#bl that doesn't fit in typical bl

[bifangirl09er]

Two videos that define this show!!! If you love Not Me like me, please check them out.

CR karaeiji

[chestcongestion]

Going feral over your poll reblog tags, just thought I'd let ya know. Care to expand on them a little? I need the DEETS.

D'awww, hell yeah, I'd be happy to expand.

Mo/xxie just doesn't seem to have the control to stop himself from sneezing once he gets started, especially with his allergies, but he finds himself going through these fits with colds too.

He has an initial double, "YiiHH-Kxhxtieww! Hyihh'KxhtIEW!" is followed by a sharp sniffle, and him fanning at his face as his sinuses still feel itchy, typically moisture from congestion or a lingering allergen are tickling his nose just right that no sneeze feels like enough.

"Baby, you alright?" Mi/ll/ie will ask, as her husband sniffles and hitches, his nose running in a watery stream and his face twitching.

"I uhbb...IIhh'Kxhhtiew! 'Kxhhshiew! -'Kxhhtiew! -'KxXHHTIEW! -'Kxhhtiew! 'TsSHIEW! 'XxhhtiEWW! 'Kxhhshew! I-IHHH'KXhhTIEW!," one after the other after the other, his eyes watering as he grows breathless, each sneeze punctuated by a wheezy half-gasp for air, the constant clenching and struggle beginning to give him a tension headache.

"KxXHtiew! Yiiih'Kxhhtiew! 'Kxhhitew! 'KssHHhuww!- snrkk!- 'KxhhTIEW!-" at this point, Mo/xx/ie feels faint, his throat stinging from the sneezes ripping their way through his sinus cavity and straining his voice.

Passersby start recording, children point and stare, Bl/it/zo- if present- snickers out of nervous concern, only for someone to finally swoop in, pinching Mo/xx's nostrils shut and letting him catch his breath.

A bit of hoarse coughing and a particularly damp noseblow later, Mo/xx/ie regains his composure and weakly returns to his feet, his eyelids puffy, hair frayed, looking pitiful enough that whether he's sick with a cold or suffering from allergies, he looks like he shouldn't be doing anything more than lying down for a nap.

The same can be said for Al/as/tor, but in his case the sneezes keep getting stuck, and he'll try and tease a new one out but that starts a NEW chain of sneezes until he gets fed up and just massages his nostrils to coax out the itch without sneezing because he cannot afford to constantly be going "Hh'nXxzht-shhew! 'Shhiew! Hnkxht'S-sshew!" for hours.

[bloody-wonder]

do u have any book recs for morally bad characters? not grey or ambiguous or whatever. i think id use ianthe as an example of what i mean

far be it from me to decide which character is "morally bad" or merely grey so for the purposes of this rec list i focus on characters who do bad things for selfish reasons. however, ianthe, beyond just being a villain-esque character, has that iconic persona(lity) which alas only few of the characters mentioned here share. so keep that in mind in case you wanted a list of ianthes😅

okay so when i think ianthe i think unhinged girl books, specifically boy parts by eliza clark. ik ik i keep mentioning it in every rec list but truly there's no other character who reminds me of ianthe more than irina sturges, minus the sword. boy parts is sometimes described as american psycho for girls and while i haven't read that book yet i can confirm that characters in bret easton ellis' other works (less than zero and the rules of attraction) are quite morally bankrupt and entirely unlikable, especially compared to the cast in the secret history by his fellow bennington graduate donna tartt who are themselves toeing the line between grey and irredeemable. that is, if such finer distinctions matter to you🤷‍♀️

dark academia typically features protagonists who are more or less evil which is true for joanne harris' gentlemen and players as well as its sequel different class. cracks by sheila kohler is another example - it's a short and weird book about girls in a boarding school commiting shocking atrocities. aside from we have always lived in this castle by shirley jackson, which i have already mentioned, books like tender is the flesh by agustina bazterrica and we need to talk about kevin by lionel shriver are bridging the gap between litfic and horror and focus on people who range from morally ambiguous to utterly despicable and frightening (yet fascinating). if you want to go all in with this latter vibe you could try killing stalking which is an extreme horror/dark romance bl manhwa. needless to say: always check the trigger warnings.

if hannibal lecter is someone who fits your understanding of "morally bad" you should try the og book series by thomas harris. fair warning tho: they are not queercoded like the show😅 two more series following the crimes of a nasty but compelling guy are the joe goldberg books by caroline kepnes and the tom ripley books by patricia highsmith. in the latter series i will admit i only like book one which stands on its own pretty well and after it i'd rec trying highsmith's other books instead - for example, strangers on a train. another thriller author to check out is christopher rice whose melodramatic and somewhat depraved early works feature deliciously problematic side characters. start with the snow garden and see if you like his style. my last thriller rec is for your own good by samantha downing which is about a bad teacher abusing his power to punish students he doesn't like.

switching the gears to historical fiction and classics. perfume: the story of a murderer by patrick süskind is the life story of a man who by all accounts is bad but if so why does his perfume smell so good? what does he put in there?? another perfect example of a character blurring the line between morally grey and black is the protagonist of thomas savage's the power of the dog. both books have very good film adaptations which i recommend as well.

if you want to try and tackle a dusty tome foregrounding wicked antiheroes consider reading vanity fair by william thackeray or dangerous liaisons by pierre choderlos de laclos. if you'd rather start with something shorter look no further than the picture of dorian gray, who i personally think is "darker" than just grey (ha), but if you already read it consider revisiting the classic via the uncensored edition. still shorter? then you might like another work by oscar wilde - lord arthur savile's crime. it's much more humorous and satirical, as is lieutenant gustl by arthur schnitzler - a hilarious stream of consciousness novella following an odious imperial army officer as he contemplates how to restore his damaged manly honor in the wake of another man touching his sword - not a euphemism but definitely a metaphor😅

i really struggled to choose sff recs☹️ the thing is, in your typical fantasy characters like this will either be pretty one dimensional villains or side characters with not a lot of screen time, whereas those on the main cast are rather what you would probably describe as morally grey. nevertheless, here are three recs i'm not very satisfied with: first of all, empire of the vampire's jean françois gives me ianthe vibes. so far he's a character in the frame narrative only but i expect he'll play a bigger role in the final book of the trilogy. secondly, there is a secondary villain character in the winnowing flame trilogy by jen williams who is honestly my favorite part of it and they do bad things etc by virtue of being a villain but,, maybe they're just misguided? maybe their friends and family didn't love them enough but the main villain did? i mean, who's to say🤷‍♀️ finally, the main character of lynn flewelling's nightrunner books has an evil ex who has a fun poor little meow meow arc in books 4 and 5 - you decide if it's worth reading the entire series bc of it. i mean it's pretty good old queer fantasy so it's worth it for other reasons too but yeah. you see what i mean when i say it's difficult😭

[absolutebl]

Hello, let me begin by saying that I love your posts and I love your opinions, analysis, and point of view, I think you have a rare mind and I'm glad you're covering BL as I think it's a very complex and dynamic genre in today's industry.

I work as a middle management business consultant, related to management of PR and marketing although not for film industry, but i've had experience in handling products as a brand manager so i imagine the case with GMMTV and other TV productions are smiliar if we can replace 'product' with 'artists' in this case.

I have some questions relating to the branding of First and Khaotung as a CP by GMMTV, for the life of mine I just could not understand the business reasoning behind it for several reasons:

1. They are both versatile actor with good experiences on their belt and so far has chemistry every other actor they played with. it might be a bit of a waste for GMM to lock them both in a pair.

2. At the time it seems Gawin and First was more popular than FK, it should be easier and less risky to market and sail this pair, this pair also have the advantage of being in a more well known series (Not Me).

3. Both First and Khaotung relationship dynamic seems to not fit any existing mould that current BL pairs have (e.g. there's no clearly defined S/U between them), this seems risky and might not be well received by typical BL fans (esp. Thai Fans).

4. GMM has been trying to replicate OffGun formula a lot, all of GMM other CP seems to follow OG formula to an extent, which is not the case at all with FK.

5. All of the series that both acted as a pair in (Eclipse, Moonlight Chicken, and OnlyFans), are series that i think contain mature themes and not generally something that caters to the taste of Thai BL fans.

This question has been bugging me for awhile. The funny thing is: I am personally a SomSom, an FK stan :D I love them both very much and I absolutely love them together, but the decision to pair them together just doesn't make sense to me, I don't understand what GMM is trying to do here with both of them.

Sorry it's a bit long and thankyou so much if you decided to answer this :)

Hi! Thank you!

(As usual I did this and then Tumblr ate it. I am so tired of this bullshit, why can't they fist the undo bug in the new editor? OR stop forcing us toe USE the damn thing.)

1. They are both versatile actor with good experiences on their belt and so far has chemistry every other actor they played with. it might be a bit of a waste for GMM to lock them both in a pair.

I don't think they will in the long run, I think they are just co-branding at the moment, probably because of all the sponsorship offers. And because they've been recast a few times as a pair since The Eclipse.

They seem to be having a good time with it.

I could be wrong. I picked K a while back as one of the GMMTV stable who was too versatile for them (and valuable to them because of that), and they'd never co-brand him in a big way (after the failure of Tonhon Chonlatee). Then The Eclipse happened.

But to be frank? From the actor career perspective? If they can co-brand into consistent leading roles... F & K are probubly gonna - it's better money than character work and solo or side couple gigs.

2. At the time it seems Gawin and First was more popular than FK, it should be easier and less risky to market and sail this pair, this pair also have the advantage of being in a more well known series (Not Me).

Gawin doesn't co-brand. Never has. Seems like he never will. He clearly doesn't like shipping culture or anything about it. (Doesn't like reality TV shows or variety or anything like that, either.) Which I get. Oh boy do I. I wouldn't be surprised if it's in his rider that he won't cater to performative ships. I've always suspected this is because he's half American. (And East Coast to boot.) He's... tough.... reads as a little grumpy and reserved. Won't soften his IRL image to cater to the public. It's a very individualistic attitude.

It's certainly clear he's turned down sponsorship gigs (as a co-brand), and if he took one in the future it'd have to have a dump truck of money attached. I was legitimately shocked he took on Be My Favorite.

So far as Not Me is concerned? Now it's too late, that ship has sailed. So to speak.

3. Both First and Khaotung relationship dynamic seems to not fit any existing mould that current BL pairs have (e.g. there's no clearly defined S/U between them), this seems risky and might not be well received by typical BL fans (esp. Thai Fans).

Yep, they are more like Nanon & Ohm. I'm actually pleased that GMMTV is letting them do this and not trying to force seme/uke on the brand.

It's a model set up somewhat by TayNew. I mean GMMTV tried to force that one, but as Tay said, "Just look at him, he's huge."

They always managed a very brotherly casual fun ship.

4. GMM has been trying to replicate OffGun formula a lot, all of GMM other CP seems to follow OG formula to an extent, which is not the case at all with FK.

Yes, because it's the most profitable formula. Especially in country. I would put EarthMix in as their clearest successors.

Parent houses always lack imagination.

Find a money-making formula. Repeat it until the audience gets tired or supersaturated or both. It's how market capitalization works.

To change is to impact the bottom line and that is dangerous. Generally speaking, it takes small upstart companies to truly effect change in this regard.

OffGun is an interesting case because Off was so resistant to the brand at first. He's come around, but it took a while.

5. All of the series that both acted as a pair in (Eclipse, Moonlight Chicken, and OnlyFans), are series that i think contain mature themes and not generally something that caters to the taste of Thai BL fans.

Yes, it would be interesting to chart their sponsorship gigs. My guess is it's more global brands or those with an eye to the global market that use them.

I'm thinking it's a lot more like KARD in Kpop (performing better outside of country than in-country). Or the way Ukiss was for Japan. (An expansion intended group tailored to that market).

A country with an active and intentional soft power usually has subdivisions of effectiveness in the ranks of that power's product (in Korea's case Kpop, in Thailand's case BL). Stars that do better overseas - individuals, couples, groups. Ones that do better in specific countries.

A clever product manufacturer looking to contract with one of these branding elements, tracts this (popularity figures and market reach) and picks their representatives accordingly, and in accordance with their expansion interests.

[squealing-for-harusono-sensei]

Is Sasaki to Miyano BL? (Pt. 1: Genre is COMPLICATED)

I can practically hear some saying "Obviously??" And others yelling "NO IT'S NOT!!!" to that question.

For those of you who don't get why this is even in question, it's because Harusono-sensei doesn't classify Sasaki to Miyano as BL. The first volume cover denies that it's BL and on the site where it's published, it isn't categorized as BL.

Some may argue that it doesn't matter. It's about two boys who end up together, isn't that enough? "Death of the author" and all that.

I studied literature in college. Admittedly, I had a hard time understanding genre–so I had it as one of the main topics of my graduating thesis out of spite. And got the best possible grade. So I think it's safe to assume that I learned and know more about this than the majority of this fandom. And I say, that question? Is VERY complicated to answer.

The thing is, a lot of people think of genre as a binary. Either something is or isn't a part of that genre. In reality, it's closer to a spectrum and there are a lot of grey areas.

Take the arguments I presented for and against Sasaki to Miyano being BL. How much you buy into either of those arguments is largely depended on

1) Who you think has the most authority over what genre a work is. Is it the author or the reader?

2) What makes a BL BL? Is love between two boys really the only factor?

Neither of these have a clear answer. The reason why I was so confused about genre was because the academic world don't agree on what it even is. We all agree that genre is a thing, but we can't define it.

As I see it, genre is a byproduct of the human instinct to see patterns in things. We see a story and go "This is like that other story!" Once we have a large enough amount of stories that resemble each other and we give that group a name, BAM! We have a new genre.

Which is why defining it is so hard. Stories can be similar in a lot of different ways. But stories aren't similar if they only have one commonality. And yet we tend to boil the similarities down to only one aspect.

Take the isekai genre. Stories about going to another world goes WAY back. And yet, it's only within the last decade that we gave them that name. As I see it, it's because earlier they were similar enough to fantasy stories to simply be lumped into that genre. Whether the main character was born into a magical world or came into it later in life didn't change things enough for those stories to be dissimilar. At most it was a sub-genre of fantasy (e.g. portal fantasy). But suddenly we got a lot of stories about being transported into another world that were very similar in a distinct way. The main character was similar. They ended up in similar worlds. They were, for one reason or another, OP in this new world. They had similar tropes, characters, plot progressions. So these stories were given a name–isekai. Meaning different world. And then, because being transported to another world is the most distinct feature, all stories with that premise is categorized as isekai regardless of how well the term actually fits. (Although if it only has the premise as point of similarity, veterans of the genre will typically say that it is only technically isekai, or distinguish it from other isekai in some other way.)

Looping back to BL, if romance between two boys is the only defining factor, we can't call BL a genre...right? Well, yes, but once something is a genre things get even more complicated.

But does it have to be? Couldn't we just solve it by having the author decide the genre?

Sadly, authors are not immune misclassifying their works. Authors are not immune to misunderstanding genres, for one, though I think we can safely rule out any of those reasons in this case. Harusono-sensei clearly knows a lot about BL–a lot of Sasaki to Miyano's humor wouldn't work otherwise. However, that doesn't rule out not being able to see the forest for the trees. Sometimes an author is too close to their work to recognize the genre because they get bogged down in all the details that make their work unique. There is also the possibility of Harusono-sensei just plain lying to us. Because sometimes authors do that.

But why would an author ever want to lie about the genre? Because genre shapes expectations.

This is why the question of what genre a work is even matters. In worst case scenarios, it's like eating something sour when you were expecting something sweet. You probably wouldn't like it, even though you would have liked it if you had known it would be sour. The worst case scenario isn't relevant for this question, but the point is that being told that something is a specific genre is going to affect how you experience the story.

Regardless of whether or not Sasaki to Miyano is or isn't BL, Harusono-sensei did have something in mind when she called it Boys' Life instead of BL. So whenever you recommend it, I think it's worth pointing out that it's a Boys' Life story. Because that's the expectation that Harusono-sensei intended for readers to have.

Does that then exclude Sasaki to Miyano from the BL genre? Not necessarily. Partly because I think that Harusono-sensei is half lying about the "not a BL" thing. More about that in part two, where I explore what I think Harusono-sensei intended with calling Sasaki to Miyano a Boys' Life story, NOT a BL.

But I did mention that the author might not be the most reliable source of what genre the work is. So I probably should try to answer the question instead of just making it more complicated.

If you try to rationally figure out the answer instead of just going by "I know it when I see it," there are a couple of different ways to do it.

One way of thinking about genre is that it's a collection of common traits that might occur in a genre. It might common character types (e.g. badboy uke), common tropes (e.g. kabedon), common plot developments (e.g. misunderstandings), etc. etc. Some are more critical than others. If there is no romance between two boys then it is categorically not BL.

Another is seeing genre as there being an imaginary story that perfectly exemplifies a genre. Whether or not a story is a part of that genre depends on how close it is to that ideal genre story.

These are just some examples, but the problem is that there isn't really a clear cut answer no matter how you try to figure out a genre. A lot is up to personal interpretation. Plus genre keeps changing. Each new story that is widely accepted as a part of that genre broadens what the genre can be.

Plus the simple fact that no one can read every story that may or may not be a part of a specific genre. I tend to avoid dark stories and have gotten less and less tolerant towards non-consent with age. So there are parts of the BL genre that I don't really engage with. Which then affects how I view the genre.

As I see it, the more you read a genre, the better your understanding of it is. And everyone who are avid readers of a genre will have similar but slightly different understandings of the genre.

Trying to figure out what genre Sasaki to Miyano is the rational way is way more work than I am willing to do. And realistically, kinda impossible. So I'll just give my two cents as someone who has read a lot of BL.

Sasaki to Miyano is partly BL. Which probably sounds like a cop-out answer, but I do mean it. While wholesome, it works a lot more on real world logic than BL logic and also focuses on things outside of Sasaki and Miyano's relationship. But the focus on the romantic aspect of Sasaki and Miyano's relationship, dealing with some of the same themes as BL, and the importance of the BL genre on the story can't be ignored either. So I consider it a fusion of BL and slice-of-life.

But if you read a lot of BL and have a different take? Then it's just as valid as mine.

[silviakundera]

DRAMA REC: So I feel like any real review of Thai drama Moonlight Chicken is hard without heavy spoilers because honestly I don't know how to talk about what makes me passionate about it without discussing all the character relevations that occur over the course of its 8 episodes. I'll try to be generic as much as I can.

The thing about why it's hard to discuss without spoilers is that the characters and their full baggage are revealed slowly episode by episode, because like in real life you often learn about new friends & love interests slowly as intimacy deepens...

But from what I can see online, it's very subjective for viewers - depends on the person if they find these themes and personal challenges compelling or not. This doesn't fit with the typical "BL asian drama" format.

My personal viewing stake: There's an otp that has TAKEN OVER MY BRAIN. I have been searching for this energy ever since finishing Lighter & Princess. Gotta confess that I couldn't care less about the second couple who are teenagers. Apparently MDL and a lot of tumblr only liked the teen couple (valid!), but I just skipped over them mostly because when my brain locks in on Real Adults with Adult Problems I often cease to connect to high school student storylines. But the age gap couple with a 39 year old character who is FEELING his age... Jim & Wen. I've watched all 8 episodes now and they are like cocaine to me.

Ep 1 setup: We're not in Bangkok! (gasp) Jim is almost-40 and runs a late night diner in the less upscale part of town. Wen, about 10 years younger, is drunk at his diner as he's trying to close for the night. They pick up on the unspoken signals, instant electric connection, and end up wandering back to Jim's place and having what looks like fantastic sex together (without exchanging names).

But then after that first night, in the remaining 7 ep of the show you get a slowburn build up from zero as Jim doesn't want a relationship - with anyone. This is truly, sincerely a 'it's not you, it's me" situation. He is mired in baggage and the angst is SO DELICIOUS to me. Angst and soft hand touches and late night conversation. There's YEARNING. SO MUCH YEARNING.

And then my darling Wen! Who brings almost the same energy as the Lighter and Princess FL. @dangermousie I never thought I'd see this irrepressible determination and tender, good humored patience again! He is deeply sure that there is something special here with Jim and is unrelenting about trying to scale Jim's walls. I know that sounds like psychotic SML material lmao but it's all about the tone and context. It's very clear that Jim is allowing Wen in his life and doesn't, deep down, want Wen to give up on him. He's damaged and scared but I always felt he wants Wen to be right - that they are falling in love and can build something real together. He just can't make himself take that step. I mean, in their 2nd meeting he is EQUALLY INSANE to agree that it's v normal and hinged behavior to let his 1 night stand start randomly showing up to work shifts at his diner as 'temp staff' he can't afford to pay because... um. Basically to stalk him? idk I don't think it's stalking when u have a mutual agreement?? 🤔

Wen falling deeper into Jim and KNOWING the feeling is mutual no matter how many times he's (so gently!) pushed back... can be sooooo personal. 😭😭😭 The vibes of this "we're Not Together™" but it's inevitable, I'm just waiting for the timing to be right... reminiscent of the last 10 episodes of Lighter & Princess. This building intimacy and tenderness that stretches on until as a viewer you feel like... They ARE in love, they're together but just without the sex. They just have to stabilize their lives first before committing whole-heartedly. THE BITTERSWEET PINGING. (screams)

One thing I've observed is many people seem to struggle to connect with Jim's character. The closest thing we have to a protagonist (?) Maybe. Anyway, I suspect it might be a generational thing. I found the drama incredibly compelling, but I grew up queer in the 80s and 90s. I'm well into my 40s, a bit older than Jim, but I think the generational queer experience overlaps pretty well considering the sociopolitical differences btw us/thailand.

The screenwriter is an older out gay man, so I presume that's also a factor in how he did a pitch-perfect depiction of Jim's struggles to find home.

Wen has his own baggage that feels very real and raw. I loved his storyline because I could personally relate to it also from my queer relationship experience.

I've blabbered on here before about how I feel like there's something different about queer stories being told to other queers, not targeted to straight viewers primarily - I'm not saying it's better than the big brands and popular international media including lgbt rep. It's just different imo and I do think it's valuable. I want to see stories about the complexities of the experience & about the gay community that can't just be mapped to straight people. Where the story would not feel the same if you flipped the sexualities. That's what Midnight Chicken was to me: the characters of Jim and Wen and their personal development & slow love story together felt very queer and the age gap was a relevant part of this. And that called to me. I could recognize parts of myself in them and my personal experiences as a gay woman.

I was impressed by the writing. Strong acting. The directing of individual scenes is excellent BUT the 1 big flaw is the editing. Very amateur, super abrupt scene changes! Just jarring. But whatever, I've seen some terrible editing in cdramas too. Also note the storytelling tactic is to show a series of meaningful moments & interactions over like 6-8 months of time. Events progress in ways we don't always see and it's not always spelled out to the audience, everything that happened since we last saw them. That may or may not work for the viewer.

[Plus there's a very sweet & wholesome teen love story that also gets a happy ending, if you're into that. One of the teens is deaf and there's no "cure the disability" nonsense, don't worry. I was adult-focused but I did appreciate the complicated family relationship subplot with Jim trying to caretake his nephew and their relationship to the mostly-absent sister.]

ok so now into spoiler territory. Letting the relevations come out organically would be a much better viewing experience BUT...

SPOILERS ON JIM & WEN BACKSTORY

Jim's whole deal is he had a big love in his late 20s-early 30s that fucked him up good. He grew up being told gay love isn't real, leaves his rural farming town with his sister in their teens, disconnected from his family... But even his sister, who loves him, had the perspective that it's Just A Phase. Jim expects to Prove Them Wrong. Then his boyfriend cheats on him.... With a woman. Activate that generation's internalized homophobia and self-doubt. And then before he gets to truly confront his partner, his partner dies in an accident. So he never gets resolution.

And he's stuck under a mountain of debt, on the edge of poverty because he didn't get any of the guy's assets when he died of course. No rights under Thai law. Partner's family takes it all but the old car & the cat. All he has is the small chicken rice shop they had bought and ran together and it's killing him, he both hates and loves it. He's this amazing member of the local community but doesn't see himself and his own worth clearly.

Wen is working through the guilt of falling out of love from his 1st gay relationship that lasted 5 years of his 20s. Broken up but still living together. Trying to stay in each other's lives (I've seen this a lot, because in small gay communities you don't just cut ties with good people you care about). But living together is toxic for both of them, despite the real care that's there.

He also feels disconnected from a community at the start. He has work collegues, all straight friends, and his now-ex boyfriend. But you get the subtle sense that his local ties are all with the boyfriend Alan's family and mutual friends with Alan who don't all know about the breakup yet and he doesn't know how to interface with them anymore now that he and Alan aren't the same. He's the one who fell out of love, so he's "the bad guy" here and the straight friend he tries to talk to about trying to co-habititate with his ex and stay close friends doesn't really get it, because that's just way more typical behavior for older generation queers - it's notable that when the situation is fully explained to Jim, he doesn't seem to find it bizarre at all (as said, I've gone through that myself, and known friends in that situation; found that subplot to be very well done.) (I read that many viewers were disappointed this wasn't a standard infidelity situation where Wen is just regular cheating on Alan, but I have to say that I feel the opposite. The subplot and how it played out felt very relatable to me. I didn't need a cheating angst plotline in this drama that could be transplanted into a straight drama. I wanted more stories that represented my lived experience as an adult lesbian, and Wen's narrative gave me that.)

Wen keeps searching for a home even while living with Alan and having loved him in the past. Which to me was a sign that he'd moved to this smaller city, living in Alan's condo and in Alan's life with Alan's extended family... He started eating beef because Alan did and following along. He doesn't know where HE feels at home, what Wen needs to be comfortable and happy. When he more & more starts to believe he can make this home with Jim, he's determined to make it happen.

[lightsky03]

December 20th

Happy birthday to my fictional soulmate💙

The best written character I've ever read in a BL manhwa

The best leading character I've ever seen in a BL

He is not a copy, his personality is not superficial, his story is not empty. He's not just attractive or cute or pretty, he doesn't fit into any of those typical BL manhwa cliches.

I wish I could explain easily how much Skylar means to me but it would be a disturbingly long post...

I just love him so much 😢💙

[mikuni14]

I started watching new series from Japan. Finally.

Takara's Treasure - Ep 1 This is a typical production from Japan with strange motifs like parrots, glass balls and tropes like following someone to his university, somehow it reminded me of the Takumi series, huh.. 🤔 I liked the first episode: school dynamics, group of friends, interesting school club, probably never seen by me before, shyness, sense of not fitting in and "weirdness" of a "non-big city" person, how attractive Takara is 😉 I will continue watching with interest, although I don't vibe with the main couple, Taishin seems a bit too childish to me right now.

I Hear The Sunspot - Ep 1-2 I was curious what the series would be like, I watched the movie, but I admit I don't remember much of it. I really like the main couple, they are both very interesting and likeable. Very good and economical use of flashbacks to briefly but precisely show a character's past and how they came to be the way they are (looking at you Living With Him). I like Taichi so much, his personality, sense of social justice, uncompromising nature, his courage, directness, even the way he moves suits him. Taichi doesn't take their bullshit from anyone, including Kohei. Which is something Kohei needs most. In general, I like how the series shows people's reactions to people with disabilities, including those that are not malicious, such as fear of harming such a person, or destroying equipment that helps them (and which may be expensive), as in the case of a scene during a basketball game. So far, both MLs are acting more like friends, I don't feel any budding romantic feelings in them yet. I will continue to watch, the show is lovely, the plot is good, intelligent and it doesn't waste time on nonsense.

Ossan no Pantsu ga Nan Datte Ii Janai ka! - Ep 1 What an interesting and funny story! 😄 I like the clash of "old times" with "new times". I admit that "tea prepared by a woman tastes better" and "a woman has a calming effect" triggered war flashbacks in me 😬 Okita Makoto is the kind of a very real father that makes you want to hug him and kick his ass next moment. I cannot explain or forgive many of his behaviors, because for a long time I have believed that "no one taught me this" combined with "I'm old" and "I don't understand this modern world therefore I hate it" does NOT forgive ignorance, discrimination and simply not being KIND. What I appreciate about Makoto is that he ultimately sees the need for change IN HIMSELF. And he takes appropriate steps to do this. And that he apologizes to his child. I'll watch it, I'm so interested 😉

(I don't watch the new Zettai BL, it's too much hassle finding episodes.)

I LOVE THIS BOY SO MUCH OK 💖💖💖

[puppy-phum]

sorry i have to ramble some more about last twilight bc i cannot contain it. this is not anything meta, just some thoughts.

as an avid music lover and now a serious soundtrack enthusiast, i need to mention how much i adore the music choices of this show.

i am not sure who picks the final songs to be used and what criteria they use for it (is it p'aof? do they have some kind of library for songs they can pick from as many songs appear in several bls? or do they get free hands?), but the bg songs in last twilight that have caught my attention have been brilliant.

yes, sure, they use the instrumentals of their original songs. that's typical for bls and any shows really. but there are also other songs.

i like collecting instrumental songs to put on my playlist i use for writing, so good instrumentals always intrigue me. last twilight has now introduced me to two artists whose music feels very inspirational.

first one is francis wells whose song april will be cold was used in the scene where mork has flashbacks of his conversations with several ppl which then make him turn back and accept the caregiver job from day. i listened to several of the albums and these songs are very adventure game themed. very energetic, powerful, agile perhaps. a surprising choice. made me wonder where they found it (i am still leaning towards them having a library of songs they have free access to rather than someone actually knowing these artists).

another one is bonnie grace's song titled notorious. it was used in the scene where they show mork making his way through the market blindfolded as he tries to understand day's experience. once again, very adventure game, fantasy movie themed. pulls me even more outside the feeling of a "regular" bl. this show doesn't fit the category btw. idk if that category still exists as such but the boundaries of it have been pushed for a while now. i like it, it's what we need.

all this to say: i am very curious about these music choices and very grateful that last twilight is throwing new music my way. i will never say no to that.

(now just please release the ost song used in the trailer am desperate!!!)

[rabbiitte]

I don't understand Mew haters, I really, honestly don't. 😭

I get you Anon. I felt the same way a couple of weeks ago, but I already rationalized it. Actually, I think it makes sense that Mew is one of the most hated characters on the show (next to Boston and Top). Allow me to elaborate, I've identified three main reasons contributing to Mew's widespread unpopularity:

1 | Mew is a threat to Sand and Ray's relationship.

As we know, most people who watch Only Friends do so for their ships (in fact, this is something that the Thai industry encourages a lot in BLs). First and Khao are a very adored duo, this is related to the fact that they have more trajectory than the rest of the actors (many of whom are relatively new faces to those not deeply immersed in the Thai BL scene). As someone pointed out here on tumblr, people want a different story with the same ending, in which First a Khao (in their respective roles) stay together. Well, In this context, Mew emerges as a potential disruptor to the envisioned blissful resolution. A word from Mew is enough to jeopardize everything the Ray and Sand built.

2 | Mew isn't a transparent character.

Mew's enigmatic nature adds to the discomfort expressed by viewers throughout the series. Since the beginning of the series I've seen a lot of comments from people saying they feel uncomfortable because they can't read Mew. Basically, that which is unknown is uncomfortable. Mew is what I call "a character to interpret." In contrast to counterparts who lay bare their motivations, Mew shrouds his intentions in secrecy. He acts and, based on the clues offered by the narrative/visual storytelling, you must interpret his actions. The receptive audience, attuned to these cues, can discern subtle hints, such as those suggesting Mew's romantic sentiments for Top. Conversely, those less receptive might try to make Mew fit into the narrative they themselves have created, proposing interpretations grounded in personal perspectives and experiences. That's why there are so many people who say they dislike Mew because they know someone similar in real life. In essence, those who overlook narrative cues may attempt to fit Mew into personalized narratives, offering alternative explanations, such as positing that Mew's actions regarding Top are not fueled by love but by a desire for revenge due to a perceived superiority complex, divorcing it from heartbreak.

I think most people try to fit Mew into a negative narrative because he doesn't generate too much empathy. Typically, beloved characters resonate deeply with the audience, fostering a sense of identification and emotional connection (like Ray, Sand, or Nick). However, Mew's development has gone the opposite route to the route that would elicit empathy. Yes, we support Mew's revenge but, in real life, to get revenge on an ex is an uncommon choice. Despite outward declarations of support for revenge, societal moral education remains influential. In Mew's case, the chances of feeling empathy for him in his revenge era are constrained and contingent on specific conditions:

the revenge must be inventive yet not excessive, calculated without veering into obsession, causing harm without irreparable ruin. Mew is expected to mirror Boston but without becoming someone worse.

As I say, the possibility of the audience feeling an emotional connection to Mew at this point in the story, if they haven't already, is quite unlikely and diminished.

3 | Mew is the main character.

Undoubtedly, all the characters in Only Friends are protagonists but Mew is the main character. Don't know what the difference is between a main character and a protagonist? Don't worry!

Main Character: This term refers to the central character in terms of importance or relevance to the story. The development of the story revolves around this character, and often, his actions or changes are fundamental to the plot. He may or may not face the main conflicts, but their presence has a significant impact on the narrative.

Protagonist: This term refers to the character who drives the plot, the one who faces the central conflicts. The protagonist is not always the main character, although in many stories they are. The story's perspective is often presented from the protagonist's point of view.

In short, the main character is central in importance, while the protagonist is central in action, facing the crucial challenges of the story. Often these two roles overlap, but may be different in some stories.

In this case, Mew shapes the story's development and the protagonists' development, without him we wouldn't have any story (just think about it) because he's the center of the story. One of the side effects of this is increased screen time, something that people seem to be annoyed at (especially those who initially thought First and Khao were the main characters). I don't know what the order of publication of the promotional images was (although the most renowned actors always appear first, as in the case of the intro), but Mew occupies a central place in the official poster and takes the lead role in the trailer (so I don't know where that idea really came from). From the beginning, it was clear that Mew would assume a central role in the story. Do you see what I mean about how people don't get the clues that the narrative offers (the visual narrative is created even before the broadcast of a visual material, in promotional images)?

Although, even without any preconceived ideas, Book is a relatively new actor and some find it controversial to cast lesser-known actors in major roles.

[respectthepetty]

Hi! I read your post on colours in my love mix up and I was wondering if you would mind expanding on aida being a red flag? (I mean I agree lol but I think your thoughts are so interesting) No worries if you don't want to

@theheightofdishonor, you think my thoughts are interesting?!

I'm always shocked reading statements like that. I offer organized chaos and suppressed unhinged behavior. A day with too much caffeine could lead me to ramble about how a royalty-themed BL would be the perfect opportunity for a Golden Gentlemen and a Purple Prince for hours. But I contain myself for everyone else's safety.

And, thankfully, I got some version of this already:

Which brings me to this menace:

Yes, I firmly declared that Aida is a Red Flag, but like a red flag on a golf course, which means he is there to offer guidance but we have to adjust the way we approach him as a character because he is more abrasive and forthright than the other characters.

Reasons Aida is a Golf Course Red Flag

Ida is his best friend, but Ida is quiet and contemplative. Aoki is chaotic but caring and observant. Hashimoto is kind and powerful. Aida is loud, assertive, and impulsive.

Unlike the rest of the characters, he doesn't think before he speaks. His motivation for most of his actions is pure self-pleasure.

Aida does stuff for Hashimoto because he thinks as a girl, she is weak. He grabs props from her and tells her to go help Aoki instead. It should be kind, but it's not. He calls Aoki useless, while Ida tries to find solutions. He tells Aoki he is stupid for only getting a six on the exam. He doesn't think about how his words or actions harm others.

When Aoki volunteers to be Cinderella, he does it to save Hashimoto, who he cares for. Aida immediately laughs at this then volunteers Ida to be the prince. He might be trying to help out his buddy, but really, he just wants to start shit.

Aida always volunteers Ida to do something. Even if he is trying to play matchmaker, Aoki doesn't do that to Hashimoto. Aoki allows Hashimoto to make her own decisions and maneuvers the situation to fit her wishes. Aida simply offers up Ida like a sacrificial lamb to the slaughter without a second thought and waits to see how it pans out.

He lacks emotional intelligence. When he questions Hashimoto about her crush, her demeanor clearly shows she is uncomfortable, but he persists, almost giddy. She looks like she is about to cry, and he looks like this:

This is further exhibited by him stating that, "if you can't say anything because you're worried about how the other person will react, then you're just making excuses." Aida doesn't think about other people. He doesn't think about their feelings. He only thinks about himself and his happiness.

He thinks Hashimoto is upset because he bad-mouthed Aoki even though she directly told Aida that him being self-centered was the reason she was upset. He never thinks he is the problem!

He pushed Aoki onto the court like he was a discarded rag doll!

He says things and does things simply to set off Hashimoto. Ida admits to doing the same to Aoki because he likes seeing Aoki blush and his reactions, so it makes sense that they are best buddies, but Aida's comments are insulting unlike Ida's.

Aida isn't the worst. However, he is a very typical teenager boy: joking at others' expense, taking nothing seriously, always in someone's personal space, never reading the room or the vibe, and lacking decorum. He evolves throughout the show to be a great friend and ally, but he constantly needs to be reminded to take a seat every now and then.

Aida isn't horrible, but if you ask me, Hashimoto should've punched him three times instead of only twice.

[dramatothethirdpower]

Dramas I finished in 2023 (In Ranked Order from 1-5 stars)

5 Star reviews at the bottom

Bump up business ★★☆☆☆

Boss and a Babe  ★★☆☆☆

Professional single  ★★☆☆☆

See You in my 19th Life ★★☆☆☆

Crash Course in Romance  ★★★☆☆

Forecasting Love and Weather  ★★★☆☆

Glory Part 2 ★★★☆☆

Jun and Jun  ★★★☆☆

Kill Boksoon (movie) ★★★☆☆

Kingdom S1 finished ★★★☆☆

Maid’s Revenge  ★★★☆☆

Meet you in my 19th life  ★★★☆☆

My Lovely Liar ★★★☆☆

Only Friends  ★★★☆☆

Zom 100 (movie)  ★★★☆☆

Shoulder to Cry On ★★★☆☆

Strong Girl Nam Soon ★★★☆☆

Boy For Rent ★★★★☆

Castaway Diva  ★★★★☆

Exclusive Fairy Tale  ★★★★☆

First Love Again ★★★★☆

I cannot reach you (Japan) Netflix ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Jack O Frost ★★★★☆

La Pluie ★★★★☆

Midnight Silence (Movie)  ★★★★☆

Minato’s Laundromat ★★★★☆

Moonlight Chicken  ★★★★☆

Our Dining Table  ★★★★☆

Our Secrets  ★★★★☆

Unintentional Love Story  ★★★★☆

Unlocked (movie)  ★★★★☆

Why you? Y Me? ★★★★☆

20th Century Girl  ★★★★★ - I watched this one blind so I'm going to ahead and warn you, it's very, very, very sad! Sobbing hysterically on your couch, sad. Can't watch anything else until the feelings go away, sad.

Alchemy of Souls Part 2 ★★★★★ - I was worried with this one when they "recast" it that I wasn't going to like it, but it was gripping all the way through. I highly recommend the whole thing!

Glory  ★★★★★ - This one should be coming with all kinds of trigger warnings. It's a revenge drama about a girl who was brutally mutilated via school violence. If you, like me, love a good FAFO story give this a go. If you're even mildly squeamish, maybe don't.

Go Ahead ★★★★★ Go Ahead is... an acquired taste. It's found family, and it's coming of age, and it's love triangle and it's breathtaking beautiful. It examines different family dynamics and what it means to choose your family and what it means when your family doesn't choose you. All of that said... it is also a little bit about dating your step brother, and I know, okay, I KNOW, but if you just trust me on this, it's only a tiny bit weird and then it's not, and you're rooting for these maybe a little bit incestuous but not really, idiots.

Be My Favorite  ★★★★★ This thai BL is not your typical coming of age, falling in love, enemies to lovers, story. Instead we have time travel, and the butterfly effect of the consequences of our actions. Gotta be honest, I'm a total ho for sci-fi tropes and this was done well enough that it rocketed into a favorites of 2023 spot before it was half finished.

Hidden Love  ★★★★★ Come cancel me, Tumblr, I'm ready because one of my absolute favorite tropes is the *dun dun dun* age gap! In this drama a young girl falls hard for her older brother's best friend, and you get to watch as their relationship changes and grows as they mature. There is no hanky panky or even interest in our female lead before she comes of age but if you're a puri-teen steer clear, you won't have a fun time. My favorite part of this drama was actually the relationship between siblings, which felt much more authentic than many portrayals I've come across.

My Beautiful Man S2 ★★★★★ The second installment in this series delivers! There's angst, there's humor, there's *eyebrow waggles*. I'm a tiny bit obsessed with Hira and I can't wait for more!

My Personal Weatherman ★★★★★ Miscommunication, or as I call it, idiot plot, is the best. I know some people hate a storyline that could be resolved with less than 5 minutes of open communication between the romantic leads, but not me. Let these idiots stew in their misconceptions, let them leap tall buildings in a single misguided assumption. GIVE IT TO ME. Anyway, if you don't like that, don't watch this, but if you do, it's crack.

My School President  ★★★★★ GeminiFourth stole my heart in this cute coming of age story. It hit all the right notes, with the added bonus of Fourth! I will say normally I hate when they shoehorn music into Thai dramas (so that the stars can go on tour?) but it fit well with the plot and the soundtrack is amazing. They can be my only exception.

That's my dramas of the year wrapped! You can find all the drama's I've watched (that I remember) here:

[gunsatthaphan]

Hello, let me begin by saying that I absolutely love your blogs and all your posts!! I am an FK stan also and absolutely love them to bits, but I have a topic about them that I hope you'll be willing to share your opinion on.

I work as a middle management business consultant, related to management of PR and marketing although not for film industry, but i've had experience in handling products as a brand manager so i imagine the case with GMMTV and other TV productions are smiliar if we can replace 'product' with 'artists' in this case.

So relating to the branding of First and Khaotung as a CP by GMMTV, for the life of mine I just could not understand the (business) reasoning behind it for several reasons:

1. They are both versatile actor with good experiences on their belt and so far has chemistry every other actor they played with. it might be a bit of a waste for GMM to lock them both in a pair.

2. At the time it seems Gawin and First was more popular than FK, it should be easier and less risky to market and sail this pair, this pair also have the advantage of being in a more well known series (Not Me).

3. Both First and Khaotung relationship dynamic seems to not fit any existing mould that current BL pairs have (e.g. there's no clearly defined S/U between them), this seems risky and might not be well received by typical BL fans (esp. Thai Fans).

4. GMM has been trying to replicate OffGun formula a lot, all of GMM other CP seems to follow OG formula to an extent, which is not the case at all with FK.

5. All of the series that both acted as a pair in (Eclipse, Moonlight Chicken, and OnlyFans), are series that i think contain mature themes and not generally something that caters to the taste of Thai BL fans.

This question has been bugging me for awhile. The funny thing is: as mentioned above I am personally a SomSom, an FK stan :D I love them both very much and I absolutely love them together, but the decision to pair them together just doesn't make sense to me, I don't understand what GMM is trying to do here with both of them.

Sorry it's a bit long and thankyou SO SO MUCH if you decided to answer this :)

hi anon!

first of all thank you for your kind words!! 🥺 I'm glad that you enjoy my content!!

thank you for sharing your thoughts, however I can't say that I understand all of these concerns lol. here are my thoughts:

I would never call anything related to them "a waste" lol it's actually the opposite; pairing them was a very wise decision, especially because they're both highly experienced actors. They're versatile and talented on their own and they bounce very well off each other. And as I mentioned before I hope to see them act separately as well, as being in a fixed pair can limit their opportunities. But to call pairing them a waste is an insult dfkjgdf sorry. .

Not really. DanYok and GawinFirst were very popular at the time but it was kind of nipped in the bud by gmmtv; I still don't know why they never bothered with them but since they never gave them a platform or any sort of promotion, you can't really compare the 2 pairs imo. But if we still look at their general reception then no, they were not more popular than FK are now. I don't know what would have happened if they had fixed them back then but I imagine Gawin would not have been on board lol. He avoids the big spotlight so I don't think they would've gotten anywhere tbh. They were undeniably a hot moment though lol. .

Disagreed. A pairing shouldn't fit any "mould"; if they have good chemistry and work well together then that's all the premise they need. And speaking of which, what is the "mould of current bl pairs" anyway? The S/U dynamic sure isn't one and should not be a factor with any pair to begin with. But since we're on the topic, Gmmtv has never thematized this with any of their couples which I highly appreciate lol. And they don't need to because the Our Skyy lineup is fairly popular as it is. They're pushing the bro-narrative over the T/B-narrative but that's another can of worms lmao. The S/U thing might still be something that some fans care about but there are enough other couples in the industry which make use of that lol. .

What's the "OffGun Formula"? I've never heard of that lol. If this is about the same dynamic again then idk what to tell you. This should not be an issue. .

Nope. The times of bland high school vanilla shows is long gone and the fandom is not the same as it was 3-4 years ago. I've been on board for almost 6 years and more mature plots is something that is greatly appreciated, so shows like Not Me, The Eclipse or Moonlight Chicken and also other non-gmmtv shows got an appropriate amount of popularity because of that, not in spite of it. .

Generally I don't think any pair has to fulfil a purpose or "make sense" - if they work and have a good and healthy dynamic on and off screen then that's all that matters. at least to me. Just because they don't fit a certain stereotype or whatever doesn't mean they're an odd couple. They don't have to comply with anything. So that ideology seems a bit outdated to me.

However - I'm repeating myself again - the fixing should not get in anyone's way. gmm likes to overdo it with the promotion and the events etc. and especially with A-list actors like FK and some others, I fear that the overexposure might have a negative effect on their careers, i.e. typecasting and other issues. Which is why I hope they can find a balance between their couple works and their individual projects. And this goes for the other pairs as well.

xxx

[heiscomingtomygrave]

Right now, topmew appear to be the most "classic bl" couple in the show, like you could actually pick them up and put them in another show and they would fit right in as "tall handsome playboy x reserved virgin bookworm".

This fits right in with Mew's tendency of seeing the world as the plot of a story. I think their dynamic right now is ideal in his mind. But of course the world is not a novel and people are not uni-dimensional BL characters, and this show is not a BL show. The narrative beats of a typical BL are going to be subverted for him as well as us the audience.

I think this means Mew will not go directly down the "innocent" route. That doesn't necessarily mean he is the master manipulator people are predicting either. But he is literally already trying to control the situation, to make his and Top's relationship fit a narrative he's envisioned. But as we're already seeing hints of, Top has angles to him that don't fit the perceived archetype and he's not going to fit into Mew's perfect world as well as Mew would like.

[indigoelegy]

amane gymnasium is a deconstruction of early bl

pictured is part of the back of volume 3 : )

amane gymnasium follows the title character, the dollmaker amane, and chronicles her life after her creations come to life. it hasn't been fully translated yet (though the first chapter can be read here on mangadex) but based on what i know about it (from being in a fortunate position where one of my friends can translate), aside from being really charming on its own, it unpacks and questions the bl genre from around the time furuya would have been engaging with it. (spoilers under the cut - i'll try and keep discussion of specific plot events to a minimum but i will definitely be spoiling like, the overall plot direction and concept)

on the surface level, the plot that follows amane's dolls and how they relate to each other has a lot of similarities to works by hagio and takemiya that set up the shounen ai genre and are often considered the 'first bl'. there's bullying, exploitation, and relationship struggles, all set against the backdrop of a european boarding school; all things that were typical to these works. even theo's design (in particular) seems to call back to that earlier time. but this story is within her story - 'amane gymnasium', the story that her dolls ultimately end up following, was written by amane in her journals; we see as she reacts with horror to the things she wrote that befalls these characters, and how she scrambles to fix things between them.

amane's horror, along with the way furuya portrays the events happening in the gymnasium, call into question the aestheticism and beauty these events are treated with in earlier works. it's easy to forget the horror and get lost in that beauty and relish the brief moments of 'respite' a work like kaze to ki no uta presents you with - but amane gymnasium doesn't allow you to forget. you watch these things befall them, you're a helpless onlooker, and it's distinctly not beautiful, and then you watch amane fall apart about it during her daily life. the events are the same - but furuya strips back the rose coloured filter and leaves you with the horrifying reality contrasting against the same elegant background, and amane's dolls who are beautiful in the same way. it doesn’t end there either - eventually it’s revealed to us that all of the things written were things that happened to amane herself, and the story was a coping mechanism of sorts - and it manifests in front of her through her dolls as the most literal reminder possible that all of it is unresolved and festering within her.

in the end, though, amane gymnasium is a story about facing your past and overcoming it, and moving forward. and despite digging in to that genre, it’s evident that furuya has a lot of love for it - and a lot of love for the people who consume it, as well (a similar situation can be found in genkaku picasso, too!). and I think that’s who should be attempting something like this - we see it often that somebody creates an edgy, cynical parody of a genre and then other people who hate that genre pile in and be like wow…. so cool and deconstructive….. and I don’t think they’re qualified to do that. the hot take of this post is that people who earnestly love (or have earnestly loved) and understand genres of media are the only ones who are truly fit to deconstruct them

might come back to this post later when it is in fact translated and make some more specific insights (there’s something with zepp I feel like has some significance but I’m not 100% sure enough to comment in case it’s misinformation) but who knows <3

[gillianthecat]

The opening of Big Dragon has hooked me in! Drama! Blackmail! Toxicity! Chinese mythology and dragons and lion dancers! And the title sequence and theme song is a great vibe.

I'm liking the lighting/coloring and all the camera work. I suspect it may go a long way in making this show seem interesting. Perhaps more interesting and unique than the plot actually is? I will have to see. The Greek Chorus of dum-dum friends seemed very typical to Thai BL pulp, even if the room they were in seemed more grown up. I hope either they get more interesting or they disappear from the story.

I was trying not to compare, but so far it really does feel a lot like what Fahlanruk is trying to be. When two fuckboys collide. The parallel hookups did not help the comparison (Big Dragon did it much better.) Although the actors actually did very little that was explicit in that scene, the editing, script, music and acting made it feel a lot more explicit than anything in Fahlanruk has.

Anyways, I was excited about Fahlanruk's concept of two fuckboys meeting their match and disappointed that they weren't giving it to me. So I'm feeling excited and hopeful about this one so far. There chemistry has been more antagonistic at this point, but they're doing well at that. And the trailer made them look very good together.

~ I hope we don't get too much of these business interview things or business talk in general. Business bros are boring. Even the translator thinks so, the subtitles got markedly worse in that section. It seems like they got messed up at a crucial point when Mangkorn was sending Yai a loaded subtextual message during his speech. Or at least I didn't I understand what he was saying there.

~ Is this woman Ajo he's asking out gonna turn out to part of the lesbian couple? I'm getting distinctly uninterested vibes from her, but she's also framed like she's going to be an important character.

~ Secret photographer!

~ I like the spoiled but hardworking rich kid thing Yai has going on. He has a cute pout. I like how he kind of gets transformed by his circumstances. Young and earnest at the interview, full of swagger at his bar.

~ I also like the sets. They all seem textured and visually rich. I'm so tired of white walls. I know they're the low budget option so I'm not mad about it. But it's also really nice to see something else. (One of the reasons I like My Only 12% as well).

~ Pong and Park! They're great. I love that we've established some sort of pining situation right off the bat. The slapstick is a bit over the top for me, but doesn't stop me from liking them.

~ But what is Yai's necklace! I still haven't been able to get a good look.

~ Ok, so I am Very Intrigued by this rivalry they've got going on. When did it start? Why did it start? Was that the first time they fucked? The conversation kind of made it seem like it wasn't. 👀 And does that mean Mangkorn hired the photographer himself just to taunt Yai?

~ I like Ajo a lot. And I love that Mangkorn is constantly being shown entering rooms with shots that Pan up from his feet. Very fun and dramatic.

~ The colors! The textures! I love the look of this show. And, since I've had sound mixing on my mind, the sound quality seems decent. The whole thing feels... not expensive, but also not low budget. For some reason it's making me think of the US American TV show Revenge. Not that they're very similar in premise or even the look, but it has the same feel of trashy glamour. Or perhaps glamorous trash. Very fun.

~ Ajo's face as Yai and Mangkorn are doing their posturing game. 😂

~ Ah, it's a tiger pendant. Thanks, Mangkorn!

~ Phew. That skirted the edge of feeling too dubcon for me, but managed to stay on the safe side. Still fucked up, mind, but it feels mutually, consensually fucked up, and fits this glamorously trashy world.

~ That was reasonably hot with reasonably good chemistry. It didn't blow me away, but that feels about right for these characters at this point in the story. It was all very well shot and edited.

~ Ohhhhh. It's all been a flashback. They tricked me. 😂

~ THEY ALREADY HAVE EACH OTHER SAVED ON THEIR PHONES AS 🐯 AND 🐉!!! I don't know why but somehow that is the cutest thing. Even when they still think they hate each other they're using cute emoji symbols. 🥺

Plus a moody angsty music video at the end?!! This is amazing. This is perfect. I love it. This show is exactly what I didn't realize I was looking for. Thank you, universe for providing.