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TOP 10 TITLE TRACKS OF 2023 ā§ JANUARY - JUNE ooooh let's go girls (gender neutral)! it's that time of year again, so i'm going to go ahead and launch us for our midyear favorites! ā” i will probably try to make a b-sides post also since almost all of my big favorites have been bsides (or peak time original songs lmao) so stay tuned ig! but for now, here are the ten title tracks that have at some point taken up residence in my brain. will tag some of the multituals under the cut! no pressure of course, and if i miss you and you would like me a tag pls shoot me an ask or dm and i will !!
honorable mentions because i didn't have the gumption to make more than ten of these: designer by vav / freedom by joohoney / madness by moonbin&sanha / waterfall by younite / loser by ab6ix / u by ikon / bite me by enhypen / sunshower by epex / wild heart by lun8 / puzzle by sf9 / perfume by dojaejung / save me, kill me by cix / s.o.s. by kang daniel
tagging: @wonjinist, @minkyunies, @dreamaze, @berryjaellie, @flops, @weitual, @yangsminho, @leewonseo, @kyubins, @dongkwan, @ambivartence, @mizugucci, @jaebeomtual, @jangdaehyeonz, @alexmoons, @heeseunq, @jaeyunsim, @hongberries, @seokmatthewz, @shorelinnes ā”
#mine: gif#2023.meg#monsta x#dkb#oneus#woodz#the new six#tomorrow x together#boynextdoor#blitzers#plave#aimers#hehe.... nothing crazy my design brain has been...... dead...... but i did hide timestamp easter eggs <3#also yes this IS just a collection of biases. i DO play favorites.#like. how many times can i reasonably gif flower bathtub jeonglune. idk !! but i'm gonna keep doing it !!#also these aren't in order. they're just cool toned/warm toned alternating LMAO#also also. im getting this out before snoo or wei bc i don't want to shuffle my rankings.#long post cw
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do you have a post for wlw shows in specific? i dont mind just going through your main masterlist if not
as well, do you have any wlw shows w transfem leads? that one might be asking for too much, lol.
i don't have an asian wlw list yet, but i will make one here for you bun! i will only be including shows that pass my personal minimum standard for dramas. all shows are sorted in a recommended watching order
WLW
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/b46acd3550600e9f3ec1e7f892dd707f/2727d39f336d8143-60/s540x810/52417a33498e4c4b8e875766c56c999e824ed1dd.jpg)
1. She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat neighbours; self-discovery; food; comfort watch
Nomoto loves to cook, but tends to make too much food and has no one to share it with. Luckily for her, turns out her neighbor Kasuga has a big enough appetite for the both of them.
No international streaming available, translated to english by Furritsubs, S1 & S2, watching instructions provided, consider supporting the translator on kofi.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/25d2b635e6601b7c31b95bddd3eb0cf3/2727d39f336d8143-fa/s540x810/75ef4708c18e01174cbd7bb198ccd5f164c8fa02.jpg)
2. The Loyal Pin period drama; princess/noble lady; childhood friends to lovers; forbidden romance
A love story set in 1950s Thailand, about naughty but charming Princess Anilaphat and prim but kind Lady Pin, who are close friends and have grown up together.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/2f6bdb950bccc812bedaeb84aebcfbe4/2727d39f336d8143-3b/s540x810/62fae1306fdd5c55279439502b2fcb405c0ba91a.jpg)
3. Uranus2324 movie; sci-fi; astronaut/diver
Story of Lin, an astronaut who is about to embark in a remarkable space mission and Kath, a passionate free diver who is willing to defy the limits of time and space just to meet with her lover over and over again.
Netflix of South Asian countries (can be accessed with VPN)
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/11d2f305c38532090c2a0c2b8acf7066/2727d39f336d8143-d8/s540x810/00db45a14ca235a9f9e3e61d8d2a4205cc6128b0.jpg)
4. Petrichor crime; investigation; cop/forensic doctor
Lieutenant Tul, a rookie officer and Dr Cherran, a physician from the Institute of Forensic Sciences, become reluctant partners.
iQIYI
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/920ba9e5948a78f3311b3c01c73de429/2727d39f336d8143-7d/s540x810/7776af414bd68f1d9789b9d255204a0b22fd0624.jpg)
5. 23.5 high school setting; secret admirer
Ongsa moves to a new school and meets Sun, a cute popular girl who she immediately falls for. However, she decides to approach Sun in instagram dms under the pseudonym Earth, leading Sun to believe she's talking to a guy. But Ongsa does not want to lose the opportunity to talk to Sun, so she decides to keep the fact that she is a girl a secret and continue talking as Earth.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/9fa5a00232fdee3cdcc0afacf1aaf615/2727d39f336d8143-f2/s540x810/55358db00b055c3b9178e886149479588c246978.jpg)
6. Ayaka Is In Love With Hiroko office setting; comedy; misunderstanding
Ayaka, a young office worker, is madly in love with her senior team leader, Hiroko. As Ayaka tries to make her attraction known, Hiroko consistently misreads the situation, thinking that Ayaka is a straight girl.
GagaOOLala
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/3b7ba3d4f9f5abbb63729d71dc846a71/2727d39f336d8143-b9/s540x810/cf8607e296bcd8a3ff7479dece1b2d2857451a9b.jpg)
7. Soul Sisters period drama; wuxia; crossdressing; arranged marriage
Gu Jinyu has disguised herself as a man since childhood. While undercover, she is kidnapped by Bai Yunxi, the sweet but clumsy heiress, and forced into a marriage. The two form an unexpected partnership to save the failing stronghold, facing rival plots, enemies, and challenges.
iQIYI. *Because of chinese laws demanding censorship of queerness, the romance is censored and toned down to sapphic homoerotism for the show to be able to be broadcast. Nevertheless it's pretty obviously meant to be a romance.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/86d9e5f88dc06a70f79aaee45faa07d5/2727d39f336d8143-a5/s500x750/d1680fd429b113b34460c133b0f32002c4d57e58.jpg)
8. Couple of Mirrors period drama; socialite/assassin
You Yi is a kind-hearted socialite and a successful author. Her perfect life is turned upside-down when she discovers a betrayal by the two most trusted people in her life. With no one left to turn to, she finds refuge in the friendship and support of Yan Wei, a lonely female killer disguised as the owner of a photo studio. YouTube. the show doesnāt have a happy ending, but it can be a happy ending for you if you stop watching at episode 12 timestamp 28:02. *Adapted from an explicitly queer novel, the show is undeniably and obviously queer, but nevertheless the queer romance part is censored.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/633ae25d1072963fd2a2790a1e9fe6b9/2727d39f336d8143-69/s500x750/a9d1fa675bf6852daa349c1f9a6c47b3d0761685.jpg)
9. Affair childhood friends to lovers; love triangle
A girl's life is upended by family bankruptcy. Her best friend becomes a source of comfort. They get separated, but years later they reunite, reigniting old memories and feelings amidst changed circumstances.
YouTube & iQIYI
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/a050be319b60cd1ad0462b7065d68ee8/2727d39f336d8143-84/s540x810/6174d10e59a074b6c74ce0b301136b55c6602d37.jpg)
10. Us love triangle
Dokrak crosses paths with an older dentistry student Pam during her coffee shop shift and gradually develops a crush. When her brother Kawi meets Pam, he falls for her at first sight. Kawi turns to Dokrak, asking her to play matchmaker and Dokrak agrees.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/3f0eddbb35e3839642ed03537469111a/2727d39f336d8143-f1/s540x810/512747233a42e3f8d01f89c4e49622fd77152159.jpg)
11. The Secret of Us exes to lovers
Dr. Fahlada guards her heart due to a past love, rendering her unable to open up again. Her situation becomes complicated when she has to work with Earn, her ex girlfriend, who has come to work with her at the hospital.
Netflix & Ch3+
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/017c985dd322865092c37758c3a171cd/2727d39f336d8143-f1/s540x810/2311003dd5b2c62f2fb32cd6e867981c86b1b349.jpg)
12. Pluto twins; blind character
Twins Ob-oom and Ai-oon are worlds apart until Ob-oom's wedding, when she tasks Ai-oon with breaking up her affair with May. A tragic turn leaves the newlywed comatose, and Ai-oon must carry out the request, only to find May is blind. And fall in love with her.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/48558a252090d4c13ac3f7b445d10222/2727d39f336d8143-f7/s540x810/137cba870916c75d493035fb05eb86f44f6b662d.jpg)
13. Reverse 4 You superpowers
One sister foretells the future, and the other controls time. When a promised love seems doomed to tragedy, the pair sets out to change fate itself.
Netflix
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/d3374babf452de1017ec0fd8daaf7b55/2727d39f336d8143-13/s540x810/98d278dd137ab48adc47e631d16b2208b63e8c75.jpg)
14. She Makes My Heart Flutter bar setting; niece and aunt dynamic
The extroverted Gang Seol is hired by her aunt Jung at her only-women bar. Even though they are both lesbians, they seem to be worlds apart and have very different love stories.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/00f2230c16ef9e4a1f42659f78693363/2727d39f336d8143-24/s540x810/7d8d9627fd566f876269c370bf4ab8089b8cdf5c.jpg)
15. Sleep With Me radio; disabled character in a wheelchair
A science textbook writer with a sleep disorder meets a wheelchair-using radio host who runs the midnight shift. This chance encounter at the radio station quickly sparks their interest in each other.
GagaOOLala
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/a739eb0dc0f67e9757af3945898acbed/2727d39f336d8143-8c/s540x810/9699bfc8b262fdc0b98df90768686109b76630ce.jpg)
16. GAP The Series office setting; boss/employee; class difference
Long after Sam first came to Mon's rescue when they were kids, Sam is unambiguously Mon's idol. In order to be near Sam, Mon gets a job working under her. When they finally meet again at the office, Mon is surprised by Samās icy exterior, so different from the image she'd had of her. Mon and Sam aren't just different in demeanour; they stand apart in class and age.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/ab9950e2d89ecea3c523d856e0c338ee/2727d39f336d8143-12/s540x810/99d305c419dde28575480cef9e68069a901a7427.jpg)
17. Lucky My Love office setting
In the pursuit of love, Nabdao has been doing everything. She has got her fortune read. She's gone on a string of blind dates. Unfortunately, no one seems to be on the same page as her. She starts to think that perhaps her gorgeous and caring boss Pheem could be the one for her. Then Vela, her new team leader, comes into the picture and shakes things up with her observant and affectionate care.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/6d0bec300d35a6dbb9b86c44d8c029b4/2727d39f336d8143-9e/s540x810/31376b4b59e81d5882f6e4385f37197ddd9ccd73.jpg)
18. Show Me Love beauty pageants
Meena moves to Bangkok to achieve her singing dreams. She chances across Cherine who asks Meena to join her in a beauty pageant. The girls' journey for the crown begins and a romance between them sparks.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/94a6d8fe4ae7fb9f350f335e88ffea5f/2727d39f336d8143-14/s540x810/b1e2097c3e323ea75a6e5a00d4e07dc3ad9f83a1.jpg)
19. My Marvellous Dream Is You magical dreams; actress/personal stylist
Dawan's father abandons their family to elope with a neighbor girl's father. Turns out this is Kimhan, who Dawan has been seeing in her strange yet lovely dreams for years. While they become friends in reality, Dawan hides her deeper feelings, as in her dreams their bond goes far beyond friendship. She never realizes that Kimhan shares the same dreams.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/27ad639fbe5e9153bb02467ff9ce65dd/2727d39f336d8143-96/s540x810/f657334d348bd7bcdc607ab3821e23e59866f48c.jpg)
20. Unlock Your Love
Rain locked up her heart after getting disappointed in her past relationship. However, things turn around when Love enters her life. They embark on a journey to āunlock their love.ā
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/965b73486edb55db715b1fcd1a9b26e1/2727d39f336d8143-a4/s540x810/f632aea3e94fed9b9b6ae2e0db195c47729430c7.jpg)
21. Love Bully barwoman/heiress; obstacles
Irene and Night meet at the bar Night works in the night Irene returns from overseas, and hit it off instantly. However, their passionate relationship is threatened by meddling people who want to ruin it.
YouTube
Various chinese WLW mini web-dramas.
Various chinese WLW short films.
WLW as side couples:
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/986747c063c77cd99f8f146f781ca2ea/2727d39f336d8143-ea/s540x810/01b37d23667f6107175d9f1b2e171e27c13b4b5e.jpg)
1. Wedding Plan mlm wedding planner/groom; lavender marriage
Nuea is a professional wedding planner. Sailom happens to be the perfect man for Nuea based on his visual considerations for a man. But the universe has an unimaginable sense of humor as Sailom and his fiance Yiwa turn out to be Nuea's new clients.
Uncut 18+ on iQIYI or cut on Youtube & iQIYI (special episode), girls don't have high heat scenes here so you can just watch Youtube version for them
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/7fbf762f6e8f4fdb750062d4dd0974b1/2727d39f336d8143-04/s540x810/81185a48143088ff8609a0b9f7a269f9917edbe3.jpg)
2. Love Sea mlm rich big city writer/countryside diver; class difference; wlw personal assistant/celebrity
Tongrak is a writer of popular romance novels. After travelling to countryside in search of inspiration, he chances to meet an irritating southern man Mahasamut. When they end up in bed together, however, Tongrak finds himself hooked. Tongrak has a secretary Mook and a popular actress best friend Vi. Vi enjoys ordering Mook around as if she was her own assistant.
Uncut 18+ on iQIYI or cut on Youtube
With smaller screentime there are wlw side couples in shows: Bad Buddy, I Feel You Linger In The Air (this one has period typical homophobia and assault though, so careful).
Bigger list of asian GL shows: link [tumblr post].
Transfeminine representation in asian QLs:
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/7272b6039481e2324e4a9a2990ea23f9/2727d39f336d8143-b9/s540x810/19161423152c4f528a3afa81e9297199b9b214a9.jpg)
1. 23.5
Secondary couple are a pair of teachers, both of them trans women played by trans women. For now this is the only show that has a sapphic trans plotline, even though small.
YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/8950212f36a69177d19be9cd054c3301/2727d39f336d8143-87/s540x810/0bbd05999564aaf1a7b6c3996d8ba44a9fd7226a.jpg)
2. 3 Will Be Free polyamorous trio; on the run; mafia
After an unexpected event that involves sex work and mafia gangs, three individuals find themselves on-the-run together as they attempt to escape death. Important secondary character is a trans woman played by a trans female actress. Has a trans storyline in the show (the girl gets male romantic partners). Trigger warning for transphobia. YouTube
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/27c7f0f2da7d34d31547cfeabb5a0d5a/2727d39f336d8143-1b/s540x810/f732170220724b76f129c868d3d81b636b657296.jpg)
3. Secret Crush On You ānerdā/popular guy; queer friend group; university setting
A nerdy young man Toh fell in love with a popular third-year senior. Because his dream is so far from reach, observing is the only thing he could do. Toh has a queer friend group, one of them is a transfeminine/3rd gender/kathoey character Daisy. Can be a bit jarring for a western person at first, but her story is very lovely if you give this girl a chance (also gets male romantic partner).
YouTube
Noticeable small appearances of trans female characters: The Sign (the actress Yoshi was the 2019 winner of Thailand's biggest trans beauty pageant, YouTube), Not Me (YouTube), You're My Sky (Viki), KinnPorsche (iQIYI).
Sadly we aren't at a point where Thailand makes shows with trans people as leads yet, even though I so badly wish it was already a thing. But trans women and kathoey generally have supporting roles in BL and GL shows very often, so you can see them a lot in stuff! It's the transmascs who never ever appear here!
Queer shows directed by trans women and transfem people:
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/6f46908fe69b67826952bdb09fef63b5/2727d39f336d8143-4d/s540x810/40ef86846b637c472c95b3f0f88196c4b5c2540a.jpg)
Anucha Boonyawatana is a trans woman and the director of Not Me, mlm show about anarchist freedom fighters (YouTube).
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/d633aa57fd487e3229cf1a37fd6cc69b/2727d39f336d8143-fe/s540x810/b05cc7508c05135ef6ba67875152334274030488.jpg)
Golf Tanwarin is a nonbinary director and the first openly transgender person to have been elected as a member of parliament in Thailand. They were the one who submitted the thai marriage equality bill to parliament, which since then has been approved in 2024 and came in legal force 2 weeks ago. Their directing works: Love Bully (wlw, listed above), The Eclipse (mlm show about repressed boys in a corrupted school system, YouTube), Wandee Goodday (mlm boxer/doctor romcom, Viki).
Just in case, adding shows where I personally enjoyed headcanoning characters as transgirls or enby transfems sometimes:
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/b2739b49f38dbef9006ffce86e8dab5f/2727d39f336d8143-20/s540x810/51855994117a5d1b9650b548be2145cee2cb5a4c.jpg)
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/8be2e1da54628f1d8f08b9a610ab7f10/2727d39f336d8143-8d/s540x810/90ec75c191ed58f12270c0ea089d3b50c7c5df5b.jpg)
1. Meet You At The Blossom
Romantic interest is wearing female clothes and makeup for disguise in the first episodes, and despite not passing well no one questions that this is a woman. The character is happily called "wife" by the lead character until the end of the show.
YouTube & GagaOOLala & Viki & iQIYI
2. The Sign
Main character used to be a female snake princess in his past reincarnation. Sometimes played by a female actress, sometimes by a male actor, but always referred to as a princess and wearing period thai female clothes. It's also possible to headcanon the character as a transmasc here though, it's really neat.
YouTube
Many of all these shows are free on YouTube, in other cases I recommend paying for subscriptions to show appreciation and support of content in order to get more of it in the future, but if you can't or don't want to, you can watch online on KissKH or get files from MkvDrama!
Blogs you can follow to get updates and posts specifically about asian GLs: @girlsloveupdates @glgifs
#asks#gl dramas#ql#wlw#lesbian#sapphic#transgender#sorry im sleep deprived so there might be mistakes but if anyone notices anything tell me i will fix them#also sorry bun i wanted to make gifs but my other project is so big it took the whole night and all past nights :( i tried picking the most#fitting posters but they still don't represent the essence of those shows that well
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The Very Important Internet BL (VIIB) Awards 2024
AND WE'RE BACK
It's time for NiNi's and Ben's favorite annual tradition: our VIIB Awards! Come join us as we hand out awards for Acting, Ships, Immortal Technique, and Top Tings!
Then, stick around as we talk about our special class awards for queer works that don't necessarily qualify as QL.
We will include the Winner's List at the top of the transcript below (so scroll past it if you want to avoid spoilers).
Timestamps
The timestamps will now correspond with chapters on Spotify for easier navigation.
00:00:00 - Welcome 00:00:55 - Introduction: It's Awards Season Once More 00:02:09 - Acting! 00:08:00 - Ships Ahoy! 00:16:31 - Immortal Technique 00:29:05 - Top Tings 00:41:43 - Special Class Awards 00:43:11 - Special Class: Honourable Mentions 00:47:36 - Special Class: Mark Pakin 6th Man Awards 00:51:13 - Special Class: Standout Queer Narratives 01:06:00 - Outro
The Conversation Transcripts!
Thanks to the continued efforts of @lurkingshan as an editor and proofreader, we are able to bring you transcripts of the episodes.
We will endeavor to make the transcripts available when the episodes launch, and it is our goal to make them available for past episodes (Coming soon thanks to @wen-kexing-apologist). When transcripts are available, we will attach them to the episode post (like this one) and put the transcript behind a Read More cut to cut down on scrolling.
Please send our volunteers your thanks!
Winnersā List:
Rising Star: Aungpao Ochiris Suwanacheep (Dynamite, Cooking Crush; Khaopan, My Love Mix Up, TH)
Best Cast: Modi (Wei Qian), Kurt Huang (Wei Zhi Yuan), Tammy Lin (Wei Li Li), Kim Jae Hoon (San Pang) (Unknown, TW)
Best Pair: Tay Tawan Vihokratana (Karan) and New Thitipoom Techa-apaikhun (Achi) (Cherry Magic Thailand, TH)
Best Actor: Lee Tae Vin (Tae Myung Ha, Love for Loveās Sake, KR)
Best Ghost Ship: Mawin/Ton (23.5, TH)
Best Friendship: Three Must-eat-eers: Prem, Dynamite, Samsee (Cooking Crush, TH)
Best Side Ship: Fire/Dynamite (Cooking Crush, TH)
Best Main Ship: Shiba/Haruto (Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Love Is A Poison), JP)
Best OST Song: āCaminoā - Let Free The Curse Of Taekwondo, KR (performed by Gogang, music and lyrics by Gogang and Jung Mijin)
Best Music: 4Minutes, TH (Banana Sound Studio, composer: Toy Terdsak Janpan, MS: Pimmata Patpibul, Jeerapat Jongkolsongkroh)
Best Production: Love For Love's Sake, KR (AD: Ha Ye Rim)
Best Original Story: Hwang Da Seul (Let Free The Curse Of Taekwondo, KR)
Best Adapted Story: Toyama Erika (I Became the Star of a BL Drama, adapted from BL Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita by Suzuri Machi, JP)
Best Direction: 25 Ji, Akasaka de (At 25:00 In Akasaka), JP (Dir: Horie Takahiro and Kawasaki Ryo, DP: Hanamura Yasushi, Ed: Kitani Mizuki)
Best GL: Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna (She Loves to Cook and She Loves To Eat) (NHK, JP)
Best Pulp: Knock Knock, Boys! (Kongthup Production/WeTV, TH)
Best Romantic Comedy: Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Love Is A Poison) (TBS, JP)
Best Romantic Drama: 25 Ji, Akasaka de (At 25:00 In Akasaka) (TV Tokyo, JP)
Best Genre Romance: Love For Loveās Sake (Wavve Studios, KR)
Show of the Year: Let Free The Curse Of Taekwondo (Studio Him Energetic Company, KR)
Honourable Mentions:Ā
7 Days Before Valentine (TH) - Experimental
Tadaima Okaeri and Twilight Out of Focus (JP) - Animated
6th Man Awards:Ā
Dome Jaruwat Cheawaram (Cooking Crush, Jack & Joker)
Title Kirati Puangmalee (We Are, Wandee Goodday, Kidnap)
Standout Queer Narratives:Ā
Ossan no Pantsu ga Nandatte Ii Janai ka (Donāt Care For An Old Manās Underwear) (JP) - family drama
Marahuyo Project (PH) - community drama
Love In The Big City (KR) - slice of life drama
Kimi no Tsugu Kaori wa (Fragrance You Inherit) (JP) - family drama
Interview With the Vampire (US) - southern gothic drama
00:00:00 - Welcome
NiNi
Welcome to The Conversation, the Queer Media And Brown Liquor Podcast.
Ben
I'm Ben, the media critic.
NiNi
Iām NiNi, the VIIBs queen.
Ben
And we are your drunk Caribbean uncle and auntie who are sitting on the porch in the rocking chairs.
NiNi
Weāre here to talk queer film and dramas, with a special focus on Asian QL.
Ben
So if you like to dive deep into queer storiesā¦
NiNi
If you like cracked out takes on art and commerce in queer mediaā¦
Ben
If you just enjoy simping for attractive peopleā¦
NiNi
We believe in simping!
Ben
Tune in!
00:00:55 - Introduction: It's Awards Season Once More
*trumpet fanfare*
BenĀ
And we're back. It's time for our favorite annual tradition. It's time for the VIIB Awards.
NiNiĀ
Yes, we are here to discuss all the best things that we saw in 2024 and that you should watch, as well. We've got five main categories in the VIIB Awards. Acting, ships, immortal technique, top tings, and our special class awards.
BenĀ
For those of you who are new to us, this is the Very Important Internet BL Awards. NiNi and I started our show on this and we will be handing out plates once again to our favorite boys, girls, and otherwise stellar performers.
BenĀ
NiNi got deep into her cups before we started and she was late, so unfortunately I am also deep into my cups already.
NiNi
So we're just gonna have some fun and try to get through these as quickly as possible before we get blotto.
00:02:09 - Acting!
NiNi
Let's start with our acting awards.
The great thing about being an actor is that you're invited into people's worlds that you normally would never be invited into. People want to tell their stories, they want to be seen, they want to be understood. As an actor you just get to go on these incredible journeys that most people are never invited to or never have an opportunity to travel.
Mark Ruffalo
NiNi
And the first award is Rising Star. Our awardee for Rising Star this year is Aungpao Ochiris Suwanacheep, who played Dynamite in Cooking Crush and Khaopan in My Love Mix-Up.Ā
We love Aungpao on this podcast. We loved Dynamite. It was the first thing we ever saw him do, and we fell immediately in love with the character. And every time I've seen Aungpao since then this year, he has delivered. So I'm really looking forward to seeing what he does next. Very excited about him.
BenĀ
I'm so excited for him. I thought he did a great job in both of his roles despite feelings I have about both shows. Congratulations, sir. We will be sending you a plate.
NiNiĀ
Did we ever decide what we're putting on these plates? We're going into the third year of the VIIB awards and we don't know what's going on these plates.
BenĀ
It is clearly gonna be like two Caribbean mason jars full of like a fruity drink.
NiNiĀ
Itās gonna be brown liquor! [laughs]Ā
BenĀ
Hell yeah.
NiNiĀ
Amazing.Ā
*xylophone sound*
Our next award is going to the Best Cast of the year, and this award is for the best ensemble performance, including individual performances, chemistry, and interplay.
BenĀ
This is going to go to the cast of Unknown, including Modiāalso known as Chris Chiu, Kurt Huang, Tammy Lin, and Kim Jae Hoon.Ā
This was really a special cast playing off a really complicated dynamic which takes place in-world over the course of years. So we had to watch them play maturing characters in ever-changing dynamics the whole time. Really stellar group performance from them and it resulted in some really standout individual scenes that are easy highlight reel footage.
NiNiĀ
They were the best cast that we saw this year in terms of the way that they gelled together and the individual performances. So congratulations, plate for you guys from Unknown.
What's our next award, Ben?
BenĀ
Best Pair! Best Pair goes to the best couple performance, including individual performances, chemistry, and interplay between them. This is basically going to, because this is a romance show awards, the best couple that we saw from the acting pair this year.
NiNiĀ
Best Pair for 2024 is Tay Tawan Vihokratana and New Thitipoom Techaapaikhun playing Karan and Achi in Cherry Magic Thailand.
Cherry Magic Thailand was one of the best things that we saw last year, and Tay Tawan and New Thitipoom have been around for a really long time. Theyāve been working together for about eight years, and every time they come back they're better and better and better, and I think that Cherry Magic Thailand was probably the best that I've ever seen them. I have not always been a New fan but he has shut my mouth lately, and I love Tay Tawan.
Best pair of the year.
BenĀ
I was really impressed by them because taking over a work that is so beloved and having to perform characters that already have very strong, memorable performances is a really difficult task to do. And I think these two did a good job balancing our expectations of their dynamic based upon previous outings with meeting the demands of the work that they were adapting. That was an incredibly well done execution by both of them.
*xylophone sound*
NiNiĀ
Our final award in the acting category is our Best Actor, and that's for the Best Performance of the Year. Ben, who is our Best Actor for 2024?
BenĀ
It's Lee Taevin for his role as Tae Myungha from Love for Love's Sake.Ā
Lee Taevin really wanted to take on a role like this, and he did such a great job playing the complex layers of darkness and difficulty that his character is carrying in this. It is hard to get too deep into the nuances of his performance without spoiling it for those who have not listened to our previous episode or watched the show. But in a year with some really, really strong performances within BL, the top performance goes to Lee Taevin.
NiNiĀ
He really stood out this year. I mean, we had a little bit of a hard time picking this one, but we landed up on him because Tae Myungha is such a visceral character. I felt everything that they wanted the character to have us feel. All the confusion, all the despair, I really, really felt the depth of his work.
Ben
Lee Taevin the veteran actor amongst the cast here, and he's the type of actor who clearly elevates other actors around them. That's a pretty important skill for him to have developed at his relatively young age.Ā
So congratulations, sir. Hope to see more of you next year.
00:08:00 - Ships Ahoy!
NiNiĀ
Moving on to our ships category.
BenĀ
It's time for our SIMPY Awards! Let's go girls!
Hot Priest: Love is awful. It's awful, it's painful, it's frightening. It makes you doubt yourself, judge yourself, distance yourself from the other people in your life. It makes you selfish, makes you creepy, makes you obsessed with your hair, makes you cruel, makes you say and do things you never thought you would do.
Sister: There's something wrong with your priest.
Hot Priest: It's all any of us want and it's hell when we get there so no wonder it's something we don't want to do on our own. I was taught if we're born with love then life is about choosing the right place to put it. People talk about that a lot, it feeling right. When it feels right it's easy. But I'm not sure that's true. It takes strength to know what's right. Love isn't something that weak people do. Being a romantic takes a hell of a lot of hope. I think what they mean is when you find somebody that you love, it feels like hope.
Fleabag, Season 2 Episode 6
NiNi
I'm going to let Ben take it away with our first award in the ship category, which is the Best Ghost Ship. It should have happened and we should have seen it. So who is our best ghost ship of 2024?
BenĀ
It's Mawin and Ton from 23.5.
This is how Euro can still win. We're gonna give him an award [NiNi laughs] because they should have let him kiss one of the twins in the last goddamn year or so.
NiNiĀ
He should have let him kiss both of the twins. He had the chance.
BenĀ
We went with this one because there was an interesting narrative reason for them to have leaned into the tension that his character, Mawin, was developing with Ton, particularly because of his crush on a different character. In this case, more than any of them, they should have let them kissā¦just a little bit.
NiNiĀ
Euro, we love you on this podcast. One of these days they will let you kiss a boy. I swear.
*xylophone sound*
Okay, moving on to the greatest of the ships, Best Friendship.
BenĀ
This goes to our best besties of the year. This is not an award for the people who are the best at supporting the romantic outcomes for a couple. It is about the characters whose friendship itself is so critical to the function of these characters' lives that it in some ways challenges or even supersedes any of the romances that occur in the work.Ā
NiNiĀ
Our winners for Best Friendship go to the Three Must-eat-ers Prem, Dynamite, and Samsee from Cooking Crush, because without their friendship Cooking Crush does not work at all. It is probably more central to the story than the relationships between Prem and Ten and between Dynamite and Fire. They focus on each other and they care about each other and they're allowed to get angry at each other and when they're angry at each other they apologize for the stupid shit that they did.
Ben
We had two veteran actors who I love a lot playing Samsee and Prem with a newcomer in Dynamite. And I think it was really impressive to see the two veterans support the newcomer and create a beloved character as a result.Ā
This group has a real fight and breakdown in the show that challenges the core friendship itself. I found myself more moved by the resolution of the fight this friend group was having than I was any of the romantic challenges.
NiNiĀ
Congratulations to the Three Must-eat-ers. We will be sending you a plate.
*xylophone sound*
BenĀ
On to Best Side Ship, NiNi's favorite award every goddamn year! [both laugh]
NiNiĀ
We decided this year that we were not gonna fight over this award. The best side ship goes to the secondary couple who best reinforce the themes of the primary couple's story.
Ben, you tell the people who has won.
BenĀ
It's going to Fire and Dynamite. You thought I was done awarding Aungpao. [snickers]
NiNiĀ
We're never done awarding Aungpao.
Ben
You had this really interesting dynamic with Ten fighting his dad and Prem dealing with his own anxieties where on the opposite side you had Dynamite presenting himself as really forthright and open about what he is and Fire avoiding his mom. These two balanced out very well with their main couple of their show and it's not a surprise that the best side ship went to also the show with the best friendship because the character and relationship writing on this show was really stand out.
This was one of Neo's, not best known performances, but truly one of my favorites that he's done. I really liked what he did with Fire, especially coming off of playing Boston. That man is an incredibly talented actor and we are very lucky that he shows up so often for us.
NiNiĀ
Congratulations Fire and Dynamite, we will be sending you a plate.
BenĀ
I just want everybody out there who thinks I hate GMMTV to know that, while I do have beef with them, I am not incapable of applauding good work when I see it.
*xylophone sound*
All right, Best Main Ship. We are in a romance genre. We're here for couples that we believe can make it. This always goes to the couple whose love story we actually buy into and believe. These are the people you return to. These are the ones you show people and they're like, what should I watch? These boys! Sit down!
NiNi, who is our best main ship of the year?
NiNi
Our Best Main Ship of the year is Shiba and Haruto from Love is a Poison, Japanese title Doku koi: Doku mo sugeriba koi to naru.Ā
The show was hilarious and had so much heart and Shiba and Haruto's relationship at the center of it all is really what pulled me in. The acting is amazing, the writing is amazing, this is a true battle couple (@lurkingshan). They got together and decided that they were going to stand shoulder to shoulder, back to back and fight off everybody who tried to come for them.
I believe in them. I believe that they'll last.
BenĀ
This show has a fist bump involving rings that legit made me understand what it means to swoon. This show whipped ass! It may seem like an oddity show, ignore that part. Just go fucking watch it (@solitaryandwandering).Ā
This show understood all of the reservations the audience might have from their initial reaction to them and went out of their way to demolish them. This show was fucking fun and I really loved these two so much. I will be thinking about that man's fake posing during their photo opportunities. I'll be thinking about that towel sequence where he threw it on him in the onsen. Don't think I forgot! [NiNi laughs] These guys were great.
NiNi
They even got to have a yukata moment.
BenĀ
They sure did! [snickers]
NiNiĀ
They fell in love so hard and it was delightful to watch.
BenĀ
I just love when a couple fights for each other, especially when one of them can't.
NiNiĀ
My god. He squared up and then got his ass beat. And it was incredible. [both laugh]
No notes.
00:16:31 - Immortal Technique
BenĀ
It's time to do some more traditional awards. We're moving on to Immortal Technique, where we talk about technical and production related awards.
This is one of my favorite sections every year because this is the one that rewards you for paying attention to details.
NiNiĀ
This is also the one where we basically talk about the people behind the scenes, the people whose names are in the credits but who don't get a lot of credit, and we always love to give that credit out on our show.
As a director I, I kind of, I, I have quite a good ability atāat the very beginning when we're first starting to write the screenplayāI have quite a good ability to imagine the film in my head. Like you know even the very first page of, of, of the script as we do it I can start to imagine the camera angles, the music, I can start to feel how the film's coming together and I sort of have this imaginary film starting to be put together and that's right back at the beginning. And uh, in this case we started this process about five or six years ago and then what happens during the course of the movie is that this this film that's playing in my head always gets modified because as you design the sets, you know then the sets that we've designed replace the ones that I originally sort of imagined and then as the actors come on board their faces put fit into the characters I imagined. And so my little internal movie is always changing and being updated so that, um, it's, it's you know it always ends up better. Everything, every time my film in my head gets changed it's, it's improving all the time because all these all these other people are coming on board and giving their input into it.
Peter Jackson, interviewed by Charlie Rose, 2002
NiNi
We're starting with Best OST Song, and this is for the song as recorded. The style or genre, does the song fit the mood of the show, composition and arrangement, production and performance, usage and listenability. Basically, is it a bop and do you think about it a lot?Ā
So Ben, what is our Best OST Song of the year?
BenĀ
This was actually a pretty extensive discussion we had in the background about this one, but in the end, we are excited to award Camino from Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo, performed by Gogang, music and lyrics by Gogang and Jung Mi Jin.
NiNiĀ
Man, I love this song. Every time it came on at the beginning of an episode, you just felt yourself sinking into the place that the show wanted you to be. It starts off with this acapella harmonizing that just really got you into your feelings. And then a little bit of piano, a little bit of strings, It was very not flashy, but really effective.Ā
If you have not watched Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo, I don't know what you're waiting for. Listen to the song in context, then go listen to it out of context. It's a great song.
BenĀ
I'm rewatching it right now with Emily. We just started the first episode and legit, the intro starts and she's like, it's one of those shows.
NiNiĀ
Exactly, puts you straight into the right place that you need to be in.
*xylophone sound*
BenĀ
Our next award is for the Best Music. This is the use of music overall. Scoring, music supervision, music editing. It's all about where and how music is used throughout the entire production. As usual, we had a lot of feelings about this one. But in the end, NiNi, we decided to award...
NiNiĀ
4 Minutes. The composer is Toy Terdsak Janpan, music supervisors Pimmata Patpibul and Jeerapat Jongkolsongkroh and done by Banana Sound Studio.
4 Minutes, one thing that it did do well was everything around the production. And the music in particular was very evocative and very effective at setting mood. The show worked very effectively through the soundscape. It was well done. Kudos to them.
*xylophone sound*
Ben
On to Best Production! This is kind of a catch-all award goes into production design and art direction, set design and dressing, location choice, costuming and hair, makeup, and a little bit of sound design color grading and editing. This is about shows that do a good job with their world building, their aesthetic, and basically do they really capture the vibe.
NiNiĀ
Best Production this year goes to Love for Love's Sake, art director Ha Ye Rim.
BenĀ
You've got a person who is essentially isekai'd into another world. Like he passes out in our world, wakes up inside of what feels like a video game. And they have to convey a lot of details about what's going on with the mechanics of the video game and all the ways that the world is behaving around him. None of this is very easy to do, particularly on a very short runtime. And they manage to give us all of the information and details we need without huge exposition dumps. And they do such a great job.
There are some key details, particularly the work they do with Tae Myungha's eyes and his hair in particular. This is one of those shows that really rewarded us as viewers for paying attention to more details than just what was happening in the subtitles or when the boys were at their prettiest smiling at each other. Paying attention was such an important part of really being able to embrace and understand this experience.
NiNi
It was incredibly impressive, the way that they built up the video game world and all the ways that the video game starts to glitch. It starts so subtly, you almost can't tell and then by the time it builds up you start thinking back to all the little things that showed up in the background that told you that the game was glitching. It is really serious attention to detail that they put into this show and for that we award them a plate.
*xylophone sound*
We're going to move on now to the writing awards, the first one is Best Original Story. So that is for premise, story, screenplay, stage directions, dialogue, character voice, all the things that go into writing an original story.
BenĀ
This year's award goes to Hwang da Seul for Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo. Welcome back, ma'am, and well deserved.Ā
My goodness gracious me. Good job, maāam. This was one of the most stunning experiences we got to have this year. Once again, you were determined to make us love some boys and then break them up for a ridiculous amount of time and make us really root for them to get back together. And holy shit, you did a great job this time. This was honestly such an unexpected and really special experience.Ā
The reason why we award Original Story is a significant amount of BL is adapted. A lot of productions, for a lot of valid reasons, rely on adapting existing work that already has a fan base that's ready to support it again and advocate for it. It's always really impressive when someone does something original that manages to cut through the noise and become one of the most memorable things we may have ever watched in genre.
NiNiĀ
The writing of that confessional scene where Shin Juyoung takes his cross off and puts his forehead on the wall and confesses through the wall. I mean, I don't know how somebody comes up with that, but I got goosebumps.
BenĀ
There's the bit where Hyunho is going to Dohoe's house to get something. And Shin Juyoung shows up and we just see the three of them staring at each other in a hallway. There is not much dialogue in this sequence, but that is such a charged moment. Incredible stuff.
*xylophone sound*
NiNiĀ
So from original story, we're moving to the Best Adapted Story. This is for adaptation of a source work from another medium or another culture.Ā
Ben, who wrote our best adapted story?
BenĀ
Toyama Erika for I Became the Star of a BL Drama, adapted from BL drama no shuen ni narimashita by Suzuri Machi.Ā
This was the first thing we watched on New Year's Eve into New Year's. This was the show that set the standard of the year for me. This show was legitimately funny. In a really short runtime, they captured the total essence of the story.Ā
What a solid experience to start the year. And good news, gays, theys, and themsļæ½ļæ½itās getting a sequel. [snickers]
NiNiĀ
[laughs] We are. We are. I'm so excited about that.
Congratulations to Toyama Erika, who wrote, I'm sorry, the best line of the year when the writer of the drama within the drama says, āWe will drown the audience in the BL goodness.ā
BenĀ
That line stands alongside āEvery fujoshi has a dick in her heart.ā
NiNi
Congratulations to our original story and adapted story writers, Hwang da Seul and Toyama Erika. We will be sending you plates.
*xylophone sound*
Our final technical award goes to Best Direction. This award is for overall vision, filmmaking style and visual impact, photography, cinematography, shot selection, and direction of actor movement and expression. This is usually awarded to the directing team, which usually consists of the director, the director of photography or the cinematographer, and the editor.Ā
Ben, which show had the best direction of 2024?
BenĀ
It's going to 25 Ji, Akasaka de, AKA At 25:00 in Akasaka. Directed by Hori Takahiro and Kawasaki Rio, DP Hanamura Yasushi, and edited by Kitani Mizuki.Ā
We just awarded I Became the Main Role in a BL Drama. And then this show released and I was like, are we doing this again, but moody? And they said, we sure are!Ā
And we loved it. I cannot believe we got similar premises in the same year and both were standout productions of the year. I'm a sucker for actors playing actors. And I really loved the work that went into this particular show.
NiNiĀ
The way that the show plays with the camera, inside the show inside the show, the way the camera kind of zooms in to immerse you in the moment, and then pulls back out to show you how fake the moment is.Ā They really make an effort to blur that line between real and fake, which is a big theme in the show. So very well done.
Ben
My favorite section every year. BL is really silly sometimes and there's a wide range of quality. And I don't think it's always for a lack of effort on people's part. But damn is it really good to have some things that are good enough that you are willing to show it to some of your bougie friends to make them sit down and watch some fucking BL. Thank you to everyone.
NiNiĀ
Thank you to all of our Immortal Technique winners. You will be getting your plates in the mail if we ever get around to sending out these magical plates. [Ben laughs] But y'all did good and we love you.
00:29:05 - Top Tings
NiNiĀ
Let's move on to our top tings. All the best things that we saw this year.
BenĀ
Historically we've awarded these on some genre lines, but primarily country lines. With the greater diversification of the genre and also the absence of certain countries for economic and political reasons, we have opted to not award based on countries anymore.
We are going to be awarding on genre-oriented categories only. With that being said, NiNi, take us in.
MC: Gentlemen, pray silence for the President of the Royal Society for Putting Things on Top of Other Things.
President: I thank you, gentlemen. The year has been a good one for the society. Our Members have put more things on top of other things than ever before. But I should warn you, this is no time for complacency now. There are still many things that are I cannot emphasize too strongly,Ā not on top of other things. I myself on my way here this evening saw a thing that was not on top of another thing in any way. Shame indeed. But we must not allow ourselves to become too despondent for we must never forget that if there was not one thing that was not on top of another thing, our society would be nothing more than a meaningless body of men gathered together for no good purpose.Ā
Monty Python, The Royal Society for Putting Things On Top Of Other Things
NiNiĀ
We're going to start with the Best GL. Well, there's no competition really in 2024.
BenĀ
It is Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna, AKA She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat from NHK in Japan.Ā
NHK really delivered for us and I was so relieved when they actually came back to continue the She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat story. Because after the first 10 episodes, we were not finished.
The ongoing exploration of queerness and relationships between women in the modern era was just so excellent in this show. It had adult women of various ages interacting with each other across those age lines and trying to support each other in meaningful ways. And we got really great development on the core relationship.
There was a lot of new GL this year and I'm looking forward to some more projects and I hope we have a wider field to choose from next year. But this is unequivocally our winner of the year. Nobody can compete with the chosen family scene. It's over for everyone else. I'm sorry.
NiNiĀ
I love the way that they expanded the show, expanded the cast to bring in somebody new moving into the apartment building, to bring in Nomoto's internet friend that she turned into a real friend. Really expanding the world and getting more into the relationships between all of these characters, all of these amazing women. I love it so much. It's the best GL that we watched this year.
*xylophone sound*
Ben
Our next award goes to the Best Pulp for shows with a small budget that have a big impact. It's very hard sometimes when you're working on tiny budgets to say big things. And it's really impressive when that show clearly has a strong creative handle on what it wants to do and what it wants to accomplish. It's easy to award the studios that have a lot of money and a big actor pool and can produce a lot of stuff. Something's probably gonna be good if you try often enough. It's always really cool when a small team comes out of nowhere and delivers one of the best things you saw this year.Ā
With that in mind, NiNi, who is our best pulp of the year?
NiNiĀ
Surprising absolutely no one, our best pulp of the year is Knock Knock Boys! by Kongthup Production and WeTV from Thailand.Ā
Knock Knock Boys! was an amazing pulp that used its small budget incredibly well. Some great acting, some sharp writing, just incredible all around. Took what they had and ran with it. I still think about Almond and Latte not having sex at the beach. I think that's one of the best scenes that I've seen this year. A great little show.
Ben
This show absolutely fucks. Go watch it!
NiNiĀ
Nothing more needs to be said.
BenĀ
[laughs] Girl, I am halfway through this bottle. I need to slow down.
NiNiĀ
I'm so leaving that in.Ā
*xylophone sound*
Our next award goes to the Best Romantic Comedy. Live, love, laugh. I'm leaving that in as well.Ā
Ben, What's the funniest and most warmed we felt all year?
BenĀ
This year's winner is Doku koi: Doku mo sugireba koi to naru AKA Love is a Poison.Ā
The show was just that funny consistently for 12 weeks. It's hard to be funny for 12 weeks. This show earned every single laugh it got. And they use their laughs to tell some really dirty jokes.
NiNiĀ
I just keep thinking about the succulents. [both laughs] The succulents making all those sighing noises. The succulents were one of the best things about this show and if you want to know what that means you should go watch it. It's an incredible show, incredibly funny. I laughed out loud multiple times. It's a delightful romantic comedy.
*xylophone sound*
Ben
Our next award goes to the Best Romantic Drama.
NiNi, who is our awardee for this year?
NiNi
Once again from Japan, the best romantic drama is 25 Ji, Akasaka de, At 25:00 in Akasaka by TV Tokyo. I am stuck on this show in a way that I did not expect to be when I watched it. Just the emotions involved between Hayama and Shirasaki and how long they've been going on and how tangled up they are because they are working together playing lovers and can't really disentangle real from fake.
BenĀ
I really think about the way Niihara delivers āAsami-sanā across the entire show. And I really feel like this show kicked into overdrive. I think it's around the end of episode four when Shirasaki is struggling with delivering the big confession scene in the drama they're recording within the show. The way we arrive at the end point of that, it's really one of the most effective episodes of television we got in BL this year.
NiNiĀ
I'm not gonna stop thinking about it ever, I think. Congratulations to 25 Ji, Akasaka de. You get a plate.
NiNiĀ
Moving on to the Best Genre Romance. This is for romance blended with sci-fi, fantasy, horror, action, and or mystery elements.
BenĀ
This year's winner is Love for Loveās Sake from Wavve Studios.
It's really hard to do sci-fi well and give the audience an interesting relationship to sit with. Without spoilers, I really like that the audience has had a wide field of complex reactions to the end of this particular story. I think that that is a really strong indicator of how well the show explored the various things it wanted to do. It's really, really hard in sci-fi to do relationships that are meaningful because in sci-fi, it's more about the human condition and exploring complex ideas. The characters are more stand-ins for societal ideas that the story wants to pick at.Ā
This was an incredible job with a newcomer, no less, delivering on a really compelling and complex relationship. Man, I'm still thinking about that shoes moment.
NiNiĀ
My god.
BenĀ
Hold on, I'm in my feelings.
NiNiĀ
The VIIB awards when Ben gets in his feelings. No, it was really so good.
BenĀ
He shouted that man's name and he said run and then his shoes let off sparks and I screamed in my house. The scream I scrumpt!
NiNi
This is really a great one. One of the things about genre romances, it's really important for the genre elements to matter, for them to be integrally integrated into the story and the themes. That's one of the things that we look for in a good genre romance.Ā
BenĀ
When Tae Myungha got the ability to see who Cha Yeowoon dislikes the most and he's going around and surveying the field, that hurt my feelings.
NiNi
My lord that was a moment to end moments.
BenĀ
This really was an excellent show. This was not an easy decision for us, but this is why this show pushed ahead.
NiNiĀ
Congratulations to Love for Love's Sake. You get a plate.
*xylophone sound*
All right, Ben.
BenĀ
It's time, baby! Show Of The Year!
NiNi
We are ready to award the best fucking thing we watched this year in QL.
BenĀ
If you ain't watched fuck-all this year because you're too busy, you got too much else going on. If you only have time for one BL, please go watch our awardee, Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo from Studio Him Energetic Company.
It wasn't even close. I'm sorry to everybody else this year. [both laugh]
NiNi
It was not. It was not even close.
Ben
Look, last year I almost fucking murdered NiNi over La Pluie. [NiNi laughs]Ā
NiNi
I do remember.Ā
Ben
We met in person and I almost fucking killed her over the show.
NiNi
But this year it wasn't even a discussion, really. Obviously we enjoyed some other things, but one show really stood out and this was it. Hwang Da Seul is back. And she's killing the fucking game.
BenĀ
We already spoke extensively about this show in an earlier episode, but we barely scratched the surface of everything we could have talked about in that show. That was a complete viewing experience. Not a moment of our time was wasted on extra bullshit. This was a stellar show and it is hands down head and shoulders above the other things we watched this year.
NiNiĀ
I just keep thinking about Dohoe asking Juyoung if he dressed up for him while he starts undressing him. Amazing show, incredible show. We can talk about it forever.Ā
Congratulations, Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo. You will get a plate. That's gonna wrap up our standard class awards.
00:41:43 - Special Class Awards
NiNi
Now we move into where Ben really gets to enjoy himself. Ben would not do the VIIB Awards if we did not do special class.
BenĀ
Here's the background for the new people. When NiNi first approached me about doing a podcast together, she's like, let's start with an award show. Like it's the end of the year. Let's award the shows we really liked this year. And it was all like super queer cinema type stuff. And NiNi's like, okay, but I want to give BL shows awards.Ā
So we compromised and we put all of the queer shit whose primary goal was not to tell romantic stories overall into their own special class so we could highlight them. We thought this was a good compromise because BL is a romance genre, and the shows that I typically like to award here are not romances. But these are the shows that I support BL for. The market that enjoys BL has enough crossover with some of these types of queer dramas that it enables them to get made. So, it's time to hand out our special class awards so I can once again talk about all of my favorite things.
00:43:11 - Special Class: Honourable Mentions
Ben
Let's begin with our honorable mentions. These go to shows that we think contributed to the genre for any number of various ways.
And I want to say to all of you out there nervously waiting. Remember one thing. No matter what happens tonight, you're all winners. Because as you know, it is an honor just to be *wails* NOMINATED!Ā
Iām fine, fine, fine.Ā
Nathan Lane, 1995 Tony Awards
NiNiĀ
I wanted to highlight in the honorable mentions 7 Days Before Valentine. We talked about this one a little bit in one of our grab bags. This was a highly experimental piece that I really enjoyed and has surprisingly stuck with me. I still keep thinking about it. It's not BL exactly. It's kind of BL-ish. It's not, it's queer, it's not queer. It's very genre, it's also not genre. It's a little bit of everything when I described it in the grab bag, I described it as something that made me feel like I was sitting in a theater watching actors do an experimental play.
BenĀ
It is from the same screenwriter/playwright/director who also gave us 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us. We wanted to highlight that Punnasak Sukee is still working.
NiNiĀ
It's very different kind of work but, I think, really worth watching. Our other honorable mentions come from Japan.
BenĀ
It's time for the Anime Awards. Brother in the booth, play the sound!
*bright sparkle sound*
BenĀ
There were about 10-odd anime projects that were BL or BL-adjacent that came out last year, only some of which were reasonably accessible to Westerners.
I want to highlight Tadaima, Okaeri and Twilight Out of Focus. Tadaima, Okaeri Ā is the best Omegaverse project that came out in this year. Wild time to be in BL. But Tadaima, Okaeri uses the convention of that genre to tell a story about a married gay couple with kids who are still growing their family, and it's really heartfelt. So many stories we watch are about guys getting together and the uphill challenges they fight to do that and whether or not we believe in them. This story was one hundred percent about that belief we had in them. These guys are together. They've already gone through their BL drama. We're watching them build a home. We're watching them raise their son and then their daughter.
This was a really unexpected and really incredible viewing experience. Omegaverse is not for everyone, but truly this was one of the standout narratives that I got to experience this year. I still think about this family at least once a week.
On the other end of the spectrum, Twilight Out of Focus was about a film club at a high school that allows us to explore three different relationships where in two of them, someone is already a known gay. This was a really special show that was unpacking a lot of BL presumptions. Studio Deen came back this year with Twilight Out of Focus. And it's continuing to ask the question in a context where a lot of people's first experiences with queer storytelling and queer identity is coming through BL, what responsibility does BL have to the boys and girls and other kids who are discovering themselves and BL is informing how they're going to interact with their potential partners? This show does this in a really elegant way without dunking on BL in the process. Also, the animation is gorgeous, truly.
Both of these are available on Crunchyroll. Please give them a chance.
00:47:36 - Special Class: Mark Pakin 6th Man Awards
NiNiĀ
We are moving on in our special class to the Sixth Man Award, or what we like to call the Mark Pakin Awards, because that's who we originally awarded this award to.
Interviewer: What was your preparation as sixth men?Ā
Jamal Crawford: You have to warm up different. Got my bodyā¦I knew I'd be cooling down, so I'm overā¦I didn't go to the bike, but I'll go to the hallway 'cause. I was stretching when I was on the bench. I was stretch off and I was mentally, more than anything, I would mentally put myself in the game before I got in the game. Oh, they're playing like this. They playing that pick and roll. He's sitting back right there. Okay, he's going for hands up. Oh, he's going for the left hands, okay. So I'm putting myself in, so I'm playing the game before I actually play the game. I'm like, you got more more. How much you see on my other plan? You like this, okay. You got to stick to it right here because I'm trying to send you left back to your right mother. This guy. That one guy is blitzing because he can get up the other guy. So I'm just watching different things, dude, and so I'm putting myself in the game, but I'm making my own adjustments. Before the play even happened.
Jamal Crawford, 3-time NBA 6th Man of the Year
NiNi
This award acknowledges the most valuable and versatile supporting actors of the year for on-screen and off-screen contributions. Our sixth man is somebody who can come on to a project, and just fire away, go right in. Basically, it's a gunslinger. It's coming off the bench and doing everything that needs to get done.
We've got two sixth man awards to hand out this year and I'm going to let Ben take the first one.
Ben
My award is going to Dome Jaruwat Cheawaram for his acting work in Cooking Crush as Samsee and for his composer work on Jack and Joker.Ā
Dome has been around BL for a very long time. I still listen to the song he sang for Until We Meet Again. This man has been in the streets with us for a long time. And I think he did a really fantastic job with the Samsee character. This man is always working. He is in the background somewhere doing something to entertain people. And we really wanted to acknowledge that this year.
So congratulations, sir. Thank you for all the work you do. And I really hope that people continue to appreciate your presence.
NiNiĀ
He is a great actor. He's a great musician, and he is one of our Sixth Men of the Year.
Our second Sixth Man Award this year is going to go to Title Kirati Puangmalee from We Are, Wandee Goodday, and Kidnap. He's been around and he continues to be around. And this year he gave us three very different performances.
BenĀ
He's been with us as early as Love By Chance and he started with GMMTV for us on Be My Favorite, playing a heel there. Once Gunsmile left GMMTV, he stepped into that role to be the dude we hate. Good job, sir. You're doing a great job.
NiNi
This year he also played people that we liked, so great. He was one of the best parts of Kidnap because his character was entirely unhinged and nobody ever called him on it. Delightful. Every time he shows up, I know I'm going to have a good time. He is a good, solid actor, he can show up and do whatever you need him to do.Ā
So congratulations to Title Kirati Puangmalee for being one of 2024's sixth men.
00:51:13 - Special Class: Standout Queer Narratives
NiNi
We are on to our final awards, our Standout Queer Narratives of the Year.
Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, showstopping, spectacular. Never the same. Totally unique. Completely not ever been done before. Unafraid to reference or not reference. Put It in a blender. Shit on it. Vomit on it. Eat it. Give birth to it.Ā
Lady Gaga
NiNi
These awards acknowledge queer drama works that are not primarily romances.
BenĀ
We're going to be talking about five different shows this year. Ossan no pantsu ga nandatte iijanaika!, aka Don't Care for an Old Man's Underwear from Japan, a family drama. We're going to be talking about Marahuyo Project from the Philippines, a community drama. We're going to be discussing Love in the Big City, a very complicated adult coming of age drama,Kimi no tsugu kaori wa, aka Fragrance You Inherit from Japan, a very interesting family drama. And finally, Interview with the Vampire Season 2, a Southern Gothic drama from the United States of all places.
NiNiĀ
We almost never talk about Western shows in standout queer narratives.
BenĀ
That's how good that show is. That's how good it is.
NiNiĀ
Let's start there then.
Ben
Interview with the Vampire Season 2 continues this narrative. Louie and Claudia are in Europe and we're dealing with the fallout of their attempt to kill Lestat at the end of Season 1. What's so special about Season 2 is honestly, Jacob Anderson. I also want to give some special shout out to Delainey Hayles, who has to take over the role of Claudia in this season. And she does an incredible job. Assad Zaman and Eric Bogosian really step up in this season and play some really stellar stuff, and Emily would kill me if I didn't mention Ben Danielsā work as Santiago.Ā
This is fundamentally a gay drama about unwell divorced people. And it remains one of the most compelling watches that I get to look forward to.
NiNiĀ
I have not watched this one yet. I'm working on cutting down my list this year by actually watching things. So this is on the list, definitely of things that I'm going to watch. It's been making too much noise for me to not watch it.
BenĀ
I will say sincerely, as someone who really swoons for really strong actor chemistry and performances, if you had watched Interview, you would not have awarded Best Pair to Doku Koi.
NiNiĀ
It's standout queer narrative, they don't go into the BL parts.
BenĀ
You all see why this award show works the way it does! [both laugh]
But sincerely, that's how good the two of them are. they're not really in a proper romance because they're so fucked up. [NiNi laughs] But goddamn, Jacob and Sam are the two men I look the most forward to playing queer characters. And this show has a complex lens on queerness over the course of centuries, which adds an incredible layer to the performance.
It's hard to do sequels to romantic stories. I loved the second season of Interview in many ways more than I loved the first season, but I would not have been able to enjoy the second season without the first season. That is truly what makes a second season really good, when it builds on what the first season did and elevates that to a whole new level; a really special experience this year. It is rare that I go out of my way to recommend Western Queer TV on this podcast. But in this particular case, I highly recommend Interview with the Vampire.
NiNiĀ
It's on my list and steadily climbing.
The next show on our standout queer narratives list is a show that we actually haven't talked about yet but will be talking about coming up soon. Fragrance You Inherit, Kimi no tsugu kaori wa from Japan, a family drama.Ā
Without getting too deep into it, which we are going to do on its own episode, Ben, just give the people a little taste of what Fragrance You Inherit is about.
BenĀ
Fragrance You Inherit is about a single mom and her son. And it's about her meeting the son's new girlfriend, who happens to be the daughter of her college crush. The son's girlfriend is the spitting image of her mom, and this is fundamentally a show about really kind people trying to do right by each other as they navigate some unresolved feelings across two different generations.Ā
This is a show that could have gone a really ugly route, but I really liked that this was fundamentally a show about people trying to take care of each other. And it was a lot of fun watching a show where the primary stress comes from everyone being really polite about some very difficult things. We get to see an older lesbian who knows she's a lesbian but hasn't told her son, navigate the unresolved feelings she had for her closest female friend in college while their children pursue a really meaningful romance between them in a way that I think honors the desires and perspective of all of the characters involved. It's a really special experience and was a real surprise for us at the end of the year.
NiNiĀ
This is from Ishibashi Yuhuo who also did Our Dining Table, Tokyo in April Isā¦, I think, and a few other standout Japanese dramas that we've watched in the last few years.Ā
BenĀ
There were not enough shots of shoes. I would not have known it was her.
NiNiĀ
[laughs] She does love shoes.Ā
This comes from a manga by Ogawa Maruni and it really surprised me. It's a GL but not a GL. It's about having built, after disappointment, having built really good, meaningful, happy lives, and then having that rocked a little bit by unresolved things from your past and where that takes you. It's also about parents and children. It's also about being honest with people in your life and how not being honest with them can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety. It is a great show. We will be talking about in a lot more detail coming up in a subsequent episode, but we wanted to award it a Standout Queer Narrative Award.
BenĀ
We already discussed Love in the Big City in an earlier episode, so we will not go on at length about it here. But we are once again stating for the official record of the VIIB Awards, that this is honestly the show not to miss this year. There is so much that went into getting this show even made.
The entire experience we get with Go Young across his 20s and four difficult periods of his life is honestly one of the most meaningful queer experiences I got to have in communion with other people in the last couple of years. Everything about reading Love in the Big City and watching Love in the Big City is one of the most memorable experiences I've had with queer media in a long time. And I cannot overstate how good this show is and how significant the existence of the show is.Ā
This show for many ways fills the same sort of place as Moonlight in my queer cinema taste in viewing. I can't really chat with a queer cinephile who hasn't watched Moonlight, and Love in the Big CityĀ is very quickly becoming one of those things. If you haven't watched Love in the Big City do not talk to me.Ā
Watch this one, for fuck's sake! It's that good. You owe it to yourself to get this into your psyche.
NiNiĀ
We talked about this show for maybe close to an hour and a half of pre-edit time and we barely scratched the surface. Since our episode went out, we have been continuing to talk about this show and finding new things to delve into. We are not going to talk about it forever, but we could. Watch it, it's worth everything, and it is one of our standout queer narratives of the year.
Our next standout queer narrative is Marahuyo Project from the Philippines. Thank god JP Habac came back this year. I was starting to lose hope.
BenĀ
I'm so glad that ANIMA Studios is still in it. And I'm so glad that they came back with a project like this. It felt really special to me in a year where I found myself really struggling to connect with youth queer storytelling, this show said it was LGBTQIA +, and it meant that with its whole fucking heart. And it put its whole ass on the line to tell the stories that it wanted to tell. This was a great viewing experience. And if you care about queer art, this show is available for free on YouTube. Please go give them some support.
NiNiĀ
I just can't stop thinking about the back of Archie's neck.
BenĀ
Mmhmm. And about Adrian Lindayag and everything that he does for queer activism in the Philippines, and I'm so glad that he got to play King.
NiNiĀ
Amazing show, amazing music, amazing writing, amazing direction. Oh my god, King's fourth wall breaks. Amazing. It was just such a good show with a lot of heart, a lot of real deep complex feelings to delve into.
BenĀ
The funniest thing about dealing with the VIIB Awards is, like, each one of these shows would have decimated other categories it was in. Like, Marahuyo Project would have decimated Best Music. It would have been no contest.Ā
NiNiĀ
It really would have, it really would have won best music.
BenĀ
I almost fought for it. I was like, I don't care. I'm giving it to them anyway. They're like dragging me off stage so Iā
NiNiĀ
[laughs] Shhh, come on, come on, come on. No, shhh, it's time to go to bed, come on.
BenĀ
We would have given Love in the Big City show of the year. Interview, if everybody else had watched it, would have definitely won genre romance, flat out. Like, that's how good all of these shows are.
NiNiĀ
But ultimately they are not romances.
Ben
But that's the point. [snickers]
Our last show is Don't Care For an Old Man's Underwear. We talked about this show at length earlier. This was so spectacular. This was a show where our primary character is an ignorant, misogynist, middle-aged man, and we were rooting for this man very early on in this show. And we loved him by the end of it. This show is so aspirational in a way that even some of our BLs can't really stand up to. Like this show believes that misogynistic old men can do better and have meaningful, loving, supportive, and positive relationships with their families if they just listen to them a little bit more. Good job, everybody. Way to really shoot for the best outcome you could possibly get.Ā
This show really modeled what relationship rebuilding and healing could look like in a way that I think is really helpful. And I really liked that a very well-known and popular Japanese comedian was in the lead role of this. Dramas like this are often really important because you have people with clout they've earned well outside of the queer narrative space doing really meaningful work in it. And these are the kinds of projects that often reach a lot more people than the BL that we talk about. Like, I feel like more people are gonna have had a gay storytelling experience because of Interview with the Vampire, more than some of these BLs we've talked about on here by a long shot. And I think for the Japanese viewing audience, I think many of them would have probably engaged with Ossan no pantsu far more likely than they would have engaged with any of the BL we highlighted on this list earlier.Ā
Really important to highlight these kinds of projects because these are the projects that are useful for you to show your friends and family. If you're interested in sharing BL with them, these are very good starting points to get into the rest of the genre because they are not BL, but they do open people's minds up to viewing queer media from places they might not have normally expected to get that.
NiNiĀ
Well said and I just love Makoto's turns of phrase. I think about them a lot, saying that the idol that his wife likes is the Okita family benefactor.
BenĀ
That is exactly where my head went, too. āSo Random is the Okita family's benefactor. I understand.ā [laughs]
NiNiĀ
It's such clever writing, the way that he recasts ideas into a way that he can engage with them in an attempt to understand the things that he doesn't understand. I really enjoy that the writing puts him into the role of doing that work.
All of the shows on these lists, of course, because it's our VIIB Awards, these are really the things that we loved watching. But I think I have a special place in my heart for Oppan.
01:06:00 - Outro
Ben
We talk about a lot of shows in this podcast. We highlight a lot of things. These are the things that will be talked about well beyond this year, or at least we hope they will. Please go watch them and be part of that conversation.
NiNiĀ
I think the other thing that the VIIB Awards forces us to do is even in a year that we're struggling a little bit, it reminds us that, no, actually there was a lot of good stuff, too.
So anyway, there we are. Those are our VIIB Awards. We're gonna put up our final awards listing as part of the transcript for this show. So look out for that when it comes out on Tumblr. But that's gonna be it from us. The 2024 VIIB Awards are over.
Ben
I'm currently showing Emily Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo and Love in the Big City at the same time.
NiNiĀ
My gosh, so you're giving her the exact same experience we had. Good job.
BenĀ
I sure am! [laughs] Can you believe that we got both of these shows at the same time? Like, how did they think we were supposed to process both of these shows simultaneously?
NiNiĀ
They weren't thinking about us, bestie. They were just like, no, we're just going to put the things out. It's time.
BenĀ
Incredible. I just love the idea that a bunch of new Korean viewers who might've become interested in QL following up on Love in the Big City had Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo right there being advertised at them. Like, that is so stellar.
NiNi
That was a very good four weeks.
That is going to wrap us up on the 2024 VIIB Awards. Oh my god guys, we're done for another year.
This year, let's see what's gonna happen. Is Ben gonna not watch in the summer so he doesn't get cranky? Stay tuned to find out.
BenĀ
[laughs] No promises, no demands. Love is a battlefield.
NiNiĀ
Woo. We have drunk too much brown liquor, it is time to go. We out.Ā
Say bye to the people, Ben.
BenĀ
Peace!
#ben and nini's conversations#podcast#the conversation#on art#lgbtq#bl series#thai bl#winter series#japanese bl#korean bl#taiwanese bl#filipino bl#the viib awards#winter 2025#aungpao ochiris#unknown the series#cherry magic thailand#cherry magic th#love for love's sake#lee taevin#23.5 degrees#cooking crush#doku koi: doku mo sugireba koi to naru#love is a poison#let free the curse of taekwondo#gogang#4 minutes#i became the main role of a bl drama#bl drama no shuen ni narimashita#25 ji akasaka de
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TTEOTM Master Post
Opinion/Explainer Articles
TTEOTM vs. the Industry: Or Why TTEOTM is much more than a TV show (link)
About the Mixed Responses in China and Why I Think TTEOTM Will Prevail in the End (link)
Clarification: There were never 58 episodes (link)
How TTEOTM made "clam town" famous (link)
Further Reading
Novel English translation: Happy Ending Chapters 127, 128, 129, 130, 131 (credits go to Micha101), Full Novel
Novel vs. TV: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (WIP!)
Screenplay: Cut Scenes from the Ending (link)
Worldview & timeline logic (link)
Easter Eggs: Part 1 (plot), Part 2 (production), Part 3 (costume)
Compilations
Viewership Data: TTEOTM is the most viewed non-dangai xianxia drama since Ashes of Love (link)
Costume Count: Luo Yunxi (41), Bai Lu (35), Chen Duling (16), Deng Wei (18), Other Main Characters, The Uncles
Fun Facts: Creative Team, Production (link)
Merchandise: Top 7 Officially Licensed Merch (link)
Promotional Materials: Videos (link), Poster: Main, Dunhuang, Three Lives, Character Portraits
Concept Art: Part 1, Part 2
OST with English subtitles (link)
Complete OST guide with timestamps (link)
Luo Yunxi's many talents (link)
News/Updates
TTEOTM nominated in the 2023 Seoul Drama Awards (link)
TTEOTM finally reached Top 1 TV programme in Singapore (link)
Goodbye message from Luo Yunxi (link)
Goodbye message from the screenwriter He Fang (link)
LuoYunxiActing is #1 trending topic in China (link)
Reddit Episode Discussion Threads
Hostage Prince Arc:Ā 1-6,Ā 7-8,Ā 9-10
Dream Arc:Ā 11-12,Ā 13-14,Ā 15-16,Ā 17,Ā 18
Jing Kingdom Arc:Ā 19,Ā 20, 21-22,Ā 23,Ā 24,Ā 25-26,Ā 27,Ā 28,Ā 29
Cultivation Arc:Ā 30,Ā 31-32,Ā 33,Ā 34,Ā 35,Ā 36,Ā 37,Ā 38,Ā 39,Ā 40
More on r/TilltheEndoftheMoon!
Shui Long Yin ę°“é¾å
The Official Announcement (link)
What do we know so far (link)
#till the end of the moon#luo yunxi#bai lu#black moonlight holds the be script#cdrama#chang yue jin ming#chinese drama#tantai jin#tteotm#ye xiwu#ye bingchang#xiao lin#deng wei#chen duling
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youtube
Happy birthday Wei Wuxian!
I'm so happy to share my first playlist about this amazing character!
Timestamps are on the way
#wei wuxian#mdzs#mxtx#mo dao zu shi#wei ying#ééē„åø#éę ē¾”1031ēę„åæ«ä¹#my favourite heroā¤#so strong and resilient#born with a smile on his face#Youtube
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Late night thoughts š“.
((EXTREMELY Long character analysis ahead. Vary Possible tw)) [I'm sorry in advance] {approximated timestamps imcluded}
OK the title is a lie. I actually think about this once every 2 weeks. [If that]
It's about in time. Specifically Raymond Leon. He's the main antagonist of the movie But no one focuses on how tragic he really is.
Let me explain
1. Timekeeper Raymond Leon. Like everyone he stops aging at 25, And his clock starts leaving him a year to live. Cannon to the film he mentions that hes been doing his job for 50 years. He's pushing 80 years old if we track it properly. 80 years!! Of age... (01:27:15)
2. Most if not every time we see Leon, He's always chewing on a piece of gum. And it said that gum is a way to pass time.
3. During an exchange with Mr. Weis Towards the end of the movie. The man worth eons, sitting behind a desk in front of Leon, asks how many years he wants wants for his services. And ray, with a dead straight face, looks at the man and says.
"there aren't enough years, not even in your lifetime. Mr. Weis." (01:09:10)
4a. And that brings me to Layla. His little Dayton Mistress If you will.
All that Being said... Putting the pieces of his deeper puzzle together, Raymond Leon is much more tragic than he seems on the surface. Because from the outside the viewer is made to detest him as an antagonist of the film. And they follow.
But Leon as a deeper character. if you dig into what he says, and his actions, his little ticks and motions. you can see how done he is with his own existence. But he can't time himself out, That's just asinine for a man of his standing.
4b. She offers him 10 minutes for an hour of his time, The time that he has left and let's dwindle to the last second, habitually. He advises her to
"get out of the game" (00:22:26)
Because she's
"pushing 60."
Ray comes from Dayton, He managed to cross time zones and escape the habits of the lower class. That's how he knows all of wills tricks.
Meaning she's wasting her years on a job that will get her nowhere.
"He's conscious of the security he doesn't have a body guard and he runs" (00:29:18)
Leon has been there and done that. He escaped for a better life. But only ended up in a job that gets him nowhere. Working it for 50 years and finding no fulfillment.
He doesn't concern himself with the Justice that his role demands. He only concerns himself with the time that he usually measures.
"Seconds minutes hours." (00:41:35)
He has lost confidence in what he does because of what hes been through and what he's had to do and sacrifice.
In pursuit of what he does for a living, He will let his time dwindle to the last Seconds if it means getting the job completed, keeping up that front and not letting any one see what he actually thinks.
Chewing gum to pass the time, Remarking that a man worth eons (!) doesn't have the years that Leon would need for his services. Draining his clock to his last hours just to see how far he can push it.
The lowest in the movie we see his clock get is 2 hours. And even with the other time keepers concerns, His only remark is-
"I'm still walking around." (00:50:47)
Dismissing that he's putting himself in danger.
And his dismissal of his needs is what brings him to his ultimate demise. 5 seconds left on his clock he watches it fade, Standing in front of the 2 people he had his heart set on stopping, Confessing that he can't turn back the clock, And to a certain point he wishes that he could. And he keeps the time because that's what he knows, He knows his job, he knows the rules. But it's not what he wants, It was never what he wanted.
"I keep time" (1:37:53)
he says.
Time keepers are only given A day. Every day as a top up of their time. Imagine taking A day every day for 50 years in a job that gets you nowhere and gives you nothing. (00:50:47)
He is practically invisible, A man in a coat. Defined by what he works for and not seen for who he is. Not seen for the story that he could tell. The lives he could save and the lives he could change.
Leon is a story in and of himself, He is a story of an old soul in a young body, he is a story of the day to day monotney, And he's a story of what people would do to stay alive in this world.
Being a timekeeper is the equivalent of being a cop, The Dayton people don't respect him, And No one in new Greenwich seems to acknowledge his existence.
Because of who he is and what he "stands for" no one would give him a chance. 50 years of only being seen as a one sided story. He's grown tired of it all. Stuck in a dead and job with no way to pass his own time. Except simple pleasures, intense euphoria, and a soul breaking livelihood.
He doesn't want to stand for what that coat stands for anymore. He wants his own life but he can't have it, It is stuck in the confines unable to reach higher.
He left the low and climbed the ladder. But got stuck in the pursuit of his own future, Tying himself up in a spot that he thought would make him happy.
He lived by-
"Follow the time" (0:22:26)
But he followed the time so far the bread crumbs turned to pebbles, and he lost his way.
Time is money, Time is life, But time can also be the enemy.
#raymond leon#in time#2011#character analysis#tw#time is money#time is life#but time can also be the enemy#tragic character#deeper story
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āNobody asked about my writingā meme
@aelaer tagged me - thank you so much! š My writing has become pretty private these last few months - I write a few pages, send them to @inthegreyspaces and she eventually convinces me to put them up. Mostly by writing sequels/prequels and my words are needed for context. š
Ā 1: what are you currently working on?Ā
Something I was so sure I would never write: Even more omegaverse, set in the world of Until There Was You. I have an unposted short story and two more in the works while @inthegreyspaces (who is responsible for all of that!) also has a few in the series in active writing. I also have another short thing, the third and last part for the Closer Still series. That one is annoying me a bit at the moment because I know exactly what I want to convey but I can't find the right words for it. I hope to get it done over my summer vacation when I can concetrate on writing.
2: summarize your current projectĀ
Ahahaha. Let's take the third part of Closer Still: The same as always, basically. Confessions in the dark. Emotional introspetion. Tenderness. Handholding. Endless devotion and love. A bit of Angst.
3: summarize your current project poorlyĀ
The omegaverse fic: Man fucked around and found out (not in the literal sense, though, that would have actually been good for him), now has to live with the consequences. And so does his partner. It's not going great. Also, who knew that nesting could be so damn complicated?
4: describe your favorite character or characters
Really? I think it's pretty obvious at this point. Basically I like my characters damaged but not beyond repair. I like it when there is a ton of emotional undercurrents I can dig into and when there's some chronic pain I can work with. I like them to be equals and have a good, solid friendship from which I can develop a romantic relationship.
5: post a line from your current project without any contextĀ
Wei Ying is still too thin.
6: how do you get through writers block?
It kind of happens. Sometimes weeks go by without me writing at all and then, out of the blue, I have an idea and start again. Sometimes I try to force it but that ends with me staring at an open document without adding a single word.
7: would you want to live in the world of your current work?Ā
No! I don't want to give up my modern comforts. (Although the aestethics are breathtakingly beautiful.)
8: briefly discuss your outlining process, if you outlineĀ
Please insert hysterical laughter here. These days I chuck ideas at @inthegreyspaces and then watch in amazement as they become fullblown stories. And then I write tiny timestamps for them where I don't know what I'm doing.
9: what is the aesthetic of your current project?
It was supposed to be fluffy fluff. Now it's an angstfest (with hints of fluff) and right now I'm trying to decide if it wants to go into NSFW territory or not. The last sentence I wrote is literally:
He was undecided on how to continue.
10: what song sums up your current work the best?
youtube
Tagging: @inthegreyspaces, @gravitywonagain, @illicien and @descaladumidera. (And whoever feels inspired to do this, I think many of my mutuals are not writing at the moment.)
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#AO3 Link#FanFiction#AO3 Wangxian#ā„#Wangxian#Jiang Yanli#MDZS#ā£#āļø#R:M#Modern AU#Witch AU#Magic AU#A:Occultings
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Look I don't think anything is ever gonna be as romantic as them again. Just grabbing onto each other wordlessly. Lan Zhan staring at Wei Ying and not looking away for (checks timestamps) uhhh almost three minutes. Only looking up when JC starts to attack him. That's just peak.
#lz actually does look away for a second when wn disappears but when wy grabs him he lokks back and his eyes stay LOCKED while jc yells#and wy panics#until jc attacks and lz has to protect his man#they're literally everything#griffin watches things
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Biodynamix Joint Genesis Supplement Review - Is Biodynamix Joint Genesis Worth it?
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Joint Genesis official: https://rebrand.ly/jointgenesis--offi... Biodynamix Joint Genesis Supplement Review - Is Biodynamix Joint Genesis Worth it? Introduction: Hey there, and welcome to our review of the Biodynamix Joint Genesis supplement. In this video, weāll be diving deep into the product, its ingredients, and how it works to support joint health. If youāve been searching for an effective supplement to manage joint pain and stiffness, then youāve come to the right place. Timestamp: 0:10 - Introduction 1:20 - What is Biodynamix Joint Genesis Supplement? 2:30 - Ingredients 4:20 - How does Joint Genesis work? 5:50 - Benefits of Joint Genesis 7:30 - Side effects of Joint Genesis 8:50 - How to use Joint Genesis 10:10 - Where to buy Joint Genesis 11:20 - Conclusion What is Biodynamix Joint Genesis Supplement? Biodynamix Joint Genesis is an all-natural supplement formulated to support joint health. It is designed to reduce joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation. The product is manufactured by Biodynamix, a well-known health and wellness company. Ingredients: The supplement contains a blend of natural ingredients, including glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, turmeric, ginger, and Boswellia extract. These ingredients work together to reduce inflammation, improve joint flexibility, and support cartilage health. How does Joint Genesis work? Joint Genesis works by addressing the root cause of joint pain and stiffness. The ingredients in the supplement work together to reduce inflammation, support cartilage health, and improve joint flexibility. Glucosamine and chondroitin help to rebuild cartilage, while MSM and turmeric reduce inflammation. Ginger and Boswellia extract work together to alleviate joint pain and stiffness. Benefits of Joint Genesis: The supplement has several benefits, including reducing joint pain and stiffness, improving joint flexibility, and supporting cartilage health. It also helps to reduce inflammation and improve overall joint function. The product is safe, natural, and effective, making it an excellent choice for those looking to manage joint pain and stiffness. Side effects of Joint Genesis: The product is safe and natural, and there are no known side effects. However, if you are allergic to any of the ingredients, you should consult with your healthcare provider before taking the supplement. How to use Joint Genesis: The recommended dosage is two capsules per day. It is best to take the supplement with food to ensure maximum absorption. Where to buy Joint Genesis: You can purchase the supplement from the official Biodynamix website or from reputable online retailers like Amazon. Conclusion: In conclusion, Biodynamix Joint Genesis is a safe and effective supplement designed to support joint health. Its natural ingredients work together to reduce inflammation, support cartilage health, and improve joint flexibility. The product is easy to use, and there are no known side effects. If youāre looking for a reliable supplement to manage joint pain and stiffness, then we highly recommend giving Joint Genesis a try. Joint Genesis official: https://rebrand.ly/jointgenesis--offi... Biodynamix Joint Genesis Supplement Review - Is Biodynamix Joint Genesis Worth it? https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyiYnd3O6xYXinr8-SqLycw Hashtags: #JointGenesis #JointPainRelief #JointHealth #NaturalSupplement #InflammationRelief #HealthyJoints #Biodynamix #Glucosamine #Chondroitin #MSM #Turmeric #Ginger #Boswellia Keywords: joint genesis supplement review, joint genesis supplement, joint genesis review, joint genesis reviews, does joint genesis work, biodynamix joint genesis, where to buy joint genesis, does joint genesis really work, joint genesis supplement reviews, joint genesis mark weis, joing genesis benefits, joint pain relief, joint health, natural supplement, inflammation relief, healthy joints, glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, turmeric, ginger, Boswellia
Biodynamix Joint Genesis Supplement Review - Is Biodynamix Joint Genesis Worth it?
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[12:03 PM] āJunseo- Junseo, I have to breathe.ā You giggled in between the short pecks you were still receiving from your boyfriend. āI just canāt believe I get to kiss you ās all.ā He muttered against your lips, finally ceasing his attacks in favor of giving you a gorgeous grin, a nice compliment to the pretty pink blush dusting his cheeks as he too caught his breath. You couldnāt help but catch his lips again, cuddling into his broad chest as warmth settled in your stomach.
#kpop#kpop imagines#kpop timestamps#kpop fluff#wei#wei fluff#wei imagines#wei timestamps#wei junseo#kim junseo#junseo fluff
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China šØš³ A Guide to Some of the Best Queer Asian Shows
Full list here.
Most chinese shows are adapted from explicitly queer novels, the shows are undeniably and obviously queer, but nevertheless the queer romance part is censured. The only exception is number 4 on the list, it is not censored.
1. The Untamed period drama; fantasy
An epic fantasy led by a problem child who comes back from the dead 16 years later in order to fix the broken world he left behind ā and finally unite with his soulmate.
YouTube
2.Ā Word of Honor period drama; fantasy
The leader of assassin organisation Zhou Zishu quits his position in pursuit of freedom with drastic measures. In his travels, he meets Wen Kexing, the leader of Ghost Valley who wants nothing but revenge. The two become entangled in various machinations within the martial arts world, and eventually become soulmates instrumental in each other's redemption.
YouTube & Special Episode on Tumblr or DailyMotion
3.Ā Couple of Mirrors wlw; period drama; socialite/assassin
You Yi is a kind-hearted socialite and a successful author. Her perfect life is turned upside-down when she discovers a betrayal by the two most trusted people in her life. With no one left to turn to, she finds refuge in the friendship and support of Yan Wei, a lonely female killer disguised as the owner of a photo studio.
YouTube. the show doesnāt have a happy ending, but it can be a happy ending for you if you stop watching at episode 12 timestamp 28:02.
4. Stay With Me enemies to lovers; high school setting; unconventional families; slow burn
Su Yu is a high school student who lives with his single poor father. Su Yu gets a new classmate Wu Bi. The two clash right from the start, and after getting off on the wrong foot, their explosive relationship takes a turn.
YouTube or GagaOOLala. the show doesnāt have a happy ending, but it can be a happy ending for you if you stop watching at episode 24 timestamp 05:00. OR watch the full thing and look at this post after
5. The Spirealm inside of a video game; mystery; fantasy; horror-ish; hopeful ending
A game designer Lin Qiushi is transported inside of a game he recently played, and now he must go through 12 horrifying survivor game doors to survive in the real world. Inside his first door he meets Ruan Nanzhu, a mysterious man who offers him to team up.
The show was taken down from streaming, download files here and subtitles here.
Various WLW mini web-dramas here.
Various WLW short films here.
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Guardian Timestamps
@everyone who makes videos and gifs, maybe you have use for this? There are probably a lot of those already but I couldn't find one, so I made my own š
Abbreviations: SW - Shen Wei ZYL - Zhao Yunlan HPS - Hei Pao Shi DQ - Da Qing GCC - Guo Changcheng CSZ - Chu Shuzhi YZ - Ye Zun Color codes: blue - Chu Shuzhi x Guo Changcheng green - Shen Wei x Zhao Yunlan red - Da Qing & Zhao Yunlan yellow - Ye Zun light blue - general cute or symbolic moments
I hope someone finds this helpful šš„°
#éé guardian#guardian#zhao yunlan#shen wei#weilan#otp: we have always been friends#chu shuzhi#guo changcheng#otp: I don't want you to be my brother#chuguo#timestamps#helpful (i hope)#gif making#video making
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genre: optional bias (male) x reader (gn); fluff; established relationship
word count: 372
a/n: let me know who you thought of while reading this in the tags! i would love to know! xoxo (this is also my first time posting anything so please be gentle with me ajfsf)
[08:17am]Ā you open your eyes and he is the first thing you see. but really, it's not him you're seeing first. not quite. not all of him. you're seeing the galaxies he holds in his eyes and in the next moment you realize that he appears to have had his galaxies trained on you for quite some time. the light is shining through your window, casting a beautiful glow on his already divine features. you watch as the bashful but purely euphoric smile you've come to adore so much spreads across his face, pushing his cheeks into perfect apples for your lips to kiss. you don't. you could tease him about watching you sleep. you don't. he's caught but you're in love. instead, you simply raise one brow ever so slightly, inviting him to fess up or make up an excuse. you would happily digest either. instead, he doesn't say anything. his smile grows somehow brighter though you could've sworn that was impossible a moment ago and before you know it, he has enveloped your waist in his arms. his strong but gentle limbs pull you closer to his body, chests and faces only an inch apart. he holds your eyes with his. slow blinks, slow circles on your back courtesy of his hands. "you're beautiful," he whispers. he is just barely loud enough to hear but the earnestness in his voice is echoing off the walls. "you too," you return. nothing is more beautiful to you but you don't need to say that. he brings one hand up to your face, Ā gently stroking your cheek with the backside as he scans every feature of your face as if it's the first time. it always feels like it's the first time when he looks at you, touches you, opens his heart to you. your body feels warm. all of the feelings spill out of your mouth in a soft, "i love you." he nibbles his lip briefly, then his smile is back but it's softer, fonder. the sunshine replaced with comfort and security. his hand turns, wraps around the side of your head to provide you the same comfort and security in a physical manner. "i love you, too." you know he does.
#optional bias#optional bias fic#optional bias fluff#optional bias kpop#optional bias scenarios#kpop imagines#kpop fluff#bts fluff#ateez fluff#nct fluff#exo fluff#txt fluff#astro fluff#onlyoneof fluff#victon fluff#cix fluff#pentagon fluff#wei fluff#kpop timestamp#timestamp#optional bias timestamp#th: ob
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don't you just love it when you find yet another moment of foreshadowing that breaks your heart just a little bit more
#the untamed#cql#wangxian#wei wuxian#lan wangji#wwx#lwj#i'm just writing down timestamps for my videos#please let me do this in peace
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oh YO itās a good thing I actually decided to watch this vid!!Ā
Cassie just announced that she and Yamato got married last summer!! Their anniversary is (surprise surprise) 6/17!!
Apparently they didnāt even tell the other members of Mili until the day of the stream, lol. She said they didnāt really tell anybody, that nobody really knew about it.
I donāt know that they were trying to keep it secret - I think they just didnāt want to make a big deal out of it. They seemed to happily accept congratulations from the chat ~
#amazing!! congrats to cassie and yamato!!#i had begun to wonder if they were a thing :>#mili#project mili#band news#cassie wei#yamato kasai#omedetouuuu~#while the video's up - timestamp is 17:45#mili year end
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