#thai culture and my culture a really similar

[everythingiguess]

I feel like what I’m about to say might not be to everyone’s liking, but I think we’re all allowed to have our opinions about it.

I liked the episode; it felt real. It seems to me like some people want the characters to behave the way they want them to, or to follow a specific line so everything is correct and there are no flaws.

That isn’t, and I’ve been saying this for the past few weeks, how real life works. A lot of people might have their life figured out, or might not have an internal conflict about many aspects of their lives. But you have to know that not everybody is like you. Especially in this case, where the characters’ personalities and inner conflicts have already been established.

Sometimes, we need to try, understand, and accept why people do the things they do. And while this is a show, I think it is also quite helpful so that we can learn how to be more understanding of other people.

Some viewers might not understand Dee because they wouldn’t behave or make the same decisions as him, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad character or that he’s annoying. I’ve even seen people say he likes to do this whole thing because he thinks Yak is not enough (which I won’t talk about because that statement in itself tells me a lot about how much you haven’t understood the character at all).

Others might not get why Yoryak waits for him, or why Yoryak is nicer and more understanding of his father -and step-mother- than Yei. Others might not get Yei either or why he has so much resentment or the reason why he doesn't want Yak to be involved with the gym situation.

That’s the beauty of watching shows and their characters. They’re not supposed to make the right decisions all the time, they're not supposed to be like you or me all the time. Everyone is different, every single person thinks differently, and everyone deals with conflicts and life differently.

While I might not completely relate to some characters reactions and decisions, I understand them and their situations as much as I can, as if they were real people that I know and love.

Anyway, I know this is long but I wanted to say it because that’s the way I enjoy shows in general, and as long as the story and the characters make sense, I’ll keep enjoying Wandee Goodday.

[hallowpen]

The Secret of Us and the allegory of the puzzle...

I think one of the major overarching themes in this series is that you cannot force something to fit where it doesn't want to belong. And the only way to 'complete' the picture, ideally, is to patiently allow the pieces to be put together in the way they're supposed to.

I really really want to talk about Lada and how much I resonated with her as a character. In order for me to do that, I have to explain some cultural insights that revolve around Lada's familial structure.

Funnily enough, I was recently discussing certain matrilineal cultures that exist in Thailand and how they perpetuate a lot of bigoted ideals... and that is shown beautifully in Lada's relationship with her parents and how they each react to her queerness. To me, it seemed clear that Lada's parents' marriage was born from matrilocal customs. And unfortunately, that's not really something you would be able to pick up on if you weren't Thai (or natively Asian in general). So... in these types of families, women hold a lot of authority, and that authority is passed on through the female line (which is why daughters are valued over sons). The wife would manage and have the final say regarding household matters, including how the children are raised... and the husband's duty would be to respect his wife. A mother and her daughter maintain a continuous relationship with one another as, should the daughter marry, her husband would come to stay with them until they have a family of their own (and sometimes even after). It's a good way to strengthen matrilineal kinship, but it puts enormous cultural pressure on the daughter who is raised with very high expectations... the most pressuring of which is to marry a man and to have natural born children. Should the daughter not 'fit' this mold, they are often ostracized from the family.

It gives new meaning to hearing Khun Russamee say, "Lada is the seed I've nurtured since birth," doesn't it? It's why she is so against accepting and understanding Lada and Earn's relationship. Because in her mind, there doesn't exist a future where two women can uphold these matrilineal customs... and so the only reason Earn must be pursuing Lada is for some form of exploitation (i.e. money). She justifies her cruel and queerphobic behavior to keep them apart as some form of misaligned protection of her daughter and her daughter's future... to keep her from being taken advantage of and to help her see reason. It doesn't excuse the behavior at all... but at least you can understand the motivation (no matter how terrible). These types of mothers exist in the reality of Thai society... it's not just some cliched villain narrative. I'm speaking from experience here (NOT MY MOM! I LOVE MY MOM... my mother's mother).

In Thailand, we hold strong to the notion of บุญคุณ ('bunkhun'). This notion perpetuates the idea that we owe an endless debt of gratitude to our parents. It's seen as our "moral obligation". (Similar ideas exist in other Asian countries, as well)

Lada has done everything right. She's loved and obeyed her mother, she's cultivated a successful career with intentions to take over from her parents' leadership of the hospital, she's set herself up to be able to support her family's needs... She cannot imagine a life where her mother could ever not support her or her choices. Her one "fault" is that she is in love with a woman and refuses to conform to her mother's insistent heteronormative intentions (I loved the juxtaposition of this against P'Nu's defeated acceptance btw). She's rightfully exhausted from all the pressure to 'fit' her mother's mold of the perfect daughter, and Earn recognizes that.

So when her mother falls ill, and Lada is expected to take responsibility, it makes sense from the perspective of her familial structure. When she sacrifices her happiness for her mother and Earn understands the reasons why... it makes sense. Khun Russamee only comes to believe that Earn truly does love Lada once Earn willingly steps away from their relationship to ease Lada's mother's expectations... it's twisted, but it makes sense. And Khun Russamee does apologize, for whatever the frik that's worth (I can only try so much guys 😞😞😞) It's just part of our ingrained culture to value family despite their abusive behaviors. And as much as I wish that weren't the case, these views remain an actual reality. So, it isn't dishonest to portray them.

...The point is, the final pieces of the puzzle could only come together once they were allowed to. And then we finally got our happy ending!!!

Could certain story elements stand to be improved? Yes... but they're no worse than anything we've seen from BL series. And I do believe as time goes on, with more and more GL content being made, the writing will get better and stronger (I hope 🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾).

Despite the more problematic writing, Lingling and Orm were outstanding in their roles. Never have I seen two artists, in all of the Thai QL I've watched, be so in tune to their characters and their emotions. Everything from their dramatic scenes to their more subtle facial expressions were completely on point. It was a pleasure to witness... and the biggest draw for me as a viewer. Well done!!!

[bengiyo]

BL 2024 Review

It’s been another year of BL. I wrote a review of 2023 and 2022, and I find myself struggling to write about this year. I feel like I had some incredible projects that I connected with this year, but I also found myself far more bored and frustrated with certain things than I was expecting. The most disheartening thing this year for me was the drop off in the number of quality Korean productions, and the end of my patience with Thai BL squandering viewer time and attention. Let’s get into some of the big ideas.

Japan is Still Here

Last year I commented that a third of all Japanese BL I had ever watched came out in 2023. We got even more this year, and we had longer runtimes! This is good for the kind of viewer I am. I find that I enjoy Japanese shows more often than any other BL-producing country, and they held down the bulk of my watching for the year.

This year I was blessed with two shows tackling a similar premise (actors falling for each other as they film a BL) and they were both good! I loved I Became The Main Role of a BL Drama so much, and we’re getting a sequel in 2025! I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy a moodier take on this premise when At 25:00 in Akasaka showed up, but I ended up enjoying that, too!

I properly watched Ossan’s Love and The Novelist at the start of this year, and I’m so glad I did, because goddamn did I enjoy Ossan’s Love Returns.

I also remain thankful for Tadaima Okaeri and Twilight Out of Focus for giving us worthwhile BL anime.

I'm thankful for Perfect Propose for giving me a man in his mid-20s leaving his horrible job after getting fed and jerked off by an old friend.

I'm thankful for Takara no Vidro for unpacking obsession in a relationship and solving it with healthy communication.

Finally, I'm thankful for Love is Like a Poison for blending a legal drama with a BL so effortlessly, and making it such a fun ride. I love that Shiba Ryoma can't fight for shit and was so down bad for his man.

The Cross-Cultural Adaptations Brought Out Great Discussion

I was glad we got Cherry Magic Thailand and My Love Mix Up Thailand this year in the order in which we got them. It was useful because they both came from GMMTV, and I had opposite reactions to both. I loved what they did with Cherry Magic, and stand by what I said on the podcast that I think it’s the best version of Cherry Magic (even if the anime is my favorite). This was useful, because I was really put off by the attempt at My Love Mix Up, and think they got a lot wrong. I’m glad the good show came first so I didn’t feel like I was being a Japanese version stan.

Adapting from danmei, I really wanted to like My Stand In, but bounced off the show not taking the horror of Joe’s situation seriously. Moreover, I think the commerce of the BL pair required them to soften and redeem Up’s character in a way that felt disingenuous for me. I wanted that man to be unhinged and far more toxic than they portrayed him. If this is the trend, I’d rather Thai teams invested in BL pair commerce avoid toxic danmei in the future.

In Taiwan, I was so impressed with Unknown. Despite the missteps on the sexual turn, that was one of the most engaging dramas we had within the genre this year. I was impressed at how seriously they took their family dynamics. That being said, Meet Me at the Blossom didn’t land for me. I would very much like to see a wuxia BL that hits for me without the dubious and non-consensual bits.

Over in Japan, I don’t think I’m enjoying Our Youth that much, and I wonder about whether certain aspects of the source material didn’t translate properly with some of the changes I’ve seen mentioned by viewers. It’s been a difficult experience, because I loved the scene of Minase fleeing Hirukawa’s room, but the show has really lost its emotional core for me.

However, I actually really enjoyed the Japanese version of Love in the Air, and think MeMindY timed this well with The Boy Next World starting right as the last episode of Love in the Air Japan finishes. It was clear to me that the Thai team was involved in the adaptation, and that the makers of the Japanese version loved LITA. I think both versions bring out something noteworthy in the characters, and I hope that the show is successful so we get more work from MeMindY as a result of the connections made here, because it’s clear that the money situation in Thailand might not be so hot right now.

Thai and Korean Money Must Be Drying Up

We’ve been wondering when the BL peak would hit and the decline would begin, and I think we’re starting to see some of those changes. I worry about how little we got from Korea this year, despite three incredible showings from Love for Love’s Sake, Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo, and Love in the Big City. Beyond those three, I don’t really feel like anyone missed out that much on the other offerings (maybe Time of Fever, but I have qualms with that show).

Beyond that, I remain worried about how much talent has consolidated at GMMTV. It’s a worrisome sign that they continue to gobble up all of the talent. Regardless of personal tastes for a particular brand of BGP (business gay performance), it’s pretty bad for all of us when one corporation is the only one making money on boys kissing each other (@respectthepetty).

Despite how much Thai BL I dropped, I did genuinely enjoy the relationship and friendship dynamics of Cooking Crush, Knock Knock Boys, Love Sea, and The Trainee.

The Gay Things I Loved

Enough musing. Let’s just talk about other things that I loved. This is the section where I beg you to watch the gay things that matter to me, and not just the boys whose IG reels get reposted here.

I absolutely loved the entire experience of the Love in the Big City book club. When @lurkingshan pitched the idea, I had no idea how many people would earnestly participate, that Anton Hur would share his time with us, or that the show would actually be so good. LITBC was so good that conservative Koreans protested its airing. I loved everything we did this year around that book and show, and wanna say thanks again to everyone who engaged with us.

I also adored Marahuyo Project. I love that ANIMA Studios didn’t end after Like in the Movies. JP Habac came back with a banger. That show said it was LGBTQIA+ and it meant it with its whole heart. I really loved this show as a true examination of the evolving landscape of youth queerness in the modern era more than anything else I watched this year. Go watch it.

I did not expect a show about a reformed misogynist to be my favorite show of the year, but here I am still begging all of you to watch Don’t Care For An Old Man’s Underwear! (@isaksbestpillow)This show made me cry every single week because of how good every moment hit. I have rarely experienced such an immense feeling of compassion as I received from this show.

In 2022, we watched She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, and we wondered if NHK would come back and finish what they started, and goddamn did they deliver. I think about Nomoto and Kasuga about as much as I think about Shiro and Kenji (What Did You Eat Yesterday?) now, and if Japan doesn’t figure out a way for both of those couples to meet, I will be forever disappointed. Go watch it. (@furritsubs)

Finally, I will be forever thinking about the confession through the wall in Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo, how they intercut the youth and adult sex, and the way Dohoe apologized to Hyeonho. Hwang Da Seul finally got all of the pieces right here. She loves to see a couple get back together after a big separation, and she succeeded here. This show earned its youth romance, and earned its reunion. She understands how important it is for gay people to stop trapping each other. We threw that cross in the trash, and cried because of Yahoo answers. We all won.

My Tastes are Changing

Last year I engaged with about 99 productions. This year it’s under 75 with 26 that I didn’t finish. I hesitate to say that the genre is getting worse, when I feel like things are where they’ve been for a long time. However, it’s clear that I’m changing and am less interested in seeing what I deem to be weak attempts at familiar storytelling tropes.

I think what I’ve noticed the most about my tastes changing is that it’s making me write less. The fandom has contracted dramatically on Tumblr, and I find myself growing distant from the predominant reactions. With there being less people to vibe with, I’ve been reacting less in real time. Despite that, I hope to continue posting round ups with my BL blurbs and @the-conversation-pod.

All in all, 2024 is a difficult year for me. I think I enjoyed BL less overall, but the things I did enjoy I enjoyed more than previous years. It’s a difficult space for me to navigate, because I think this is actually what I wanted. I will continue to appreciate that the BL genre enables the funding for the big gay projects that I love. So, even if I think GMMTV going literally all-in on BL is going to lead to a ton of garbage, I still remain hopeful that the homos with something interesting to say can make the projects they want.

[dropthedemiurge]

Love for Love's Sake | Things you didn't notice (probably)

Finally, I am watching a good K-BL and can enjoy multi-layered meanings within language, culture and translated subs altogether (unlike with Thai series where I need to learn a new language again xD)

So I'll be pointing out some fun things that I noticed for fellow foreign viewers =) Beware of a long post!

Disclaimer: I'm not fluent in Korean, but I've been learning and using it for years + lived and studied in Korea for a while so I'm offering my perspective and knowledge but it might not be the Ultimate Truth

Episode 1

«I prefer lonely supporting characters instead of happy protagonists. Cha Yeowoon is still unhappy. ... - Where are you going? - To see my main (최애). I mean, Cha Yeowoon.»

The word Tae Myungha used to described Cha Yeowoon, as I heard, was actually 최애 (choe-ae). It's a slang that can be translated as "my favourite" and typically is used for K-pop group members, meaning "my bias" (think One True Pairing but One True Person instead). Then, as his fellow classmate gets confused, hearing such word referring to a popular student in their school, Tae Myungha changes to "I mean, Cha Yeowoon", and it works because the word and the name sound similar.

Myungha uses this word because in the intro he stated that Yeowoon is his favourite character in the book out of all. So basically, his first reaction was "- Where are you going? - I'm gonna run to find my blorbo<3", which is so admirable. I'd also get obsessed with making happy my fav side character that was treated unfairly by creators :D

«Kids like chocolate, right? ... (Yeowoon grabs an icecream, Myungha grabs the same, adding with surprise:) Didn't see that coming. Bi-Bi-Big (비비빅)? You eat like an old man.»

What surprised Myungha there? That Yeowoon chose this icecream->

It's a traditional icecream that is made out of red beans. This taste is usually associated with older people (because typically kids like sweet things and older people like less sweet/bland tastes), also red beans or read bean paste is used in many traditional desserts in Korea. Yeah, who would've thought that a high schooler would choose this icecream out of all options?

Later, Myungha gets the message "You can compare Bi-Bi-Big to big Ba-Bum-Bar (another icecream with "old man taste" from chestnuts), why the hell would you eat it?" and gets confused as the message seems missent. I am confused as well, because Myungha wasn't the one choosing this icecream and Yeowoon wasn't typing in his phone. Considering that the phone number is unknown, I can guess that it might be a commentary from the book's author who's watching Myungha playing his story game? Let's figure it out in the next episodes!

«- You eat like an old man. - Do you play sports? - No. - Weird. You're a whiner like I've always heard. - Kids these days have no manners.»

My quick translation->

«- You eat like an old man. - Sunbae, do you play sports? - No. - Strange. You sound like one of those older jerks (꼰대). - Kids these days have no manners.»

More on the differences between Tae Myungha and Cha Yeowoon:

Myungha tried to poke Yeowoon about his "old man tastes", and Yeowoon called him out for his conservative/stereotypical thinking.

Yeowoon keeps calling Myungha sunbae (because he knows MH's a senior in their school so he must be polite), and Myungha REALLY TALKS LIKE AN OLD MAN to him ("Kids these days" in the subs does translate this style of speech correctly! I'm glad). We all know he's much older before he was thrown into high school times (~25-30yo?), but his words and intonations really make you feel like he's 50-60yo or something xD

Yeowoon doesn't like this at all, though, so he calls Myungha a sort of derogatory term 꼰대 (kkondae), which is used to described old conservative people who are set in their ways and keep nagging and scolding young people for not behaving properly. And, as a runner, he implies that there are senior sportsmen that are hazing or nagging younger sportsmen like this as well, that's who Myungha reminds him of. No wonder the affection stats fell down in the minus zone so hard!

There you go, guys, these are my comments on the first episode of Love for Love's sake! It is filmed so well, I like the idea, and I really enjoyed it (if this one gets really popular just like Semantic Error, we might get more BLs about gamers or gamedevs and I WILL LOVE IT I am so here for it, hehe)

Stay tuned for more as I watch next episodes :]

[telomeke]

4 MINUTES EPISODE 5 – FLASHBACKS, WATCHALONGS AND AN OMINOUS CULTURAL TOUCHPOINT

They're doing a great job with this show and I'm now a newly-minted fan of Director Ning Bhanbhassa Dhubthien, whose confident hand has been assuredly steering the proceedings in 4 Minutes. 🤩

Ep.5 has irrefutably confirmed that the 4 Minutes of the title really is a reference to the four-minute limbo after the heart stops beating (4 Minutes Sultrier Version Ep.5 timestamp 42:20).

So the layers are now being slowly peeled back and more was revealed to us, shedding flashes of light on the convoluted storyline. All is still not clear yet, but some ideas are starting to take shape.

OK, this is mostly guesswork but anyway–

It's quite firmly implanted in my mind now that we're seeing a lot of Great's four minutes of brain activity post cardiac arrest. But what's been percolating in my mind since the last episode is that that we might also be seeing Tyme's four-minute post-death flashback, especially since we also saw him getting shot in the opening sequence of Episode 1.

And so those scenes and sequences shown from Tyme's point of view may also be him re-living his own past experiences (concurrently with Great's?) even as his own heart has stopped.

This thought was triggered by Ep.4's revelation that people who find themselves in the Four-Minute Zone get to enter some sort of common waiting room, and they get to meet others in there too:

And the vibes I got watching this scene reminded me so much of Great and Tyme's conversation at their lakeside glamping in the trailer, which we got to see fully in Episode 5:

I don't think this is Great and Tyme on a romantic date in the real world. Serene, other-worldly and seemingly divorced from reality – this locale has them talking about how beautiful it all is, and Great even says "I wanna stay here forever" before admitting "But we probably can't."

It really looks like this is Great and Tyme finding each other in the four-minute post-death netherworld, with the art gallery meeting room switched up for a more romantic getaway instead (that Great got to choose). And with the clock ticking ominously down to 11:04...

There's also this little snippet from the trailer:

Tyme is locked out of a room, and he calls out for Great even as his surroundings are all sepia-toned and soft-focused.

I think this is 4 Minutes showing us that Tyme's four minutes will be up before Great's are, and Tyme will swept back to the real world – or away to another world – while Great is left behind. (Or maybe it's the other way around?)

Ominously, we are not shown Great's rapture and release from four-minute limbo – as much as I want a Happily Ever After for the two newest pretty boys who have won my heart, 4 Minutes is making no such promises. So I suppose we should prepare ourselves for the possibility that while Great (or Tyme) may well be waking up from a four-minute hiatus and returning to the world of the living at 11:04 – it's not a guarantee that the other will rejoin him there when his own four minutes tick down. 😬💔😭

‌

Anyway, I've refrained from commenting on the numeral 4 as a symbol of death, because this is more a thing in Chinese culture rather than Thai (and up until Ep.5 Thai-Chinese references were at most only faintly present in 4 Minutes).

Well that certainly changed, at 4 Minutes Sultrier Version Ep.5 timestamp 34:50:

The temple where Ep.1 accident victim Khun Manee goes to hire a hitman is unmistakably Chinese. The mafia don she engages with also speaks in Teochew Chinese (I think) at timestamp 36:25.

And so when her siam si/เซียมซี fortune stick shows up with the numeral 4, the link with death is all but confirmed (the word for death in many Chinese dialects like Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese and Hakka sounds similar to the word for the numeral 4, although there are tonal differences). No surprises then, that the Chinese don tells Manee "Someone's probably going to die."

This had a Thai parallel in Ep.1, when the clock in Khun Manee's hospital room showed us it was thirteen minutes past 1 o'clock in the afternoon:

As portentous as this might appear to occidental minds, it's not just the Western superstition surrounding the number 13 that's threading darker undertones into the fabric of this scene.

In Thai culture (where belief in the supernatural abounds), the numeral 13 is also sometimes considered ill-omened because it looks rather like the Thai word for ghost – ผี – flipped onto its side, adding to the general sense of foreboding in Ep.1.

And for me, this was not meant to foreshadow all the deaths taking place in subsequent scenes and episodes, although it isn't inappropriate as a device.

We have been seeing ghosts in this series – Great, Lukwa, possibly Tyme, and whoever else who found themselves caught in the spectral dimension that exists between life and death in the universe of 4 Minutes.

‌And this may be just my fevered 4 Minutes obsessed brain overthinking things again, but in this light – the paired thirteen (13:13) is likely a reference to the ghostly half-lives of our protagonist couple Great and Tyme, getting to share a precious (final?) four minutes together in that twilight zone between the world of the living and the great beyond.

But it seems more than likely that they will be yanked apart when their four minutes are up. 😧 So will that separation be forever? I wait on tenterhooks to see.

P.S. Links to my own fan theory as to what it all might possibly mean:

And some more supporting information, embedded in the show:

‌

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Rose Recaps 2024 - Thailand [ Korea | Japan ]

Started with Korea and now not it's Thailand's turn. At some point this year, talking about one of this year's thai bls, I wrote something like, that show was gonna join a much contested category, the 'it could've been so good if only it didn't lose itself and went completely off the rails in the second half' category. I also wrote something similar in my Thailand recap for 2023. So it seems not a lot has changed since then. So many times this year, by the time I finished shows, all I could think was, it could've been so good, if only... And although these are my favourite shows of the year, most of them are not without their issues. Also, before anyone get's too upset, Thailand is not alone in that particular category, there are more than enough shows across all the different countries that can fight for this title. With all that said, let's recap my favourite bls from Thailand 2024.

The one with the Thai magic - Cherry Magic Thailand

As far as bl adaptations from different countries go, I think we can all agree that no one did it better. It was a smart adaptation that managed to keep the spirit of the source material and still make it their own with some really clever and culturally appropriate changes. TayNew were at their best and continue to be one of my favourite pairs. This is probably my favourite thai bl of the year, with the only negative point being the forbidden dating rule change from the source material that I wasn't a fan personally. I think in general it's a lazy obstacle to put in a romance and one we've seen enough of. By far my favourite change they made was Karan's singing. It was refreshing especially in a thai bl. Of course, I couldn't not mention Tay Tawan. One of the reasons I love the character of Kurosawa/Karan in all versions is that dichotomy of someone so put together but then inside their heads they are just such dorks in love. And Tay managed to portrait that beautifully.

Favourite Moment

Did I mention how much I love him? This is why. He just fully embraced the magic and it was incredible.

The one where they talk. To each other. - Cooking Crush

By far my favourite thing about this show is how great communicators they all are. Ten and Prem actually talk to each other when something is bothering them. Even the separation was something they agreed on. They made decisions together. I love Dynatime & Fire so damn much but I won't get into that because better things have been written about them that I could ever do in this post. You can find it all in @waitmyturtles post; @lurkingshan post @bengiyo post; @twig-tea post. And the friends. I forgot them on my best friendship list and I will never forgive myself. I love how supportive and meddling they all are and The Three Must-Eat-eers fight felt particularly real to me. I had such a good time watching this show.

Favourite Moment:

Ok. It wasn't this particular moment per se, but most of episode 8 and one of the reasons that despite not being perfect, this show will always be great to me. I started to write but it got too long, so I'll just say this. I get so annoyed sometimes with the way misunderstanding plots and shallow conflicts get dragged for way too many episodes, because characters don't talk to each other, that watching communication break down and be resolved in the same episode by having them talk to each other made me so happy. And it would be easy in this particular episode to make things worse not better, but the show avoided all that because they were good communicators all along. So for all the times I'm screaming to my screen 'TALK TO EACH OTHER, this deserves the same amount of screaming for doing it right.

The one with the cuteness - Only Boo!

This show had its issues. The whole plot about the agency was contrived, the sides dragged unnecessarily, and I'm not even gonna get into the Shone character or the mother. But damn, they are so freaking cute. I rewatched this one recently and I still smiled through most of it, which is more than I can say for other shows. So it's a win in my book.

Favourite Moment

I'm basic. I'm a sucker for a public confession in a bl. And they suffered to get here and so did I. Also this - Moo: "Kang you. Kang you the most". The cutest.

The one with the sex ed - Knock Knock Boys

My favourite things about this show were the friends, those relationships felt genuine, and the conversations around sex and consent. It's important and refreshing to have these types of conversations in a bl. Or really any show for that matter. I don't think it was a perfect show, imo it stumbled a couple of times, but it was one of my favourites weekly watches of the year. Both couples delivered compelling moments. I loved both of the girls, Lukpeach and Jane and what they brought to the story.

Favourite Moment:

The one where they didn't have sex. Latte realized that it wasn't what Almond wanted or needed in that moment and stopped himself. I love their friendship first and foremost. And in that moment Almond needed a friend, and not to get laid.

The one with the photocopier - The Trainee

I love the friendships. I love the growth of the individual characters and how they helped each other through it all. I love the message that you don't have to have everything figured out to have value, and it's okay to not have a "dream". I laughed at all the silly, I swooned over Jane and we collectively lost our minds over a hand gesture. I giggled over paper messages and cheered for the fries speech and got angry at Jane at the end. But this show had problems. The Bahmee/Judy storyline never really seemed to fit here. I never understood Judy's side of things and it didn't work specially in contrast with Jane/Ryan. And the time skip. I mean, 5 years? I mean I would wait for Jane forever, but there are these convenient things like mobiles, and laptops and a thousand messaging apps you can use to keep in touch. There's no actual excuse for this behaviour. I needed more grovelling. Like way more. And perhaps a reasonable explanation. But it's okay, I forgive you Jane. You so pretty.

Favourite Moment:

Not only was this moment beautiful, but the whole conversation before with Ryan asking to Jane to call himself Phi forever, was so cute. Also the office flirting. Such a great moment.

The one with the BLs inside the BL, inside the BL - Every You Every Me

I adored this show. I love the progression of the stories, all the ways they used the tropes, sometimes to hilarious effect, and how differently it was shot through the different episodes. The concept is refreshing and one of the reasons this show works so well is definitely the leads. They have solid chemistry that can keep you invested through the different stories and characters. It stumbled and it rushed the final and 'real' couple but as a whole this was an original and charming show that I will be rewatching more than once for sure.

Favourite Moment:

It made me laugh so hard. No, but seriously. These two episodes were great. The carrot, the nail polish, the lack of shirts, the communication about sex. So much joy.

Honorable mentions: The one I would always like, even if I didn't - Jack & Joker YinWar came back. That's enough of a reason for me to be glad this show exists. They are still great together. The show, not so great. But you know, they were in charge and did the show they wanted to do, so good for them. Hopefully we get something else from them soon. The one with the cutest penguin - Caged Again Please, I'm begging the bl gods. Please please please, stick the landing. It's been said a million times before, but the fact that a show with this premise is one of my favourite weekly watches, will never not sound crazy to me.

Well, that's it for Thailand. See you next time with Japan. 💜

[writingwithcolor]

Representing Biracial Black South American Experiences…Through a White/Asian Mixed Race Character in Europe

@colombinna asked:

I have a YA story that's in very early development - pre-alpha, if you will. For now what I have developed is the characters: one of the MCs is a biracial asian queer girl (her dad is thai-american and japanese, her mom's white), she has a medium/dark brown skin, and lives in a very white context in a fictional European country. The contact she has with her extended family is limited to phone calls and regular visits because her dad moved from the US to said fictional European country.

I'm a biracial black queer girl myself, living in a very white community in South America, my extended black family also lives in a different place, and I'm taking a lot of my experiences of being not white and queer whilst living in white communities into her story (the feeling of not belonging, the impostor syndrome, standing out as one of the only POC kids in class, etc) and thinking back to what I've heard asian friends and classmates say about their experiences in the same school/community context as mine. But I want to know how different her experiences as a dark-skinned asian girl would differ from mine and my friends' in a similar context (white community, small number of other asian people - and POC in general - in the social circles, and limited contact to her extended family), and what experiences could make sense if the character was biracial black like myself, but won't if she's biracial asian.

Why not write a biracial Black girl if those are the experiences you want to represent? 

This MC is straddling, like, 3 different cultures. Having multiple immigrant identities in not-Europe is not the same experience as being Black in South America; while both are complex minority experiences, there are too many differences in intersections and histories to compare. Not to mention, it really depends on what European culture(s) you’re basing your not-Europe on. 

I think you’ll find that the written result will ring much more genuine and rich in depth if you either translate your experiences more directly or pick a more narrow focus, instead of assuming that there is a universal for racism and colorism against biracial people that is transferable across contexts. Because there isn’t. There can be overlaps, but if you’re looking to cover the entire range of What It’s Like in general, it won’t work.

This isn’t to say that people can’t use other identities to write about specific experiences of their own, but in this case you need to think about what story you want to tell and what your reasons are. Marika’s commentary will go more into when and how this can be done effectively. 

Also, if the point is to make her a dark-skinned Asian, as a white/asian mix myself, I implore you: why must you make her 1/4 Japanese and 1/2 white? Even with the Thai ethnicity thrown in, Thai people very much range in skin tone and have their own domestic issues with colorism. It’s not impossible for dark-skinned examples of your MC’s ethnic makeup to exist, but still I don’t recommend it for two reasons: 

It's going to make researching people whose experiences fit that much more difficult. Most experiences of colorism, othering, and other forms of discrimination that mixed white asians tend to face are completely different from mixed race asians who tend to have darker skin & features.

There's enough Japanese & white mixed Japanese rep in the Asian rep sphere as is. Consider that this individual could be mixed Asian (not Japanese) with something else (not white)! 

But again, think over your motivations. I’ll spare you the copy/paste of our Motivations PSA, but re-read it and consider. Why do you wish to write a mixed Asian character to tell the story of your experiences as a mixed Black individual instead of a mixed Black character? What does it add to the story? Is it an effective vessel for the experiences you want to convey? 

~ Rina

I think Rina brings up some good points here: I’m not hearing a lot of specificity in your query. As you doubtless know firsthand, the more intersectional and complex an identity, the more of a chance the identity may come with unexpected baggage and nuances that fly in the face of what is common sense for less intersectional identities. This can make writing such characters challenging just because there is so much choice on which identity themes to emphasize. 

I once spent about 15 minutes explaining to a person the thought process I used to determine when I could wear jeans depending on which country I was living in as a mixed race person who is perceived as different things in different places. It might seem trivial, but it’s actually very important to me for the purposes of identity, safety and gender presentation, so I personally think it’s interesting. But will my readers think a character’s multi-page internal monologue on whether or not to wear jeans is especially compelling? Does the writer-version of me want to research the version of myself musing on my specific jeans conundrum to that extent? Or do I want to talk about other things related to attire a lot of other people would relate to? I think those are all YMMV questions, but hopefully, they provide some perspective that will help you be intentional about how you might want to tackle something potentially very time-consuming.

When I say intentional, I mean that when covering a complex identity with which you are peripherally familiar, it will always be more effective and easier to use it to tell a specific story extremely clearly than to be extremely broad in scope and try to include almost everything about your own experiences, especially because some of those experiences might not be as relevant for your character’s background as they are to yours.      

One of my favorite childhood picture books is written and illustrated by a Nikkei writer-illustrator team. The book is titled Ashok by Any Other Name (link). The story features a desi child growing up in the US who wishes he had an American name his friends and teachers wouldn’t think was strange. It covers how being othered for his name makes him feel, and how he copes with that feeling. Speaking as someone both Japanese and desi, I think through the plot device of names perceived by the majority of Americans as foreign, this book aptly shows how many immigrant/diaspora creators are capable of relating to the pressures of assimilation experienced by other immigrant, even if the creator, the audience and the story’s subject’s backgrounds all don’t completely overlap 100%. 

There will be aspects of your Blackness, mixed identity, skin color, sexuality and living in a local community lacking diversity as a member of many minority groups that you will find resemble/ resonate with the experiences of mixed-race, Japanese individual in a Europe-themed setting, and I think any story that leans into those themes will be considerably easier for you to research. In other words, instead of asking us “How does my experience differ?” I would approach this issue by deciding what narrative you want to show about your own experience and then research the specific contexts within which your desired story overlaps with elements of mixed-race Japanese experiences. 

- Marika.

[namtanlovesfilm]

Hello!! Found your blog while scouring the internet for Anything relating to Analog Squad, which I’ve binged today. Got any other Thai drama recs by any chance? I’ve already added Burnout Syndrome and Ready Set Love onto my watch list

analog squad mentionned, yessssss!!! hi hi :) do I have other thai drama recs???? hell yeah friend let's go, you loving analog squad AND adding burnout syndrome & ready set love to your watch list tells me you have great taste so let's go 💅

I told sunset about you: literally a masterpiece from beginning to end. if you liked the character exploration of analog squad, you'll love this one! very VERY dramatic but very VERY good. my fave!

not me: literally my fave show of all times, lives rent-free in my head, changed my mind, I made it my master's thesis topic, I'm beyond obsessed with it. by the same director & with the same pairing as burnout syndrome so I recommend watching that one first to see what you're getting into, this show is so special & different than any others. you'll love it!

project s: skate our souls: the 3rd show in my holy trinity. changed my life & my outlook on my own mental health, has great actors adjacent to the ones in analog squad & ready set love (google nadao bangkok & you'll get it), and it's just the most beautiful underrated gem of all time :)

project s: side by side: same overarching show as the previous one, this one is super bittersweet & will get you in your feels in an analog squad fashion. a banger imo.

the gifted: another banger, this one is more adjacent to ready set love in terms of scope & grandeur of the moving elements needed to make this show work. it's very different & very good!

sleepless society: insomnia: idk exactly why I feel like you'd like this show, but I feel liked you'd like this show. or perhaps I'm just recommending you all of my personal faves lol. anyways super underrated show that it straight up a banger & super different. I really recommend it.

theory of love: if you're signed up for burnout syndrome & you enjoyed I told sunset about you, you'll LOVE theory of love. same pairing as not me & burnout syndrome, toxic af, dramatic like itsay, will make you question your sanity at times... legit so good. this show has haters but it'll always have me as a fan. I think you'll love it!

the revenge: legit my roman empire. no one watched this show but it's some of the best shit I've ever seen! it has some of the soul of analog squad & the social criticism of ready set love, except this show is super fucked up lol. very very good, could not recommend it more!

3 will be free: queer, messy & has some social commentary, I feel like this show would please you if you liked analog squad & added ready set love & burnout syndrome to your watch list. it feels like a show completely different from these three, but also the perfect amalgamation of all three. a cultural reset imo!

midnight motel: this one is short, dark & fucking greatly executed! same main actor as burnout syndrome, not me & theory of love (and my fave actor in general) and a great social commentary. could not recommend it more!

happy birthday: I feel like happy birthday & analog squad occupy a similar space in my heart. it's bittersweet, heartwarming & a tear-jerker all at once, and it deals with an important topic. this one is so good, and has stayed with me since I watched it years ago.

great men academy: this one is maybe tonally most similar to ready set love, but I also want you to watch it for jaylerr, who was also in analog squad, and whom I love dearly. he's excellent in this role.

in family we trust: same thing as gma, this also has jaylerr & I am indeed trying to make you a jaylerr stan with this rec list lol. this is so good, mysterious, has good social commentary, amazing acting, & will keep you on your toes. on top of making you a jaylerr stan, of course.

xxx

[jewreallythinkthat]

Wait.

You blew my mind with:

“Canonically in Tanach, there is an admittance that other gods exist”

I didn’t know this! I’m agnostic, and not in anyway Jewish, but trying to learn more about peoples and cultures other than the one I was raised.

I always thought Jewish monotheism was similar to Xtian (if we can call the trinity monotheistic!) in that, there’s only one god and any other claims are people being mistaken because people.

Is this not the view in Judaism then? Is it like, there’s only one god Jews care about because covenant? Others exist and it’s fine for gentiles to worship them?

Hey Nonnie!

So like everything in Judaism, it's a hotly debated topic - and please other people on Jumblr, feel free to join in the convo! I cannot speak for all Jews so this is just my opinion and conclusions I've drawn from chats about Thai with friends.

There's a couple of points you've mentioned which I'll address (a bit out of order) if that's ok?

So about the trinity in Christianity, I've always found it a little bizarre as to me, the monotheism of having three 'aspects' of god is a bit ... Dodgy? I've never really been able to see how it can count as monotheism when prayers are literally sent to the father, the son and the holy spirit. But also, I'm not Christian and I'm sure someone may be able to hop in and explain how that doesn't count as praying to different gods!

I'm regard to the Jewish view of deities - I think a few quotes from the Tanach may be useful for this one. The translation I'm using is from Chabad online as I cannot be bothered to get my Tanach from the other side of the room and transcribe. Translations often vary a bit here and I prefer the ones I grew up with but the general gist will be there. I've highlighted the bits I view as especially important in red.

So first -

Genesis, chapter 1, verse 26

And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and they shall rule over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heaven and over the animals and over all the earth and over all the creeping things that creep upon the earth."

Genesis chapter 3, verse 22

Now the Lord God said, "Behold man has become like one of us, having the ability of knowing good and evil, and now, lest he stretch forth his hand and take also from the Tree of Life and eat and live forever."

I mean this, to me, implies G-d to be talking to others right? God says "our", as if more than one is there at the time, almost observing the creation. In the second one, again God is talking other beings which must be like God for they are referred to by the collective 'us'.

Exodus, chapter 20, verses 1-5 (the start of the first reading of the 10 commandments)

God spoke all these words, to respond:

"I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

You shall not have the gods of others in My presence.

You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness which is in the heavens above, which is on the earth below, or which is in the water beneath the earth.

You shall neither prostrate yourself before them nor worship them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a zealous God, Who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, upon the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me,

So this is where it gets interesting. There is specificity in the first line 'your God', not the God of other people but specifically the people Yisrael for this is addressed to them and them alone. This then is followed by explicit acknowledgement that other peoples have their own gods and to worship them is a BIG no no.

This is also where we get another famous antisemitic trope from - the idea that Jews think they are better than others because they are the 'chosen' people. This is, of course, bollocks. Not only is the 'chose' more like chosen to do the washing up rather than chosen as favourite, it is also specifically to do with the Jews as the ones with whom God, our God, has the covenant. We are the ones in the contract, chosen to have to fulfill the mitzvot. The Jews were the ones with the king list of things they had to do while others are not bound by the covenant and may do as they please.

Now from the Haggadah (which tells the story of the exodus and is ready during the Passover Seder) we have this - it's the section about the 10th plague so there is a lot of talk of death and child death.

As it is said: “I shall pass through the land of Egypt on that night; I shall kill every firstborn son in the land of Egypt, man and beast, and I shall pass judgment on all the gods of Egypt: I am the LORD.”

“I shall pass through the land of Egypt on that night” – I and no angel. “I shall kill every firstborn son in the land of Egypt” – I and no seraph. “And I shall pass judgment on all the gods of Egypt” – I and no emissary. “I am the LORD” – It is I and no other.

We have explicit mention that the Egyptians have their own gods. We also have the final line - 'it is I and no other' - why would God need to clarify it is Godsself rather than a different god, unless God I is acknowledging there are other godly beings? It's also worth nothing, the judgment and punishment on the Egyptians is not a punishment for worshipping other gods for the Egyptians never entered into a covenant with Hashem - the Israelites who built the golden calf however did suffer quite severe punishment.

If there are other gods, the others have nothing to do with me because theyre not the one my people have a covenant with. If others want to worship them, I don't care. It doesn't affect me in any way so they can do what they want 🤣

I also, from a personal pov, like the fact that this horrific thing, the slaying of the first born, would be performed by God rather than being delegated to an angel or a seraph. There's something about the big boss taking on the worst of the jobs (as it were) which I really respect as clearly God has emotions (from the line about God being jealous) and I cannot imagine that slaying the first borns (of all ages, not just children, it just says every priest born) is a task that would have been anything other than mentally destroying.

It's also important to note that I do not believe this happened - otherwise I'd not be so flippant about mentions of child death and murder. I view the Torah as the written version of the oral histories of the Jewish people, a tribe's oral history that like with many indigenous peoples oral histories, has been embellished and mythologised. It's a good story with grains of truth to tell the history of how the people Yisrael came to be, how our culture and people became not just a group of random tribes but a community with shared history and culture and traditions.

I'm never sure if I believe God exists. Some days I really do wish there ot be something else - often when I think about achievements that I've done which are the result of the help of family members who have since died and I like the idea that they could still be there in some way to enjoy and see how grateful I am for them helping me get to where I am. Other times, I look at things like October 7th, the famine in Sudan, the innocents dying in Gaza, genocides in Rwanda, Bosnia, Cambodia etc and I think "how could a god allow this to happen". There is so much suffering in the world and I cannot bring myself to believe that a god could condone that when they have the power to literally create the world, to strike Egypt with the plages, when they have the power to stop the suffering.

I'm glad that in Judaism, we don't focus on the afterlife in the way I see it centred in Christianity and Islam. I don't view the notions of Heaven and Hell as beneficial and while ther are notions of them in Judaism, they've generally very much sidelined and not centered in conversation.

While the beneficiary of help does not care if you have helped them altruistically or because you think it will help you get into heaven, the concepts of heaven and hell have been used to slaughter so many innocents in the name of religion and I am thankful that for me, I've never seen this in Judaism because the important stuff is what happens when you're alive. You should be focussing on the here and now, to try and complete as many of God's commandments as possible. What happens when you die? Well frankly that's a problem for you when you get there. (Obviously I know there are extremists within the Jewish world - ie WB Settlers - but they are such a small minority and certainly are not a major part of the history of our people)

Anyway, this answer sort of got away from me so sorry about that. I hope you at least found it interesting and enjoy the foray into learning about other cultures!

[prapaiwife]

Love in the air koi ep 1!

Okay so as u know or follow me whatever love in the air is my favorite show! so of course I had to go into this unbiased and know that this is too completely different cultures. So although it may stay similar in some aspects I was expecting to see some differences and or changes. Obviously I've seen a few Japanese shows so I know the clear difference between the two.

Now anyway on to the actual episode the casting was something that for me personally i had to warm up too. I think arashi is great as payu it's on point with the aura that payu holds I couldn't really see anyone else play this part better than naguama. REI is I feel a lot more childish in this one compared to the Thai version and that was a big complaint for a lot of people just in general about rain with his naive nature about things just childish Friday enjoy it and personally for me it didn't bother me so I was prepared for the Japanese version to either exaggerate that more or maybe tone it down. And it seems like it's a little bit at least to me more just as much as a Thai version or a little exaggerated and I feel like that's just rain though so lol. Arashi and rain in this episode was okay like I thoroughly enjoyed it they definitely made rei more apparent to arashi just more I guess you can say mutual of the feeling that he is attracted to him. Because the Thai version is kind of up to the viewer you may think it is not that way in the beginning because of how rain is so it seems unaware of it all in the beginning. But to say that thing was pretty good it was okay I am looking forward to seeing where they're going to do next week I love the bathroom scene and bossnouel did that part of other parts but like that scene if you know you know lol. I'm just curious to see how they're going to tackle the rest of their relationship and the dynamic of it in this I have hopes though because it is Japan and I think they will do it in their own way that is compelling.

Fumakai obviously haven't started and since this is going to be 10 episodes I am up and nervous how they're going to put their story into this and a cohesive way. Because it needs the time for it and I think with the Thai version and it being split up into two it was good in that part because we needed to have that time to see by story thoroughly. But they have prapai look more of what I think people imagine him to look compared to in the Thai version. And the Japanese version he is way more a player boy a lady's man or whatever you know like more older looking lol. Kai I really like so much I can't wait to see you once we get to that part of how the actor playing Kai will portray those emotions sky has been going through I see from some of the shots in the opening and it looks very promising so I'm going to like be very optimistic and see where it goes.

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

You don't know how much I want this character. You don't understand but I just gotta ask

Is This ATSV Character Thai?

aka a crash course in Thai tattooing and Buddhist tradition

Please correct me if I'm wrong - but I was really interested in her tattoo.

And looking at the tattoo they singled out beside her - it made me question:

Is that a Traditional Thai tattoo? Is that supposed to be Sak Yant?

And immediately I saw the opportunity to infodump about Buddhism and Thai cultural tattooing! (And my personal experience with it)

It makes me think that maybe this character was meant to me Thai - because her tiger tattoo resembles the twin tiger Sak Yant tattoo.

If you're unaware, Sak Yant is a type of traumatic tattoo native to Thailand.

Connected deeply to the Buddhist faith, Sak Yant tattoos are specific designs that are claimed to have spiritual power.

Typically done with a traditional needle and stick rather than a machine, Sak Yants are tattooed by a Thai Buddhist teacher, an Ajarn.

Each Sak Yant design grants the wearer fortune, protection, or a virtue relating to a Buddhist value.

Each Yant comes with conditions though.

In order to preserve the spiritual power of the tattoo, the wearer just act in accordance to certain standards of Buddhist teaching - simple things like no murder, no adultery/cheating, no lying, etc.

They say if you do these things, your Yant becomes useless over time.

Many Muay Thai fighters have many Sak Yants, typically for protection - which could be the reason she's wearing herself.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean that she's Thai - for one, the tattoo might not be a Sak Yant.

It doesn't exactly match a true Sak Yant design, however, it's fairly close.

It seems as if the creators mixed the Suea Liaw (left) and Suea Koo Maha (right) designs, combining them to form the unique design for the character.

This would be an interesting choice.

The Twin Tigers are one of the favorites of Muay Thai, as it represents protection, power, and authority, which could be useful to sometime working a bar like her.

However, it also seems similar to the Yant 'Suea Leaw Lung' - tattoo similar to Suea Liaw - except with a raised paw, much like hers. Leaw Lung is said (grain of salt unless you're hearing from a Ajarn though) - to bring positivity and safety to those struggling in life.

So the tattoo might not be a Sak Yant - or it could be a Yant style created specifically by the creators of ATSV (as they may have wanted to avoid using a real one, as they're really hard to do unless you're an Ajarn and know the symbols and language).

And also, not everyone who gets one is Thai - though many who get it are Buddhist.

Like me!

Angelina Jolie is popular for the number of Yants she has on her back.

Angelina is in fact a Buddhist and has raised her children within the religion*.

She, like most other Buddhists, got hers done traditionally, under the hand of a Ajarn.

The one in the center of her back - is actually the one I have as well.

(Angelina's back after her 5th Yant)

Religiously, I am a Theravada Buddhist - though I more focus on the Plum Tree Tradition of Thigh Nhat Hanh.

Theravada Buddhism is the type most prevalent in South East Asia, in contrast with the Nepali and Tibetan Mahayana - which the Dhali Lama belongs to.

I got my Sak Yant done under the hand of an Arhat as well, traditional needle style about 3 years ago in Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand)

The one I have is Yant Putsoorn - the 5 Buddhas yantra.

Although there are many vague ass descriptions of what each Yant means online - my Ajarn personally told me Putsoorn is aimed at raised compassion mindfulness towards yourself and others as well - usually known as loving-kindness.

So she could be specifically Buddhist as well, if the tattoo is supposed to be Yant.

I think the idea is so so cool, because you may see traditional Japanese tattoo designs, many breathtaking , but it's rare you see other forms of traditional tattoo in day to day media!

I really really want to see her in action now! Just to see that tattoo up close. Plus she's so bad-ass!

I was SO SO SO excited to see her tattoo, and I really hope it is one! More Buddhist characters please. You can be hardcore and Buddhist too!

But does anybody have any other theories of what this tattoo could be? Do you know why traditional designs outside of Yant that this could be? Do you agree this could be Yant?

I'm curious!!

* Just a bonus: I wanted to highlight my use of the word religion in reference to Buddhism. Often in the West, Buddhism is reduced to a 'philosohy' or 'a way of life' rather than a legitimate religion. This is reductive. Buddhism is a religion, with monks, nuns, plains of existence, 'heavens' (very different context than Abrahamic - being reborn in heaven actually makes it harder to reach nirvana, because you are tempted by more comfort. Being born on Earth is the easier way to reach nirvana). Buddhism has ceremonies and centuries worth of text and practice - like Sak Yant. Although it is centered in mindfulness, acceptance, and love - and these teachings can be used by anyone regardless of religion - Buddhism is a religion. Just one far removed from the western Abrahamic understanding of religion. You can read and encorporate any of the teachings, it's very very very open. There are no borders between people, and any heart that is open or desiring it can engage with Buddhism as much or as little as they need to. But I think it's important to refer to Buddhism as a religion so the world conversation on religion isn't centered on Abrahamic, Western ideals and history - when in fact there are many loving, kind, and rich religions out there. From Hoodoo, to Sikhism, to Buddhism and beyond :)

[hallowpen]

There are a handful of scenes that I want to discuss...

1) Anil asking for her father's permission (part one)

I actually prefer the English translation of the line, "My life as a princess is somehow like a pretty bird in a fine cage. I shall never let anyone force me to cage up my heart within that imprisonment ever again."

Anil is always clever in the way she can manipulate the feelings of those around her... including her father, who does not wish to see her leave his side.

This scene really sums up the central dilemma Anil has faced in regards to her relationship with Pin. She does not have nearly as much control over her life within the palace, and should she choose to renounce her title to be with the person she loves, she would be forced to leave her entire family behind... which would, in turn, leave her family in disgrace of her actions (in the eyes of royal society).

It's not an easy choice because Anil loves her family dearly, and Pin knows that more than anyone.

Which brings me to this scene:

2) Pin asking for Anil's father's permission

Where Anil's request is bold and almost threatening... Pin's approach is bold in a different way. In a similar vein to how she once pleaded with Princess Patt, Pin begs for his highness's approval in order to protect Anil from the hurt of losing her family. Again, while it may not seem like it, it's actually incredibly brave for someone of Pin's status to appeal for mercy (in the face of breaking from tradition) by challenging those who hold royal authority.

3) Anil asking for her father's permission (part two)

"It might not be acceptable in our society today, but in the future, I truly believe that this kind of love will be widely accepted. Our world will be more open and equal. Whether we are men or women, all of us shall have the freedom to be ourselves, to show our love, and to become whatever it is that we want to be. Most importantly, marriage shall be recognized both socially and legally... regardless of our gender. I truly believe that love is indefinable and it should not be restricted to only between a man and a woman."

The obstacle here has always been social acceptance. Even Anan points out, "Father is not against what Anil is, he only worries about her social status." I spoke about the formalities of renouncing one's title in episode 13... but there would be social consequences as well. Yes, Anil and Pin plan to move to England, but it'd be impossible to erase their choice from the murmurings of Thai royal society. Someone of Anil's status cannot disappear quietly. And should Anil and Pin ever choose to return to Thailand, for whatever reason, their decisions will follow them... most especially in Anil's case, as she would no longer hold any influence OR be welcome in any of her previous social circles.

The best and most realistic outcome for Anil and Pin (and, by extension, their family) to avoid social disgrace, would be for them to remain living together at the palace... a marriage in everything but name.

I can't believe we've come to the end of our TLP journey. I think I have given all the cultural guidance I am capable of giving... and I hope that it lent some insight into the overall narrative being told and the characters involved in it.

Thank you all for giving this series a chance and taking the time to learn about all of the cultural nuances portrayed throughout its sixteen episodes. 💖💖💖

[solarwynd]

i come with a hot take that i dont expect to be well received by others but here goes:

i think pjms really need to cut out the “thailand streaming farm” narrative, for several reasons.

streaming culture has been popularized by armys throughout the years. as far as i can remember, there has been a lot of discourse among chart-oriented armys for years (since the english trilogy era) about both vietnam’s and thailand’s streaming practices. they were the first ones’ to push the account-switching techniques that a lot of streamers use today. back then, it was deemed unsustainable and risky by most chartmys bc it led to large drops when people got tired of doing that. now, its the mainstream streaming practice in the fandom and other countries have managed to make it a more sustainable effort (i.e., LC’s longetivity in the US). the US is the most praised sector of pjms (and deservedly so, they work their asses off) while still using that technique so why are overall pjms much harsher with how they express themselves about thai armys/pjms vs us pjms? honestly sometimes it feels mildy xenophobic to me when is see those kinds of tweets/posts.

while i definitely get that their lack of consistency amd favoritism towards some members has been annoying in the past i don’t think we can say the same anymore. sgmb got more streams day one than nlg and every single jk song released last year (every.single.one and more than double for some of them).

i also cant believe i had to find this information out by a random jjk that popped up on my search this morning when i was looking up today’s sp update (you can imagine my horror when i confirmed those numbers).

jjks frequently and stupidly use the bot narrative for usa pjms, and in all honesty, pjms look just as dumb using the streaming farm narrative for thai armys/solos. its giving that meme of spidermens pointing at each other bc in reality were ALL “bots” were ALL “streaming farms”. we are all a somewhat small group of people (within the market) putting in an extreme effort for our artists. let’s not fool ourselves into cultish them vs us mentalities when (for some things) we are not that different.

Thailand streams get called out because the numbers they pull are not proportionate to the number of users that they have in their country. Look at SK for example. Their lowest entry right now is 4.3k. Top 50 12.8k Top 20 23k Top 10 37k Top 5 60k With top spot being LC with 118k. Proportionate. Brazil, a chart range somewhat similar to the US. Lowest entry is 182k. Top 50 381k Top 20 612k Top 10 882k Top 5 1.06M and Top spot 1.14M.

The lowest entry for Thai charts right now is 28k. Then you get to top 50, that’s 68k. Top 20 (which is Espresso by Sabrina) 98k Top 10 167k. From there is gets sus because to make a jump from that to the top 3 current spots which are 524k, 1.13M, 1.8M. (Down from 6/29 where Rockstar & SGMB had 2.5M and 2.2M respectively and the lowest entry was 26k.) Then you look at the #3 spot from that same day and it was 484k. The gap between #3 and #2 was around 1.7M. Like you cannot tell me that’s normal cause it isn’t. You don’t see those kinds of gaps on any other country chart. So It doesn’t have anything to do with xenophobia (or being upset about the fact that that country is TK majority) because there are other Asian countries and countries outside the US that don’t get called out since they do have streams proportionate to their population and have reasonable ranges.

Bringing up US fans streaming in comparison to Thai fans is also odd to do because it’s not the same. The lowest entry on the US chart is 340k Top 50 starts at 600k, Top 20 841k Top 10 1M with top 5 being 2.1M. That’s also a very proportional chart. Jimin’s numbers in America have always sat in the 200k-to 1M range without significant jumps coming out of nowhere.

Him going from a 465k debut with LC to 2.2M with SGMB from Thailand is not just the 20x cap per account method, that’s something else being employed there. And it’s not that they got “stronger” either.

I’ve expressed my discontent with a large chunk of SGMB’s streams coming from Thailand on multiple occasions. I’ve wanted it far away from Jimin for this exact reason. I’m not denying that there isn’t a concentrated effort to get better numbers in general. And I don’t think any pjm is “fooling themselves” into thinking that how they stream is entirely organic. It’s not, but I still won’t put it on the level of what some Thai fans are doing.

[wwrenwrites]

Jason Todd x Filipino! reader headcanons

A/n: i don’t care if this will be my most flopped post, I had to do God’s work

He would LOVE Filipino food

Jason is pretty open with food considering he has traveled frequently for work.

Being accustomed to seeing rice available even if it’s high in carbs lol. Started as a pancit (stir fried noodles) boy to a BIG garlic rice boy ever since you’ve introduced him to it.

Could see him really liking champorado (chocolate rice porridge) for some reason, since there is something so homey about it. Plus it’s not that sweet. He definitely have tried it with tuyo (salted dried fish) when you mentioned it but prefers it just the champorado alone.

Jason enjoys Jollibee most specifically the fried chicken, both of you have movie nights with a bucket on the coffee table with pineapple juice or alcohol. Would find Filipino spaghetti ‘meh’ cause it’s a bit too sweet for his liking but he wouldn’t mind it after a few more tries since there’s that child-like taste that makes it addicting.

Would 100% love lumpiang shanghai (Filipino spring rolls) and quotes as he explains it to Roy or any of his brothers ‘a way better version of Chinese spring rolls’, just like how you told him. He stops craving for the usual spring rolls if you guys go for Chinese take outs from then on.

Despite what the media depicts of having adobo (soy sauce & vinegar chicken stew), sinigang (tamarind stew) or ube hyped. He does think Filipino food is still very underrated compared to Thai, Chinese, Japanese etc.

Could also see him enjoying clear soup stews like pork sinigang (tamarind broth stew, though initially too sour for him comes to like it later on) & bulalo (clear soup with beef shanks & bone marrow) because of the homey taste versus the flavored stews but he definitely still enjoys them (also see him being a big kare- kare (peanut butter stew) lover by your influence despite not fully able to handle bagoong (shrimp paste) because of how pungent & salty it is, I think he would unconsciously get used to it.

Like every other man, he would be a sucker for San Miguel beer. He knew about it even before both of you were dating since there is a small Filipino town in Gotham. Considering he goes to different bars from time to time. He would enjoy the concept of food on sizzling plate but it would take time for him to actually try exotic street food specially Balut (duck embryo) lol. But he’s down for it!

Spicy White Boy

Canon- wise, he knows Portuguese and there are lots of similar words with Spanish. Which I’m sure he knows maybe the most basic and common sense ones; so Jason understanding a good amount of Tagalog shouldn’t be surprising but would baffle you when you find out he started learning bit by bit for you.

It is very impressive indeed, there are not a lot of good resources in studying it. However, Jason is a Wayne and if his father was able to learn Kryptonian. He would easily be in a level of fluency by time.

And being the intelligent simp he is. He would understand it in a good level in less than a year or two when both of you are pretty much ‘all in’ in the relationship. Especially when you brought up one time before you were both exclusive, that you were scared of the idea of your partner being left out in family events even if English is pretty much the second main language in the Philippines.

Though I feel he would have more confidence in trying to speak the language after a few more years including a few slangs cause he doesn’t want to handle the anxiety of being roasted by your family & friends even if he obviously has thick-ass skin.

You keep telling him that he has already won his parents approval (too fast) when he swoon them with just the use of ‘po’ and ‘opo’ the first time meeting them. Plus the very occasional whispers of ‘gwapo’ , handsome, or ‘matangkad’, tall, here and there would give him a mix of a sheepish ego boost.

Culture Differences

THE ‘NO SHOES IN THE HOUSE’ RULE is a mutual practice that both of you have no problem doing. It has always been a routine for Jason when he gets home and right away he would wash up just so he could be in bed with you.

The no shoes rule seems to be only followed by Alfred when he drops by with groceries for him in his apartment. It bewilders his siblings when he makes a big deal out of it even if they are just dropping by (uninvited as usual) but also more like so you wouldn’t get triggered if you get to meet them but frankly it triggers Jason more since he’s quite neat as a roomie (plus future hubby points too.)

THE FAMILY CULTURE in a Filipino household is usually a mix of chaos and laughter which Jason is quite familiar with but with your family he could tell how close all of you are from all the frequent get together celebrations or holiday trips.

But also he was told a few times from some neighborhood titos (uncle) when he was still in the streets that the number 1 rule when dating a pinoy (shortened term for Filipino) is if you’re ‘dating a Filipino you’re also dating their whole family.’ You even tell him when you show pictures of your immediate relatives and family, that it’s basically a whole village if you include your extended relatives which shocks him even more. You don’t even know who are all your aunts or uncles names nor your second cousins.

You gave him a heads up and number of pointers to Jason when you were both talking about your families plus the never ending group pictures and selfies that awaits. You get worried if he would be overwhelmed even if he tells you, “Doll, don’t worry you literally met mine” “It’s not the same.” With a kiss on your forehead and the cute pout he loves still present.

He immediately gets interrogated and compliments which takes him a back getting him a bit shy. Would vibe with your cousins and would be forced to sing. The karaoke machine playing till midnight, the never ending food being offered in his plate but also your baby cousins getting attached to him which you greatly adore. He would purposely annoy you with flirty gestures in front of your cousins just for you to swat his arm or his biceps multiple times getting a reaction from your comments mixed of ‘yiee’ or ‘landi!’(flirt).

SOUVENIRS in Filipino is pasalubong, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re materialistic it’s more of the thought when a person is away; may it be for family & friends.

Jason bringing home food or snacks when he goes out or something unique when coming from a long mission for you has been natural. You don’t expect him to always bring something home for you of course. Fortunately, Jason loves spoiling you and seeing you sulk when you rummage his duffle bag filled with used clothes and is helmet is too cute. Plus, this is definitely one of the first words he would understand besides the word ‘makulit’ (a neutral connotation of annoying, cheeky, and naughty combined.) and other cuss words.

The first time Jason brings you to the Wayne manor Alfred and Bruce immediately doesn’t see you as a threat especially with a bottle of wine or fruits as formalities. You panic a bit when both of you weren’t able to bring anything to the manor every time you go after that, he has to reassure you it’s fine. Though he appreciates and finds it adorable on how much his family becomes fond of you because of how genuine you are.

When you and Jason travel, you would be having an extra luggage for goodies and shopping and would get endless teasing from Jason. You would tease him back though if he needs something but you would also use his luggage as well if needed for everything you bought.

[mirageofadesert]

Roar Of The Water Dragon (Shui Long Yin)

Today, Luo Yunxi's next big drama was officially announced with him in the lead role. And just because I had so much fun staring at the poster the last time, I'm going to do it again.

We have some of the same elements as in the last poster: The water, as well as a fox dragon with antlers in the foreground. The man riding the dragon already resembles Luo Yunxi. This is Tang Lici, the main character of this story. This time, the hair isn't completely white yet, rather an ombre of white tips and black roots. I really hope this means he will use his natural hairline instead of a wig for parts of the show.

Let's look at the details. His eyes are closed and he is reaching out. Just like in the first poster, he looks calm, while everything around him is in movement. There are red, gold and green ribbons surrounding him and some golden glow around his left hand. Next to his shoulder there are loose red feathers and further on top small white-golden birds following the fox dragon. They remind me of swallow, but with fantasy elements. Some of the green-blue ribbons turn into waves further up the painting.

Next to the dragon are what looks like a couple of significant locations. On the bottom is a ship in a stormy sea. The figurehead resembles the dragon. Next to the ship are fish flying above the wave, which resemble the birds. This might mean a close connection between sea and sky in the symbolism of the show. Just like the flying water dragon.

There are five other locations between the mountains under the moonlight. The one on the left looks like a bridge, the one on the right like a high tower. The one in the middle, I do recognize.

It's the Hengyang sect complex, Otter Studio build for TTEOTM and which has since then been used in many other productions, such as My Journey to You and Mysterious Lotusbook Case.

On top of the poster is a golden glowing lotus blossom. Inside of it sits a man in what looks like meditation position. It's hard to see clear, but it looks Tang Lici, only this time dressed very differently. I'm not sure if I have seen anything similar in cdramas before, especially his hair and crown. It looks almost South Asian to me. It would be funny if it's actually Thai, after Leo became cultural friendship ambassador for China-Thailand. Then again, most of his recent activities ended up somehow connected to this drama, and its production and broadcasters.

The warm, golden light and the position makes me think of enlightenment and even godhood. I will quote a post I found on Twitter. But be aware, that his could be considered a spoiler:

Going from this, Tang Lici might have a long journey ahead of him, that will turn him from a troublemaker into a saint, by overcoming his own worldly obsessions. Sounds familiar?

Anyway, I'm super excited about the show! Booting ceremony is rumored to be in early December. By then, we might get more info on the rest of the cast. Maybe my wish comes true, and there really won't be a romantic focused story!

[nattaphum]

CHIC MAGAZINE INTERVIEW

Hazy and soft veil curtains, classic and exquisite carved wooden walls, and complicated and gorgeous crystal chandeliers, in the space where we finished shooting, the extremely quiet atmosphere brings the illusion of time slowing down or even stagnating. Mile and Apo are in it, and the camera freezes their unique sense of story—either in the grotesque, or in the smog, they lean on each other, their eyes are intertwined, or they are thinking about each other.

Both of them admitted that they have accumulated a wealth of experience from the filming of "KinnPorsche The Series", not only learned new skills in action scenes, but also improved their performance and communication skills. In Apo’s view, he and Porsche grew up together, “Being in this drama made me understand myself better”

With the "popularity" of the series, the work schedules of the two have also become more intensive, and more and more freshness and excitement have been injected into their originally peaceful life. Mile said: "Because of this series, I knew a lot of people. New friends and most importantly i met lovely fans from all over the world, I never thought we would have so many fans supporting us everywhere we go."

Mile and Apo have also bid farewell to the characters Kinn and Porsche and started a new journey - they are performing and filming the movie "Man Suang" together. "Man Suang" will meet with the audience this summer. Apo chose this character and the story because he wanted to try traditional Thai dance, "Thai dance does not need to use words but to express and communicate with body. In fact, everyone now, when you mention Thailand, will first think of tourism and food. Traditional culture is gradually disappearing, we want to take this opportunity to contribute a little bit to Thai culture, so that the whole world can understand the ancient culture of Thailand”.

"If the two of you will cooperate again, what kind of story do you hope to interpret?" Mile and Apo gave the same answer — "acting in a ghost movie". Apo's reason is frank and simple, "Because this is Mile's dream, he really likes it, and he will be happier if his dream comes true!" Mile described the story he envisioned in more detail. “I think it would be really interesting that we each have our own tasks to accomplish, and we can't possess each other."

CHIC: What was your vision of Kinn before you starred in "KinnPorsche The Series"? Is Mile's Kinn as good as you imagined?

Apo: I thought Kinn and I were partly similar, so I was not sure what Kinn would look like. On the day of the interview, the staff did not tell me who interviewed for which role. But I was very happy when they announced that Kinn was going to be played by Mile. In fact, we met ten years before. I think his appearance and personality are very similar to Kinn, which suits him very well.

CHIC: How well do you bond with Mile? On a scale from 1 to 10?

Apo: Full 10 points, because we work together every day and hang out when we are not working, so we are very close.

CHIC: In your eyes, what kind of person is Mile? What are his strengths?

Apo: In my eyes, Mile is a cute and lovely person, and he is also very humorous. His advantage is that he is very kind to everyone, so everyone will feel relaxed and comfortable with him. I also learned to be kind from him.

CHIC: What was your imagination of Porsche before you starred in "KinnPorsche The Series"? What is the difference between the Porsche performed by Apo and your imagination?

Mile: Originally, I thought Apo was a very quiet person. However, if Apo is compared with Porsche, they are very similar, so he is also very good when playing Porsche. The most similar thing between the two of them is that they are very brave, and they are also very similar in some details.

CHIC: What is the level of relationship between you and Apo? How would you rate it from 1 to 10?

Mile: This score will fluctuate, but the average should be 8.5-9.5. This fluctuation is due to my own reasons. Sometimes outside of work, I need to re-understand Apo. For example, when shooting, I will see the other side of Apo. We have a tacit understanding at work. Secondly, when we go shopping, we also choose things with similar styles, but Apo prefers to be more colorful.

CHIC: In your eyes, what kind of person is Apo? What is his greatest strength?

Mile: Apo looks like a horse to me. If some people are unfamiliar with horses and don't know how to get in touch with it, they may be kicked out. But if you know how to get in touch with it, the horse will be quiet and take you to a very interesting place. Speaking of Apo's strengths, whether it is work or life, he is very energetic, and seeing him can also increase your vitality. And Apo pays special attention to details in everything, and often shares good ideas.

CHIC: What is your favorite movie or series?

Apo: In terms of movies, I like “Before sunrise, Before sunset, Before midnight”. This is the same series of stories, the plots are connected by dialogues. I think the person who wrote this script is very good, because it is necessary to understand the characters well enough to allow the audience to immerse themselves in the protagonist's story through dialogues. If it is a TV series, I like the suspense detective type.

Mile: I prefer suspenseful detective dramas. I like the ones that are neither black nor white, so that you can't guess what will happen to the characters in the follow-up, which is more realistic. I just finished watching Dark Glory recently.

CHIC: Regarding the leisure life outside of work, what are the top 3 things that make you happiest?

Mile: First, playing the guitar. Second, knowing myself can make me happier, because if I know myself well, I don't have to change myself because of what others think. Third, being with my family, whether I lose myself or encounter difficulties, home is always the safest and most comfortable place.

Apo: First, enjoying nature, such as hiking, boating, walking by the sea, etc. Second, meditating. Third, being with optimistic people, this kind of person is really rare.

CHIC: If you were traveling by car with your partner, where would you like to go? Why?

Apo: I want to take him to Alaska or Greenland, Ireland, etc., because Mile likes to drive, I like to see the scenery, everything is just right.

Mile: I want to take Apo to Zhangjiajie, I think Apo will like it very much, the scenery there is very beautiful. It happened to be foggy when I went, just like being in a movie. Although the road was a bit difficult, it was really interesting to look down from a high place. I also went to Fenghuang, and every scenery in front of me was like a picture in a magazine. They were all very beautiful, and the color of the water was also very beautiful. China really has too many landscapes that cannot be seen in other places, and there are also cuisines that are completely different from Thailand.