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kukuandkookie · 9 months ago

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People keep claiming Chinese BL manhua really only have stories featuring toxic male leads, so I offered to give recommendations with green flags... Someone finally said yes, so here's what I typed up in response!:

I Ship My Rival x Me:

One of my personal favourites!

Based on the hilarious novel, commonly known as I Ship My Adversary x Me and also has an audio drama adaptation on MaoEr FM. Basically a story about two actors who are seen as complete rivals by everyone except the actors themselves, which annoys the main character (Wei Yanzi) enough that when he discovers there are actual fans who ship them instead of pit them against one another, he’s so excited he sort of starts shipping them too (in like, an abstract, theoretical manner lmao). This of course causes shenanigans as he actually gets to know the person who people ship him with/pit him against, Gu Yiliang.

Gu Yiliang is a true sweetheart and the greenest of green flags. He’s a complete puppy and I love him. And this means, naturally, the only misunderstandings in this story are of the hilarious kind (you’ll know what I mean if you read it lol). 😂

This one actually used to be available officially in English on the Bilibili manhua’s international app before it got shut down, but it recently got picked up by Seven Seas, the company behind a lot of official English translations of danmei (Chinese BL)!

Touch Your World:

A literally colour-blind boy (as in, he cannot see colour at all and only sees things in black and white) discovers someone who he can see colour on. This person is a designer who has suffered past betrayal and trauma that has caused him to shut himself up and grow much more on edge, but this chance meeting draws both parties out of their shells.

Pixiu’s Eatery, No Way Out:

Not a green flag top in the traditional sense, but here we meet the mythical Pixiu: an ancient Chinese mythical creature who now runs a restaurant. While he’s a penny-pincher with a temper and he doesn’t get along with his love interest at first (a ghost named Wen Xi who he finds suspicious due to Wen Xi’s ties to a past rival of his named Taotie), Pixiu and Wen Xi eventually grow, quite naturally—and hilariously!—into a found family.

The Wife Is First:

Based on a novel of pretty much the same name (and is written by the same author as the popular manhua and donghua, No Doubt in Us (a heterosexual body-swap romance, which also has a subtle gay side ship)). Here we meet Jing Shao just as he’s about to lose everything: once a royal and a powerful general, he has been betrayed by all those around him…except the husband he has never treated well.

As such, when we first meet him, we actually witness his—and his husband’s—deaths. But then he awakens and finds himself back in time to the night right after he was forced to wed this husband of his, and Jing Shao vows to treat him well from now on because he stuck with him through thick and thin despite everything.

Don’t Say You Love Me:

A high school romance with a supernatural twist: Lin Yutong was confessed to by his best friend, Qin Weiyun, at their graduation party. When he drunkenly freaked out and ran away, Qin Weiyun was hit by a car during the chase…

Devastated by his loss, Lin Yutong quickly wakes up to find himself back at the start of his high school journey, right before he meets Qin Weiyun… And this time, he wants to keep Qin Weiyun safe.

But his overly familiar attitude at first gets the wary Qin Weiyun a tad suspicious, because he’s actually quite an aloof person.

The author and artist of this one is also behind another popular manhua titled Your Dream Is Delicious, which is about a demon named Yi Kui who discovers he enjoys eating the nightmares of Lin You. This eventually leads to them—you guessed it—falling in love.

It’s Not That I Want to Wear Women’s Clothing:

Our main character is hired to crossdress to help this CEO get over his gynophobia (fear of touching women) without him knowing. Naturally, this leads to an awkward romantic journey of both identities of our main character getting close to this CEO…who at first glance seems like the typical cold and aloof CEO type, except he’s actually quite a sweetheart.

Salt Friend:

A slice-of-life high school story about the “school bully” named Tong Yang who’s actually a crybaby and the aloof person named Xiao Zhen who discovers him crying. While the two don’t seem like they’d get along at first glance, this quickly becomes a friends-to-lovers story that navigates family drama alongside the romance.

How’d I Get a Heroine’s Script?:

A transmigration story with a twist. Chao Yi is wheelchair-bound but finds himself eventually as a young lord in what is basically a palace drama (court politics, intrigue, family drama, all that good stuff). His System, Qin Que, tasks him with wooing the difficult 7th prince, Gu Yunheng, who smiles on the surface but is quite cold in actuality.

Despite the two getting off on the wrong foot—mostly because Gu Yunheng is really hard to get close to—they soon end up as unlikely allies…especially since there’s a lot of secrets, such as regarding the death of the body Chao Yi’s occupying, the scheming princes, and even Gu Yunheng himself.

See You My King:

Zhang Li, a student interested in what is basically ancient Egypt, goes on an expedition to the ruined civilization and nearly loses his life. Except at the same time, he discovers an ancient tomb with a statue that actually comes to life and saves him…

And this statue even follows him home. This statue is sweet and loving despite its inability to speak, and Zhang Li grows attached to it (or him)… But then the statue falls apart and Zhang Li is devastated.

In wishing for a miracle to bring them back together, the statue’s stone heart sends Zhang Li back in time…to when this ancient civilization is still present. And that’s how he discovers his stone statue is the “tyrant king” of this region, and as cruel as he seems at first glance, both this king and Zhang Li eventually grow close and unfold the different sides to one another that makes them inseparable in the face of all kinds of threats.

Trapping the Foxy Doctor:

A doctor and a psychiatrist meet…except it doesn’t seem like a perfect love story at first glance. Not because the doctor is traditionally foxy (seductive and/or cunning), but because he’s so silly and on-the-nose that he initially kind of rubs the psychiatrist the wrong way. Except, of course, with the kind of sunny sincerity displayed by our doctor Zhi Banyi, you can’t resist him for long…

And the psychiatrist, Lin Li, is himself quite a polite soul despite his complex upbringing. As such, the two end up together through a series of cases where they have to collaborate and help clients, with a lot of shenanigans sprinkled in between (including the fact Lin Li has a side-job live-streaming as a woman—and “she” just so happens to be Zhi Banyi’s favourite streamer lol).

Pirouette Into My Heart aka Salad Days:

You know the “he was a skater boy and she did ballet” kind of set-up? Well here we have a boxer and a ballet dancer…and hey, “can I make it any more obvious”?

This one is basically a feel-good story of the century. It’s childhood friends to lovers, and it’s soft and cuddly and encouraging, as we follow the main character, Jiang Shen, in achieving his ballet dreams. And on every step of the way, he’s accompanied by the boxer Bai Jinyi, who’s also chasing his own dreams.

The draw of this one is that while there’s obviously conflict to drive the plot along, it’s ultimately a comforting story, so you get all warm and squishy inside reading it. Bai Jinyi and Jiang Shen are very supportive of one another, as is everyone around them.

There’s even extras at the very end that swap the classes of the two main characters, which makes for a similarly compelling AU. 🤭

Beryl and Sapphire:

Not always BL but often is. What do I mean by that? Well it’s a story that can switch to any universe even as the characters stay the same, and some worlds are just one-off gags while some are whole story arcs. The original manhua features stick figures, so if you really want to experience this one, I’d recommend the donghua. The first season also cleverly shows the main characters as actors in the OP, which explains all the world-switching pretty easily haha.

Don’t Pick Up Boyfriends from the Trash Bin:

Unfortunately I’m not sure the manhua for this one is still ongoing, but the original novel (all about transmigration and hopping multiple worlds) 100% features a green flag top.

The Guy Inside Me:

I know the title sounds sexual lol but it’s actually a joke about how it’s a body-swap story. 😆

The original Chinese title is “This Question Is Too Difficult”) and of course, the author also wrote Fake Slackers, which has two very smart students act like terrible ones due to not wanting trouble.

Falling to Where I Belong:

The thing about this one is that the top is 100% a total green flag... It's the main character that's more of a red flag, in the sense he at first only asks the top out to humiliate him due to a misunderstanding.

But it's still a heartfelt story filled with regret and growth, and I did really like the portrayal of Cheng Feichi. Personally I think the manhua humanizes him a bit more than the novel since we didn't really get his POV in the novel that often, but I did hope for even more emotion in the ending... Still, it was a satisfying read, and while I would like to comfort the main character, Zhen Yeming, over his regrets, I really want to just give all the good things to Cheng Feichi, who definitely deserves it after everything he went through.

More Than Brothers:

For the "non-freaks" out there, they're not actual brothers, don’t worry; not adopted brothers either. Just a guy who saw his younger friend as his bro…until this friend disappeared from his life and apparently got into a bad crowd… Except in reality he is being harassed and is struggling to leave his abusive family.

The Protagonist Just Wants to Fall in Love:

Kind of a classic in the transmigration genre, except now we get multiple worlds in multiple arcs. Our protagonists are Systems on their final mission, aiming to become human by the end of it, and their task is to guide their protagonists away from the path of "darkening" (essentially corruption).

And each and every one of these systems do so by getting their protagonist to fall in love with them lol.

Unsurprisingly, my favourite arc so far—in the manhua at least!—is the historical one between the advisor and the emperor, but the third—and currently ongoing as the time of me writing this—world between two university students who started getting close during military training and by playing games is also quite cute.

And okay, man I could really keep going, especially with the manhua that are based on novels, but this post is already really long asjakfl. It was, in fact, so fucking long YouTube wouldn't even let me post it at first until I cut it down AMFKGSJDFGS.

But I still want to at least give a shout out to some of the manhua with pretty healthy, green flag tops/gongs!:

Like Han Yuan, despite the characters not getting along at first and Yu Han being rather aloof to the spoiled Luo Linyuan, is still quite sweet at its core. Lovely Allergen is as well, even with their "brotherly" relationship being the forefront of the conflict between Song Yu and Yue Zishi.

Another kind I wanted to bring up is the ones where their worlds or stories are dark, but the characters aren't necessarily. Like The Film Emperor, He Insisted on Being My Patron has a very green flag gong (he's such a puppy!), but he and the main character are up against the reddest of red flags of a villain LMDFKGSJFD.

It's also not a manhua I think people who want green flag leads would necessarily enjoy, given that beyond being "darker," it also goes into the territory of fan service-y and "problematic" nsfw content, but again, the male lead is really quite sweet to the main character despite the shitty situation they're in.

And I thought of Bu Chonghua from Tunhai aka Swallowing the Seas (another one based on a novel), since the main character there, Wu Yu, comes to see Bu Chonghua as so good and just that he pushes him away because he feels like he can't dirty such a man with his own darkness, both in his past and personality. It's a trope I really enjoy.

I'll briefly mention some ⚠️ spoilers ⚠️but the reason I wanted to highlight it is because: the latest chapter of the manhua has Bu Chonghua overhear Wu Yu saying he likes Bu Chonghua, and this is after Wu Yu disappeared and Bu Chonghua is worried he skipped town for good. He follows Wu Yu, all while wondering if the like Wu Yu holds for him is the same as his liking of Wu Yu, and when Wu Yu is about to be gravely injured in an underground fighting ring, Bu Chonghua steps in to save him... The chapter ends with Wu Yu holding him back pleading with him to stop because it's not worth dirtying his hands with such a man as his opponent, and that's such a delicious flavour of angst because like...Wu Yu thinks it's fine for he himself to fight against such a person, but he doesn't want Bu Chonghua to. ;-;

Oops. I didn't mean for this to become a deeper ramble of Tunhai KMSGFKGHSJ. It's just interesting to me since Tunhai and its prequel, Poyun aka Breaking Through the Clouds, may not have what the people who prefer green flag tops want in terms of content, but its tops are technically not that much of a red flag either.

Which also get us to the kind of stories where plot can also sort of outweigh whether a top/gong is a green flag or not. Like No Arguing With Mr. Mo has two characters who struggle greatly in their relationship, with the question of "are they in love?" being an overarching issue for them, meaning it's not exactly healthy, and prevents them from being fully either green or red flags.

I also didn't bring up a lot of historical/xianxia manhua, which I'm sure some people may disagree with... Like the leads in Tianbao Fuyao Lu are arguably quite good, and while I haven't read Dinghai Fusheng Lu yet, I assume it's in a similar boat as something set in the same world.

And then there's the ones that develop into green flags... Like Mo Ran starts off awful, yes, but he does become much better later on!! But I don't think that's what those people after green flags want to hear lol. Plus I'd argue Erha is best experienced in novel (or audio drama) form over the manhua anyway—the manhua feels more like something made for established fans in my opinion.

Regardless, I hope this shows that with so many listed above, many manhua actually feature male leads who really do care for their love interests in a healthy, respectful way, whether they're 100% green flags or they develop into green flags or they're not even complete green flags. ^^

Edit: Oh I forgot to link my full list of danmei/baihe manhua recs HMSKFJSKS. I currently don’t have any summaries, tags, or content warnings in this list though, but there’s quite the range of stories!:

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bl-bracket · 9 months ago

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Build-a-BL: Off the Market

From Aof Noppharnach and Jojo Tichakorn, comes a new show.

Night (First Kanaphan) has been struggling financially for years now, having to pay off his late mother's debts. Until one day he hears about the opportunity of a lifetime. At the upcoming local night market, there is going to be a special exhibit, featuring many priceless artifacts for display. A new job opportunity puts Night right by the artifacts. If he can manage to just grab one of the items being displayed, selling it would give him more than money to pay off the remaining debt and set up a new and good life for himself. But stealing something with such tight security is not a task for one man.

Ace (Khaotung Thanawat) is a burnt out private eye who had long been disillusioned about what good he could do against all the corruption in the world. What's worse, his cases keep causing him to run into Mercy (Mix Sahaphap), a notorious jewel thief that gets in his way and under his skin. At first he wrote it off as an unlucky coincidence, but when Mercy kept showing up at all of his cases, even those that there was no real reason for Mercy to be involved, he had to concede that for some reason Mercy was pursuing him. Against his better judgment, Ace finds himself in bed with Mercy more than he'd care to admit.

When Ace hears about a night market hosting a series of valuable items for display, his private eye senses scream at him that there's something more to what's on display, which is how he meets Night. Inevitably Mercy also gets involved and soon the trio find themselves tangled together as they begin to unravel something far bigger and sinister than they imagine.

Meanwhile, Night's estranged step-sister Dawn (Milk Pansa) is a rookie detective. When she hears about suspicious activity surrounding a night market, she goes to investigate, but is surprised that none of her superiors seem to have any interest in the matter. Things get more complicated when she keeps hearing the name Viper (Bible Wichapas), a respected businessman that all her colleagues seem to respect, tied to what's happening at the night market. What's more, she recently met the mysterious Ruby (Silvy Pavida), who seems to know more than she lets on, but Dawn finds herself inexplicably drawn to her.

Things only escalate by the sudden involvement of Prince (Jeff Satur) a master thief and Mercy's long time rival. Except Prince doesn't seem to be at the night market to steal and his apparent connection with Viper causes more confusion.

Will Night, Ace, and Mercy be able to work together to accomplish their goals? Will the tangled web of corruption be revealed? What are they willing to sacrifice to create the future they want for themselves?

(Full list of details under cut. Also this is 100% a collaborative effort and is about as public domain as a concept for a fictional show can be. If there is anything you want to add or make, please do! Tag me too because I want to see lol)

Country of Origin: Thailand

Primary Genre: Heist

Secondary Genre: Detective

Primary Location: Night Market

Director: Aof Noppharnach (He's Coming to Me, Dark Blue Kiss, A Tale of Thousand Stars, Bad Buddy, Moonlight Chicken, Last Twilight)

Screenwriter: Jojo Tichakorn (3 Will Be Free, Only Friends)

Main Relationship: Throuple

Main Actor: First Kanaphan (The Shipper, Not Me, The Eclipse, Moonlight Chicken, Only Friends)

Love Interests: Khaotung Thanawat (2gether, A Tale of Thousand Stars, The Eclipse, Moonlight Chicken, Only Friends) and Mix Sahaphap (A Tale of a Thousand Stars, Cupid's Last Wish, Moonlight Chicken)

Heat Level: Maximum Heat (Love in the Air, Kinnporsche, Big Dragon)

Number of side couples: 1

Side Couple: Milk Pansa (Bad Buddy, Vice Versa, 23.5) & Silvy Pavida (The Warp Effect, Laws of Attraction)

Antagonists: Jeff Satur (Ingredients, Kinnporsche, Wuju Bakery) & Bible Wichapas (Kinnporsche)

Tropes: Enemies with Benefits & “I would burn the world for you” & Found Family & Anti-Establishment & Sponge Bath

Character Color Theme: Dark Blue (First Kanaphan), Purple (Khaotung Thanawat), Hot Pink (Mix Sahaphap)

Ending Type: Happy Ending

Show Title: Off the Market

Character names: First Kanaphan - Night, Khaotung Thanawat - Ace, Mix Sahaphap - Mercy, Milk Pansa - Dawn, Silvy Pavida - Ruby, Jeff Satur - Prince, Bible Wichapas - Viper

#bl bracket #bl drama #bl shows #build a bl #off the market

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thebroccolination · 2 months ago

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CHARACTER ARCS IN THAI BL (featuring examples from SOTUS, Be My Favorite, and The Ex-Morning)

So, Krist's done two BL series so far with another one on the horizon, and it looks like The Ex-Morning is going to have the same thing that made SOTUS and Be My Favorite so strong: The Character Arc.

One of my biggest complaints about Thai QL series is that most of their protagonists don't want anything. They just kind of walk on camera, act cute, and fall in love. Some sad stuff happens to them, and then the good stuff happens to them again, and then the story ends.

We all know these series are made as a vehicle for the actors. They include just enough fluff or spice (or spicy fluff) to trend, then companies lean on the ensuing hype to sell sponsored products, concert tickets, merch, ten-minute fan calls, fan signings, fan meetings, and top-spender events.

But most series lose me when their protagonists don't even want something that drives the story. And then there's no obstacle to that want.

Want: Arthit wants to hide behind a persona. Obstacle: Kongphob wants Arthit to allow him behind the persona.

I think SOTUS is such a successful slow-burn because it's a well-crafted story of push and pull between two well-developed characters in direct conflict with each other (in personality, philosophy, life experience, class, etc.).

And that conflict builds with each of the three installments:

The conclusion in SOTUS happens once Arthit is fully himself around Kongphob: shyly smiling and laughing while he does a dramatic reading of Kongphob's written account of his hazing experience.

The conclusion in SOTUS S happens once Arthit allows himself to be seen as Kongphob's boyfriend by the outside world (represented by his coworkers).

And the conclusion in their Our Skyy episode—as well as their story overall—happens when Arthit allows the world to see him as Kongphob's fiancé (represented by a ton of passersby in an airport).

By contrast, a lot of other series feel to me as if they haven't been edited or explored beyond a first or maybe second draft. It's difficult for me to get emotionally invested in a story when the characters are just pretty people who say things to each other. And I mean, in all fairness, considering the breakneck speed these are made and released at, writers probably don't have enough time to make anything more profound than that.

That's why I admire Be My Favorite director Waasuthep for requesting more time to work on his script. He was so passionate about that project, and he says to this day that it's his favorite of his works. He basically took apart the original novella's plot, carved it down to a handful of elements, and built it anew from scratch. Last year, he said on a podcast that fans were complaining because they wanted to see the series as soon as possible, but when presented with the choice of "make a worse series faster to appease fans" or "take as much time as possible to craft the story as it deserves to be told," he bravely, boldly, and correctly chose the latter.

As a result, Kawi has arguably the most dramatic and well-executed character arc of all the Thai series I've seen. In episode one, he's self-isolated, timid, avoidant, and selfish. In the last episode, he's a confident, openly queer, and affectionate member of a found family he built alongside the person he loves.

And even better than just having a want, Kawi has a conflicting need.

He wants to be with someone (Pear, then Pisaeng). But what he needs is to be vulnerable enough to let other people love him. Pisaeng tells Kawi in episode two that he's being bigoted against other people for assuming they won't like him and automatically shutting them all out. Then Pisaeng reinforces that point later by telling Kawi that people would like him…if he actually showed them who he is.

And since Kawi's want is at odds with his need (he wants to skip the vulnerability part, which leads to his ruinous potential future with Pear), he's not just externally challenged by his father's illness, his lack of social skills, Not's general unpleasantness, and the inherent dangers associated with changing time, he's also challenged by himself every step of the way.

Seeing Kawi go from self-isolation, in which he assumes the worst of everyone he meets, to warmly hosting a cheerful Christmas party with the beloved people he chose is immensely satisfying as a viewer.

And now in the upcoming Ex-Morning we have an entire series seemingly focused on Pathapi's character arc of challenging the person he's become in order to rekindle his broken relationship with Tamtawan. I've been craving a good exes-to-lovers plot, and I love that it's KristSingto who'll deliver that to me.

Ultimately, it delights me that in all three of Krist's BL series so far, his anxious, reactive characters are forced to self-examine and become calmer, gentler, and happier. SOTUS and Be My Favorite are just as much about self-love as romantic love: Arthit is happiest when he's self-confident, Kawi is happiest when he's vulnerable, and we'll see what Pathapi's whole deal is soon.

Ex-Morning director Lit (who also directed the first SOTUS installment) said in a recent podcast that in the early days, Thai BL directors used to only compete with each other, but they're well aware that their work is on a global stage now. Considering the amount of work that's gone into the script for The Ex-Morning, I'm tremendously excited for the story he helps to create. \:D/

Strong, nuanced characters are what I need from a series, and for them to be at their strongest and most nuanced, they really need that character arc to land.

#thai bl #thai ql #sotus the series #the ex morning #be my favorite #writing talk

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guzhufuren · 6 months ago

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synopsis for the novel that Meet You At The Blossom is adapted from:

The son of the wealthiest man along the Jiangnan region falls in love with an icy white-clothed “beauty” due to an unexpected meeting, but the true identity of this “beauty” is actually…

Handsome and distinguished with an outstanding temperament: Jin Xiaobao is not fated to be described as such. But as the Young Master of the great Jin family, who is funny, considerate and generous, he would be a good match even if the other person was the emperor’s daughter!

The pitiful Jin Xiaobao, whose marriage proposals have all failed; just when multiple doors have closed repeatedly for this little young man, he actually coincidentally picked up a fairy on this very night?! Gazing at those incomparably beautiful features, staring at that imposing, cool as an iceberg manner, – dad~ mom~ your son has found his wife!

But this future wife, the young lady Huai'en, seems to have aroused a lot of enmity. Once again on another dark and windy moonless night, a bloody night, a heavily injured Huai'en was tainted by aphrodisiac from the enemy. – Such a good opportunity for the handsome hero to save the beauty! The Young Master of the Jin family who made his glorious debut, was actually valiantly pushed down by the “wife”?!

---

so what i'm reading here is that a pathetic cringefail loser bisexual Jin Xiaobao meets someone who he thinks is a young lady, who is very cold to him, falls for her immediately and decides to marry her. that young lady in fact is a guy Huai'en who has lots of enemies, he gets poisoned with aphrodisiacs by said enemies. when Xiaobao runs to save him, Huai'en, high on aphrodisiacs, saddles Xiaobao, pins him to the ground and has his way with him. and bts footage showed that this whole aphrodisiac scene is included in the show exactly as it is. this is a wild plot to have as the first ever uncensored chinese wuxia bl tv series. and that's beautiful

(bisexuality was confirmed by a teaser video, aphrodisiac scene is in the picture and gif above where Xiaobao with his golden bracelets is under Huai'en)

#meet you at the blossom #chinese bl #mine #ready to be an apologist and defender for every character 🙏🏼#Huai'en in the novel is as bad as Ming in My Stand-In so i'm more excited than i ever was for anything in my life #(cause they have the same novel writer)#i edited the summary to fit the show in some places cause the fat phobia was nasty and they changed Xiaobao to a skinny guy anyway

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lurkingshan · 2 years ago

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Kinou nani tabeta/What Did You Eat Yesterday?

You should know that I attempted to start this write up about half a dozen times before I managed to get a single word down. Every time I tried I just ended up staring at the wall. I don’t think I’ve been this emotionally stunned by a show since I Told Sunset About You, and I don’t say that lightly!

So, is this a good show? My god, YES. What an understatement. Let me tell you, as my MDL can attest, I’ve watched nearly 300 dramas. I’m sure I’ve watched even more Western shows since I had a 30 year head start on those. And I can say confidently that I’ve never seen anything quite like this gem.

Kinou nani tabeta, or What Did You Eat Yesterday?, is a drama about two middle aged gay men living their everyday lives, making and sharing food, reckoning with their identities and expectations, and figuring out how to be together in a long term relationship. That’s it, that’s the show. If that sounds boring to you, I gotta tell you: YOU ARE WRONG.

We meet Shiro and Kenji when they’re in their mid 40s and already a couple years into living together. Over the course of the show, we learn more about their relationship - how they got together, how they differ, where they struggle, where they shine, what they are still figuring out - and we see them work through it all, together. We see them at work, with friends, with their families, out in public, and in the privacy of their own home - we get a full and complete picture of their lives. And we are invited in to experience it with them and get up close and personal with their relationship in a way that feels both cozy and thrilling.

Now, I am not going to go into detail about everything that happens in this show, or attempt to provide deep analysis about its story, its characters, or the various cultures it depicts. This show was released in 2019, the manga began its run many years before that, and there are folks on this website - like @isaksbestpillow and @bengiyo - who have been at this a hell of a long time and thus have a broader context and lived experience from which to critically examine the show and its messages as they relate to Japanese familial values, life as a queer man from an older generation, and building community while living in a culture that is actively hostile to who you are. I implore you to go read their thoughts and learn from their wisdom. But what I will do is mention a couple (3… no 4, okay 5!) things that really made it stand out to me, a lifelong romance reader, avid media consumer, and drama enjoyer (I’m going to keep plot stuff vague because I hope if you’re reading this, you will be watching very soon!):

Let me repeat: this is a drama about a middle aged couple in a long term relationship, and the ongoing growth and deepening of their relationship is the main plot. Do I have to tell you how unique that is? The romance genre is rarely interested in what happens after the couple gets together, and even in other dramas featuring a couple in a LTR, the plot is usually about something else with the relationship in the background. And I’m fairly sure this is the only show of this nature in the entire bl genre (@absolutebl please fact check me if I’m wrong). In this show, the relationship is the point. It’s a rare look at what it actually takes to learn to deal with your baggage and share your life with someone, and I found it deeply moving.

My god these actors. With all due respect to the many fine actors in the bl industry, these two are on another level. We just never get to see seasoned actors of this caliber headlining ql dramas. If I have one tiny critique of this show, it’s that I found the moments when they let us listen in on the characters’ internal monologues mostly unnecessary - every emotional beat played out in their faces and body language. There’s this one scene I can’t stop thinking about, where the main pair are fighting, and one of them says something he doesn’t mean, and you see the regret on his face instantly, followed by a quick aborted movement as if to take it back, but his partner has already turned away and doesn’t see it. Just perfection. And the acting was so good in the finale (@waitmyturtles informed me my absolute fav moment was improvised for fucks sake) that it actually laid me out for like an hour, I was just sitting there in a crying daze.

The writing is so fucking smart. What’s absolutely brilliant about this show is that it’s structured like an episodic slice of life drama, but there is a deeper long term emotional arc at play and the writers forget nothing. Just like in life, in each episode something will happen, it won’t really get fully resolved, and the characters will move on. But on this show, it always comes back around, usually when your guard is down and they can inflict maximum damage by sucker punching you right in the solar plexus. I can hardly believe how many times this show managed to sneak attack me with emotional realness (official Shan cry count: 8/12 episodes caused me to burst into tears, sometimes more than once).

This show will take you through every possible destination on the spectrum of human emotion. I was so emotional while watching this show, in every sense. Crying both happy and sad tears. Swinging wildly between giddy delight, deep sadness, low key anger, and belly laughing. Sometimes the switch happens literally one scene to the next! And yet, there is an evenness to the tone and assuredness to the filmmaking that makes it all feel smooth. You never feel jerked around by the narrative. This is a credit to the writing, acting, and editing all coming together with perfect precision. The people who made this show are masters of their crafts.

OBVIOUSLY I MUST MENTION THE FOOD. Every episode of this show features at least one instance of a character making Japanese food that looks like the best thing you’ve never gotten the chance to eat. I do not recommended watching this without feeding yourself first, because it will have you salivating. And they don’t just show you the characters making the food (even narrating the recipes for you!), they always show you the characters actually eating and enjoying it. Some real foodies were involved in this production and as someone who loves to eat and absolutely was raised to view feeding people as a love language, I loved it.

So now that you are obviously dying to watch it, you must be wondering: where can I find this show? Let me point you to this post on @kinounaniresource, where the amazing Siiri has compiled all the video files and English subs you need. If you’re not familiar with how to use these, you’ll find instructions on her blog (if you get confused come ask me, please don’t bug her about it). I know sometimes shows being a little hard to access is a big deterrent to watching them, but please trust me that this is absolutely worth your time and effort, you will not regret it.

#kinou nani tabeta #what did you eat yesterday?#japanese bl #jdrama #man i am on such a good run with the classics lately #shan recommends #shan shouts into the void

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avaseofpeonies · 2 months ago

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A Drink Before Battle ~ Intro

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, BL, Yaoi, Drama

Age rating: 18+ (violence, strong language, sexual content)

Status: Main story complete (70,000 words/ 47 chapters), One extra chapter (more coming someday)

Availability: Free to read on Scribblehub, Wattpad, AO3, Inkitt, and Ritoria

Story Tag: #adbb avp

Summary:

General Sevei is of the firm opinion that Nobles are shady and Alchemists even shadier. Noble Alchemists are the absolute worst. He is not looking forward to partnering with one to guard the border. Upon their introduction, though, it would seem they have already met... under very intimate circumstances.

Oh...,****

Set in the same world as Salvage, but we're going back in time for some Medieval sword and sorcery!

This wholesome, happy-endings-all-around, smutty queer fantasy romance features an M/M main couple along with a host of supporting characters bringing some trans rep, some pan rep, some sex worker positivity, and even a straight ally who tries his darndest, bless his little puppy heart.

Plenty of fluff, plenty of sexy times, a few funny bits, and our gang do all make it through the Horrors - but there is a war on, so there's also plenty of angst and a bit of bloody violence along the way.

More details below!

MC: General Zarayan Sevei, 31, brown hair, brown eyes, regular guy

ML: General Yeresym Urskatha, 28, platinum blonde, green eyes, Alchemist (magic user)

Couple Dynamics: Enthusiastic MC x reluctant ML, normal x paranormal, sunshine x grumpy, outgoing x reserved (dog/cat), experienced x inexperienced, vers couple

POV: MC only, 3rd person past

Setting: Fantasy World, Medieval, Military camp

Magic system ~ Qi-type innate spiritual energy (called Ethereal Energy in story). Can be wielded physically, harnessed to fuel technologies, or (more rarely) combined with ritual practices for more esoteric applications.

Themes: individual vs. self, individual vs. society, LGBTQ+ themes, identity, self image, love, sexuality, friendship, loyalty, courage, cooperation, guilt, mental health, empowerment, sex worker positivity, social class/privilege, change vs. tradition, violence, war, prejudice

Tropes: western fantasy influenced by xianxia danmei, enemies (antagonists) to lovers, secret identities, mistaken assumptions, forced proximity, workplace romance, brothel scenes, outdoor bathing, magical sex, opposites attract, side couples, (almost) everyone is queer, found family, band of misfits, fluff, comedic undertone, humor as a coping mechanism, danger/rescue, hurt/comfort, traumatic past, toxic family, angst w/HE, avenging dead loved ones, damsel in distress, magic battles, overpowered villain, aristocracy/nobility, handsome prince

Vibes/Mood: plot with smut, varies from fluffy and comedic to sexy to dark and angsty, but with a happy ending

Content Warnings: Genre typical violence, explicit sexual content, homophobic society, internalized homophobia, internalized transphobia (supporting character), war veteran ptsd, slavery (supporting character – no mistreatment of this character is depicted and sentiments are anti-slavery).

#writeblr #wip intro #free novel #fantasy-romance #mxm #yaoi #original writing #high fantasy #magic #scribblehub #wattpad #ao3 #inkitt #ritoria #adbb avp

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isleofair · 9 months ago

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Tiger & Bunny Week Day 2

Tiger & Bunny First Series Anniversary

(allowing for airtime shenanigans lol)

I can't quite put together a full review, but I want to list some moments in Season 1 that I found striking/intriguing/wonderful/thought-provoking when watching it for the very first time (around the end of December 2021):

1 - The princess carry

I said I started watching T&B at the end of 2021, but I had actually been distantly aware of its existence well before that, for a reason I find extremely amusing: I had seen Taibani BL doujinshi while browsing for doujinshi of other anime shows 😂. My vague impression, based solely on the name of the show and the cover art of said doujinshi, was that "Tiger and Bunny" were something like two detective partners... and that the original series was explicitly a yaoi one, because, come on, surely you wouldn't name your characters Tiger and Bunny otherwise, right?!?

I knew by the time I clicked play on Netflix that that last bit was wrong. The princess carry told me that I was not that far off, though, either. 😜

2 - The reveal that The King of Heroes is actually a massive dork

You kind of catch glimpses of it in the previous episodes, but I sort of dismissed them as "eh, it's his over-constructed Hero TV persona, this guy is the King of Heroes, after all, he must have all of his ducks in a row".

But in the very first episode we see him out of the suit, we find out that Keith is, if anything, even more of an overeager puppy when he's not on the clock as Sky High, and this made me fully realize what a rich world of characters I had landed in (and made Keith start to rise very fast in my personal preference ranking of all the heroes).

3 - Barnaby's fear (?) of fire

This one was, to me, a missed opportunity for what could have been an even deeper look into Barnaby's character.

Barnaby here says he "hates" fire (火が嫌いです). From his expression, and the flashback that follows, I think it would be fair to assume that fire makes him at the very least uncomfortable, if not downright afraid. And Barnaby has both and enemy and an ally who have fire as their power, as evidenced specifically in this episode, so I was expecting that to be addressed... but nothing specific ever came of it.

It's true that Barnaby in this first half of S1 is very cool and collected at all times, but finding out if and how his feelings about fire color his perception of and interactions with Nathan and Lunatic would have been extremely fascinating, IMHO. (Even just an explicit acknowledgment of the fact that he doesn't let it influence his relationship with those two characters in the least would have been interesting, and added to his characterization in some small way.)

4 - Episode 17 ("Blood Is Thicker Than Water.")

Definitely one of my very favorite episodes overall (which means a lot, considering it doesn't feature Nathan, or even Keith, for one single second, lol).

We learn so much about Kotetsu, his family, his history; at one of his lowest points, he manages to shine when it matters the most, where no one can see him, but the thing he cherishes most in the world, Kaede, is at stake. And the thing that struck me the most is that he saves her by completely subverting the way we've always seen him apply his power to being a hero: by being still and quiet and attentive, instead of strong, rash, loud. And then he doesn't even need his power to finish rescuing Kaede, to be her hero; just a good old jolt of parent-with-a-kid-in-danger adrenaline.

It's a really fantastic episode.

5 - The ending of episode 24, and the title of episode 25 ("Eternal Immortality.")

(And I don't just mean the whole "gosh, the fried rice thing was pretty gay, but the eyelash comment was REALLY gay, huh?" stuff, lol.)

See, when I watched this, I already knew that season 2 was coming up, so I should have logically assumed they would not kill off their main character here... But I was way too caught up in the story and way too distraught to remember any sort of logic, and I was staring at my screen like "surely they wouldn't... right? RIGHT?!? 😥"

And then I remembered that oh! The last episode is called "Eternal immortality"! It's the only one with a title that doesn't fit the proverb scheme! It must be very significant!

And so I was fully convinced, for the, oh, 10 minutes between here and the moment Kotetsu stands back up in the last episode and explains he had just simply passed out, that he had indeed died, or about as close to is as to not make a difference, and that his Hundred Power, after diminishing, would actually fade completely right there and then and turn into a different power, that would grant him infinite regeneration (see: him healing himself with Hundred Power in episode 13), and thus, essentially, eternal immortality.

Hey, it would have been pretty cool.

(the prompts!)

#tiger & bunny #tnbw

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vyvienne · 1 day ago

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Winterveil

This time of year makes one think of family. Of cozy nights around a fire. Of trees with twinkling lights and brightly wrapped parcels underneath. Eggnog spiked with rum, warm cookies baking in the oven. People running around through shops while snow swirls outside. Silvermoon City is bright and cheery, yet I sit inside my room scribbling in my journal.

Holidays were always a bit of a mystery to me. As a child in the cloister we received small gifts, of course. A rag doll or a bit of ribbon for our hair. As we aged, we were encouraged to turn our desires for material things to the others around us. To practice the Third Virtue of Compassion by serving others. So I never really saw the point of Winterveil until I had a child.

But I don’t want to write about her today. It’s too close to my heart. I would rather talk of something equally closer, but not in any way similar.

Earlier I found myself thinking randomly of my Auntie Z. Damora, who found me at an odd time in my life. It happened to be near Winterveil and she invited me into her home (not the estate, but some pompous apartment near the Cathedral in the Square) and tried to put me at ease. Me, being of a rather suspicious and paranoid nature was looking for the knife in the back, the poison in the cup. That day, I didn’t see it. It came, of course, but not at Winterveil. At Winterveil, we were family.

What a family! Aunt Z (it is still all I can think to call her, without actually speaking her name which I refuse to do) plied me with gifts of both random and precious nature. A golden hair comb. A tapestry woven of fine silks from Silvermoon City. And the grande finale, a silver locket with the sigil of our house, our noble heritage emblazoned on it. I still have the locket. It appears I can be a bit sentimental, about gifts at least. It has our house motto, Light Gives Glory, emblazoned on the back in small script.

By Hallows, the knife came. By the next Hallows, she and my gentle and quite simple cousin were dead and I suddenly became Baroness Damora, Lady Vyvienne of Autumnvale. I roll it around on my tongue, the title, because it was hard won and many died to bring it to me, including dear Auntie Z. An accident in Stranglethorn, I heard. Revenge may be best served cold, but it also is best served by one who appears blameless.

It’s not hard, honestly, to appear blameless when you look like I do. Diminutive. Soft spoken. A helper of orphans and the religious. People see what they wish, especially what I wish. And when they do not, I help them along. The weak minded will always be prey. Light Gives Glory, indeed.

But I have completely digressed. Winterveil with Aunt Z and dear, simple Cousin. It was then that I learned of my father and his hatred of me. Of his numerous attempts on my life, to which Auntie Z swore she had foiled more than once. It was that day that I learned what my father looked like. He looks like me. Or more specifically I look like him. Except for my eyes. My eyes are all my mother. At times I look in the mirror and watch my own features, wondering if they will ever come face to face with the man I have often sought and yet never found. And for one such as me, a purveyor of secrets, to not find who I wish is maddening.

I find myself wondering, in my renewed quest for more power, if I do so because I know that one day I will find him. And I want him to suffer for all he did in his life. Suffer for my mother, for my grandparents, for me. For the many I have left in my wake as I walked through this life of violence, born from the blood of family. I didn’t used to feel rage at him. Not really. Anger yes, but not this burning rage in the pit of my stomach. Truly, I was so removed from emotion in those days before I had a spouse and child that the very idea of rage would have been ridiculous to me.

But now, as a mother to a dead child, I know what you’re supposed to feel as a parent and it isn’t murder. He was more concerned with his legacy, his bloody legacy, than his own child. To my knowledge I have no brothers, no sisters. It was well known that Lord Damora “never married” and therefore when Aunt Z and her daughter died everything passed to his “bastard daughter”. What a scandal it was amongst the nobility. I used to get secret amusement when I would encounter other nobles who tried their best to be pleasant and yet every word was laced with disapproval. What a shock it was to them when I took my rightful place in the Cathedral. I had blackmail on each of them but never bothered to use it. They were a decadent bunch, more concerned with pleasure and the accumulation of wealth than any actual evil in the city. Most of them, anyway. A useless group, to be sure. Yet, they ran Stormwind with a knowing one only gets when you’ve been raised to think that simply by walking into a room, you grace all others with your presence.

I sound bitter, but I don’t think I am. Not truly. It was an interesting study into the life of nobility, but beyond that, it had little to do with my life.

I truly am unsure the point of writing this journal entry, as I’ve obviously entered into a stream of consciousness instead of getting on with writing about Auntie Z. Perhaps the entire moral of this writing is to remind me that evil comes with many faces, but the worst is the face of family. The Sanctum may be considered “evil” by ‘normal morality’ (whatever that is), but at least they do not act contrary to their nature or pretend to be what they are not. To the outside world, of course, as one has to be smart about these things. But to each other? No. We have no need to hide our grasping for power, or desire to harm or control. It’s rather freeing, and perhaps that is what I have gifted myself this Winterveil. Being who I have always been, without reservation. No longer being thwarted from my nature or purpose. I accept this precious gift and look forward to the blooming of power it brings.

#rp #SotF #sanctum #Winterveil

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absolutebl · 5 months ago

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Top 10 Most Underrated BLs of the last 3 years

(mid year 2021 - end 2023)

This list will not include BLs that ended their run in 2024. I need some distance to know if something is actually underrated (We Are maybe?) or justifiably ignored.

1 I Cannot Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai (Japan 2023 Netflix?)

This classic friends-to-lovers BL is everything Japan does best. Angsty. Emo. Aching. Driven by real thirst. Yamato is deeply in love with his childhood bestie, Kakeru, and has been for ages, increasingly unable to hide his ungainly damaging high school need. He wants Kakeru in every way possible and it oozes off of the screen. Kakeru is silly and a little simple, but not frenetic or overly camp about it. He is earnest, and genuinely wants to keep Yamato in his life, which means giving a romance (and gayness) a fair chance. We watch him realize his affection and what form it can take in a truly authentic way. This show was impossibly kind to both of its lead characters and I felt almost honored that I got to watch something so lovely and rare play out on my screen. Full review.

2 My Ride (Thai 2022 Gaga)

Thai BL grew up with this pulp (the first ever pulp to make my end of year top 10). It’s a truly lovely and special little show featuring the extremely rare pairing of sunshine/sunshine (AKA a cinnamon roll couple) plus mature explorations of relationships using one of the softest, sweetest, and most innocent friends to lovers vehicles. Kindly, overworked doctor meets broken-hearted motorcycle taxi rider in an “other side of the tracks” slow burn romance. The support cast is excellent, making for great friendship groups and family dynamics. With honest queer rep that adds to, but doesn’t impede, the story, and genuine conversation about the nature of class, wealth, and classism, not to mention communication, honesty, and respect for boundaries, you can’t go wrong with this show. In other news, I am a sucker for a single dimple. Full review.

3 Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku (Japan 2023 Gaga)

A lonely salaryman (+ talented cook) gets accidentally adopted by a college kid (and his little brother). I was always gonna love this show if they stuck to the original yaoi (which is very dear to my heart). And they did! Paralleling it almost exactly. It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. Possibly too slow for some but definitely high up there for me as the best of what Japan can do with softness (like Restart After Come Back Home). It’s only flaw (if I dare say such a thing) is that it is not really “romantic.” Lovely & sweet but the romance beats are being used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy, but that's OK with me. This is a very safe show for anyone to watch.

4 About Youth (Taiwan 2022 Gaga)

A truly lovely little coming of age high school BL with a classic YA low drama but high angst and earnest depth. I didn’t even mind the singing, and that’s saying a lot. A weak seme/uke dynamic but tons of BL tropes (both rare in a high school setting but common for Taiwan) makes this one feel both sweet and colored by real world authenticity and grit. Full review.

5 Step By Step (Thai 2023 Gaga)

This was Thailand’s answer to The New Employee, and everything I loved about that show I loved about this one. This office romance between a stern boss and sweet subordinate felt more authentic to cubical work than previous Thai BLs of this ilk. That authenticity added tension to the narrative and its characters development (how novel). I also really enjoyed the charming side characters and the brothers' relationship to each other (although I could have done without that brother's side BL). Full review.

6 DNA Says Love You (Taiwan 2022 Gaga)

DNA deserves extra marks for an upbeat approach to a queer story arc that other shows have systemically mishandled with sadness (in the guise of realism). There is a twist, which I found predictable, but knowing what would happen didn't spoil this show. The leads are luminous and engaging, and it’s full of queer found family representation and an unexpected amount of domesticity, plus it’s Taiwan, so the kisses are great. The first few eps are rough going but have patience, it's worth it I promise! The second half is really special and life/love affirming - and the end is big-grin charming. Full review.

7 Unintentional Love Story (Korea 2023 iQIYI)

Of all the BLs on this list, this is probubly the MOST underrated. OMG the plot! Uke forced into a totally understandable betrayal, falling in love despite himself, put into a corner he can't get out of, the AGONY, the PAIN in those gorgeous eyes. Gah. Okay, so: A boy loses his job due to trumped-up corruption charges accidentally discovers his ex-boss's favorite artist, now a recluse. Evil manager offers him his job back, if he can convince the artist to rejoin society. Instead, they fall in love. I found the artist a bit stiff and reserved but Gongchan (maknae of B1A4) is a fucking GIFT - he carried this show (which I do not expect from the idol element). He was luminous with extraordinarily expressive eyes, just drown in the emoting abyss. The external conflict, social tension and pressure is complex and beautifully executed, plus Korea gave us legit side dishes (NOT a love triangle, hally-fucking-luya). Full review.

8 Dear Doctor I'm Coming for Your Soul (Thai 2022 iQIYI)

This is a romance between a doctor trying to save his patients and a reaper who is both his enemy and (eventual) lover (basically the genius premise of a gay Doom at Your Service). High concept looks good on you, Thailand. It’s lovely to see KarnNat back on screen together and they are still great, and Karn is just as painfully beautiful as ever. I enjoyed this one more than its ending deserved, and the best I can say is that it’s not strictly HEA but if you’re okay with Life: Love on the Line, you’ll be okay with this BL. It’s set up well, there’s no surprise unpleasantness like HIStory 3: The BL that shall not be named. Full review.

9 Destiny Seeker (Thai 2023 WeTV)

A darn near perfect pulp featuring 3 likable grumpy/sunshine pairings with uncomplicated iterations of enemies to lovers. At least one half of each does a decent amount of pining and there’s good chemistry, classic tropes, and excellent communication rep. It’s fun and full of linguistic jokes. Sublimely cheesy but a good rainy day offering with tons of rewatch potential. (Also WAR PEANUTS!) Full review.

10 Make a Wish (Thai 2023 grey)

A doctor who can see the dead strikes a bargain with a wish-granting irreverent tree angel - naturally they fall in love (from Sammon: Manner of Death & Triage). Stars Fluke Natouch opposite not Ohm, but who cares because Fluke has chemistry with everybody. Once again the Thai afterlife is incredibly bureaucratic but I enjoyed the premise and the unfolding of the story (it’s not predictable but still satisfying and with nice little twist). I like that the doctor is just gay AF - fag hag bestie and made of swagger. The cast is excellent but the comedic stylings are a bit overblown and tonally off. It has sad parts and did make me cry but is ultimately happy with a great sex scene, good smiley kisses, and all the agency.

10 others I rarely see anyone talk about:

Triage - Many would put this at the top of the list, but I don't find it very rewatchable and that weighs a lot in my assessments. Still it is GOOD and very underrated. BL does Groundhog Day featuring a doctor stuck in a time loop who must save a poor little rich boy from death by seducing the stuffing out of him, then PLOT TWIST, poor little rich boy must do the same for doctor! Unfortunately… stuffing keeps leaking. I thought the plot was engaging if a little redundant and occasionally exhausting. The pairs were all well done, low heat but with decent chemistry and the support characters were likable (or unlikeable, as required). My reason it's not in the top 10? If anything, the romance arc detracted and distracted from the main plot, but that doesn't stop this from being a genuinely good show it's just time loop is not a trope I personally enjoy. Review here.

See You After Quarantine? - This under appreciated gem is Taiwan’s answer to Gameboys and is just as charmg and adorable yet still as quintessentially Taiwanese as one might hope. It features a Japanese love interest and the cutest most confused disaster gay. Slow burn because the two have almost no actual screen time together and yet manage some truly amazing chemistry. Honestly how does Taiwan do it?

The Tasty Florida - I don't know, maybe it's Speed nostalgia, but I love this one, classic Korean BL with all those strengths and flaws... but The Prettiest.

You Make Me Dance - it's Korea but somehow they got this one, maybe by featuring mature characters and a real world crisis? Also they both ve hot.

Blueming - at the time it got a lot of attention but it seems to have faded into obscurity under the shod of The 8th Sense and Love of Love's Sack. This was a precurser to both and well worth a watch if you like it when Korea gets a little gritty.

Love Stage!! (Thai version) - I liked this IP alerady more than most. But this is the best of the 4 adaptations, and the first full Thai version of Japanese IP. It's both charming and notable in the industry. Hard to find and that's why it gets so little creddit but I think it's well worth the effort to track down.

Oh! Boarding House - I think most who watched this din't jive with it because it's an ensamble piece witha wicked love traingle. But I really enjoyed it. It felt like the move Kdrama BL that Korea has given us and I like me some Kdramas.

What Zabb Man! - one of the better BLs to come out of Star Hunter in the last few years. I like this pair a lot more than most, and the sides are wicked great. This is probably one of my favorite food themed BLs, actually.

2 Moons The Ambassador - possibly the lowest scoring BL to appear on this list but I just really like the leads. Nothing else is good, but they are kinda awkwardly fantastic. I also like how gay af the seme is.

Stay By My Side - This show was an interesting take on the "ghost boyfriend" trope. About a boy who is tormented by hearing the dead, except when he is around one other boy - desperation+proximity = love. Despite a strong initial premise it ended up mostly being enjoyable for sappy domesticity but nothing more. Still, I always give extra credit for the diabetes-inducing sugar content and rewatch capacity.

Requested by the lovely @l1xyz

FYI: I judge “underrated” on the strength of what I see people talk about (or more precisely not talk about) on social media, MDL reviews, and YouTube watch numbers (when available, as compared to comparable shows from the same country).

Because of this, statistically, there will always be quite a few BLs that are difficult to get hold of.

Here's my pulls of the Top Underrated BLs prior to 2021. Considering the amount of content generated over the last few years, the pool to draw from is likely about the same.

My Top 10 Most Underrated BLs prior to 2021

Seven Days

Restart after Come Back Home

Wish You

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding

He’s Coming to Me

Oxygen

My Day

Most Peaceful Place

HIStory 2: Right or Wrong

HIStory: Obsessed

I'd throw Great Men Academy in there, but I always dither over whether it actually is a BL.

#my top most underrated BLs #best BLs no one talks about #I Cannot Reach You #Kimi ni wa Todokanai #Japanese BL #My Ride the series #Thai BL #Our Dining Table #Bokura no Shokutaku #About Youth the series #Taiwanese BL #Step by Step the series #NA Says Love You #Unintentional Love Story #Korean BL #Dear Doctor I'm Coming for Your Soul #Destiny Seeker #Make a Wish the series #Triage the series

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archiveofmystuff · 2 years ago

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The Other Works of “The New Employee” Director Kim Jho Gwang Soo ***Mild Spoilers Ahead***

Given that I am currently LOVING Korea’s newest office-set BL The New Employee, I thought others might be interested to explore the other works of this darling show’s director, Kim Jho Gwang Soo. Here I am going to focus on projects that he screenwrote and/or directed as those are his queer works. Many of them are available on Gagaoolala.

Who is Kim Jho Gwang Soo? As outlined in his MyDramaList biography, he is an openly gay South Korean filmmaker. After collaborating with another openly gay director named Lee Song Hee Il’s 2006 film “No Regret” (regarded as Korea’s first gay feature film), he began to write and direct his own projects, as well as work as a producer.

I realized after starting the New Employee that I have seen almost all of Kim Jho Gwang Soo’s works that he has directed or written without knowing it was all by him, so I wanted to give a little rundown of his projects so other people can discover them as well! Synopses are going to be from MDL and the title of each film will be the link to its MDL page.

NOTE: This summary will contain some mild spoilers for the purpose of trigger warnings!! However, this post is also going off my memory and I have not watched everything recently so I apologize if I miss any warnings! I will also give a blanket content warning for homophobia. Most of his past works are not really set in the new Korean-BL world where homophobia barely exists so it is a theme in most, but not all, of his other projects.

Boy Meets Boy (2008) - Short film, Director & Screenwriter

Synopsis: On a warm spring day Min-soo, a small boy, meets tall and broad-shouldered Seok-yi inside a bus. Min-soo keeps looking at the intimidating boy whose sharp eyes are hidden under his baseball cap. Min-soo's heart starts beating. What will happen to Min-soo and Seok-i?

Thoughts: Super cute short film that the synopsis basically sums up. Not a lot happens but it sure is adorable. Happy ending.

Just Friends? (2009) - Short film, Director & Screenwriter

Synopsis: Min Soo is on leave from the military and visits his boyfriend Seok Yi. While having fun out on the town, they run into Min Soo's mother! When Min Soo's mother asks about their relationship, Seok Yi replies "... just friends." Making things more complicated, Min Soo's mother ends up sleeping with them that night!

Thoughts: My personal favorite of his pre-TNE works. Stars (now-well-known) actors Lee Je Hoon and Yeon Woo Jin. This is one of my favorite short films of all time. A succinct and satisfying story in under 30 minutes, fantastic chemistry, adorable couple moments, and family drama. It is also a follow up to Boy Meets Boy, but it’s not necessary to watch that one to understand and enjoy this one! Happy ending, but some angst thrown in beforehand.

Love 100C (2010) - Short film, Director & Screenwriter

TW: homophobic violence

Synopsis: A hearing-impaired boy, Min Soo, is gay, and he likes his classmate, Ji Seok. One day, Min Soo impulsively has sex with a man who works in a public bath, an experience that lends him a new-found confidence, but at a heavy price.

Thoughts: This is a pretty big departure from his first two short films, while it is happy for a bit of it, the film explores the danger of living in a homophobic society. Ultimately it is a film about sexual self discovery as well as how queer people are often robbed of safe and healthy self discovery because of violence inflicted upon them. Definitely NOT a happy ending.

Two Weddings and a Funeral (2012) - Full-length film, Director

TW: death, homophobic violence

Synopsis: A gay man, Min Soo and a lesbian, Hyo Jin are both promising doctors at a general hospital. The colleagues agree to marry so Hyo Jin can legally adopt a child with her lover of ten years Seo Yeong, and Min Soo can please his parents while maintaining his closeted lifestyle. While secretly living with their respective partners, who move in next door, Min Soo and Hyo Jin appear to be a happy, "normal" couple. They enjoy all the benefits afforded to heterosexual couples and are also able to ward off public scrutiny and parental disapproval. However, Min Soo's intrusive parents begin to get a bit too involved with the couple's life, threatening their scheme.

Thoughts: There are parts of this movie I really enjoy. It was great to have both a gay and lesbian couple in the film and a lot of the film revolved around the gay lead’s group of gay friends. There was also a lot of playing with Korean honorifics within the friend group that I found really cool to listen to. However, I didn’t love how the most fem gay character was treated throughout the film and it was quite shocking in a bad way at some points, given that it is supposed to be a romantic comedy. A happy ending, but at what cost, lol.

One Night Only (2014) - Short film, Director

I think this is actually two short films released together, but I have only seen the second part “One Night” and not the first part “Night Bug,” so I am going to focus on “One Night.”

Synposis: Geun Ho is almost hit by a car. At that time, Joon, who is visiting Jinju from Seoul, saves Geun Ho. They happen to meet at a bar later that night. Geun Ho and his friends goes to Seoul with Joon.

Thoughts: It has been ages since I watched this one, but I think I mostly liked it. Not really a happy ending, but as far as I can remember does not contain violence in the way that some of his other works do. While the MDL synopsis doesn’t mention it, the film actually focuses both on Geun Ho as well as his 2 friends, not only Geun Ho.

Made on the Rooftop (2021) - Full length film, Director

TW: serious medical issues.

Synopsis: Ha Neul, a job seeker who has nowhere to go after breaking up with his lover, Jung Min, moves to the house of his best friend Bong Shik, who lives in a tiny room. Bong Shik working as a BJ with a high tension + one-person broadcasting concept is courted by Min Ho, an attractive straight-forward man, but somehow just hesitates. Ha Neul and Jung Min try to reconcile, but they only go against each other and unintentionally hurt each other. One day, Jung-min is in a car accident and Ha Neul has to bring back Ari, the cat they used to raise together.

Thoughts: I really loved this movie. Focuses on two friends and their respective romantic lives. Deals with the realities of being in a closeted gay relationship with no legal rights when there is medical emergency, coming out to family, HIV, etc. It is also genuinely really funny and, at many times, incredibly sweet and heartwarming. One couple has a complete happy ending and the other has an open/unresolved but hopeful ending. I would definitely recommend.

I hope anyone who sees this considers checking out these films. Most (if not all) are available on Gagaoolala, but you can likely find them other places as well (but please support legitimate streaming if you’re able)!! Also who else can’t wait for the next episode of The New Employee?

#kim jho gwang soo #the new employee #long post

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seriouslycromulent · 2 years ago

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Ok. So I know I'm late to the conversation, but let's just say that I'm disappointed, although not surprised to read casually racist comments on YouTube posts about Billy Spencer and the revelation that Eliot Spencer's dad is black.

I say not surprised because I wasn't born yesterday, and I've learned from years of being a Star Trek fan that even if a show centers around uniting across cultures, features a multicultural cast, and spreads a message of fighting bad guys in every form, bigots will still gravitate toward that fandom and lose their shit if a person of color is centered in a space that the bigot assumes a white person "should have" been centered.

Why?

Because the fandom world is just a microcosm of all the bitchassness that exists in the world overall. The global society we live in is brimming with racism, homophobia, xenophobia, misogyny and a myriad of other forms of bigotry. And that reality will always be reflected in fandom because bigots are often oblivious and carry their prejudice with them wherever they go ... including into the fandom world.

Now I don't know the age of the person who claimed that hiring Keith David to play Eliot's dad was a sign of "everything having to be politically correct these days," but if I didn't know any better, I would've thought I had been transported back to the 1990s and was engaging with Al Bundy on Married with Children.

Seriously? People are still using the phrase "politically correct" without a hint of irony? I thought bigots had moved on to calling everything that doesn't center straight, white, cis, able-bodied people as "woke." I guess this person just likes the classics.

Nevermind that we rarely, if ever, see transracial adoption depicted on American television when the child is white. Nevermind that the series has always had a theme around found family from different backgrounds working together to bring a little more justice into an unjust and unfair world. Nevermind that we waited 6.5 seasons to learn more about Eliot's background, and all we learned was that he was adopted, his parents are black, and why he and his dad fell out and hadn't spoken in over 2 decades.

No. Bigots are mad because a white person has black parents on a fictional series because it didn't fit their preferred narrative.

Leverage is not a show without flaws, but it has always been a show that challenged the status quo, behind the scenes and in the stories they tell. Your discomfort after learning that Eliot was raised by black parents is a reflection of your bias and skanky race issues regarding BIPOC folks, and you should examine that further. Not search for facile excuses to hide your bigotry behind other "reasons" to dislike the episode. You're fooling no one.

And the adoption story of Eliot Spencer was not "forced." It was simply not telegraphed with clues at every opportunity because Eliot plays everything close to the vest, especially his past. It's completely on brand for him, and if you cared about this character, you wouldn't have a problem with it and would acknowledge the consistency of him never referencing it.

As for the people who think that the writers just dumped his entire backstory on us in one episode, what show are you watching? There's plenty more to Eliot's background than who his dad is and why they fell out. And I bet if his dad was white, these so-called fans would've raced to their keyboards to write countless fanfic backstories to Eliot's life growing up in a small town, how he navigated high school especially with being adopted, and his life, in general, prior to joining the military. All the while taking the information from the episode to craft a layered history of his life.

There's a ton of stories out there to tell about Eliot Spencer, but a lot of the bigots fans are now deflated because that means they have to write a story with black parents and they don't want to do that. But I bet every single one of them will swear they're not racist or bigots or anti-black in any way.

Racism in fandom is not new, but I honestly expected more from the Leverage fandom. Granted, I know it's not everyone in the fandom. And you can argue it's not even the majority, but I've seen very little pushback from the fans who don't have a problem with Billy Spencer being black against the fans who do have a problem with Billy Spencer being black. And that too is very telling.

#fandom #racism in fandom #leverage: redemption #leverage #eliot spencer #billy spencer #christian kane #keith david

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mischiefandmedicine · 10 months ago

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Very Full - Chapter 6: Can't Fight the Moonlight

Summary: Melara discovers the truth about Loki's presence on her timeline.

Word Count: 3,668 words

Chapter Warnings: Angst

Soundtrack Link

Very Full MASTERLIST

Previous Chapter

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A/N: I ended this chapter on a cliffhanger...sorry.

Let me know if you would like to be added to the taglist!

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The silence between Loki and Saoirse lingered a moment longer, filled with the weight of unspoken histories and the echo of melodies that had, at one point, soared high enough to touch the stars.

She continued to think, her mind a battleground of emotions, a mix of reluctance and the need to understand. Shifting the focus, she looked up at Loki, the question forming like a note in the prelude to a song that she was not sure she wanted to hear. “Did you have any influence on that show she did a few weeks later? The one that she said had finally brought her into the spotlight?” Her words were hesitant but deliberate, pivoting away from the pain, seeking solace in a memory more befitting the resilience she knew her mother possessed.

Loki’s eyes soften, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, this time not of mischief, but of a shared memory that was a balm to wounds both old and new. “Melara’s talent needed no influence from me. Her voice, her spirit, it’s as if she had harnessed the essence of the very universe and set it free in song. The voice that had the power to traverse the stars and call me to her. That moment was hers, a testimony of her strength, her passion…her brilliance.”

His gaze drifted, lost for a moment in the memory of the melody that had once filled the night sky, resonating with the power to stir hearts and souls. “She was magnificent,” he whispered, almost to himself, as if he could still hear the lingering notes in the air around them.

Saoirse watched him, her heart a tumult of pride and a hint of sorrow for moments missed, for stories that she had only ever lived through the words of others. Her thoughts fluttered around the edges of her mother’s fame, the song that had been a beacon of hope, a symbol of triumph over adversities neither of them could have ever imagined.

Loki’s gaze returned to Saoirse, grounding, reassuring. “She shone by her own light, and the world saw her for the magnificent star she was.” His words were a gentle reminder of the legacy her mother had built – one of courage, of art, and of an indomitable will that was as much a part of Saoirse as it was of Melara.

Saoirse nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the truth in Loki’s words. She knew her mother’s story was her own, but it was also entwined with the stories of those who loved her, of a god who had found a family, and of a daughter who was only just beginning to understand the vastness of the universe her parents had navigated. “Tell me more about that performance,” she asked, a softness in her voice, a readiness to embrace the stories that mad her who she was.

Loki’s face took on a wistful, faraway look, as of the memories were playing out before his eyes. “Ah, yes, that performance,” he said with a slight chuckle, “It was indeed a night to remember. But you should know, it was borne out of a disagreement between us – a rather fiery one at that.”

He shook his head as if dispelling the scene from his mind, his gaze returning to Saoirse. “We were both…passionate in our convictions, and that passion, well, it sparked something in Melara. It was as if the intensity of our argument fueled her creativity, her drive. In a way, the heat of our discord was transformed into the energy of her performance.”

Saoirse listened, a new understanding dawning in her eyes. “So, in a way, you did have a hand in it,” she teased gently, the ghost of a smile crossing her features.

Loki raised an eyebrow, conceding with a playful nod. “Perhaps. But it was all Melara. The fire was hers alone, and when she took to that stage, she was a force unto herself. The argument may have been the flint, but the resulting blaze was all her doing.”

Piercing Loki with a gaze that could have killed him where he sat, Saoirse fired off her next words in complete anguish, “So what did you do?”

***

The silence of Melara’s apartment was a canvas that reflected tranquility, moonlight filtering through the gauzy curtains and casting a gentle glow over the room. It was a welcome reprieve from the antiseptic glare of the hospital, the quiet a balm to weary spirits. Weeks had passed since her release, but the weight of her convalescence hung in the air, tangible and heavy.

On a simple chair beside her bed, a spectral figure sat motionless, a hazy projection of Loki, his presence both comforting and disquieting. It was as if he straddled realms, his image a mere whisper against the fabric of reality. In this private sanctum, he was both her guardian and a phantom, an echo of his promise to protect her, yet a reminder of the chaos he often brought.

Unknown to Melara, as she slept, Loki’s ethereal state mirrored his own vulnerability – a slumbering god on a distant throne, bound by the threads of time, not only to the multiverse but also to the woman whose life had become inexplicably linked with his own. His silent watch over her was more than duty; it was a silent vigil, a self-imposed penance for the shadows his presence had cast upon her life.

She would awaken each night in the hospital screaming, seemingly disturbed from incessant nightmares that she would not discuss with Loki or her mother should Evelyn decide to visit.

This night, however, was still, so much so that when Melara stirred, her breath seemed to ripple through the silence like a stone cast upon still waters. Her eyes, reflecting the struggle of her mind to reconcile the dream world with reality, snapped open to the sight of the ghostly figure. In a swift motion driven by fear, anger, and confusion, she seized a pillow and hurled it toward the apparition.

The pillow sailed through Loki’s form to thump against the chair, demonstrating his current intangibility. “Loki!” she screamed, her voice a sharp crack in the stillness, frustration and fear lending force to her call.

At her cry, the illusion shattered. Loki snapped to attention, his form solidifying instantly, every line of his face etched with concern. He was suddenly and intensely present, the mirage of his sleeping self at the end of time dispelled by her voice. His eyes met hers, the usual mirth gone, replaced by something deeper, more human.

“What in the ever-loving hell was that?!” Melara’s voice was thick with emotion, her question hanging between them, demanding an answer. “You were like a ghost! How did that happen?!”

Loki opened his mouth to respond, the words catching in his throat. His usual silver-tongue and quick responses failed him as the complexity of the truth – the realms he navigated, the burdens he bore – seemed too heavy to lay at her feet in this moment of raw vulnerability. The truth was, his corporeal form was exhausted from keeping watch of her, and he conserved energy while she slept, leaving a ghost-like apparition at her side as a window into her life.

“Melara,” he began, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. “The realms between what you perceive as real and unreal are…complicated. My presence here is tethered by will and necessity, but not always by the physical laws you understand.”

Her eyes narrowed, a storm brewing within them as she cut him off before he could continue. “I understand just fine. What good is a promise to protect me if you aren’t even here? And where the fuck are you that your real self found so much more compelling to be?!”

She stood from the bed, her movements fueled by a cocktail of fear and fury, her fists clenched as if she were ready to fight the god before her. With each punctuated question, she stepped closer, her swings slicing through the air, an embodiment of her frustration and the betrayal she felt.

Loki, for all his power and poise, seemed to shrink slightly, the weight of her accusations pressing down on him. He caught her wrists gently, halting her assault, his apologetic gaze locked hers.

“Melara, I am here. As much as I can be. And I’m…real in ways that matter, in ways that allow me to stand guard over you just as I said I would,” he rubbed her shoulders as his own shoulders sank into his words. “But the truth is, I am also there, far beyond what you can see. I am bound to a throne at the end of time, watching over the tapestry of realities, ensuring that the chaos I once reveled in does not unravel the universe we know.”

Her breath hitched, her anger subsiding momentarily as she absorbed his words, the enormity of his confession. She pulled her hands free of his grasp, stepping back, the fight draining from her as she grappled with the revelation.

“Why?” she whispered, the single word laden with a thousand questions as she sat on the bed with a puzzled look on her face.

Loki’s expression softened, and he reached out, his hand hesitating in the air before settling on her shoulder.

“Because your world, your safety, it’s become my anchor, ‘Lara. And I will do everything within my power, within all the realms of existence, to ensure your future is one free of the nightmares I’ve brought to your door.”

“How could you possibly know that my nightmares are about you?” Melara whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

Loki, momentarily taken aback by the raw emotion in Melara’s eyes, searched for the words to explain a truth that was as complex as the threads of fate he so often manipulated. His voice, when he spoke, was laced with a hint of his own turmoil, a rare glimpse into the vulnerability he seldom showed.

“Melara,” he started, his voice low, the words coming with an effort as if pulled from the depths of his being, “the nightmares…I sense them because, somehow, our fates are entwined. From the moment I first heard your voice call out in the emptiness of the multiverse, your pain echoes through the bond between us.”

He reached out, an instinct to comfort, but stopped short, sitting next to her on the bed, knowing physical reassurance was not what she sought. Melara, her anger unabated, continued to question him, her voice rising with each word.

“And I repeat my question, Loki. What good is a promise if you’re not truly here?” she demanded, her hands balling into fists as she rose from the bed, her movements fueled by a mix of betrayal and desperation. “How is it that you’re nothing but a wraith in my room?”

“Melara, please,” he implored, his usual composure fraying at the edges. “I am here, but not in the way you need me to be. I am…tethered to my duties.”

“Loki, you vowed to tear the universe apart to protect me,” she hissed. “You can’t do that as an echo of yourself. How can you keep your promise if you’re just a shadow to me?” The storm within her eyes grew as she held Loki’s gaze.

“I am trying to be what I promised, Melara,” his eyes held hers, the green of them stark against the moonlit room, bearing a sincerity that she had come to recognize in him. “But some things, even for me, are beyond control. I am fighting battles on many fronts, all to ensure your safety, to preserve the future that you deserve.”

He knew his words were but cold comfort, yet they were all he could offer – a truth laid bare, a heart exposed, and a promise that he was desperately trying to keep.

Melara searched his eyes, hoping to find a glimmer of the truth within them. In the stillness of Melara’s apartment, Loki met her tear-filled gaze with a depth of emotion that seemed to reach beyond the confines of the room. His voice, though steady, carried an undercurrent of conflict. “You speak of battles and futures,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper, “but what of now, Loki? What of the reality we share in this moment?”

Loki’s gaze did not waver, though the hint of an ancient sorrow seemed to trace the lines of his features. “Even gods are bound by the rules they did not write,” he admitted. “In my efforts to protect you, to weave a shield around your life, I must navigate the labyrinth of cosmic wards. Yet know this, Melara, every strand I pull, every move I make, is to fortify you in this world, to prevent the nightmares that haunt you from becoming more than just phantoms of sleep.”

The silent space between them grew heavy with unspoken fears and unasked questions. Melara’s voice trembled as she pressed on, her words a challenge to the god before her. “And if I had offered you my heart, Loki, what then? Would the shadows of your existence devour it, or would you have been my solace? Would you have then tricked me into offering myself to an echo?”

Loki’s expression softened, a hand reaching out as if to bridge the gap between possibilities and regrets. He thought of the last person he had given his heart to and of the disastrous results that followed. How he had sacrificed himself to a throne at the end of time to save himself from the option of killing the woman he loved to save the timelines. “In every realm, in every possible version of our story, know that my actions are driven by the desire to see you safe, to see you thrive. If you had offered me your heart, Melara, it would have been the most sacred of gifts, one I would protect with every fiber of my being. I am here, with you, in every way that counts, and I will not let you face the darkness alone.”

Her eyes locked onto his, searching for the promise of dawn in the twilight of his assurances. In the quiet that followed, the truth of their connection – a bond formed not just in the specter of protection but the reality of shared moments – seemed to crystallize, as tangible as the moonlight that enveloped him.

In the quiet of her apartment, Melara’s emotions crested like a wave as she faced the enigmatic figure of Loki. With a heart aching for connection, for the reassurance of touch and the warmth of presence, she leaned forward, driven by a tumult of feelings that demanded to be felt, to be acknowledged.

Melara’s breath hitched, a tightrope walker on the edge of a precipice, as she reached for Loki, her hands trembling with a storm of emotions. She pressed her lips to his with a ferocity born of desperation, a silent plea etched into the gesture. But the chill of the room seeped into her bones, a cruel echo of the emptiness she felt, her lips pressing against nothing but the memory of his presence. The cold void that met her lips was a stark, harrowing reminder of his true intangibility – a projection, a phantasm, a beautifully woven illusion that could not return her warmth, could not reciprocate her yearning.

A sob tore from her chest as the reality of his absence settled like frost upon her soul. The floor met her knees with a cold embrace as she crumbled at his feet, her body wracked with the sobs that echoed off the walls of her silent sanctuary. The tears that streamed down her face were the only warmth in the cold tableau, the only testament to the raw, unguarded moment shared with a phantom protector who was both everything and nothing.

In this moment, Melara’s grief was a palpable thing, a creature of shadows born from the bittersweet dance between love and despair, presence and absence, a god’s promise and a mortal’s hope. It was a cry not for what was lost, but for a fantasy that could not be realized.

Melara’s tears dried under the fire of her rising anger, replaced by a glaring strength that held back the night. She straightened, her stance firm and unwavering as if she could command the very shadows that danced at Loki’s edges. Her eyes, two flints ready to strike, met his gaze with an intensity that demanded an answer for the silent question that had haunted every look, every touch, every promise unspoken.

“Why me, Loki?” she asked, her voice a blend of wrath and wonder, a demand for the truth that she was owed. It was more than a question; it was an accusation, a challenge, a plea for a reason she could grasp, a piece of the perplexing puzzle that was Loki – god, trickster, and the most enigmatic presence in her life.

Loki, once the master of tricks, now found himself uncharacteristically bare, stripped of subterfuge under the weight of her gaze, even across the distances that were actually between them. The silence became a canvas for his confession.

Her question reverberated, striking a chord deep within Loki, resonating with a familiar pain. In her eyes, he saw the reflection of his own anguished self, the young god standing before Odin, the revelation of his true heritage like a chasm opening beneath him. It was a memory that lived in his sinews, an ever-present specter of his own questions, his own doubts about his place in the tapestry of fate.

His composure, always so carefully curated, began to crumble like the walls of a long-standing fortress under siege. The cool façade of the god of mischief, the self-reassured trickster, the playful enchanter, now dutiful god of stories, all of it fell away, leaving behind the raw visage of a being grappling with his own identity, his own worth. He had thought he had found his glorious purpose on the throne at the end of time, but in just two words, this woman had pulled him apart at the seams.

Loki’s eyes, those windows to a soul that had traversed realms and ages, that had seen the birth and death of stars, now held a shimmering vulnerability. His voice, when it came, was a mere whisper, laden with the gravity of a black hole of a thousand confessions.

“Because…because you saw me,” he admitted, the words escaping like prisoners long-held in the depths of his heart. “Not as a god, not as a monster…but as Loki. Just Loki. You knew me yet somehow called out across the universe to me.”

The vulnerability was alien on his tongue, a truth he had never allowed himself to acknowledge, a burden he had borne in silent solitude as he had watched over her night after night. Even on the nights in the hospital when she had allowed him to cradle her, showing her own vulnerability, he did not dare speak a word to her about how she had made him feel. Her question had cut through the labyrinth of his existence, past the mischief, past the illusions, to the core of who he was – a being who had longed for acceptance, for a place to belong, for a connection that transcended realms and titles.

And he had betrayed her trust. A lie of omission.

In the tremble of his lips, the unsteady breath that followed, Loki stood before Melara not as a figure of myth, but as a being touched by the same fears, the same desires, the same need for meaning in the chaos of existence. It was a moment of unguarded honesty that would forever alter the fabric of their intertwined stories.

Loki’s fall was silent, a descent from deity to supplicant in mere seconds. His knees met the ground with the soft thud of a heart yielding to humility. Head bowed, his form was a study in penance, a god brought low not by the might of foes but by the gravity of his own conscience. The room was thick with the tension of revelation, the air itself holding its breath as the god of stories awaited judgment from the one whose story in which he had become so entangled.

Melara watched the fallen figure, her eyes tracing the lines of his silhouette in the moonlight, seeing past the projection to the essence of the being it represented. Her response was not a balm to soothe but a directive, born of a desire to confront the truth in its purest form.

“Take me to him,” she said, her voice a command that brokered no argument, a plea wrapped in the steel of determination. In those four words, she sought not just the presence of Loki, but an audience with the core of his being, a confrontation with the architect of her turmoil.

For Loki, her words were an ultimatum, a gauntlet thrown at the feet of his projected self. To bring her to him – the core of his existence, the throne at the end of time encapsulated by the Yggdrasil-shaped timelines – was to peel back the final layer of mystery, to expose the heart of his realm and, in doing so, to expose his own heart, laid bare and vulnerable to her mortal gaze. It was a risk, a potential unraveling of the threads he had so meticulously woven, yet in her command, there was also the possibility of redemption, of healing the schism his absence had wrought.

His projection, a mere echo of his presence, flickered with the weight of her request. It was the crossroads of fate, a moment where the path they would take would hinge upon the choice of a god who had always danced on the edge of chaos and order. The question remained, hanging in the air like the echo of a divine whisper: would he take her to him, to the gilded throne at the end of time?

---

Tags: @mischief2sarawr

#loki fanfiction #loki fanfic #loki imagine #loki laufeyson fanfic #loki laufeyson #loki odinson #loki marvel #loki #loki series

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doll-elvis · 1 year ago

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Do you believe Kathy Tatum’s story?

thank you so much for the question because I’ve been needing an excuse to delve into this as I’ve always wondered about the validity of her story 👀

**as always this is long but I found some strong and damning evidence 🤧!!

For context: Kathy Tatum is a Memphis native who claims to have met Elvis, who was 34 at the time, outside the gates of Graceland on July 2, 1969, when she was 16 years old. According to her, they began casually dating from that first initial meeting and continued to do so up until 1972-ish

In 2015 she published her book, “Love beads from Elvis”, which is mainly compromised of entries from the diary she kept during her time with Elvis as well as commentary from her perspective now. Recently, she was also featured in the Amazon documentary “Elvis’ women” where she shared more about her experience

Anyone who has kept a diary knows just how repetitive the entries can get. Every entry/chapter of her book is essentially "woke up, went to school, met with Elvis, went to the Memphian, made out, mom made us come home, went to bed". So it’s definitely not the most exciting read but I will say it’s very immersive, and I definitely felt like I was in her shoes so to speak

Here are Kathy and Elvis pictured when they first met, as well as the shot she snapped of him alone ⬇️

And here is part of the entry describing their first initial meeting (click each photo to read in its entirety) ⬇️

As for the validity…

short answer: either kathy is completely lying or she is just terrible with dates

my vote is with completely lying

long answer: The three best methods, in my opinion, for determining whether a book or story concerning Elvis is true or not are...

1. Check to see if anyone else in Elvis' life, particularly his inner circle, has confirmed or refuted the claim

2. Check to see if Elvis' described behavior matches with how we know he acted based on credible sources

3. Finally, and most importantly, check to determine if the dates match and if Elvis was indeed where the person claimed he was

This 3rd method is definitely the most reliable, as many falsified stories about Elvis tend to get the dates wrong. For example claiming he was in Vegas while, in fact, he was in Memphis

From what I have researched, Kathy fails 2 of the above mentioned methods

Method number one: Kathy fails. Nobody who knew Elvis has even acknowledged Kathy Tatum, let alone denied her story. Essentially, Kathy does not exist in the “Elvis Universe” according to his closest friends/girlfriends/family members

And most damning for Kathy, not even Charlie Hodge, who is talked about nearly as often as Elvis in her book and who also allegedly dated her sister, has spoken about her

So, once again, I find it difficult to believe that Kathy, who claims to have frequented the Memphian with Elvis and Charlie, and occasionally the entire group, has never been mentioned by anyone else

In one entry in Kathy's book, she states that as she got up from her seat in the theater to go to the concession stand, Elvis got up and followed her, and began kissing her in front of the counter worker and a few members of the group…yet no one in his circle has ever talked about the 16-year-old blonde that Elvis would very publicly make out with? And would sit with and kiss inside the theater?

As for method number 2, I would say this is one that Kathy actually passes 🤧

To give an example of how this method can help determine the validity of a story, we can talk about Byron Raphael and his egregious claims

One claim being that Elvis personally asked Byron to have girls give “practice” bl*wjobs (on Byron) so that Byron could evaluate whether she was skilled enough before she went to see Elvis. Another claim made by Byron is that Elvis liked to keep his bedroom door open while having s*x with the girl he was with so that everybody in the hotel could see and hear…

You don’t even have to do much research about Elvis to know that it’s completely uncharacteristic of him, as Elvis was insanely protective of his dates and would get easily jealous. I mean Jerry nearly got fired for just having a casual conversation with Priscilla 😭

And, according to Sonny and Red West, when parties were thrown at the Perugia Way house in Los Angeles and people were skinny dipping and such, Elvis would not allow hisself or his girl for the night to participate ⬇️

so basically… Byron is full of shit (yet Alanna Nash used him as a source, multiple times, which says everything about her credibility 💀)

Now, the reason I feel that Kathy passes this specific method is that their relationship never went beyond kissing/fondling, which, as we all know, was typical of Elvis in some of his relationships. Another is that the food she depicts him eating is consistent with what we know he liked (hamburgers and more hamburgers, basically), and I believe she accurately describes Elvis and his slightly odd sense of humor as well. But still it’s not enough to prove validity as all of this would be easy to research and perhaps the author did, and that’s why it’s so accurately written in her book

Lastly for method number 3, Kathy fails this one quite miserably which again is very damning for the validity of her book

On multiple occasions throughout her book, Elvis was not actually where she claimed he was (based on the dates of her entries)

For example, one of the most terribly obvious mistakes in her dated entries occurs on July 15th, 1970

This is Kathy Tatum’s recollection of that day in Memphis, Tennessee ⬇️

And this is where Elvis actually was, filming rehearsals for MGM in Culver City… California ⬇️

like we have video (and very famous video) evidence that Elvis was not making out with Kathy Tatum in Memphis 🤧

youtube

Another example takes place on March 15th, 1971

This is Kathy’s recollection of that day in a motel with Elvis in Memphis, Tennessee ⬇️

And this is where Elvis actually was… in Nashville, Tennessee… rehearsing

(and again, video/auditory evidence that Elvis was not in Memphis making out with Kathy)

So all in all… much like Byron, Kathy is full of shit 🤧

#it’s really disgusting that people like this are given platforms to spread lies #Kathy Tatum found jobless #the July 15th one is just embarrassing #like how can you say he was with you when he was literally filming a movie #in a whole other state on the other side of the map #it’s kind of crazy how many stories can be proven as false just from something as simple as dates #shoutout to ‘daily elvis’ on wordpress #thank you for the ask!!#kathy tatum #elvis presley #elvisaaronpresley #elvis #70s Elvis #elvis history #elvis fans #elvis asks

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unicorrrrrn · 2 years ago

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what are your fav kdramas?

Yay! An ask on my main tumblr!! I have SO many favorite k-dramas that I love for different reasons but these are the ones that come to mind that I think about a lot.

Most of My favorite K-dramas:

Extraordinary You/ A Day Found By Chance (fantasy/romance): This magical k-drama has my heart. It plays with all of the predictable tropes and then just goes crazy! While not perfect towards the end, I give this show bonus points for being super creative AND inspiring me to read a LOT of fan fic. I think about this drama more than any other.

Fight for My Way (romcom) I love this drama! The couple is one of my OTPs and it’s really funny and a mostly lighthearted story of a group of friends. It’s down to earth and adorable - I’ve never had anyone complain about this one!

Melo Is My Nature (slice of life): This drama is by far my favorite slice-of-life drama of 2019. Found family, strong and complex characters, I laughed, I cried. Plus a gay character that’s an actual character, with the gay as a casual side note (classy k-drama!!) It was just a perfect show for me. There’s romance, but all of the stories are super interesting.

Shopping King Louie (romcom): Ridiculously fun and lighthearted romp following a spoiled and useless chaebol with amnesia who is being taken care of by a country bumpkin in the city. Very low stakes, super adorable couple, and as many tropes as you can fit in your bag, this one is one of my favorites to recommend.

Just Between Lovers (romance/melo): Slice of Life romance between poor trauma babies just trying to live! The OTP is one of my favorite couples EVER and even as the years go on, very few couples have matched their love in my opinion. There’s a lot of comfort/healing themes with for me is just *chef’s kiss.* Lee Junho became my bias wrecker because of that drama.

The Eighth Sense (bl queer romance): This is the only 2023 drama to make this list! It's super atmospheric and has so much more character development than any korean bl I've ever seen. I loved it so much!

Run On: (rom com) This show follows four people in their daily lives: An athletic, a translator, a CEO and an artist. Soft soft couples!! Y'all know I love this slice of life rom com for so many reasons, but you might not know that Kang Tae Oh’s character (the himbo painter) is like one of my dream boys. BLORBO FROM MY SHOWS. Also there is so much bi nuance and an ace character, just saying!

The Best Hit / Hit The Top (romcom): A famous 90′s boyband dude travels into the future and meets up with his family and friends in this really cute drama featuring Yoon Shi Yoon. I LOVE Yoon Shi Yoon in pretty much everything but this role was made for him - he is hilarious. It’s a slice of life but features the k-pop music industry so the setting is unique.

Into The Ring (workplace/romcom): The perfect slice-of-life rom com! Goo Se Ra has trouble holding down a job due to her passionate personality so after she loses her latest job working for the ML, she decides to run for a small government office position because it pays a salary. Literally she does it for the money which is just *chef’s kiss.* The show is about her dealing with local politics and it’s SO FUNNY and smart and the OTP is the best!

Flower of Evil: A psychological thriller centered around a jewelry maker who is running from his past, and his cop wife (power couple alert!) who doesn’t know his original identity. The chemistry of the couple is amazing and all of the characters are nuanced and interesting. I was on the edge of my seat, AND sobbing! I’m going to be rewatching this in 2021 for sure.

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (psychological thriller): This drama has a lot of psychological thriller-y aspects but the style of filming is really interesting and the leads could not be more angsty (especially the guy). It takes them a while to get together and while not entirely pleasant, this show is one of my faves.

Healer: Everyone knows healer will always have my heart and it’s a super popular k-drama. Healer is played by Ji Chang Wook (swoon) and he gets involved with a feisty reporter played by Park Min Young (also swoon). It’s an action adventure with some very classic tropes: Rich people scandals, murders and hidden pasts. But it also has some of my favorite tropes: Beta Male Lead, childhood friends to lovers and traumatic pasts.

Cheating because it's a jdrama: Cherry Magic! (30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii): I know this is a Jdrama but it’s the only drama that got a perfect score from me in 2020! If you’ve never felt like trying a jdrama, Cherry Magic is the one! Every episode was so endearing and sweet, and it even has ace representation, and does it well! I basically smiled the whole time and loved every second. Soft Romance and the best couple!

#i love a list #kdrama recommendations #my top #i know i'm missing at least 10 #lol #ask #dylan-rodrigues

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