#v-bl rewatch month

[tellywoodtrash]

My dad's been in hospital since last one month, we went through literal hell n only now things are looking a bit better TT, thus I thought of you sis..how are and how's your cat doing??any new fav itv drama?or are you still in love with Thai bls(as an AO3 reader I TOTALLY understand you)??I watched only one Pak drama named 'rah-e-junoon' recently only cause of The beautiful Danish Taimoor😍 it's not bad specially he with his love n obsession makes me wana SIGHHHHH😩😩😩 dreamily..also HAVE YOU SEEN JUNAID KHAN IN 'MAHARAJ' (not the Sethupati one) MOVIE??his n Sarvari's reels are everywhere and they are so Wattpad coded... reminding me of those period couples in novels😍😍 he's so dreamy..6'2" tall, nerdy, kinda awkward and has this soft boy vibes going on and did I tell you he kinda looks like Henry Cavill??and Rami Malek??😩😩 life hell ho jaye par tharak na jaye🤤 now tell me how everything is going on your end✨

Hi Darling,

I hope your dad is feeling better, and you are taking care of yourself too, friend! (Caretaker burnout is reallllllll and I am sending you all the strength and healing vibes 🤗🤗🤗)

ITV seems to be a closed chapter for me; the rapidly progressing degeneration of that genre is just notttttt inspiring any confidence (or interest.) The wholeass industry needs a major major shakeup. Same with Bollywood, nothing's really pulling me anymore. Laapataa Ladies (which I still haven't watched yet) is LITERALLY THE ONLY MOVIE calling my name in all of the 2024 releases. Junaid seems like a promising nepo kid; the Cavill vibes are definitely there. Let's hope that he picks good scripts and doesn't fall down the usual wormhole.

Things that I have been watching and enjoying in the past few weeks:

The Acolyte: I literally know/care nothing about the Star Wars universe, but Manny Jacinto. Enough said. I need to rewatch coz god his character has me going awooooooooga like a fuckin' cartoon wolf. I am obsessed.

Abbott Elementary: Giving B99-ish (but much more mellow.)

Modern Family: Just a rewatch (during my mealtimes)

Late Night with Seth Meyers/Last Week Tonight/The Daily Show for US election shitshow in palatable doses

Meet You at the Blossom: A chinese BL which is fulllllllllllly delivering on the toxic romance from the Tellywood of yore

This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans: A thai BL that is again, giving v Tellywood romcom vibes (Gul Khan types), with not one, BUT TWO WHOLE ENEMIES TO LOVERS couples. Noice.

Love Sea: Ridiculously high heat/good chemistry; one half of couple is the greenest fuckin flag in the history of human existence.

My Love Mix Up (Thailand): My cutest lil kuchupuchu babies. I wanna put them in my pocket and squishhhhhhhh them allllll like a goddamn stress ball. Wholesome wholesome lil show that makes me feel warm and sunshiney inside.

4 Minutes: No real idea what's really going on here with the time skips and background crimes and shit, plus this show feels like an anxiety attack in audiovisual form, BUT I'm here for Bible Wichapas giving me morally-grey himbo with hilarious (to me) gay panic.

So yeah...... That's what I've been up to! Hope you and yours keep well, lovely. <33333333 And yes, keep that tharak flag flying high!!!!!!!!

[heretherebedork]

Hey Rival, I Love You!

V-BL rewatch month continues With: Hey Rival, I Love You!

The most obviously titled rivals to lovers story ever. And a perfectly fine one, honestly. Nothing bad about it at all!

As noted by @absolutebl this is also a fantastic little movie for Bisexual Visibility Month since rivals to lovers in inherently queer AND this show involves two characters who are implied to be bisexual by being interested in both the same girl and then each other.

Two boys fall in love with the same girl who decides to play them both... and so they team up to expose what she's doing.

And in the process, they fall in love.

These two actors have also done Monster in Law and Monster in Law 2 and I just absolutely adore them. They're very good, very comfortable together and very comfortable in their roles. And if we take those other shows as sequels, we get them as an adorable long-term couple that end up adopting a daughter and hopefully we get a Monster in Law 3 to finish what 2 started and left us hanging with!

But just this show? This little half-hour microfilm? It's better than several entire BL pulps that I've watched for weeks on end.

So, y'all, watch and enjoy!

[absolutebl]

Tagged by @rainyfartphilosopher thank you! 😘

Favorite color: 

Currently reading: 

Sigh MDZS, my duckling @renafire​ convinced me. I mean I haven’t actually started it yet, I’m v daunted, but it’s the one I will be reading, when I next have a window of time. You see, I’m a very fast reader so I tend to prefer books I can binge and finish in a day/evening or less (so under 100k), this one is scaring me with how huge it is. I binge fiction the way some people binge BL, it’s one of the reasons I’ve never been into fanfic - no patience. 

Last song: 

I’ve been exploring some obscure moments of Kpop history recently so I was listening to THE ARK’s The Light, honestly still such a great song. 

Last series: 

WBL2. You know me and rewatching. I’ve been thinking about Bad Buddy after VV finishes, but I’m gonna do Minato and About Youth first. 

Last movie: 

I’m still not talking about it. I should watch something new so I have something to put here next time I get tagged. 

Currently working on: 

I just completed one project *insert wild cheers here* (although, honestly I suspect they’ll be looping back around to me in Q1 for further analysis, they opened a massive can of worms). I have a beast of a big data crunch I’ve been working on for months that I think is about half way through, but that’s kinda ongoing right now, and a I just picked up a baby contract that should be done in a couple weeks. 

anyone who wants to should consider themselves tagged. 

[jemmo]

Hey have you ever watched We Best Love?

have i watched we best love???? me????? oh anon you have well and truly opened a can of worms.

we best love was the second BL i ever watched and the first one i fell HARD for. and when i say fell hard, i mean i used to rewatch the entire show, both seasons, weekly for a solid month. i was obsessed. and still to this day it has to be in my top 5 BLs ever.

and the thing is… i kinda feel like it’s a perfect precursor to bad buddy in so many ways???? especially the first season. bc yes they’re both enemies to lovers (even tho pat and pran technically were never enemies), but what i mostly mean is that, like bad buddy, we best love to me is a simple plot done excellently and that’s what i love. don’t get me wrong, i love my fair share or wackiness and drama and we defo get drama in s2, but s1 is just this simple love story, of 2 boys getting to know each other, of one trying to peruse a long held crush despite years of holding back, despite years of telling himself it won’t happen, despite years of saying friendship would suffice, and of the other having this revelation, that maybe what he’s wanted has always been there right in front of him and he just didn’t see it before. thinking about it, it really is very bad buddy-ish in that way too.

and then s2 hits you like a 10 ton truck. bc the separation????? omg it really broke me. and it’s so over the top it could’ve come off cheesy or way too dramatic but somehow it didn’t???? somehow i believe all of it, i believe that, even after getting together, shide still had this insecurity that it was too good to be true, that he wasn’t good enough, and when given the opportunity to be apart, he took it thinking shuyi would move on and find someone better. and shuyi, god shuyi, he opens up his heart once and it truly gets trampled on, broken apart. he comes from this empty home where things are handed to him and decisions are made for him and he has all these expectations on his shoulders, and for once he does something for himself and it falls apart. so i so so see why shuyi would break, and i just remember so vividly what he said to shide after he argued with his father and told him to leave, how he talked about how all he wanted was for shide to stick by his side, to not take on his father by himself but do it together, to listen to him and let him decide what to do, what’s important. in that moment, shuyi feels like shide doesn’t trust him to fight or to choose him over his father, when he would’ve done that in a heartbeat and god ughhhhh the conflict is perfect in my opinion.

just thinking about this show already has me teary. there’s so many lines and scenes that stab at my heart and get to me like nothing else. both leads are phenomenal actors and have incredible chemistry. and the ost is full of emo bops, I think at least 2 of the songs are in my top 5 most listened to songs of the year. so yeah… there you have it anon. i don’t know if you expected such an innocent question to spark all this ranting and believe me i could go on way way way more but I won’t for your sake. just know this show is v v special to me and I adore it.

[shyishsarawat]

Reveal your Watch & Rewatch drama list

Tagged by @billlkin thanks bestie ☺️💙

currently watching:

1. F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers ( my beloved <3 )

2. Cutie Pie The Series ( my beloved <3 )

3. Secret Crush On You ( my trashy little fave <3 )

4. Quaranthings Season 2 ( it's not hitting like the first but I will soldier in 😔 )

5. Flower of Evil ( on EP. 4 and V excited )

6. The Devil Judge ( ik the MC loosely has a love interest but are they sure this isn't a bl cos why they putting up w each other like they do 🤨🤨 )

7. Forecasting Love and Weather ( idc for all the weather rhetoric but I love the main couple and I want the second couples marriage to fall apart terribly idc 😑)

8. Peach of Time ( I watched three episodes and then forgot about it but I've just looked at my notes and remembered ahsh )

9. Cherry Blossoms After Winter ( I read the first season of the Webtoon so why not )

10. Word Of Honor ( this show is a lot of nothing but I'm attached to the characters but I can't get myself to finish it atm )

11. Enchanté ( I watched the first episode but idk if I'll continue it yet or wait till it finishes airing )

12. Doom At Your Service ( I watched the first six episodes then didn't pay for rakuten for months and forgot about it and now I need to rewatch it to remember everything 😭😭 )

starting soon:

1. 55:15 Never Too Late

2. A Business Proposal

3. 2521

4. Cupid's Last Wish

rewatching:

The only dramas I've ever been capable of finishing rewatching are 2gether/Still 2gether ( rewatched thrice ) & 1000 Stars (rewatched episodes while it was airing but have only fully rewatched once I think ) I expect Bad Buddy will also be put in rotation the second I truly miss it agshs and Lovely Writer bc I actually liked it even more when I rewatched it but I still didn't fully rewatch it. So currently I'm not rewatching anything.

I tag @ralbeleren @sofarraway @onlyifyoubadd @tehohaews @atotsphutian @mrchicsaraleo and anyone who sees this and wants to do it!

[fallingstarsarentreal]

The Blue-Haired Minnie Mouse/ Purple Hoodie Guy

September 14, 2020 (6 months after Hellish pandemic break loose)

The situation is not getting any better in the Philippines. Everything is just being a huge joke here and we’re not actually getting proper response from the high ranking officials. Hence, I cannot help but feel quite hopeless with the situation. Also, the toxicity of my fandom has been getting to me at one point in time. So I have decided to go away for a bit, and go back to what soothes me at hard times, Music.

Truth be told, I liked his former band’s music, but I’m not in to the point that I will be stanning them as hard as I am doing right now. (I’m really not into KPOP except for Blackpink so I don’t have much reference... And I usually like ballad and relaxing songs.) I didn’t have the time to watch series then because I was too busy in my former job. Also, I have been into writing way before, so I would be satisfied with listening to their music from time to time.

However, by the time that I have fallen in love with their band, 9by9th, I found out that their “End Route” means the end already, no more renewal of contract of 1 year. I was quite devastated with the news and I kinda took it hard and tried to go fan girl over series instead. *SOBS*

(9x9th members: L-R: Thanapob, Ryu, Captain, Porsche ^^, JameyJames, Third, Jackie, Jaylerr, IceParis)

When Trinity debuted, I was really focused on Third and I can remember that I cried over their MV (Hater’s Got Nothing) because I thought that Third will be able to continue with what he’s passionate about. (Third is originally from Kamikaze group but the company disbanded, and his second group is 9x9th but disbanded as well after one year). I kind of followed them for a bit but then I started managing Philippine Fan club bases of my favorite series, with everything that happened, I got too busy... but all I can remember then was the old me crying because I cannot buy the merchandise from before. (Quite a noob then and I didn’t know about pasabuys and stuff.. so yeah). T_T.

(Trinity members: L-R: Jackie, Porsche <3, JMJ, Third)

Before hell broke lose in the whole world, I had the opportunity to go back to Thailand for the second time and I met those artists that I am following. I actually wanted to meet Trinity but there was no opportunity for me to do so because I didn’t even check their schedule then and I think there wasn’t any update regarding their work, so yeah... T_T. (Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed my stay in Bangkok)

So yeah.. After probably taking in shit from the govt for about 7 months already, and toxicity from something that I really used to enjoy and made me smile, I started to distance myself for a bit because what I really need now is not stress, but something that will probably lift up my mood. So what I did was to stress myself even further... watch mystery series that will probably make your head burst into thinking... so in the end, I actually stopped watching BL series and stumbled into their first series together as 9x9 boys, In Family We Trust.

So an excerpt from Wikipedia says,

The Jiraanan family is a wealthy ethnic Chinese business family, whose extended family spans three generations. Grandfather (A-gong) and Grandmother (A-ma) have four children. Prasoet, the eldest son, heads the family business, Jirananta Hotel, and manages its main Bangkok location, while Phatson, the only daughter, manages its Pattaya branch. Met, the second son, is a single stay-at-home parent, while the youngest son Konkan lives a playboy lifestyle. Among them (and a deceased fifth sibling), they have nine third-generation children. The family members seem to get along well as they celebrate A-gong's birthday, but when he dies of old age shortly after, and his will is revealed to exclude Phatson from inheritance of the hotel, she gets into an argument with Prasoet regarding its management. Prasoet is then found dead from a gunshot in his bedroom, and Phatson becomes a prime suspect. Prasoet's wife Chris also becomes suspected when it is revealed that Prasoet had been seeing a mistress for twenty years. The grandchildren, especially Prasoet and Chris's son Pete and Phatson's eldest son Yi, become involved as each family tries to prove their innocence and uncover the mystery of the case.

This was the first time that I started to look at him. Porsche played the character of Kuaitiao, the orphaned grandson who lived with Grandpa and Grandma. Kuaitiao is actually an art student here and he’s passionate about his drawings.

What probably captured my attention is his ability to lighten up the mood around him. Even at awkward situations he was able to make me laugh. And probably the fact that he’s close to his grandma and a sweet grandchild even if he’s an adopted one. It kinda got into me. I’ll be honest. There was a scene where Grandma wouldn’t eat, and he pretended to be angry and did not eat as well. I found it cute and smiled at first, but after few moments, I was sobbing already. He made me miss my grandma who passed away last July 15.

Over all, I loved his acting here. Rating 4.5/5

(But please, don’t make him cry because I’ll end up crying as well).

(He’s such a precious person guys, pleaseeeee... make him smile a lot, okay?)

So, of course, once you’re interested in your new bias wrecker’s work, you’re going to check his latest and previous works, right? So what I did next is watched their latest series (still with 9x9 boys, but this time, it was 7/9 only. I just found out that Thanapob cannot join the series anymore because he’s busy filming another series and Ryu is actually an actor of another channel. Hence, his few appearances as Macao in In Family We Trust) entitled as, Great Men Academy.

(Great Men Academy Cast: Porsche as P’Good <3, Third as Nuclear, JameyJames as Love, Jackie as Menn, Captain as Sean, Jaylerr as Tangmo, and IceParis as Vier)

The excerpt of the story is as stated below,

Love (Chanyapuk Numprasop) has always been a fan of the popular guy Vier (Paris Intarakomalyasut) of the famous all boys high school Great Men Academy, but she has never had the chance to meet him. One day, she sees the mystical unicorn rumored to fulfill wishes and wished for her love for Vier to get a chance.

Unfortunately, the unicorn interpreted her wishes in a different way and Love wakes up to find herself in a male's body. She is able to switch between genders under the condition that she must return as a girl before midnight each night. Love attends Great Men Academy as a guy, and works through the complications of winning Vier's heart and meeting new people while trying to keep her identity a secret.

I actually fell in love with P’Good’s character here because he’s such a stern but doting brother. Good is kinda strict when it comes to Love at first because he has to be strong for their whole family because his dad passed away. He’s a very smart guy, yet clumsy fellow. He can also be shy when it comes to Me. (His crush in the series. Why can’t it be “me” instead? Just kidding).

Over all, I loved how he brought to life my favorite glasses ikemen on this series. He made me cry with the way he handled the vulnerability of his sister, Love. His acting for me in this series is a complete 5.0/5.0! *For the love of Good, Please?*

I rest my case. I’m dying again of spazzing to Phi Good. (Okay. I have a huge crush on this character. The character, okay?!) hahaha

Wait... let me breathe for just a bit... *hyperventilates in Good’s name*

Then after watching the said series, I started to rewatch their Elements MV. And that got me hooked. I noticed his talent in rapping, singing and dancing that I wouldn’t have normally seen in the first place because I have a bias of my own before.

It’s like the more that I watch him, the more I fall for this person (in terms of being a fan of his). I kind of accepted that he’s my bias on Trinity now when I saw this video. (ปาว ปาว (Shout) – V.R.P kamikaze)

I’ve been reading articles about him when I came across the interview of Bangkok Post with Third and Porsche regarding their new work. (being 9x9th members and In Family We Trust). I found out that Porsche was actually a member of VRP of Kamikaze and I watched all his previous work. So when I saw the video Paw Paw/ (Shout), I burst into laughter. I knew from that time that he’s such a funny guy and he’s giving me positive vibes.

As I continued watching, I saw him with a Minnie mouse headband, and I lost it... I laughed a lot, which I rarely do these days. So by then, I wasn’t able to help it, I started to love this kid more.

I continued to watch all the showcases, the fancams, the v-live videos, the vlogs about him and goodness gracious, I am really swoon. This kid is such an interesting person and I really regret not knowing him right away.

As I get to know him, the more I admire him. I mean... for real, it’s even funny knowing his quirks. Like he likes to draw stuff, he likes to play the piano, he loves Anime and his favorite anime is Hitman Reborn! (I wonder if he likes Hibari Kyoya too). Anyway aside from his talent, another selling factor of him to me is his positivity towards life.

“Don't worry na krub, all TWILIGHT. No matter what will happen in the future or the situation, we are always TRINITY and we will do better than before krub.” #XXSIVK #PorscheSivakorn 

His positivity and his ambition would inspire you to do well and go on no matter how difficult things may be.

Thank you Porsche, you are indeed a good source of a breather in my life. Things have been quite difficult in the Philippines and no matter how much I wanted to take a vacation now, I can’t. Your music makes me smile a lot and at times, I forget my worries when I watch you dance. It’s like watching someone you idolize do what they love to do and give it all with passion makes you motivated as well and keeps you going.

Truth be told, you remind me of one of my favorite persons. He used to be brimming with life. But covid made things difficult for him... well it made things difficult for everyone. I really hope he gets his footing soon.

PS. I might not be able to get to know you in person in this life, but I really wish you success. I will always be watching from afar. :)

I’ll be waiting for your come back again. Thanks a bunch XX :)

[demented-dukey]

I've been rewatching this Chinese BL webseries called Addicted for the third time. I ship the main two characters so hard. But sometimes I forget they're step brothers(even tho they don't know it for a good chunk of the series). I obviously don't mind them being step brothers, I just keep forgetting that fact. If anyone is interested in gay dramas I highly recommend checking it out(I watch it on Viki). So sad that it got cancelled and banned since the Chinese government hates gays 😤 -mcn

Ooo, that sounds really interesting! I’ll have to check it out. :)

I feel ya for being too busy to write. I’ve gotta get through the next month, and then hopefully once October hits I’ll be able to write a lot more. One day! :D

For anyone interested in checking this out, it looks like at least the first ep is on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkMVtBVoXzE

[heretherebedork]

V-BL Rewatch Month: You Are Ma Boy (ep 4)

They're just so darling! Nam is such a puppy and so goofy and Duong just barely puts up with it like the cat he is. He rolls his eyes and he complains but he never pushes hard and he rarely really tries to escape from their situation.

And Duong trying so hard to stand up for Nam to his dad? Trying to sing his praises? Trying to get him back into that filial and family mindset? It's so sweet. He's trying so hard to help him out and to be good for him and to him. He really does care, though he doesn't tend to show it straightforwardly.

Then having his father reject him again and again, no matter what he does... it hurts even more because you see how hard they're both trying. Plus you get Duong's apology for trying to change the situation and his understanding that sometimes it's just not enough to want someone to change.

And then the adorable shopping trip together! Their first basically-a-date time together. So absolutely darling and full of love and sweetness and togetherness, that sense of domestic comfort and friendship and family.

The first push from Nam towards a relationship also comes here. As Duong says friendship and Nam says more but is willing to cling to the friendship regardless. While Duong starts to step back because he isn't sure about his feelings, whether he's in love or wants friendship and how he can accept that he wants more.

[heretherebedork]

And today's rewatch is: Stupid Boys. Stupid Love

Look, this is just a lighthearted and adorable high school BL and GL about a group of friends figuring out and confessing their love to each other. It's just genuinely adorable and soft as can be, mostly filled with the stupidity and antics of high schools discovering love.

Is it the greatest show of all time? No. Is it just cute and sweet? Yes. The boys are adorable and the girls are great and the butch lesbian/disaster bi team up is basically my favorite of all time.

Nghia and Minh are just adorable and they're both such high school level idiots it almost overwhelms me every single time. He literally runs back to his house just to hug him. Also, Nghia and his 'can I hug you?' and then hugging them regardless because he's trying to figure out this whole crush thing? Gold.

And then Tu and Thanh are adorable and so, so sweet and Tu is so supportive of her girl and that giant crush is just overwhelming. Seriously. They're adorable. I just love all of them so much.

There's also Chau and the older woman but, frankly, I mostly ignore that subplot tbh? It's like the doctor plot in Oxygen. Utterly unneeded and probably better left out.

But, overall, I genuinely adore this little show. It's like V-BL's answer to Make It Right and Lovesick.

[heretherebedork]

V-BL Rewatch: You Are Ma Boy (ep 3)

This is the one where you start to see that Duong is also starting to like Nam. He's a bit sweet, in his own tsundere way, and he does his best to be Nam's friend in a slightly awkward way and it's just adorable.

Plus, Duong finding out about Nam's family and trying to help him find his way back to them? It's honestly darling. Especially because he stayed with him the whole time. He didn't send him off. He didn't say 'do it' and then leave him.

He takes Nam home and goes with him and stands with him and beside him and listens to him, even as he encourages him to return filial loyalty that Nam struggles with due to his father's attitude and their poor relationship.

Nam starts to flirt in earnest as well, in this part, and Duong denies him but never seriously. It's obvious that they're both soft for each other... just in very different ways.

Look, Nam is a puppy and Duong is a cat. And we love them for that.

[heretherebedork]

V-BL Rewatch Month: You Are Ma Boy (ep 5)

Duong and He have such a good little friendship and are just so adorable and that stupid fake out with the truck and the bike was SO OBNOXIOUS when this first came out.

Then we get Nam being all pining and soft. Then finding out that Duong is cooking with his boss. JEALOUSY. I mean, totally pointless jealousy because Nam is 100% the puppy to Duong's cat but that's entirely beside the point.

And the BATTLE OF CAKES. Seriously. This is one of the biggest dramas in the whole show. Who bakes better? I love this show so much. Nam just loves him so much and Duong just isn't ready and Quoc is trying to get a turn but it's not working out.

"He may look strong, but he's very gentle inside." Duong is in love and he's trying so hard not to be. He sets him straight (lol) at least. Gender doesn't matter, it's just about love, and go after your boy!

But then rejection and the pain from Nam and Duong tired of being in the middle of something he doesn't understand and just wants a chance to think and, ugh, I love him so much for being right. And then Duong realizing that it's his birthday and that's why Nam wanted to get together with him is adorable.

Look, they're just soft boys figuring this whole thing out and then Nam shows up drunk AF at Duong's home and it's adorable.

And the greatest joy of the show, that perfectly equal and DARLING kiss.

[heretherebedork]

V-BL Rewatch Month: Stage of Love (eps 3-5)

I forgot about the fanfic writing girl. But at least she keeps hers a secret and is just kind of cute unlike a lot of the others we see in other shows. And she's a sweetheart to her older brother who's useless.

But Nyugen and Bao are just so cute. Between the tiny dinner date and the little walk home and just the way they spend time together... they're the sweetest boys ever. Nyugen worrying about past-Bao living on his own and Bao worrying about Nyugen losing his love of theater.

This is the softness I love, the way they let the characters all be supportive of each other and love each other, whether it's in love or friendship or family. They're so good at just letting the characters be TOGETHER and form their own little community.

Seriously. For all this show is so slow-moving, it's very emblematic of how V-BL approaches relationships, community and family and it makes me so, so happy to rewatch it.

Also, a few better use of the heartbeat metaphor than FUTS' shitty attempt.

I do love Nyugen googling his 'symptoms' and realizing he's in love, though. That's adorable.

And the last three episodes include a video of them getting out, Nguyen's insecurities, Bao's friend's giant crush on him, getting together, roses and at least the one who video taped them is actually a villain!

I'll probably finish tomorrow and then watch Follow My Sunshine as my V-BL for Friday.

[heretherebedork]

V-BL Rewatch Month: Stage of Love (eps 6-8)

It's the end and it starts with pain, between Nyugen getting outted and Bao trying to talk to him about it but getting turned down. They both want to protect each other, despite everything. Nyugen says he's only worried about Bao while it's obvious that Bao's also only worried about Nyugen.

And I love it so much. They're so sweet and they really show them caring about each other and how much the video getting posted affected them and drove them apart. It's so good to see, honestly. Plus, their friends protecting them and encouraging them to protect each other? Hell yes.

This show also has some of the only V-BL coming out scenes I've ever seen, honestly. They're not common but this show gives us some and they're all fairly soft and gentle and full of affection and that sense of... domesticity and care that Vietnamese BLs do so well.

Seriously, I do love this show. Especially towards the end. When Nyugen and Bao are talking about how Nyugen was cold to protect him and Bao just rejects that? It's so GOOD.

Honestly, the entire show is just a love letter to a lot of things I like in BLs, especially towards the end, with that touch of Vietnamese domesticity and belonging that I just love.

Overall, I definitely recommend this show! Especially if you don't mind a slowburn and lots of gentleness and very low stakes and low drama.

And ends with a real kiss!

[heretherebedork]

Shows I want to rewatch (when I have time, ahahahaha)

Gen Y

Golden Blood

Nitiman

Cherry Magic

Love Area

Guardian

A Tale of A Thousand Stars

3 Will Be Free

Light

Lovely Writer

Restart After Come Back Home

SaifahZon Story

Why R U

SOTUS S

The Night Beyond The Tricornered Window

People of the Story (Youths in the Breeze)

... Well, at least I won't get bored during the BL drought?

[heretherebedork]

Vietnamese BL Rewatch: Stage of Love (eps 1-2)

This was my very first V-BL and... it's slow. It's glacial. It's the slowest BL I've ever watched. But it has a soft spot in my heart for being what it is... a show about putting on Romeo and Juliet in a Vietnamese school with a real stabbing, lots of backstabbing and two pretty adorable main characters who are very awkward and slow together.

SoL is a kind of accidental enemies to lovers, where a misunderstanding (picking up the wrong bag ends with a lot of assumptions) leads to enemies to lovers (Nyung who quit acting has to coach his 'enemy', Bao, who got the role of Romeo) with forced proximity, facing the past (accidentally stabbing his friend the last time he acted) and moving forward and on with his life.

Yes, bits are stupid and the humor is immature at points but it's mostly all adorable, honestly.

One thing this show does well is showing the characters having multiple friendships and lives outside of their relationships and it's got that real good feeling of everyone being part of a group and no one alone. Everyone has friends, makes new friends, gain connections... it's that domesticity that always comes through in V-BL. That sense of community, of belonging, that I love so much.

It's an interesting story, though very slow, and I remember enjoying this despite also getting very sick of the side het couple... as I always do.

[heretherebedork]

First V-BL of Vietnamese BL Month: Fools

The first and last moments of each character in Fools: Trieu, Thuy and Thien.

Trieu, the caring friend, the sensible friend, the logical friend, the rock for his friends, the one who tried his best and supported his friends and, in the end, lost both the boys he loved and could have loved.

Thuy, the anxious friend, the brilliant friend, the kindest friend, the one who lost love to his friend's jealousy but forgave because he just wanted to be with his friends for as long as he could be.

Thien, the troublemaker friend, the rebel friend, the jealous friend, who loved his friend and wasn't willing to lose either love or friendship and sacrificed the chance at more and his friend's love to keep the status quo.

Fools is a soft story, a sad story, a bittersweet story about three friends, about love, about friendship, about saying goodbye, about separation, about hope and losing hope and anxiety and pain.

Absolutely one of my favorite short BLs and one of the few bittersweet endings I truly enjoy. I'd like to imagine that they managed to stay in contact and stay friends eventually, despite the differences and the distance.