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Babii v Polca

I want to first start this off by prefacing: I’m a babii first, Tay fan second. So, clearly I have a bias. Take what I say with a grain of salt. But the Babii 24/7 concert blew the Polca Time Traveling concert out of the water.

Stats at a glance. OffGun’s concert lasted 2.5 hours and their group performed 22 songs. TayNew’s lasted a little past 3 hours and they did 25. OffGun had 13 songs they performed together (just them), and each had a solo song. TayNew had 12 songs they performed together (just them), and also each had a solo song. OffGun had 9 different outfits, TayNew had 7. OffGun had 8 guests: Neo, Aungpao, Fourth, and the five members of Lykn. TayNew had 7: Gemini, Ford, Mook, Sing, Janhae, Junior, and Mark. Neither concert’s tickets sold out at the venue, but I want to say OffGun had about 20ish tickets left, and TayNew had 12. They both sold out of their plushie keychain at the venue.

Now onto my analysis. These concerts can easily be broken into three different moments. It’s usually a song, or a transitional phase with music or a fun video clip, followed by chatter to allow for change in set designs and costumes. After watching TayNew’s concert, I am almost positive they had more chatter than OffGun’s. I went back through my recordings of both concerts and these are my findings.

When I timed “chatter” I specifically only counted moments when there was no music. I did not include the fan videos at the end of their shows within that time, but I did count the talking to the audience afterwards. I usually don’t mind chatter but when subtitles are so delayed or inaccurate during a live performance, I tend to lose interest. So for me personally, it can affect how I view the concert flow. 

OffGun had about ~52 minutes of chatter. Of that, there was ~12 minutes dedicated to their OffGun Fun Night segment. Which, if you understand the premise of their show…that’s the whole point. They host a talk show. There’s supposed to be chatter. But to try and be more fair, I did include those 12 minutes in my total time.

TayNew had ~68 minutes of chatter. The difference between their chatter and that of OffGun’s seemed significantly noticeable to me. Perhaps it was because most of the chatter involved was on a blank stage with a wide cast. TayNew got lost in the group for me at times. Whereas OffGun’s longest chatter segment (the OGFN part) was hosted on a bed with Fourth. So it made it more fun and interesting for me.

Which, the bed. This brings me to another point. I feel like OffGun had more time to come up with the concept of their show. They utilized props more. The idea of a convenience store for the 24/7 theme was brilliant. Their hosting of a “ribbon cutting” scene in front of their store to begin their concert was perfect. Then having a shelf with products they could flirt against was a nice touch. I’m trying to remember what outside props TayNew had and can only come up with the Polcasan robot thing, a few chairs, and a picnic bench. It seemed like OffGun gave more consideration to their theme and stuck with it. There were even three songs within their set list that had 24/7 in their lyrics, further bringing up the concert's title.

So, all in all, I’m giving this one to OffGun guys. The concert flow was tight, the songs coincided with their theme, their outfits were above and beyond, props too. I also loved that for their closing song they jumped down from the stage and walked through the audience to sing. To me this added another personal touch and really showed how much they love and appreciate babiis. 

Yes, I’m biased. But there’s a reason for it. I think OffGun are creative geniuses and their concert proved that. 

Will I rewatch TayNew’s concert? No. 

Will I rewatch OffGun’s? Honey, it’s been seven days and I’ve seen it three times already. We already know the answer there. 

#offgun #taynew #babii 24/7 concert #polca time traveling concert #concert review

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It's my 6 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

Wow cool. I don't really use this page this often but I'll celebrate by posting a smutty story...

The fact I was going to do that today anyway is irrelevant 😆

#6 year tumblrversary #tumblr milestone

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🤷‍♀️💚💙

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I'm dead 😂

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I'm literally begging for a poly show like PLEASE, their power!!! 😭😍

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Cooking Crush ep 10: This Show Has My Whole Heart

I wrote about some of the things Cooking Crush is doing so well in my response to a recent ask, and so I'm particularly glad that episode 10 came through with a strong flourish to get us set up the last two episodes.

I wanted to call out a few specific things this episode did that are contributing to why it's working so well for me.

First, I want to mention that the reciprocity continues! Previously, we had Prem comforting Ten during a panic attack post adrenaline crash. In this episode, Ten comforts and supports Prem during his worries about Samsee and the competition.

Picking up on something else I've talked about before, this show is committed to its character's arcs. Fire is struggling with his sexuality and his desire to keep their relationship secret last episode led to the conflict between Samsee and Dynamite this episode. Fire showing up to support Dy in public, giving him affection, and using the petname Dy insisted on having is all evidence of Fy's increasing comfort with it. He's already said before he intends to tell his mother, and Dy has been clear he's not rushing him. The way Dy is so careful with Fire but also so receptive to and appreciative of what Fire is able to give warms my heart (pun intended). And Samsee and Prem seeing it and reacting supportively too, because they know what this means to their friend!

[The gifsearch is not cooperating but please enjoy this gifest by @gunsatthaphan.]

I also want to talk about how this conflict with Samsee hits Dynamite hard, and in the context of knowing he's lost relationships with his parents because of his sexuality, to think his relationship with Fire could have lost him a close friend must be bringing back up his feelings about being cut out of the lives of people he loves. However, it speaks to the strength of his bond with Samsee that even though Samsee is furious and not speaking with him, he does not kick Dy out of his apartment. Dy mentions that he didn't see Samsee the night before the competition because Samsee didn't come home (we find out later why, but I loved this subtle nod to the fact that unlike Dy's own parents, Samsee didn't abandon Dy when he made choices that hurt him. I AM IN MY QUEER FOUND FAMILY FEELINGS, FRIENDS).

Along these lines, Ten going to confess to Prem, noticing that these friends are having a moment, and quietly stepping away to give them space is such a good character moment for him, since previously he's been begging to be let in to their shared space even when Prem mentions he's concerned about its impact on his friends and their relationship. Ten's realizing he can't be everything for Prem, and it's better for both of them if he isn't.

That scene of reconciliation, the three friends re-establishing how important they are to one another, that got to me. And that the show prioritized it over the romance! I cannot tell you how much I love that this was an explicit decision the show made, to say 'no, this is not the time for a confession, this friendship reconciliation is more important right now'. And I love that the show gives us a solid, character-grounded reason for why Samsee reacted so strongly to being left out in the first place. We've been told Samsee has changed school majors 3 times, and it's been played as a joke as well as an explanation for why he's an older student. I love that we've now had the consequences of those changes on Samsee's friendships added to his story. Even a "joke" backstory has ramifications for the characters in this show, I am obsessed.

I also want to mention that I am loving what the show is doing with Samsee and Metha, two characters who are the "fuck-ups" of their friend groups, but who are also the most loyal and most supportive of them all. They conflict with one another around what that support looks like, even while they enable one another to continue to be the best friends to their respective besties.

Prem has struggled this entire show to use his words, and in particular he's visibly wrestled with how he can gracefully reject Chef Changma without putting his own career at risk. In this episode he manages to say 'I don't think that [a hug] would be a good idea', and he's ignored. Ten immediately steps in, but I wanted to highlight how big a deal it is for Prem to have said no to this Chef--who he's idolized, who is his mentor, and who is a judge of the competition he's in--in this moment.

When we do get to the confession, Prem continues to lead with action, and Ten continues to push him to use his words. I love so much that Ten never lets him get away with copping out of saying the words, since it's something we know Prem struggles so much with. This speaks to @lurkingshan's earlier post about how Cooking Crush shows us its leads are better thanks to their relationship (in the same way that Fire self-actualizing and being more free to be himself and express affection also speaks to this point).

Beyond character arcs, there's one other thing I am very excited for heading into episode 11 next week, and that's the conflicts in this show converging so brilliantly. So far, the show has set up a few conflicts: Ten's relationship with his father, the cooking competition, the bullies, Fire's relationship with his mother, and Chef Changma's interest in Prem. All of these have now been queued up to expertly converge as a single conflict in ep 11, based on the preview. With Changma's advance and subsequent punch being recorded and distributed (I'm placing bets that this was recorded by one of the bullies, btw), Ten's father once again steps in the way of this relationship that he sees as a detriment to his son. Prem also previously stated that he wanted to enter the competition in order to prove to Ten's dad that he has potential, so these threads were already starting to come together weeks ago. Even if I'm wrong about the bullies having been the ones to record that video, they're sitll in the competition as competitors. And of course Fire has promised Dy he'd come out after the competition, tying the last thread of these conflicts all together around this single event.

And this is what I mean when I say the writing on this show is so good. Because the characters are coherent and consistent and have clear arcs, and the conflicts are grounded in the characters, even though there are several threads, they come together easily and in a way that makes perfect sense and that work with the character arcs rather than against them.

The last thing I'll mention, because it's something I actually brought up as a negative to this show previously, is the use of non-linear storytelling. Cooking Crush has used non-linear storytelling several times, showing us a scene and then flashing back to what happened before that scene in order to fill in the gaps. This can be an effective storytelling tool, but it has to accomplish something in the narrative. The difference between unnecessary and excellently-deployed non-linear storytelling is whether or not there's a good answer to this question: What is the purpose of delaying this information to the audience, and how does that delay affect the audience understanding of what they're seeing? In previous instances, for example the kiss and then flashback to the full date, knowing that Ten and Prem kissed at the end of their date didn't add anything to the viewing experience of watching their date, and having seen their date didn't change my experience of the kiss. This is why I consider it an ineffective use of that technique.

In episode 10, however, we get the cold open that shows Ten joining Prem and Samsee in the competition, and then we flash back. Knowing Ten will be joining Prem and Dynamite in the competition helps to colour what we see about Prem and Dy trying to get Samsee to reconcile with them, as well as Samsee's absence. When we get to Ten stepping in, we have learned it was as much a surprise (and disappointment) to Prem and Dy as it was to us. Ten stepping in doesn't actually work, but it does give Prem the courage to ask if they can compete as a duo, rather than just letting themselves be disqualified without a fight. And we later find out that Samsee was so touched by the letter that he went to his hometown to dig for prawns and that's why he was late for the competition. [I also wanted to mention this because based on @respectthepetty's roundup post it sounds like the cold open was cut for the youtube version]

I lied, I have one more actual last thing, this one is obvious but I can't not say it: THANK YOU to this show for consistently queueing up the typical miscommunication fumbles that get so annoying in every BL (in most romance plots of any sexuality) and then saying NOT TODAY SATAN and having the characters choose vulnerability and honesty and bravery, and talking it out. Every time the show does this (and it's at least 2x per episode, no exaggeration) I feel a little more faith in romance writing restored.

ANWAY, TL;DR Cooking Crush continues making me so happy every week!

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offgun + confessing their love

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offgun confessing their love for each other is my new favorite thing 🥰💚

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FRIENDS. FRIENDS.

Cooking Crush is undoubtedly one of the best shows airing at the moment.

Today's episode gave me so much life that I don't even know where to begin, but I'm gonna try my best to pull two (2) coherent thoughts out of my melting brain.

1. The Three Must-Eat-eers Conflict and Resolution:

Last episode had set up such a perfect conflict that's rarely handled well in any media: the bruised feelings of the single friend when the rest of the gang gets into committed romantic relationships. Most of the time this scenario shows up in media, one party will be framed as selfish and/or jealous. None of that nonsense here; Cooking Crush has always taken the friendship of its characters very seriously, especially Prem, Dynamite and Samsee. Samsee’s feelings were hurt not just because of his own fears of being abandoned by his friends, he was also (rightfully) mad that he ended up as the only friend who was kept out of the loop of knowing that his best friends had boyfriends now. But Prem and Dynamite did not intend to do this, and they were also right to set their own pace in making their relationship public, but it’s just that the string of accidental reveals happened in an order that made Samsee feel like a third-wheeler in his own home, twice over.

Cooking Crush treats its characters with a lot of kindness and empathy and it shows. Prem and Dy wanting to keep their relationships under wraps for the time being is valid. Samsee feeling hurt and lost, and opting out of the competition is valid. This episode begins with the drama of the cooking competition and works its comedy (thank you for the chuckles, wildly gesticulating White Man) and romance (my poor heart swooned all over my rib cage when Ten helped Prem into his chef clothes). And when the time came for the big reconciliation, the show does not sweep away Samee’s very hurt feelings just because Prem and Dy struggled without Samsee for most of the first round of cooking. He apologizes for ditching them and Dy was having none of it.

(Dy, my perfect child, oh how I love you with my entire heart)

Perfect resolution. and a well-earned, most adorable group hug to bookend it. I truly could not be more in love with this show. Or can I?

2. Miscommunication? Nah.

Well, this episode also featured the Annoying Asshole Chef dude who’s determined to pursue Prem even though it is very clear that Prem is not interested and would reject his advances, if only he stuck around long enough to actually get rejected and not run away from him like a goddamn coward. I was furious when he positioned himself as an actual option for Prem to Ten in this episode, and thoroughly enjoyed every moment Ten chose to call him out on his bullshit.

But y’all. The very inappropriate hug. The well-deserved punch to his stupid face. The storm-off. All of it had me very concerned that this is all barrelling towards a classic miscommunication moment.

BUT NO.

THE SHOW SAID THERE WILL BE NO STUPID MISCOMMUNICATION.

NOT IN THIS HOUSE.

My problem with the miscommunication trope is that it ultimately positions the couple we are supposed to be rooting for as a weak team. Honest communication and vulnerability in a new-ish relationship is not easy, and it takes a lot of courage to take that step to be the one to spell out the facts, and trust that the other person likes them well enough to keep an open ear, and believe them when they say a meddling cowardly asshole is trying to get in the way of their relationship. Ten’s bravery was perfectly contrasted with the sliminess of the Annoying Cowardly Chef (I refuse to learn his name, he is not worth my braincells).

Oh but Ten wasn’t done yet!

I absolutely adore how he moves the conversation away from that pesky little pest of a human towards something that matters more: his desire to make things official with Prem. The Annoying Asshole Chef was not the focus of the conversation, Ten and Prem are. And it all culminates in an incredible kiss and a camera swoop that already has a permanent little shrine in my silly little head.

TAKE MY HEART, COOKING CRUSH. TREAT IT WELL.

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Something beyond killing a man binds us three together. | 3 Will Be Free (2019)

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tenprem + flirting hard

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tenprem + flirting hard (pt. 2)

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tenprem + half-hidden confessions

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offgun + smelling hair

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lol this is kinda like the middle 😂

I need a boyfriend that I dominate and another one that dominates me but the one I dom in turn dominates the one that doms me. Like a Rock Paper Scissors throuple. Lol I don’t actually want this but it’s a funny concept to think about. and would heal the world

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cooking crush being a nice fluffy romance but then goes pulling a dead body from thin air

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Sometimes following a favorite idol so religiously can really bite you on the ass later. My perception and admiration for this person is a little shattered. I wish to un-see the thing I saw that later got deleted. And the only reason this post is so vague is because I still genuinely care for this person despite everything. I don't want them to face any negative repercussions, even though I'm still hurting hours later.

I also hate that I'm at the point of making excuses for their poor behavior. I don't want to believe they would intentionally say such an awful joke. I realize it's also rooted in a culture I'm not a part of. Whether people like it or not, fat shaming is alive and well in Asia. I still deal with it here too, let's be real. But whereas here it's more passive aggressive or said behind my back, there it's said bluntly to the face and widely accepted. It is completely normal for Asian Americans to return to their home country and the first thing out of their family's mouth is "you're fat." It's normal for fat people, black people, blonde people, OTHER people to be followed around and photographed without their consent. Plus size shops are non existent or if they have them they are called ridiculous names like "Fat Girls" or "Love to Eat."

We aren't people over there. We are a joke. A spectacle to be gawked at.

It just really hurts that someone I genuinely admire feels this way about people like me.