#BL episode recaps

[absolutebl]

Love in the Air & also the smell of burning trash

MAME’s adaptation of her novels “Love Storm” (พายุรักโถมใจ) and “Love Sky” (พระพายหมายฟ้า) this is a duology focusing on two different couples and their storylines.

Well, fuck me. 

This is your fault tumblr and I blame all y’all entirely. But yes, guess what this is?

Well, it’s me flouncing, but apart from that?

Another MAME dumpster fire marshmallow roasting trash watch. 

Some of you even begged for it. Or maybe if I’m a MAME character, you didn’t beg for it but I’m gonna gaslight you into thinking you did and then ruthlessly kiss your neck.

Look. I DON”T KNOW WHAT’S GONG ON EITHER.

Good start, ABL. 

Real good start.

You see what this show is doing to me already? 

Fortunately for the few of you who like unconsenting trash-watch neck kisses, and unfortunately for the rest of you, the opening of this bloody show made me realize that I had to do a trash watch. 

Take the neck kisses. 

Take ‘em and like ‘em. 

Without further ado, let’s get started. 

Episode 1 - WHHHHYYYYYY???????

The longest establishing shot in the history of establishing shots, Kubrik take notes. 

And what is it focused on? The gayest bridge in Thailand! (okay maybe not, but it looks a lot like it) 

Did the overdramatic music make me laugh? Yes it did. 

My brain on BL figuring out what is being trafficked inside those 3 big trucks. 

A bunch of acoustic guitars?

Vats of pink milk?

Stacks of white towels and plastic bowls?

MAME’s morals, value system, and taste? 

I’m a motorcycle rider and I’m still disappointed they were full of motorcycles. 

Speaking of which, is anyone reminded of the trailer for that one Thai BL called Motorcycles from years ago? It never got made. 

Cute meet cute in the rain with the umbrella. Styling trope drops, actually. 

Takes me back it does... 

Can’t knock MAME’s meet cutes. 

Just everything else. 

The Characters 

Rain = Random assholery disguised as tsundere + flirting + homophobia wee. Also kinda stupid, dramatic, and slightly cute.

Matched with P’Phayu = a bisexual predator-slut (TM) because MAME can’t leave THAT one to dry for one fucking show. Bonus seme points for eyebrows even more aggressive than he is. 

I like Sky = snarky bestie with solid moral compass and epic eye rolls. Maybe she’ll let him be cool? (Oh noes, I said something, he’s doomed.) 

Random bratty kid in the seat behind Sky = I have seen that actor before, damn it. WHERE? OMG it’s Dr. Sing from Triage! 

Look I’m beginning to get slightly weirded out over the age jumping Thai actors do. 

He’s in high school, 

he is an office, 

he’s in uni, 

he’s a doctor, 

he’s back in high school. 

Are MaxTul the only ones allowed to grow up? 

Okay, grow up = wrong term entirely. Whatever. Don’t distract me with MaxTul, where was I? 

Right, instead let’s talk MewGulf. Anyone else think MAME is gunning for that pairing style with this lead couple? PhayuRain giving me... vibes of the TharnType variety, shall we say? Not exactly, of course. So maybe not vibes, more sort of squint your eyes wiggles target practice?

Back to the... episode. 

I’m losing the plot already. Fortunately for me, said plot is pretty banal, but what do I expect? 

Also the pacing is odd. Things are moving physically faster than they should, but with no real establishing emotional connection. Again normal for MAME. It’s either emotional chemistry drawn out as unnecessary angst over the whole show, or physical chemistry shoved in your face like a wet waffle with an attitude problem. 

I don’t know enough Thai slang to know if the double asshole entendre was on purpose with this dialogue. 

But if it was, it might actually be the greatest line ever executed in a BL. 

And I am thoroughly ashamed of myself for thinking that.

Get it? Ass-shamed.  

To conclude: 

Screw all you all, I’m dragging you down with me into this hell (ass)hole. And since I highly doubt there will be lube, this is gonna burn like the dumpster fire it is. 

I refuse to take responsibility for anything I say or do around this dumb show, it’s @fandomwithjoy ‘s fault. 

Episode 2 - in which I do some actual analysis about VO work as victim blaming and then get distracted by spankings and scoop neck t-shirts 

Serious moment of film studies? 

Do I think we are getting Rain’s voiceover (narration track AKA VO) because otherwise it’s too dub-con and this is MAME trying to avoid complaints? YES I DO. Basically we get Rain’s thoughts during the “almost rape” stuff so MAME can say: 

“See? He actually wants it.”

Look, here’s the thing about having a character VO narrate anything, it’s clumsy. It smacks of not trusting the audience (to be clever enough to follow the story) or the actors (to be good enough to transmit the emotion) or the genre (to convey the world building in a show not tell manner). That’s why so many in the film industry are against it. (See the Bladerunner VO controversy.) 

Do many of my favorite BLs do it? (Cough cough.. JAPAN.) Yes. But then I’m not as against it as many because I like super complex world building and I don’t mind some lazy technique in the pursuit of audience comprehension. Also yaoi was all about head hopping. 

HOWEVER, I’ve never seen voiceover work used as an excuse for portraying dubious content before. Essentially this show is doing a victim blame version of VO.  

Ballsy of you, MAME. VERY ballsy. 

I don’t know if I should be impressed or appalled. 

Typical. 

The thing about MAME is, regardless of anything else you know you’re going to have a lot to talk about. I suppose that’s why she always summons a trash watch. 

Quick add from the future: 

I went off on Takara & Amagi because they manage to use VO to directly combat dubcon (or at least the issues with BL that lead to dubcon) in a GOOD way. So if you’re intersted in this technique working, you should 1. be watching that show and 2. read this post about it.

No booze tonight but that’s only because allowing BL to drive you to drink once a week is expected, but twice? That’s just schedule mismanagement. 

So next week I might delay Unforgotten Night for Thursdays and just decree: 

Thursdays = BOOZEY BADGAYDAY! 

Trashlush Thursdays? 

Eh, I’m more creative when I’m drunk. 

Moving on to the new ep. 

It’s a weird quirk of Thai that no matter what, they will not believe that work is not pluralized in English these days. 

Every time it’s translated plural I think of little Victorian maiden aunts doing good works for their community, knitting, or darning, or tatting. 

And now I’m picturing Payu draped fiber arts. 

Back to Daddy Payu... 

No. 

I can’t. 

He just doesn’t give daddy vibes. Bad boy vibe = yes, daddy = no. 

Back to P’Payu disciplining his bad boy in the bathroom. 

With... erm, neck breathing, I guess?

Still, oddly sexy.

Also... RESULT. Rain used polite (submissive) language. 

Am I taken with the idea of Domming for linguistics? YES I AM. 

Shall we try? 

Nong Thailand, NO MORE “works” FOR YOU! 

I will now breathe heavily on your neck until you stop sticking that “s” on the end. 

Nope, that didn’t work. Works. Ha! 

Question: Who the hell is directing this? It feels like Tee’s work but he’s not listed on MDL. *** 

Look the thing about bratty militant tsunderes without reason like Rain (or Type for that matter) is I fail to see why anyone likes him or wants to be friends with him, let alone fuck him. Fuck with him, sure. But he’s not hot enough to get over a bad personality. 

Sky deserves better friends! 

The seme’s race track consult. Nods in the general direction of Cutie Pie, like anyone could out-seme Zee and Max, are they cray cray? Body language alone. 

But could we talk about the sound in this not-Cutie Pie seme-conspiracy scene? It is so SO BAD. They just what? Hooked up some cheap-ass wireless mics during a wind storm and thought, why bother looping? Flipping heck. MAME’s got money, this is insulting, 

Moving on swiftly please. 

Poor Sky, abandoned by his so-called friend to be (presumably) seduced by greasy motorcycle dude with bad sound tech. (Yes I think that’s where they meet but we won’t see it until their section, which I’m guessing will be in the second half of the series. I believe we got a Star & Sky approach happening here.)

And now... 

Slap that baby, make him scream!

(10 points to the first elder goth who gets the reference.)

But also... 

A spanking! 

A spanking!

I had to, okay.

To my knowledge this is the first spanking scene in BL (Japan doesn’t go in for spankings as a rule, everything else of course). Thus Monty Python is required on such an august occasion. 

This is a serious, hallmarked event in the history of the genre.

Heh he. Hall...marked. Get it? 

Okay, I did find it cute that Payu chose a scoop-neck T for his boy, clearly we got a neck fetish going on. 

That’s it. 

That’s all I got. It was what it was, I’m not mad about it, just a little... okaaaayyyy. It’s MAME, no whiff of consent shall there be. I’m not excusing it but dub-con has just GOT to be her kink. 

Gotta go, works are waiting. 

*** Spies reported in:

Apparently the director is Neti Suwanjinda. He's new to BL who previously seems only to have done short films and music videos. Prior to that, he was bassist in the 2000s rock band Am Fine. Good times. 

NO SINGING

Episode 3 - Linguistic Domination is a Go!  

am one and a half glasses of wine in and ready to do this thing! 

Sky is the best boy and also kinda a little shit. Good combo. Like red wine and dark chocolate. 

Sky, are you trying to remind us that there is meant to be a plot?

Please don’t. 

I love how they called out English 3rd person gendered pronouns in one tricky little scene. 

THAI LINGUISTICS DOMINATION CORNER!

Okay so when he is being polite Rain uses Phi/pom + krap (with he full roll).

When he not being polite he still uses phi but he’s slipping in wa (instead of na, which makes it rude and informal) and not using krap at all (which makes it curt and impolite).  

So the little training session was about particle use. 

Cute. 

Then we got a date, I was very distracted by interesting food choices ordered off that menu, and am mad we did not get a good shot of the table after they were served the dishes. 

I’m starting to get tsundere Can vibes from Rain, and tsundere Tharn vibes from Payu. Not sure what that means except MAME only has about 6 character personalities she rotates though. We kinda knew that already. 

Well, this is BL. 

OH WAIT, is Sky gonna be like a snarky Pete character? Wouldn’t that be grand?  

And Dr Sing is playing the Techno of this drama. As always: never enough Techno. 

I’m not gonna explain that statement, it’s like 5 BLs deep.

All in all not a bad episode (not a good one, either).

Shoulda had more spanking, tho. And more wine. 

Ooo, wine! 

Meanwhile:

I just realized the actor playing Payu kinda reminds me of Seonghwa from Ateez and now I can’t stop imagining him in a cropped shirt and vinyl, and it’s BAD people. 

Episode 4 - I just... ARGH

Payu is just such a manipulative hot/cold arse. I don’t even like Rain and I think it’s cruel the way Payu jerks him around. You don’t train someone up and then abandon them for any reason. Payu is really pissing me off.

 Their chemistry is good though. That age old agony with MAME. 

I am going to state for the record that no one deserves Sky. Sky is too good for this show let alone his friends or boyfriends. MAME should leave my precious Sky ALONE. Sky is best cinnamon roll ever frosted. 

Meanwhile, cruel or not, I guess Payu’s training technique is working. I just wish it had been negotiated. I think I’d really like this show if they’d had a five sentence kink convo verbal contract in ep 1. 

It’s a dangerous game that we play

when we seek to rewrite MAME

for the characters stick

to just one pony trick

only chemistry will save the day 

Although I’m not sure ‘bout that sex scene. 

no opening condoms with teeth, I don’t care how sexy

no one can one-hand a glove that fast, not even a pro

no lube and no prep?

Look I’m just gonna pretend Payu was riding, makes me feel better about everything. Then I can pretend he took care of the necessities ahead of time. Or maybe it was just frotting? 

Episode 5 - In which MAME as officially ruined my favorite thing 

I’m not drunk but I am jet lagged and that’s almost the same thing. 

I see why they don’t have the seme actor with his hair down often, he looks way too young. 

Oh dear, baby was caught in the rain. Baby got sick. This is BL. Bound to happen. 

The horsing around flirty boyfriends is VERY cute. 

I didn’t get any more from the meeha bits than was translated. My stuff on wifey language in Thai BL is here.

These two are good kissers but it’s getting to be a lot of kissing. 

Sky puts up with epic amounts of shit. 

I guess MAME is preparing him for his own story line?

Get it?

Moving swiftly on from my crassness.  

Also Sky, baby, your friend was silly long before he got a faen. 

Oh yay!!!! A counter lift! That’s almsot as good as a spanking!

Hooray! 

WAIT.

What is this? 

NO SINGING. 

I now know the only time I don’t love a counter lift is WHEN IT IS COMBINED WITH SINGING.

MAME has ruined my favorite thing!

(To be fair she’s been ruining perfectly good BL for ages now, so I guess she already was ruining my favorite thing... gah, where was i?) 

A perfectly lovely counter lift mutilated by acapella. 

I feel like I should write an ode, or a dirge. But I wouldn’t ruin your day by singing it. 

OMG I’M SO UPSET RIGHT NOW. 

Don’t laugh, I can see you laughing.

I’m spiraling into a deep depression as a result of counter lifting Thai soloists. 

There will be nightmares. I tell you. Nightmares. 

I should have been drinking. 

Stupid MAME. It was actually a perfectly serviceable episode. 

Until the singing.  

I’m going to bed now.

Episode 6 - We Are Now Calling this show “The Taming of the Screw”

And by “we” I mean me. And you can’t stop me. Can never stop the bad puns, for they MUST live! 

 (source)

#trash watch gonna trash #Love in the Air #thai bl #episode recaps #trash watch #trashy bl #dupster fire bl #bad bl #good bl #i don't know if I like it #you decide #phayu x rain #tharntype #love by chance #mameverse #bl made me do it #run before it's too late #can't say i didn't warn you #this will be all snark all post #no quarters will be given #bl review #bl watch along #i'm taking you down with me

[save-the-data]

Love in the Air: All Episodes, All Kisses

#Love in the Air #LGBTQ+ #Romance #Enemies to Lovers #Thai BL #Gay Male Lead #Adapted from a Novel #Asian Drama #Thai #Boss Chikamon #Noeul Nuttarat #Fort Thitipong #Peat Wasuthorn #บรรยากาศรัก เดอะซีรีส์ #Kiss Episode #Post: Kiss Recap

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Rose Recaps 2023 - Japan

So, because I have a hard time making big lists and choosing favourites, this my version of a superlative post, by country.

The one that had me at the first frame

If It’s With You | Kimi to Nara Koi wo Shite Mite mo

As soon as Amane appeared on screen I was gone. This damaged but confident boy had my heart from the beginning. But it was Ryuji that ended up with a bigger piece by the end. The way he saw Amane’s mask from the beginning and just went – “you don’t need to do that with me”. And the way he considered Amane’s feelings even when he wasn’t sure what to do or how to respond, or how he was feeling about all of it, was just beautiful to witness and at certain points kinda reminded of Ida.

Favourite Moment: Amane confessing and running away. Because visually it's so striking. The way he's running from the light that is Ryuji.

The one that was perfect and I never saw coming.

I Cannot Reach You | Kimi ni wa Todokanai

I think that by now at least some people know how I feel about Japanese BL. I love it so much. And for me it’s always about the characters. Whether they are the embodiment of chaos, like Aoki or they are just incredible complex and empathic humans like Ida. - Yes, I’m using Kieta Hatsukoi every chance I get- I just love the way all these characters are written and portrait.

I loved these 2 boys in equal measure all throughout the show. I might have a soft spot for Yamato, but that’s only because pining boys are my weakness.

Yamato’s back and forth in his own head about what to do would be annoying to me in any other show, but it was so well done, and we were privy to his thought process throughout that it just made me feel for him deeply. And Kakeru learning about Yamato’s feelings right away in the first episode was a great choice, because he gave the show time to make the reciprocity more believable.

Favourite Moment - The exchange of gifts at the door. I love the nervousness that the two of them are feeling in this moment.

The one where I gave in.

My Beautiful Man S2 & Eternal

Confession time. This was not love at first season for me. I don’t argue quality overall and much less the acting of the show, but it just didn’t click for me.

There were some truly great moments in the first season but there was a disconnect between my heart and my brain. This happens to me sometimes. Like I watch something that is objectively good but it doesn’t reach me.

That all changed with the second season and the film. I finally connect with Hira. Don't ask me why, I don't fully understand myself, but it happened right at the beginning of the season. I think perhaps it was because I started seeing more from Kiyoi pov, because before I was absolutely clueless about what he saw in Hira in the first place. Sorry if that sounds harsh.

I don't blame the show for this, as I said, I think all the elements are there, it just didn't connect for me.

Also, the film was gorgeous to watch. Several moments (specially the sequence where the gif is from) were so well shot and edited that I'm happy I went in already with a positive mindset.

Favourite Moment: The one from the gif. I'm a sucker for a drastic visual change when the moment calls for it.

The one that had me question if watching it was good for my mental health.

Tokyo in April is | Shigatsu no Tokyo wa

Ok. I love this show. I love Ren. But this was a hard watch for me. Every week I had a struggle between two sides of me.

- Don’t watch it. It will be sad and you will be sad because of it. - But the last one was sad so I need to watch it to see if there’s happy. - Why not just wait? - Because I started already, so now I can’t wait. - But in this case binging is best. Cause for sure the ending is happy so you won’t be sad for long. - Yeah, but I need to see more now. And there’s a new episode waiting for me. - Fine. Just press play. After the episode. - I really shouldn’t watch this one live. (all this repeats the following week)

It was beautifully acted, there were some outstanding moments, the past was as tastefully done as it could be given the subject matter, and in the end my heart of full, but slightly damaged with the process.

Favourite Moment: Ren finding out Kazuma had been looking for him.

The one with all the magic.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? | Kinou Nani Tabeta? S2

I already wrote how this show made me feel in another post. So I’ll just say this.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH THIS SHOW. NOW. If you haven’t, stop reading this and go. GO. NOW. Start.

There is magic here and you don’t even know.

Favourite Moment: ALL OF THEM. But really this one.

Shiro. Just Shiro.

Well, I'll try to write the next one in these next couple of days. Wish me luck.

Thanks for reading💜

#Rose Recaps 2023 #kimi ni wa todokanai #kimi to nara koi wo shite mite mo #i cannot reach you #if it's with you #kinou nani tabeta #tokyo in april is... #shigatsu no tokyo wa #utsukushii kare #my beautiful man eternal #rose rambles

[respectthepetty]

as a major fan of your Thai BL list, I shall now ask about your Korean BLs! 🤩

I think I can actually trust you 😌😌

Anon Two, thanks for tag-teaming this with the previous Anon, so y'all could squeeze another list out of me. To recap, I've already given y'all:

Top GMMTV Actors

Top GMMTV Pairs

Top Five Taiwanese BLs

Top Ten Thai BLs

So what's one more? @lachikapercebe also asked for this list, but requested only my top five; however, since I already started the list without a specific target number from Anon Two, and Korea gives some of the best confessions in the genre mixed with color coding, I can't reduce the list now. It's too late for me to trim it. I am attached to each pick. They are my children, and I can't desert them, so . . .

Top Ten Korean BLs

Rising Star - Love Tractor

I don't trust Korean BLs. A majority are too short, so either the beginning is confusing or the ending is flat, but unless Love Tractor completely fumbles the second half (which it could because . . . Korea), this will be a yearly top and even possibly an overall top for its country and all BLs. It's that good to me. It's hitting all the normal K-drama notes while being oh-so-very-gay. And as a rural queer, it pleases my soul to see country life presented in such a kind and beautiful way.

#10 - Roommates of Poongduck 304

Mr. Petty Peter Jae Yoon independently earned a spot on this list. Ho Joon was a jerk and a true nemesis when the show began, but Jae Yoon started effing up Ho Joon's home life the more Ho Joon kept messing up his work life, so it was a beautiful tit-for-tat the first few episodes; then, Ho Joon lost focus and wanted a consensual workplace relationship. His father appreciating his new attitude and rejection of his ladies' man ways was a delight to witness since we all knew it was due to him falling in love with a man. And oh boy did he fall in love. That entire conversation of Jae Yoon saying it's impossible for two men to fall in love, only for Ho Joon to respond that it was impossible for him NOT to fall in love with Jae Yoon is a top tier confession for me.

#9 - Blueming

I have issues with Blueming solely due to its ending because I was just as pissed as Siwon was at Daun. Maybe even more so. All was going well; then, the end of episode nine pulled a Thai episode eleven, and DAUN TOLD HIS MOM TO PICK THE FILM! I understand men in love do dumb shit, but that was a bold choice, and a very, very, VERY wrong one. As the youths say, "that was not the move." However, the cinematography was delicious like their silhouettes with that bewitching blue backdrop and their first kiss was realistic. Pretty kisses are cool and all, but the awkwardness of desperately wanting someone yet not knowing how to physically perform is true to many people's experiences and should be spotlighted more.

#8 - Choco Milk Shake

I only trust two entities with poly: Thai director Jojo, and Korea's Strongberry, so the fact that Strongberry did not give me poly when it was so clearly laid out is the reason this show isn't in the top three. It had a supernatural plot, great characters who were all well cast, and a happy ending, so WHY NOT POLY? I don't care if the rest of the world is ready or not. I'M READY! We are getting a second season, so if I if get a kiss AND a vocal acknowledgement of Milk and Choco's love for each other when their love for Jung Woo was well established in season one, this will cement its place in my heart and on this list forever.

#7 - Light on Me

Sixteen episodes with most running about thirty minutes?! A love triangle where I could root for both love interests?! A straight boy who earned his spot at the queer table?! Light on Me had it all and then some! Looking at my various lists, it's clear I am not fond of high school dramas, yet I was seated twice a week to see how our neurodivergent baby boy, Tae Kyung, fared that week in his adventure through social norms and annoyances, like trying to help a fellow peer by giving him back the dildo he dropped in the hallway, but getting yelled at instead. I was not Team Shin Woo until that cellphone confession, and then all I could see was Shin Woo. I'm telling y'all, Korea understands how to confess its unwavering love. Gets me every time!

#6 - The New Employee

As the BL fandom continues to evolve and expand, we will get more BLs geared toward adults and workplace dramas, but hopefully, they take the approach that The New Employee (and Thailand's Step by Step) did and make the work environment part of the drama. Working adults, sadly, spend a majority of their time at work, so finding love at one's job seems reasonable, but if anyone has experienced coworkers breaking up, that shit can get rough, real quick. So having to navigate a relationship with someone you work with, especially someone of a higher authority position, ON TOP OF being queer can be stressful, and is something I want more BLs to explore. There are levels to being out, and for most queers, being out at the job is not a possibility, but finding love anywhere is always a possibility, particularly for our late 20-something virgins.

#5 - Semantic Error

The fact that this came out in 2022 is beyond my understanding only because it seems like I have appreciated it for at least five years. This has become a comfort watch when it first started as a "nothing else is on" watch. I have never cared so much about honorifics in my life as I did watching the slow transition of Sang Woo’s emotional walls crumbling under Jae Young’s affection through language. As much as I hated the idea of forced collaboration (aka group projects), seeing the way Jae Young squirmed his way into Sang Woo’s every waking thought and had him seeing red to the point that Sang Woo was saving screenshots of Jae Young’s Instagram posts was a delight and one of the major reasons I keep returning to it. But the layered confession about Sang Woo finding Jae Young, a man, attractive which lead to Jae Young's countdown kiss is, once again, the reason Korean BLs win in the confession department.

#4 - The Eighth Sense

I'm still really bothered by some of the discourse that came out of this show about how it was better than everything else ever because the comments were reductive about the BL genre, yet some of the comments resonated with elements I loved about the series, mainly its look at mental health and trauma. It was a beautiful show, but the message it carried throughout about depression being isolating and taking the light out of people's lives hit me in a way that if this was the Thai list, I would have left it off because it felt like a personal attack. Wanting someone to save you from yourself, but terrified to drag them down with you was not the plot I wanted, but was the story a lot of us needed to see. We also needed to witness someone actively going to therapy. Let's continue this trend!

#3 - Our Dating Sim

"Have you been well . . . without me?" - Put this on my tombstone because I died and came back to life from this utterance alone. Episode four was already killing me, but once Eddy snapped and allowed all his emotions to spill out in front of Ian, the show came for all my past lives and future ones too. Deceased. I wrote this about the show while it was airing, but no other show has done the leave-him-because-I-love-him plot as well as Our Dating Sim. This show nailed it then made a billboard to boast about it because it was perfection. Ian's reasons for leaving were valid, but the show really shined by allowing Eddy to voice his anger at being ghosted for seven years by his best friend and someone he loved. It even touched on the trust issues that stem from someone saying he loves you only to abandon you. Just know I have NOT been well since this ended.

#2 - To My Star 1 & 2

The first season was almost perfect. The cat/dog energy, the "If it's hard for you, I'll come to you" confession, and the budding kink of Ji Woo kissing a tiny bloody wound on Seo Joon all served in a quick nine episodes gave me everything I needed, so I thought this would be my #1 the second season two was announced, but understand the sequel hurt me. The foundation was great: everyone came back, it had more episodes, the episodes were longer, and the conflict always existed in the first series, so a last-minute twist wasn’t invented. Yet, every single episode hurt. Much like I Told Sunset About You, it was realistic to the point that I expected it to end with pain. If season two was its own show and not a sequel to one of my favorites, it would have ranked higher because it was beautiful, but knowing the magic the first series possessed, and having to be a bystander to all the angst for EVERY EPISODE WITH NO RELIEF was tough. But, somehow, here I am secretly hoping we get blessed with a third series. That’s the power of the Star.

#1 - Long Time No See

Small flex - I've been involved with an international queer film festival for over a decade. I've seen easily over 1,000 pieces of queer media including feature films, short films, and documentaries through the screening process, which only adds to my always growing personal watched list. Long Time No See was one of those films. It didn't make it into the festival because I think it was already available on a streaming platform (maybe?), but it was a top for me then, and it's still a top for me now. Is it a BL? Not really. Is it a show? No, it's more like a two-part movie. So why am I allowing it to reign at the top of this list? BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING! In 2017, we were still getting the bury your gays trope shoved down our throats, so a film about two assassins getting a happy ending was a miracle. I read comments from some who did not like the portrayal of "toxic love" but were probably fine with Mr. and Mrs. Smith beating each other with cooking utensils for all the world's children to see, so God forbid, the queers do anything like want to kill AND fuck each other. Niña, Pinta, and Santa María, LET THE GAYS DO CRIMES TOO! Oh, and it's Strongberry, so because of this film - In Strongberry I trust.

#top korean bls #long time no see #to my star #our dating sim #the eighth sense #semantic error #the new employee #light on me #choco milk shake #blueming #roommates of poongduck 304 #love tractor #korean bls #in strongberry we trust

[italianpersonwithashippersheart]

DFF Questions And Theories Recap

I wanted to do a post where I could put down all the major questions that are still unanwered from the show and give all my thoughts and theories on each.

What Happened to Non?

Earlier I saw this post by @slayerkitty that pretty much outlined my own thoughts on this.

I have been leaning into the idea that the boys pranked and drugged him for a while now. And episode 7 just confirmed it.

What I am the most unsure off, is what happened after. Because the fact that some of these boys seem to be sure he is dead while others aren't makes me think that something happened after the prank

Now is Non alive? This one I am not sure off, if he is I am leaning thowards maybe him being in a coma or catatonic or in some kind of hospitalized situation, maybe under a fake name, thanks to Phi's dad.

Because the Mafia (Tee's Uncle) want him dead, so a fake name for both him and his brother/family might be to keep them safe.

I am not positive he is the third killer (if there even is one) if he is alive.

Most of my brain is on camp Non is dead. For the simple reason that Tan especially seem to be focused on knowing what happened to Non, and/or getting a confession. And if he can talk to Non there would just be no used for that. There would be no need to wait that long. I don't know just a feeling.

Who Are The Killers and How Many there are? And Is Tan Non's older brother?

I will start with the obvious, Phi has to be one of the killers, we are all on board with that.

While my previous theory was that Tan was not the brother and the brother was an unknown player I think I have changed my mind.

I am now 90% sure Tan is New, Non's older brother. Am I still a little bit miffed they probably casted an actor who is the same age as Barcode to play his older brother, yeah, but I figured if the actor pulls it off I can overlook the real life age, it's not like we have not ignored that before in BL land.

About the number I waffle back and fort. I am currently leaning more with there are only two killers. But I can't ever fully commit to it. If you discount the quick appereances I think I have a handle on who did what and when, mostly. And they could have definately pulled it off just Phi and Tan.

Again I do still think the way the guy that is supposed to come pick them up was introduce feel like a set up for a third killer. But it could just be about making sure they are trapped there. I don't know.

I think that Tan might be a bit of blank character on porpouse because if he is the brother, which I am becoming more and more sure with each episode, the bulk of his characterization will be post reveal.

It's definately a delicate balance to struck, because if you make the character too distinct then the reveal feels like it's coming out of nowhere. I really like the actor's microexpression and the way the camera stays on his face sometimes, I think it's very subtle and the actor does a very good job with them.

Who realesed the video?

This section is a bit shorter, I mostly just want to highlight the two post I have seen pointing out some stuff about the video

This one by @firstmix

and This one by @raelle-writing

I wanted to add that maybe Tee and/or Top hide themselves in the office because they thought they could film the teacher giving Non money, and then caught something else instead.

I also think don't think (EDIT: I made a mistake in the og post) it's Jin that realesed the video.

Humans or Suprenatural

I am firmly on camp there is no supernatural, there is no cult. It's all staged.

I think the killers might be using drugs on the boys (see this post by @lukaherehelp for an excelled post on that)

And maybe some sort of induced hynosis/trance on Top, but it also just might be that the drugs and the fear are making him more inclined to help the masked killer, especially if he already thinks it's a ghost.

Also I don't currently have a specific post or remember the specific person sorry my memory is trash, but someone pointed out that sounds, the voices they hear and stuff, might also be used to fuck with people, if you are the person with that theory and see this tell me I will edit this. EDIT: @slayerkitty pointed out it was @shannankle who had this theory, thank you.

I think the dissapearing quick motionless apparitions might be some sort of projection. Specifically something tech related. I am thinking about Tan weirdly awakard talk with White about how he totally doesn't know anything about technology (that was a lie if I ever heard one)

And finally last but certanly not least: What are the killers realtionship/attitude thowards White and What is White role in the story?

White is the wild card, he wasn't supposed to be there. We have at least two conflicting statement on whose idea him coming with them was. Tee initially says, we agreed you would be good if you came and then says actually you didn't want to come and I instited later.

I don't think he is one of the killers there are way too many shots of him alone that make no sense if he is in on it.

Phi seems to be occasionally protective over him. In the scene where they are seeing Tee and White make out he is laughing with everyone but then after Tee says enough my little one will be sad (something of that effect) he turns to see White being embarred and puts a stop to it. He also always seem to want to keep White at the house where he could be safer.

Then of course there is the little awkward moment with the hands when Phi is telling him what to do for the shoot. It was such a odd moment to include, that it makes me believe there is something behind it we are not seeing.

Tan instead seems to be gently stearing him in a specific direction, the direction where he asks questions and wants the truth. Someone left the page of newspaper about Tee's uncle before leaving Fluke and White alone in the house, probably hoping that White would find it. I don't want to used the world manipulation yet, but it does feel a little like he is using him.

White has to be one of the final standing boys. I am not sure if he is going to be the only one. If Jin didn't realsed the video then Jin might also make it. And of course it depends about the killers. Making the killers so symphatethic the audience root for them is always a gamble if you want to end your series with both of them dead.

Is White meant to have some parallels with Non? Tee obviously is trying to change himself and be better for White, although he struggles between care and selfinesh still. White might also come from a poor background, the boys might have been more nice to him because they felt guilty about what happened to Non. There is also that moment with the rash that I think will have a bigger meaning eventually.

And has @shannankle has pointed out in their post on colors. He and Phi have some color connections with the orange.

I think that is it. Obviously the last question is about the ending, but I don't really have any theories I am ready to share for that yet. As you can see I am sure of very little.

#txt #dead friend forever #dead friend forever meta #dff meta

[waitmyturtles]

Be My Favorite: I’m All Caught Up!

So two nights ago, I kind of lost it, HAPPILY, in a binge of Be My Favorite -- I’m here to report that I’m all caught up, I’m VERY SEATED for the ongoing episodes, and hopefully I can get it together to do episodic meta from here on out. 

First off, I’d like to say, publicly, that I had written multiple times in previous posts that I would NOT be watching BMF after having watched SOTUS, SOTUS S, and Our Skyy x SOTUS for my Old GMMTV Challenge. I thought Krist Perawat’s acting in SOTUS, etc., was awful, especially compared to what Singto Prachaya was delivering. While Our Skyy x SOTUS was markedly better than the two full series, Krist wiping his mouth after the airport kiss still gave cringe, and I was like, peace out, cub scout, hope you never do another BL again.

I RECANT. Clearly, much has improved by way of Krist’s acting skill -- and, likely, by way of how GMMTV workshops their actors and scripts before filming a BL. (And I REALLY want to thank @rocketturtle4​ here for going very hard in the paint for Arthit and tagging me in your post, because your SOTUS meta absolutely had me thinking about Krist’s acting again. That piece was part of the inspiration and urge that led me to pick up BMF. Thank you! Good things happen when you clown, friend!)

(As well, I want to note that while Krist’s reputation regarding homophobia has not, by way of general public judgment, been fully redeemed, that I think recent discourse surrounding the early days of the pressures of shipper culture and how his comments were received is very interesting to peruse -- especially for me, as I develop a MUCH sharper eye towards the toxic, negative impacts of shipper culture. This amazing dialogue between @absolutebl​ and @thelblproject​ has been EXTREMELY helpful to me in setting that history and context for me.)

So, with all that said:

Be My Favorite is a FABULOUS SHOW. The writing is SHARP, the acting is GREAT, and the chemistry between Krist and Gawin Caskey is SUPERB. 

Catching up to episode 7, I want to review what I’m seeing as the major themes of the series, ones that I’m seriously enjoying:

1) As I noted in my Monday night liveblogs, this show is structured in part around the inspiration of a few old yt dudes philosophers and physicists regarding time, space, truth, and relative existence. We gots Nietzsche, Einstein, Orwell, and -- gah, the Thai writer of the book that Max was reading early in the series about Thai social hierarchy, and I cannot find the post that explains that book (if someone has the link for that post, please send, and I’ll edit it in here). (EDITED TO ADD: thank you to @grapejuicegay​ for sending me the link! The book Max was reading was The Face of Thai Feudalism, and here’s a wiki link for the book). Otherwise, receipts!

Just to recap what I wrote in underslept franticness on Monday night: the first of the old dudes to enter the ring of this series is Einstein, regarding time travel. I mentioned that I am a huge fan of Jack Finney’s Time and Again -- I loved that book in high school. It’s a fantasy about how the American government uses Einstein’s work on weight and light to understand the dimensional aspects of time, the present, the past, and the future, and how multiple existences may be present -- if you can create a pathway into them. 

I don’t know at all if BMF is talking to Time and Again, per se, but it IS talking to Einstein and relativity, along with Nietzsche and what’s referenced in the slide above -- Nietzsche’s On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense (and, yooo: here’s the text! Read it! Everyone: READ MORE NIETZSCHE! Let’s meditate on power together when we have the time, eeee!)

I really want someone with a Ph.D to not allow me to say this, but let me offer a blasé summary of the text to say: what’s essentially being said in the dialogue between Einstein and Nietzsche is that truth is relative to the moment in time in which truth is being sought, and to the individual to whom the truth may have meaning. Truth is relative to the beholder of that person that is seeking truth. 

In other words: what, exactly, is the truth that Kawi is seeking? 

2) @respectthepetty​ (here) and @lurkingshan​ (here) are writing excellent meta on the dislikability of Kawi, and how this search for his “truth” is fucking him the hell up. First: I TOTALLY AGREE. This dude wants to spin that damn ball to find out if his life gets “better.”

And what we’re seeing is that he’s slowly relaxing the parameters of what “better” means. What “better” HAD meant to him, early on, was that he’d be in love with Pear, and that his dad would be alive. In episode 7′s rock star world, we see neither of those things happening; in fact, in none of his presumed worlds do we see that happening. 

Besides Kawi’s dislikability, which I’ll get back to in a second, I just want to say:

Him jumping to world after world is SO important to this story, and I really like that this series isn’t trying to hone in on ONE world being THE RIGHT WORLD, because -- Nietzsche, Einstein, and Orwell aren’t necessarily the guys you want on the bench arguing in favor of a ONE RIGHT WORLD perspective. They’re the dudes who are like -- bend some light here (Einstein), throw in a linguistical concept there (Nietzsche), and add some questionable politics and power control issues (Orwell), and, well, you got some messy worlds there, my friends.

In other worlds: this show is set, per episode, in the world in which Kawi is existing at that moment. It has relativity to his other worlds -- because he’s an anchor in all these worlds -- but not one specific present moment is his absolute truth. YOW.

3) Sooooo, where does that get us? It gets us to episode 7, an episode that really moved us...“forward” (??) (ha) in this series. In that, Kawi changed enough in his initial state at the start of the series to create a new future for himself that was vastly different than the ones in which Pisaeng was going to marry Pear.

What I am loving about this series is that by being anchored by the influence of the philosophers, in part, that we get to see a lot more light into Kawi and Pisaeng. Pisaeng, as we now know, was pressured by his mother to stay in the closet at a young age (cc @brazilian-whalien52 and @respectthepetty on the linked post!). 

What is your truth if you’re in the closet for so long?

In episode 7, Pisaeng has disappeared from the lives of his friends and Kawi for months. We don’t exactly know why at this point. But we get a hint at the very end of the episode -- that he is ultimately spending his time, possibly in multiple worlds, being patient for Kawi to come around to Pisaeng’s love. 

Early in the series, as well, Kawi notes to Pisaeng that Pisaeng wasn’t being honest to Pear about not having feelings for Pear. I think this extrapolation has already happened in previous posts, but I’m not finding them at the moment, so let me give flowers to everyone who has said: that Pisaeng’s internal reality is also a world, a present, that Kawi doesn’t necessarily share by way of absolute reality -- in that, what Kawi demands of Pisaeng early on is relative revelation for the sake of the people around him. And how will Pisaeng’s truth affect others? How will it affect Kawi, how will it affect his mom? How does it affect Pear?

All of that is relative truth that each individual, involved in these circles, must translate AND accept and digest in their own individual, micro-level perceptions. Pisaeng’s own truth BECOMES a kind of truth that is slightly different for each person that’s receiving it. 

4) And the same for Kawi. Except, we’re seeing it develop differently for Kawi. I think we have known, up until the end of episode 7, what “better” meant for Kawi, as I wrote previously -- Pear, his dad’s health, etc.

But I think we’re going to see a change in Kawi now (hopefully). We’re seeing that Pisaeng keeps returning to Kawi, in almost all the worlds, as Kawi improves himself and checks himself against his “present.” Surely, what we want to see in a BL is Kawi warming up to Pisaeng’s affections. The fact that time travel is the modality by which Kawi will experience that change -- vis à vis some VERY fascinating perspectives on what “truth” really means -- is FABULOUS.

It’s unique, because -- I think -- in the story of Pisaeng, do we see a macro commentary on the reality of being queer in majority cishet societies that may view queerness as dangerous or something to be kept secret, as Pisaeng’s mom indicates. 

To keep one’s queerness in the closet -- FOR THE SAKE OF SOMEONE ELSE, damn it -- isn’t that a violation of one’s own truth? And one’s own reality?

5) And, final point (for now) (ha) is: a theme that’s been running through my head on this series is how both Kawi and Pisaeng CHALLENGE EACH OTHER TO CHANGE themselves. Maybe even... for “the better.”

Previously to all of this time travel stuff -- neither of them experienced external pressure to change their worldviews. Pisaeng was going to marry Pear as a closeted queer individual. Kawi was going to live out his life friendless and companion-less.

Instead, THROUGH the time travel, and through their growth in all of these different worlds -- BOTH of them have been forced to change.

I really like this lesson. One can become complacent. As Theory of Love so deftly demonstrated: behavioral change is really hard. But it might be a little less hard if you have a companion, a friend, maybe even a lover, going through similar changes as well.

Kawi is still dislikable, I think, because he’s not aware of either HOW or WHY he’s changing. But he’s changing, alright. He doesn’t have the context, yet, as to why this might be good for him.

Maybe the crystal ball will tell him that?

OR, MAYBE: he’ll come to realize that contentment in the present is ultimately what will give him the most happiness. As Pear said to Kawi during her wedding in episode 7:

“But as we grew older, lived our lives, and continued to make mistakes, we’d have to accept that this was the farthest that we could achieve.”

What Pear is saying here is: you can stop striving sometimes, Kawi. If you can just -- BE -- and accept that life is not PERFECT -- then your future WILL just BE the result of THAT work THAT YOU DO NOW, THAT WILL CONTAIN MISTAKES.

What I hope to see in the future episodes of this series is Kawi recognizing that that work is what will be his revelation, and his ultimate truth for himself -- the truth that makes him the most happy and fulfilled.

We’ll see. I haven’t even gotten into all the subtle references to Krist’s past that this script holds, but @lurkingshan​​ is holding that down in her meta (yay, Shan!).

I am in LOVE with this show, and am SUPER EXCITED to join y’all in watching it! I am VERY IMPRESSED with GMMTV taking another chance on Krist in a BL, and Gawin was a perfect choice as an onscreen partner.

(CCing a few friends who were holding me down during my Monday liveblog, here ya go, some meta for ya -- THANKS FOR YOUR PREVIOUS FEEDBACK, FRIENDS! @dribs-and-drabbles​​, @grapejuicegay​​, @rocketturtle4​​, @chickenstrangers​​, @lurkingshan​​) 

P.S. I FORGOT TO ADD:

GAWIN. CASKEY. DAMN. CAN THE HOMEY ACT, OR CAN HE ACT? He is SO GOOD IN THIS, MY GAWD! Their CHEMISTRY! MEEP!

#be my favorite #be my favorite meta #krist perawat #gawin caskey #kristgawin #kawi x pisaeng #pisaeng x kawi

[ranchthoughts]

thinking of pat and pran and genre awareness

I've been thinking a lot about this as the Bad Buddy x A Tale of a Thousand Stars Our Skyy 2 episodes air. Like @lurkingshan notes here, Pran is self-aware enough to notice the parallels between his situation and Tian's, and I've seen a lot of people wondering how Pran's self-recognition through Tian (and perhaps Phupha's self-recognition through Pat) will contribute to the emotional and narrative conclusions of these episodes. Furthermore, Pran and Pat keep talking about trope moments - either their own from their series (e.g., Oishi green tea) or Tian and Phupha's which they know about from Tian's posts online. Pat and Pran take it upon themselves to replicate trope moments from ATOTS (like the looming mosquito net hanging) for themselves, and to discuss how to leverage classic romance tropes to get Phupha and Tian back together (e.g., getting them drunk and singing karaoke together). Self-awareness, and the related genre-awareness, are the Bad Buddy brand - we've seen how well Pat and Pran know how to weaponize BL tropes to get what they want.

Bad Buddy itself is a show that was created by genre-aware people to be genre-aware. @miscellar writes here about how Bad Buddy's directors and actors set out to make a BL while being fully aware of the pitfalls of BL. Bad Buddy includes soooo many tropes and other genre conventions (being set at university, the sound editing, etc.) which place it firmly within the genre of BL. However, the show deliberately subverts BL conventions in order to make broader points about the genre itself - I go into (a lot) more detail here. As miscellar says in this post: Bad Buddy labels itself a romcom to subvert romcoms.

Bad Buddy also demonstrates its genre- and self-awareness through its repetition of tropes and callbacks. We see that especially now as the Bad Buddy Our Skyy 2 episodes are airing (@grapejuicegay outlines many of the parallels between the original series and the Our Skyy episodes here). The show remembers what it did and repeats them, intentionally, to draw new connections and make new arguments.

So the directors, show runners, and actors of Bad Buddy are genre (and self) aware... what about the characters?

In this post miscellar makes an interesting point - to the BL viewer, the first three episodes of Bad Buddy seemed like a pretty typical university BL, and it seemed clear that Pat, the deliverer of most of the tropes, would be revealed to be in love with Pran. But that's not what happens.

I talked about this here, but to recap: in the lead-up to his episode 5 revelation, Pat often fulfills the active or seme role in tropes (grabbing Pran, looming over him, saying flirty things, etc.). However, Pat is not genre-aware in the first few episodes of Bad Buddy: he does not know he is in a BL, so he isn't analyzing these interactions through the "code" of a BL, therefore he doesn't recognize these moments as significant. To a BL-literate audience, Pat seems the perfect "seme", but he doesn't even know he's in a story with a "seme" yet.

On the other hand, Pran has been in love with Pat for ages, and he is fully aware of how their story reads. He does not take the active/seme role in tropes very often in the first few episodes (and when he does, it's an accident, like their wrestling match) because he is trying not to be in the romantic narrative, he's trying not to pursue Pat. Pran is genre-aware, he recognizes all of their looming and suggestive commentary as BL tropes, but he knows that BL stories typically end happily. He knows they are in a queer love story (he's in love, after all), but he doesn't see any way this can be a happy queer love story, not with their families.

This is why Pran's "You can't keep doing this to me Pat" line on the roof at the end of episode 5 hits so hard - Pat has been acting like the lead in a BL series to genre-aware folks like Pran and us, the audience, but he doesn't even realize what he's doing. And to Pran, who is painfully aware of what type of story they seem to be in, but he doesn't think they can ever truly fulfill, this is devastating. Pran is trapped, with narrative awareness, in a story that can never come true, with someone who doesn't realize how they are playing along, hurtling the story towards its inevitable crash.

In episode 5, Pat comes to the realization that he is in love with Pran, and that Pran is/has been in love with him. In this post, @functionalasfuck writes how back in high school when Pat first heard Pran's song, he recognized it as their story but didn't see where Pran was taking it (even when Pran mentions secret crushes). Only on second thought does Pat realize what Pran meant by that and what the song was conveying. Pat and Pran's story slams into context (and genre) for Pat: this is a classic enemies-to-lovers, childhood-friends-to-lovers, long-term pining story; this is a BL.

And after Pat's episode 5 realization, things change. Pat acts again like a typical seme trope-wise through episode 6, as he follows Pran on the architecture retreat. He's trying to get Pran to talk to him, to join him in the BL he now realizes they are in. But Pran doesn't want to go down a road that he believes will end in heartache - he's known, from the beginning, that their story can be read as a perfect BL, but he's also known it can never end happily, not with their families - and so he avoids it, and Pat, at every turn.

It's finally at the end of episode 6, with the bet, that things change again. Both Pat and Pran realize they are in a romantic narrative. Pran has learned Pat isn't interested in Ink, so there is one barrier towards their genre-typical happy ending eliminated. Their families are still a concern, but Pran's in love and who can resist a bet, so they go forward.

The trope usage becomes deliberate - and it's always been deliberate on the part of the directors and show runners, they've always known what they have set out to do (make a BL that hits all the BL conventions yet subverts them) and have deployed tropes intentionally to uphold the messages and themes they want to explore (more here) - but now it is deliberate on the part of the characters too. Through the first part of the series, genre-aware Pran was trying to avoid acting the seme, trying to halt the progression of the romantic narrative he believed could only end in tragedy, and genre-unaware Pat was throwing himself into trope instances headfirst without realizing. Now, they have made a pact to both be the active pursuers, the seme: whoever falls in love first loses. They both deploy BL tropes with razor sharp precision (Pran looms, Pat takes off his shirt and douses himself with water, etc.) showing that they do understand what these actions mean, how they fit into and read in a BL-coded context. The most obvious example of this in episode 7 is when Pat and Ink and Pran and Wai eat at the noodle stand together. Pat and Pran leverage their respective "faen fatales" (more on that here) to make the other jealous by deploying a litany of BL tropes (feeding the other, wiping their mouth, etc.). Pat and Pran show they know what these actions mean in the context of a BL story, like their own.

Pat and Pran are in on it now - they are self-aware enough to recognize their genre, they know the beats of that genre, and they know how to manipulate them to get the outcomes they want.*

And it soon becomes apparent to us that Pat and Pran are in on more than just the genre of their show - they are onto the fact that there is an audience. @miscellar writes here about how Pat and Pran break the fourth wall several times throughout the course of Bad Buddy (e.g., Pran's comment about not needing to be called wife, or the voiceover in episode 12, which @chickenstrangers also talks about here, where Pat and Pran reveal they hid their continued relationship from their friends, their family, and us, the audience).

I'm very curious to see where these final two Our Skyy 2 eps take us, as Pat and Pran have shown they know Tian and Phupha are in a gay love story; and have shown they can identify the trope moments we, the BL-literate audience, notice too; and Pran at least has shown he recognizes the parallels between his own BL narrative and Tian and Phupha's. How will Pat and Pran's genre awareness, and their self-recognition through the other, affect the resolution of both pairs' story lines?

*(side note: this reminds me of @chickenstrangers' post on Bad Buddy and queer futurities - Pat and Pran have to work for their happiness, to make joy in the face of hardship, to claw their story back into a happy ending that Pran didn't even think was possible at the beginning of the show. They know they are in a BL, and they are going to get that genre-typical happy ending on way or another.)

#bb #bb meta #os2 #os2 meta #bad buddy #bad buddy meta #our skyy 2 #i'm just going to write a quick little meta on this as we head into the second week <- famous last words

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - When Bad Gossip Happens to Good BL

Aug 2022 Wk 3

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying the most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

The Eclipse (Fri YT) Ep 2 of 15 - This is a great show and the leads are killer! Their conflict contrasted to moments of empathy contrasted to flirtation and then hints of genuine affection is nuanced and beautifully performed. I expected no less from this pair, but I’m delighted to see that they’re executing so well. This show has the sophistication and balance of something like Gifted, Not Me or Bad Buddy, which basically means this is the best we can expect from GMMTV. NeoLewis are also doing a better job than I expected. They aren’t my favorite pair. However Neo unexpectedly excels in a serious part. Finally, an actually deserved and appropriate pratfall moment. Very nice. 

Vice Versa (Sat on YT) Ep 6 of 12 - Living together = fake out. Curse you GMMTV! Look, here’s the thing, flaws and all I pretty much spend this entire show smiling. I don’t mind being manipulated when we are all having so much fun with it. Is Tun/Puen super suss. Oh yes. Do I care? NOPE. *bats eyes in Jimmy nation* 

21 Days Theory (Sun YT ) Ep 2 of 4? - X is def flirting in the “pulling pig tails” fashion. Also wooing his bf2b’s mum is very smart. (Why is BF2B not a 3rd gen Kpop group? I ask you.) Meanwhile Q & his friends are the new candidates for the “only one brain cell between them” club. Like Tine’s crew in 2g all over again. 

THAI LIGUISTICS CORNER

X is older than Q. X uses pom/khun & rao +kap which is stiff, adult, and somewhat formal (and pom is age backwards for him and Q). Pom is oddly servile coming from an older kid. 

Q jumps around a lot in response to this adult speech from a phi: pom/khun but also rao/nai + (a reluctant) kap, but never phi. (I don’t think I’ve ever heard a high school BL use nai this much.) 

There was a conversation about formal speech and the end of ep 2. Q was telling X that he could use guu/mueng rather than rao|pom/khun. Q had been sort of attempting to match X’s formality by using nai as a more formal version of phi, and was struggling because, I think, it’s too grown up sounding. X declined guu/mueng, he finds them too rude to apply to someone he likes. X then offered to call Q just by his name (avoiding having to choose entirely), but I think Q finds that too intimate. But phi is still not discussed and Q goes back to rao/nai at the end. So honestly I’m really not sure what the hell is happening. 

I rewatched all their interactions through 3 times and I’m still mostly mystified.

My Only 12% (Fri iQIYI) Ep 2 of 15 - Cake and Eiw’s relationship reminds me of a high school version of the friendship that’s central to the movie Big Eden. There’s a part of me that wants that to be where this narrative is going too. I’m not gonna say more, because everybody should watch Big Eden. Yes, it’s ultimately happy. However, if this narrative does choose to go with a more mature approach, then this show will ultimately be sad, as a BL. Regardless, SantaEarth are doing a really killer job with this set up. They couldn’t have chosen a better pair. Cake calling a Eiw a sheep when Eiw’s name essentially sounds to me like ewe is hilarious. I don’t think they’re being that clever, though.

Coffee Melody (Mon Viki) Ep 5 of 10 - I do love how tough Jean is - flame on, indeed. Plus his boyfriend 2B has magical pink hair. (Are they secretly a marvel superhero team?) This was another ep of a show where I didn’t care that the leads were apart, because that just meant more side dishes. It’s not bad, this show, it’s not good either, tho. 

Love Mechanics (Sun WeTV) Ep 9 of 10 - Random new faen fatal in the 11th hour is annoying. And the boxing match is a dumb plot device. But the theme around food, family, affection, and acceptance was great. Mark is so good at flirting and Vee is so confused when that skill is targeting him. Someone give YinWar a better BL. Please? 

Love in the Air (Thurs iQIYI) Ep 1 of 13 - Mame’s creature has indeed whipped me into a verbal frenzy. So yeah, that’s another dumpster fire trash watch happening. Come with me if you wanna BURN and smell bad. Good times. So what’s this show like? Terrible. Also entertaining and engaging and kinda hot. Like all good dumpster fires. 

Unforgotten Night (Weds on GaGa) Ep 9 of 12 - I don’t have very much to say about this episode. I guess they are cute boyfriends? But do we want cute boyfriends from our mafia daddy? I ask you? TRASH WATCH IS HERE!

Check Out (Sat IQIYI) Ep 11 of 12 - Jumping back to high heat like we in 2021 ep 0 I see. Fine. Also: chalk one up for an uke bj (usually bjs are seme penance) thats 3 i think: Gen Y 2 (sort of, PokeTongue always strike me as verse), SCOY, and now Check Please Out. 

My Secret Love (Sat YT) Ep 12fin - This drama suddenly got sensible and interesting in the finale after the time jump, and the reason for the split turned out to be a decent one. But frankly, that was just frustrating. Because I got a glimpse that this could’ve actually been, if not a GREAT show, at least a passable one. But they saved this for the last 2 eps? That’s just annoying. Another wedding makes me feel like this trope is becoming ubiquitous in Thai BL. Who knew Grey Rainbow would end up with us here? In the end, I can't really recommend this. There's much better Thai BL these days, and tons of it. DON’T BOTHER 6/10 Full review on MDL. 

180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us (Mon GaGa) Ep 1 of 8 - As others said this is a queer family drama not a BL. It’s fine but I don't like the lead character. He's a brat in the wrong way. Especially at 20 years old. It’s also a bit slow moving and oddly paced. I’m DNFing for now. Maybe I’ll watch it when it’s completed.

I gotta say iQIYI is really taking a stab at cornering this market and I’m not sure how I feel about it. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry (Japan Weds GaGa) Ep 8 of 12 - So it finally came, the episode where Minato has to break Shin’s heart. It was more delicately handled than I thought it would be, and that did surprise me. It was wistfully sad rather than gut wrenching. I still loved it, of course. SQUEE WATCH ALONG 

Takara-kun and Amagi-kun (Japan Thurs GaGa & Viki) 1 of 8 - GaGa’s subs are more poetic but Viki’s are more comprehensible, so I’m doing... BOTH. It’s cute. Amagi is an ADORABLE sunshine bean nugget but I’m not sold and his confession came out of nowhere. It’s maybe too high school? (GASP, did I just actually type that?) I did really like that we switched perspectives to Takara so soon in the series. Now we know their tortured pining is mutual. I like that, even if it means the whole rest of the show will be about miscommunication. “I like him so much that it feels stupid” is a killer line (GaGa’s version). Taraka is a seme who is scared of his own semeness. That said, this show is from the Mr. Unlucky and Senpai studio featuring Jpop idols, so I’m not expecting much. But I do love a high school setting and JBL has been killing it lately. 

Papa & Daddy 2 (Mon GaGa) Ep 3 of 8 - I hate hate HATE the grandparents bloodline = have another child plot. It’s really upsetting to me in a visceral way. I didn’t even realize I had a trigger around this kind of bullshit. However, the gender plot-line is interesting. And, to no one’s surprise, I continue to have terrible 2nd lead syndrome.

Want to See You (Vietnam YT) Ep 13 - What happened? Did I miss it? Was last week the ending? Are they on hiatus? Is it a crowd funding tactic? Why tf MDL can’t list VBL is increasingly annoying. 

In Case You Missed It

GaGa stepped up and will broadcast War of Y, if any of you want more PAIN in your lives. 

GMMTV dropped Zero Photography to their YouTube, it’s a GL advert special featuring InkPa from Bad Buddy. It was cute and sweet. But that’s it. 

Gossip

Apparently Jimmy (of JimmyTommy) has withdrawn from Middleman's Love and so they need to recast both leads. Bed Friends seems unaffected. 

There are quite a few pairs that Cheewin could hand this too. Anyone wanna take bets? Who would we fantasy cast from his line up? (Cheewin uses his pairs in Y-Destiny, War of Y). Middleman’s Love requires and YOUNGER seme and an older but nerdy (or capable of being nerdy) uke for an office set romance about an intern pursuing his boss. So I think BillySeng and MaxNat are NOT right for this. Other options? Toru & First, KimCop (of course), BoomPeak if you wanted to dip into the well (and if they were up for it), PerthLay if they need bigger names. 

More bad news, Korean BL Oh My Assistant probubly DOA. Read this. 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Starting: Thai BLs What If & Work from Heart. 

Ending: Love Mechanics and Check Out the series (thank fuck). 

Still to come in August? About Youth (Taiwan), Ghost Host, Ghost House (Thai), Ai Long Nhai (Thai). I’m gathering data for September releases now, so if you have any you’re excited about, leave a comment. 

I’m streamlining my systems to better keep track of BLs as they are announced and put into production, yes, there is a NEW spreadsheet as part of the DOOM (currently with 96 entries). Look, I never said this was easy. But now I can answer peeps when they ask me about upcoming stuff. 

This week’s best moments?

Yeah I know it was a sad bit, but that’s why I liked it. Vice Versa needed a bit of a low point. But also...

How to catch a live husband 101. 

Truth in BL, 21 Days Theory. 

Epic eye rolling in Love in the Air. Also, accurate picture of me the whole time I was watching the first ep.

The shoe tie! A pretty rare trope in BL actually. Common in Kdramas. Of course, I like it because it’s always fun to see a seme kneel. 

This was SO FUNNY. This is what the GMMTV boys excel at: snappy dialogue and great friendship groups. (The Eclipse)

I LOVE A boy who crush-sniffs another boy’s shirt. 

The pining is strong with this one. (Takara & Amagi) 

But then when he’s THAT CUTE, what can ya do? 

(last week) 

current earworm? P1Harmony’s Doom Du Doom

#this week in BL #BL news #BL updates #BL update #BL in the news #BL episode recap #Thai BL #Vietnamese BL #Taiwanese BL #Korean BL #KBL #K-BL #Japanese BL #live action yaoi #adapted from a manga #adapted from a manwha #adapted from a y-novel #best moment of BL #best BL #upcoming BL #Star Hunter Studio #GMMTV #GaGaOOLaLa #Rakutan Viki #P1Harmony #Takara & Amagi #Ai Long Nhai #About Youth #Ghost Host Ghost House #Oh My Assistant

[bengiyo]

Theory of Love Special Ep (Finale) Stray Thoughts

I am curious how I feel about this as the end of the Theory of Love run. I won't recap since we finished the show, but I went back into my own posts and I previously liked this despite having no memory of it.

Okay, as cheesy as it is, I do generally like when follow up outings acknowledge or tease their critics.

Oh that play with the names. I saw that. It's 2020 and we all verse now. (Side note. I do not remember associating this special with COVID lockdowns.)

It's kinda fun when the epilogue content happens before the actual ending. We know that they will get back together to form Hod Production and that they'll succeed.

Special Episode: Stand By Me

Oh, Third. You really had this man sleeping on the floor for multiple nights. Even as someone who wanted him to suffer, you aren't serious.

I'm not surprised Third and Khai ended up working together, and it's definitely good for Third's ego that Khai is being such a simp.

I was curious what hanging out for these guys would look like now that most of them are in committed relationships and Bone is healing from heartache.

Look at that, Khai. Growth. He was in a situation with some girls and made it clear he wasn't available. I will accept the incoming hijinks from this lipstick.

Yes, Khai, why did you lie?

I snorted at the camera guy having better communication with the director or cinematographer than Khai.

Did this girl suck on his neck? Why is he still hiding it? Just tell Third some drunk girl fell on you. Two saw it and Third trusts Two. Bone gets it.

I'm glad Third is aware that he's cute and actively maintaining it. Gun torments me regularly on IG.

I kinda like that Khai is being so ridiculous about this drunk girl situation. We know he's been at this for almost a year trying to prove his loyalty to Third.

This senior taking the graduation photo from them was one of the motorcycle guys in My Ride.

Aww, Bone. Do you think you're better off alone? Talk to me.

Any time someone points with their lips I laugh.

I love this confession in the car. Third is still testing Khai, but at least he knows Khai wasn't stepping out. I like that the resolution is one about how they're both trying to make this work despite the emotional baggage. I like the version of Khai that wants to honor Third.

These two made it four years and produced a movie together. I believe in their relationship if it's still going strong after making a highly successful film.

I am actually so into Khai doing multiple proposals to Third, elevating it each time.

Well, that was lovely.

Updated Verdict: 8.5, Recommended for Fans of Romance Cinema. I spent a lot of time over the last few days thinking about how I would recommend this series going forward. I think it is good on a lot of technical fronts, and there's a lot to like in the BTS: particularly Off using his own clothes to supplement Khai's wardrobe. Still, this show firmly sits right over the awkward line between BL and queerness that makes me uncomfortable with the genre sometimes.

Third's reticence to Khai only makes sense to me in a world where The Knowing occurs, and yet this is mostly a show in the bubble. So much of what's wrong with Third is because he's let the fantasy of romance films cloud his ability to have a mutually beneficial relationship with someone he loves. I do love when romance interrogates itself, and yet it feels like a hugely missed opportunity to discuss how queer people cannot rely on the presumptions of heteronormativity when building relationships with each other.

Moreover, I struggle with Khai's change narrative because I am not entirely certain who it's for. It reminds me of the Mulan problem, where we have a character who defies norms and expectations and it almost feels like the character exists to point to them and say, "You're not them." I have been hurt by guys like Khai, and none of them changed in a way that ever led to reconciliation for me. It's something I struggle with as I watch this, and it makes me wonder what the outcome of presenting this will be or the femmes and the gays who watch this since the Khai's of the world aren't watching.

Still, I will say that this show has incredibly fun structure if you know the major beats of the films used as the title for each episode. I think Off plays a jerk you begrudgingly want to root for really well. I think Mike actually did a really good job in this show and I apologize to Bone for being so pissy three years ago. Gun is beautiful and so easy to empathize with, but I gotta say that Third is not my favorite character of his.

I am glad @lurkingshan burned her coupons to make me revisit this show, and I've enjoyed having @waitmyturtles and @neuroticbookworm to talk about how I was feeling about things along the way. I don't think I love this show the way you three do, but it is a well-executed narrative doing some interesting things with the romance genre. My lingering hangups, and why I can't take it to a 9, have to do with the mixed bag of queerness in this. Third feels like a repressed gay, and Khai has a legit bisexual awakening, but the other cultural context being missing means it never connects for me as a queer narrative.

This is something I'm thinking about a lot as we head into Cooking Crush, because OffGun always leaves me a bit shaky on that front. On paper it's gay, but it never exactly feels gay for me.

Also tagging @twig-tea by request.

#Theory of Love #thai bl #bl series #Ben watches

[mahounomanga]

Kurumi-tic Miracle

In the early days of the genre, it was relatively common for magical girls to have more open-ended power sets. Rather than having one or a few set applications, their magic could do just about anything. Since the turn of the millennium, most magical girls have powers designed for a specific task, such as fighting evil, but today I want to take a look at a character from the early 2000s whose powers can do anything she puts her mind to.

Kurumi-tic Miracle is a 2003 manga by Chitose Yagami. It stars a run-of-the-mill schoolgirl named Kurumi Nanami, who lives with her grandfather in the oddities shop he owns, together with her pet hamster, Momo. One day, while helping clean the shop, Kurumi discovers a mysterious magic stone that affixes itself to her wrist in the form of a bracelet. With this magic bracelet, any wish she makes will instantaneously come true. Initially she uses this power to pursue her crush, Naoki, but as the two gets closer, it becomes clear the magic stone has a bit of a history, and the potential to cause problems.

Kurumi-tic Miracle was serialized in Ciao magazine from the February 2003 issue to the April 2003 issue: a three chapter run. These chapters were compiled into a single tankobon volume on June 21, 2003 by Shogakukan under their Flower Comics imprint, along with a couple of Yagami's older one-shots. A digital re-release, also by Shogakukan, was made available on July 10, 2015. Official translations were released in Indonesian and Chinese, but not English. However, a fan translation by the group Da Gurlz Translationz is available for all five chapters, including both one-shots, and can be found on various unofficial manga sites.

The series was created by Chitose Yagami, a shoujo manga author who debuted in 2001 with Magical Project, a one-shot which was later included in volume 1 of Manga Mitaina Koi Shitai! a.k.a. Fall in Love Like a Comic, one of her more popular works which was even officially printed in English by Viz under their Shojo Beat imprint. Much of Yagami's work contains elements of romantic comedy, middle/high school slice of life, magic and the paranormal, and working in the entertainment industry, be it modeling, music, or manga. She is still active to this day, both professionally and on social media. Her most recent manga, a BL series titled Shoujo Manga no Hero ni naritai no ni Heroine Atsukaisareru Ore., began serialization in 2021 and is still ongoing. None of her works would get career-definingly popular, but Kurumi-tic Miracle was successful enough to land her her first autograph session, so that's cool. It seems she didn't do much adapting of existing work, save for contributing to a shoujo Inazuma Eleven anthology in 2011. That same year, her manga Oresama Kingdom (Kings of My Love) got picked up for a direct to video anime adaptation, running for 14 episodes of 11 minutes apiece until 2013. This was the only manga of hers to get an anime adaptation, and it got a Nintendo DS game too, also in 2011. This was the second video game based on a Chitose Yagami manga, the first being Kiss x Kiss for the GBA in 2004.

Speaking of video games, this came up a lot in my research so I just want to point out that this series is unrelated to the 1997 Playstation game Kurumi Miracle, in which a young witch whose name is also Kurumi goes to an island to hone her magic by helping the local townsfolk.

Because Kurumi-tic Miracle is so short, it's difficult to recap the plot without giving spoilers, so if you'd like to go into the series blind, I advise you to do so before reading the rest of this post.

The manga starts off as a pretty straight forward slice-of-life romcom with magical hijinks, but the more we learn about the love interest Naoki, the clearer it becomes that something is amiss. He has a rather distinctive ring, and he seems very interested in Kurumi's bracelet. It turns out there is another magic stone, and the person who controls it wants them both to himself. The plot reveal is that this person is not Naoki, but his little brother, Satoru, who found the other stone by chance and became corrupted by its' power. He has bequeathed unto Naoki a fraction of that power for the purposes of collecting the other stone.

The magic systems in Kurumi-tic Miracle are really interesting to me. Because the scope of what they can do is so broad, the characters are limited only by their imagination, which gives us a stark contrast in how Kurumi and Satoru use their powers, despite those powers deriving from the same source. Kurumi's magic tends to be cuter, more harmless, and at times downright childish. Satoru's magic is scarier, emblematic of his ruthless attitude, and representative of a genuinely serious threat.

To pad out the tankobon release, two of Chitose Yagami's one-shots were included. The first, 2003's Dokitto Boys X Love (just Boys X Love in the fanslation), is sort of a comedy-of-errors in which a teenage girl accidentally switches bodies with her favorite male idol, and the two have to stick together as she learns his routine. It's not especially groundbreaking, but it's cute. The second is titled Otokomae!? Jajauma Musume, which I thiiink roughly translates to Boyish Selfish Girl. The fanslation uses the title I Love Tomboy. It was originally published in 2001 and according to Weblio was Yagami's second ever manga after Magical Project. It's a romantic comedy in which a tomboy attempts to become more feminine to win over her bully... which sucks. It sucks so bad. This one-shot is infuriatingly gender essentialist and sexist. A lot of effort goes into categorizing what separates girls from boys, all of it very stereotypical, and even though the resolution is that the protagonist is more comfortable being herself, the message is lost in all the steps it takes to get there. She does have some personal struggles with wondering if she's really a boy after all, and there's a plot twist that the elder sister figures who helped her throughout were actually crossdressers the whole time, so I'm sure you could read some queer subtext into this if you wanted to, but that is VERY clearly not what was intended. I hate it.

Taken on its' own, Kurumi-tic Miracle strikes me as a diamond in the rough. Most of the flaws I can point to in the main story could easily be alleviated if it were given more room to breathe. Three chapters just wasn't enough for me to get fully invested in these characters or their world. Despite this, the core concept shines through. This manga had some genuinely intriguing ideas about its' magic systems and how they can be applied for creative problem solving at a time when that modality of magic was becoming increasingly rare, despite the magical girl genre as a whole reaching market saturation at around this time. It's short and cute, even if it's not particularly substantial. It's very of a type, but if this is a type you tend to enjoy, I highly recommend checking it out.

#my posts #long post #Kurumi-tic Miracle #くるみちっく☆ミラクル #Chitose Yagami #八神千歳 #Ciao #shoujo #00s #By the way I just hit 100 followers! Thank you so much!

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

2023 Naughty list

There have been a lot of lists and I have a real problem narrowing down my faves, so I'll start with a less than positive list because honestly it's just easier for me to bitch about things. I need to get this one out of my system to get to the good stuff.

Characters that had me seriously consider my stance on violence

This guy (they don't deserve names) - Love Tractor

HOW DARE HE??? I seriously wanted to reach through the screen and hit with something heavy. He made my baby Ye Chan cry and for that alone I will not never forgive nor forget.

This guy - Happy Merry Ending

I see him on a street, I'm running him over with my car. Period.

This pretty guy - Never let me go

I think the fact that several of us wanted Chopper to shoot him kinda says it all.

This guy - Unintentional Love Story

Won Young is a better person than me. His speech was awesome but for what he did to TaeJoon he deserved more.

That guy ( no pic necessary) - Bed Friend

Running him over. Twice. Maybe 3 times.

This guy - Sing My Crush

He made Ba Ram cry and stole his song. I wanna get that stupid smile of his face. Perhaps with a bat. This guy - I Feel You Linger In The Air

Prison is too good for him.

Ok. There are more but I'll finish here. I'm sure I forgot a bunch and I'm sure someone will gladly remind me.

Shows that had me pulling my hair, screaming at the screen or were a challenge to my completionist nature

The Promise

Anyone who saw this show knows why it's here, and whoever didn't, well I envy you. I wanted to slap Phupa on a weekly basis and was screaming "Nan, why do you like this guy??!! at regular intervals.

I think the only good thing that I can say about this show (other than Party) is that I think it was the first interaction I had on BL tumblr and it was with @respectthepetty that like me was suffering through it weekly.

Absolute Zero

What is there more to say that I haven't said? As @twig-tea and anyone who read my recaps knows, I started really liking this show, and my discussions with Twig about the time traveling aspect in the beginning were great. But halfway through, the show trough any logic out of the window and I began eye rolling and screaming at the screen at an increasing rate.

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry Season 2

These two were my lifeline. I apologize to the fans but I was already getting tired of Minato when they threw the amnesia plot in there so I was pulling my hair in the final episodes when Asuka and Shu weren't on screen.

Shadow Part II

THIS COULD'VE BEEN SO GOOD!

Other Mentions: What did I just watch? Why am I watching this? Why did I not drop this? Love Syndrome III , Tin Tem Jai, Past-Senger (that ending...); House of Stars (Thailand) and You Are Mine (Taiwan)

Now I can get to my other lists. I won't tag anyone but please tag me if anybody makes a naughty list.

#Rose Recaps 2023 #rose rambles

[respectthepetty]

Hii, i have been occupied and wanted to come back to watch BLS, my last one was naughty babe. So what's are your current obsession!?

Anon, you have missed a lot in the last six months! BL Land has had several shows in that time, and, of course, I've consumed most of them. My capability to become obsessed with a show is unparalleled, and as I mentioned in my last obsession list, I can be obsessed about several things simultaneously. Since you've been out for a minute, let me recap some of the shows I sent a Valentine's Day card too.

Note: These are NOT recommendations.

Shows I liked for color reasons but wasn't obsessed:

Twins

Pit Babe

Middleman's Love

My Dear Gangsta Oppa

Bake Me Please (* I AM obsessed with the lead actor, Guide)

Shows I liked for the colors AND the plot but wasn't always obsessed with:

The Sign

Perfect Propose

I Cannot Reach You

7 Days Before Valentine

I Became a Lead in a BL Drama

Shows I should've been obsessed with if I was normal:

Cooking Crush

Love for Love's Sake

Cherry Magic (Thailand)

So now that we recapped some of the shows I was mildly normal about, it's time for me to reveal the shows I'm currently so obsessed with that I cut off some of their hair while they slept and now I'm attaching it to a cloth doll in hopes of binding us together.

For. Ev. Ah.

Dead Friend Forever (forever, forever, ever, forever, ever?)

Obsession Level - Buying us matching BFF necklaces with vials of our blood attached to them after my therapist tells me my relationship with it is unhealthy, and I need to take a step back from it.

It just ended, and it isn't a BL, but I have no words. If I tried to explain why I'm so obsessed with this show, people would be really worried about my sanity. I can't stop thinking about it. I don't want to stop thinking about it. I hate all the characters. I love all the characters. I want them all dead. I want to raise them from the dead and make them do it all again. I want to heal them. I want to make them worse. I want to be in that house with them.

Unknown

Obsession Level - Holding pictures of it close to my heart while I lay in bed even though it is laying right next to me in the same bed because I need it to fully grasp just how crazy about it I am and have been.

It's Taiwanese. It's color coded. It's about "brothers." And if you looked at my previous obsessed list, you know those three items are a clear path to Obsession City for me (Looking at you, Kiseki: Dear to Me).

Anti Reset

Obsession Level - Baking all its favorite sweet treats and sitting them on its porch early in the morning then running away even though I know the security camera is filming me each time (which is why I wear cute outfits when I do it).

It's Taiwanese. It's color coded. It's about a robot. It doesn't hit all the points on my obsession scale, but it's part of Vidol/VBL's universe, so it has my attention and a little bit of my heart.

Lady Boy Friends

OB. SESSED! Level - Knowing it's expired and toxic, but I can't stop eating it because if ending up in the hospital is the price I have to pay and possible death, then I guess that's the sacrifice I gotta make.

It's a remake of a 2015 series, it dropped with no promo, and only one episode has aired, yet this show is hellbent on being a whole ass problem, so of course my trashy ass loves it. There is transphobia, homophobia, sexual harassment, colorism, elitism, and every other -ism that it could pile in because the entire show is begging to be everyone's trigger warning. There is a love story in there somewhere, but I don't give two shits about it when the skinny femmes and the fat femmes are fighting, and the one pictured above is about to enter her villain origin story. The subtitler is doing the Lord's work, and I feel truly blessed with this hot ass mess.

But please remember, one person's trash taste is not another person's treasure, so THESE ARE NOT RECOMMENDATIONS!

#my current obsessions #dead friend forever and ever and ever ever #unknown #anti reset #lady boy friends #NOT RECOMMENDATIONS #I'm trash and I know it

[khaotungsfirst]

2023 BL wrapped

@khaotunq tagged me!! tysm ❤️❤️

Welcome to your 2023 BL Wrapped! Let's see how your year went...

You watched a total of 48 QLs.

You watched 409 episodes total with an average length of 37 minutes.

All of this amounted to a total watchtime of 247 hours and 34 minutes or a bit over 10 days.

Your busiest month was August with 12 shows finished.

Your top country was Thailand with a whopping 54,17% of the dramas being produced there. Here‘s your full breakdown:

Thai: 26 = 54,17%

Korean: 10 = 20,83%

Japanese: 8 = 16,67%

Taiwanese: 2 = 4,17%

Chinese: 1 = 2,08%

Hong Kongese: 1 = 2,08%

30 shows you watched were released in 2023. You caught up on 13 dramas from 2022 and 5 from previous years.

Your overall BL mood was eager. You've been gone from the scene for a while and were excited to fully get back into it.

The acting pair you couldn’t get enough of was FirstKhao. Their performance in The Eclipse and Only Friends captivated you to the point of changing your url.

Your most listened to OST is Your World, My World by Khaotung Thanawat and First Kanaphan for Our Skyy 2.

You giggled and yelled at your screen approximately 78* times and had 132* mental breakdowns.

Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for my full recap to find out about my favourites of the year and let me know if you wanna be tagged for it ☺️

idk who hasn't done this yet so I'm just gonna tag a bunch of ppl 🫶

@firstmix @blneobin @maxescheibechlinichacheli @first-kanaphan @gunsatthaphan @itsallaboutbl @ithappensoffstage @bunnakit @jeffsatur @veemark @omegaphobe @bfwangji @akkpipitphattana @gayshrug

*rough estimates based on zero evidence

#bl wrapped #thai bl #korean bl #japanese bl #bl drama #mine*

[rachaelrobin4]

ignoring the fact that I didn’t recap ep 7, let’s get into episode 8:

guys I just love love 😔 this was an episode of soft moments and intimacy that only jimmy and sea can give me.

them in their wedding outfits made me yearn for a historical drama (which i’ve been low key manifesting for gmmtv 2024 since NLMG our skky 2)

what’s tea with night pls how many times do I have to ask??? give me the deets now!!!

who is this dad and why do we care? and i never thought I’d say this as a phojai gee girl but where’s phojai night? I need my 2nd mark dad era of the year. Is he the straight bl dad of gmmtv?

Brief interlude:

i was thinking about why i love these two so much and have since VV and i couldn’t articulate it until now. they are just so committed to their roles and acting. like they want to tell these stories authentically and genuinely, which you can feel through the screen. it’s never lazy or half assed, and it brings a softness and vulnerability to all their characters. you can see their care and investment, with a little bit of themselves bleeding into day/mohk/puen/talay. that’s also why they are the BL dads of my heart!! its the natural tendency to take care of others (whether it’s each other, their characters, their friends, literal patients for our doc, or the kids gmmtv refuses to given them).

they are perfect and I’ll forever adore them!!

anyway, i laughed, i cried, and squealed as per usual. they are my everything.

sense of the week is yet again touch. how can it not be when these boyfriends are involved? P’Aof loves a good hand shot

#last twilight #jimmysea #gmmtv series