#wlw series

[kelsgay]

fina valero 01x112

[wlwcatalogue]

Some WLW (?) Jdrama & Kdrama recommendations!

Jdramas and Kdramas have a (not-entirely-unearned) reputation for being very straight, but here are a few which are either canonically F/F or which prominently feature a female-female pair-- please enjoy! For those who enjoy following series in real time, Chaser Game W and She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat S2 are both airing this January 2024 :)

As with my post on anime with yuri subtext, since subtext is so subjective, this list only includes series which I’ve actually watched, and so is by no means intended to be comprehensive. Also, it doesn't include any webseries, since those probably deserve a post of their own.

At-a-glance list:

Miss Sherlock (8 episodes, 2018) (subtext)

Night Light (20 episodes, 2016) (subtext)

Tokusatsu Gagaga (7 episodes, 2019) (subtext)

Painter of the Wind (20 episodes, 2008) (canon?)

She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat (10 15-minute episodes and counting, 2022~) (canon)

Sono Toki, Heart wa Nusumareta (5 episodes, 1992) (canon)

Chaser Game W (10? 30-minute episodes, 2024) (canon)

Doctor X (7 seasons and counting, 2012~) (subtext)

Bonus: SKY Castle (20 episodes, 2018) (subtext)

Summaries under the cut!

1. Miss Sherlock / ミス・シャーロック (8 episodes, 2018) (subtext) – MyDramaList | AsianWiki

The elevator pitch for this show is simple: it’s Sherlock Holmes, but where Holmes and Watson – here named “Sherlock” and Tachibana Wato, and played by Takeuchi Yuko and Kanjiya Shihori, respectively – are both female, and the cases are all set in modern Tokyo. As with other adaptations, mystery-solving and the budding relationship between the two leads takes centre stage, but Miss Sherlock manages to carve out an identity all its own.

There’s a calm beauty to its visuals, which favour sunlight and urban greenery, and the show’s focus on former doctor Wato as she tries out new jobs and goes to therapy means that there’s a surprisingly high number of slice-of-life scenes. It’s also subtly more female-focused than the source material; Sherlock’s gossipy but good-natured landlady Ms. Hatano (Ito Ran) is as much a member of the household as Sherlock and Wato, and the cases often revolve around female characters. But more than anything, it’s just really fun to watch Sherlock and Wato’s relationship bloom as they snip and snipe and are utterly unable to stay out of each other’s space (literally – the body language and blocking is *chef’s kiss*). Their relationship is the heart of the show – watch this one until the end, you won’t regret it!

(CW: psychological abuse, manipulation, and genre-typical murder, violence, and gore)

2. Night Light / 불야성 (20 episodes, 2016) (subtext) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

(Note: spoilers for the mid-season twist, but it’s impossible to allude to a good portion of the F/F subtext without doing so, and I think knowing the twist ahead of time doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.)

Night Light is a rather odd show. It’s simple enough on the face of it, a story about  successful but ruthless CEO Seo Yi-kyung (an icy Lee Yo-won) who tries to mold the younger Lee Se-jin (a puppy-eyed Uee) in her own ambitious image, only for her protege to develop the conscience she never had and move to stop her dastardly plans… but upon watching it’s a totally different creature,  thanks to the alchemic reactions of some delightfully contradictory acting choices (Uee’s performance convinces viewers less of Se-jin’s supposed latent desire for power and money, and more of a deep love and devotion for the CEO) and the unintentionally (?) inneundo-laden script (“If I like something once, I never forget it– whether it’s a dress… or a person,” declares the CEO less than ten minutes into the first episode while gazing intently at Se-jin).

Honestly, it’s a wonder this series ever got made, but you certainly won’t see me complaining! The first part is full of boss/subordinate goodness; Se-jin is unable to resist the CEO’s magnetic pull despite her hot-and-cold behaviour, while the CEO cannot bring herself to push Se-jin away completely. And then, when Se-jin makes her mind up to stop the CEO, it morphs into a corporate take on a (subtextual) lovers-on-opposite-sides situation, where it is precisely Se-jin’s feelings for the CEO that motivate her to stop her. In short, it’s a workplace GL fan’s dream.

Note: If you do watch it, skip the corporate politicking cutscenes with the old men, you’ll thank me later. Also, there’s a prominent male character who is the CEO’s ex and who works closely with Se-jin in the second half, but don’t worry, all the M/F romance is in the past (and doesn’t get much screentime)– he and Se-jin aren’t interested in each other at all.

3. Tokusatsu Gagaga / トクサツガガガ (7 episodes, 2019) (subtext) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

Nakamura Kano (Koshiba Fuka) lives and breathes tokusatsu shows (think Power Rangers, if you’re not familiar), but keeps it a secret from her work colleagues to avoid being shunned or laughed at. And yet she yearns for connection, so when she sees a woman on the subway bearing a keychain from her favourite show (Yoshida Hisami, played by Kurashina Kana), she is determined to find her again.

Although ostensibly about being a tokusatsu fan as an adult, this show is rife with queer subtext, and not in the usual way. It deals with the difficulties of staying in the closet (regarding being an adult tokusatsu fan), the desire to connect with other queer people adult tokusatsu fans and how one might do so through hints and signals, parental disapproval arising from gendered and social expectations (that tokusatsu shows are for boys, and magical girl shows for girls), intersectionality and finding comradeship with other minorities people who are excluded due to their interests, and even generational gaps wherein younger queers fans may underestimate the obstacles that still exist. Although all that might sound a bit stressful, it isn’t actually! Difficult incidents are handled with sympathy and a dash of wry humour, and the show never loses sight of the fact that it – above all else – is a story about finding queer community in the face of a heteronormative hostile world, told with warmth and the nuance of lived experience.

4. Painter of the Wind / 바람의 화원 (20 episodes, 2008) (canon?) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

Adapting the novel of the same name by Lee Jung-myung, Painter of the Wind takes as its protagonist a gender-bent version of real-life Joseon-era painter Shin Yun-bok (Moon Geun-young), whose paintings are used to weave a tale of artistry, political intrigue, and romance, and more than anything else to offer modern-day viewers a glimpse of everyday life in 18th-century Korea.

While it may sound like Dickinson’s boring cousin, apart from having a common preoccupation with reframing historical works, another similarity the two shows share is that Painter of the Wind is also very gay. Starting from the first episode, Yun-bok meets and becomes fascinated by the courtesan Jung-hyang (Moon Chae-won), who despite her initial aloofness is drawn to Yun-bok’s intellect and sensitive demeanour. It’s a real meeting of the minds, their witty repartee in early episodes reminiscent of Twelfth Night’s Viola and Olivia, and their relationship isn’t siloed off from the main plot either: Yun-bok’s infatuation quickly starts causing issues with her academic career, and the two eventually have to contend with Jung-hyang’s precarious position as a courtesan as well.

Unfortunately, all this is undermined in the back half of the show, which tries to gaslight viewers into thinking that Yun-bok’s feelings for Jung-hyang were purely platonic all along and that she totally has romantic feelings for her much older male mentor— but hey, at least it’s an open ending. Despite everything, though, I can’t think of another serious historical TV show which features such a prominent F/F narrative for its main character, even nearly two decades later. (Let me know if you have any others! And no, Gentleman Jack doesn’t count, it’s not exactly traditional in style!)

(CW: period-typical sexism)

5. She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat / 作りたい女と食べたい女 (10 15-minute episodes and counting, 2022~) (canon) - MyDramaList

Based on Yuzaki Sakaomi’s manga of the same name, this simple but sweet show follows home-cooking extraordinaire Nomoto Yuki (Higa Manami), who yearns to cook large-scale dishes but doesn’t eat enough to justify making them. Luckily for her, her neighbour Kasuga Totoko (Nishino Emi) has a massive appetite!

It’s always lovely to see more grounded stories about working women, especially when they’re as cute as this one. Though it touches upon some slightly more serious issues, such as with regard to gendered expectations surrounding food and cooking, it’s primarily a feel-good slice-of-life show about two women getting to know each other by cooking and eating delicious food together.

Side note: if you’ve started it and think the show doesn’t look cosy enough, stick it out for a few more episodes, the production values improve after the first part! Also, the series was renewed for a second season with double the episode count (for a total of 20 episodes) which will start airing on January 29th this year, so this is the perfect time to jump in!

6. Sono Toki, Heart wa Nusumareta / その時、ハートは盗まれた (5 episodes, 1992) (canon) - MyDramaList

Sono Heart, as it’s nicknamed, starts off as a typical heteronormative high school romance: bumbling protagonist Shiina Hiroko (Isshiki Sae) is desperate to get closer to her crush Katase Masato (Kimura Takuya), star of the school basketball team and all-round nice dude. However, a spanner in the works comes slouching along in the form of female classmate Aso Saki (Uchida Yuki, in her debut role), a mischievous, short-haired personification of trouble who Katase turns out to have feelings for. One day, Hiroko gets into a fight with Saki, and they end up having to stay together after school as punishment. But that afternoon gives them the opportunity to bond over a heart-to-heart conversation, and things seem to improve… until, just before leaving, Saki kisses Hiroko. And then everything changes.

Or rather, everything changes eventually. What’s great about this show is that it doesn’t take shortcuts: Hiroko doesn’t instantly fall in love with Saki. Instead, what you get is a surprisingly layered portrait of a high school girl whose coming to terms with queerness is merely a natural extension of reckoning with her burgeoning sexuality. And, because Saki is self-destructive in her depression and makes a game of belittling, worrying, and infuriating anyone who cares about her, it’s really a story about what it means to love another person rather than a romantic ideal. A word of warning, though: Katase is actually quite a large character, as he and Hiroko end up becoming friends. Also, the ending is very abrupt and inconclusive, though rest assured that it doesn’t try to roll back Hiroko’s feelings, or pair either girl off with a guy.

(CW: self-harm, attempted suicide, bullying, homophobia, underage drinking)

7. Chaser Game W: Power Harassment Boss Is My Ex-Girlfriend / チェイサーゲームW: パワハラ上司は私の元カノ (10? 30-minute episodes, 2024) (canon) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

Probably jumping the gun here as only two episodes have aired as of writing, but I feel honour-bound to recommend this as it’d probably appeal to a lot of people, if only they knew about it! Chaser Game W is a standalone spin-off of Chaser Game, itself an adaptation of a manga of the same name by Matsuyama Hiroshi and Matsushima Yukitarou, but you don’t need to know anything going in.

Protagonist Harumoto Itsuki (former Keyakizaka46 captain Sugai Yuuka) has been assigned a new job: her company has been asked by a Chinese conglomerate to develop a game adaptation of a GL manhua, and she’s been tapped as the project leader. However, what appears to be an exciting prospect soon becomes a terrifying one, as the person sent by the client to supervise turns out to be her ex-girlfriend from university (Lin Dongyu, played by Japanese actress Nakamura Yurika), who is now married to a Chinese man (played by a Japanese actor) and has a child, but remains hell-bent on exacting revenge on Itsuki for their bad breakup. This is a romantic (melo)drama rather than a psychological thriller, though, so you won’t be watching Itsuki getting terrorised the entire time. While she is understandably upset by her ex’s current behaviour, Itsuki can’t forget about their happy days together, and Dongyu herself veers between being a sneering bully and craving Itsuki’s affection.

Do note that the show isn’t without its flaws: it’s very Japanese about the Chinese thing, which is to say it’s filled with comments which range from somewhat offensive to borderline racist, and the script will probably give you a headache if you know even the slightest thing about game development. Your mileage might vary on the ex too, as she can be really quite nasty to Itsuki and her teammates. But if you can overlook those issues, this is a rare prize indeed: a TV drama focusing on a canonical F/F pair, who are specifically exes, and in a workplace setting.

(CW: bullying)

8. Doctor X / ドクターX (7 seasons and counting, 2012~) (subtext) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

To be very honest, I was in two minds about including Doctor X on this list. It is, with a few notable exceptions, misogynistic and reductive in its depictions of women (especially in the first two seasons), gives too much screentime to objectively awful and subjectively annoying men, doesn’t respect the work done by medical personnel apart from surgeons, and on the technical front is formulaic, repetitive, and often lazy in its writing and presentation. Unfortunately, the dynamic between the genius surgeon protagonist Daimon Michiko (Yonekura Ryoko) and her anaesthesiologist wife partner friend Jounouchi Hiromi (Uchida Yuki) is almost unparalleled in its excellence.

The premise of the series is basic indeed: Daimon Michiko is a freelance surgeon with a healthy disrespect of rules and authority and, unluckily for her detractors, a cast-iron guarantee that she will succeed in any surgery, no matter how difficult. She’s initially portrayed as a lone wolf who’s dismissive of the entire hospital system and anyone who’s part of it— but her interest is piqued by the anaesthesiologist Jounouchi, who is skilled beyond her peers and chafes against the idiocy of her colleagues. For all its flaws, the first season – which is more serious and edgy in tone compared to the others, and isn’t an ensemble cast like the post-S3 seasons – is a fantastic depiction of two people being perfectly matched in skill, intellect, and outlook, and how they come together despite one being standoffish (Jounouchi) and the other not being used to reaching out to or even respecting other people (Daimon).

The seasons after that sadly ditch the emphasis on Jounouchi being Daimon’s professional equal, but in exchange offer up another rare and unexpected gift: two women in their late thirties / early forties who are partners both at work and in private. Jounouchi is Daimon’s designated anaesthesiologist, assisting with nearly every surgery, and she spends so much time at Daimon’s agency-office-slash-house you’d think she’d moved in. Also, after a point they just start being wonderfully dorky and comfortable with each other, while still being consummate professionals in the operating theatre. Although the show is very much focused on Daimon Michiko as its sole protagonist, Jounouchi is undoubtedly the character most significant to her – even more than Daimon’s father figure, the head of the freelance agency – and this is highlighted in the story from time to time. They are very, very good. I just wish the series was better.

Note: If you’re curious, I would recommend watching the very first episode in full– by the end you should know if you’re invested enough to continue, otherwise drop it and live in the happy knowledge that you dodged a bullet. If you aren’t so lucky, I’d advise skipping the surgery segments when they start to bore, and in general to skip liberally. Also, season 4 is not worth watching as a whole, except for the last two episodes, which absolutely should not be missed. Sigh. I can’t speak to seasons 6 and 7, due to having paused mid-S6.

Side note: If you’ve watched Doctor X already and liked it (or at least like Daimon and Jounouchi), but haven’t tried Miss Sherlock yet, definitely give that a go because there seems to be a big overlap in the fandoms. Maybe it’s because they both feature a genius protagonist, have the two largest female characters being work partners, and domestic vibes…?

(CW: sexism, genre-typical gore)

Bonus: SKY Castle / SKY 캐슬 (20 episodes, 2018) (subtext) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

(Note: slight spoilers for the early episodes, but it’s necessary in order to give a more accurate recommendation regarding the F/F subtext, especially as the show is not primarily focused on any one relationship.)

This one’s a bonus because unlike the others on this list, there’s no close relationship between two female characters which could be interpreted in a romantic light. That’s not too surprising as the show is all about the women of a several super-wealthy families trying to get their children into the top Korean universities (equivalent to the Ivy League) whilst supporting their husbands in the rat race: a decidedly heteronormative premise, albeit one that’s executed in an award-winning manner.

So why am I listing it? Well, it’s because somehow, in this series about heteronormative and highly gendered nuclear families, it features possibly the most erotically-charged dynamic I have seen, even taking season 1 of Killing Eve into account. (Though it takes some time to get there, so if you try it out, please watch at least the first four episodes before making a decision!)

That honour goes to the problematic gem that is the relationship between the main character Han Seo-jin (Yum Jung-ah), who is willing to do whatever it takes to get her daughter into Seoul’s top medical school, and star tutor Kim Joo-young (Kim Seo-hyung), who is known for her 100% success rate. It starts off with a mild push-and-pull, when Han Seo-jin wants Coach Kim to take on her daughter, but is wary of the shady rumours surrounding her; the tutor stands firm, and Han eventually has to swallow her pride and accept the risks. Where it really comes into its own, though, is when Coach Kim starts to pose a legitimate threat to everything Han cares for: her daughter, her marriage (or rather, what her husband can give her), her position in the world. It becomes increasingly clear that Han should just walk away, and indeed she tries to do so many a time, only to bend in the end because the coach is key to fulfilling her dearest wish– and so to Han, for all she rages and resents and fears, Coach Kim is nothing less than temptation itself. This is the beating core of the show, and even as the plotting disintegrates and falls into melodrama in the second half, their scenes together still crackle with delicious tension every time. Watch it.

(CW: suicide, psychological abuse, child abuse, bullying, murder)

[baifengxis]

confirmed gl (wlw) asian series to air in 2024*

23.5 Degrees The Series (Thailand)

The Loyal Pin (Thailand)

The Last Case (Thailand)

Pluto (Thailand)

Love Senior (Thailand)

Be Mine The Series (Thailand)

Dream (Thailand)

She Loves to Cook & She Loves to Eat Season 2 (Japan)

Fragrance of the First Flower Season 2 (Taiwan)

+ Uranus 2324 (Movie) (Thailand)

Most of them are either currently filming or finished filming and/or have announced that they plan to air the series in 2024 and we're just waiting for more updates!

"Pluto" was just announced today being gmmtv's second gl series part of the 2024 series announcements (but might end up in 2025 considering gmmtv's record...)

*Some might end up airing in late 2023 and some might be postponed for 2025

A few more that seem to be slow with updates but still have good chances of airing in 2024:

SKIU The Series (Thailand) Love In The Air/Step Up/The Perfect Song/Sun Moon Light Love (as of now they're gonna make 4 different series that all belong in the same story/universe)

Reverse4You (Thailand)

About Galaxy (Thailand)

[recentadultburnout]

We got a new wlw series. It is adapted from a poetry book that is determined to be written in 1841–1842 or 1841–1843!

It's call หม่อมเป็ดสวรรค์-Mom Pet Sawan. I don't know what its English name is yet or if they're going to give it one.

[moshuka]

blackout masterlist- n. muhl

!! - nika muhl hates you, everyone knows it.

!! - enemies to lovers, enemies with benefits

———————————————ʚɞ———————————————

1. blackout.

!! - tequila and makeup wipes.

2. sundays.

!! - hangover cures and horror movies.

[randomgirl005]

Avatrice and Clexa

Warrior nun (2020 -)

The 100 (2014 - 2020)

- I really want netflix to renew Warrior Nun -

[mrsconneryisunfaithful]

Okay sooo…. Can y’all go and watch She loves to cook and She loves to eat please?!! Because it’s just perfect. And enchanting. And calm. And full of everything a lesbian is wishing for. And it has beautiful apartments, packed with pretty little things. And friendships. And loneliness. And it has lots of cooking. And grocery shopping. And it’s funny. And also emotional. I cannot find the right words, but it is overall beautiful.

I binged season 1 last weekend and have already watched over half of the episodes of season 2 and I don’t want it to be over, so I’m going to save the last five eps for later.

Thank you @pea-green for putting it on your dash and mentioning it ‘a few times’. 😊 Yes, even in the tags of only partially related posts!!!! AND YOU ARE SO RIGHT WITH EVERYTHING. 🥹 It took me some time to finally watch it, but omg it immediately went to the top 5 of my all-time fave series.

Also, a huge thank you to @furritsubs for all the work you put into it and for making it possible for me to watch and understand it! 👍 The subs fit so well and they aren’t distracting at all.

End of bulletin. 🙃

[gl-saveme]

When the one they love the most hurts them the worst

Orm Kornnaphat as Earn Sanitada | The Secret of Us Ep. 5 Priscila Buiar as Valentina | Stupid Wife Ep. 4

[localyuridealer]

reverse 4 you

i dont know why people aren't talking about reverse 4 you as much as people have been talking about 23.5... they're both thai gls and are released on netflix. is this some sort of bias or is my fyp not giving me reverse 4 you content. I think this story is not peak but is interesting a fun watch when you're bored. please do support them! the more support they get, the more gls we can get from them!

[kelsgay]

Interview

Marta Belmonte, new LGTBI icon in 'Dreams of Freedom': "They come to the theatre to give me gifts or take photos with me"

[wlwcatalogue]

Chinese GL Webseries & Shorts for the Wuxia-Uninclined

Have you ever wanted to venture into the world of Chinese GL webseries and short films, only to find yourself at a loss about where to begin, or intimidated by the unfamiliar tropes and terms of the wuxia genre?

Well, worry no more! Here's a selection of non-wuxia webseries and short films curated by yours truly. Now you too can enjoy the lavish costumes and location shoots of these Chinese productions, so rarely seen in F/F works outside of feature films and the occasional TV series~

By the way, these are all translated and subbed by the inimitable Douqi (@douqi7s), whose immense contribution to the English-language baihe fandom is surely in breach of anti-monopoly laws. Offer up your thanks at her Tumblr and Twitter!

At-a-glance list

Webseries:

Ye-Mu Season 2 (1 hr 20m total, 2023) - standalone

The Vampires (41m total, 2022)

Ye-Mu Season 1 (27m total, 2022) - standalone

The Lost World (1hr 5m total, 2023)

Short films - order corresponding to the pictures above:

A Tale of Yearning (5 mins, 2022)

"She Brought Colour Into My World" (2.5 mins, 2023)

"I'm Her Weapon" (3 mins, 2022)

Miss Shen and the Woman Warlord (6 mins, 2023)

Women's Script (5 mins, 2023)

The Caged Canary (5 mins, 2023)

The Beauty of the Law (6 mins, 2023)

Flowers Bloom; Flowers Wither (9 mins, 2022)

Commentary under the cut!

FYI, I've opted to link directly to the subtitled versions since they're probably more difficult to find than regular anime, TV series, movies etc. If a link is broken, please refer to Douqi's blog directly.

Important note for the uninitiated:

It’s a bit difficult to talk about canonicity in relation to live-action works made in the PRC, as things which would normally be used as evidence of canonicity all fall under the censorship regulations— explicit references to romantic relationships or queerness, declarations of love, kissing etc. are all off the table. So while these may not look canon in the most traditional sense, they are intended to be read as such and should certainly not be dismissed as queerbaiting or yuribait. Also, the creators can get very imaginative, so this is less of a problem than you may think – see the entries on Ye-Mu Season 2 and The Lost World in particular!

1. Ye-Mu Season 2 / 叶穆 2 (32 episodes / 1hr 20m total, 2023, dir. Zhang Zhiwei) - MyDramaList

(Note: Despite the name, Ye-Mu Season 2 is completely unrelated to the first season; the only thing the two share is the cast, crew, and focus on Penthouse-style melodrama.)

Determined to take revenge for her mother's death, Xu Baiqing (Sheng Wei) marries a wealthy and much older businessman in the hope of finding evidence to put him behind bars. But first she must assuage the suspicions of his cheerily hostile second daughter, moody youngest son, and estranged eldest daughter (Ye-Mu Zhixia, played by Wang Laoji), the latter of whom Xu Baiqing dated in university and who is currently seething at the sight of her former girlfriend marrying her father...

If you want to get a sense of the potential breadth of Chinese GL webseries, this is a pretty good place to start. It does a decent job of matching the tone and presentation of a melodrama you might catch on TV (and in fact looks higher-budget than some I can think of), while committing to something that can’t be done on TV yet— namely, featuring an F/F exes-to-stepmother storyline and delivering on the drama inherent in such a premise. Of particular note is how the framing and behaviour of Ye-Mu Zhixia is very much consistent with that of a male romantic lead; thanks to some clever writing, it’s basically impossible to deny the nature of her relationship with the main character. They don’t even lean on the plausible deniability afforded by the label of “friendship”— in fact, in an early scene she is incensed when the protagonist refers to her as “[her] only friend”. There are a few caveats – the main character ends up in a lot of scrapes that her ex-girlfriend has to save her from, the reveals are often rather unsurprising, and the story shifts more to a mystery focus around halfway – but it’s still worth checking out if a Korean-style melodrama with an F/F take on a romantic storyline sounds appealing.

 (CW: violence, murder, attempted sexual assault)

Note: See The Lost World (below), from the same creative team, for an even more impressive example of Chinese GL pushing the limits of censorship.

Links: MEGA / Internet Archive (compilation)

2. The Vampires / 吸血鬼鬼盲盒 (7 episodes / 41m total, 2022, dir. Zhang Zhiwei) - MyDramaList

(Note: Spoilers for the first 15 minutes or so, because otherwise the summary would be “They end up locked inside with the monsters on board”, which wouldn’t tell you much more than the title already does)

Every night, Tianyue (Ye Miao/夜喵) has been having dreams about the mysterious cruise ship docked at the pier. Convinced that there is treasure hidden inside, she and her exorcist-cultivator girlfriend Xiao Ling (Wei Miao/微渺) sneak on board only to find that they are trapped there until the sun comes up. Things don’t seem too bad at first: although they run into two vampires – the cute, cheeky Xingming (Yang Fuyu) and her elegant mistress Su Tanya (Sheng Wei) – they are able to call a truce, on the condition that the humans help search the ship for the latter’s beloved (Fu Cha, played by Wang Laoji). But when Fu Cha wakes up without her memories, it is clear that something is terribly wrong, and that the ship and its inhabitants harbour more secrets than expected.

For a webseries, The Vampires takes a while to get started— it’s a bit difficult to tell what kind of story or indeed what kind of tone it’s going for just based on the somewhat campy and comedic first section. But after that wobbly beginning, it manages to pull itself together to tell a compelling – and sometimes genuinely tense – tale about a motley band of humans and vampires, and the truths they have to face together. While the ending is no happily-ever-after, I found it satisfying and hopeful, and surprisingly affecting. Also, a bunch of the characters have real polyam energy, and this is reflected in the narrative beyond mere flirting!

(CW: abusive parents)

Links - MEGA / Internet Archive (compilation) / YouTube (compilation)

3. Ye-Mu Season 1 / 叶穆 (12 episodes / 27m total, 2022, dir. Zhang Zhiwei) - MyDramaList

(Note: Ye-Mu Seasons 1 and 2 are standalone stories; each season is entirely self-contained and the second season is not a continuation of the first.)

The head of the Ye-Mu family has died, leaving the next generation to squabble over the inheritance. It's a web of secrets, lies, and hidden resentments, as the characters dig out old grievances and fresh accusations in a desperate attempt to one-up each other. They're tangled up together to an almost incestuous degree, and indeed, the F/F subtext here is the ambiguous relationship between eldest daughter Ye-Mu Nanzhu (Sheng Wei) and second daughter Ye-Mu Nanmo (Wang Laoji) (rest assured that they are at least not biologically related).

Those who prefer darker stories and don't mind the pseudo-incest or other content warnings will find a melodrama which makes good use of its short runtime to deliver on twists, turns, and an explosive - if tragic - conclusion. That being said, the story is about the family drama in general, so do note that while the relationship between Nanzhu and Nanmo is narratively important, it is not fleshed out in great detail and certainly not the focus of the series.

(CW: suicide, ableist trope (spoiler – disabled character turns out to have been faking it), ableist language)

Links - MEGA / Internet Archive (compilation)

4. The Lost World / 夏��知道风的甜 (1hr 5m total, 2023, dir. Zhang Zhiwei) - MyDramaList

(Note: Spoilers for the purpose of flagging triggering content, as it’s particularly easy to trip into for this show. Also, some vague spoilers for later episodes in order to highlight in order to highlight the themes etc.)

This webseries feels like two shows smushed into one: apart from the very beginning, the first half is a gritty, bullying-focused take on university life, while the second is a true-blue romantic comedy (aside from one blip – see the note below for details). But even if you’re wary of the bullying, I would still recommend watching the back half – which is basically standalone – as it’s a very funny and heartfelt story about two childhood friends finally getting their act together. Without further ado, here’s two blurbs!

From episode 1 onwards: After saving a classmate from the class bully, popular college student Xia Huaichu (Yang Fuyu) is subjected to a lengthy harassment campaign by the latter. She is suddenly faced with having to protect her reputation in the face of false allegations and fake nudes– despite the fact that all she wants to do is focus on reconciling with another classmate, a high school best friend whom she had previously lost touch with (Mu Qingfeng, played by Wang Laoji). From episode 14 onwards: Childhood friends Xia Huaichu (Yang Fuyu) and Mu Qingfeng (Wang Laoji) are caught in a weird gay purgatory where each has feelings for the other, and suspects that the other has feelings for them too. But both are exceedingly stubborn and want the other one to take the initiative in confessing, leading to ridiculous displays of I-don’t-care-isms and lots and lots of UST. (Does anybody use that term anymore??)

As you may have guessed, I’m not too keen on the first part of this show, nor the decidedly unnecessary attempted rape segment, though that’s partly on me for not checking the content warnings beforehand. And yet I’m very glad to have stuck with it, because the second half is not only hilarious, but also a masterclass in censorship-dodging that needs to be seen to be believed. Not just in terms of the suggestive scenes, of which there are many, either— the story is literally about two women starting a relationship and having to reckon with parental disapproval, homophobia, and other obstacles which platonic friends wouldn’t have to deal with. I honestly don’t know how this ever got approved, and can only applaud. Bravo.

Note: For those who want to avoid the triggering content, I’d recommend starting at episode 14, but make sure to skip episodes 19 and 20 as there is a foiled rape attempt.

(CW for entire series: bullying (incl. violence, fake nudes), sexual harassment, attempted sexual assault, fatphobic language, homophobia

CW for episodes 14-24: attempted sexual assault in episodes 19-20, homophobia)

Links - MEGA / Dropbox

SHORT FILMS

Quick note: Click on the English titles for the subtitled versions, and the Chinese titles (which are really just the video titles) for the originals. And yes, although the majority of these are shampoo commercials, they really do hold up as short films in their own right. Give them a try, you might be surprised!

A Tale of Yearning / 一见误终生，不见终生误 (5 mins, 2022, dir. Liu Yun Rui/流云蕊) – A bittersweet story about a literature-minded young woman (Sheng Wei) and a Chinese opera performer (Ai Ye) who bond over their love of fiction, only to be torn apart by harsh reality. Tragic ending, but I liked the more literary turn of the dialogue. Shampoo ad. (CW: homophobia)

“She Brought Colour Into My World” / “她走后，我的世界又失去了颜色” (2.5 mins, 2023, dir. Zou Hui Qu Le/走回去了) – A very restrained short film (actually, more like a music video) set during the late Qing era, wherein a sheltered young woman (Xiao Yu Za/小宇咂) falls for her female neighbour, recently returned from studying abroad (Sheng Wei). Lovely use of music and visuals to create a dreamlike atmosphere. Tragic ending. Not a shampoo ad.

“I’m Her Weapon” / 我是你手里的一把刀 (3 mins, 2022, dir. Liu Yun Rui/流云蕊) – A moody, interior piece about an assassin (Ai Ye) who yearns for some sign of affection from her handler (Sheng Wei), only to be left devastated by her new assignment. Surprisingly not a shampoo ad.

Miss Shen and the Woman Warlord / 我们是孤独行走的钟，但也要做敲响希望的钟 (6 mins, 2023, dir. Liu Yun Rui/流云蕊) – I’d like to describe this as being inspired by the story of Mai Jia’s novel The Message and the aesthetics of Kawashima Yoshiko (1990), but most Tumblr users would probably find those references deeply unhelpful. Basically, a female spy (Sheng Wei) disguises herself as a male soldier and infiltrates the mansion of a Republican warlord. There, she meets the warlord’s daughter (Ai Ye), who quickly realises that there is more to the promising young officer than meets the eye. Shampoo ad.

Women’s Script / 纵使“科考”无女子，无碍红袖书香，星辰有光 (5 mins, 2023, dir. Liu Yun Rui/流云蕊) – While sailing down a river, a girl (Zhi Chun He/至春禾) catches sight of a woman writing poetry on the riverbank (Sheng Wei), and is fascinated by both her beauty and her flaunting of the rules against women’s literacy. Shampoo ad. (CW: domestic violence)

The Caged Canary / 如果这是一场骗局，那我也只愿意输给你 (5 mins, 2023, dir. Liu Yun Rui/流云蕊) – The protagonist (Ai Ye) is sent by her parents to beguile a wealthy young man into marriage, but ends up developing feelings for his modern-woman sister (Sheng Wei) instead. Shampoo ad. (CW: attempted sexual assault)

Flowers Bloom; Flowers Wither / 她们一个被铁链禁锢，一个被男装束缚，直到救赎彼此 (9 mins, 2022, dir. Qian Li Min/千里明) – Takes the romance between a cross-dressing noblewoman (Du Ruo/杜若) and her supposedly-mad stepmother (Rou Lian Cheng/肉脸橙) to tell a story about the restrictions placed on women in historical times, and how resistance, even when futile, can still have meaning. Tragic ending, obviously. Not a shampoo ad. (CW: domestic violence, misogyny, accidental misgendering, gender dysphoria)

[starshipqstar]

Our animated queer scifi comedy series is out now!

All the animated episodes are out now everyone!! 😭🥳

Please like/share/comment on the YouTube videos! We’re part of an initiative where 3/10 teams will get to make a full pilot and potentially a series - so supporting the video really helps!

[brighter-by-the-daly]

Millie Bright x Reader

Part Three: Lover’s Auction

You were well aware that it was Millie’s game today and try as she might, she didn’t manage to get you to the stadium to watch her but she was slowly wearing you down. You wanted to spend every possible second with her but there was still that fact that she played football.. for a living. ‘Why I did I have to fall for a footballer, honestly?’ you’d say to yourself in the mirror while getting dressed. You wanted nothing more than to feel truly connected to her but football was something you’d stuffed away into a tiny box never to be opened again. Millie didn’t rush you into doing anything that would make you feel uncomfortable, she knows deep down that you will slowly come around to the idea of watching her play.. whether that be in a few weeks, months or years, she was willing to wait for you.

Y: Good luck today 😘

M: Thank you, see you later? 🥰

Y: If you win 😉

You were unsure why you had gotten ready so early seeing as Millie wouldn’t be picking you up for at least 5 hours, this made the prospect of having spare time on your hands even more daunting. Thumbing through the channels on the TV you saw the match was starting soon, hovering over the BBC One channel thoughts rushed through your mind.. ‘should I watch? I don’t have to watch, I could try to watch it, ughhh just press record!’ So you did. You promised to record the game, you never agreed to watch it! Watching the programme turn red to be recorded was like a breakthrough, you’d taken the first step.

Hearing dad rustling about in the kitchen you shuffled over to watch him make his lunch, “dad..” you interrupted his pondering of what to put in his sandwich today as he peered at you from behind the fridge door. “Do you maybe, wanna watch.. Millie’s game with me?” you asked shyly, looking down as you played with the ring on your pinky finger. Dad closed the door with a sudden slam making the contents of the fridge rattle around as he waited to hear a crash from inside and when that didn’t come, he breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at you standing nervously in the door frame, “are you sure, honey?” he asked in his soft and comforting tone, watching you nod unconvincingly. “Of course I will!” rushing over, stopping half way to gently put down the knife in his hand before embracing you, twirling you around the kitchen like he did when you were little making you giggle. He finished making his lunch then joined you on the sofa, “I bought snacks!” he said exuding enthusiasm, dropping an armful of crisps and popcorn onto the coffee table. It’s like he had been patiently awaiting this moment and had to make sure he was fully prepared for it. You briefed him that you may turn it off suddenly as you don’t know how it’s going to make you feel and he understood but all your fears disappeared when you saw Millie talking before the game. As a smile uncontrollably spread across your face dad couldn’t help but notice, “there’s your girlfriend!” he teased, causing your foot to slide across the sofa and land in his ribs. “She’s not my girlfriend!” whining as your cheeks turned red, “yet!” he taunted you under his breath earning him a cold hard stare. You watched the entire game.

Y: Good goal 😉

M: you watched?! 🙊

Y: I did, captain 🫡

M: I’ll be leaving in a minute, see you in half hour 😘

From that point forward you were texting constantly. Your dad had noticed a clear difference in your mood and your sudden willingness to say yes to anything he suggested. These past few months had turned you into a bit of a recluse but something about Millie put the spring back in your step. You watched all her games on TV and you’d see each other whenever she had time to.. which was most days. It made you realise that if someone wants to put effort into seeing you, they will! Towards the end of your last relationship your girlfriend started to make excuses as to why she couldn’t meet you as often as you’d like and you accepted her reasoning until it was weeks in between dates rather than days. Millie lead a much more demanding life between her job, other opportunities and commitments yet still made time to see or talk to you every single day. This is what a good partner is, this is someone who actually wants to be with you. Millie’s lazy days on the sofa now had you next to her and you were barely without each other except for when she was training or playing. Even then, she would facetime you as soon as she finished and arrange to meet up! You even started to work your shifts at dad’s company around when Millie was working too so you’d have more time to spend with each other.

Millie had a few weeks off for Christmas coming up and had planned to go up to Birmingham to visit her best friend before she met you and as that time drew closer she asked if you’d like to go with her. She laid out her plan to you one evening when you were on a sunset date. She’d packed the car up with snacks and a flask of tea and drove you to the edge of town where you could watch the sunset. As it was winter the air was getting nippy so you sat in the warm car drinking your tea and eating biscuits as you watched what could have been the last sunset of the year. Her best friend has her last game before Christmas break the day after Millie’s and she was keen to take you with her. “Babe, we could go to the game together, we can watch from a warm box in a little stadium and we can be together for your first game back. What do you think?” she said hurriedly between mouthfuls of chocolate digestives like she couldn’t wait to get her idea out in the open for you to ponder upon. You sat silent for a while as her big blue eyes willed you to agree, you knew this time would come eventually and would there ever come a better opportunity? To have the person who understands you more than a lot of people next to you was more comforting than sitting in the stands alone. So you said yes. But you made sure she completely understood that on the day of the game you couldn’t know for certain if you were going to go or not, Millie shook your hand in agreement, “one day at a time” she always says, bringing your hand to her crumb covered mouth to kiss it. It was in these moments that made you fall for her more, you’d been surrounded by glitz and glamour all your life but you would choose biscuit crumb kisses over that any day!

Millie came to pick you up after her game and drove you to Birmingham to meet Rachel, you’d heard so much about her that it was like you’d already met! You were under the impression that you would be staying in a hotel while you were away but Millie decided on the drive up there that now would be a good time to tell you that you’ll actually be staying at Rachel’s house! You’ve heard a lot about the Aston Villa player and the way Millie’s face lights up when she talks about her you knew you’d love her too but staying in her house?! That’s a bit quick isn’t it? Surely you would meet someone first before staying over! The announcement that you would be staying at Millie’s best friend’s house made you nervous, if you’d known this you would have packed differently – you’re not sure how exactly but you would have packed more carefully. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner so I could prepare?” you pouted in a way to make her feel sorry for you. “You don’t need to prepare (y/n/n), just be yourself!” squeezing your thigh for reassurance. That’s what you were worried about.. when you’re nervous you either get drunk, make a tit of yourself or both! Rachel means so much to Millie that you have to ensure you make a good impression otherwise your relationship wouldn’t last very long. Not that you’re in a relationship yet anyway.. this is where it could all go downhill.

Pulling up on Rachel’s driveway, Millie collected the bags and squeezed your hand on the walk up the path. She hadn’t even rung the bell when the door flew open, the bags and your hand were quickly dropped to masses of squeals and chaos that ensued before your eyes. Before you knew it, you were wrapped in the stranger’s arms being forced to jump up and down with her. “It’s so nice to finally meet you! Come in!” Rachel rushed inside as Millie grabbed your hand again and looked at you, raising her eyebrows in a way that said ‘see, told you she’d love ya!’ You were a little shy at first, not really saying much.. not that you had the chance with these two chatterboxes anyway! You were glad Rachel had a dog that you could focus your nervous energy on, at least she wouldn’t judge you!

After a few hours of catching up, gossiping and small talk you slowly started to settle in when Rachel showed you to the spare bedroom. Millie insisted on carrying all the bags upstairs even though you have two working arms, she loves showing off and being the dominant one and who were you to complain about it? Unpacking your belongings in the tastefully decorated room you placed the only thing Millie allowed you to carry onto the shelf – a glass of wine. You took a few minutes to yourself before unpacking as Millie let you be – today had been a lot! You could hear the girls cackling loudly downstairs as you tried to hype yourself up, today hadn’t been as bad as you anticipated, you’re not even sure why you thought it was going to bad in the first place! Rachel seemed lovely and it was easy to see how they became and stayed best friends – both loud and know what they want, passionate about their sport and the friendship that came with it.

After a while you made your way back downstairs in your comfy clothes, “there’s my girlfriend!” Millie exclaimed, jumping up from her seat on the floor to envelop you into her arms, “we thought you got lost!” your face smushed into her chest as she held you closer and squeezed you one more time, lifting your feet off the floor and planting a kiss on the crown of your head when she put you back down. “What’s going on here?” you laughed seeing loads of board games spread out onto the floor, “we’re gonna have a games night! Oh, I’ll get you some more wine!” Rachel said, grabbing the glass from your hand and rushing out of the room. “Have you got snacks!?” Millie called following her out to rummage the cupboards. Not long after they left you heard a scream and a loud clatter of noise come from the kitchen making you jump and knock Rachel’s glass of red wine from the table and onto the floor. “Shit!” staring at the giant maroon blotch on the cream carpet for a split second before scrambling to your knees, “shit, shit, shit!” Your mind went blank, how the hell would you get this out?! Untying the shirt around your waist and scrubbing at the carpet knowing you had no way in hell of miraculously making this disappear before they came back. You had to own up! “Babe, are you okay?” Millie came running back in not expecting to spot you on your hands and knees desperately scrubbing the carpet with your favourite shirt. She didn’t help, just stood in the doorway laughing. “What’s happened?” Rachel quickly followed behind her, stopping in her tracks as she saw the mess on the floor – the mess being you… and the carpet! Much to your surprise, she started laughing too! “I’m so sorry, I’ll pay! I have my cheque book!” Clambering to your feet to rummage through your bag and pulling out your cheque book, “do you have a pen?” pleading with Rachel to forgive you. Through her laughter she said that she had just done exactly the same thing in the kitchen, her and Millie were wheezing at this point. “But that’s laminate, this is carpet! Cream carpet, you can’t clean this!” you panicked, “I’ll just transfer you, what’s your bank details?” scurrying over to the other side of the room to grab your phone. They had finally stopped laughing long enough for Millie to grab you by the shoulders, looking up at her your head tilted wondering what the hell could be so funny.. you’d be livid if it was your own house! “I’m ripping it up next week!” Rachel wheezed which set Millie off again too, you must have looked like a deer caught in headlights not knowing what the fuck was going on. Rachel took hold of your hands and assured you it was fine, she’d been talking to Millie while you were upstairs about how she’d finally picked out her new carpet and ordered it the other day, that’s why they found it so funny. Millie took the cheque book and phone out of your hand and placed them back in your bag, “now do you wanna play Uno or Monopoly?” she asked, flopping herself onto the floor and pulling you on top of her, spreading her legs so you could sit in between them wrapping you up in her arms and kissing you all over your face, “oh my god babe, stop” you squirmed with embarrassment, “but you’re just so cute! I can’t help myself!” You felt awkward with all this happening in front of Rachel but she didn’t seem to mind, just said we made her miss her girlfriend Sarah before adding, “who carries a cheque book around these days anyway?”

Part Four

[freenbeckstan]

FreenBecky

[mra0923]

Primer aniversario de Samanan Anantrakul y Kornkamon Phetpailin 👰🩷👰

[simpxpugh]