#romchat AMA

[romchat]

I am loving the double but I can't help feel that the main couple's relationship is so transactional, all she does is ask him to do things for her and all he does is do them. I understand the drama is about her revenge but I thought when she said she didn't want to be a burden and that she's be his pawn too she'd actually help him with his schemes she doesn't have any power but she's very smart and could certainly contribute and help. They both have bigger fish to fry and his also involves loosing his parents but he spends so much time helping her because obviously he loves her I would've liked to see her do the same even occasionally.

Anon, have you seen Episode 28 yet? This scene made me squee:

Fangfei: I've been panicking trying to figure out how to pay you back so I tried to find an excuse. I used to think I would pay you back everything I owed you. Now that I've done the math, I don't think I can. Duke Su: Don't pay me back then. Fangfei: You'll suffer losses. Duke Su: I can afford it.

Their love language is digging up dead bodies and hosting exorcisms for each other.

The ledger might be more in her favor but they clearly match each other's freak.

Although your question makes me think what would happen if they were to get married.

A key theme of The Double has been Fangfei learning to express her desires and to step into the chessmaster role she was born to play. In her previous marriage, she shrank herself to make space for her husband's career and appease her in-laws. That self-sacrifice ultimately left her with nothing more than an open grave and a shovel to the head so with the Duke she uses transactionalism to make sure the scales of their complicated relationship never tip more in his favor than hers.

But in encouraging her autonomy and putting his trust in her, Duke Su has also given her room to bloom. It's a completely different relationship than with Shen Yurong, which opens a lot of narrative possibilities around how will Fangfei's story end, especially as she has always avenged those who have helped or sacrificed for her.

Will the big cathartic moment be from her avenging herself? Or will it be from avenging the Duke and his family because his grievances are now hers? Will she ultimately have to make a trade-off between her plans and his? Or will the tradeoff really be between revenge and her own healing?

As another man's wife or companion, will she truly feel equal and at peace?

I can't believe we only have like 10 more episodes to dive into any or all of that 😭

[romchat]

Nine people I'd like to get to know better

Tagged by @thisonelikesaliens (as usual thank you!)

Last song I listened to

Absolutely obsessed with the grooviness of all this band's covers.

Currently watching

Excited to finally start Season 2 of Interview with the Vampire but the stress of watching the shitshow that is my country's presidential election right now has been making me seek out the gentle escapism of To The Wonder.

Gorgeous cinematography and the women characters are lovingly written.

Edit to add: Nevermind the FL is awful. WTF kind of last episode was that?

Also, actor Yu Shi gives me young Takeshi Kaneshiro vibes, which is never a bad thing.

Sweet/savory/spicy:

As a cook, this is like picking between my children but if I had to choose...savory.

Relationship status

Blissfully single 🥂

Current obsession

Just started my first Chinese web novel, Yuwu/Remnants of Filth, and am already unwell about the word "home". Pretty sure this danmei will destroy me by the end.

Tagging

Anyone is welcome to join in to make up the final nine but a few folks might be @silviakundera @renewedmotionforjudgment @dreamyklutzs @aster-daisy @oceanodedoces @tsuyoi-hikari

[romchat]

Do you think she will actually sacrifice duke su in the future like her husband did to her? Idk about the symbolism but I personally doubt it, even if we forgo the fact that she's falling deeply in love with him, she's not the kind of person who would that after it was done to her.

Like you, Anonymous, I doubt she'd betray him and it would take some extraordinary writing gymnastics to convince me otherwise.

That said, the only reason why I threw it out there as a possibility in my Episode 17 reflection is...

I don't believe the show has actually confirmed on screen that the Xue family is dead? Please someone correct me if I missed that scene. And on tv, if it isn't shown, there's always a possibility of that plot point becoming a Thing. So if there was any reason that Fangfei would betray Duke Su, whether unintentionally or out of necessity, it would be for her brother and father.

We're only 40 percent of the way through this drama and maybe this is just my Cdrama PTSD talking but that makes me nervous.

The symbolism of red. Like I've said before, I don't usually give that much credence to the idea that colors have strict meanings in dramas BUT I do think it's interesting that the Duke wears red so often. Originally, I had assumed it symbolized the political connection between his and Fangfei's tragic stories or even a red thread of fate that binds them but what if it also acted as forecasting?

But I truly hope it's none of these things and instead of a betrayal arc we get some sexy times with the Duke's red fan. 🤞🏼

[romchat]

Rules: without naming them, post ten gifs of your favorite tv shows, then tag people.

Tagged by @thisonelikesaliens (Heh this was fun. Thank you!!!)

I think I counted that correctly...

Tagging @sadviper @randomingoftherandomness @labseraph and anyone else to see what they come up with :)

[romchat]

Gothic Horror in a League of Noblemen!!

Also since bad kids is that one director's older work. Would you recommend watching that before his recent drama? (brainfarting on the name.) Anyway what I mean does his style evolve in a way that it matters to keep his works in sequential order? Or does his storytelling mature further?

Ooh @kingsandbastardz this has to be a two-parter because I can go OFF about ALON.

The Long Season vs. The Bad Kids

I'm only halfway through The Long Season, but I'd say it's both thematically and narratively more sophisticated than The Bad Kids. The show is ruminative, bleak, but also humane.

One of the things I love about Director Xin Shuang's work is how meticulously he captures stories of the choices people make when they feel like they have no choices. In The Bad Kids, he uses color and frames within frames to create a sense of dread and inevitability about our young characters' futures. And in The Long Season, he uses editing and visual parallelism to create an even more complex narrative of fate. It's like the characters are forever suspended in time, doomed to repeat mistakes even in old age as they cling to the nostalgia and ideals of a world that doesn't exist. The fact that these moments are intercut with hope, resilience, and comedy make them even more devastating.

That said...I much prefer The Bad Kids. At least so far. It's simpler but also, at least for me, more emotionally engaging. The inherent vulnerability of our young main characters make the stakes feel that much higher. I also haven't seen a show do misdirection that well in YEARS. The way it plays with our assumptions and capability for empathy...it implicates us as much as its characters.

So I think watch order depends on the feeling you want to leave with rather than the director's style!

[romchat]

hey, this is unfashionably late praise, but i just wanted to say that I loved your analysis of the cinematography of fitymi ep 6 (i only recently binged the show in its entirety and was really blown away). perfectly verbalizes what we as an audience member understand implicitly. the composition of each frame in the show is done so well and intentionally, which is super refreshing!! after reading your post, i became even more cognizant of other ziquan/ying scenes and how the camera is used to build romance between the characters (in addition to the amazing writing and chemistry between han dongjun and cai wenjing). thank you for your lovely post!!

Aww, thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed the analysis.

I adored Fake It Till You Make It. Ziquan and Ying were hands down one of my favorite dramaland couples of 2023. Their scenes were realistic but quietly sexy-- I so appreciate shows that use banter as foreplay and the camera work just reinforced the sharp writing and great acting chemistry.

And that walk-up scene when Ziquan is gazing at Ying through the windows of her walk-up?

Absolute perfection.

[romchat]

8 Fandom Questions To Get To Know Me Better:

Thanks to @kingsandbastardz for the tag :)

3 Ships You Like:

Nozue/Togawa from Old Fashion Cupcake and Wei Wuxian/Lan Wanji from The Untamed are forever faves. Special shoutout to all the poly/harem/love triangle possibilities of the boys from A League of Nobleman--still one of the most shippable cast of characters I've ever come across.

As for recent obsessions, I loved the "no one can kill you but me" revenge vibes of Han Ri-ta/Do Ha from Moon in the Day and the "so fucked up they deserve each other to save everyone else the hassle" nonsense of Jiang Xuening/Xie Wei from Story of Kunning Palace.

First Ship Ever:

(Unfortunately) Lily/James and Wolfstar from Harry Potter. Also loved the James/Sirius Livejournal fanart of that era.

Last Song You Heard:

It's Sunday which means this Latina is mopping the floor with some Fabuloso and beats.

Favorite Childhood Book:

Up until the age of 18, I was obsessed with Egyptology (my first-grade science fair project was on the mummification process) so my favorite childhood book was one of those museum books with transparent overlays of a sarcophagus lol

Currently Reading:

The Memory Police.

A quiet yet devastating dystopia that explores the tenuous relationship between language, memory, and selfhood. It beautifully captures the ache of losing what makes us human.

I'm still not sure how I feel about the upcoming Hollywood adaptation.

Currently Watching:

Just started watching Perfect Propose. I have such a soft spot for the melancholic but gentle storytelling of workplace Jdramas. There's something consoling about watching the quiet moments when others allow their frayed edges to show.

Currently Consuming:

Grapes and Babybel cheese

Currently Craving:

A totally soul-consuming Cdrama to distract me from the realities of corporate life. So when are Fangs of Fortune, Legend of a Female General, The Princess Royal, or Kill Me/Love Me coming out? 😒

Tagging anyone else that wants to do one of these! 🥳