#taiwanese bl how I have missed you

[chaos0pikachu]

why did nobody tell me Kiseki Dear to Me went so hard??

Lemme break down the first 2 mins of episode one where a twink & a twunk walk out of prison and you know it's prison b/c the twinks hair needed some conditioner STAT and then rolls up this boss sports car out pops this gang looking dude with That Undercut Haircut and Thee Eyebrows that anyone who's watched History Trapped or Kinnposche knows what I'm talking about, tosses the Twink over his shoulder like a feral murder kitten and then we're whooshing to a flashback where 17 yr old twunk goes to pick up a quarter like any well respecting poor does (get that money!) when some feral but ridiculous hot dude covered in blood from the tumblr sonnets grabs his arm and Twunk is just channeling the Mariah Carey.I Don't Know Her.gif and Bloody Hot Dude is like here baby take my knife oop now you're implicated in my murder!! and has to take home this bloodied jean jacket 90s levi's commercial man to his house like being broke ain't hard enough

and then!! and then the episode ends with one of the hottest men in gang tv slitting a dude's throat while deep throating a lollipop I am ENTHRALLED

[fiddlepickdouglas]

Where do you watch your Thai BL dramas and do you recommend any to start with?

WOW how did I miss seeing this????

Oh boy this is gonna take a while for me to properly answer because you managed to ask, in so few words, a question that has a long answer! (Which I am all too delighted to give, HEHE)

This ended up being such a long post omg, here's a read more.

So starting with where: There's quite a few places. Streaming services with a prescription, YouTube, and even a few free sites where fans will typically upload content (depending on availability and access, these update latest if a show can be found at all).

Streaming platforms (featuring Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai content):

iQiyi - Chinese owned, has a free option with ads and a subscription option. Also features bonus content on certain shows that subbed users can access if you're into that. Has a good balance of stuff that isn't LGBTQ+, lots of great Chinese wuxia - I'm honestly amazed they have as much queer shows as they do but I am not complaining because there's a lot of good ones there.

GagaOolala - Taiwanese owned, has a free option with ads and a subscription option. Stout LGBTQ+ collection. There's certainly other programming but it's thing is being more out and proud, so it's a win for me.

Viki - American owned, allows users to add/edit subtitles. I haven't used this one much, but I haven't needed to get a subscription so far with the shows I have sought to watch and haven't been bothered with ads either? Not sure how that works but I haven't needed to bother looking into it lol

Other sources I've used to watch other BLs are YouTube (there's so many, and they're for FREE), DramaCool, kisskh, and Bilbili.

In this next bit, I'll be summarizing different studios that produce Thai shows, including Thai BL specifically. I'll summarize the studio and then list recommendations for shows.

First up:

GMMTV - (most content on YouTube, some has been put on iQiyi and Gaga though) This is a popular one for Thai shows, and Thai BL especially. It's nicknamed the Disney of BL for a reason (pumps out a lot of new shows each year, huge roster of actors signed to them, very focused on branding and promotion, etc.). A lot of people's first Thai BLs are among their shows, since it was the company that produced the show that launched Thailand's BL industry onto the map. They can be hit or miss with the level of satisfaction, but overall there's plenty to choose from and much to recommend.

Shows I recommend from this company:

Bad Buddy

This is the first one I watched and it changed my fucking life. Pat and Pran are the perfect mix of next door neighbors who were raised to be rivals, but they can't help becoming friends, and eventually fall for each other. It does great subversion of a number of tropes and has a kissing scene that so memorable I bought a t-shirt that's worn in it. The acting is superb and it's both funny and devasting in a lot of good ways. There's a sapphic side couple who are incredibly cute as well!

Be My Favorite

Pisaeng and Kawi, two guys who can't seem to accept their feelings, each live out multiple time lines where they can't help but be drawn together when Kawi is given a time traveling device. This show ponders the affects of one's actions and how living your truth can make or break the happiness you seek in life. This show was unprecedented in how good it was, especially since the leads were an unusual pairing. I love them I love them I love them.

SOTUS

This is the one that kick-started everything back in 2016 for Thai BL. It follows a group of college freshman who are subject to ritual hazing by their seniors, and one student worms his way into the heart of the senior leader. This show set out to censor fags (cigarettes) and not fags (gays). There's so much cultural significance that it's difficult to describe. It sets the tone for a number of BLs to follow.

Not Me

Do you like gays? Do you like social activism? Do you like batshit plots that put you on your fuckin knees for the whole ride? Have we got a show for you. I don't know how to summarize this one without immediately feeling insane, I love this show with all my goddamn heart. Twins Black and White get separated because they have a connection where they can feel the same things when they're close, and it has proven dangerous. Black gets put in a coma and White takes on his identity and joins an anarchist gang to find who hurt his brother. Not everything is what he thinks, though. Also this show inspired my first tattoo because Yok is my favorite boy forever and ever amen.

The Warp Effect

Alright, it's not a BL, technically, but my GOD is it queer. Don't believe me? Here's a list that I made of not even all the reasons why this show is so queer. It addresses so much about sex ed, relationships, consent, kink, body shaming, and even features a non-binary character. A boy, who made a promise to his late mother to save his virginity until marriage, breaks the promise and wakes up in the future. He has to help old friends and acquaintances resolve things that happened on that fated night if he hopes to return to his youth.

3 Will Be Free

Also technically not a BL, but it is poly!! A sex worker, a club host, and the son of a mafia boss end up on the run together after being involved with the wrong people and being in the wrong place...and killing a guy. By the same director of The Warp Effect, so you're guaranteed a similar flavor of thorough queerness.

More shows by the company that I recommend: A Tale of 1000 Stars, Moonlight Chicken, Enchanté, Vice Versa, The Eclipse, My School President, Wandee Goodday, Only Friends, Midnight Musem, The Gifted (those last two aren't BLs but the vibes are there).

Next up!

Idol Factory - (YouTube channel for watching) Founded by actor Saint Suppapong with the purpose of creating a studio that harbors a safer and more positive experience for people in the industry. Well known for producing one of the first and most popular GLs or girls love shows.

Shows I recommend from this company:

GAP The Series

Sam has been Mon's idol since she was little and now she's secured a job working at her company! She's so excited! Until she realizes that Sam is...kind of heartless. Her unwillingness to let her boss walk all over her does more than win over a good professional relationship. It's got all the drama of class divide and arranged marriage along with it, so it's a fun ride and makes for an iconic entry for lesbian cinema.

The Sign

Phaya and Tharn aren't just reincarnated lovers, they weren't even human before! The story follows a curse that's followed them since they first met as naga and garuda, both powerful legendary creatures who have fought each other for ages. In the present, they train as police officers and end up working together in a case related to Tharn's tragic past.

The Loyal Pin

This one actually hasn't started airing yet (August 4th!!!!) but it's about a lady and a princess who grew up together. From the looks of things, it's gonna have drama and angst up the wazoo so I'm looking forward to it.

More shows by the company that I recommend: Secret Crush On You (I haven't personally seen this one but it's been on my list and highly recommended)

Next up!

Domundi - (uncensored versions on iQiyi, cut versions on YouTube) It's more of a "content creator" company, so it includes musicians as well as actors, so there's not many shows under their wing. But they are good with high heat (more explicit) BL stories. One currently airing, Battle of the Writers, includes Chinese wuxia elements which is incredibly interesting and kinda ballsy (there's suspected attempts to lower viewership for censorship reasons). I highly recommend watching it just for the sake of elevating it, there's a cut version on YouTube.

Shows I recommend from this company:

Bed Friend

Poor Uea is traumatized to hell and back; it's like the world is out to get him. He and his coworker King decide after a one night stand to be exclusive fuck buddies, and ngl it's HOT. We get catboy kinks in this one! Their connection deepens and they have to figure out what they both want from each other. Also all the shitheads get owned, it's really nice to watch. It inspired a Jennette McCurdy meme from me.

Middleman's Love

This is the story of Uea's best friend Jade, who sees how happy his friend is in his new relationship, and takes his turn being Emma Woodhouse. Well....it doesn't go to plan. He keeps pushing Mai toward someone else and doesn't realize that Mai likes him. This one starts incredibly goofy (I put that as a warning), and then gets steamy later on.

Battle of the Writers

This one just started airing! Ob-un is accused of plagiarizing fellow author Chan, and after things have been cleared they end up on a writing team together. The wuxia characters here are characters from their novel. It seems their relationship will parallel certain aspects of the story.

Next company!

Wabi Sabi - (YouTube channel for shows) They've recently lost a whole bunch of actors (several to GMMTV no less) due to terminating artist management, so I'm not sure what the future looks like, but they've released several shows that are considered BL staples.

Recommended:

Until We Meet Again

Dean and Pharm are reincarnated lovers who previously had a tragic end. This one is heavy on the emotions, the first 10 minutes took my fucking knees out. Has lot of themes of intergenerational trauma and how important having supportive parents can be. Pharm is so cute, I need to squish him!

Between Us

It starts around the same time as Until We Meet Again, but from the perspective of Team and Win. They have their own angst issues and family traumas that make them messy, and there's a lot more development of the side characters that were featured in the first series as well. I especially enjoy the sideplot for gamers Waan andTul, lol, I wish they could get their own series too! I do recommend watching UMWA first if you don't want to be confused about a few scenes in this one.

Final company, let's go!

Change 2421 - The company that made the omegaverse alpha-alpha car racing BL. That one. Need I say more?

Recommended:

Pit Babe

Mx. omegaverse alpha-alpha car racing BL themself. Babe is a star racecar driver with special abilities. He's charmed when he meets Charlie, but things begin to change for him faster than he can recognize. The home he ran away from tries to force him back as he attempts to reveal its worst secrets.

This Love Has No Long Beans

This is currently airing! Oab is your chef from Kitchen Nightmares that judges harshly with a tough exterior but genuinely has a good heart. Having lost his passion for cooking, he decides to set up a contest to find a successor to take over his restaurant. Plawan chooses to enter this contest despite having no skills and already having gotten on Oab's bad side. Things get heated when Plawan's determination to make it through the competition ignites the passion for cooking again.

There's plenty more companies, but these are the ones I am most familiar with. But there's still more!

Shows I recommend that aren't from the companies listed above:

Kinnporsche

The mafia BL that took over. I have so much brain rot about this one that it's hard to summarize without going crazy. Porsche and his brother have been struggling to keep their beloved family home, so he takes an offer he can't refuse - working as a mafia bodyguard. Kinn, the current mafia head, is undeniably attracted to him and it ends up making them inseparable in more ways than one. I especially enjoy the side couples, VegasPete and KimChay (there is ENDLESS insanity from all possible pairings tbh).

Love in the Air

It's kinda split into two stories, Payu (or Phayu, honestly the spelling gets switched a lot and even I don't stick to one thing) and Rain, and Prapai and Sky. PayuRain are the most couple ever, that's just the best way I can put it. The actors have incredible chemistry and set a fucking standard for making out. Sky and Prapai will make you cry. They handle some pretty intense material and do an incredible job with it. Also bisexuals with motorcycles and light mafia action.

I Told Sunset About You/I Promised You The Moon

Not only an iconic BL series that strives for telling an incredibly realistic story (no goofy sound effects or gags here), but the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. Also the messiest bisexual awakening known to man. Oh my god. So much crying. Sooooo much angst. It's okay if you throw shit over this one, it's worth it, I promise. Tee and Oh go through pretty much everything that could make weaker couples hate the other person and that's what makes them top tier.

Ingredients

This whole series is a grocery store commercial? Ignore that, these roommates have the most adorable development. I binged this and was crying at 2am. Tops is an aspiring chef and Win is his himbo roommate who is trying to make it as a musician. As they each work toward their dreams, they become important aspects of each other's lives. Also, if you don't come out of this obsessed with Jeff Satur (or anything else he does), I will question your taste. Pun intended.

Old Fashion Cupcake

Japanese BL? Older queers? Office romance? Age gap? A confession scene that meets Jane Austen level standards of desperation? Togawa and Nozue are something else man. They make it a game to pretend to do what young women do as an "anti-aging" technique, but really it's Togawa's scheme to hopefully catch the eye of his boss. Incredible, no notes except maybe I'd like to have a Thai remake? Please?

And last but absolutely not least...

Semantic Error

A fantastic Korean BL. Rivals to lovers and 10000% ADHD4autism. Jang Jaeyoung is prevented from graduating by Chu Sangwoo and makes it his personal mission to get under his skin. And well....it works lol. They're both the most characters, I adore them and their chaotic stumbles into romance. Bonus Choi Yoona bisexual goddess side character, we love her.

Kiseki: Dear To Me

Taiwanese BL that's also split somewhat split between two stories. Zong Yi takes in a wounded Zhe Rui. The student realizes he's keeping a gangster in his dorm and tries to ignore his charms but ends up being drawn into his world. Meanwhile, Ai Di and Chen Yi, other members of the gang, deal with the consequences of Zhe Rui's disappearance.

Well. That was a whole lot. I hope this isn't too overwhelming for you! I've only been in the BL fandom for a couple years so this is barely scratching the surface as far as what's out there.

[respectthepetty]

There is a Taiwanese BL out there in the very early stages of development that is perfect for me because it's about colored threads tying people together!

Connecting to You

Many people have the superpower of seeing something invisible. Jia Kai can't see ghosts, but he can see the different colored threads connecting people. The more threads, the more bonds a person has.

Jia Kai has seen countless threads, but he hasn't been connected to anyone at all. He can't figure out why but has accepted himself as a loner. However, because of a chaotic incident, he meets a policeman named Da Wei and realizes that one silver-grey thread has grown from him to him, connecting them together!

Jia Kai doesn't want to lose the connection, so he takes a part-time job at the police station to get closer to Da Wei. With his superpower, he helps with cases of missing people and objects. They get to know each other better, and the thread between them begins to change color, from silver-grey to yellow, representing friendship, and even to red, representing love. Seeing these changes, Jia Kai realizes that how they feel for each other can't be hidden anymore.

I NEED THIS!

I need this to be made. I need this to be on screen. I need to witness this with my own eyes. PLEASE! I'M BEGGING YOU! This is meant for me. Give me my colors!

[lurkingshan]

People I Want to Get to Know Better

tagged by @incandescentflower thank you MJ!

Last song: I was voting in @twig-tea's song poll so I was bopping to A Little Space by Pentatonix and ATEEZ.

Favorite Color: I've been having a green week.

Currently Watching: I am dropping things ruthlessly if they are not sparking joy (This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans and Meet You at the Blossom got the axe this week) but there is so much airing that I still have a long ass list:

Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko!

Century of Love

I Hear the Sunspot

Knock Knock Boys

Love Sea

Sky Valley

Sunset x Vibes

Takara's Treasure

The Trainee

I'm planning to start 4 Minutes this week, too, and I am also re-watching The Eighth Sense weekly with @neuroticbookworm and @so-much-yet-to-learn and School 2013 in a binge on my own because I missed Kim Woo Bin and Lee Jung Suk.

(Three cheers to MJ for starting The Miracle of Teddy Bear!!!)

Last movie: ...I'm not a movie girlie. Maybe Formula 17? @my-rose-tinted-glasses hooked me up with an awesome version of this classic Taiwanese bl film so I watched it recently.

Currently Reading: Twilight Out of Focus. @bengiyo and Twig really wanted me to watch the anime but I have an Animation Allergy so I am reading the manga along with the show.

Sweet, Spicy, or Savory?: I shan't be choosing.

Relationship: No, thank you.

Current Obsession: I'm with MJ on the shattered focus, I feel all over the place lately. Real life is lifing.

Last googled: Directions from where I live to another city so I could tell @kyr-kun-chan how tragically far away we'd be from each other when they go there.

Currently working on: Putting my ass to bed early, I am tired af.

Tagging @happypotato48 @hyeoni-comb @littleragondin @withingerly @pigglepiephi to play if you would like!

[bengiyo]

no 8 for the ql ask please <3

8. Which Asian ql character do you think is most misunderstood?

I think today I want to talk about Woo Tae Kyung.

This boy is in charge the entire time. I often find that the audience projects an asymmetric lens onto the BL boys, and really struggle when that doesn't exactly work. I was going to talk about Namnuea being a fully-actualized human being in Wedding Plan, Korn suffering from crippling homophobia in UWMA, or how most of the Taiwanese boys don't have this.

However, I think in our discussions about what Woo Tae Kyung's suitors needed to do to make sure they were worthy of him we often miss that he had full authority to make that choice the entire time. I think it's his extreme agency as the player insert from the game adaptation that makes his potential partners act right the whole time. He's literally stronger than them.

Because Woo Tae Kyung gets to make the choice without any potential of it being forced on him, I think all of the boys have to make sure they work together to understand what he wants and how he wants to be cared for. This is refreshing because there's a lot of "the seme will know what the uke wants because gay magic" that bores me in BL.

Woo Tae Kyung is far stronger and more actualized than I think we give him credit for.

For the Asian QL Ask Game

[twig-tea]

2, 11, 18

Coming back to this a week late because I could NOT make a decision, I remain forever on brand.

2. What was the Asian QL that got you to join fandom?

The one that got me writing meta on tumblr was La Pluie, thanks to the efforts of you and @lurkingshan. It was an effective campaign and I'm grateful you waged it!

8. Which Asian QL character is most misunderstood?

I had such a hard time choosing who to write about, this is the one that I kept deleting and rewritng. Patts in La Pluie comes to mind as a man who was pushed to the brink. Sailom from Wedding Plan is definitely one that stands out for me because I was in the camp that misunderstood him until Lom's full situation and Nuea's background came out and we got to see just how intensely the power dynamic between him and Namnuea was actually not in Lom's favour after all; and then he gave one of the best apologies in BL and won me over fully. I've also written before about how Noh from Secret Crush on You seems to skirt by without being understood as the freak4freak he is. I thought about writing about The Eclipse, but I think that entire show is misunderstood to be honest. What a waffle-y answer, but the short version is: Any character who makes an in-character, narrative-justified mistake. I like it when characters aren't perfect. Anyway since I started this draft, I've binged Miracle of Teddy Bear and now think the answer is Tofu. Both main characters are not understood, but Tofu in particular has been mischaracterized and his agency undermined. Working on a bigger post about this.

11. Which Asian country's BL is usually your favourite?

I have favourite BLs from all countries and origin isn't a guarantee I"ll like or dislike any particular show. In terms of percentage, I tend to love a greater ratio of Japanese BLs, some of that being due to manga and anime being my entry point into Asian queer media. But my favourite series is Thai (UWMA), and I have a real soft spot for Pinoy BL (Gaya Sa Pelikula and more recently Marahuyo Project rewired my brain) and Vietnamese BL (Hey! First Love) too, and two of my favourite comfort series are Korean (Our Dating Sim) and Taiwanese (History 2: Crossing the Line). There just tend to be fewer misses for me from Japan in relation to the number of hits, and by hard numbers the majority of my favourites are from Japan. If we're talking GL though, Korea currently reigns in this category (with of course entries from everywhere, because I can never actually pick a fave).

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

BL Wrapped 2023

A little bit late, but I wanted to make sure to do this for my own records! I've watched so many shows now, it helps to have something down more formally to remember stuff.

A few notes:

This includes shows that started in 2022 and finished in 2023.

No shows that are currently still airing - how the ending lands is too critical for me.

There's some shows I know I'm going to love that I just haven't had time to see yet, so if there are any shocking absences, that's probably why.

Total # of QL watched: 37 (35 BLs, 2 GLs) (really looking forward to more GL offerings next year)

Favorite Thai shows:

Bed Friends

I was not the biggest fan of Cutie Pie, so entered this one with a fair amount of skepticism. But what a lovely surprise. Uea was such an incredible lead and so well-characterized, his trauma was handled seriously, and though there were occasional hiccups due to drama, overall King was such a respectful and supportive partner. And let's not forget the cat ears.

Laws of Attraction

What a ride this show was! I had not watched To Sir with Love, so had no familiarity with Jam or Film, but they were amazing here. The side couple of disaster muffin + loving bodyguard were pitch perfect, there were fantastic women characters who actually had significant roles in the story, and who can forget our wonderful chaotic Nawin? The story was compelling, the emotional points hit, and even when it leaned towards the ridiculous, it always remained aware of what it was.

My School President

I still remember watching the trailer for Our Skyy 2 and noticing two random dudes I had never seen before. Little did I know!

I don't have much to say except that this was pure charm from start to finish, and Fourth & Gemini were a delight. Pure comfort watch.

Unforgotten Night

I SAID WHAT I SAID! (and yes this aired in 2022, I was late)

Look, I know a lot of people thought of this purely as a trash watch, but it's so much more than that. I wrote a whole post on it. It was fantastic. I apologize for nothing.

Favorite Korean shows:

Our Dating Sim

I adored this show from start to finish. I could understand the motivations of both characters, I was deeply invested in their relationship, and they felt so utterly natural once they got together. 10/10, no notes.

Jun & Jun

This was a little messy at times, and missed an opportunity to lean more into D/s dynamics, but I really liked all the characters, the leads had great chemistry, and it was refreshing to see a Korean BL be more open about sexual desire in a relationship.

Favorite Japanese Shows:

The End of the World With You

This one could have easily gone off the rails. End of the world stories can be very tricky to pull off. But there was such a solid emotional core to the storytelling, and it kept such a hold of my heart.

My Personal Weatherman

One thing I think Japan does extremely well is stories about people who have extremely deep internal lives, but don't show much on the surface. As someone quite introverted, who keeps a lot of things on the inside, I relate a lot to this. This show did such a good job of showing how challenging it can be to communicate with those we love, and the rewards once you are able to break through and really understand each other.

Favorite Taiwanese Shows:

Kiseki: Dear to Me

Of course it's Kiseki. This series was amazing. I don't care we never really understood any of the mafia stuff, that was all set dressing for some of the best couple work ever.

Honorable Mention:

Midnight Museum

I will never stop calling this a BL. Some day GMMTV will realize that Gun has too much chemistry with other people to keep him only with Off. Also, we got Nanon playing evil, which was so sexy.

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Currently Watching - November

aka The Masterlist

Because I love a good little list - in alphabetical order! 😊

Regularly updated during the month, latest update 30.11.2023

A little link to my favorite bl-tropes-collection 💙

Here you can find all of my gifs.

And if you want to show me something you think I might like, just let me know with #josistag

At the end you can have a look at what we can expect in November with MDL links and a link for the trailer (if avaible). There are 18 coming up series this november... Sleep I love you, but we are going seperate ways this month!

This is guaranteed to contain spoilers!

1. 7 Days before Valentine (1/12 WeTV)

Hm... This was not what I expected. The acting was a little bit over the top. I don't know if I can stand Sunshine. The feeling this first episode gave me was kinda off. I don't know. Right now I don't know if I want to keep watching it.

2. Bake me please (2/6 on Gaga)

This series is so good! I really like Ohm and Guide together. Guide is such a sunshine and I like his character! This series deals with a lot of baking and childhood trauma and a sunshine and grumpy main couple and I love it!

3. Boys Like Boys (8/10 on Gaga)

Okay, I am officially invested! The story of eight taiwanese men who are on the search for love. It is messy and funny and of course I have my favorites! I wish I had waited for the show to finish, because then I could have watched the final and know if I can keep my hopes up or not... And there are twists and turns and some butterflies and I can't wait for the next episode.

4. Cooking Crush (1/12 on Youtube)

I have to admit beside Not Me, I am not the biggest fan of OffGun. Their slapstick humour is just not mine. I can't get the right feeling for this series right now. I will wait and see how it turns out with more episodes...

5. Last Twilight (3/12 on Youtube)

I got fucking emotional when Mhok read from The Little Prince and they had this whole big conversation through the book and I am in tears just thinking about it. The Little Prince is very special for me.

6. Pit Babe (2/13 on Youtube)

Ladies and Gentlemen! We have an Omegaverse! I am still in shock! I usually don't dive into the omegaverse, but I did read some webtoons. I am curious how they'll play it out. The first episode... I don't understand shit! I have no clue, what is going on. There are intrigues going on and I don't trust Charlie at the moment. But I couldn't care less because: Pavel! He could just sit there or walk in his driver's uniform and I would be happy!

7. Playboyy (3/14 on Gaga)

I am intrigued! I needed to call my best friend and tell her about what I have seen. Not just the amount of sex and masturbation and wet dreams, but the way it is filmed. I am intruígued! It looks like a romantic dream combined with porn. And I am looking forward to next week and the weeks to come, because it is so interesting!

8. The Sign (1/12 on Youtube)

I am already in love with this series! Mystical elements, a good chemistry between the actors, some fighting, naked men... What else could I wish for... Oh yeah, and an accidental kiss 😂 But I still enjoyed it so much! And I can't wait fot next week!

9. Twins (4/12 on Gaga)

I don't know what it is. The story is... nothing special. The acting is okayish. Sprite's/Zee's facial expression need some time to get used to. And yet, I like this show! It is one of my most anticipated watches of the week. I like First and I LOVE enemies to lovers 😅 It is one of my weak spots!

Finished in November

Series

1. I feel you linger in the air (12/12 on Gaga)

This is one of my favorite series from this year, if not the best one! It is such a good and well written story about love and building a home, trusting in love and people again, fight against the rules and love the people who deserve your love. I am not as heartbroken than I thought, but I miss them already, like five minutes after it ended. Jom and Yai's love is a love that can overcome all kinds of barriers like time and I love that so much! I love this series so so much! And they confirmed a second season? Now I am afraid and excited? A true 10 out of 10!

2. Dangerous Romance (12/12 on Youtube)

I like Perth and Chimon together, even though their characters can be a little bit cheesy or bromancy. Over all I liked the series, even though I was searching for the danger in the romance. It lost a litle bit of the tension in its second half. Not a bad series, but also nothing special. A solid 7 out of 10.

3. Kimi to Nara Koi wo Shite Mite mo / If it's with you (5/5 on Gaga)

It is sweet and has the typical japanese vibe, you know? The crickets and circades are very much present in the the background and it feels kind of cosy. My japanese vibe. The story itself is sweet. I like the fact that the Amane is open and sure about his sexuality, even though he has experienced homophobia and tries to hide behind a smiling mask. This is a really wholesome watch for the coming darker days. I gave it a 9 out of 10.

4. Kiseki: Dear to me (12/13 on Viki and Gaga)

Okay, this series started strong for me and got really messy and lame in the second half... Well, way before this to be honest. The only reason I was watching in the end were Ai Di and Chen Yi. Their relationship was such a great add up to this mess. Yes, it was messy and I wish they would have communicated earlier, but I love their tenderness and their love in the end. The main couple... I really couldn't care less in the end. And the story was... not that interesting and a little bit confusing at times. Overall an 7,5 out of 10 and that's because of Ai Di and Cen Yi.

5. You are mine (10/10 on Viki and Gaga)

The lovestory between a very demanding chef, who terrorise his employees and his easygoing new male secretary who can give good massages. And the lack of communication is really bothering me at this point. Instead of just going after your secretary, perhaps try and talk to him about your feelings? Argh... Okay, the last episode was just a display of affection and fluff and it was really cute. But it couldn't help a bad series to become a good one. They can kiss, yes, but overall it was not that good. So just a 5,5 out of 10 for me.

6. A Breeze Of Love (8/8 on iQiyi)

I love this one! It is short and cute and for once I understand the problem. The execution was a little whacky, but hey, I really don't care because it was just that cute! The two mains have very good chemistry and are believable. And I am totally in love with them. It has sport and kind of enemies to lovers so checks for me and it is korean. Yeah, that is definitely worth a watch and I guess I will rewatch it from time to time, whenever I need something wholesome and cute. A 10 out of 10 for me.

7. One Room Angel (6/6 on Gaga)

It started out as a very depressing series. It kept this feeling through the whole show, but it never said, that it has to be like that forever. There were always hints, that life can get better. That you are enough and that you are worth it, worth of living, worth of loving and worth of being loved. I mean it ended with this line: I received and was able to give. Even someone like me had something I can do. So probably, life isn't so bad." And that was the point where I lost it completely. A solid 8 out of 10 for me.

Movie

1. Aki wa Haru to Gohan wo Tabetai

This one is a sweet and quiet movie. Well the character Aki is not that quiet, but in this movie there is not that much drama or angst. It is stacked with food and I got so hungry watching it! The food really looks delicious! It is not a bromance. You definitely can see that these two love each other and there are so many hints, that they want to spend the rest of their lives together. And as far as I know there should be a second movie. Fingers crossed! For me a solid 7,5 out of 10

Short Film

Dropped/On-Hold in November

Looking forward to in November

Twins - MDL - Trailer (Nov 3rd on GagaOOLala)

Boy Drenched in Water - MDL (Nov 8th on GagaOOLala)

A Breeze Of Love - MDL - Trailer (Nov 10th on iQiyi)

Last Twilight - MDL - Trailer (Nov 10th on Youtube)

Middleman's Love - MDL - Trailer (Nov 10th on iQiyi)

Beyond the Star - MDL - Pilot (Nov 11th on iQiyi)

Aki wa Haru to Gohan wo Tabetai - MDL (Nov 15th on GagaOOLala)

Playboyy - MDL - Trailer (uncensored) - Trailer (censored) (Nov 16th on GagaOOLala)

Wheels and Axle - MDL (Nov 17th on TBA)

Pit Babe - MDL - Trailer (Nov 17th on iQiyi)

Bake Me Please - MDL - Teaser (Nov 19th on iQiyi / Gaga)

7 Days Before Valentine - MDL - Trailer (Nov 22nd on Youtube)

VIP Only - MDL - Teaser (Nov 24th on Viki & Gaga)

The Sign - MDL - Trailer (Nov 25th on Youtube)

Cooking Crush - MDL - Trailer (Nov 26th on Youtube)

The Whisperer - MDL - Trailer (Nov 26th TBA)

For Him - MDL - Pilot (Nov 30th on iQiyi)

Wuju Bakery - MDL - Trailer (TBA)

Night Dream - MDL (TBA)

Boyy Of God - MDL - Teaser (TBA)

[absolutebl]

While trying to procrastinate on my Chinese assignment and because I haven't watched much these past few months, I decided to go on tumblr (as you do) and ended up on that ask you answered with a few recs, including one where you said to just trust you and watch DNA Says Love You (another one for the "words are missing and it doesn't quite make sense even though I get what they were going for" English titles of dramas) because 1) I've been in the mood for Taiwanese BL lately, 2) it apparently was on my list, 3) that counts as listening comprehension for my class, right?

Anyway, long story short, I watched 9 episodes yesterday evening and the last 3 tonight and I didn't have any time during the day because of things like "needing to work to get an income", but the only thing I wanted was be done with my day so I could go back and watch it. I didn't dislike the first 3 episodes contrary to my expectations with your comment, but I also totally understand why you said that. It goes from funny and light-hearted to giving you all the feels until you get sucker-punched by ep9 (I had tears in my eyes and I had not started my evening expecting that kind of show).

It was just SO good, like dang, I didn't expect to like it that much. Plus the cinematography, directing, and production quality were really lovely and well done in a way I wasn't expecting (also because I both didn't expect much and didn't know what to expect). But yes, anyway, I loved all of the characters in that show and wanted to say thank you for reccing it because I would have been sad to have missed it (also intersex rep??? in my drama???). Anyway, time to actually sit down and finish my assignment instead of writing a novel in your ask box.

Oh I m SO GLAD you gave it a chance. I with more people would. The last few eps are ones I will often rewatch, in fact I'm taking it with more on my next trip for a full rewatch so see how I feel about those beginning eps in retrospect. Such a great show.

[hils79]

Hils Watches Unknown - Ep 7

I wonder how long it's going to take Wei Qian to realise that sending Wei Zhiyuan away was A Mistake

Well, it hasn't taken him long to fall apart without Wei Zhiyuan there to take care of him anyway

Ooh Wei Lili and Tan Yu are going out together because Wei Qian is too drunk and sad to go with them. I wonder if this is going to become A Thing.

I'm getting quite concerned about all his headaches and fainting. This had better not have a sad ending! I don't come to Taiwanese BLs for sad endings!

Oh here we go

It's very sweet that he's decided to take care of Wei Zhiyuan's things while he's gone but but don't change the bulb in his lamp and then just leave it on. He doesn't live there!

Ooh you can tell time has passed because the cactus has grown

Okay, is this A Thing that I am somehow missing the nuance of? Because he just turned the lamp on again and left the room again.

Aww he's got Empty Nest Syndrome. I mean Wei Zhiyuan probably would have gone to university anyway but probably somewhere a bit closer than the other side of the world and you're the one who sent him there.

Aww they're finally talking

Aww yay!

Of course he came straight back as soon as Wei Qian told him he could

Now I know I'm watching a Priest adaptation

Has anyone read the novel this is adapted from btw? I'm vaguely curious about reading it now.

[nthngtoseehere-blog]

Dramas/movies I've finished (or 'finished')

I've watched enough east Asian dramas/movies that I've tripped my brain’s "must make a list" switch. Updated 3/28

Blue = favorites

Also:

Dramas I'm watching / want to watch

Dramas I dropped

Dramas:

2gether the Series (Thai)

I guess a lot of people hate this and don't think the leads have any chemistry at all? But I actually loved them. It's not a hot-and-heavy kind of chemistry; it's very sweet and kind of innocent, but not facile. On the other hand, they were all I liked about the drama.

Ai Long Nhai (Thai)

This is the most ridiculous drama, and it brings me so much joy. Nothing hurts, everything is beautiful. Nhai is a precious scatterbrained bean, and Ai falls in love at first sight. All of the things about Nhai that drive other people crazy just make Ai go all fond and soft. I smiled so much watching this that my face hurt.

A League of Nobleman (Chinese)

Good but definitely felt like it was missing scenes. OT3 Lan Jue/Zhang Ping/Wang Yan!

Bad Buddy (Thai)

Wow this is good! It's Romeo and Juliet with some West Side Story thrown in. The actors are fantastic, and watching how they progress from sort-of-enemies to committed boyfriends is wonderful.

Bed Friend (Thai)

OMG Uea the sharp-edged traumatized bean, and King green-flagging all over except for that one moment where he needed to have his head flushed in a toilet for reacting in the absolute worst way. I love this show A LOT. It's not a perfect rendition of a young man who has suffered a lot of abuse in his life, but it handles that element really well (therapy and medication FTW), and the romance is sweet and sexy.

Between Us (Thai)

I liked the first half a lot, but didn't like Team very much after they got together. His personality/behavior changed; he was, IDK, tougher? earlier, which I liked a lot more. However, I LOVE Win so much I can't even.

Bad Guys (Korean)

There were several moments when certain things almost made me nope out (Oh Gu Tak’s entire self; my overwhelming desire to cut Jung Moon’s hair so that his one eye wouldn’t be perpetually covered up; the detective lady whose name I never bothered to catch), but I was so glad I finished it. Park Hae Jin in eps 9 – 11 blew me away; and the ending was kinda dark but in a way that was so satisfying.

Be Loved In House: I Do (Taiwanese)

Not my favorite Taiwanese bl, but not bad.

Beyond Evil (Korean)

Wow, so much going on. The characters developed beautifully, even though Juwon went through a bit of a bratty phase. I loved the mystery.

The Blood of Youth (Chinese)

I loved this so much. THE FOUR WAY BROMANCE omg. And the way the ML slowly but surely dismantled the villains' plans! He met every set-back with a “well, that’s unfortunate, but I can fix it.” It was great, even though the romance they shoe-horned in for the ML was annoying.

Dangerous Drugs of Sex (Japanese)

I watched this because I was curious. It was... Hmm. Well, all I can say is, if you too become curious, make sure you pay attention to the reasons it's 18+, and then assume it's going to be even more f*cked up than it sounds.

Dr. Romantic 2 (Korean)

Honestly I watched this for the Seo Woo Jin whump (Ahn Hyo Seop does suffering so attractively), but since doctor shows otherwise make me nauseous I didn’t watch the last couple of episodes. But I really liked the various relationships among the different characters.

Duoluo Continent (Chinese)

Watched this for Xiao Zhan. I’ve never watched anything like this outside of having caught a glimpse of the Pokemon and Yu Gi Oh cartoons my kid watched, and it was...different. The FL was so irritating, but I wasn’t burned out on this kind of FL yet when I watched this so it was fine.

En of Love: Love Mechanics (Thai)

Too short! The fact that is was remade with most of the same cast and an expanded story makes this one feel almost like a pilot. It was definitely good enough to make me track down the longer version (which I'm currently watching). YinWar are really engaging actors.

Fish Upon the Sky (Thai)

Same actors as in Never Let Me Go, but this one is a comedy. The main character is a high maintenance nerd who goes through a glow-up that almost no one really notices (because he's STILL a high maintenance nerd) except the guy who has had a crush on him forever. Of course it's a guy he thinks is terrible. I loved it. Which is weird because I generally hate comedies.

Handsome Siblings (Chinese)

I enjoyed it mainly because it’s ridiculous.

He is Psychometric (Korean)

Super cute, comfort show. The twists and turns were great. I loved the characters. Side note: the actor who played young Kang Sung Mo did an amazing job. I actually had to stop at one point and Google the cast to make sure the show hadn’t somehow managed to make the older actor look like a teenager because the younger actor absolutely nailed the older actor’s take on the character. (Turns out the younger actor is the ML in The Uncanny Counter! In which I also love him.)

Healer (Korean)

OMG I love this show. So much. I even loved the romance. I wrote a post about it. (Did I go looking for Ji Chang Wook’s filmography after watching this? Yes, yes I did.)

HIStory 4: Trapped (Taiwanese)

Getting into bl drama is a lot like getting into bl manga/manhwa: requires accepting that dramas with action/mystery/SFF are few and far between. (I would also add "dramas with adults" but there seem to be more and more of those these days.) This was one of the first bl dramas I found that wasn't just a romance, and I was SO EXCITED. It's a little cheesy, but I loved it. The cop/mafioso romance (which is also a grumpy cat/sunshine puppy romance) between the leads is a lot of fun. And it has what might be my absolute favorite side pairing: the always-smiling assassin and his adorable tiny cop boyfriend (a sunshine velociraptor/sunshine puppy pairing, if you will).

Hotel Del Luna (Korean)

This show is amazing! Jang Man Wol stewing in rage and ennui for a thousand years only to have everything turned upside down by a stubborn, good-hearted puppy-man who she ironically stuck herself with. The slow, heartbreaking, breath-catching reveal of Man Wol’s past. The range of creepy, sad, funny, heart-warming ghost stories. The characters. The production quality! Ah, so good.

If You Wish Upon Me (Korean)

Another OMG I LOVE THIS. Ji Chang Wook is so good at “sweet, tough, vulnerable, and a good guy despite being raised by wolves” characters. I did cry semi-regularly due to the nature of the setting, but while I usually avoid things that make me cry, this was good crying. And so worth it. Also, the FL is a hoot, and a BAMF when she takes on the ML's abusive ex.

The Imperial Coroner (Chinese)

Adorable nerds falling in love over corpses in ancient China WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE.

Jade Dynasty (Chinese)

I get why people don’t like this, but I did. It was a silly, sweet, fun story and it only required a time commitment of an hour and some.

Joseon Attorney: A Morality (Korean)

I wanted to like this more than I did, because Woo Do Hwan. Loved him. Favorite part was when he was imprisoned and being tortured and someone came to visit him in his cell and he was fidgeting and fussing with the filthy straw while he talked with them. Like. Oh honey. WTF are you doing, just have a good cry and take a nap before your next torture session my babie. But I got kind of bored? As soon as we found out what happened to his sister I gave up and fast-forwarded through the rest so I could at least see what happened.

Jun & Jun (Korean)

I had to be in the right mood to watch this (open to a silly office romance with ALL the tropes), but when I did finally watch it I loved it. There is second (and third) lead syndrome, but all three of the men in love with Lee Jun are likeable, and I honestly would have been happy with Lee Jun choosing any of them. Also, Lee Jun is the most precious bean.

Lawless Lawyer (Korean)

I struggled through the middle of this. I’m not a huge fan of how in Korean shows everything always goes to absolute shit for the main character(s) mid-way through. I mean, I don’t mind that element of storytelling in general; it’s the way it’s so devastating in so many of these shows. This one hit me when I was in the wrong frame of mind, I think. But I’m glad I stuck it out because the way the villain was ultimately taken down was fantastic.

Love and Redemption (Chinese)

OMG LOVE. Serious, serious love. I wrote a post about this.

Love by Chance (Thai)

Ehhh. I ended up fast-forwarding through all of it except the Ai/Pete stuff. That is a great relationship, though. Pete has internalized politeness to an adorable degree, and is sweet despite having been badly burned; Ai went from "uninterested in dating anyone at all but assumed straight" to "oh I'm in love with this guy? I must be gay. Cool."

Love for Love’s Sake (Korean)

This was a sweet show. The concept was clever, and the way it held onto its secrets until almost the end worked really well.

Love in the Air (Thai)

I tried watching this about a year ago - first Thai drama, first bl drama - and I got through the first arc and quit, and didn't go back to bl or Thai dramas for literal months. It was mostly due to the production quality, the cheesiness, and all of the pouting Rain does. But I went back to it recently, after watching A LOT of Thai bl, and I actually love it? Still cheesy, still wishing they could have invested in a boom mic, but I can handwave that now I guess. I really, really love the second story arc, about PaiSky. Sky is a great character, and Prapai goes through character growth! Starts out a pushy, cocky playboy who thinks it's cute to stalk the guy he likes, ends up being a compassionate, responsible boyfriend.

Mad Dog (Korean)

MORE LOVE. This was the kdrama that caused me to fall down the rabbit hole of kdramas in general. I’ve watched this three times. The found family element, the character journey that especially Kim Min Joon but also Choi Kang Woo go through – help, so good. And what a great introduction to Woo Do Hwan. I wrote a post.

Maiden Holmes (Chinese)

This is like...if your favorite, heart-warming, Jane Austen-inspired romance drama was a mystery set in ancient China and had cool fight scenes. Comfort food.

Manner of Death (Thai)

This is barely a bl (very few bl tropes); it's more of a mystery with romance between the two leads who are both guys. Very good, if a little cheesy in places. And let's not talk about Tan's marriage proposal because wtf dude.

Memorist (Korean)

I watched this early in my exploration of kdramas and didn’t like it for some reason; I fast-forwarded through a lot of it. But I think I might have just not been in the right mood before, because I tried it again and it was excellent! The twists and turns of the mystery, the way things that seemed unrelated turned out to be all connected, was awesome.

Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice But To Kiss! (Japanese)

This was adorable! The main character had a lot more layers than I expected, and his love interest was so sweet.

My Beautiful Man (Japanese)

Two high school boys with problematic behavioral issues whose issues complement each other. It's unexpectedly charming and touching, and I'm really glad there's a sequel!

My Roommate is a Detective (Chinese)

If you want a bromance where you can easily ship the male leads, and has some whump, and you don’t mind cheesiness: here you go!

My Lascivious Boss (Vietnamese)

There's not a lot of Vietnamese bl out there, and I wanted to try one. This one is good; not the greatest acting, but still good. Also, the episodes are so short, so it's a quick watch.

My Tooth Your Love (Taiwanese)

One of the main characters is a dentist, hence the absurd English title. I'm not good with any dentistry situation so I admit I watched a couple of seconds here and there through my fingers, but it's really just a lovely romance. I can't remember where I read it, but this is a good description (paraphrased): the leads woo each other with plushies and naps.

Never Let Me Go (Thai)

Rich high school student's dad is murdered in front of him, and has another high school student, who has never bodyguarded before ever but his dad makes him do it because his dad is kind of a jerk, assigned as his bodyguard. Weird premise, EXCELLENT delivery. The actors who play the boys have great chemistry, and make the characters feel very real.

The Novelist (Japanese)

I don't even know what to say about this drama? It's a bit like those weird little Indie films from the 90s. Like, it's pretty good, but it's also...something.

Numbers (Korean)

I really liked this until the last episode. It fizzled out. Is there supposed to be a second season or something, maybe? IDK.

Oh No Here Comes Trouble (Taiwanese)

Oh this was GOOD. The title and ML's hair cut (yes I judge) made me think it was going to be silly, and there was silliness but there was also a lot of depth and emotion. ML's family situation is a traumatic running thread. The mysteries are clever and fun but heartfelt and sad too. It was just so good.

Old-Fashioned Cupcake (Japanese)

Oh this is so sweet! It's based on a bl manga I haven't read yet, but definitely will because this is just the sweetest, warmest story.

Our Dating Sim (Korean)

Very good, very sweet. I really felt for Gi Tae, waiting so many years, and then hiding so much anxiety.

Sell Your Haunted House (Korean)

Oh this is so good! A great supernatural show, with a great FL, and the FL and ML become besties rather than romantic yay.

Semantic Error [TV show] (Korean)

I watched this because I’d heard of the manga, though I absolutely wasn’t expecting to actually get sucked in like I did. Excellent show. Another one I wrote about.

The Sign (Thai)

I loved this so much!! Action, crime, reincarnation, mythology, romance, humor - there’s so much going on and I enjoyed all of it. The last two episodes used some hand-waving instead of explaining things, but I’m not mad. Billy and Babe had amazing chemistry, too.

Together with Me (Thai)

I couldn't get Manner of Death at the time, but everyone keeps talking about MaxTul, so I watched this. It's not bad.

The Uncanny Counter 1 (Korean)

The first kdrama I watched! The only reason it didn't cause an instant obsession with kdramas is because i started watching Love and Redemption after and that was 59 episodes of blissful hyperfixation. But I love the supernatural/superhero/semi-religious? aspect, I love the different families that the ML has/finds, I love the whump.

Under the Skin (Chinese)

So far this is the only modern Chinese drama I’ve been able to finish. The mysteries were good, the relationship growth between the two male leads was compelling! Good stuff.

Unforgotten Night (Thai)

This show is really pretty terrible. I'm incapable of not laughing when the soundtrack cuts to a track of ~Italian mafioso music every. single. time that Kamol comes on screen. But it's gone so far past terrible that it's come out the other side, and I kinda like it.

The Untamed (Chinese)

First east Asian drama for me! I watched and rewatched this show multiple times in 2021, and without it I don’t think I would have explored [read: become obsessed with] east Asian dramas. I’m still in the fandom and reading the fic and watching the FMVs and etc. I cannot quit WangXian.

Until We Meet Again (Thai)

This is an amazing drama. Romeo and Juliet, but make it a modern bl college story with reincarnation, and the reincarnated Juliet has PTSD from his past life memories. Excellent storytelling, acting, everything.

Watcher (Korean)

Ooooooh this is so good. All of the characters are so compelling, and the overall story kept me engaged. Also, Seo Kang Joon: yes.

Why R U? (Thai)

This is kind of terrible, except that ZeeSaint as Fighter/Tutor absolutely sizzle. I also loved watching Fighter figure out his sexuality via 50% dialogue and actions and 50% Zee's incredibly expressive face.

Word of Honor (Chinese)

I watched this after watching The Untamed, and was kind of meh about it. But then after I’d poked around cdramas a bit, I watched it again and loved it. IDK what happened, but now it’s a fave.

You’re All Surrounded (Korean)

Ok, the FL in this is terrible. So annoying. Despite that and some of the other things that didn’t quite click with me, I was unable to drop it because I NEEDED to find out how Eun Dae Gu’s story would end (very satisfyingly actually!).

Movies:

Long Time No See (Korean)

I love this so much! Assassins; cool fight scenes; traumatized lead; murder boyfriends! UGH it's so good.

The New Employee (Korean)

Not bad. Not great, but not bad.

Pipeline (Korean)

NGL, I watched this because I wanted some Seo In Guk whump. It definitely delivered! It was a fun, fast-paced story, with very little character development and a very underused villain, and really good action. I turned my brain off and enjoyed it. The only thing I couldn't help mentally griping about was the complete lack of ear protection in most (all?) of the drilling scenes. They should have all been partially deaf, good grief.

The Yin Yang Master (Chinese)

Wacky and good!

The Yin Yang Master: Dream of Eternity (Chinese)

Less wacky than the other one, but also good, and the bromance!!!

[heretherebedork]

who are some older queer/lgbtq+ characters from lgbt/bl/gl series?

There are not that many. @bengiyo might really have a better memory for this than me, honestly, especially since I know there are some in shows I haven't really watched yet.

But the best example I can think of are the uncles from My Ride. They're amazing. Cheep and Dej are a great couple, talk about realizing their own sexualities and how their relationship grew and they're very, very supportive of Mork.

We've got Uncle Man in 21 Days Theory who's providing a great and darling role model for his nephew but also for X as he flirts with him and for his sister to help her understand and respect her son's sexuality.

There is a lesbian teacher for La Cuisine who was underutilized but very enjoyable when she was on-screen? Didn't do much guidance, though.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? is one I need to watch (I literally have it downloaded, I just... cannot find the attention span for a real binge) that's about two older queer men who, definitely on this list

This also depends on how we define older? There are a number of Taiwanese BLs that take on characters that are late 20s/early 30s that feel older comparatively to the typical university and high school students but aren't actually... old.

Like, I could include Manner of Death on this list because they're actually grown ups and everything, which is nice! Ocean Likes Me is also definitely two adults, same with To My Star. But, like, how are we defining older versus elder?

Sorry, I am listing shows and not so always just characters because this is harder once we get to the shows with adults.

Ossan's Love does have KK who is definitely older and queer but the show is not worth watching and especially not for that.

Pornographer also definitely has this but... yeah, I like this one but it's not exactly BL. Kijima is a full on queer adult but also a horrible influence.

The Player isn't exactly a BL or even a queer show but did have a bi father of an adult child and his boyfriend for a while in the show. I loved them and I was sad that the show didn't do a great job giving them a happy ending, tbh.

That's about all I've got? But it's a weird list and I probably missed something.

Oh! I almost forgot Cutie Pie and the gay grandpa and his partner blessing the gay arranged marriage for his son!

[shijiujun]

TGCF Taiwan (Traditional CN) Official Hardcopy by PinSin - VOL. 1 & 2 | PO Ends 6 Jan 21

HEYA GUYS OMG!!! THE TGCF HARD COPY BY TAIWAN LOOKS SO DELICIOUS?!!! Also y’all can trust Pinsin because they basically single-handedly are in charge of a majority of danmei AND BL books/manhuas etc. in Taiwan, super on the ball, covers are amazing, I don’t think they’ve ever missed a scheduled release or pre-order. FINALLY SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL WE CAN HOLD IN OUR HANDS

Scrolls downwards to see how to purchase internationally!

Volumes 1 & 2 Available - Uncensored Versions | Traditional Chinese | Two Sets Available - Full Pre-Order Index/Details Here in Chinese

Official publication date: 4 February 2021 | Will be available as per normal on usual Taiwan bookstore sites for e.g. Books.Com.Tw or Eslite on this day onwards, but will come without the PO freebies

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Note that either sets you buy will come with:

1 x Box Set

2 x Book Volumes

1 x Hualian Acrylic Cover

1 x Set of Hualian Chibi Red Packets (for CNY!)

1 x Set of Character Cards

1 x Set of Hua Cheng & Xie Lian Pins

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*Note that the below sets and their corresponding freebies will only be available if you purchase them BEFORE 6 January on Pinsin. 

*Both sets cannot be bought in the same order, one set, one order one account at the moment

✨✨ Set A - Here

Cost: 1250 NTD (~45 USD)

Regular set freebies (detailed above)

Additional Lunar New Year Hualian posters for prosperity 

✨✨ Set B - Here

Cost: 2380 NTD (~85 USD)

Comes with regular freebies (detailed above)

Additional Lunar New Year Hualian posters for prosperity

Poster with the cover art on it

Acrylic keychains of Chibi Hualian

Lunar New Year Hualian acrylic stand

Six-layered Bunny!Hualian folder!!!

✨✨ International Shipping✨✨

Pinsin ships internationally but selected countries only. They’ve already come up with the international shipping fee calculations for each set and each country which you can find here.

How to buy:

Check if Pinsin delivers to your country in the link above

Use Google Translate to translate the product/listing site for either set

Add to cart either Set A or B (if you buy both the system will cancel your order)

Head to this link and you’ll see the product listing for ‘Add on International Shipping’ - It’s in denominations of 50 NTD, so let’s say you’re from Singapore and you wanna buy and pay for Set B shipping, you should add 10 x quantity to make 500 NTD as shipping - And then add this ‘product’ to cart (You will know how much to pay based on the shipping calculation doc here)

Purchase, must have an account (can use FB/Google login) - Add your country, address, etc. - Payment methods include international credit cards

(Optional) If you’re feeling uncertain about the additional shipping, you can add in the remarks box as you check out that you’ve paid XX amount based on the GDrive link

They will ship the item out on 4 February onwards (and it’ll either be by SFExpress or DHL in my experience dealing with them)

The pre-order freebies end after 6 January, so you have to purchase before 6 Jan to get either sets

✨✨ Other Ways to Purchase✨✨

Book is also available for pre-order on Animate TW here. You can also buy the special PO merch separately! Technically a better option if you don’t want to have everything. They do selected international shipping as well!

The book will be available to purchase as separate volumes without freebies on Books.com.tw and Eslite (major Taiwanese bookstores) from 4 Feb onwards on their respective sites, should be cheaper as well (each book should cost ~12 USD or less)

If you have proxies/friends in Taiwan, there will be three upcoming major physical confs/events where they can purchase the freebies and books etc. separately with some new benefits I think:

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Happy buying!!! DM me if y’all need help or if you want me to purchase for ya (if your country is not included in the shipping list)

[respectthepetty]

Hello ✨️

Long time i don't enter in tumblr, but asap i came back only one question matters: what BLS are your currently obsession!?

Anon, this is where my slutty personality really shines because I can be obsessed with MANY shows simultaneously, and the current roster of airing BLs is keeping me entertained and satisfied.

But before I get into BLs that are currently airing, let's revisit the ones that just finished, yet are still constantly on my mind, so I'm going through their entire history on Instagram, liking their posts from 2013, and saving screenshots onto my computer:

Laws of Attraction - Building a Shrine level of obsession

I'm always thinking about this cute-ass bitch lawyer.

Jun & Jun - Anonymously Sending Love Notes level of obsession

I need more of my two dads. RIGHT NOW!

Love Class 2 - Scheming with My Friends level of obsession

I didn't know how much I loved it until it was almost gone, and now I'm trying to break it up with its current partner, so it comes back to me.

Now for the currently airing ones:

Kiseki: Dear to Me - Breaking into Its House and Putting Rose Petals on the Bed level of obsession

I can't be normal about this show. It's Taiwanese. It's about a gay mafia. It has younger guys in love with older guys, and those younger guys are ruining their whole lives for their older guys. Throwing away their entire futures for these men. Being trash in public for these men. GOING TO JAIL FOR THESE MEN! I. Love. It!

Dangerous Romance - Getting Its Name Tattooed on My Chest level of obsession

My mutuals hate this show, and I'm glad because it means there are fewer people to fight with for its attention. If more people liked it, I would convince everyone else it sucked, just so they would stop watching it, and I could have it all to myself. That's the level of obsession I have for this show. I want it isolated and alone, just to ensure its dependent on me and can never leave me. Nobody else. Just me. *blinks*

Hidden Agenda - Bunny Stew (aka Fatal Attraction) level of obsession

My obsession with this show is as unhealthy as Joke's obsession with Zo, and homie is OBSESSED with Zo. Joong plays quietly unhinged so well that I want him to play a serial killer because something about Joke's eyes, even when he says he loves Zo, just screams "if I can't have you, nobody will" and I want more of it. In my mind, Joke killed Puen and was *this* close to killing Nita when she smiled at Zo during her party. If Joke's dad says anything about his relationship with Zo in the finale . . . *finger across throat*

Naughty Babe - Recording Us Having Sex Just So I Can Listen to It Later When I Miss It (aka Only Friend's Nick) level of obsession

Indulgent Daddy Yi is my favorite daddy, and Max looks ridiculously attractive in this show. It has color coding and changed the dog attack from Cutie Pie into a TIGER ATTACK! Diao's family is trying to kill him, that new secretary is sus, and Lian and Yi definitely fucked each other in college. How could I not be super duper creepy about this show?

Shadow - Praying to God and all the Santos to Bind Our Souls Together level of obsession

I'm already thinking about the ways I'll have to repent for the sins I'm going to commit when this show comes out. I have waited for.ev.er for this, and I'm getting it for gay Christmas (Halloween). I'm willing to eff with los espookys for this, so I'll be death-gripping my rosary the whole way through, but I'll do anything for gay catholic boys. ANYTHING, including breaking 9 out of the 10 Commandments. Gotta keep the Sabbath holy, though. Even God took a break from being obsessed.

[life-rewritten]

WE BEST LOVE  (FIGHTING MR 2ND) ShouZhen and The Acceptance of Feelings, Love and Self

Warning this was really hard to write, I tried to be as sensitive as I could but if I have said anything ableist or wrong, and I need to be educated please let me know. I don’t mean to do that but when it comes to these two, I do have a degree in Clinical Psychology but there might be parts of me that are still ignorant, uneducated or insensitive to the community I don’t mean to be that way. So trigger warning(TW) for people, there are some ‘ableist’ comments or wording that I have to say when talking about a situation from someone’s perspective, let me know if there’s anything problematic about this analysis and I will try and edit and change anything that is wrong information, or offensive.

Oh god. This was a journey for me. This show like stuns me, I mean I’ve always known I would be obsessed with Xuan and Shouyi from We Best Love because they remind me of like a lot of couples I watched last year (Korean Psycho but it’s okay which kind of deals with the same themes in a different way, Flower of evil a bit more intense but still the same themes about society and ableism etc), so I’ve been waiting to write about them and discuss them in detail. Episode 3 just made me finally crack and start analysing them. I think the thing with We Best Love is that I am very surprised  by how this season has just been so good, and deep, and mature but at the same time it’s very risky what they’re trying to do. It can lead to backlash and offense caused if its not done properly. So take that with a grain of salt, as much as I am enjoying these choices I do know it could change in the last two episodes, I’m holding out hope though that this show will stay the way I think it’s going to go, I don’t think the writers mean to be problematic or insensitive I actually they’re trying to do the opposite but we shall see. Let’s get into analysing these two. I promise you this is worth reading despite the length. Let me know what you think 😊

So small summary we have Shouyi from season 1, he’s our cold hearted doctor, he is insensitive to people, he says things and does things without care about how it affects others, he rolls his eyes at Shide’s suffering with love because he thinks it’s stupid. He’s funny but there’s something missing for him, he can’t help but be drawn to someone who he thinks is a problem and wants to avoid but actually he also wants to keep and protect forever. And we have Xuan that person he’s someone who is autistic, he is smart, indifferent to people, he is in his own world and he is very set on Shouyi. Xuan has been chasing after Shouyi since high school when he first met him, and he’s determined to not give up on his love and determined to make Shouyi see that he also feels the same way. At first it seems like a typical unrequited obsessive storyline we see in BLs but there’s so much more to it than that and that’s why I adore this couple. Let’s break it down

As much as Shouyi is misunderstanding his heart, he’s also misunderstanding Xuan’s heart. He thinks Xuan’s feelings/belief of feelings is stemmed from his diagnosis of Xuan’s situation, so he thinks Xuan is ‘childish’ due his autistic tendencies, his other disorders, but before we go into more detail  on this base about why he refuses to accept Xuan’s feelings as real or long lasting, let’s talk about all the other reasons that others including Shouyi himself has given for why even though Shouyi and Xuan are two people who are in love with each other, (it’s a requited but they don’t know trope oddly even though it’s formed like a unrequited pining one sided love from Xuan to Shouyi), Shouyi refuses to acknowledge Xuan’s feelings and his.

 Logic vs Feelings

Teacher/Student: Morals, Laws and Age

Let’s first look at the first reason: the teacher/student issue that Shouyi used as an excuse in his head for why they couldn’t be together 15 years ago. A lot of people when trying to understand or form reasons why they thought Shouyi ran away from Xuan 15 years ago say that it’s because they were a taboo situation because he was essentially an older adult with a minor? A teacher student situation right?  So he felt logically and morally that they shouldn’t be together so they avoided crossing that boundary. This may be why he gave Xuan that ultimatum of finding him when he’s older and if they find each other again then Xuan can have a chance to chase after him though it’s a lie. And logically that makes sense, the teacher and student trope in romance love stories and BL can somewhat seem predatory and bring up those issues of consent, age and other topics. So normally it’s an uncomfortable thing to deal with, it does seem like Xuan was very young if we’re thinking he’s 30? Then he may have been 15-18 when they first met so there was definitely an age gap between them and Xuan was definitely a minor who probably shouldn’t be in a relationship with a teacher. It’s very good of Shouyi to turn away from Xuan at that time even if he did have his own feelings for him. Shouyi was a teacher figure, a protective guardian that Xuan kept seeking help and guidance from. My guess is that Shouyi saw how Xuan had transformed from the first time he met him to someone more healthier and better and felt uncomfortable when Xuan confessed how he felt and made it known that he wanted Shouyi to see him in a romantic way. So yes, the logical/moral reason for why Shouyi pushed Xuan away makes sense but I feel like there’s more to it than just that.

In the Taiwanese wiki because I’m not sure if this information will show up in the show anymore but Shouyi’s character was written as someone who was resentful to his parents because they forced him to do medicine. He ended up studying medicine but to spite them instead of becoming a doctor he actually chose to be a teacher/high school doctor which provided less money and skewed their expectations. Later he’d become a university doctor before finally quitting all that and choosing to run a bistro/café. Shouyi did not really mean to become a protective figure in his highschool doctor role, we see him as well in university he doesn’t do the role of a teacher/helper, he’s just logically following  the rules/operations that the medical occupation does. He’s also very rough with how he takes care of his patients and he doesn’t bother to make them feel safe/or cared for or whatever, he’s abrupt, rude and cold. But as we start to uncover when we finally go into the past so I will be also using their trailer/music video to analyse with this essay, , once Xuan came to Shouyi for protection and nurture, (latched onto him like a baby bird) Shouyi did offer guidance and care and knowledge to Xuan helping him want to do more, want to learn more, want to be more and grow so he did essentially without meaning to ended up in a teacher role for Xuan which is why he sees Xuan as a child in need of advice, guidance and immature/naïve. This is why even after they reunite Shouyi still thinks Xuan has the same characteristics and childish actions as he did when he was 15.

The Doctor/Patient Situation: Healing, Obligation, Protection

 The medical aspect of their relationship is important as well because both are connected to psychological disorders and Shouyi is again a guiding role and Xuan is a patient. Shouyi thinks because he’s studied medicine about the scientific explanations as a doctor about the disorders that Xuan has, what it entails, what it could lead to, how characteristics may be described and he rationalises and kind of judges/ stereotypes in my opinion ideas about why Xuan feels the way he does, or acts the way he does. So instead of seeing Xuan as more than a patient, his mind automatically sees him as someone with his condition rather just a person with feelings.  I’m not going to lie I think there’s a bit of ableism from how Shouyi treats Xuan because he doesn’t see him as someone able to function without his disorder, he kind of rationalises and only sees him as one static stereotype and is constantly diagnosing him. But I do think that’s something the show may want to call out, when they show how Xuan is treated by people or seen  by people because it does look like people automatically see Xuan as his disorder instead of just Xuan as himself. They blame a lot of things it seems on their mindset of what they think his disorder causes which is ableist. I think this is something Xuan has had to probably deal with since he was younger, and that’s why he’s so protective and adamant in letting people know he’s not sick he’s okay, he’s normal, he’s okay being himself, he’s not a threat, he’s not an issue etc. So I think we may have a commentary more on this in the subtext. But Shouyi is ironic when he plays a role in this because I think he is also someone who people are ableist to, I think he’s also like that to himself, because he also has a psychological disorder that makes people see him as that. Shide does mention how he should have known Shouyi won’t do anything for someone’s good, but for his own selfishness since he has his disorder in season 1, and I think just like Xuan this is something he had to learn a lot and accept about himself hence his issue with romance. So Xuan is an antithesis to Shouyi he’s more aggressive and protective and doesn’t like how society views him but Shouyi seems to have embraced and accepted his disorder and has a mindset that he’s exactly that and has also accepted  how people expect him to act.

Anyway because of how he views Xuan (like how others do) he decides that the reason for why Xuan is into him can be explained psychologically; he’s a child in need of a figure to latch onto he’s somehow attached himself to Shouyi (filail imprinting) because he was overexposed to him. There is so many psychological theories on attachment and imprinting, but this reminds of the baby duck syndrome. This is an effect when someone gets exposed to something/they learn about it, they immediately latch onto this as the best thing compared to anything else and thus can’t change or move away from it. Anyway what I’m trying to get at is that Shouyi thinks Xuan’s attachment to him can be explained by psychology because Xuan is like a child who has latched him onto him as his only comfort/hope/joy whatever, because of that Xuan is deluding himself into thinking that’s love. With this syndrome the duckling is willing to be obsessed, sacrificial, just determined to be near that thing that matters to them so Xuan’s focus and determination to be with Shouyi can be explained in his head like that. So he sees Xuan’s feelings for him is seen not as love but as an imprint seeing him as a guardian figure, teacher figure, father figure etc. Someone who can take care of him.

With Xuan’s actions you could see how Shouyi who has no idea about feelings would think so. When they first meet, Xuan was very protective and defensive hence quite violent in order to protect himself, he was even very scared and distrustful of Shouyi at first, (my theories is that he was probably defensive because he was constantly bullied and treated badly because of how some people saw his disorder). But somehow Shouyi manages to calm him down and show him care by taking care of his wounds etc, and it causes Xuan to notice that he feels safe and he cares about being with this person.

So with all that said, obviously again in Shouyi’s head there’s a logical/scientifical reason for why he doesn’t want to acknowledge or believe Xuan’s feelings as long lasting or real. Again it makes sense, a doctor/patient relationship again borders on a lot of moral questions and lines that need to be discussed with/dealt with before they can be together. Xuan was seen by Shouyi as someone unstable, violent, self harming, depressed, etc He was seen as a patient in need of help so as someone playing the role of his care taker/ doctor that’s the only thing that he should be to him. But again I think yes logically he thinks this way but I also think knowing Shouyi these are all excuses for why he actually cares for Xuan. There is definitely a difference with how he pays attention to Xuan despite acting like he doesn’t care, there is definitely more feelings of protectiveness and worry for Xuan, and although he complains about not wanting Xuan near him, there is a lot of feeling lack, emptiness and discomfort without him there which I think he’s going to learn more about this season when he finally truly pushes Xuan away. In season 1, all Shouyi did was pine and think about Xuan, he held onto Xuan’s items and refused to let them go, he held onto them like a memory and its odd, he also gets very angry when Shide takes some of those memories and gets rid of them (the noodles) and it causes him to be spiteful but Shide thinks he’s being spiteful because of course he’s spiteful, he’s Shouyi with an emotional disorder he doesn’t care. Shide didn’t understand what those memories meant for Shouyi which is important. Because Shouyi doesn’t clock that, that’s a sign that he does miss and does want Xuan by his side.

So in my mind he is in love/or did have those feelings even after episode 3 when they kiss. But he reverts to using logic to explain why it’s happening, he uses logic to remove the importance and sentiments of emotions and feelings concerning how Xuan treats him and how he treats Xuan. Why they are connected. So as a teacher the moral obligation to guide and teach and help Xuan is why he cares. As a doctor the psychological consequences of not preventing Xuan from hurting himself or going too far is the reason for why he must nurture, and protect him/carry him. And the thing is they both really again compliment each other though like I said even if they had feelings, they shouldn’t have crossed that boundary 15 years ago, but I want to explain why they’re a good couple and why they fit.

Love and Influence, Growth and Companionship

First of all they both have an influence on each other to be better/ to grow/ to learn. So from Xuan it’s clear there was a transformation from his 15 year old self without Shouyi to who he is now. I’m pretty sure his job interests, his ability to trust, and have hope for the future is connected to him discovering all that when he was spending time with Shouyi. Shouyi clearly made him see things differently, helped him with some lifestyle enquiries like he wanted him to be proud of him, he wanted to protect both of them so he took up boxing (we see him always constantly boxing in the office, he just learnt how to be more healthier (not because being autistic is being unhealthy but his actions were unhealthy when he was younger because he was self-harming etc). We also get to see how different he gets when he’s with Shouyi, he’s more confident, calmer, happier, just very lively and excited and it’s so adorable but also makes sense. Xuan is no longer hateful of people around him (not because of his disorder but because of how people around him probably treated him), or violent (he’s only violent for protection and defense) and actually we see in episode 3 him feeling very upset and guilty when he fights and Shouyi sees him because it seems like Shouyi made him promise to stop using violence as his first reaction to things, so he felt upset because he didn’t want to disappoint him. But we see in the future he’s not only better, but he works along Shide and he is a actually in a big role in the company he works for.

For Shouyi, Xuan makes him learn about his emotions that he thought he couldn’t have, Xuan leads him on a self discovery journey, to understand more about who he is and not what society thinks he is, or not what some diagnosis claims he is, and for him to know that he can have love and he can be happy. Xuan also represents to him ease, comfort and hope not yet but soon despite the fact that on the surface he tries to push him away, I’m sure this season we see him also relax, trust and just be more open to feelings the way he hasn’t been able to want to be because of others. They both have this message of making the other know that there’s nothing wrong with who they are, they’re normal and live a happy life despite what people have said or treated them as.

Deyi vs Shouzhen; Mirrors of Each Other

In a way Xuan is a mirror image to another character we know who he thinks has Shouyi’s heart Shide. Because the reason why Shide fell for Shuyi young, was because Shuyi was someone who he felt safe with, listened to, cared for, (same reasons why Xuan fell for Shouyi), Shide felt Shuyi led him to growth and purpose and determination to be strong and hope (again same as Xuan and Shouyi) and so because of his feelings he was determined to be near Shuyi and now in season 2, show Shuyi his devotion and love (again same  as Xuan to Shouyi). The love that they have for their person is automatic, uncontrollable, unconditional but also passionate and it makes them determined to be something to that person, to be with that person and to be in a position where they can protect that person. They both don’t mind if it’s one sided or if the love is more on their side than the other because the happiness they feel is by being with them and seeing them happy.

On the other hand Xuan and Shuyi struggle to actually realise their feelings that are also there just not prominent because they have a mindset stuck on logic, judgement but also on perceived societal opinions/rules. Let me explain so for Shuyi it’s because of his determination to not fall for men (because he had  internalised homophobia (IH)  something that is a theme that runs with him and Shide, it’s because of IH he automatically thinks Shide would choose a girl over him and get married and have a kid, it’s because of IH dealing with his father and the shareholders situation and the position of being his father’s heir that made him also say that he didn’t want to fall for a guy when he first realised how he felt for Shide), because of this he never saw Shide’s actions as romantic even when Shide was telling him/confessing to him in episode 2 in season 1, he always misunderstood Shide’s actions and intentions. This is the same as Shouyi who isn’t because of IH but because of ‘ableism’/raised with an ableist societal mindset  that makes him misunderstand Xuan’s actions  and also his own feelings and also it’s because of his own position (teacher/doctor role) that makes him also avoidant of dealing his feelings for Xuan in season 2.

Which is why I adore season 2, again in my previous analysis of this season, the aim of this season is to focus on maturity, real life issues, discussions and commentary on certain things because the characters in season 1 were more naïve, immature and starting out into the world, so its more prone to happiness, and love and all that (this is why season 1 was so light, and less angsty) when our characters grow older, the issues/topics that were hidden in season 1, (Shuyi and Shide’s miscommunication and misunderstanding about their actual feelings and their views on sexuality, Shouyi’s disorder and his mindset, etc) now have to be dealt with, discussed about but also fought with. Now every one has to fight for their path and deal with more serious conversations surrounding these things. That’s why it’s not a surprise season 2 is more angsty, more dramatic, more serious, it’s meant to be a mirror image of season 1, but just more elevated and deeper and more severe than what they had or what they knew when they were younger. That’s how life gets the more you’re older. That’s why I adore this show because yes season 2 is very different and more risky (they really took a risk with how they did season 2 as you can see a lot of people felt blindsided because they didn’t see the subtext and hints in season 1 when it was always there) but I like that it’s risky, I like that it’s tackling these issues, I like it’s more mature and serious but it still is We Best Love, it’s still a story about the innocent love going to passionate love before becoming the real pure definition of covenant love (unconditional, soulmate, growth, self love, self acceptance, communication and understanding). This is seriously why I love this show, I’m sad for the people who don’t see it as this because it’s always been the aim of the script writer to make it this way.

 Nature vs Nurture

Back to Shouyi and Xuan. Actually back to the funny thing about Shide and Shouyi. So Shouyi and Shide are cousins it’s been told to us but every time there’s a plot with their love interests there’s a misunderstanding that leads to a growth/elevation in their relationships because their partners misunderstand what they are to each other. In season 1, Shuyi’s jealousy about them makes him confess out loud he knows Shide’s feelings this leads to them finally dealing with the truth and coming out to each other. Shide does think Shouyi acted this way because he was angry but its actually because Shouyi is protective and caring to Shide in his own way even if he thinks he can’t care about people. The reason why he did what he did is because he wanted Shide to stop suffering in an unrequited love with Shuyi, he wanted to help but he used another excuse to explain away his emotions/feelings which is exactly his character and what we see he’s doing with Xuan. So with Shouyi he does care about people, he does have emotions but because of his diagnosis/ people told him, he doesn’t believe he does because I’m sure he struggles understanding what he feels.  But Yes so again with Xuan and Shouyi there’s a misunderstanding by Xuan that Shouyi loves Shide, which is going to play a part in their relationship, Shouyi uses this lie to push Xuan away and he thinks it’s a solution of making Xuan stop loving him. Because he thinks love is painful from watching Shide, he thinks the results of love isn’t worth it because he sees Shide suffer constantly because of his own feelings but I think he also envies them whenever they’re happy like we saw in the finale of season 1, he goes to drink looking contemplative and sad. He’s lonely. So again on the surface Shouyi thinks love is over rated and stupid but actually inside he feels empty and wants it but he thinks he’s unable to have that.

Let’s discuss Shouyi’s ‘disorder’ because it’s still very hard to process what he actually has. We know he thinks he’s emotionally defective like he isn’t able to feel emotions, or care about people. He can’t form emotional connections to people, he just sees them as nothing important. The only way I could rationalise or understand is to kind of group it with another disorder even I don’t know if it is that because I don’t think he’s a sociopath, but I see some of his symptoms close to ASPD? Or I guess I also think it’s just Alexithymia which is lack of emotional awareness where he doesn’t know what emotion he’s feeling but he does have it. Either way what I see with his symptoms is that he’s not unable to feel emotions I think he just doesn’t know or understand emotions/ feelings, so it’s like an obstacle or like it’s a challenge for him to fully come to terms with the idea of emotions and all that so he withdraws from that and sees himself as unable to feel or care.

This is my guess because it’s quite hard to understand his diagnosis when there’s not enough yet explained about what he does struggle with. Either way its either he doesn’t understand what emotions he’s feeling or he has lack of them. I think it’s the latter because I can see that he shows care to people and he’s protective and helpful to people he feels close to. (this is just what I’m seeing). Either way the similarities with Shouyi and Xuan is that they have both been born with something that has made them be seen in  a negative way or misunderstood way (as much as not everyone is ableist I still think that’s kind of the environment I’m seeing from the show about these two and how they’re treated. I could be wrong) and told different things about who they are and what they have. So for example I keep repeating that one scene but when Shide speaks to Shouyi angrily in season 1 in a very insensitive manner about his disorder, Shouyi is defensive and angry about the way he spoke to him, what he said about him, so you see there is annoyance when people say stuff like that about him even though it seems he also has embraced those ideas  about himself.

In his mind he knows what he has because it’s something he struggles with but I think it frustrates him that he doesn’t can’t explain why he’s the way he is, he probably tried to form attachments and feelings for people but couldn’t so he gave up on the idea of ever being able to do that. But I think it’s just because those people aren’t Xuan. I’m not fully sure about what kind of environment Xuan grew up in but if he was little and people made fun of him, or bullied him, or mocked him he would have struggled with knowing there’s nothing wrong with who he is vs a accepting what people said about him that he can’t ‘function’ because he’s ‘sick’ probably. Because he’s really defensive he does not like people telling him that there’s something wrong with him, that what he’s feeling is not normal or real, and he’s able to take care of himself and have a good life with who he is.  I think you see this struggle in him when he thinks Shouyi has feelings for Shide. Like he immediately once he gets caught fighting walks away sadly because you can guess what he’s thinking, it’s probably ‘Ofcourse it’s Shide he likes, someone ‘normal’ ‘stable’ etc” You can see him in my opinion regress with those thoughts which is why he turned away in shame and says to Shouyi if I was him you would care etc I think yes he fights what people say about him and he knows he’s okay and what he’s feeling but if people keep on making him feel like the opposite he will later regress and accept what they say about him. If he really does get pushed away finally by Shouyi I think he’ll finally really accept that mindset he’s been struggling to fight and reject that he’s ‘abnormal’ to society therefore he’s not allowed to have love because he’s an obstacle to himself and his partner. That’s something I think the story will show for them which is heart breaking. Sigh.

Taking A Risk

Before I continue, let’s pause because let’s discuss the trailer for episode 4. Because yes the trailer does make it look like Xuan hacked the computer out of jealousy and pettiness because of the Shide situation. I think this is a misdirect or a warning. I don’t think the writers will make him be the one who did that, by making him be misunderstood though as someone doing that, brings up commentary it brings up a discussion about how people treat him. So in my opinion there’s a difference if they make him the one who did that because of vindictiveness and resentment then that’s problematic but if they’re trying to show how people have been treating him all his life, I think that’s okay because that’s exactly the aim of the show, to show what he’s struggling with because of how he’s seen in this environment. I can see the characters thinking he’s the one, blaming him, being ableist and I think a lot of people are going to be sensitive and annoyed and I get it; it’s a very risky move by the script writer if she wants to go this way, for me I will understand because I get what the show is trying to say, it depends on the consequences if our characters do end up doing something ableist how do they get taught that they’re wrong and that’s the only thing about this risk that worries me she may not be able to fully make people accept the characters apologies/ flaws with this issue.

It’s so risky and this season has tried so hard with its risks to bring up stuff but I am really happy because we have an autistic BL character, I love it so much because I think it’s incredible. The fact that this season is tackling this conversation about psychological disorders; the fact that we have one character more defensive and determined to be taken more seriously because he’s learnt to love who he is and accept himself vs his partner who has never had that chance to think about what he wants, who he is, what he needs because he’s constantly thinking he’s prevented by his disorder  is something that’s very fascinating to me, and I’ve been so excited to analyse and see it play out on the screen by these brilliant actors. I have been begging for risks in BLs to be made, for more stories to be told that border on the line of sensitive topics and representation, these stories should obviously told by people who are representative of the characters but I also like that a writer took a risk to discuss it more and show it on the screen. I like that we have conversations about mental health on the screen and it’s important to see how another culture/country treats the subject of psychological disorders so we know what needs to be changed/ learnt/ discussed. However I do get that the autistic community and others could be triggered by things with this storyline so far I’ve spoken to people about how they feel about Xuan so far, and a lot of people from the community isn’t offended by him but that’s not a full population of people, but people did say they understood Xuan’s character. But I can’t speak for the community. But for me I just would love to have a whole BL season just for these two, because I really commend the writers if done properly on the risk they took to show this.

As you can tell from this essay I adore We Best Love, I know it’s a polarising decision because people seem to think this season is worse or whatever, but for me I love this show, I didn’t expect this show to be so deep and bring up these subjects it’s the reason why even when I could have written about season 1 since I noticed the themes that are more dealt with in season 2, I didn’t cause I thought it was just be me overthinking it. We Best Love didn’t promise to be the outstanding different BL, it really is simple in season 1, which is why I am surprised at the comments of people who say that they are shocked it’s just a basic BL, like what were they expecting the storyline is very easy to understand, and it does have tropes similar to other BLS, it’s just written better and has interesting characters and good acting. But season 2 is when they really go deeper and start to tackle really serious conversations and I understand that it borders on the line of toxicity, problematic content, questionable ideas but for me I’m so happy the characters are being shown as flawed and problematic. Like Shide and Shuyi weren’t healthy they won’t be until the end of the show that’s what the writer wants to achieve; they are going to end up growing and maturing together to finally get their happy ending, and that’s the same for Xuan and Shouyi right now because of mindsets, and misunderstandings etc they are going to be questionable but they’re going to learn to understand each other and show each other how they feel and grow together from their flaws. The characters are just humans, they make mistakes, they do things but they’re consistent with their character outlines and goals, the writer has never changed anything about the characters, she’s making them learn and mature and go through consequences for their flaws, and I think it’s really important to notice that. I think that’s enough reason for me to love this show because I really enjoy how she’s made a simple BL be very deep and realistic in my opinion about how people are when they fall in love. I also adore the whole team, the actors, producers, writer I think they have done such an amazing job and put so much effort, energy and hard work to tell this story when others don’t do that all the time. Anyway let me know what you think about these two, about the show, about season 2. I’m really surprised by the BLs we are getting lately I’m not goanna lie I am obsessed with every one of them and like just stunned by each conversation and analysis they bring. Absolutely phenomenal start to the year.

[bengiyo]

Unknown Ep 5 Stray Thoughts

Last time, the Wei siblings became aware of Yuan's gay leanings after Yuan turned 18. Yuan and Qian spent some time together, but Wei Qian thinks Yuan is possibly seeing a guy from high school. We spent time in Yuan's head, and got to see how familiar his attraction to Wei Qian feels for him. We left them fly fishing in a creek with Yuan preparing to kiss Wei Qian.

Ahh, it was a fantasy. It didn't seem right that Wei Qian would just kiss him back like that.

Episode 5: Is missing you a habit or destiny?

Okay, we're talking about the gay thing, and Wei Qian is not as chill as I thought. This seems appropriate for his character.

"Liking that person is my business. It has nothing to do with you." This line hits every time from Taiwan.

The way Xiao Yuan is talking about this is extremely familiar to me.

Ah, Xiao Bao is 18 now and it seems like she's working as a model.

Don't think I forgot about Wei Qian's head!! I don't like him walking around at night like this.

I wonder how the knowledge of Yuan's queerness is going to impact all this sleeping together.

Mmm, so San Pang is gonna kick things off. I'm not surprised Wei Qian is trying to not scare Yuan away, and I'm also not surprised San Pang is the first one to suss out that Yuan likes Qian.

Classic sister move! Blaming her mess on her older brother!

San Pang, you already strongly suspect you know what's going on. This line of questioning with people is not going to help you.

Big money problems for the start up. Real problems.

It is fairly obvious that Yuan is the only one Qian listens to. When this joking turns serious, how will everyone cope?

Hey, they solved the money problem. Big deal.

I like the pretty rich lady.

Well, I'm glad San Pang got to the heart of it in the end.

I'm feeling the pacing again. Establishing Yuan's baseline queerness before having an episode where everyone is keying in on the unusual dynamic between them really works. I am not used to Taiwanese BL having such a solid and consistent episode structure.