doorajar - Tumblr blog

[doorajar]

Speaking of music in BL-land, is anyone watching Two Worlds and hearing in the opening sound track the same "country flutes" and Asian harmonies of the theme from ... what was it ... Tale of a Thousand Stars ?

Wooden flutes--or are they piccolos ?--with plenty of Highland trills ? Melancholy but lilting minor-key melodies ... anyone ?

[doorajar]

I gotta say ...

There's a downer on the loose. Who ? What ?

It's those "Special Episodes" that some shows insert in the playlist between episodes.

They usually feature members of the cast breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience with ad-libbed comments or responses to fan questions, answering an unseen interviewer, or partaking in some inane improvised game.

What's not to like ?

Well, it finally occurred to me: it breaks the flow of the drama, by giving us the actors minus their roles, thus breaking the spell so laboriously achieved in aid of the story. Poof, suspension of disbelief gone--blown up-- eradicated.

What a waste.

What would @absolutebl or @heretherebedork say about this ? Am I the only one complaining about this innocuous if distracting fan servicing ?

[doorajar]

Oh, @absolutebl will have liked this: Q (Winnie Thanawin) "playing guitar and singing," near the end of Episode 3 of We Are ...

I mean, the singing is great ...

... but who's singing ? And who's playing ?

...

Well, we don't know, because they've placed a

music stand

where it will hide the guitar and the "playing"

... completely.

[doorajar]

Oh ... Pond.

Oh dear. Oh my. What can I say ?

Pond

We Are, Episode 2

Oh

[doorajar]

@absolutebl is right:

Unknown IS the best thing running right now.

So there. Don't say I

didn't tell you ...

[doorajar]

BL tropes I could do without:

Teenage doctor. I'm looking at you, To Be Continued

Really ... talk about suspension of disbelief !

Ya know ? I mean, he's ten years older now but still looks like a high schooler. So ...

[doorajar]

The seventh-episode plot-development trope strikes again ?

I speak of Unknown, Eposode 7, of course.

We waited for it and, lo and behold, we got it.

Yay !

Of course, it ain't over yet, and from the previews there is more ugliness and more beauty to come. "Stay tuned" say the producers !

[doorajar]

So, maybe someone can

help me: Could l be the only one who's repeatedly encountered misplaced subs ? That is, suddenly an episode of a series is running with the wrong subtitles--a sub track from a different episode or even (what do l know ?) from a different show ?

At the moment, it's Episode 2 of Two Worlds.

No one else ? Could this be happening to me

because I use an outdated desktop OS ?

Anyone ?

[doorajar]

@absolutebl will like this:

A BL "singer" from whom we hear ... nothing at all !

Not a peep !

To Be Continued, Episode 2

...

...

Not a sound comes from his lips to our ear.

Nada. Zip. Silence. Crickets. Weird ...

and wonderful !!

[doorajar]

And here it is again: an episode running (on iQIYI) with an English sub track from a different episode.

This time, it's

City of Stars, Episode 7. Oddly, the dialog, over a wordless sex scene, wasn't out of place, for once ...

[doorajar]

As the weeks have gone by,

I have found it harder and harder to find @absolutebl 's This Week in BL posts using Search. And now it's total: Search still remembers it as one of my regular go-to's ... but the only TWIBLs that appear are Jan Wk 3 and December Wk 2 (or is it 4 ?). So odd. Yes, l just turned on my Notifications--maybe that will help. With a media memory like a rusted-out seive, I need all the help l can get !

Thank god I reblogged Feb Wk 4 ...!

I regularly use the mobile app, but I'm getting a similar response on the desktop device. It's enought to arouse paranoiac feelings. I hope all is well.

Thank you. Endut Hech Hoch

[doorajar]

Because This Week in BL is so important to me, and because I have a harder and harder time finding it each week on the mobile app, I'm going to reblog it when I find it. Long live ABL !

This Week in BL - it was a pretty darn good time, frankly

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Feb 2024 Wk 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 12fin - Everyone looked like they were having a lot of fun in the fight sequences. I’m very happy for them. I’m not surprised they shot Khem and Chart. A little shocked it wasn’t also Yai, TBH.

I found this final episode rushed. According to rumors, The Sign was originally slated to be 14 eps, and it probably should’ve been. And I don’t say that often about Thai BL. But we all knew it was getting too bloated for its britches, so I'm not surprised they fumbled the ending. For me personally, it just wasn't that bad. It was fine and I was fine with it.

Tho, Billy does not look good with facial fur, messes up those gorgeous angles.

I was ultimately amused that the solution to the mythology thread was simply to talk to the river god and persuaded him to give up... off screen. It felt very old school wuxia. Or like Aeschylus or something. I did adore the stinger, Saint was basically like “I want wings too”. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, PNR, fated mates, police procedural, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and slasher. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it. Was it a crazy unhinged mess +1 roll for damage? Yes. Yes it was. Did it manage to hold all those tangled threads together? No it did not. Was it also a charming, sexy, engaging, non-stop piece of entertainment? Sure thing. I think this show is basically my KinnPorsche, and frankly I’ve been chasing that dragon naga since KP aired. Is it perfect? No. But it was balls to the wall FUN and that gets a 9/10 from me.

I'm thinking of doing a full recap review (partly because I have so many great screen shots.)

Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube grey) ep 10-11 of 12 - Since this series is following the yaoi so closely, I knew these were the separation eps. (Also I knew with would be a soft non-doom ep 11, Japan rarerly does these.) I like that they used it to show improve communication and development in all relationships, but, frankly, TayNew are just best when they are TayNew together on screen. So yeah. Let’s keep them back together, please?

Meanwhile, TayNew gifted us a gorgeous loving sweet sex scene. Thanks OG for doing us a solid. 

I wanna add, it sure is fun to see New play as soft and vulnerable character, I feel like he hasn’t done that since SOTUS. 

(Read all about distribution issues here.)

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 12fin - 1/3 of this is a sweet romance about a student doctor falling in love with a student chef, and the rest of it is utter dross. Look the OffGun bits were GREAT.. In fact, I think they’re better AS A PAIR in this show than in any of their other BLS. And I'm a hard sell on any OffGun being better than PickRome. Saying that, how can I review a show where I could only tolerate 1/3 of it? Because I didn’t like any other aspect of this show, no other pairs and no other plots. That gives me: 9/10 for the OffGun bits, 5/10 for everything else. Frankly it probably should be an 8 but I gotta go with my gut and it's upset about this so 7/10. Sorry boys. It’s GMMTV’s fault. Your heart was in this show, mine wasn’t. 

City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 4 of 12 - These two are so good at making heart eyes at each other. It’s ridiculous. They don’t need any cartoon images or noises. Moot crush but "I wanna flirt and court more" is so flipping awesome. I love this for them… and us. 

1000 Years Old ep 2 of 12 - It’s very silly and we have been gifted with the dorkiest vampire ever. But... the smell thing makes me so happy. And I like that the vamp uses chan/nai or tan = v old fashioned. Nahlak. I love our ghost girl. Did you notice she wasn’t in the room with them but they left an empty chair for her? Also nahlak.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Perfect Propose (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 6 - Kai was pretty much just “you're a workaholic but I basically married you whether you like it or not.” SMOOCH. What can I say? I'm a sucker for this dynamic.

AntiReset (Taiwan Fri Viki/Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - How is this show so cute? How do they both love and hurt each other so much. They are both just scared of loosing each other. Gah.

Unknown (Taiwan Sat Youku YouTube) 1 of 12 eps - Youku dropped the first ep to their YouTube channel but I doubt we can expect that to continue. Still, it was nice to be able to watch it in a convenient way. I enjoyed it. But I am cautious about it. Of course this is possibly two of my favorite tropes of all time (stepbrothers or a variation + hyung romance). So I’m looking forward to the romantic thread, but from the gritty style, it feels a lot more like a Taiwanese short. Which means it could go very dark and may not end happy. 

Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - I just don’t know if the main couple should be a couple. But when they finally get around to talking to each other, they sure are lovely. Also how great is it to see a uke initiate a kiss? Even if it’s not a very good kiss. 

My Strawberry Film (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 2 of 8 - I am still not sure about this one. I am not contesting its quality, just saying it’s not for me. Also I’m not wild about what amounts to basically a redo of everything that already happened in the first episode from a different perspective. I know it’s a tall order with Japan, but I would like (when it’s a short series) for each new installment to actually move the plot (such as it is) along in someway. Am I asking too much?

It's done but I have no time

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - will binge when I have any spare time. 2024 is crazy busy for me so far.

The Servant and the Young Master - from Vietnam, it's on YouTube. I will give it a try when I have a window of time.

Began Beginning (Myanmar YouTube) - A Burmese BL? @heretherebedork vouched for it, so I will give it a watch.

It's airing but...

Dead Friend Forever (Thai iQIYI) - rumors are it's interesting but full of unlikable characters. I'm waiting to know how it ends.

Ossans Love Season 2 (Japan Gaga) - 5 years later, will anything have changed? This is Japan so… probubly not. I won't be watching this. I disliked Season one and actively hated the follow ups. No thank you.

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. I DNFed this at ep 5. Frankly I'm impressed with myself for getting that far. Ends next week TF.

Time the series (Tue Gaga/YT) 10 eps - dropped it at ep 4.

A Secretly Love (Thai WeTV) - I tried but I can't get into my WeTV account anymore and I'm way too lazy to figure it out. Should I bother to go grey for it?

To Be Continued (Thai C3 Thailand YT) - High school sweethearts who had a bad break up reunite when both of them have full time jobs but coming out is still a problem. You can watch this on YT but it has no Eng Subs.

Next Week Looks Like This:

We're light on content right now, but frankly I'm so busy with work I don't really mind.

3/6 Born to be Y (Thai ????) 10 eps - 14 contestants who audition to compete in Born To Be Y, a program that searches for the best couple of the year to work together on a giant project. Described as semi-reality series. So I probably won't bother.

3/7 Deep Night (Thai iQiyi) 10 eps - Multiple romances set in a host clubs. Nice to see First back on my screen but this is not my favorite setting.

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

The eyes have it.

Your random BL moment brought to you by my ult-bias being a hyung smartass to his maknae.

(Last week)

[doorajar]

Perhaps it's too late to ask ...

though that's never stopped me before:

In Episode 11 of The Sign, what explains the anomaly of Phaya falling to his supposed death from the cliff, followed by a reunion with Tharn in a cave not long after ?

I mean, is it rude of me to ask ?

Okay, back to Episode 12--at last !

Ooh ! The extraordinarily rare blurred nudity ! Episode 12, part 2

[doorajar]

Now there's a twist: Gaga shows, as tonight's Episode 5 of Perfect Propose, a repeat of Episode 4 !

Huh. Well, I suppose it's happened

before. Of course it has ...

[doorajar]

Over the last two nights I rewatched last year's Stay With Me (China). At 24 episodes and c. 12 hours of unrepeated content, l took advantage of the fast-forward button to move things along. I enjoyed the show as much as I did the first time around.

Post-show viewing consisted of numerous short BTS videos (there was mention of a second season of the series). In one of these, comments were made about China's suppression of gay material. (Indeed the series contains only two brief and chaste kisses; a tube of what might be lube appears at one point). As an example of this government heavy-handedness, we are told that the leads of Addicted: Heroin have been "banned," whatever that might mean, and are specifically forbidden from appearing together, now.

I thought you might want to know; this was news to me ...

[doorajar]

I LIKE, I LIKE ! This is worth its weight in pink milk, any day ...

Thanks again for all your work, #absolutebl. @absolutebl

Hiii, I'm glad the ask box is open!

Idk if you already did a rec list on this, but can you recommend me old bls, like 90/2000s? I watched Seven days movies and its really good

Oh yay! Seven Days is the best. Actually, I have never done this. Here's a list of...

10+ BL's rated 7/10 or higher that aired prior to 2018

Just Friends?

Korea 2009 Gaga

This is Korea's first (kinda) upbeat version of a BL featuring already established boyfriends, one of whom is on military leave, trying to decide on coming out, family life, and the future. All of these are themes Korea will pretty much never tackle again, retreating as they would to their bubble. But what a fun little offering this little show was and is to this day. You should watch it.

Love Sick & Love Sick 2

Thai 2014 YouTube

This is one of those BLs that owes almost nothing to yaoi, although it started a number of tropes that are now endemic to Thai BL. What it is, instead, is a well scripted story of bisexual self-discovery and the inherent chaos of loving someone of the same gender for the first time, all wrapped up in hormones, existing relationships, and communication issues. It is high school queer angst at its messiest. Nothing is going to be easy for these boys because queer isn’t easy but also because life isn’t easy… welcome to adulthood sweethearts.

I'm actually considering a rewatch of these beginning of 2024 in honor of the 10 year anniversary if anyone wants to join.

Seven Days

Japan 2015 grey

The asker already mentioned it but still, never doubt my ability to recommend this show. One of the best live action yaois ever made, with perfectly structured angst, fantastic characters and acting, and no problematic tropes (rare in Japanese BL). The leads have excellent chemistry although it’s low heat there’s still some really cute mutual kisses.

Addicted: Heroin

China 2016 Viki

When Chinese BL was good it was very dirty good and when it was bad it was censored. This is the model for that statement: rich kid falls madly for the genius poor kid in his class, starts an aggressive pursuit, includes kidnapping for love, obsession, stepbrother trope, plus some cheating. I love this BL because of what I could have been. Just stop watching it after The Sex Scene. Okay?

SOTUS & SOTUS S & SOTUS Our Skyy

Thai 2016 YouTube

This is the BL that launched a hundred BLs. No literally, it was SOTUS’s international success that pretty much built the Thai BL industry into the juggernaut it is today. People have baggage around SOTUS, I have nostalgia. Trigger warning on bully hazing. Review and discussion here.

Make it Right 1 & 2 (but not Beach)

Thai 2016 YouTube (Cheewin warning)

What to say about this show, the origin of the Thai BL pulps? It’s objectively terrible, and not just the leads but the side couple too - yet I love it. I tend to call myself the “world’s foremost Make It Right apologist.” I recognize the issues but I find it utterly charming, especially Tee’s utter devotion to Fuse the baby bi disaster.

Long Time No See

Korea 2017 Gaga

Catfishing assassins on either side of a turf war who fall in love not knowing they are on opposite sides. Or do they? Good fight sequences, mature characters, high heat, very suspenseful, AND an HEA. If you like KinnPorsche or Kiseki you will LOVE this one.

HIStory Obsessed

Taiwan 2017 Viki

I weirdly love this but you should know what you are in for: that title. It has a stalking theme meets fated mates and quite a bit of dubious consent. Uke obsessed with seme to the point of losing himself and his identity dies after being rejected, and then has a chance to reboot his life. He decides to save himself by never falling in love. But destiny is a bitch, and this time the seme becomes obsessed with him. This one owes a lot to dark Chinese and Japanese BL, but kind of corrects for the expected sad dead finale by ending happily and playing with a ton of BL tropes. The leads have good chemistry, it's higher heat and the first time Taiwan starts to push that, and VERY DRAMATIC.

Some Others you might consider

Candy and Kiss - Japan 2015

Silhouette of Your Voice (Hidamari ga Kikoeru) - Japan 2017

Red Balloon - Taiwan 2017

(source)

[doorajar]

Too bad the subs are missing from Ep 12 of

For Him ?

What that does for me is make the show a pantomime--or an immersive, intuitive experience depending more on visuals and sounds and imagination than a narrative of names and facts. Huh ...

Still, it will be good to see the episode with subs, sooner or later !