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itsjulesharper · 8 months

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All the BLs I've Watched (so far)

I can't exactly remember when I first started watching BL (seems like years!) but I began making a record of what I'd watched from around July 2022. First it was to just write down what I'd seen. Then it was other details, like country, ep count and some deets to help me remember it. I also marked them by excellence, rewatch value or UGH (aka weird, stupid, terrible).

So here’s my stats month-by-month:

Total BL watched to 30 September 2023 - 282 From - Thailand, Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam Year Range - 2014-present

JULY 2022 Watched - 23

Loved 🥰 - Semantic Error, Cherry Blossoms after Winter, The Untamed, BlueMing, Theory of Love, Bad Buddy, Star In My Mind, Cutie Pie Toxic but still loved it - KinnPorsche, We Best Love, My Beautiful Man WTFery 🥴- TharnType Didn’t match hype - not yet! 🔥 NC - KinnPorsche, TharnType, Not Me Different from the norm - Not Me, Old Fashion Cupcake, The Untamed, BlueMing Just all-round lovely - Cherry Magic Needed More eps - The Tuxedo Still salty about: the ChampDoc buildup that went nowhere (TharnType) Obsessed with - JoongDunk, Wangxian, OffGun, VegasPete, ZeeNuNew, MaxNat, Jeff Satur singing Why Don't You Stay

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AUGUST 2022 watched - 39

Loved 🥰 - Don’t Say No, Love Mechanics, Fish Upon The Sky, 2Gether, Love By Chance, 21 Days Theory, Light On Me Toxic but still kinda loved it - Why R U? Tonhon Chonlatee WTFery 🥴- My Lacivious Boss, With Love, Uncontrolled Love, WaterBoyy, Make It Right Didn’t match hype - Unforgotten Night 🔥NC - Don’t Say No, Love Mechanics, Love By Chance Different from the norm - On Cloud 9, Present Perfect + Present Still Perfect Just all-round lovely - Enchante, Light on Me Needed more eps - Ingredients, Calculating Love Still salty about - LeonPob breakup (Don’t Say No), Fighter’s toxicity and the shortness of the MaxNat story (thanks, Covid) (Why R U?) Obsessed with - YinnWar, Saint, BrightWin, LeoFiat/JaFirst, PondPhuwin, ForceBook, Jeff Satur

SEPTEMBER 2022 watched - 8

Loved 🥰 - Love In The Air, Love Class, To My Star, About Youth Toxic but still loved it - none WTFery 🥴 - none Didn’t match hype - Oxygen 🔥NC - Love In The Air Different from the norm - DNA Says I Love You Just all-round lovely - About Youth Needed More Eps - Oh, My Boarding House, About Youth Obsessed with - About Youth OST, PrapaiSky + PayuRain / BossNoeul, baby!!!

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OCTOBER 2022 watched - 22

Loved 🥰 - Until We Meet Again, Lovely Writer, The Shipper, Plus + Minus Problematic but still loved it - HIStory 1, HIStory 2, Work From Heart WTFery 🥴- Paint With Love Didn’t match hype - Coffee Melody 🔥NC - Work From Heart, Lovely Writer, Plus + Minus, Big Dragon Different from the norm - Colour Rush, Lovely Writer Just all-round lovely - Second Chance, Takara-kun and Amagi-kun Needed more eps - Precise Shot Still salty about - The vile father's quick redemption (Work From Heart), the salt (HIStory3: Make Our Days Count - iykyk - I paused prior to THAT SCENE as I prefer to remain blissfully ignorant) Obsessed with - BounPrem, Gameplay

NOVEMBER 2022 watched - 9

Loved 🥰 - Vice Versa Toxic but still kinda loved it - Dark Blue Kiss WTFery 🥴- Skinship Didn’t match hype - Checkout 🔥NC - Checkout (the special ep w/- Tee + Ice) Different from the norm - Vice Versa Just all-round lovely - Vice Versa Needed more eps - En Of Love Still salty about - all the Earth crying (My Only 12%) Obsessed with - TayNew, Cake's love confession (My Only 12%)

DECEMBER 2022 watched - 38

Loved 🥰 - Dear Doctor I’m Coming For Soul, HIStory3: Trapped, My Tooth Your Love, I Told Sunset About You, Till The World Ends Problematic but loved it - The Novelist, Mood Indigo, I Am Your King, War of Y WTFery 🥴 - You Never Eat Alone, That’s My Candy, Bite Me Didn’t match hype - Ai Long Nhai, Remember Me 🔥NC - Fahlanruk, HIStory3: Trapped, War of Y, Mood Indigo, Till The World Ends Different from the norm - Till The World Ends, Life Love On The Line, War of Y, Dear Doctor I’m Coming For Soul Just all-round lovely - He’s Coming To Me, My Tooth Your Love Needed more eps - My Best Story, Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding, I Am Your King Still salty about - the wtf ending (Grey Rainbow), Ja’s wig (Remember Me), the absolute tragedy of LongJoke (Till the World Ends), Chinese bromance labeled as BL on YouTube Obsessed with - Copter, Art, Give Me Your Forever by Zack Tubudlo (feat. Billkin) from I Told Sunset About You OST

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JANUARY 2023 watched - 23

Loved 🥰 - Roommates of Poongduck 304, Between Us Toxic but kinda obsessed with it - Lovesick WTFery 🥴 - Lovesick 2 (omggg so many bitches and dramaaaaa!) Didn’t match hype - Cutie Pie 2 🔥NC - Between Us, Cutie Pie 2 Different from the norm - Between Us, Nekoyashiki-Kun Desires To Be Recognised (manga artist + idol = hilarious!) Just all-round lovely - Mr Heart, The Boy Next Door Needed more eps - Cutie Pie 2, Chapter of Green Still salty about - the wtf ending (Kissable Lips) Obsessed with - WayuFilms on YT, BounPrem, JiwoongSeobin (and this iconic bts kiss in PoongDuck)

FEBRUARY 2023 watched - 10

Loved 🥰 - Candy Colour Paradox, HIStory4: Close To You, Oh! My Assistant, Be Loved In House: I Do Problematic for others but I LOVED it - HIStory4: Close To You WTFery 🥴 - none Didn’t match hype - My Sweet Dear 🔥NC - Candy Colour Paradox, HIStory4: Close To You Different from the norm - Candy Colour Paradox Just all-round lovely - Oh! My Assistant Needed more eps - My Sweet Dear Still salty about - camera angle + fish kisses (First Love, Again + Individual Circumstances) Obsessed with - all the cameos from the MODC actors

MARCH 2023 watched - 13

Loved 🥰 - The Warp Effect, All the Liquors, End of the World With You Toxic but I kinda liked it…? - Together With Me WTFery 🥴- Hit Bite Love, Win Jaime’s Heart, Teach Me How Didn’t match hype - Hit Bite Love, The Eclipse 🔥NC - End of The World With You, The Warp Effect Different from the norm - Moonlight Chicken, The Warp Effect, End of The World With You Just all-round lovely -See You After Quarantine, All The Liquors Needed more eps - none Still salty about - the way Knock believed his vile gf over long-time bestie Korn + the creepy asshole doctor (Together With Me), the TINY amount of JoeArmy scenes (The Warp Effect) Obsessed with - GeminiFourth, JoeArmy (The Warp Effect), Thor (Joe from The Warp Effect) appearing in e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.

APRIL 2023 watched - 19

Loved 🥰 - Our Dating SIM, Unintentional Love Story, Bed Friend, Jack O’Frost Had issues but I loved it - My Beautiful Man 2 WTFery 🥴- Bro and Me Didn’t match hype - Craving You, Chains of Heart 🔥NC - Bed Friend Different from the norm - Unintentional Love Story Just all-round lovely - Peach of Time, Between Us specials on YT Needed more eps - ReminderS (a sequel of sorts to Lovesick) Still salty about - AePete wtf??? (Love By Chance 2), whyyyy DongHee and HoTae didn't date??? (Unintentional Love Story) *note: yes, I know we're getting a S2 Obsessed with - Unintentional Love Story

MAY 2023 watched - 21

Loved 🥰 - Mr Cinderella, ViAn, Never Let Me Go, , My School President, Our Skyy2 Toxic but kinda loved it - My Dear Loser, Want To See You WTFery 🥴- Papa What Is Love, My Day Didn’t match hype - Tin Tem Jai 🔥NC - My Day, Love Bill Different from the norm - Never Let Me Go Just all-round lovely - My School President, KluenNuea's story (OurSkyy2) Needed More Eps - The 11th Brother Still salty about - the wtf ending (Love Bill) Obsessed with - PondPhuwin, O2 Production and all their actors (especially Bá Vinh and Mai Vũ Luân!)

JUNE 2023 watched - 11

Loved 🥰 - Tale of 1000 Stars Had issues but I loved it - none WTFery 🥴- Love Syndrome III, Gen Y 2 Didn’t match hype - Boss and a Babe, StarStruck 🔥NC - Love Syndrome III, Destiny Seeker, The Eighth Sense Different from the norm - PastSenger Just all-round lovely - Star In My Mind (3rd rewatch - still love it!) Needed more eps - The Ring Goes Missing, StarStruck Still salty about - the ruination of Pha/Wayu (GenY) the weird ending (PastSenger), the fish kiss (StarStruck), the weird cuts to Love Syndrome III Obsessed with - EarthMix

JULY 2023 watched - 12

Loved 🥰 - Love Tractor, La Pluie Had issues but was really interesting - Innocent WTFery 🥴 - House of Stars Didn’t match hype - House of Stars 🔥 NC - La Pluie, House of Stars Different from the norm - 3 Will Be Free Just all-round lovely - Love Tractor Needed more eps - Innocent Still salty about - massive holes in the SC story (Innocent), can’t watch all the eps (BoyBand) Obsessed with - yelling about plot holes on Twitter, this absolute freaking song poetry from La Pluie

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AUGUST 2023 watched - 13

Loved 🥰 - Why You Y Me?, Mignon (anime), Stay With Me, Happy Merry Ending, Tokyo In April Is… Had issues but I loved it - Gay Ok Bangkok, Tokyo In April Is… WTFery 🥴 - Hidden Love Didn’t match hype - none 🔥NC - Step By Step Different from the norm - Gay OK Bangkok (had a very Queer As Folk feel to it) Just all-round lovely - Sing My Crush Needed more eps - Hyperventilation (anime) Still salty about - the two year gap AND no JaabJane reunion (Step By Step), the cliffhanger (Stay With Me), fricking Skinship Obsessed with - WuBi and SuYu (Stay With Me), Evening Sunday (Why You Y Me?)

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SEPTEMBER 2023 watched - 19

Loved 🥰 - Choco Milkshake, Call Boy, Love Class 2, Jun and Jun, Stay By My Side, Hidden Agenda Had issues but I loved it - none WTFery 🥴- Dinosaur Love (TOO. MUCH. TONGUE) Didn’t match hype - Wedding Plan, Dinosaur Love, Be Mine Superstar, Why RU? (Korean remake) 🔥NC - Wedding Plan, Be Mine Superstar, Call Boy, Love Class 2, Why RU? Different from the norm - Call Boy Just all-round lovely - Choco Milkshake Needed more eps - Choco Milkshake, Stay By My Side, Why RU? Still salty about - the lying (Wedding Plan), lack of chemistry (Low Frequency) fish kiss (Love Class 2), the choppy scenes + underdeveloped characters (Be Mine Superstar) Obsessed with - JoongDunk (again!) Kpop idols acting and kissing in BLs

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itsjulesharper · 10 months

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GEMINI NORAWIT as HEART and FOURTH NATTAWAT as LI MING in MOONLIGHT CHICKEN (2023) for @loversmore

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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Hi, and thank you for your comments! Just to clarify, my purpose in analysing 3 act structure is to show how dramas/screenplays can fit into it, so it’s a little more easily understandable for writers who are using the structure. Not that BL drama has to, or that it will be a fit for all. Far from it. I do know and understand the origins of 3 act structure, and that the Greeks were using a form of it in their storytelling. I’m not saying ‘here’s a writing structure, everything should fit into it’ because that would be really stupid and presumptuous of me ☺️ thank you for your link - I’ll definitely check it out.

3 Act Story Structure - Unintentional Love Story

So here’s my 3 Act Structure breakdown of Korean BL drama, Unintentional Love Story.

Big Picture Question (aka Story Question)

Will recently-fired WonYoung manage to get his job back by getting pottery artist TaeJoon to sign a contract with his company?

ACT 1 (Ordinary World)

WonYoung has been fired from his job because his department boss was doing shady stuff and implicated him. So he goes to a small seaside town to wait until everything’s been cleared up (as told by his supervisor) and he can return.

Call to Adventure While at the town, he recognises local pottery owner TaeJoon as the famous artist his company owner has been looking for. If he can get TaeJoon to sign a contract, he can return to his job. But TaeJoon is aloof, private and totally unapproachable.

Refusal of the Call —> Acceptance With student debt repayments looming, this happens quickly, as WonYoung wants to return to his job.

Crossing the Threshold (aka Stepping Into The New World) He asks TaeJoon for a job but no luck. Instead, the local cafe needs a coffee runner. WonYoung is now part of the small community.

ACT 2 (in The New World)

Acclimatising to the New World, Trials and Minor Victories WonYoung learns how to work with clay and sculpt. He gets to know the town through his part-time job as coffee runner. He makes progress with TaeJoon when they start to talk. TaeJoon gets all up in WonYoung’s face and there’s an undeniable spark of attraction for both of them.

Allies/Enemies/Mentors We get to know HoTae, who appears to be the local tough guy but is girlfriend-cursed. He’s been in love with his school bestie DongHee (owner of the cafe) and wants to date him.

There’s a cast of lovely town people, mainly aunties. TaeJoon also has a friend GeonHee, who owns a kiln and fires his pottery creations.

Jung, WonYoung’s boss, appears to be helpful but as the story develops, turns out to be a backstabbing asshole.

We learn about TaeJoon’s ex - also an asshole - who took money from TaeJoon’s father on the condition he dump TaeJoon.

Escalation of Emotional Stakes WonYoung and TaeJoon become closer, and the way in which TaeJoon treats WonYoung differently to everyone else is noticed by his friends and commented on. When WonYoung gets sick, TaeJoon takes care of him at his house, much to the shock of TaeJoon’s friends.

When TaeJoon makes a move on WonYoung it’s rejected, but the attraction is obvious so a slow burn romance plays out, with both men hesitant (TaeJoon because of his past experiences, WonYoung because he’s thinking TaeJoon likes a girl).

Point of no Return WonYoung says he should move out into another place. They both look at houses but TaeJoon is clearly unhappy WonYoung is moving out. They admit their feelings for each other and things start to get emotionally complicated. WonYoung feels guilt about keeping secrets, quits his job.

——————> STORY MIDPOINT <——————

Removing the Armour (aka Becoming Emotionally Vulnerable) WonYoung attempts to come clean with TaeJoon but he’s drunk and it never really happens.

They are both honest with each other about other misunderstandings, and emotional drama is cut short by admissions and an apology.

Things Start to Fall Apart WonYoung’s boss turns up and basically ruins everything. TaeJoon is heartbroken, feeling betrayed and lied to by the one person he had trusted. He doesn’t know what is truth anymore.

OH SHIT Moment (aka The Black Moment) It appears WonYoung will not get TaeJoon to sign that contract after all. Until… he does. A condition of the contract is that WonYoung gets his job back, giving WonYoung everything he’s ever wanted. It’s a bittersweet pill and WonYoung refuses to accept the job. They break up.

ACT THREE (The New, Improved World)

The Journey Back (aka Do Not Want, Let Me Just Return To My Old Life) GeonHee, TaeJoon’s friend, convinces WonYoung to take the job that TaeJoon had secured for him, despite WonYoung not wanting it (because it would only prove TaeJoon right, that WonYoung had pursued him for a job). WonYoung tries multiple times to explain things to TaeJoon but he’s having none of it. The man’s heart has been broken.

Reflection/Realisation They have to work together to meet a deadline, and TaeJoon sees multiple times - through actions and the words of others - how good a person WonYoung is. Begins to Feel Things again.

One Last Challenge WonYoung sees TaeJoon with his asshole ex, is gutted he could apparently forgive him, but not WonYoung. WonYoung now rejects TaeJoon’s attempts to reconcile. Lots of real emotions and thoughts, until they eventually talk it out, clear up the misunderstanding and make up.

Resolution TaeJoon finds out WonYoung’s boss wrongly implicated him in the illegal stuff, cancels his contract, WonYoung gets an apology from his boss. TaeJoon’s asshole ex corners WonYoung and attempts to ruin their relationship, but TaeJoon charges in and punches asshole ex, and there’s an obvious visual representation of how strong a good relationship is (vs a horrible manipulative one TaeJoon had with asshole ex) One of my YASSSSS feel-good moments.

Final Ahhhhh Moment WonYoung and TaeJoon meet on the beach to watch the sunset, holding hands and with their ring fingers sporting matching bands.

———–

Merci beaucoup for reading! Please share the love! And if you want to see more 3 Act Structure analysis of BL dramas, let me know xx

If you want to read my emotional and chaotic livetweeting of ULS, here’s a link to my thread.

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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Hello everyone! I made an uls masterlist, mostly for my own organization purposes, which may or may not be helpful for others who are searching for uls content on this site. The first part is a directory of gifs that I've made for uls, and the second part includes some of my favorite uls related content created by other wonderfully talented content creators.

part 1: uls gif directory

all gifs x

episode

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, bts/misc

character/pair

taejoon, wonyoung, hotae, donghee, taejoon x wonyoung, hotae x donghee

part 2: by other content creators

gifs

uls gifs by @aejeonghae (& go read her amazing hodong fic)

uls gifs by @insidethemirror

uls gifs by @loveisactivated

uls gifs by @tachineko

uls gifs by @captnswilson

uls gifs by @how-to-be-a-tree

uls gifs by @hwanginyeop

uls gifs by @gabrielokun

edits

uls edits by @hoppipolla

meta

3 Act Story Structure - Unintentional Love Story by @itsjulesharper

Unintentional Love Story Meta by @heretherebedork

note: how to watch unintentional love story (if the show isn't offered in your region) 1. set your vpn to the us (or any other region where uls is offered) 2. watch the episodes via the direct links (which can be found here)

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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➸ Wary boys with their guards down smiling brightly at their not-yet-boyfriends for the first time

+ bonus: their reactions

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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Love in the Air (Prapai x Sky) - 3 Act Structure

Love In Air is a 13ep Thai BL series produced by MeMindY and for this post I’m breaking down Prapai and Sky’s 3 Act Structure, which features in eps 8-13.

Payu and Rain’s analysis (eps 1-8) can be found in my previous post here.

Tropes - grumpy/sunshine, one night stand, rich boy/college boy, overcoming past trauma/abuse, romance as plot, evil ex returns, pursuing reluctant love interest, slow burn romance, trust issues, reformed rake, emotionally closed off uke.

Story Question - will college boy Sky overcome his past trauma and finally find love with rich boy Prapai?

Act 1 - The Ordinary World

We see Sky doing his thing - going to school, interacting with his dad and cleaning his house. Meanwhile Prapai is being an expensive rich boy, working at his dad’s company and racing bikes.

Call to Adventure Sky and his bestie Rain break into an illegal street race and are separated. When Sky is caught, Pai steps in and claims Sky is his boy to deflect punishment.

Refusal of the Call —--> Acceptance Pai asks what Sky is willing to offer to compensate his efforts. Sky knows what Pai wants - what all guys want - and they end up having sex in Pai’s condo. Sky leaves the next morning.

Crossing the Threshold After 3 months of obsessing about their encounter, Pai manages to get Sky’s number via his bestie Rain (who is the bf of Payu, Pai’s bestie) and declares he’s going to pursue him.

Act 2 - Into The New World

Allies, enemies, mentors Allies - Pai’s younger brother and sister, his PA. Sky’s building manager, Sky’s bestie, Rain, and Pais bestie, Payu. Sky’s classmates.

Sky’s internal warning system is his mentor, and his vile ex is def. an enemy. Sky is also his own worst enemy because his past experiences have given him a warped sense of relationships which have lead to him swearing off relationships.

Trials and failures, obstacles, minor victories Pai takes some time to think about how he’s going to pursue Sky, who is different to his previous love interests. He sends sunflowers and food. Sky refuses the flowers (but doesn’t throw them away), eats with Pai (but is rude and disinterested). Makes it clear he’s not into friends with benefits, so Pai should just give up. Pai doesn’t and instead tells rain he’s pursuing Sky. Rain vouches for Pai being a good guy. Sky blocks all the burner numbers Pai calls him on, throws out the food gifts. Tells himself it’s all for the best.

We see Sky’s trauma through nightmares and flashbacks, giving us an insight into his vulnerability, trust issues and refusal to have a romantic relationship.

Growing feels/learning about each other Sky’s protective walls are slowly being chipped at as Pai pursues him. Sky has moments of confusion where he’d thought Pai was like his ex but it’s clear Pai doesn’t give off the same vibes.

We see Pai’s thoughtfulness in a few ways - how he speaks and interacts with Sky, how he listens, how he notices when Sky is having an emotional flashback, the sunflower pendant he wears, which he now associates with Sky. Pai’s love language is definitely gift giving. Pai tells Sky he likes a challenge.

Pai tries to go about business as usual - school assignments, helping his classmates. Pai texts him to ask about his day and if he’s eating etc. Sky is annoyed… but you can also see the reluctant attraction blooming. His internal dialogue is meant to comfort him, assure him he’s doing the right thing by ignoring Pai’s efforts. “Don’t listen to your heart, listen to your mind”. He eventually becomes distressed by Pai’s interest and keeps having nightmares about his past trauma. He doesn’t want anyone because he doesn’t want to feel that vulnerable again. At this point, it’s unclear if Pai will overcome his past.

Becoming Emotionally Invested When Sky falls sick, Pai rushes to his side to take care of him. Pai is surprised by the feels he’s catching for Sky, realises it’s not just about sex anymore. Sky gets better and attempts to go back to his usual cold self, but Pai won’t have it. Sky asks what he wants, assumes it’s sex. Pai is offended. Sky has seen Pai’s caring side and his growing feelings surprise and confuse him. He agrees to let Pai pursue him but says he will not change his mind. Pai, however, is optimistic. Sky surprises them both with a kiss on Pai’s cheek. He’s all giddy and smiling and at this stage, it’s fair to say Sky is becoming smitten. Whereas Pai is driving full tilt down the highway towards Think I’m In Love Town.

Pai and his bestie Payu attend a race event, and we see two dudes talking with Sky. This establishes the fact that Pai knows Sky’s evil ex but not how evil he is. Pai goes to a uni event to help Sky and we see Pai realise he’s full-on head over heels for Sky.

They finally start sharing intimate stuff and talk about family. This is a huge step for Sky because it means he’s emotionally invested. There’s a near-kiss. Pai brings Sky food and takes care of him. Sky lets him, whereas before he was actively fighting it.

When Sky needs help with an assignment, Pai is the person he calls. Pai thinks Sky is in real trouble, is annoyed it’s just an assignment. Sky feels bad, apologises, but Pai is still angry and it takes a while for him to come around. All is good in the morning, and Sky rewards Pai with a kiss.

Point of no Return (where the characters are deep in it and cannot go back to their Ordinary World because too much has changed for them) Cleaning Sky’s room is a test for Pai, to see if he gives up. Of course he doesn’t, and they eventually end up in bed. Sky asks Pai to hurry up and get bored of him so he can move on. But we know deep down, Sky is desperately wanting Pai to love him. Sky doesn’t admit it, but he is emotionally committed now.

—->STORY MIDPOINT <——-

Things Have Changed / Removing the Armour / Vulnerability Sky is now in this relationship and they do couple things. Sky mentions he has an evil ex. They go out to eat, Pai picks up Sky from class. There is a confession of feels from Pai, and Sky tells him ‘I’m all yours’. It appears they are falling in love. Until….

Oh, SHIT moment |Sky sees a guy all over Pai at a party, assumes the worst. He’s devastated. Sky ghosts Pai for two weeks and Pai is so worried. When Sky says he’s bored of Pai and they should each move on, Pai is heartbroken. It appears the answer to the Story Question will be no.

ACT 3 - The New Improved World

Pai refuses to believe Sky was just using him, so he goes to Sky’s dorm, finds the diary where Sky has admitted all his insecurities and his feels for Pai. When Sky turns up there’s a massive emotional scene where Sky breaks down and cries (as do we all!!) Pai says he loves Sky. Mucho tears and emotions, they kiss and make up. Sky tells Pai that his evil ex did a number on him, had told him he was boring. This confession brings them closer.

One Last Challenge Pai and Sky are at a street race, Sky’s vile ex spots him, schemes to get him alone and attempts to rape him, all the while saying Pai has given his okay and offered Sky to him, mirroring what evil ex had done to Sky when they’d been together. Rain, Payu and Pai charge in in the knick of time, Pai rescues Sky then beats the shit out of evil ex. We all cheer.

Reflection / Resolution Sky finally tells Pai about all the vile shit evil ex did - offered Sky to ex’s friends, abused him. Pai is in tears, there’s emotions and vulnerability as they both comfort each other. Sky asks if he can really be Pai’s and his alone. Pai says of course. They hold each other.

Final AHHHHH Feel-good Moment We learn the street race boss has ‘taken care of’ evil ex and won’t bother them again (we assume he’s offed him, tbh). Sky and Pai wake up together, have a sweet moment as a loving couple, hug and kiss. Pai is at work and they have more cute moments.

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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The one where I’m consumed by BL Drama

the original of this post is over on my website if you want to take a look. Otherwise, keep reading :)

Since around July 2022 I fell into a BL drama hole (feels MUCH longer!) and couldn't get up. OMG, Jules! I hear you say. What is this awesome-sounding thing you're into and why are you obsessed?

Well, come closer, my bébés, and let me give you a crash course.

Just like K-Drama is all about stories made in Korea and featuring Korean actors, BL (aka boy love) Drama are stories involving boys dating, falling in love and (mainly) living happily ever after. The HEA has some exceptions which I will WARN YOU ABOUT because I am STILL SALTY about this (Love By Chance S2, I am looking right at you!). A lot of the stories are adapted from novels, or short stories, or manga. Some start out as an online game (!)

On to a few definitions, courtesy of Nothing But Yaoi.

BL is also known as Yaoi (Yah-OY), and is a media genre depicting romantic and homoerotic relationships between males. This genre blossomed in Japan in the ’70s as a literary genre and originally consisted of derivative works from parodies of original anime and manga stories. However, it gradually transformed into an umbrella term for other forms of fiction - such as anime, movies, dramas and fan-works - featuring homosexual relationships.

Yaoi Vocabulary

Seme – (sem-AY) refers to the ‘top’ or the one who penetrates the ‘bottom’ during sex. Usually portrayed as the character with the most masculine features and the one with the more dominant personality. In standard romance writing terms, he would be an alpha.

Uke – (oo-KAY) character with the most docile and submissive personality and the ‘bottom’ in the relationship. Physically, he is presented as being more graceful and feminine.

Riba – characters with mixed traits of semes and uke, and is both submissive and dominant in the relationship.

Tsundere – (SOON-de-deh) A character who initially shows off a moody and harsh personality and sometimes violent tendencies, but then gradually shows a sweet and gentle side.

Yandere – (YAN-de-deh) a character with a possessive and obsessive personality, who will do anything to be with their crush or love interest.

The Futekiya blog has a good explanation on the differences between seme/uke/riba.

I totally recommend Gail Carriger's 2020 article BL Dramas Analysed from a Writer's Perspective because she goes into the background stuff and I don't need to say the same thing because I pretty much agree with all of it. Go read both parts.

Now, here's my observations. BL isn't just about gay/queer stories. It also deals with friendships, romantic pairings, families, school/college, acceptance and social issues. A lot of them fall into the New Adult subgenre (defined as stories with 18-24yo protagonists navigating their way in the world while dealing with a new job, college, family, social and romantic issues).

Sometimes I feel some male actors aren't that comfortable kissing other men, but that could be me. I know some actors see BL as a stepping stone in the industry and do it for the money. You can find a bunch of YouTube clips that delve into this, but please take those with a grain of salt, because the bottom line is, it's all subjective unless an actor has gone on record about it. And most will not, given most BL are produced by countries that still struggle with LGBTQIA+ acceptance. And some are still downright homophobic.

#VegasPete MY HEART

BL run the gamut of SUPER HOT (KinnPorsche, Unforgotten Night), to one kiss in the last 30 seconds of the last ep (Where Your Eyes Linger, Light on Me, Minato's Laundromat). Some BL are light and fluffy because sometimes we just need that feel-good romance story about two people falling in love. And then we have the more grittier stories that deal with social and political issues, bullying, assault, social media.

You go for it, Pi! (Fish Upon the Sky)

A lot of BL are only one season, except when not (TharnType, SOTUS). This gets confusing when they give the second season/related seasons a different title. (For example, Kiss: The Series, Kiss Me Again, Dark Blue Kiss and Our Skyy are all related, with the same actors playing the same roles) I loved 2Moons (Phana and Wayo MY HEART!!!) but the company (StarHunter entertainment) then produced a Season 2 and 3, but with completely different actors in the same roles for both seasons. People were not happy. The En of Love was another series that consisted of a bunch of mini stories, including a 4ep one called Love Mechanics. I was so happy we got a full 10eps for the retelling of Vee and Mark’s story, because the original 4eps were hugely lacking. It’s now one of my favourites, ngl.

I've managed to find a lot of related shows via IMDB, and I've also referred to My Drama List for details about number of eps, shows with the same actors, etc. It can get more confusing when it looks like a series is also a movie, and then I realised they make a 'movie' version of the series but there's a lot of heavy editing involved so I recommend watching the series to get the complete story.

Like other fiction genres, BL has its tropes, expectations and issues. I think the oldest BL I've watched was 2016, and the earlier stuff shows its age when it comes to dealing with bullying, sexual assault, consent, stereotypes, gay rights and acceptance.

Most of my BL comes from Thailand and Korea, mainly because they are the ones meeting demand and consistently making content. Japanese BL have recently stepped up (Candy Colour Paradox is one of my faves) but Chinese BL made after 2016 is rare, due to the massive government ban on anything appearing to be gay. A few production companies produce my favourite shows (GMM and Domundi are two) and those companies have a stable of actors who appear in a multitude of different shows, promote those shows and endorse products (more about that later), plus do live greets, fan service and provide content for the original soundtrack.

I watch in various places - I have Viki and iQIYI, as well as Prime and Netflix but the latter two don't have a lot of the old shows I'm looking for - and I'll tell you about that all further down. Some production companies like O2 have a YouTube channel but sometimes scenes can be cut because ‘mature’ content.

Okay, so apart from boy love, what's BL about??

My Beautiful Man - of course he is

Aside from the fact that most of the boys are just SO FRICKING BEAUTIFUL IT MAKES ME CRY???? JUST LOOOOK AT THEM!!!! Who wouldn't want to watch all the dramas with these guys???

Okay. It's also about the tropes. I get a kinda-sorta "old romance bodice rippers of the 80s" vibe from the older BL: low/dubious on consent, sexually aggressive, the "I'm interested in you so I'll overtly pursue you - even though you've said no - because I MUST HAVE YOU." The alpha-seme characters are often forceful and in your face. There's open bullying going on. Sometimes sexual assault is used as a plot/character device that makes me mega-uncomfortable (TharnType.... 😒) But anyway. Here's a bunch of plot/trope devices that seem to crop up in a lot (if not most) BL.

Dominant male/passive male dynamic - I can count on one hand the BLs I've watched that don't have this dynamic - alpha-type guy pursuing a shy, often nerdy, passive (same age or sometimes younger) boy. It's your classic seme-uke. A lot of BL are set in college or just starting out in the workforce, so a huge New Adult vibe to it all, which is helpful to get past the censors re: sexual content. It’s also a very popular trope.

Hot previously-hetero fuckboy has GFY (gay for you) thoughts about roomie/bestie/cute nerdy boy - "gay for you" is a legit trope in the romance genre. Some hate it, some aren't bothered about it. It basically means that a previously heterosexual guy - with no indication he's ever questioned his sexuality and in fact, is overtly sexual with women - will suddenly start to have the feels for another guy. It's not that he's GAY, because he doesn't feel that way about other guys. It's just this one guy who sets his heart all aflutter. Theory of Love fits this, as does TharnType (two very male men who don't classify themselves as dominant or feminine, although Tharn is openly gay and says early on that he's a top).

...or not?

Not gay, just GFY - see above

Accidentally falling on other so they can 'accidentally' kiss - tripping over objects, a kerb, a fence or wall, people crashing into them - with their bodies or vehicle - and forcing them to kiss. Bonus if it involves water, like falling into a bath or a pond. Water fights are also good.

Getting drunk - this appears to provide an opportunity for the seme to kiss or touch the uke. It also allows them to talk about their feelings 'honestly and openly'. Can also lead into...

Drunk kisses - doesn't always come with consent. Many a drunk kiss may start out as 'wtf are you doing??' And because the pursuer is just SO DAMN GOOD at kissing, it morphs into consensual (and sometimes into sex, which again, is not always consensual or appears to be 'forced seduction' - a romance writing term that's loaded with issues and sometimes used as a euphemism for rape, especially when we're talking older romance novels of the 80s-90s).

Placing a hand on a wall/chair/object and leaning in to stare into their face/get intimately close - SO. DRAMATIC. I love this aggressive move (usually by the seme) and also love seeing the uke getting all flustered and nervous. See Cutie Pie, Secret Crush on You, Unforgotten Night.

Watching the other one sleep - So we get those lovely vulnerable moments with lingering looks and tender expressions. See also: pretending to be asleep so the other one can watch them sleep and possibly confess aloud how much they secretly have the feels. Is also related to the classic #OnlyOneBed conflict device.

Bringing food/feeding - this is a culture thing. Putting food on someone's plate, bringing them noms when they're sick or too busy to take care of themselves. Feeding them directly from a utensil has MAJOR sexual vibes, and we often get close ups of parted lips and lots of staring. There's also a bit of extreme dramatic offence taken by the seme when an outsider/potential rival puts food on the plate of the seme's love interest. This preferential treatment of being served food does not go unnoticed by family or friends.

Wiping food from their face - again, we are taking care of that someone we have the feels for. Wiping off food, sauce, cream, often on their lips or corner of the mouth. Bonus if the pursuer then licks that finger. HOT VIBE ALERT.

Patting/washing/drying hair - indicates intimacy, which a shoulder or arm pat definitely doesn't.

Tending to wounds - to show their caring side. Can also involve kisses to said wound, or blowing of said wound. Which then gives us variations of gay panic from the one being pursued.

Nursing them when they're sick - see above. This is also a good turning point for the uke to realise their pursuer is indeed, concerned for them. Which means their romantic feels start/increase.

Falling asleep together - with major spooning and possible kissing occurring. Can also be paired with the #OnlyOneBed conflict device.

Riding a bike/moped/vehicle to create physical touch - where the person sitting behind must hug the driver. This is usually initiated by the driver grabbing their arms and wrapping them around his waist and the passenger is usually reluctant and/or shocked but we also see him smiling and secretly enjoying it. YAY for intimacy!

Introducing a female/ex to make the other person jealous - some of these are done SO BADLY and sometimes the ex inserts themselves into the budding romance just to be dramatic/evil/demand attention. I have a love/hate relationship with this device. It can be done so very badly, or used extremely well so I accept and understand why my boys are in conflict. In which case, I keep telling myself they'll eventually get their happy-ever-after, SO DON'T PANIC, FOR GODSAKES!

'We can never be together, so go find a woman who will make you happy'- see above.

Disapproving relative - to create tension and conflict. Yes, it's the 21st century but the reality is not everyone accepts same-sex relationships, especially when we're dealing with parents, older relatives and society as a whole. Many Asian countries still don't have gay rights or allow same-sex marriage, which makes the producers of these shows even more brave and forward-thinking.

Staring off into space, deep in thought - seriously, why is it so difficult to get someone's attention when they're doing this? It's not like they've suddenly been struck deaf.

Product Placement - Snacks, drinks, face creams, collagen powders and pills, nasal sprays. I see them all, and some can be subtle (Theory of Love) and some literally IN YOUR FACE and wtf obvious (Unforgotten Night). Sponsors throw money at the show and expect a return, both within the show and from the actors when they do promotional activities. Not gonna lie, I've gone out and bought a bunch of those promoted snacks from my local Coles because I wanted to know what they tasted like. I am an advertisers dream.

Someone is gonna be shipping someone on social media - this is a cute device, and very in keeping with modern teenage life today. For those not in the know, 'Shipping' is basically the act of putting two people in a relationship together, either romantically or not. Mostly, it's of the romantic kind. In Fish Upon the Sky, this is a major conflict device for our nerdy uke, Pi, and his seme pursuer, Mork. Their ship name is #MorkPi. The actors are also shipped outside the show too (for e.g. #BrightWin, #MewGulf, #BibleBuild). Of course, some actors will do this for the fan service (i.e. providing that fan-driven squeeeee! content that keeps people interested/obsessed with the show), but then you will have a ship that sails into real-life couple waters: #MaxNat, #OffGun, #EarthMix, #NetJames, #ZeeNuNew 😍😍

A Happy Ever After - this is the most important trope in a romance novel - in fact, it defines the entire genre. If a Romance is not HEA or HFN (happy for now) i.e. an uplifting ending, it is not a romance novel. Whatever else is going on in the story, however the characters fight and break up and reconcile and suffer, romance readers expect and demand a HEA / HFN for them. I want my BL boys to have a happy ending because I like love stories to be positive. I’ve seen a few that have ended badly HIStory: Make Our Days Count, Gray Rainbow and Love Bill UUGGGGHHH. Also, a S2 may or may not be utterly devastating - don't get me started on Love By Chance S2 😡😡. I've seen some left up in the air (Ingredients and HIStory: Trapped), some that have a 'X years later' (Where Your Eyes Linger, Plus + Minus), and some that are bittersweet (On Cloud Nine, Doctor I'm Coming for Soul). I watched Present Perfect (original Thai movie) and Present Still Perfect (sequel), but saw the sequel first, so I got Toey and Oat's initial romance backstory last. Didn't diminish or spoil the story at all and they're now two of my favourite BL movies.

The "I like you" moment - When a boy confesses their feels. I think a more accurate translation should be "I have a crush on you". Gail Carriger goes into more detail about translation issues, which you can read in her article I've linked to above.

A bit more on translating issues. Depending where you watch, they could be A+ or piss-poor. Some are just very very odd. I laughed aloud with KinnPorsche - a story about mafia and their tough bodyguards - and their cursing. 'Fudge', 'darn' and 'shoot'...? LOOOOL. Vegas definitely says "fuck" in English, but 'fudge' is the translator's go-to. For Love By Chance, one site's subs were "at least you won't be told you're a f*ggot." Viki translated it as: "you won't be told you're the wrong gender." The subs for Make It Right on Bilibili were crazy-ass around Ep10, so I swapped over to YouTube.

So where can I watch these awesome shows?

My first port of call is either a legal paid platform or the creators' official YouTube channel.

The Cutie Pie ep10 scene YT doesn't want me to see...

YouTube - GMMTV has a channel for catchup, which I love. I also recommend MindTrio. Make sure you get an ad blocker, because I totally forgot YT has ads, and one time I watched on my iPad ... annoying ads ahoy! Plus, I read on an Instagram account there's some censoring going on, but this is a bit hit-and-miss for me. For e.g. there's a hot bath scene in Secret Crush on You between Toh and Neua that I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT because I'd watched it on Bilibili and they'd cut it. The full uncut scenes can be found on Viki. I've also had ep10 of Cutie Pie censored because of 'sexual content' and unless I send YT a copy of my ID (wtf, not gonna do that!!) then I'm blocked from watching it there. Yay 👍 - free! Boo 😒 - censorship! And ads.

Rakuten Viki - The format is very Prime-looking. You can get a bunch of shows for free, and the quality is great, but sometimes they'll make the first few eps free, then the rest of the season is VIP-only, which you have to pay for. They also place LOUD ads wherever they feel like in a show, so you'll be watching an intense emotional scene and suddenly there's a 20sec ad for Pocky. UGH. And the frequency/number of ads is totally random: one 30min ep had 5 breaks in it?? On the flip side, I watched a 90min movie with two ad breaks. And sometimes you get a Skip this ad>> button so there's that? Yay 👍 - somewhat free. Excellent range of BL if you pay for a sub. Boo 😒 - random ads everywhere unless you pay for VIP. Paywall to see a complete season.

iQiYi - I had this app on my iPad but the ads were ANNOYING on the free version and totally in the way of the buttons. Paying for a subscription removes them, of course. But some content is country-restricted (e.g. Unintentional Love Story), so even if you're a subscriber, you may not get access to every show. Yay 👍 - excellent uncensored content! Boo 😒 - paywall/sub fee can be expensive, plus content may be country-restricted.

GagaOOLala - this channel is LGBTQIA dedicated, so if you're unhappy with the shitty offerings of Prime or Netflix, I'd totally be paying a sub for this. You can see an ep or two for free, but then you have to subscribe. Also, as with iQiYi above, content may be country-restricted, even as a subscriber. Yay 👍 - CONTENT that is frequent and excellent!! Boo 😒 - possible country restrictions, plus sub is $$

HiTV - I recently discovered this app and it's fab because there's lots of older shows here that iQiYi and Viki don't have (full version of Love Mechanics! 🥰 ). It does have ads, but only static silent ones at the start of each ep. Yay 👍 - content you may not be able to find elsewhere. Boo 😒 - The tiniest of tiny ads at the start of each ep.

Netflix - I've watched heaps of K- and C-Drama here (While You Were Sleeping, Love and Leashes, Final Life, Sweet Home, Alice in Borderland) and I still have a bunch bookmarked, but I haven't turned on my TV for weeks. I watched Your Name Engraved Herein, plus technically-not-BL Hwarang and The Untamed here, but Netflix have edited a few scenes of the latter, which makes me v. angry. Also, apparently Germany has absolutely no Chinese drama available, which is... just weird. Yay 👍 - HD content, no ads. Boo 😒 - choice is limited via your country. Plus, you know... you have to pay for a subscription. And with the 'no family sharing thing' that's being phased in, Netflix may not be your best choice.

Okay, so that's my crash course on BL Drama. Stay tuned for a list of my favourite series. And if you watch BL, let me know your faves in the comments!

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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we all knew hollywood was evil but to reach the level of publicly admitting to letting writers go broke and homeless before giving them a living wage that they can easily afford to pay is insane.

pay your fucking writers.

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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Strike is on. Actors will be joining the writers on the picket lines. This is the first strike in 60 years for SAG, and essentially shuts down the entire US film and television industry.

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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My current work-in-progress

So here's the face for the angry, moody seme I’m currently writing 🫠 🫠 🫠 Bright Vachirawit, you are one smexy boy.

#bright vachirawit #am writing #gonna fling myself off a bridge #so pretty #so moody #so hot 🔥🔥🔥#i love him so much #ugh #cries forever #dies from feels

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itsjulesharper · 11 months

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Three Act Structure - Love Tractor

Love Tractor is an 8-episode Korean BL drama, adapted from a webtoon, and available on iQIYI. Analysing the scenes and trying to put this series into 3 Act structure was a bit of a challenge, due to the possibility of multiple “Oh, SHIT Moments” and at one stage I was unclear about the Point of No Return, but here’s what I finally settled on. Remember not all the points follow the same order in every series, and in Love Tractor, some happen quickly while others have a greater build up. But overall, this series is purely romance-as-plot so my breakdown follows that. Enjoy!

Story Tropes - fish out of water, grumpy seme/sunshine uke, strangers to lovers, slow burn romance, return of the evil ex, pining in secret, asshole father, child in danger, caring small community.

Story Question - will Yul heal from past hurt, follow his dreams and fall in love with farmer boy YeChan?

First Act (The Ordinary World)

We see Yul as the smartest guy in class, on track to go study law at Harvard. Instead, he drops out to look after his grandfather’s place because his grandfather - the local village chief - is in hospital in Seoul. We see YeChan, a 20yo happy-go-lucky farmer, in his Ordinary World, doing farmer things. Then YeChan rescues Yul’s car from the mud and Yul is suspicious, which is further exacerbated when YeChan appears in the grandfather’s house unannounced.

Call to Adventure Yul loses his grandfather’s dog. YeChan helps him find it. YeChan is so upbeat and positive (in direct contrast to Yul), but he still encourages the uptight, formal Yul to embrace (and be embraced by) the local village. They wrestle with honourifics and formalities (Yul is 27).

Refusal of the Call —> Acceptance This happens when YeChan drags Yul along to introduce him to the village and the villagers.

Crossing the Threshold Major culture shock for Yul but also he goes along with YeChan with little pushback.

ACT 2 - Into the New World

Acclimatising to the New World A reluctant Yul starts to accept the ways and laid-back atmosphere of the small community. He’s given a rice drink (which he refuses multiple times because yucko) and it sits in his fridge for a while.

Enemies and Mentors Yul’s father, who is an arrogant, abusive perfectionist. The town elder, who is YeChan’s confidante and literal relationship mentor. YeChan’s mother. Various townspeople. Yul’s vile ex. An orphan girl who makes Yul realise a few home truths. The way YeChan and Yul interact with these people reveals their character and backstory.

Trials and Errors / Minor Victories Yul has to wrap his head around this quaint town, which is so different from Seoul. The tiny supermarket, the overly friendly locals, the way YeChan is a part of this. Yul finally tries the rice drink and realises he likes it (this act is symbolic of his gradual acceptance of the town and embracing this new adventure he’s on). YeChan helps out with some orphans, teaching them to strawberry pick, and Yul is terrible at it. He’s also terrible with communicating with the kids, in particular one girl who’s been ghosted by her father. Yul refuses to take his own father’s calls and we find out why later. When Yul and the girl have an accident, YeChan rescues them and now he has to take care of an incapacitated Yul in an arm cast.

Doing Bonding Stuff Together Strawberry picking, going shopping, having a water fight, driving and talking. Generally looking after each other. YeChan bakes a cake for Yul but the dog eats it. We see Yul giving YeChan preliminary ‘this guy is sweet and interesting’ looks.

When Yul is in hospital, YeChan sleeps on the floor next to him. They bond over daily interactions when they return home and YeChan says he will take care of Yul. Yul appears to be loosening up and smiling more. Yul doesn’t sleep well, so YeChan buys a light to help him, and they sleep side by side on the floor.

YeChan finally talks to the town elder about catching feels for Yul and the way he reacts when Yul says he’s seeing someone is confirmation of those feelings. YeChan is mega depressed Yul has confirmed he’s taken, but still wants to be in Yul’s presence because that boy has FALLEN HARD. We find out why Yul hates his father, why he gave up music and why the ex is an ex (at this stage, YeChan has no clue).

More Obstacles Yul’s vile ex turns up and does that smarmy, passive-aggressive ‘I know stuff about Yul, we have a past and a connection, you’re just a randomer’ and YeChan knows he a) cannot compete with this shiny, smooth urban guy and b) won’t confess his feelings because that would just ruin everything and YeChan is not a selfish guy. And so, YeChan steps out of the picture. Ex stays at Yul’s house, goes with him to get his cast removed. We find out more of Yul’s past: the vile ex cheated on him, pursued music, and is now someone in the industry.

Point of No Return YeChan visits Yul the next day with a cute keyboard he bought BECAUSE THE MAN IS SO FRICKING SWEET but the vile ex is all ‘you don’t know him AT ALL it will only cause him pain if you give this to him.” Yul senses something’s wrong, you can see how gentle he is with YeChan (and so can vile ex) but YeChan eventually leaves. Next day Yul says to the ex, “we need to talk,” but the ex is “come back to Seoul with me.” YeChan suddenly appears and is all “NOOOOO.” Yul tells vile ex a few home truths (vile ex is all ‘what about meeeee??? How do you think I felt when you gave up music??’ and SIR take your pity party and LEAVE), says they will not get back together, that he should go home to Seoul. YeChan is relieved. Yul doesn’t know it yet, but he’s emotionally invested in this relationship now.

————> STORY MIDPOINT <———————

Removing the Armour / Being Vulnerable Yul still can’t sleep, so YeChan takes him apple picking - physical labour to tire him out. We now see Yul clearly getting the heart eyes for YeChan. They make wine with the town elder, get drunk and eat together. YeChan has a sexy dream about Yul and is totally embarrassed. Now avoids him.

Oh, Shit Moment Finally, Yul asks what’s wrong and YeChan confesses he likes him. Yul is shocked, says he’s sorry, and he doesn’t have the energy to think about someone right now. “Let’s pretend nothing happened,” Yul says. At this point, the answer to the Story Question appears to be no. No happy ending for YeChan and Yul???

ACT 3 - The New Improved World

The Journey Back This happens quickly, in ep7. Yul wants to forget YeChan’s confession, YeChan is WTF NO I SAID WHAT I SAID. Yul says YeChan is a younger brother to him, then pulls the “you’re young, you don’t know how you’re feeling” and tries to backtrack (aka the I Wanna Go Back To My Ordinary World, This is Too MUCH EMOTION CANNOT DEAL) and good on YeChan for getting angry and WTF you DID NOT just say that to me. Now he’s all “I will prove it to you, I will make your heart race every time you look at me.” (!).

Reflection/Revelation/More Feels YeChan is on a mission now, trying to find out how to make ones heart race. He takes Yul to the strawberry farm. Panics when he thinks Yul has run away from him (he just went to meet a friend). YeChan takes Yul to see a piano hidden in a shed and Yul realises it’s his from childhood, and his grandfather has been looking after it. YeChan tells Yul if he really loves music, then he should pursue it. YeChan mirrors the words that Yul said to him in Act 1 (“I think it’s cool to pursue something you like doing.”) Yul finally reveals that he stopped music because of his father. YeChan gives Yul a cute bracelet to show him how much he likes him.

One Last Challenge Yul’s father turns up and tells him to go back to law school, attempts to smack him about when he refuses. Yul glances at the bracelet YeChan gave him and then says that from now on, not to contact him, stop interfering in his life. He will be doing music now. Has a friend send him his music equipment.

More Feels/Romance Development We are now seeing Yul slowly falling in love with YeChan through his selfless acts - making sure Yul sleeps and eats and looks after himself, enjoying his composition, then telling him to go to Seoul to pursue his music. Of course YeChan will be sad but he’s so Team Yul that it makes my heart ache. Yul gives YeChan a matching bracelet… “are we a couple???” After an outing, Yul gets all massive heart eyes and EMOTIONS and drags YeChan in for a passionate kiss.

(Yul’s omg fuuuuuck I love you! moment)

(KISSING! Also, look at Yul‘s hand on YeChan’s neck AHHHHH)

Resolution / Final AHHHHH happy moment After a month of FaceTiming and YeChan being sad because he misses his bf, Yul finally returns. “I’m home,” he says. Massive hugging, lots of happy YeChan.

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