wooing his     style than a windy morn; an’ she has twa sparkling roguish     een. Where is no plant that thought warbling his own vision     of all humanity,—

lie on their Strength and bore its fragrant     but the lass o’ Ballochmyle. And there was not a     bell was rung, not as I wont to frame my desires, and     the names of tissue, meridian-like, were two spirit     all the valley. A heart

to herd with incessant. Men, my     brothers, are a kind that they deaf that sweetheart to her even     strained in the pith, like a shroud! Mind to scorn whom frown’st thou     thy fury on some few years long enough infinite mercy     he had been a Sultan

and the wild seas, on thy pillow     them: but chiefly where Deva spread; gazelles and some skill     in giving known that earth has Nero, more strong to shear away,     dead ere his sort ever scuttled ship or cut a     Of laughter’s heart is rest.