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visualtaehyun · 7 months

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BL/QL Ask game : The Ugly, the Bad and the Worst

Thank you for tagging me @twig-tea 🙏 I read your post and the questions while going Ohhh interesting but when I actually tried to answer them myself, I realized that I'm usually pretty positive about the shows I watch or else I just move on from them. Most of the time, I don't fault characters or a whole show for being bad anyway, it's more the writing/script, directing choices, or editing that I tend to have gripes with.

So! Of the entire 22 original questions (by @clara-maybe-ontheroad), I'll only be answering a handful. This will also only be about Thai BLs because they make up the vast majority of QLs I've seen.

1 Worst soundtrack / weirdest song choice in a BL

My knee-jerk reaction was "Never Let Me Go country song NC" lmao but then I went to rewatch said scene and it barely stood out to me. So after re-thinking I'll have to nominate two shows: Dangerous Romance and Until We Meet Again, for basically the same reason.

Chimon's OST สายลม (Wind), which I actually fell in love with when it dropped because Chimon's voice was such a pleasant surprise, is being entirely overused in DR, to the point that I'm starting to tire of a song that I actually like. Honorable mention: The completely random and unnecessary stage performance of Perth and Chimon's ซบกันไปนานๆ (Sunset) in ep. 5. Was it not enough to have them sing and vibe to it in the car earlier in the same episode??

Similarly, UWMA's OST is either entirely by one guy or entirely one song but it sure was grating on me, my patience and my enjoyment of the show. P'New series are already hit or miss for me but that singer/song/OST had me so fed up.

5 Worst plot line

The first show I ever dropped was Star In My Mind which is ridiculous considering how short it is. But the entire premise of Kluen being unable to open his goddamn mouth frustrated me to no end. I did pick it back up again at a later point though, so I could watch Sky In Your Heart and indulge in the JoongDunk cuteness from there on out.

7 A show people love but you find bad

I'm sorry to say but- it's Vice Versa. It was one of the first Thai QLs I watched along with as it aired but ultimately I gotta say Oof. It has a fun premise, the cinematography is super nice, and it's genuinely sweet. But the amount of product placements was staggering! I also just didn't vibe with JimmySea's chemistry, they just gave too much Friend energy for me to find them believable as a couple. They're not the only ones or the only series where I didn't really find the spark but that's not a Them problem. That's a me 'Needing my fictional couples to be head over heels for each other for my acespec ass to see/experience the attraction and connection' problem lol

8 A show people find bad but you will defend

Cutie Pie! And I will die on this hill, @twig-tea 😂 It has everything I love: good production quality, good acting, tangible chemistry between the couples (see last question lol), complicated emotions, push-and-pull between the romantic leads, a dedicated cast and crew, a great OST, I'm certain I'm forgetting a lot of stuff but there's just so much I love about this show.

At its core, it's about two people who turned themselves into the versions they think they should be for each other, based on their upbringing, expectations placed upon them, status differences etc. and how they learn to be honest with themselves and each other.

I've re-watched this show a number of times, each with different levels of Thai proficiency, which made me consider that this show might've been such a hit in Thailand but not as much internationally because there's maybe a language and trope/culture barrier here? On my first-time watch, I knew no Thai and was largely unfamiliar with what tropes are common in Thai romances and such. At the time, the show didn't hit me very much, I struggled to make sense of that pivotal fight in episode 1, I enjoyed the singing, it was mostly just a nice romance. On my most recent re-watch a few months back, I had reached the point where I could follow a spoken conversation in Thai as long as there were translated subs to guide me along. And suddenly the full weight of episode 1 but especially the fight at the end, setting up the central conflict, hit me and I realized: Oh wow! This is good writing! Introduce your characters, their backgrounds, their goals, and the show's core conflict and that's how you hook viewers.

This has already gotten long enough but I wanna mention how much it means to me to have this show not just call for marriage equality repeatedly but also to have them shout it out to the world by having their mlm couple fully make out in what is arguably one of the busiest corners of Bangkok - Siam Square! More specifically it is the area with the fountains between Siam Paragon on one side and Siam Center on the other, and the skywalk (that connects the various malls in the area) as well as the central BTS station Siam both overlooking that space. It's also called Parc Paragon, there's frequently events there, and it is busy as all hell!! And they not only cleared it for filming a lengthy queer kiss scene but, in the show, the huge LED/ad screens are used to project pride colors, a call for equal rights, and a queer marriage proposal in plain view of the entire square!

If you've never been to Bangkok, I beg you to look up photos, via Google Street View or the IG location tag for Parc Paragon so you get an idea of what I'm talking about. 🙏 (this isn't the only busy prominent location they used btw but djdjhdjsdj let's not write a whole damn essay here)

10 A bad show that you kept watching because you were intrigued/fascinated

Dinosaur Love - I watched the first episode, excited for Tonnam and Pepper, and found it charming with its low budget, pink-filtered tropey-ness. Except I quickly realized that this show was Actually Bad. The framing and blocking were often a big question mark to me. The pink filter and the background music got annoying quickly. The acting was subpar. At some point in episode 2 I started questioning if they ever even did more than one take per scene. There was a panning shot involving a mirror where the crew is just fully visible in the reflection?? Suffice it to say that I dropped this show like a hot potato when episode 3 very suddenly and very graphically had a side character self-harm. Squicked me out like nothing before, moving on!

11 A bad show that you kept watching because you were horny

I mentioned this already but I'm on the aro/ace-spectrum (...somewhere, don't ask me specifics lol) so I don't really watch shows for horny or eyecandy reasons. If I don't vibe with the characters or dynamics then I won't even perceive them as sexy, to be honest.

12 A bad show that you kept watching because of that one character

Why R U (the og Thai one), I guess? Everyone who's seen it probably knows that the production and filming suffered because of Covid so I wouldn't hesitate to call this show bad on that basis. I set out to watch it because I wanted to see more of Zee Pruk's acting, in another role, after having seen Cutie Pie. And Fighter ended up being most of the reason I stuck around till the end. The nuanced struggle with his own sexuality was so well-portrayed. Tutor is a very memorable character as well! And I'm entirely 🥰 about Hwa, she just perfectly fits this character archetype that I will always, without fail, completely adore.

21 The show that disappointed you the most

Most of the time, I either don't have big expectations or I let go of them quickly enough once I get a vibe for where a given show is going. The closest thing to 'disappointment' would then probably be all the shows that I kept seeing being recommended and hyped but that didn't leave a lasting impression on me after watching, like KinnPorsche, Love Mechanics, Manner of Death. None of these are bad OR disappointing and there's things I genuinely enjoyed and liked in them but ultimately I just didn't Get why they're so popular. I'm sure part of it is to do with me not having been around to follow along on a week-to-week basis but watching them long after they were done airing, basically in a vacuum. But alas!

I don't know how you managed to do all 22 questions, Twig Tea, when this fraction has already taken me like five hours 💀 Passing this time-eating curse on then to @airenyah @cangse-sanren/@zeesqueere @sadwetcatray @sorry-bonebag @telomeke @thegalwhorants @pharawee I'm sure this tag is making the rounds so some (if not all) of y'all have probably done this already. If anyone I didn't tag reads this and wants to play, feel free to tag me in it, I do enjoy reading hot takes and impassioned essays lol

#tag game #thai bl #bella and the blorbos #ql musings #don't judge me for my silly housekeeping tags lol #worst bl shows the ask game

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kongthapatom · 2 years

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12 Reasons Why Bad Buddy Broke The World With 12 Episodes

(Updated) I made a list of my favorite things that this drama gifted us to remember and cherish forever. In no particular order:

1. It's a Romantic Comedy (With a Twist!)

Romcom is a genre you cannot go wrong with and the world of queer media needs more of. Bad Buddy is filled with smiles and laughter and just the right amount of melodrama that doesn't let it turn too depressing anywhere (in retrospect even episode 11 was brilliantly written and served the purpose). It has become the comfort show that lifted our spirits for 12 weeks and will continue to have a high rewatch value. That’s what any good show must be like, easy on the heart to return to. By injecting the story with the star-crossed trope in the background, they have achieved a flawless balance between fluff and angst. It is a relatable love story that you smile, yearn and weep for, a true masterpiece whichever angle you see it from.

2. OhmNanon's Acting

Ngl I did not see this coming even after the trailer. With every episode that came out, I was shocked by their natural chemistry that climbed to the stratosphere of romance and how they felt more like a real couple than any couple we've ever seen in a queer drama. Whichever show nails the casual touches and kisses has already won the lottery and OhmNanon served us the entire range. From childhood friends to rivals to lovers who gave us the bickering dynamics of an eternally married couple, the effortlessness with which two people who have known each other their entire lives fall in love, the passionate lovers who grow up to take a stand and everything in between. This casting was godsent.

3. PatPran's Partnership

In my opinion, this is Bad Buddy's greatest strength for why it is the best BL drama we’ve ever seen and closest to true love we’ve ever gotten in a modern day queer love story. We rarely see a couple like PatPran who are partners in everything and fight the world together all while being entirely wholesome, utterly positive and totally unproblematic. At the heart of it, Bad Buddy is about two people being in love and the extents they will go for their love to survive. We see both of them being there for each other, communicating with each other, taking care of each other, sweeping each other off their feet & fighting for each other- that's love! Love is partnership and no one is more than the other. Love thrives in equality. Majority of shows fail to understand that and only focus on one character's love for the other. But Pat and Pran are two sides of the same coin and we are so lucky to witness such a well-written story come to life.

4. PatPran are a Power Couple

No story understood the assignment like Bad Buddy did that we like to see stories where both the protagonists are on an equal standing in every sense; where they are equally badass, equally obsessed with each other, equally devoted in love and supportive of each other. They're also leaders of their respective faculties, super smart, music lovers, rugby players and rivals in life and love. They radiate the magnetism of two yin yang personalities and soulmates inevitably attracting. The story itself was structured in a way where them being equal was pivotal to the romance and the whole competition is an exciting ploy on the surface because there are only winners in love. (This equal dynamics in characterization is something I've only seen so far in Chinese BL dramas like SHL/CQL so I am absolutely giddy to see it in a modern day setup!) These 2 reasons are why they are being hailed as the healthiest couple in BL history.

5. It Successfully Captured The Queer Experience

This show really nails the fact that queer people have entirely unique experiences in love and there is zero need to base it on/reference straight romance in the process of telling that story. BL so far hasn't been able to ditch outdated tropes that were carried over from het romance. You simply cannot change the female lead's role to a male one and call it a brand new gay/sapphic love story when it still feels like the characters are operating on het dynamics of the pursuer and the pursued.

Bad Buddy hammers in that there are no fixed husband/wife roles or top/bottom dynamics in a queer relationship (there shouldn't be in a straight relationship either but that's not my fight lol) and that you can't apply straight models of storytelling to a queer romance without rendering it inauthentic in some way. We have different experiences in navigating love which needs to be explored more. (Just ask Pa who thought Ink didn't like her back after listening to her straight friends complaining about their het love lives.)

6. InkPa

This is self-explanatory but I was so impressed that a BL drama had passed the Bechdel test when I saw 2 female characters interacting at first. I didn't in my wildest imagination think they will become the secondary couple in the show and the first ever side couple in a BL drama whose scenes I didn't want to skip over! Ink & Pa's love story has been a magnificent leap for sapphic representation especially for what it did within the limited screen time. All because Aof knew he wanted to kill the cliche of female characters only existing to cause problems in a BL story. You see, they have much more important things to do like falling in love with another girl!! Mad respect.

7. Queerness as a Spectrum

To me, this is where this show broke out of the genre of BL and ascended to something more universal, when I realized it was using every resource possible to tell a queer love story where their queerness is completely incidental to the fact that they love a certain person. I lost my mind when 4 characters, who all happen to be queer, sat down together to casually discuss how sexuality can be fluid over dinner. It is a ground-breaking scene that defies all expectations you might have had about their romantic labels. It celebrates love unconditionally, as we always should.

8. Domestic Boyfriends

The chokehold PatPran have had over us all this while is partly due to the fact that they are so endearingly in love with each other and we got to see so many moments of their sweet domesticity, that for some reason, Bad Buddy's predecessors have not given enough screen time to. Because sometimes you just want to watch a dumb love story about two boyfriends basically being partners in life, going on dates, grocery shopping together, cooking food for each other, consoling each other after a bad day without being slapped in the face by homophobic reality. And Bad Buddy is exactly that type of show.

9. Grand Gestures of Love

What Bad Buddy has done and done right is it has used the the template of fake enemies to lovers to tell a love story that shows you the extraordinary through the vehicle of ordinary. It stays true to romcom genre with abundant swoonworthy moments, like Pat showing up to save the day in episode 7 and uttering beautifully cheesy lines like the real life romantic hero that he is, or confessing his love to Pran in front of the entire faculty who hold witness to their mock engagement. Or more subdued moments that are still stunningly soaked in romance like the classic balcony phone call, the idyllic honeymoon getaway and Pran serenading Pat with the most romantic song about their life in episode 11. These are all epic moments that celebrate love and have been achingly missing from queer romance.

10. Absence of Homophobia

One of my favorite things about this show, is the fact that it takes place in a universe where homophobia, and thereby the queerness of the characters is not the ultimate conflict they have to overcome. Fleshing out the the family feud and emotional trauma while also spinning it as a metaphor for homophobia was very well done. We still get inherently queer dialogues like, "What can we do? We were just born this way," and "We just like each other, does anyone have a problem?" without the usually triggering drama. The fake family reunion montage in episode 11 made all of us sob because we know, "What if our families weren't enemies?" is a direct echo of "What if our families weren't homophobic?" Congrats to PatPran on fooling everyone from their parents to the audience and proclaiming that their love is a force that bows to nothing in this world. It proves queer stories can come across as being rooted in serious reality while still prioritizing the romance above everything.

11. P'Aof and BBS team

This goes without saying but as the audience, I could really feel the love, sincerity and commitment with which a queer person helmed the BBS team to create such a pathbreaking love story that made the future of BL genre look brighter, healthier and happier with just 12 episodes. They knew what they were doing from the very beginning when they sought to create a love story that shatters stereotypes and simply gives the gays everything we want. It is evident he has listened to our feedback from the previous projects and wanted to do better for all of BL. (I distinctly remember the fandom begging him to make EarnPear canon when we found out he's directing Still 2gether and look where we are with InkPa now!) Thank you indeed, legend. This proves we need more queer people behind queer storytelling to change the game.

12. A Complete Series with Complete Subversion

To make note of all the ways in which Bad Buddy has challenged the expectations of queer and casual watchers alike deserves its own post. The show has risen beyond the confines of BL to essentially set everything right that was fundamentally wrong in queer storytelling so far. To name a few, this includes everything from watering down the enemies to lovers trope to support the romance better, highlighting the ambiguous fluidity of PatPran's relationship, the best kiss we've ever seen happening already in episode 5 instead of the finale, to doing away with the episode 11 curse, subverting the hiding your relationship trope to an emboldened choice you make and ending the series with PatPran's astronomical chemistry that is the first of its kind to walk the gay romcom genre anywhere in this world. You can rewatch the show and still find something new in these 12 beautiful episodes that contradicts contemporary queer storylines for good reason.

It is truly a complete series like they told us it'll be because how often do you get to see a romance bloom from childhood to young adolescence to adulthood without inventing more troubles for a new season? When every episode is considered chronologically, you can see the careful planning and pacing that went into documenting every stage of their evolving relationship. When viewed it its entirety, Bad Buddy becomes an astounding history-making love story that sends the message love will always find a way.

So where does that leave us? All of it is of course owing to the fact that this show had its queer audience in mind every step of the way. It came into existence to remind us happy endings do exist for queer people and we can become the protagonists we want to be.

Thank you PatPran for changing our world with your love story. I don't ever want to forget how inspired and invincible you made me feel and I'm so relieved this show now belongs to us to rewatch, smile, cry over and hold on to for dear life.

I hope we all remember it for what it was, a reminder that sure, maybe the queer life will always be a fight against many aspects of the world but we can still rewrite our stars and it need not always be a nightmare. Because surely, if PatPran can find a way to create their happy ending against all odds, you can do it too!

May we watch and scream about this gay masterpiece for the rest of our lives!

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wellntruly · 2 years

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I rank all the movies I've watched from 2021 (40)

It’s that time again!! i.e. sneaking in just before Hollywood’s Biggest Night 🎩 (lol)

Title links go to my original spoiler-free Letterboxd reviews, followed by another link if I also wrote a longer piece (I always note if there will be spoilers in those, if there is no note you’re good!)

No building up this time we’re just starting at the top:

1. The Souvenir: Part II

When I walked out of the theater after seeing this I felt so fucking alive. [Full review]

2. The Power of the Dog

What I want to holler here I can’t holler for spoilers. Love that in a movie!!! Anyway the phrase that has gotten others to watch it: queer western gothic. [Full review]

3. The Green Knight

Sexiest movie of the year a meditation on death, feels good feels right. Revisionist medievalism re-edited over a pandemic to be longer and mistier. Daniel Hart’s score my most-listened-to album of 2021. The cloak is gold. Catch me on a certain day and this might be my #1. [Full review]

4. Drive My Car (ドライブ・マイ・カー)

Tender! [Full review]

5. Bo Burnham: Inside

Film of the year actually though [Full review]

6. Bergman Island

Interestingly given my love for it, I haven’t really recommended this yet to anyone. Watching Mia Wasikowska dance by herself is something that can actually be so personal..?

7. Pig

We’ll get to it if I post my nominations but Alex Wolff best supporting actor. [Full review]

8. Spencer

Sad girl Christmas! We love a daymare. Crafts exquisite, Kristen also exquisite. Weirder even than I hoped. [Full review]

9. The Matrix Resurrections

Haha go Lana, GO Lana! Wild this movie exists. Matrix Winter was such a time. [Full review]

10. Annette

The thing is this is boldest cinematic imagining I saw all year. I saw nothing else like this. Does all of it work? No! Is anyone else doing half of this? Noooooooo. And for good reason! But thank god Leos Carax will! Simon Helberg also best supporting actor. Why was Marion Cotillard eating so many apples… Fuck! Annette! Remember when Baby Annette!!?!

11. Azor

The Martin Eden prize for stylish, little-seen international feature that I keep bugging people about. “Did you guys see Azor though?” “What?”

12. Dune

If you go to my Letterboxd post you’ll see I only gave this movie 3.5 stars, but I already know it’s raising to 4 when I rewatch it, just on the power of vibes. Now that’s desert power. (God it’s so silly though!) (We can admit that a little bit right?) (Denis??) (Denis can’t hear me over his Rice Krispies sand)

13. Passing

First Harold of a very Harold year, babyyyy! Truly though I read the novella after and this was such an assured adaptation.

14. The French Dispatch

Bananas to say this but people are really undervaluing Wes Anderson, one of our greatest directors. Do you know that only one of his films has ever even been nominated for any crafts categories at the Oscars? Meanwhile no one is doing the work quite like him. And the first and third acts and especially interstitial of this are remarkable.

15. Flee (Flugt)

Sometimes the year's wrenching Afghan refugee story also includes a dance sequence to a-ha's 'Take On Me' five minutes in. Something something humanity, basically.

16. The Tragedy of Macbeth

The stars are lights on a velvet sky!! Honestly the fact that I hold this so high (such as higher than the next one!) is really a testament to how far design elements will get you with me.

17. The Worst Person In the World (Verdens verste menneske)

I did like it but! is it weird she doesn’t have a single female friend? Or…any friend? Renate and Anders very good though. Oslo looks like, restful.

18. A Hero (قهرمان)

I saw a picture of this actor later and I didn’t believe it. Performance!

19. Shiva Baby

I have never wanted to watch someone eat a bagel more. I lived vicariously through every bite of that bagel. Why am I so bagel deprived, shit. Is it because I left New York. Anyway Uncut Gems found in the back of the van under all of Joel’s boxes.

20. Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas)

I just need to impress on you that in this film Penélope Cruz makes a tortilla española. Wow my top twenty is ending very hungry. (And wlw) (Harold look alive!)

And now the also-rans!

Musicals Corner

West Side Story Cyrano Tick, Tick…BOOM!

I gave all three of these 3.5 stars and they all landed back-to-back and that was not intentional but is: kinda funny. Interestingly I don’t think any of these three directors would begrudge me this. They wouldn’t, would they? They’d all be like aw thanks for the good company, I liked what those guys were doing too.

More 3.5's

The Lost Daughter Zola No Time To Die

This is a weird combo and yet, something about it kind of flows. I enjoy a 3.5! 3.5 is on the whole positive.

Some kinda complicated 3's that I nonetheless do keep thinking about at odd moments

The Hand of God (È stata la mano di Dio) Benedetta House of Gucci The Last Duel

Sometimes 3 means: ambivalent. Wow I don’t know! I think all of these are interesting though, I know that. Also those two Ridley Scotts could really go in either order, have swapped several times just while I typed this up.

3's that were perfectly fine and that’s it

CODA I’m Your Man (Ich bin dein Mensch) In the Heights

Sometimes that’s it!

The Belfast Award for Belfast (2.5)

Belfast

Weirdly, I’m very glad I watched it.

And lastly: I’m sorry ❤️

Nightmare Alley F9

There would certainly be others in this category with them, but I simply chose not to, because I'm not sure that sorry would get the heart.

There were also plenty others I just haven’t got around to yet, nothing personal! I will catch you later probably, C’mon C’mon and The Humans and Wheel of Fortune & Fantasy and idk, Old?? Actually I do still kinda wanna watch Old…why do I wanna watch Old..! Stop me from watching Old.

Also, the rest of the docs I watched:

Summer of Soul Procession Listening to Kenny G The Truffle Hunters

All five documentaries I saw were doing such different things and I like that about the medium very much. Animated memoir, historical concert film, experimental/drama therapy, the only way to do a talking-heads style doc, and a sort of natural-world mosaic with kinda no center but beauuutiful cinematography. A very good year for non-fiction! Actually technically The Truffle Hunters might have been a 2020, but I couldn’t figure it out? I mean is Cyrano even a 2021 and not actually a 2022? Emotionally?? WHAT YEAR EVEN IS IT.

It is 2022, definitely, (checks), and I am finally calling it on the films of 2021. Happy Oscars week.

#Wellntruly's Watch Log #The Movies

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saranghanuuu · 3 years

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WHAT KDRAMA IMITATION INFORMED US ABOUT KPOP IDOL LIFE + REVIEW!

KPop idols undergoing years of rigorous training with the uncertainty of debuting

Restrictive diets

Packed schedule resulting to little to no rest

Dating publicly is a big deal

Privacy is always invaded — talk about paparazzi and sasaeng fans

Dealing with depression

Exploitation

Fan culture could go extreme

Maintaining good public image is a must

Imitation is a must-see Kdrama for KPop fans, especially die-hard ones

Story: 8.5/10

I haven't read the webtoon yet so there's no comparison to make, but I heard this drama adaptation is slightly different from it. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the drama. The story flowed smoothly and never lost its premise till the end, i.e. to show the offstage life of KPop idols and the dark side of KPop. I was just kinda disappointed with how it ended. I lost count on the times I cringed from watching the last episode.

Acting: 9/10

Kudos to the idol stars who were cast in this drama for they've done a fine job portraying their characters. Saying this 'coz I've seen a lot of idol actors who did way worse, some of them even played main lead roles. Lee Jun Young excellently carried the whole drama tbh. Jung Ji So surprised me a lot with her idol skills. There are moments tho when it shows that she isn't an idol 'coz her moves aren't as flawless as theirs. But I understand; idols went through years of training compared to her. As for the supporting casts, La Rima and Ri Ah stood out to me the most! I liked how their characters were built and good acting highlighted them even more - strong yet sensible and empathetic women, and talented and pretty on top of that.

Ryoc and Maha are cute but their chemistry is just... Okay. Nothing grand. I think I felt more excited when they're still on the push-and-pull stage than when they already started dating.

Music: 7.5/10

This is just a matter of personal preference so I hope you understand! I only liked 5 songs in the drama:

No Answer by La Rima

If We Were by Lee Maha

Your Sign by Shax, Tea Party, La Rima, and Sparkling

My Old Story (cover) by Kwon Ryoc and La Rima

Closer by La Rima

Yes, I admit I love La Rima so much!

Rewatch value: 7/10

As much as I liked this drama, I'm not thinking of rewatching this sometime in the future. I'll just keep the raw emotions I felt while watching the drama as they are.

Overall rating: 8/10

This is an okay drama. I never regretted watching this. It's as if the production team gave us a backstage pass to see what KPop idols are going through behind the scenes. The story made sense in so many ways, although the message will only feel deeply relatable to true KPop fans. This drama may serve as an eye-opener to fans to set their limitations and keep in mind that idols are humans too. Living the KPop idol dream requires lots of hard work and sacrifice. Fantasy and high pressure co-exist in their world, and oftentimes, they need a breather from all of it.

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nanikicrea · 3 years

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The Queen's Gambit

review/rant (spoilers)

I typically aviod shows/films that are predominantly yt over the past few years. Unless I'm rewatching something I've seen. Especially period pieces. And as much as I enjoyed this show it also reminded me why.

I'm sure for a yt woman this has to be great. A slew of yt men helping, guiding, fawning and fucking, and a shit ton of privilege. And of course a strong black woman to show up and be your guardian angel when you need it most. Offering emotional and financial support in your darkest times.

The trope of the black friend helping the protagonist is extremely harmful. I've expierenced that expectation from yt people my entire life. Even other non black people of color expecting that sort of labor. Imbalanced relationships/friendships because of these tropes being completely normalized. Especially the narrative that Black women/femmes never need any help or assistance or love or care. We are the givers and never the receivers. And we can be picked up and dropped down like dolls to played with.

I watched 6 episodes in a binge. I admit the mentally ill mother and abandonedment issues were relatable to an extent. The forced Catholic/Christian upbringing to save you from your parents (parent)'s bad choices which led to neglecting you. The enjoyment of alcohol and downers as a way to drown the trauma, triggers, hyper intuition etc low enough to be high functioning.

I've also always enjoyed chess but never spent much time trying to master the game. So despite the obvious racism of this period. Notice the racist black lawn jockey when Beth goes to an Apple Pi gathering. I continued watching until I got to the 7th episode... when my anger and frustration hit.

Jolene the only person who looked after, educated and cared for Beth as a friend in the orphanage reappears right on time to be a trope (besides Mr. Shaibel who was more a mentor than an age appropriate friend). Jolene the friend who gave her few last green pills to help her friend. Beth never went back or contacted Jolene. I noticed that when she wrote the letter to Mr. Shaibel. I immediately thought.. does she check in on Jolene who was clearly never going to be adopted? No. Beth never even wrote Mr. Shaibel besides the one time for money, which in my opinion she owed him more than that. He taught her the game. She could have thanked him. Hell at least paid him back his money. When she offered to only send 10 out a 100 winning I was like ain't this some yt privilege shit.

Back to Jolene. I had to stop my binging and go to sleep. I couldn't bare watch this amazing Black actor, Moses Ingram be reduced down to this trope. Moses a Yale school of drama graduate casted to play a yt woman's helper who hadn't given a damn about her. It's 2020!!! Almost 2021.. I don't want to see this shit anymore. Black women/femmes and Black people in general are not here to lift up yt people. We are not their helpers or supposed to be using our energy to support them. Especially not our savings to secure our own future/education. I hope in the fictional world Beth pays back double to Jolene.

"Good job, Cracker"... ughhhhh they waited until the last episode when you've already invested to throw this trash dynamic in. This really lowered the rating of the show for me and basically put a major sore on the whole experience. So for that my rating is

3.5 out of 5 stars⭐⭐⭐.🌙

Also to all the yts I see glorifying this trope. Stop. No you do not need a friend like Jolene. Stop using Black ppl for emotional labor.

#the queen's gambit #queen's gambit #jolene #moses ingram #Netflix #review #period drama #stereotype #trope #problematic #black actor #black actors #scott frank #anya taylor joy #beth harmon #elizabeth harmon #harmon #the queen's gambit review #queen's gambit review

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