#bls where the main couple is already in a romantic relationship

[absolutebl]

Hey! Your bl recs are great! Do you have any in which the couple is already together from the beginning? Sort of like Don't Say No in which they start dating in the first ep already. (It can be gls and qls of any sort you find good)

Sure thing, you want a BL without a meat cute? Or meat cute only as a flash back? There are more sides that do this than mains (like in Wandee Goodday right now) but I will give it a shot:

BLs Where the Main Couple is ALREADY in a ROMANTIC Relationship

(you didn't specify these had to be good shows)

My Personal Weatherman

Just Friends?

HIStory Obsessed

Dark Blue Kiss (technically these 2 started as sides exactly like LeoFiat)

Cutie Pie

Naughty Babe

Papa and Daddy

Don't Say No

Ai no Kotodama (2008)

What Did You Eat Yesterday?

My Monster in Law (non ending)

Peach of Time (sad)

Confidential Coffee Break

Close Friend 2

Two Weddings and a Funeral

Bad Romance

Tien Bromance EXTRA (some of them)

Jack O'Frost

Love Place: Shiawase no Katachi (AKA Shape of Happiness 2)

Second Seasons that I argue by your metrics might qualify

Look Don't Say No is kinda a second season, after all we did see their relationship start as a side couple so...

We Best Love: Fighting Mr. 2nd

SOTUS S

Still 2gether

Any of the Our Skyy

My Beautiful Man 2

To My Star 2: Our Untold Stories

Make it Right 2

Summerdaze Christmas Together

Takumi-kun 2: Rainbow Colored Glass

Irresistible Love 2 AKA Uncontrolled Love

Gen Y 2

Magic of Zero: Zero Supporter

Papa and Daddy 2

Minato's Laundromat Season 2

Like Live 2

Ossan's Love redux-multitudes

I think there are a few Vietnamese ones that should be here too.

I'm not really wild about second seasons myself.

I dithered a lot:

My Only 12% - look one half basically assumed they were dating all along

Absolute Zero - it's very timey wimey

Two Worlds - same but different

SCI Mystery - they married, everyone except China knows this

I left out anything that edged into reunion romance like Tokyo in April is or too much more Friends to Lovers like Living With Him.

I stopped at things I'd rated lower that a 5 partly because I can't remember those ones intentionally and this isn't a trope I track so my memory is involved with this process.

[lurkingshan]

Hellooo, do you have any recs for well written bls that also deliver on the romance front? My favorites that are both great shows and great love stories are Eighth sense, Old fashioned cupcake and I told the sunset about you ( the 2nd season is great but I dont f with cheating)...

Hello! I am interpreting your ask to mean you want bls that 1) are focused on a Big Love Story as their main purpose and 2) have strong writing that nails the romance, in particular. With that in mind, here's what I would recommend in addition to the ones you already listed, sorted into a few categories.

Dramatic and Swoony

La Pluie

Two soulmates (or are they?) meet, try to figure out their relationship, and decide whether they care what destiny has to say about it. Also features an equally swoony side couple romance. This show is Big Romance all around and very much in conversation with the genre.

I Feel You Linger in the Air

It doesn't get much more epic and swoony than this show about a modern gay man who gets sent back in time and falls in love with a young heir. This one has an asterisk next to the strong writing criteria because things get pretty wobbly in the final arc, but the romance stays strong throughout and it features some of the best bl romance scenes of all time.

Bad Buddy

It's gay Romeo and Juliet, but nobody dies (though importantly, someone does get shot). This one is tumblr famous for a reason!

Romantic Comedy

Cooking Crush

The sweetest romcom Off and Gun have ever made, with a simple love story between a med student and a chef. This show has some flaws--they let a drunk monkey take over the editing booth on a few episodes in the middle--but it's well written and the romance is great.

Cherry Magic Thailand

A remake of the Japanese original, this one shocked most of us by improving on an an already solid show. It's a fantastic romance, alternately funny and poignant and sweet as hell.

Semantic Error

The perfect bl romcom doesn't exis--

Light On Me

A high school love triangle where everyone is likable and the right boy gets the guy.

I Cannot Reach You

High school friends to lovers and done exactly right. This show is so goddamn charming and funny while still managing to get to the underlying angst of this trope. Perfection.

My School President

This one is all first love and high school shenanigans and a ton of original songs that will get stuck in your head.

Comforting and Cozy

Sing My Crush

Here's one for your constant rewatch list. A story of two best friends who love each other instantly but take awhile to make it explicitly romantic, as one of them is hurt and hiding and the other is oblivious yet somehow still devoted. You will love them.

Takara’s Treasure

This is a gentle love story between two lonely people who are exactly the right fit for each other but struggle with their own insecurities.

Our Dating Sim

A second chance romance for two high school friends who meet again as adults after a bad separation. Short and sweet with just the right touch of angst to burrow into your heart.

Angst Baby

At 25:00 in Akasaka

Two actors who first met in college are cast in a bl together, and the lines between their professional and private lives start to blur. This is a really beautiful and evocative show.

Wedding Plan

A gay man who is preparing to marry his lesbian best friend to protect themselves from their families falls in love with his wedding planner. It's a classic romance trope but this show does it so well, with an added layer of queer angst that really deepens the story.

My Beautiful Man

A high school story that centers on a psychologically complex relationship dynamic that will not become fully clear to you until the end (by design, the writing for this show is remarkable). It's not a traditional romance but it is a deeply moving one, and if you like it there's a sequel season and movie that are both also great.

Theory of Love

The messy angst-ridden friends to lovers drama we deserve. Don't skip the special episode, it's one of the rare cases where the special is actually crucial to the story and not just bonus fluff.

My Tooth Your Love

This one is romcom shaped but also deals a lot with trauma, so on balance it's more of an angsty romance. Warning for dentistry (which I recently learned is an issue for a lot of folks on here).

Gameboys 1 and 2

A pandemic-era romance that starts long distance before our boys can come together in real life. Definitely watch both seasons!

Jack O’ Frost

The only bl that has ever used the amnesia trope well. A romance gone wrong that gets an unexpected second chance after an accident forces a reset of their relationship. I found the themes of generosity and forgiveness in this one really moving.

Seven Days

This one is what it says on the tin--spend a week with two teenage boys as they try out dating each other. I really love the structure of this one, and the romance is well done.

[izartn]

So, about how I see Link Click's Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi relationship:

As it stands in canon? Queerplatonic partners. And it's convenient for the plot that they're like this.

Because of Chinese censorship it can't be explicitly romantic, yes I know it. Let me tell why it's queerplatonic for me. The way these two have intertwined their lives and futures together?!

Owning a business and living together, that hint in ep2 (comparing them to the subtextually older lesbian couple who also came across as queerplatonic bc censure) where Xiaoshi wonders/fears if years down the line he and Lu Guang will separate/break up implying their partnership is for life as far as he's concerned (the parallel can be taken as a subtext romance too but follow me we're talking text), the way they were already going also on vacancies together three years prev in canon, etc...

Without entering on their complimentary powers and the way the dives need both of them if they want security in not screwing the past, and the inmense trust and vulnerability the dives themselves require?

They're not simply best friends either.

Those aren't the actions of normal, totally not queer friends. Cheng Xiaoshi checks out women on the dives, sure, (and men too when the host is feeling it which I love bc they can't address it directly bc censorship and then it comes across as Xiaoshi being super confident in his own relationship to sexuality/gender) but I don't think he would ever date bc Lu Guang is already there, filling that place in his life minus sex and romance but all that same companionship and intensity of feeling.

These two meet in what, the last year/s of High School and then proceeded to latch onto each other with a commitment reserved for romantic partners.

And I know you want to say, "it's the censorship! they'd be romantic and canon if not for the censorship!"

Are you sure? Are you sure the story would work if there were explicit romance in it? (I mean, if they could I'm pretty sure they would have nailed it anyways but allow me my a-spec delusions) Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang feel so much like an already established pair, they work like one, and Link Click is not about them coming together like many other stories. Are you sure this would work as BL?

There's a distinct difference on the way they start the show already like six years at least since they're best friends and three or two since they live together. That's not usually how it goes. I'm talking not just romances but every buddy or nakama anime/show, where the protag has to learn to work with who will be his best friend or rival. These stories usually have the same kind of plot progression as a romance which is why they work so well when you make the subtext text.

But a story where the main romance is already established and we're following a plot that has nothing to do with it? Much more rare, even stranger to find them well done although there are some very good ones and with the friendships instead of romo they're more common. For example, Soul Eater, which is all about the trials of it and how they hace to truly come to understand each other. That's Link Click a bit, but not even then.

Link Click juggling a budding romance between Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi with all the other stuff is going on?? Messier for sure. I don't know if people would have liked it as much or if the donghua would have been as well done.

As it is, Link Click has the exact level of emotional connection between our protags it needs to have incredibly high stakes emotionally and at the same time not need a detour by romantic scenes/fanservice that would derail the plot or the other charas importance. That it happens to be pretty queer anyways in a platonic way?

Nice for the aroace-spec folks watching the show xD

Btw, I'm pretty sure in season 3 we're going to get more of Lu Guang's PoV, the origins of their powers and the past between him and Xiaoshi. It'll probably dig more into the aspect of "testing their bond and coming stronger bc of it" which is were the romantic subtext usually comes through...

—unless you're very very good at writing like Arakawa in FMA, who nailed the brotherly relationship without tipping into incest subtext which I've seen more than a few writers fumble. or the latest D&D film for the platonic childrearing and partnership for a no familial example between a man and a woman also very very difficult to get right for writers dunno why—

... but until then, for now I'm incredibly satisfied by the canon.

The other read of course it that they're already a couple since well before the start of season 1, and to mentally edit what we saw in canon with that lens (it wouldn't be very difficult honestly) but reading only the text? Queerplatonic partners!

There also how Xiaoshi and Lu Guang don't have that anxiety/insecurity of their bond that makes it so easy to read the want for something, like a romance for shipping purposes. Despite the disagreements on the Dives or the trials of season 2 or Lu Guang keeping secret Cheng Xiaoshi future/past death they read very steady which is fun. I love some good established relationship, you can go to deeper places when the base is already secure and the risk is higher for the characters. Plus I love domesticity! Yes, I do my angsty/Gothic leanings notwithstanding. Don't you know you need a home for the Gothic to be effective?

[bl-bracket]

Guide to the BL Brackets!

Hello and welcome to the BL Brackets, where we do polls and competitions for BL characters and dramas!

Current poll: Most Whipped

Status: Accepting Submissions

(Prev polls and winners are under the cut)

What kind of characters/shows can be submitted?

Any character from a BL drama is allowed. A BL drama as I'm defining it is a live action drama from an eastern Asian country (ex. South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, etc) and is focused on an mlm/bl couple that is explicitly stated (the exception is censored dramas from China, where the relationship is very clearly stated in the source material or in the creators' intent).

Supporting characters, including female characters, are all welcome! They do not have to be the main characters to be submitted!

GL dramas or dramas where only the side pairing is mlm won't be counted for the purposes of this competition

Examples

Yes: 3 Will Be Free as the main relationship includes an mlm pairing within it

Yes: The Untamed as even though the relationship was not shown on screen due to censorship laws in China, the source material is explicitly mlm

Yes: Ink & Pa from Bad Buddy can count because even though they are a wlw/gl couple, they are in a BL series

No: Beyond Evil as even though there is a lot of homoerotic subtext, there is no actual romantic relationship explicitly stated between the two leads in canon

No: Army & Joe from The Warp Effect as they are only side characters in the show and the main focus is not on a bl pairing

No: Gap as even though it is queer, it is not centered on a bl pairing

Other questions on logistics of how the polls run? Check here to see if I've answered it already!

Last Poll: Greenest Flag (Season 2)

Winner: Kurosawa (Cherry Magic)

Loser Bracket: Karan (Cherry Magic TH)

Winner of All Time:

Prev Poll: Poorest Little Meow Meow (Seasons 2)

Winner: Jin Guangyao (The Untamed)

Loser Bracket: Vegas (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Bonus Round: Lee Dongsik (Beyond Evil)

Winner of All Time: Jin Guangyao (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: Least Rizz

Winner: Winner (Pit Babe)

Loser Bracket Winner: Su She (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: Best QL Proposal

Winner: Oyei & Cher (Wandee Goodday)

Prev Poll: Most Unhinged

Winner: Xue Yang (The Untamed)

Loser Bracket Winner: Wen Kexing (Word of Honor)

Bonus Round: Pit Babe

Prev Poll: #1 Himbo

Winner: Yechan (Love Tractor)

Loser Bracket Winner: Yai (The Sign)

Prev Poll: Horniest on Main

Winner: Kinn (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Loser Bracket Winner: Boston (Only Friends)

Bonus Round: Kinnporsche: The Series

Prev Poll: Build-a-BL

Winner: [Post Here]

Prev Poll: Best Siblings

Winner: Jiang Yanli & Wei Wuxian & Jiang Cheng (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: #1 Causer of Gender Envy

Winner: Tay (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Bonus Round: Jeff Satur

Prev Poll: Best Kiss

Winner: Pat and Pran First Kiss (Bad Buddy)

Prev Poll: Most Babygirl

Winner: Porsche (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Bonus Round: Akk (The Eclipse)

Prev poll: Bisexual Swag

Winner: Choi Yuna (Semantic Error)

Prev poll: Autistic Swag

Winner: Lan Zhan (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: Most Whipped

Winner: Lan Zhan (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: Greenest Flag

Winner: Tinn (My School President)

Prev poll: Poorest Little Meow Meow

Winner: Wei Wuxian (The Untamed)

[swordshapedleaves]

Once again it's time for my seasonal anime opinions no one asked for!

Putting it under the cut because it's long as fuck

New Anime I'm Excited About

Uzumaki It's Uzumaki!

365 Days to the Wedding Introvert coworkers fake an engagement to avoid a work transfer. I fucking love fake dating.

Dandadan An anime guy on youtube already sold me on this one by talking up the manga but the trailers look incredible. I'm too stupid to know what's going on and I don't even care because it looks amazing. Science SARU also made Devilman: Crybaby and Heike Monogatari so this should be a treat to watch.

Demon Lord 2099 This looks sick as fuck, very Shadowrun.

Ao no Miburo I am way more excited for this one than it probably deserves but I love historical dramas. This one is about the Shinsengumi before they were the Shinsengumi. I don't honestly believe Maho Film can pull it off but I really want them to.

New Anime I Plan to Check Out

Lockdown Zone: Lv. X: This could be a good horror show but the teaser trailer is leaving a LOT to the imagination though so it's hard to tell if this is gonna be good.

Negative Positive Angler This anime has cute girls AND boys doing a cute thing, the animation looks really good, and the trailer had good vibes. Might be a tear-jerker since protag-kun has a terminal diagnosis.

How I Attended an All-Guy's Mixer I think this is BL but it's not clear. I will watch in the hopes that the guys kiss.

Chi.: Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite Grounded historic anime set in Poland isn't a thing I think I've ever seen before. The animation looks serviceable at best but I'm still hopeful Madhouse will give us another gem.

Ranma ½ (2024) I really wanted to like the original Ranma 1/2 anime but I gave up 28 episodes into its 161 episode run out of exhaustion. Every time it seemed like the main relationship might develop a bit, they backslid to the status quo by the next episode. If this is a less faithful adaptation of the manga and it streamlines the story, I might actually enjoy it. It's being made by MAPPA so at least we know it's going to look incredible.

Yakuza Fiancé Isn't an arranged Yakuza marriage the foundation of one of the greatest anime rom coms of all time? I can't remember the name but I didn't like it. I'm not into gangster stuff, but Studio Deen has made some of my favorite romances and the animation has a really fun bold style.

Nina the Starry Bride I read a bit of the manga and enjoyed it so I'm definitely checking this one out. Signal.MD also made MMO Junkie and The Fire Hunter.

New Anime I'm on the Fence About

I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History It doesn't look like a good villainess show but that's never stopped me before! I haven't watched anything by Maho Film before but their winter anime Doctor Elise was supposed to be good. I have high hopes for the other anime they're putting out this season but I'll check this one out as well.

Kinoko Inu Is a story about healing from grief with the help of a fakemon. It says it's heartwarming but the trailer had some sort of last second sting where the guy's house was on fire??? The only other thing I've seen by C-Station is the first couple eps of Yuru Camp, which was too sleepy for my tastes.

Kabushikigaisha Magi-Lumière The premise, that magical girl is just a job you can have and there are start up magical girl companies, is quite charming but the animation is mid and the adult protagonist sidesteps a lot of the emotional core of the genre.

Mechanical Arms Complicated sci fi set up for what looks like a typical shonen battle anime, but I like that it appears our soft boy protag-kun has a girl for a lancer without any romantic tension. This is either a rerelease or a remake of the anime that was released on Vimeo by TriF Studio in 2018? I think?

The Do-Over Damsel Conquers The Dragon Emperor It's giving "we have seventh time loop at home" if the protagonist went for the evil emperor first thing as soon as she looped and he was actually super silly and chill.

Dragon Ball Daima I love that the synopsis is just "New Dragonball series." Fuck you. Its Dragonball. What else do you need to know? Based on the trailer, it looks like the adults get turned into children somehow and then sent to the demon realm. I'm not really a dragonball guy but this looks pretty charming!

[theselightsareblinding]

Currently watching

(mostly thai and bls rigth now)

November 2022 (updated on nov 18th)

Ai Long Nhai (ep8)

Still nothing seems to happen but I don't care, it's pretty cute and that's enough. The best moments are when Nhai goes soft on Ai, my heart melts a bit. The worst thing are the english subs, it makes the experience way worse, especially because the characters are having serious conversations sometimes now and I hate not being able to understand exactly what they're saying.

Ghost Host, Ghost House (ep7)

This series decided to make me sob during the last three episodes. The unexpected gl side couple got to me hard. I was relieved none of the main characters were ghosts so it wouldn't be so tragic but it's pretty tragic still. I swear to god they better give me a happy ending for them or I don't know what I'm going to do. Also the chemistry between them is excellent, perfect skinship, intimacy, domesticity... I really like them together.

The Three GentleBros (ep11)

I'm enjoying it, mostly thanks to Gun and Tay but still. It's divided into three arcs, the first one was Luke and Mook and the plot was pretty bad but I was pleasantly surprised by Mook, she has charisma and she's not a bad actress. I had never seen her in a series before but now I want to. The second one was for Tay and his costar who I don't know the name of. The plot is much better, a bit of enemies to lovers and fake relationship, they are cute and make me root for them to end up together. Last is the one with Gun and Film, I liked them together in Not me but here I'm a bit sceptical because Gun's character acts like he's four years old, he doesn't seem capable of having a romantic adult relationship. I don't know if they are going to try to fit his character development in two episodes or what.

Between Us (ep2)

I don't have the hype for it as it seems the rest of the world has, I only recently watched UWMA and their three seconds of screen time weren't enough to get me that hooked. That said, I'm interested in seeing where it goes and I'm liking it so far. I think it's going to be a 'friends with benefits start to develop feelings' situation which I find really appealing. The most notable thing for me at this point was the effort to show consent in their relationship, I wish every series was like this. The worst is the inconsistency with the hairstyles, between Win's roots and Pharm's mullet/bowl cut, I can't help it but notice everytime. I know some people are worried about the show having so many side couples but I can't help but be excited for Sammy's one because I love her, and the Win's brother and friend one (I really liked that actor in Love by chance as Ae's friend).

Choco Milk Shake (ep6)

This. Needs. To. Be. A. Poly. Relationship.

I can't shut up about this, they have the perfect set up for it. They are already practically in a relationship they just need to confirm it. Everything is there. I know Milk and Uncle are going to become a couple in the end but in my heart it will always be poly, I want to remember it like that. Well, if it has a happy ending at all, which I'm starting to doubt a little. I didn't even want to watch it because the animal turned human trope frankly makes me ick but the tumblr gifs convinced me, and I don't regret it, even if the poly thing makes me a bit sad the series is great.

Self (ep1)

Just watched one episode, now that I know how it ends I'll watch the rest. Seems interesting so far, the first main character is insufferable but I don't mind it yet, I sense the character development coming.

My Only 12% (ep13)

I still haven't watched the finale. I watch bls to see cute romances, I can tolerate a bit of pain but these last weeks have been too much for me, with Sky and his ex and the family in Ghost host ghost house, so I wasn't in the mood to watch this too. I'll do my final review of the show when I watch the last episode. I'll just say Cooheart and Santa are both amazing actors, I think the best ones of all the series I'm watching at the moment.

Finished

Love in the Air

First, Payu and Rain, I didn’t like the beginning that much, the daddy/baby dynamic is not my cup of tea at all, but towards the end they ended up having a much more balanced relationship and their chemistry is indisputable so the last two/three episodes were far more enjoyable for me.

As for Pai and Sky, Pai definitely did some bad things, not taking a no for an answer, stalking, the whole reading Sky's private diary... But I'm trying to forget because if it wasn't for that I would adore them as a couple. I already loved Sky and Pai worshipping him is what he deserves, I love a completely head over heels character. I think my favourite scene is when Pai can't bear to look at Sky's smile, so endearing. The chemistry was very good, Peat did a great job even though he had very complex scenes. Fort was a bit more inconsistent to me, he had great scenes, like when Sky breaks up with him or when he consoled Sky, but I felt he was a bit awkward in some others. Seeing him rip the piercing out of Gun's eyebrow was satisfying but not enough, it's a shame this is not Kinnporsche because I would've loved to see Gun's head on a table. I don't think they did a bad job portraying everything Sky went through, but even though getting a boyfriend is nice he should have gone to a therapist too. In my head he did.

In the end, both couples were cute together, they have great chemistry, the plot wasn't that bad, and at least they didn't normalize sexual abuse, honestly I expected way worse from Mame.

The Eclipse

Right now I'm too sad that they screwed up the pacing and a bit of the plot towards the end to do a fully truthful review. One day I'll binge watch it to solidify my opinion on it. If we don't count the two/three last episodes this would probably be my favourite or one of my favourite series of the year. I loved First on Not me but until seeing him change that drastically in The eclipse I didn't realize how good of an actor he really is. Khao and Neo too.

Plan to watch

GAP (nov 19th) -> tomorrow!!

I'm very excited for this. I need a cute girls love office romance like I need air. I don't think I need to say how important is that we start to get more gls so I hope a lot of people watch it. Also I really like Saint and this is his company, I trust him and I trust Idol Factor because they did a great job with Secret crush on you.

The Warp Effect (december)

New and some of the crew confirmed it's supposed to air in december. It has New as the main lead and I heard it has a gl side couple and that's enough for me to want to watch.

Another thing coming is the GMMTV 2023 event where they announce their series for 2023, it's next week, the 22nd. I'm very excited, I have a post with my predictions.

[squeakygeeky]

Love Bill Episode 3

I love Loc and Minh, especially Minh. I don’t even remember seeing them in the trailer, they just suddenly appeared to create an only one bed situation and get the main characters a bit hot and bothered. They apparently had a best friends-to-lovers thing going on, and maybe pretty recently if Thien didn’t know about it. And they’re already doing the divide-and-conquer couples thing. Good on Loc for promoting safe sex. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a case where friends were this straightforwardly pushing the couple together while shouting ‘now kiss.’ Minh referring to Nghia as ‘that stupid younger top’ like it was his title made me laugh. Neck kiss!

I don’t know why this show is suddenly obsessed with imaginary handjobs but there were two of those and on actual sex scene with Loc and Minh and O2 Production did not add the porno music even once, not even during the intentionally comedic scene. I never thought I’d see the day.

I was not expecting my girl Pink to be quoted in a BL but I can’t fault Nghia’s taste in pop stars. I forgot Thien was writing a ghost BL and I love him for that. Dalat continues to be the prettiest possible filming location. Anyway, that’s all my normal comments, on to linguistics!

This is the episode where The Thing happened aka a shift in how the main characters address each other. The Eng sub gives us:

Nghia: I address you as my senior, but can I be addressed as your junior? Thien: Well...do whatever you want. Just don’t do it in a rude way. Nghia: I might be a bit rude, but I’d never be discourteous to the elderly.

Who ever is doing these subs, 10/10. This translation conveys the spirit of this exchange really well, in a way that a machine translation never could.

Nghia says something along the lines of, “I call you ‘anh,’ but can I be referred to as ‘em’?” Thien says he can do whatever he likes as long as he doesn’t use ‘tao/mày’ (rude pronouns). And then Nghia is a sarcastic little shit in return. What you can’t get from the subs is that Thien starts to call him ‘câu’ when responding, but corrects himself to ‘em’ instead.

At 22, Thien is older than Nghia (not sure how old Nghia is but my guess is only 18). Nghia has been addressing Thien properly as ‘anh,’ older brother, and himself as ‘tôi,’ which is the most neutral version of ‘I.’ Thien addresses himself as ‘anh’ and calls Nghia ‘cậu’ which I think is technically a kind of uncle but can be used as a pronoun for someone around the same age or younger, generally it seems to me either because you’re close enough in age to want to avoid sounding like senior/junior, or because your relationship is a little distant. Nghia is asking to use ‘em,’ younger sibling. Anh/em would be typical senior/junior pronouns but also have a romantic implication.

Sort of significant here is that in another show I talked about a while ago, the toppy younger character started addressing the older character as ‘em,’ which was meant as a come on. I can’t see Thien responding well to that, and there is also 100% no way Nghia would know that was a thing, the boy can’t even recognize a condom package.

[blobofcolour]

Recent CNovel reads post

Reading now: 《诱宦》 再枯荣 (BG)

I'm only about 10% in the novel but it's a refreshing and different setting from the period cnovels that I typically read. It's a love story between a eunuch and a prostitute, like an ACTUAL eunuch and prostitute, not them pretending to be one and turning out to be a manly man and a pure woman to fit into the usual protagonist stereotypes. They have both been beaten down by the harsh realities of life but still struggle through day by day in the hopes that life could one day give them some grace. Looking forward to see them help each other heal the deeps scars within.

Completed: 《求生倒计时》 木兮娘 (BL)

I really enjoyed this one for the court politics and while Zhao Bai Yu definitely had a lead character halo, it didn't get too out of hand and his character growth was a good read. The weak part of this novel was the relationship between the two male leads. Like... they just fell in love in the early part of the novel and Huo Jing Tang became this convenient weapon in ZBY's journey. I mean, I kinda get ZBY deciding to give himself to someone that has his back after struggling by himself his whole life, but it seemed to be a snap decision on their wedding night and they went from almost strangers to love-of-my-life overnight.

But still, I do recommend this if you like court politics novels with a touch of romance in the background.

Dropped: 《大撞��阳路》 木兮娘 The Great Collision of Yin and Yang English translation (BL)

The supernatural stories are an ok read but it doesn't keep me engaged cos the supernatural incidents are standalone and after I finish one I don't feel compelled to continue. Similar to 求生倒计时 the main couple's relationship is just there. When the story starts the main couple is already married, only that Chen Yang does not know he married the big lord of the underworld so there's zero romantic tension or progress. Also when the novel starts Chen Yang is already rather skilled in dealing with supernatural beings thanks to hubby's support so I don't even have the character growth arc to draw me in.

If you like a supernatural BL story 《新时代 新地府》 (New Times New Hell English translation) is a wayyy more fun read. If you are a scaredy cat like me, this novel describes the after life/supernatural in a very fun and light hearted way so no worries about reading it even at night lol.

If you like something a bit scarier (by my standards anyway), 《判官》 (Pan Guan English translation) is a really good one. I couldn't read this one at night lol. Unlike The Great Collision of Yin and Yang where the goal is just to find and get rid of evil beings, the cases in Pan Guan reads like a mystery to be unraveled and more often than not, the human heart and emotions are the source and solution to these cases. I definitely cried more than once while reading this! The only meh thing for me was the (supposed to be kinda tragic?) relationship between the 2 male leads. There's an overarching plot between Wen Shi / Xie Wen that threads through the cases that leads to the final big reveal but I was mehhhh. I guess I just don't have a thing for the master/student set up. I almost didn't read the final arc cos I couldn't be bothered if they ended up together or not lol.

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Currently watching - August

Because I love a good little list 😊

Regularly updated during the month - colored = finished

Currently airing

180 degree longitude passes through us (3/8)

Damn, THIS IS SO GOOD. The cinematography, the acting, the relationships, the tension. I am blown away! Episode 3 delivered and I am here for it. If it goes this way I can tell it will be in my top watches of 2022.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (12/16)

I love this so much! I love the character growth in so many of them. I guess like the most of us I just adore Lee Jun-Ho. He is a walking green flag! This is such a great series! Damn, my days have simply too few hours!

The Eclipse (3/12)

Ayan is so sassy and Akk is already so confused. I enjoy their progress with each other very much. The story so far is really good and I can't wait for the next episodes!

Vice Versa (6/12)

This is something else. Love the whole different universe thingy and I think the main couple really do have chemistry with each other. The concept of time is something else in this series...I haven't any clue that they are in this universe for a whole fucking year! What the...? But I enjoy this series and its color concept very much!

About Youth (2/10)

First episode made me tear up...I would say this is a good start for a really great and emotional connection to this series. Yeah, I like this one a lot.

Love in the air (2/13)

Hm...I am not sure after the second episode. People who are triggerd by sa or the hints of it...stay away? My moral compass might be a bit of, but so far I can not really enjoy it?

Takara-kun to Amagi-kun (2/8)

The second episode was so much better! I couldn't stop smiling because they're just adorable together.

What if (3/5)

Sometime a low budget drama is just perfect at the end of the day. The friendship in this feels real and so does the relationship between Smart and Peach. The episodes are very short, so you can't do much wrong watching this one.

Coffee Melody (7/10)

Update from the update...It is boring...Duan Yi is very self-centered...he is bland...the lack of chemistry is astonishing...I can't see any plot or progress. At this point (ep 7) it is just painful to watch.

Unforgotten Night (10/12)

Hell yeah! And with hell I literally mean hell! This is a very special series whose depiction of a whip-wielding “dom” will never leave my memory. If you like trash, go for it!

Mama Gogo (2/10)

There are too many series on the side to satisfy my need for second-hand embarrassment that I've neglected Mama Gogo a bit. There are sexy dancing men...so I will definitely keep watching, really!

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry (10/12)

The story of a coin laundry owner becoming friends with a high-school student and we have to wait where this is going. Well acted and kind of cute so far. The tension!!!! Damn!

War of Y (4/20)

This is a strong one. It is a slap in the face for the industry and the audience. Watching it doesn't make you feel comfortable and I enjoy it very much.

On Cloud Nine (4/6)

This had a strong start. I like the atmosphere and the scenery. All those flowers and the emptyness. I have my thoughts about all of this, but I keep them quiet for now.

My only 12 % (2/14)

Not quite sure about this one. The first episodes were kind of...boring?

Already broadcasted series

Finished in August

Series

Love Mechanics (10/10)

Okay, this series has its flaws. Do I care? Not at all. I love it. I am obsessed with War's acting and Yin's progress. I don't care about cheating storylines as long as they make sense to me. I love the chemistry, I love the angst and I love their love for each other. 10 out of 10 painful moments

SOTUS S (13/13)

Oh I liked it. And I like the character of Arthit. He is a small, insecure bean and I want to give him a hug and tell him everything will be alright. Kong still can be a little bit to much for me. 8 out of 10 pink milks

The Novelist (6/6) + Spring Life

Exactly what I expected. It is no high romantic bl. It is a high heat boys lust drama. I liked the concept and the story and the acting is really fine. It has its flaws, but I can live with them. 8 out of 10 erotic novels

21 Day Theory (4/4)

This was a cute one. Short but it still managed to transport everything it wanted to tell us. I especially liked the coming out to the family and the friends. And the ending? Sweeeet! 9 out of 10 pastries

Even Sun (6/6)

First I thought I don't get the point, but after reading some comments I realised there was no point in this. The story was...wait, what story? Yes, the ending was cute, but the rest felt rushed and with too many plot holes. 4 out of 10 plot holes

Senpai, Danjite Koidewa! (8/8)

Hm. In the end, it didn't leave a bigger impression than I initially thought. It was a cute story, but the last two episodes were...kind of off. Like they needed some kind of conflict but couldn't come up with anything that would fit the story. 6,5 out of 10 shy smiles

Dark Blue and Moonlight (12/12)

I am just happy I finished it. It was bad. In the end I don't know what the point of all this was. The story got repetitive in the end...they break up, they make up, oh they break up, wait no, they didn't break up in the first place. It is just messy af! This series could have ended after five or six episodes. Yeah, not a fan. 3,5 out of 5 "break ups"

History 2: Right or wrong (4/4)

It took me some time to like Shi Yi Jie. Adored the daughter and her relationship with Fei Sheng Zhe. The story is ok. The character growth is there and I appreciated it. Nothing to rewatch, but nice to watch on a rainy afternoon. 7 out of 10 Egg Fried Rice

History 2: Crossing the line (4/4)

Love it. Great story, lovable characters and a lot of sports. I like the arc of the main and the kind of natural way the two protagonists become closer over time. 9,5 out of 10 volleyballs

History 3: Make our days count (10/10)

Okay, my softspot was without a doubt the side couple. Thomas Chang is just beautiful and I loved every scene he was in. And I don't have a problem with the ending...I am sorry, but I think it was well done and it works with what the series wants to tell us: cherish every moment and make every single day count, because life is short in the and. 8,5 out of 10 shower scenes

See you after quarantine? (10/10)

This was cute. Something different because of the way it was filmed. I liked the characters and the short (very short) episodes. Nothing special and still something to feel good about. 8,5 out of 10 S21

Add*cted (15/15)

What the toxic fuck was that? Don't get me wrong. I liked it. It was, most of the times, well acted and the story was quite nice, but damn those two are toxic as fuck. And yes, it looks like I threw my moral compass overboard a long time ago. 7 out of 10 toxic traits

My Secret Love (12/12)

A sweet college-BL with a little bit of cringe about a forced BL-couple. Main couple had a high cringe rate for me personal. They were cute, but a little stiff. Secondary couple is an established couple with its own problems and very touchy. Liked their dynamic. Third couple...never thought this one would end up being my favorite, but they are so cute! Adorable! Over all it wasn't something that blew my mind. It was good for a one-time-watch. 7 out of 10 youtube channels

I promised you the moon (5/5)

Still, I can't stand Teh's character. He's just an asshole whithout empathy (in my opinion). He hurts the people around him and in the end he is the victim. No sir...Don't like this attitude and your apologies don't help. But I enjoy Oh-aew and his journey to his true self. I have dearly wished for a happy ending for Oh-aew and Q. I have to say, I didn't like Teh in ITSAY, but here...I truly disliked him till the end! And he is the reason I can't give it a better grade. Not the cheating that angers me that much, but the way he thinks he is the center of everyones world. 6 out of 10 self-centred bitches

His Man (11/11)

Korea's first gay dating show. It was great to see them bond with each other, not just romantically, but with cute friendships. The atmosphere was really good most of the times. Two people found each other and it was quite cute to watch. The fandom, especially on twitter, was toxic af which was very unpleasent. There was so much hate for real people...viewers treated them as couples from their favorite bl and got angry because the real person ddn't act as a fake character but as a real person...and the production played along. I love this show for the particiants and for that 10 out of 10 but the production needs to fix the misleading shit they cme up with! 10 out of 10 for the eight beautiful men

Check Out (12/12)

This was bad. The amount of times I shouted at my screen and asked him what the hell was going on is way too high for 12 episodes. The story is messy as hell. The acting is...not good. The plot...what plot? They could have handled the story in one or two episodes. The characters are unlikable. I thought Tee deserved better, but after the last episode? Honey, you're not better than anyone else. Yeah, glad it is over...Can't recommend it. 1 out of 10 unnecessary drama

Short films

The Immeasurable (Taiwan)

I like it. Don't read the synopsys on gagaoolala if you don't like spoilers. I enjoyed the chemistry between the two protagonists, I like the aunt and I do like the story. I like that it is shows how fragile a relationship can be if you don't talk and don't listen even though you have a strong physical bond. 8,5 out of 10 baskeball courts

I'll be with you (South Korea)

Short film about a funeral and the way people deal with it and how little we actual now about others. The ending was unexpected and sweet. It was a good, short watch. 7 out of 10 black suits

Tidal (Taiwan)

This was painful and heartbreaking to watch. I liked it (well, no shit, I like pain...). Once again, if you don't like spoilers keep away from the synopsys...and I guess from my opinion too...damn... 7,5 out of 10 marbles

Movies

What I'm looking forward to in August:

War of Y (2. Aug)

On cloud nine (6. Aug)

21 days theory (7. Aug)

Papa & Daddy 2 (8. Aug)

The Eclipse (12. Aug)

My only 12% (12. Aug)

180 degree longitude passes through us (14. Aug)

Love in the air (18. Aug)

Takara-kun to Amagi-kun (19. Aug)

About Youth (29. Aug)

Ghost host, ghost house (? Aug)

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - The Industry is Having Issues But the Spice Spicy Must Flow

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

March 2024 Wk 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

Two Worlds (Thurs IQIYI) eps 1-2 of 10 - One of those "he's dead Jim so time travel" thingames starring MaxNat. I'm over this concept but I do enjoy MaxNat. Phupha (Gun) and Khram (Nat) love each other but Phupha is murdered. Then Khram is pulled to a parallel world where, years ago, Khram and Tai (Max) were in love. However, Khram was killed by Tai’s dad. Now Tai finds alter-Khram. But then there is ALSO an alter-Phupha to deal with. (Phupha is played by Gun Thanawat who was Khom, the repressed butler bodyguard from Unforgotten Night. We like this, but we scared of the love triangle aspect.) Did that make sense? Yeah, okay, see what I mean?

Initial thoughts?

The subs are troubling but I’m enjoying this show a lot. It’s nice to see MaxNat get something meaty to sink their teeth into - that’s not just each other. Also it’s so smart of them to give us a fully fleshed out entire episode developing the alter romance rather than just a separation + death. It makes Khram’s grief and motivation that much more believable. Also it’s really nice to see Nat have good chemistry with other actors. 

Deep Night (Thurs iQiyi) ep 3 of 8 (10?) - I'm still enjoying it. But Two Worlds is objectively better. So this one has lost ranking. Also, unexpectedly chili (the name of my heavy metal Thai cover band).

Lovey switchy and verse main couple too.

This is all quite pleasing.

The bit where the hosts pretend to be a BL couple actor ship was epic on so many levels.

Also unsettling.

All sex work is performative, and in a way there is something more honest about this depiction, in this setting, than what BL actors are made to do on the promo circuit. Which then begs the question, how different is BL from sex work? That's the unsettling bit, for me anyway. Not to slam on sex work AT ALL, we pro-the-true-pros on this damn blog, but actors have been shaded by association with True Professionals for a very long time and BL has already had one epic shut down in this regard. (See the PerthSaint scandal around Love By Chance, no I will not explain.) Where was I? Oh yes, so anyway, see the Gossip section for the part where they better be paid either way!

Also, since I'm a warped fucker, I found this scene funny.

And then hilarious when all of those BL tropes were just trotted out. Like a greatest hits reel.

Truly beyond meta. (How Absolute BL of them.)

Note he’s even standing in yaoi's patented "hands in pocket with the shoulders back"? 

Meanwhile, the gayest bridge in Thailand made its quarterly appearance:

And lip serviced was paid to the most touristy romantic things you can do in Bangkok.

And I mean lip service literally. 

To Be Continued (Thai C3 Thailand grey) ep 5 of 8 - I’m still enjoying it but getting more and more nervous. We getting too close to Promise territory for comfort. EXPLAIN Ji’s reticence well and do it now or risk audience mistrust. We have to be given a GOOD reason for Ji's behavior, or he'll be irredeemable.

City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 8 of 12 - NO SINGING. Yes smiley kisses and good communication and a nice healthy relationship. But no singing!

1000 Years Old ep 6 of 12 - Dropping in the ranks. I’m sorry it’s just gotten boring. It has, however, inspired me to invest in my own ridiculous cream fuzzy sweater. Which I plan to wear with leather trousers and huge stumpy boots, like the Kpop queer I truly am. Or do I mean vampire? 

Kiseki Chapter 2 (Sun iQIYI) ep 1 of 6 - Seems to be an excuse for a small posse of Thai actors to wander around Tokyo playing tourist and sing in public . Someone stop them?

“Most people think this kind of thing is bad manners .”

Anyway, it’s v boring. I’ll give it one more ep but I suspect I’ll DNF.

Close Friend Season 3: Soju Bomb! (Weds iQIYI) eps 1-2 of 6 - Meh. This is also looking suspiciously DNF-a-licious.  

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Unknown (Taiwan Tues Youku YouTube & Viki) ep 5 of 11 - It's brilliant. I love it. I'm ready to hurt. Let’s do this thing. 

Distribution note: This one has been picked up and is also airing on Viki now, so it may lose YT distribution in soem territories. I like Youku's hard subs better than Viki's subs, but that's a matter of preference not information since I don't speak Mandarin.

Love is Better the Second Time Around AKA Koi wo Suru nara Nidome ga Joto (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 3 of 6 - It is good. Every week I like this show a little more. I'm enjoying a reunion romance explored in Japan's quintessentially contemplative yet slightly surreal way. The juxtaposition of the tenderness of the sex scene with this Japanese brand of authenticity was oddly elegant - for lack of a better way of putting it. All in all, this is a good show. Thought provoking. Stylish.

AntiReset (Taiwan Fri Viki/Gaga) ep 9 of 10 - It remains lovely but they sure are reusing a lot of footage. Also, this was a classic penultimate doom episode. I do wonder how they are going to resolve this show ethically.

My Strawberry Film (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 6 of 8 - It is what it is, and it isn’t my style of show no matter what country of origin. Oddly that's one of the reasons I don't like it. Anyone could have made this, it's not as Japanese as I want it to be, it's just indie film club high school angst. Yawn.

I watched it, finally

The Servant and the Young Master (Vietnam YouTube) 7 eps - I dislike vertical filming, but I kind of enjoyed this show as a BL. I like class conflict romances. For me the rich kid is a bit too dictatorial (edges into bulling), but it’s kinda works. It’s sparse and underdeveloped and a bit plotless, but mildly entertaining. If you're missing Vietnamese BL you might give it a try. 6/10 

Began Beginning (Myanmar YouTube) 8eps - A Burmese BL that I had thoughts about but actually ended up recommending. Read the saga here:

It's done, ready to binge, but I suck

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps

It's airing but...

Graduation Countdown (Taiwan YouTube) ep 1 of ? - on one hand it's micro-installment vertical, on the other it's adorable and from Taiwan. I blame @heretherebedork entirely for my conundrum. As indeed, I did for My Type back in the day. (That was Nat Chen's first BL, yes of Kiseki: Dear To Me fame.) So I think I will also simply lean on Here to let me know when it's done and binge all at once. It's just too much to ask me to keep up with 2 minute pieces, I don't have that kind of endurance training, not even for BL.

Time the series (Tue Gaga/YT) 10 eps - it's finished now, I dropped it at ep 4. Should I bother?

A Secretly Love (Thai Sat WeTV grey) 10 eps - I watched the first ep but grey is too much work for this inferior of a show. I may pick up and binge if it gets distribution but for now, it gets a DNF from me. KimCop might have held this crap together but Kim without Cop? No thank you.

Lady Boy Friends (Thai WeTV grey) 16 eps - reminds me a bit too much of Diary of Tootsies only high school. Not my thing. DNF unless it turns a corner and is truly amazing for some reason.

Man Suang that MileApo vehicle from last year is coming to Netflix in the USA. I haven't heard much about it and since the KP stans would have lost their tiny minds if it was any good at all, I'm assuming it's not good at all.

Gossip

Thai BL actor Yoon breaks with his former company and talks about some very very VERY shady goings on in the Thai BL industry. Including not being paid.

And whacha know, same thing happening in Korean BL.

Have I mentioned recently how much I hate the film industry?

Next Week Looks Like This:

Starting Soon

3/31 Only Boo! (Thai GMMTV YouTube) 12 eps - New main couple for GMMTV in an idol romance about a boy who dances good and a food stand vendor. Other side of the tracks grumpy/sunshine pair who fall deeply in love but, of course, baby boy idol can't date. Boyband but from GMMTV? Control your singing and I'm game.

4/1 Love is like a Cat (Korea ????) 12 eps - This completed filming Aug 2022(!) which means there have been serious problems with post-production. This is another of Silkwood's Korean+Thai colab projects. Mew Suppasit plays a rookie film star, called the Cat Prince (for his cold arrogance) who goes up against a charismatic puppyish animal daycare director (JM of JUST B). There is also a side romance (love triangle?) with a veterinarian. Geonu of JUST B is also in the cast.

I wonder if this was part of the hold up, with Geonu on Build Up right now, they might have tried to muffle this one. Or maybe it's just that bad...

4/3 We Are (Thai GMMTV YouTube) 12 eps - University ensemble BL featuring PondPhuwin, WinnySatang, AouBoom, MarcPawinPoon - basically the good kind of messy gay friendship group (so more My Engineer and less Only Friends). Looks a bit like the Kiss series but everyone is queer. I'm IN!

Knock-Knock Boys (Thai WeTV?) - 4 college friends conspire to help their friend lose his virginity. Familiar faces like Seng (yes, Billy's previous partner), Best and frest face, news here.

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

NOTE: It looks like one of my personal favorites of last year Unintentional Love Story is getting a spin off!

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Without ghost girl.

With ghost girl.

I think she may be my favorite part of 1000 Years.

CLASSIC tsundere seme description of a sunshine uke. Like classic'est of classic. (Two Worlds)

Is there such a thing as a tired trope in a BL? Since it is a genre that is made up entirely of tropes quilted together? Your philosophical question for today brought to you by Deep Night's kabedon (Japanese trope) + punishment threat (Thai trope).

Love me a lap sit moment. (City of Stars)

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are too much work.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone

If ya wanna be tagged each week leave a comment and I will add you to the template. Easy peesy.

[lurkingshan]

Anticipating the LITBC Adaptations

One of the questions @bengiyo asked us this week is what parts of the book we are most looking forward to seeing in the upcoming film and drama adaptations. I had a good convo with @doyou000me and @stuffnonsenseandotherthings in the comments here, and I wanted to talk a bit about why I am excited for these adaptations.

Most folks who watch a lot of South Korean media know that there is precious little LGBTQ+ representation in Korean dramas and film. In mainstream kdrama, we are lucky if we get a queer side character a couple times a year, and it's even more rare for those characters to get a romantic partner (but not unheard of, see Be Melodramatic my beloved). There has been a big uptick in Korean bl production over the last few years, but most of those projects are underfunded and fly under the radar (with notable exceptions like Semantic Error, The Eighth Sense, and Love for Love's Sake). So it is a very big deal to me to see two mainstream adaptations of Love in the Big City, a story that is undeniably centered on a queer lived experience.

Let's talk about the film first. When I first saw the announcement that we would get a film adaptation starring Kim Go Eun, Steve Noh, and Kang Ha Neul, I was ecstatic. These are huge names in Korean media, drama headliners and movie stars. Now, does the choice to focus only on part 1 and center the story on Jaehee mean this project likely won't feel fully rooted in Young's queer perspective? Absolutely, we should recognize that and manage our expectations accordingly. But there will be a mainstream film about the relationship between a woman and a gay man living together, and that is already a very big deal for South Korea. We have to look at this project from the context of Korean social politics and recognize that it signifies progress. And I am still hopeful that Young will feel like a fully realized character, even if we are unlikely to see the full extent of his depth and complexity represented in this film.

And that is where the drama comes in. Sang Young Park himself is the screenwriter for this adaptation, and based on the production photos @my-rose-tinted-glasses shared here, we are getting all four parts of the story in this version. The cast here is not as famous as the film headliners, but they are recognizable, solid actors who have had main roles in other dramas. I don't know how these two projects came to be made at the same time, so I can only say that having them premiere around the same time is genius, whether by intention or happenstance. Because I can easily imagine that people who are exposed to this story for the first time via the film might then go check out the drama, where they will see a much fuller picture of Young's life and an authentic queer experience. @archiveofmystuff shared that there has been some reporting about the long process to secure funding for this full novel adaptation, and I'm not surprised it was difficult. But with Sang Young Park attached I feel confident that we will get a solid version of this story, even if it can't get quite as explicit about all the gory details as the novel did. I can't wait to see Young, Jaehee, Umma, Hyung, and Gyu-ho on my screen, and I'll be so curious to see how he structures the show to fit the four parts of his novel into eight 50-minute episodes. There are so many exciting possibilities and I am feeling optimistic.

TL; DR: it's a big deal that these adaptations are being made, and it will surely result in more people seeing Young's story. It's a signal of positive progress in the Korean media landscape, and I welcome it.

[disaster-j]

I came across an article from Celebestopnews on 21 March about Off allegedly confirming his relationship with Gun. On another platform (otakuart) another article appeared a day later talking about the same video and also confirming that they are dating. Now I don't speak Thai, so I have no idea what is said in the video that was attached to the first article, and I have at least sometimes the ability to be a bit critical of sources, so I don't think there is any truth in the articles - especially as I suspect the internet would have gone crazy if that were the case. But I would still be interested: Do you know more?

Thanks for having such a great blog!

Ugh yeah I have unbiased info.

Preface this by saying Off has leaned into the whole "offgun dating" rumours by making jokes about it for years now. It's basically a given that nothing they say about this stuff outside of an actual, official press conference should be taken seriously as confirmation of anythings whatsoever.

So here's what happened. Back in early 2020 (I think) OffGun were asked for the millionth time by an interviewer if they were dating/had ever wanted to date. They replied by explaining that their relationship is such that they already do many things that people who are dating would do for each other but that despite their closeness they've never actually said they wanted to date or should date. They left the possibility that it could happen someday open. Having seen that interview a couple times I can say that their response seemed to be a way for them to explain that they get that they have an unconventional relationship but it was not one where they were romantically linked. Although they weren't averse to the idea of someday ending up together, that was just not what they wanted from each other at the time. Now, people might say this is them doing fanservice or just saying it to fuel shipping delusions but to me they seemed pretty serious and genuine, like that really is just how they saw their relationship. They could date but they didn't feel any need to.

Flash forward to 21st March when OffGun were chatting with fans on video call and a fan brought up what they'd said then, asking if they were now ready to say they were dating. Off replied to this by saying something along the lines of "yes call a press conference I'll say it now" and then proceeding to give Gun a very exaggerated sniff kiss. Watching the clip it was very clear to me they were both just messing around because Off's tone was pretty playful and sarcastic, not serious at all, and they both laughed after.

As people who have both kept their dating lives extremely private over the span of their careers, even before the ship, it should be obvious that were they actually dating they would not joke around like this. They'd likely never actually announce it and if they did it would be a very clear announcement with official notices by their company backing it up because their status in the industry sadly would warrant that. I'm not quite sure why the joke was blown so out of proportion by the fandom, maybe it was a mix of a couple of things? OffGun have gotten closer than ever in the past year while becoming more and more private with a lot of their interactions. They use far more personal and affectionate pronouns for each other, they hang out all the time without posting about it or making it public. All this makes the fans think their relationship has changed into something even deeper than it was before. All of this happening as their possible last BL show with them as the mains airing is enough to stir the pot of rumours.

I won't say that it's impossible that they could be dating or could date in the future, simply because it isn't. But I will say that counting the joke as an announcement of their relationship is quite an odd thing to do. Especially for a fandom that has so far been quite respectful of the artists' boundaries. It feels invasive and unnecessary for fans to demand a label or more transparency from OffGun when their dating lives should never be any of our business. We should be able to just appreciate their wholesome relationship without needing to make it all about whether it's "real" or not. A label does not define whether or not two people genuinely love and care for each other.

Hope that helps clear things up!

P.S.- I would generally add links to the clips I mention but I'm currently waiting for a meeting and don't wanna risk opening videos rn xD but they can be found with subs on yt or twitter if you do a quick search

[life-rewritten]

WE BEST LOVE  (Fighting Mr 2nd) DEYI and The Theme of Control and Power

You know that show that you know you can talk about forever and be obsessed with, although it seems pretty simple and not really that complicated to analyse and break down? Well, We Best Love (WBL) is precisely that in the most amazing way. I'm not shocked because I've always been a fan of the History Series, especially with this writer and how she creates her projects; it's not surprising that WBL happens to be the most comfortable show to lean into. It feels like entering a cheesy, cute, romantic novel. Yet, it still is the most angsty, passionate, drama-filled plot enough to make you want to run into the screen and comfort these comfort characters, scream at them when they're not making sense, and keep watching despite the pain when you feel like they've gone too far. And I kept quiet and watched season 1 of WBL. I was entranced and in love because it was so simple, but it felt perfect for me; it was a distraction, it made me smile, and it also made my heart quiver. I adored all the actors, and I also enjoyed how the storyline was told. It doesn't have to be so deep and full of clues, but there were facets to the characters, clear set rules in understanding their character roles, and small hints building in the last episode that all was not well and a lot was coming for our couple in the future. It broke my heart because season 1 was focused on the immaturity and naiveness of how we feel when we enter university for the first time; the excitement, but still innocence of hopefully finding someone to mesh with, and yet the dumbness/naivety that can distract us or slow us down before knowing who that person is. Season 1 was light, funny, and sweet because that's how our doe-eyed souls feel when we first enter college and get to discover who we are. Season 2, on the other hand, is focusing on maturity, actually dealing with our flaws, coping with the responsibilities and hardships of life, duty and obligation vs wants and need; the characters are older now, affected by the world's cruelties/situations and now have walls up higher than before. 

And in order to help us get that vibe, even more, our couple's relationship is put through the wringer, hearts torn, misunderstandings prolonged unfairly, and everyone broken just staying in a state of pining, longing and anger, anger, at what was lost to them; the innocence/fun of falling in love, the guise of being in control, and the joy of being free and dumb in love. It isn't a surprise to see our main character, Shide and Shu Yi, see their flaws fleshed out more in the open and actually increased and exposed for us, the audience, to watch and dislike. Shu Yi's short temper becomes even more exposed as he struggles to have control over his past and feelings for Shide once they reunite, and Shide's withdrawal of emotions also becomes even more strained and put on focus as he also realises what he has lost. Both of them enter this sick twisted, and tense need for control and power that their relationship becomes intense and full of passion hidden behind the anger and resentment. So I'm going to break down the idea of Control and Power with these twos relationship, a certain theme that has been there since season 1, and why now it's something both rivals are struggling to obtain to win, especially Shuyi, who is determined this time to not be Mr 2nd when it comes to Shide again. Hence the title Fighting Mr 2nd.

Misunderstandings and Miscommunications

Let's first focus on the miscommunication/ separation at hand. This exposed so much already about how these two felt about the power they hold over the other. Let's first look at what season 1 exposed; for Shide, Shuyi has always had control over him since the moment his young self told him that he would be a companion to him whenever he was lonely. Shide has desperately loved Shuyi and did everything possible to ensure he kept Shuyi's focus on him no matter what. The way he decided to do this was to put himself in a place more powerful than Shuyi; he put himself always ahead of Shuyi, ensuring he was always number one no matter what. This was how he controlled the situation; for him, as long as Shuyi noticed him, he was happy to continue hoping for a change and also making him react. In Shide's mind, he never wanted to force/ make Shuyi fall for him because he didn't think it was possible. He just wanted to be by his side (as a 'friend') until graduation was over.This shows me already some stuff about their relationship. How Shide perceives Shuyi; one, he didn't trust in Shuyi's love as being as strong as he was. He even says it to Shuyi on the bridge when they confessed to each other. For him, Shuyi was always the 'lucky' one; the one in control, the real winner because he had him in his palm of his hand. Shuyi was the one who made him whipped, the one he chased after secretly for 8 years or more. Shuyi has always been the one with the hold over him. Immediately they got together, Shide also tells Shouyi his confusion but the happiness that Shuyi is also feeling the same towards him.

Shide can't believe the switch in Shuyi's personality and actions for him; Shuyi still tried to play of Shide's grand confessions of love in the last episode, and Shide was okay as long as Shuyi kept paying attention to him. But in my head, it showed that Shide didn't think Shuyi's love was as unconditional, as strong, as uncontrollable as his. He didn't know he had any hold over Shuyi. He thought it was his constant love and chase that won Shuyi in the end, so what happens when he thinks he pushed Shuyi away? In Shide's perspective, he's the one who slacked behind and pushed Shuyi away by disappearing for 5 years, which fair enough makes sense; Shuyi has every right to be angry at being ghosted. But Shide blames himself and thinks it's because his show of love was weakened and slowed down that it caused Shuyi to retreat and walk away easily. Because he wasn't fighting anymore for their love, he lost Shuyi's attention. Again this suggests how fickle he believes Shuyi's feelings are and how still in his head he believes he's the one with the long-lasting love/feelings.

Shide's personality is someone who likes to be in control (like Shuyi but for different ways and reasons); he's kind of had to always be; ever since his dad died, he's had to try and make it his goal to become stronger and better to take care of his mum, and to ensure they live well. This is connected to the theme of Duty and Obligation in the show.  Even in Season 1, the reason he has to leave for America for a bit is to ensure his mum settles in nicely. Even after that, he's again the one responsible for ensuring whoever was sick in America was taken care of. It's because of his need to be responsible and be in control that Shuyi always feels distanced from him (mocked, misunderstood, and hurt). Shide is someone who likes to keep a calm demeanour. He likes to take things on by himself; he likes to not show when he's hurting or alone (apart from that one time as a kid where he broke down on Shuyi). In fact, it might be because Shuyi is the only one who did see him in his vulnerable state and gave him an aim to become stronger that made him cling on to his love for him and devote himself to his love for him. But in looking so in control of his emotions, Shuyi always saw Shide as someone who loved winning and making him feel like a fool. In season 1, he thought Shide did it on purpose to see him lose control and be a mess, and in season 2, he's resorted back to that thinking. Let's look at why?

No 1 for You (Shide’s pov)  vs Fighting Mr 2nd (Shuyi’s pov)

Shuyi did not also understand the proper depth of Shide's feelings. I guess we should have seen it coming that he didn't fully understand how deep they were, he had heard ideas from Shide's mother, he had heard grand declarations from Shide (after he was the one to pry it out of him), but he didn't actually trust it fully. I think because he didn't fully trust both their sexualities and identities when it came to their feelings. Like I said, we should have seen it coming when he admits he doesn't want to fall for a guy, but also it's because it's Shide he's okay with being in love. However, people complained about this because in BL, we're tired of the I love you, not boys trajectory always chosen. However, it was more than that. I think because of what's embedded in people's minds at a young age (due to society),  there might have also been, as a result of that,  hints of internalised homophobia (IH) with Shuyi. And that's why it made sense for him to wither and assume that Shide truly would be with someone else and be married and have kids. Because of IH, Shuyi may have automatically thought it made sense that Shide would move on, get married and have kids in America (hence as he said in episode 1,  he was disqualified by choice) because, in his head, he didn't understand Shide's love and devotion for him.

It also points to insecurity and fear that he might not be enough/the better option for Shide. One of his pet peeves was that he was always coming second to Shide, he was always being seen by himself as second best, and he probably also thought he had become the second-best option to Shide living a great 'fulfilled' life according to 'society' where he is married to a wife and has kids. This is why in the special episode, he also gives up easily and wishes him the best refusing to actually question why Shide would do this to him after all the stupid and grand promises he made a year ago before he left. Promises of marriage, promises of devotion, of being his family etc. Of course, this felt like Shuyi was thoroughly mocked and lowered because he had lost again to Shide by letting his heart trust him and wait for him. Now, in season 2, he's determined to not do that too. To not lose control of his heart ever again. To not fail to Shide in any way, shape or form ever again.

Shuyi; The Guise of Control

Shide is always acting on the surface like he's in control, causing Shuyi to always think he's more vulnerable and a fool, and it makes season 2 make more sense. Even if Shide says, he'll make Shuyi look at him again, how on earth is he meant to ever let that happen? He literally manipulated the situation in season 1 and got Shuyi's walls down only for him just to cheat on him, so how can Shuyi trust just his actions on the surface?

No matter how devoted Shide is looking, even at the end finally showing a hint of losing control under Shuyi's hold which Shuyi was not expecting because he thought Shide will always want to again be 'proper'.  And in the past, it was Shuyi who always pushed for skinship once they started dating; Shide always again acted like he hadn't been affected; this was discussed actually in that final episode. Even if on the surface Shide looked affected, Shuyi wouldn't trust that. Because Shide is always holding back whilst Shuyi always feels like a fool, never being able to control himself around him, never being able to control his emotions or have a poker face around him. From the first episode in season 1, Shuyi has always been uncontrollable when it came to Shide, whilst Shide always came out looking cool.

Shuyi always ended up in the most vulnerable shameful state (forgetfully hurting himself in reaction to Shide's presence, being the one distracted and bothered by skinship in the last episode whilst Shide studied, or even being exposed and screaming down a bridge, his love for Shide to make Shide come out and say how he feels). Shuyi always ended up being weakened and frustrated because Shide seemed like he had everything in order. Shuyi is now adamant he's lying or that Shuyi is still the one who's more in love with him (his biggest fear). For example, the slap he gives to Shide (exposed his lack of control of emotions around Shide) and yet Shide immediately tried to control the situation, making Shuyi again look like the irrational one and the most affected one. Also, as mentioned it Shuyi (in Shuyi's head), who proceeded to force/get Shide to confess. Because Shide was too focused on controlling his environment, avoiding the situation, holding back his feelings, whilst Shuyi's emotions always get the best of him and caused him to still lose in front of Shide. Basically letting Shide get his way all the time. And by doing that, it was Shuyi who ended up waiting for a year and then being 'cheated' on, being ghosted with his heart shattered.

The Fear of Weakness and Vulnerability

Other examples are Shide going to Shuyi's house and ignoring him in his own home (again, Shuyi can't even control his environment when it comes to Shide, everything he owns feels little because Shide seems to have a hold over him in everything), and proceeding to make him the fried rice. Even as the vice president who's meant to be in control and be in charge of letting go of people (which his father is pressuring him to do, he has no choice in the matter), Shide is the CEO (a higher position)  of the company and is adamant on convincing Shuyi to do no such thing. It's a big fear to Shuyi, which is why he's determined to ensure he does fire these people because if he doesn't, It means he's again coinciding underneath Shide's hold over him, over everything he has, including his heart.

The act of making fried rice in Shuyi's house as if nothing is going on, Shide ignoring his tantrums and outbursts does again what Shuyi hates, makes him feel stupid, weak and vulnerable. It makes him feel like he's losing again to Shide. This is why I think he really has no other option in his mind to win but to use emotions and feelings (what he can't control) as a weapon to capture Shide. By making Shide fall for him emotionally and then being the one to break his heart, that's how Shuyi thinks he'll finally be able to break down Shide's calm, façade that he's always in control, that's how he stops being Mr Second. Obviously, it's a stupid idea because Shuyi literally becomes weakened just by being in Shide's presence. To be anywhere intimate with him, he will only resort to his own emotions being, even more, harder to handle even if he tries to play it off as just attraction.

And for both of them, control is even harder physically with emotions because they've been 'starved' of each other's presence for 5 years, of each other's touch and connection. As shown in episode 1 of FMS, they're both in a state of pining, longing and waiting for one of them to give in. For 5 years, Shuyi was secretly fighting against the truth that he had been waiting for Shide to return even when he tried to focus all his energy and heart into hate and bitterness (to distract him from the pain of waiting). Shuyi never wanted to give up on hope, never wanted to let go of Shide, because it's out of his control to forget or move on. He couldn't do that even if he tried. This is why he also tries again to use a power play with a fake girlfriend that he couldn't remember the name for.  Every single sentence he said was how he compared himself to the girl he thought Shide cheated on him with. He was saying it to hurt Shide, but in the end, he was still exposing his own hurt and insecurity about why he thought Shide left him.

Shide; Control Vs Sacrifice

Meanwhile, the audience all know that, on the other hand, Shide is the one who has no control over the matter. No matter what he seems like on the surface/ in front of Shuyi, Shide is completely tired, weak and frustrated once he sees Shuyi again. It's frustrating because the only time he shows his emotions is once Shuyi isn't looking; he cries only after Shuyi has left, always holding his feelings and only letting it out when he's by himself. Although to Shuyi, it seems he's in control, being the CEO, being the one who disappeared for 5 years, being the one who is successful and influential, Shuyi couldn't be more opposite in his thoughts. Shide has no control over the CEO position; it's not a job he chose for himself, it's not what he wanted to do, he did it because of again his responsibility to his mother and family. Shide isn't the one who chose to disappear for 5 years in America; he again had no control over the situation because someone else was ill, and he had to be the one to help his family again become stable. And lastly, Shide isn't successful and as influential as he's sold his company to Shuyi's father, so he actually isn't in control of his position, of his life essentially. What Shuyi sees as control is unfortunate because it's actually Shide's sacrifice; he's had to lose what he actually wants to be in that position. All he's ever wanted is Shuyi. Ironic no?

Even in Season 1, when he seemed to be the one controlling the situation, he wasn't; he always did everything to get Shuyi, and for 8 years him being 'in control/winner' as Shuyi puts it wasn't him winning because he always didn't get Shuyi's heart before he confessed. And that's what's so heartbreaking about Shuyi's misunderstanding of Shide; when he first sees Shide in the past in his memories, he doesn't know the moment Shide fell for him; he just sees Shide winning over him, he doesn't even notice the first person who had control over the other was him, because he already took Shide's heart, trust and devotion. This is why Shide told him he was the lucky one; he was the one who was winning, who was always in control. Not Shide.

Love and It’s Hold and Power

And again, although Shide is the one he thinks he's second-best to. Shuyi has a lot of power over everyone else since he was young. He's been a spoilt, rich boy who's had control over his friends (in a positive way like they felt they had to watch him and babysit him), he's had control due to his father's power, and he's had control now over Shide just due to again his father's job and his heritage. And I think that's why he can't stand the fact that no matter what he does when he's with Shide, he loses all of that power; he's reduced to wanting to do something for someone, like in season 1, washing the dishes, being humble, exposing his feelings to Shide so loudly and vulnerably. Shide is the only person who makes him want to do all that, and he hates it. It's why when the employees in episode 1 call him again Shide's girlfriend (even though literally Shide bending down to tie his laces is an act of losing control and him being in control of him), it bothers him because it makes him look weak. He's the one flustered by the actions; his heart is shaken by the movement. What he sees about Shide vs what's genuinely being shown/exposed is so opposite, so of course, they're more prone to misunderstandings because they've always both seen the situation very differently.

So WBL has always been using this theme of Control vs Power with Shide and Shuyi. And how, because of love, both of them feel this lack of control over each other. Mostly from season 1, when Shide gets closer to Shuyi using the idea of rivalry to see who can win over each other, even though he gives in always to Shuyi on purpose. Shuyi's misunderstanding has always been an issue since episode 1, since even when Shide kissed him in the pool. This time around in season 2, we get to deal with the actual seriousness/reciprocation of what that misunderstanding and fear of lack of control can do to them. And how others can manipulate that (Shuyi's father probably). Either way, these twos relationship has become angst central because Shuyi really is fighting Mr second, he's determined this time not to lose to Shide no matter what and he's finally using like the last way he can possibly gain control over Shide. His body. The most vulnerable part of a person is exposed when they sleep with someone else; by getting Shide to even want to give in to him as he requested, he can expose everything about Shide, his weakness, his heart, his truths. Hence, it makes sense the relationship is using attraction and chemistry as a powerful tool for the storyline. Shuyi isn't going to be able to even go through with anything because he's just as vulnerable and weak with Shide as Shide is with him.

I love angst, and I love power plays and fight for control in rivals to lovers stories. I love misunderstandings and requited, but they don't know the trope. I just really enjoy WBL, and I'm so excited to see what happens next. Looks like Shide is finally going to lose that façade he has on the surface once he breaks down under the influence of alcohol; probably, poor boy has been suffering so much. And I think both of them will soon need to gain control over their situation together so they can defeat the obstacles that come in the form of Shuyi's father, society, company issues etc. So yeh, I'm loving this, and it's such a breath of fresh air. Friday is too far away, sigh.

[purposelynana]

What Did I Watch: #16

Bad Buddy turns something simple (Romeo and Juliet, but make it BL) into something that is worth to be discussed for. A conversation about passing trauma to your children. A sin of a father. Healthy relationships where the two sides know how to meet in the middle. A couple who actually did compromise. I could go on and on about how much Bad Buddy really raised the bar in term of showing the real societal problems.

I'm not saying this could be the greatest of all time. It's nowhere near I Told Sunset About You where BL going art house and depicts queerness at its finest. It got GMMTV's budget after all, we just couldn't ask more. But we live in a time where your choice of shows is limited because censorship and streaming companies keep shoving you with unbelievable romance. Bad Buddy is a breath of fresh air. It holds simplicity dear to its heart. It shows you that any of these circumstances could be happen to you. Its clichés is not something laughable, and actually I'm glad it didn't descend into lakorn territory because Thailand tends to do that when they have a simple story.

And God, can we talk more about our two geniuses, Ohm and Nanon? This is why people, BL should be played by some actors with a lot of experience under their belts. It has been an open secret that many actors use BL to mark their presence in the industry and gain fandom. It's fine if they know how to act. Thank God, P'Aof picked OhmNanon, those 2 guys know how to act. Like acting for real. Every scene got to be played to the extend I believe that their relationship will be doomed as shit. Also the way P'Aof directed and completely trusted his actors, I actually believe that he's a actor's director. He let his actors set the tone and dialogue which is a good thing if the actors are dedicated enough. It's not that I'm saying his actors on previous projects a lot worse than now, but his project significantly became better when he picked the right actors for certain role.

One more thing, during Bad Buddy's shoot P'Aof directed many scenes with different directions so that the editor had many options to pick which one could be broadcasted. Oh my god. Like this is the problem with ATOTS for me. ATOTS seemed not having enough shoots so they picked whatever was available. Well if your actors can execute a scene with one go is not going to be a big deal but yeaaaah... Directors should have enough time so that they could figure out how to direct actors the right way.

Naturally Bad Buddy has its flaws. Some of its supporting actors appeared to be not on the same level with the main actors. Well this is also one of my problem with GMM. Of course they need to market their new actors but.. give them a proper acting training. I couldn't help but cringe.

On the other hand, hands down the best BL series at the moment. We only can hope the remaining episodes could maintain its cleverness and not go down into madness. Fingers crossed.

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I dropped Rainless Love In A Godless Land moons ago. When I decided to pick it up again, I thought well I hope the story wouldn't end up suck. Well, I was wrong. It sucks.

Oh my god, I'm so mean hahahaha.

If we can set aside all of the romantic plotline, it was actually better than any kind of similar drama in the past. The world building is actually great and makes me wondering if they got enough time to venture, it'll probably far more better than what was already has been given to us. But, the romance man, it didn't sold me at all. Then the fact that the apocalypse which should be the main vocal point, suddenly towards the end was just vanished into thin air.

What's the point? To scare the audience? To understand what's at stake? Like I don't get it. Why? Like you turned the world upside down then all of the sudden you decided not to? What the fuck??? Might as well not making the goddamn drama at first place.

Then the whole LIE. I get it. At first my brain was kinda short-circuited. But, I managed. You wanted so bad to have a happy ending and you determined to erase whatever obstacles by using the final trope, 'let's go back to the past'. Bah, lazy writing.

HAH. Such a shame, you got a good premise, killer acting then bam... nothing happened.

Meanwhile queen Alice rules.

[tasteofyizhan]

hi! may i ask what “fake fan fiction” means in terms of bjyx? because in theory i understand what it means but in context the contents of the stuff titled fake fan fiction look as if they’re based on something real e.g video clips? sorry if this is a dumb question and thank you if you still decide to answer despite it being dumb!

It’s not a dumb question, don’t worry. If you’re new to Chinese shipping wars and how the fan community works, this can all be confusing. So let’s start with an explanation of shipping wars. The Chinese fans in China - I’m making this distinction because although I’m Chinese, I don’t live in China, although I do live in a region close enough to be influenced by China culturally -  have different categories of fans. 

For example, there’s something called a Mama fan, where you see yourself as a ‘mother’ to your idol. A Mama fan doesn’t have any romantic interest in their idol, and only wants the best for their idol, so a Mama fan might ‘approve’ of an idol’s relationship with someone because they think that the other person is good for the idol. In that same vein, they may ‘disapprove’ of an idol’s partner because they think the other person brings their idol down. Obviously not all Mama fans are ‘true’ Mama fans, so all this can get toxic very fast.

Why does this matter? Well, when it comes to GGDD, there are 2 main categories of fans: couple fans, and solo fans. Solo fans are fans who like each of them individually, and dislike them together. Couple fans are fans who ship them, and support both of them. (As a side note, because this shit is fascinating to me, there’s a few sub-categories of couple fans: there are couple fans who only like GGDD together and would not support them if they broke up and dated other people, there are couple fans who ship them together for fun but do not believe that they are actually together in real life (these are called ‘rational couple fans’, although I think there’s a lot less of them around the GGDD fandom these days), and then there are couple fans who support both of them, regardless of whether they are together or not.)

So solo fans are constantly at war with couple fans, because the solos cannot bear the idea of their idol being with someone and having that someone be a guy. You could say it’s them being homophobic, or them being ‘Mama fans’ and being afraid that the other person will pull their idol down - personally, I think the truth is somewhere in-between.

So both GGDD started off with solo fans, and the solos are ‘louder’ than couple fans in the sense that: (i) there is the perception that solos outnumber couple fans, and (ii) couple fans are naturally limited by how much they want to defend GGDD because of China’s complicated stance on homosexuality. While it is not illegal to be gay in China - China has decriminalised homosexuality - however, discrimination against LGBT folk is rampant in China, and a gay relationship goes against the political and traditional emphasis of marriage. The ramifications if you’re gay in an industry/country that frowns against gay folk is real: look at how Guardian (another BL drama) was forced to edit their content, and how Addiction ended up being pulled. Because the potential damage that coming out could do to GGDD’s career is very real, couple fans label everything with them as “fake” or “fake fanfiction”. This has the effect of:

(i) throwing off solo fans - ie. why are you getting mad over something fake? Are you so thin-skinned? 

(ii) making it hard to report on them, because then fan who posted whatever it is they posted has already labelled it as ‘fake’ and

(iii) ‘covering’ for GGDD in the event that something ‘real’ ever gets released. If, God forbid, this ever happens, the web (and more importantly, Weibo) is already flooded with ‘fake’ things, so it makes it hard to discern what is ‘real’ and what is ‘fake’.

If you’ve been in the fandom long enough, after a while, you come to the point where you realise that there’s no need to prove that GGDD are ‘real’. They’re obviously fake, and so is this post. ;)

[tobeornottotc]

Lovely Writer Episode 2 (Observation and Comments)

The line between Authenticity and Pretence

It may not seem as meta/realistic as last week's episode where they called out so much when it came to making fun of the tropes a typical BL show uses. It may also seem funny to some people who think this episode felt like a caricature of all they called out the last episode.  But I think that’s the point with the kissing/skinship scene, the 'fanfiction/romantic' tropes being used this episode. However actually, when you actually think more in-depth about it, it’s not the same type of bls tropes that we normally see in a BL, although it seems like it. It’s interesting because there are so many layers to this show, it's like never-ending the connection/ question of what is deemed authentic vs fake? Reality vs Acting.

We have the first layer; the storyline we see unfolds with Gene and Sib (a standard BL plotline with the expected tropes). This layer is, you know, sometimes basic, sometimes cheesy. However, it also still feels different from what we usually see with BLS because the focus is different. Yes, it's a contract living together trope, but it's not surrounding that; it's still grounding itself on its theme of the acting industry and writing industry. Even if there's already this connection growing between Gene and Nubsib, there's so much more going on in the show apart from focusing on them. For example, the side characters are genuinely fleshed out. They have their own individual character arcs, romances, secrets and more also surrounding this theme of the show.  

But then there’s the second layer where it’s Genes novel/show, Bad engineer. The tropes are exaggerated and forced more, especially the problematic parts that make it apparently sell, as mentioned and forced on him in episode 1. And the meta of Sib and Aey not having enough chemistry/charisma seemingly together. Struggling to be their characters, as Aey also starts to realise, he may have to do more forced fanservice and emotional manipulation to get praise from the directors and fans and to be taken seriously. But we also see that on this layer, Sib's truly himself because we know for sure there's something up with him and Aey. He can't stand being near him, so you wonder what story is also hidden there. It also shows how for Sib, acting can come quickly to him because although he dislikes Aey, he looks the part when he gets into the Khin character.  Aey's pride is kind of on the line because he chose acting over medicine and defied his father. So he has another reason for why he wants to be so successful in this industry hence for why he has to become fake.

And then we have the third layer in subtext where everything in this industry is meant to be called out and grounded in reality. The industry is shown to be, at times as shallow and problematic. They show the existence of people struggling to get by in life and why they choose to go through these thorny paths to get to where they want to go. For example, changing their personalities to become something different to their beliefs or having to hide who they truly are, having to stifle their own wants and needs to fit the toxicity and pressure of the environment presented to them.

And that’s so interesting. Because it’s also meta that Gene and Sib are acting too, him acting out his show and pretending to also be characters in a bl show and seeing at the end that Gene is scared of breaking the character because he’s feeling real feelings from the kiss and the closeness/vulnerability created, they've also become meta because again they're both toeing the line between authenticity vs pretence. The kiss is like something that has torn down all of Gene's walls, and his prevention of getting too close to people and as much as there's a 'valid reason' for it to be done or not taken seriously as a real kiss, it very much has the opposite effect. Though Gene probably will be in a state of denial about that line between reality and acting.

And, so these layers are a very confusing yet fascinating meta way still of calling out this industry, especially on the theme of the line between reality and what’s acting (especially with fanservice and with actors having to hide their truths or their real selves to fit the industries label/choice.) Nubsib is also a call out to this; his personality is entirely different from who he is with Gene; the metaphor of his manipulation, lies and scheming to get to Gene is directly pointing out the levels of manipulation, lies and scheming acting in the industry that people feel like they need to do to get to their goals. And it's interesting because it brings up the question of what the director is trying to achieve, with Nubsib hopefully getting a comeupance of his actions later when his real mask is uncovered, is the message then that no matter how much the environment makes us feel like we have to be fake/emotionally manipulative, that the only way to truly get what we want and be happy is by being ourselves? Because what Nubsib feels for Gene is real, no doubt, but it does make it uncomfortable for us, the audience, when we realise we are toeing the line between authenticity and pretence with him because Gene doesn't really know who he is below, what does that say about the relationship and trust that's being formed? So in a way, although we have already have so much meta with the plot of the show, the theme of the show, we also get the full meta metaphor for the show with Nubsib, he is the true portrayal of this message of how difficult it is to toe the line between reality and acting like someone else.

So after all this confusing analysis, I am again you know in support of this show, I am enjoying it so much. I think the show's depth is truly stunning, even if it's a coincidence or unplanned. The theme of the show is pointing to the dangers of the BL industry (our big villain of the show). So the meta keeps calling this out in subtext in every single plot device used in the show. Including how our main couple is getting together, it's on the surface, cheesy, forced and odd, but below it's a call out still of the struggle for actors/entertainers, just people in this competitive environment to be their real selves and pursue their dreams/purpose authentically.