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syrena-del-mar · 3 months

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Dead Friend Forever Is More Than Just A 90s Slasher Film Imitation

Oh man, I went in thinking I would just get a whole lot of gore and murder, and instead I'm getting a buttload of social class distinction, parental issues, mental health crises, organized crime, and a highly-likely revenge plot line.

The thing about Dead Friend Forever is that it starts unassuming, almost like an copy of all other teen slashers from the 90s. A group of friends, up in a cabin and suspects to a potential murder, become hunted one-by-one. A cliche slasher plot if I ever heard one. Until it’s not. This show is taking up a very big corner of my brain, so I’m going to delve deeper into it.

If you haven't watched episode 6 yet, spoilers up ahead.

Pulling inspiration from 90s slasher re-inventor, Scream

The first four episodes really set up the expectation that DFF was going to be another slasher, seemingly particularly influenced by Scream (1996). Scream was a turning point for slasher movies, signaling a shift in from the movies of the 80s to that of the 90s. It was the first of many movies to allow for the characters to be self-aware of what genre they're working in, where the characters knew of the slasher-movie tropes and attempted to do everything right to survive. Scream is also the first slasher to truly humanize the killers, and I don't mean by making them empathetic, but rather the killers were human, so they made human mistakes. Prior to Scream, the antagonists in slasher films were usually this supernatural villain that was just murder-hungry. But in Scream, the killers are all just regular people and would often make mistakes on their way to kill the protagonists, like a normal human would. It's why Scream was scary, the killer could be anyone, it wasn't this supernatural being. And even when you're making the right choices to escape, you still end up dead.

In Dead Friend Forever, we're getting so many of the same tropes that Scream had subverted. The group is working understanding exactly what they're facing; Fluke warning to not pull out the stake inside Por, Top wanting to split up in the temple while Phee, Jin and Tan veto against it expressly stating it would be like the horror movies, White not wanting to be left behind in the cabin. They all know what they shouldn't be doing while there is a killer on the loose. Also, it's why there's these funny little moments of the killer in DFF (i.e. having to steal the motorcycle to get back to the cabin). I'm not completely convinced that there isn't any paranormal activity or at least some type hallucinogen-component at play, but the way the killer acts is very human-like. Not to mention the parallel of Barcode (arguably the most popular actor in the show) getting slashed in the first minute of the show, eerily similar to how in the opening scene of Scream, Drew Barrymore (the most well-known of the cast) gets killed immediately.

The Benefits of Series Format versus Movie Format

The series format is where I think Dead Friend Forever is really shining the most. @wen-kexing-apologist made an awesome post on the directorial direction this show is taking, particularly in how since the first four episodes we have very little context as to why the killings are occurring or even the state of everyone's relationship, we're freely able to form opinions on each character. Similarly, prior to getting to know what happened to Non, I also thought Tee was the better one of the group. But here we are, two episodes later and I find him to be the most detestable of the bunch (which says something, when Por and Top are competing in this category).

We're seeing and experiencing the absolute hell that this friend group had actively made (sans Jin and Fluke that suffer from the bystander effect) Non's life out to be. In a regular slasher movie, especially ones that model themselves after Scream, we find out why the Killer is doing what he's doing to the victims in the last quarter of the movie, but the emotional value is a little skewed. The little amount of time we spend learning about what the victims did to the Killer usually still leaves you feeling at least a smidge of pity for the victims and some joy that the Final Girl made it. Here, the mass consensus is that each and every one of them should die.

And it comes back to the luxury of spending several episodes in a flashback to what lead up to the killings after the game of cat-and-mouse has begun. We're introduced to Non as an outsider, where everyone, but Jin, has already formed a bad opinion of Non. They already have a brutal nickname for him (read @forkaround's awesome analysis on the term 'Greasy'). They already established that he's an outsider in the classroom, but they make an active point of only referring to him as 'Greasy' and Non just accepts it. We see the friend group frame him, causing him to spiral twice to point of suicide, proceed to prey on him into a money laundering scheme, get him caught in a criminal investigation, all while already undergoing mental health treatment. We're given that time to know and see the pain that Non is caused, the manipulation that he is put under, and ultimately the devastation that they've caused.

Dead Friends Forever is more than just another teen slasher, because it has time. And it's using its time wisely, giving us bits and pieces of information in the beginning before delving into something more sinister than the killer on the loose, the original five. Run-of-the-mill bullying has turned into framing, assault and other criminal activity, even murder. And yet, while Non is the one that has disappeared (or died), the other five have been able to make a life for themselves without suffering any of the consequences. It's showing exactly what they have done to deserve everything that is coming to them.

Final Thoughts

Man, Be on Cloud is truly blowing it out of the water with this show. I'm actually a bit sad that it's only barely starting to get the recognition that it deserves, because in my opinion, it's just that good, BUT I also understand why it's had a sleepy start. It's in an place, a BL in one sense, but not exactly a BL in any other. I've said it before, but no matter what you think of BOC as a management company, the stories that they tell are unique and they have the artists that are competent enough to deliver. Be on Cloud has, allegedly, allowed the writers take the reign on the show, even if this means messing with the couples, so even more chaos is going to occur. This is, frankly, exciting to see and experience the story as they want it to be told.

I said this when I first saw Barcode in KinnPorsche deliver that heartbreaking cry, that boy knows how to cry. He was a newbie and his stole that scene. Now this is his third show under his belt and his acting chops only continue to improve, I truly can't wait to see what more he is able to do here in Dead Friend Forever. I love that Sammon is also enjoying what Barcode has able to bring forth in Non and that all her worries have been eased. I truly think that Barcode is going to have an incredible career ahead of him, whether in music or in acting.

Ta, on the other hand, also deserves his share of accolades. I wasn't sure of how to read to Phee in the first four episodes, but with the information that episode 6 has given us? The picture has cleared significantly and now, having rewatched his scenes, everything makes sense on why he seemed to be conniving. Episode 6 had some of the strongest performances and yet the biggest gasp I made was in the last minute. The singular tear rolling down Phee's cheek after having to perform the two-finger method, to have Non throw up the pills, and holding him in his arms? Quite literally jaw-dropping.

Sammon has a strong repertoire of shows, so I have complete faith that she knows what she's doing for Dead Friend Forever. I hope this becomes as much of a cult favorite, much like Manner of Death and Triage.

Anyways if you need me, I'll probably be stuck thinking about PheeNon for the next week until episode 7 airs.

#dead friend forever #dead friend forever the series #dead friend forever meta #dff meta #dff the series #barcode tinnasit #ta nannakun #copper phuriwat #pheenon #be on cloud #pheejin #tabarcode #boc actors #thai bl #thai bl meta #bl meta #steph rambles

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heretherebedork · 1 year

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Thoughts that occupy my entire mind: Win watching Team anxiously sit in a locker room will someday lead to Win leaning over Team and telling him that he can be scared of the world but never of him and that will lead to Win celebrating Team placing an order by himself at a coffee shop and that this scene, this first moment, this first time seeing that anxiety as palpable and real in Team in a way we never really did in UWMA just means so, so much to me.

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bl-inded · 2 months

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A part of me absolutely loves the utopian non homophobic world that BLs exist in. But when they draw that bar of acceptance with that subtlest undercurrent of thoughts every queer person has had multiple times in their life, oof it hits.

Cherry magic TH especially is doing wonders to make my little queer heart so extremely seen. Internalised homophobia doesn't always manifest as self hatred but more often as a means of "understanding". There is willingness to forgive rejection because you can't assume acceptance. Which sucks. But it's so true to life.

Karan had done it so many times before him and Achi got together but Achi with his new colleagues in episode 11 made me feel some kind of way 🥲. Especially this specific scene.

Yeah. I've told myself this exact thing soooo many times. They don't need to know me, I don't need to make them feel uncomfortable if I can avoid it. And Achi doesn't do this because his colleagues are hateful, it's just not another problem he wants to think about- because acceptance is not a given.

I love soo many things Cherry Magic TH has done different from the Japanese version, especially the cultural adaptation. The Japanese version starts and ends with their relationship being a secret. This version is more hopeful, and these little moments nod to that struggle and make it more appropriate to the setting and let us see the characters overcome it.

#i honestly dont know why this adaptation isn't more popular #new and tay did sooo amazing #maybe its the whole not being freely available on YouTube thing #im just emotional about them okay 😭#gmmtv #thai bl #cherry magic thailand #cherry magic th #cherry magic #karan x achi #tay tawan #new thitipoom #taynew #bl meta #thai bl meta

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ohmthipakorn · 1 year

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my school president meta: gun and sound parallels + learning through love

in short: this post will discuss gun and sound's character development parallels through their relationships with their respective romantic partners, and how these similarities inform the closeness of their friendship!

under the cut because i have much to say <3

in the episode that sound is first introduced (ep 4), he and gun are set up as opposing forces. they’re competing for the leadership role of the band, and they have contrasting character flaws. what the other lacks, the other has an abundance of:

gun has no self-confidence but is earnest, kind, understanding, and friendly. even if the general public (aka classmates, teachers) look down on him for being a poor student, he has close friends who genuinely love him and believe in him.

sound is a successful actor and musician at a young age and therefore has an inflated ego. though he is talented and confident in himself and his skills, he lacks the social skills to build any meaningful relationships in his life, despite the love and attention he receives from fans and the public.

however, gun and sound's personal journeys to overcoming these flaws parallel each other closely, developing in large part through their respective relationships with tinn and win.

tinn and win are the perfect partners to help gun and sound confront their flaws.

tinn is kind, attentive, and likes gun unconditionally. he recognizes all of the good qualities that gun misses about himself, his compliments are always natural and unpracticed—he just genuinely believes in gun’s talent and goodness. he is communicative but knows what he wants, which is good for gun whose uncertainty leads to him hurting himself more often than not.

meanwhile win is combative and honest. sound’s celebrity status doesn’t affect win’s initial dislike of him or his loyalty to gun as their band leader. sound can’t be pretentious or falsely charming with him because win sees right through it. when sound tries to act superior, win pulls him back down to earth. win challenges sound to confront the unpolished qualities of himself that he hides from the public.

through these relationships, both gun and sound learn to be open and vulnerable.

in ep 5, gun hides his disappointment in himself from his mom in fear of burdening her. he wants to keep up a strong appearance around her because she’s already stressed about her physical health. so, tinn intervenes and takes of care of gun in his emotionally vulnerable state, ultimately allowing gun to be honest with his mom. throughout the show, gun continuously opens up to tinn about his insecurities as a musician and the struggles he has been through with his family. as he shares more of those feelings with tinn, we also see gun seek and accept physical comfort from him as well.

similarly in ep 8, sound hides his injury from his friends by secretly attending physical therapy and taking off his wrist brace whenever he’s around them. he knows the competition is stressing them out and he doesn’t want to add any additional burden, just like gun did for his mom. therefore, win offers to be his hand, supporting sound in his physically vulnerable state. in doing this, win also lessens the mental frustration and worry that sound tries to harbor all by himself. in the next episode, win continues to care for sound’s emotional state when he recognizes that sound is upset and checks in on him.

these are obviously not the only times that tinn and win have offered physical and emotional support for their boys. it’s no coincidence that for both tinn and win, the love language they use to express their love is acts of service, which is perfect for two boys who aren’t used to asking for help or showing their weaknesses to others. tinn and win know they can’t wait for gun and sound to ask for help, because they never will. instead, they offer their help in any way they can while still respecting gun and sound’s boundaries, allowing them the space to open up little by little.

gun and sound also learn to value their personal relationships on the same level as their focus on music. in ep 7, we see how love changes both of their perspectives.

for gun, rather than seeing it as a distraction, he realizes that love can be something that inspires his music and motivates him to do better in the competition.

for sound, he votes in favor of love, probably out of solidarity with yo due to his own budding feelings for win but also because he has come to genuinely care about his friends and sees how supporting each other contributes to their morale as a band.

in both instances, gun and sound stop seeing love/friendship and music as isolated parts of their lives, and realize it’s okay to prioritize their own desires.

i believe these similarities in their character arcs are the reason gun and sound are shown to be close friends. they innately recognize their similarities with each other and gravitate together because they know there will always be a level of understanding between them. we can see this when sound tries to protect gun from the “plots” of the student council, when gun allows sound to miss practice for physical therapy and keeps his secret from the band, when sound gravitates towards gun when he’s avoiding win, and when gun reveals his own relationship to sound to offer support and advice to him.

in conclusion, gun and sound began the show in a position that could have made them rivals with an antagonistic relationship that would only deepen each of their flaws. instead, their stories are unfolding in beautiful parallels, allowing them to grow closer as friends and bandmates.

*end of post, as of ep 9/12*

#my school president #my school president the series #my school president meta #msp #sound saran #gun guntaphon #tinngun #soundwin #winsound #geminifourth #satangwinny #winnysatang #thai drama #thai bl #thai bl meta #i've been thinking about making this post since like ep 7 and i don't know if i fully included all the points i wanted to #but ahh i'm excited to get it out there #this is my first long meta post and of course it's for my boys <3 #*

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blmynewobsession · 11 months

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Be My Favorite ep 3 thoughts

So, I wrote up a whole thing in a chat message, and then decided to post it here because apparently I have thoughts on this show (which, well, I already knew)

I liked so, so many things about yesterday's BMF, but most especially that Kawi is starting to show moments of awareness of the others around him. He's been so focused on himself, what he wants, in the first two eps, that he has appeared almost completely oblivious to those around him, even Pear, beyond what he wants from them. He's also been, in many ways, oblivious to his own reactions to the things around him, or if he is/becomes aware of them, he brushes them off if they don't match what he expects.

While I can understand and empathize with his disappointment that Pear calls a friend (or... more than 1?) to their dinner, you can see that it does become more than just disappointment. He does recognize that friendship is likely going to be all that he gets, and he doesn't push it by taking Pear up on her polite offer of a ride home. Is he disappointed? Yes. But, when he and Pear end up having lunch together, again he doesn't really push for anything more, which sets him up neatly as a contrast to incel-in-training Not.

And while he was visibly unhappy about Not showing up wanting to talk to Pisaeng, and he may have misinterpreted what Pisaeng would have prefered, I don't disagree with him removing himself from a third-wheel situation. He may not know their full history, but he does know that there is something there that isn't for him, and as a fellow introvert, I would likely also remove myself from their interaction, though probably not as pissy as Kawi does it. And later, when Pear tells him about how Pisaeng is lonely, and that there had been some sort of fight between Pisaeng and Not and maybe the others as well, even though she doesn't know (or at least, share) the details, Kawi does see an opportunity to maybe help. Is it selfish, because getting Pisaeng his friends back would make Kawi's life easier by allowing himself more space after the kiss? Sure. But, Kawi also knows loneliness. And even as he is trying to reduce his own loneliness, he does take the opportunity to try to do the same for Pisaeng. He just completely lacked the context for WHY they were no longer friends, and so this effort backfired spectacularly.

One of the things that really jumped out at me in their confrontation at the end was how quickly Kawi responded with "and unsafe" when Pisaeng asked him if he made Kawi uncomfortable. I feel like that was probably the most absolutely honest moment on Kawi's part, and also the most likely response to be misinterpreted. It's been all of what, a day? for Kawi since Pisaeng out of nowhere kissed him. We don't know anything really about Kawi's history before uni, or what has happened between uni and the wedding, but from what we've seen... he's likely never even thought about being gay, or bi, or anything. He's been so focused on Pear, for better or worse for like a decade, and his complete lack of social skills and social life probably means that if anyone else was ever possibly interested in him....... he didn't notice? Or never interacted with the person in any way where it might eventually become obvious, just like we see that Pisaeng already saw him and liked him before they ever really interacted, but it is clear that Kawi had less than no idea before the kiss. So, Kawi has just been kissed, and he reacts badly and runs away, and then decides that that is too much for him to think about and he needs to withdraw himself from Pisaeng's presence instead of (but also, accidentally, giving himself time to) dealing with it in the immediate (to him) aftermath. And he sees a chance to do that with Pisaeng and Not. If he can help patch things up with the two of them, *he* can get the space he desperately needs. Misguided, yes. Selfish, yes. Necessary, yes.

Misinterpreted? Abso-fucking-lutely. Pisaeng takes it the way anyone not in Kawi’s brain would take it - Pisaeng is a queer man who has spent the last few days deliberately inserting himself in Kawi’s life because he sees their interactions through his own, infatuated, rose-colored glasses when Kawi starts responding to him. He has interpreted all of their interactions up to the moment at the lunch table as some form of flirting, not realizing until Kawi flat out tells him that Pisaeng’s “messing with you” isn’t funny, isn’t nice, is hurtful. That I think is really the moment he starts to second guess himself, but even then, especially at the moment Kawi invites him for drinks, he doesn’t let himself see it as anything more than awkward flirting. Kawi has gone from this quiet, loner person Pisaeng liked from afar to someone who has inserted himself into Pisaeng’s life, how else is he supposed to interpret it? But... then Kawi says that he feels unsafe around Pisaeng. And, well... it’s not like there are a lot of positive outcomes for the gay community when the straights feel “unsafe” around them. Maybe that isn’t what goes through Pisaeng’s mind, but that is DEFINITELY something that hit me hard. Pisaeng doesn’t know that Kawi doesn’t really mean that he feels physically unsafe around him (and, well, maybe Kawi doesn’t quite realize this either? Who knows), and is really more referring to emotional and mental safety.

And we do see Kawi... maybe not backtrack, exactly, but he doesn’t understand at all why Pisaeng reacted to his response the way he did. This is what made me interpret the “and unsafe” as NOT meaning that Kawi felt physically unsafe around Pisaeng, but instead being more of the “he just doesn’t know how to deal with all the emotions and thoughts and reactions he had to kiss and it’s all so far outside his wheelhouse that he doesn’t even know where to BEGIN to process it so the best thing he can do is just... distance himself mentally AND physically from Pisaeng”. He doesn’t understand what a supposedly completely heterosexual man telling a gay man that he feels unsafe around him could lead to in other circumstances. I don’t see any of Kawi’s reactions in this episode (yes, even the pushing Pisaeng away hard enough that he hits his head) as homophobic or unreasonable. He was just kissed against his will by a drunk man he has only ever interacted with over the course of... two days? The drunk man isn’t really responding to him, and he’s so overwhelmed by it all and the time travel and everything that, like... he just needs to get away.

These two communicate in very different ways, and there have been a lot of assumptions on both sides, and a large lack of awareness on Kawi’s part. But he is starting to realize that the others around him, Pear, Pisaeng, Max, Not, his father, are not NPCs in a video game that just do what he wants them to because he has a goal in mind. He has spent so much time not realizing that he does, in fact, have an effect on the world and the people around him, that of course he isn’t going to be great at it when he finally starts to look away from himself. He’s socially awkward, very aware of his standing among his peers, and overwhelmed. He’s not a perfect, completely empathetic lead. He’s an asshole, in a lot of ways, but an asshole who has potential to be better, if he can start paying more attention to the impact he has on the world and the people around him. We see flashes of it, already, in ep 3, that we did not see in eps 1 and 2.

I really like this show, a lot.

#be my favorite #be my favorite meta #botkawee #kawi #pisaeng #be my favorite the series #thai bl #thai bl meta

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chicademartinica · 1 year

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Me watching Step by step : Nepotism and toxic parents and toxic fan service in BL and rainbow washing and beauty privilege and no marriage equality EVERYBODY CATCHING STRAYS

#tee sintanaparadee #step by step #step by step the series #thai bl #thai bl meta #THE META IS METAING

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loser4lover · 1 month

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after watching so many shows where the romance was tastefully developed (slowburn….) watching dangerous romance is giving me whiplash bc why did he forgive this guy who did HORRIBLE things to him after he was nice to him once (1). like yea the nice thing was … saving his life … but tell me why sailom cares so much about kangham in eps 3-4 like what changed. what switch flipped (love switch probably) but like. why did the love flip switch. what occurred. what happened here.

#dangerous romance #thai bl #thai bl meta #gmmtv #perthchimon

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coffeebookslovegt · 15 days

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Me has estado siguiendo. Te niegas a irte. Nuestra conversación no va a ninguna parte ¿que debo pensar?

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pandasmagorica · 4 months

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Imperfect

One thing I love about Thai QL is that the actors don't have to look perfect. Yes, most of them are quite attractive, but they might have a scar on their face or a mole on their ear. Babe has a stye or something on the edge of one of his lower eyelids, and Billy has something in the middle of his upper eyelid.

They're stars, not androids.

#pandasmagorica #yaoi #thai ql #thai bl #thai ql meta #thai bl meta #actors #thai actors #the sign meta

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dramalets · 5 months

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Parent with a mild cough irl: Probably fine and it’s just a cold.

Parent with a cough in a Thai BL: Consumption. They’re probably going to die or at least end up in hospital.

#thai bl meta #Thai BL

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syrena-del-mar · 8 months

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Very Rarely Do Men Know How to Be Altogether Good or Altogether Wicked

The last five minutes of today's episode left my mouth gaping, it really felt like I was watching a catastrophic accident happen in front of me and I just couldn't look away.

I wasn't completely sure on how Sand was going to learn about Ray and Mew's history, but I sure wasn't expecting that Ray's feelings would be exposed in such a volatile way. Maybe I’m in the minority here, I’m not exactly sure because I’m seeing a mixed bag of reactions, but I don’t necessarily agree that Sand ever needed to find out about Ray’s feelings for Mew. Much less from Boston.

This is partially going to be a bit of a continuation of my thoughts that Boston has a Machiavellian personality, followed up with SandRay's relationship becoming the unsuspecting 'victim'. Again, I'll be using pulling from Machiavelli's The Prince, but I'm also using his work Discourses on Livy. [Title credit to ch. 27 of Discourses]

Boston, still the Machiavellian 'Prince'

“Another difficulty to be added to the one mentioned above is that a state that becomes free creates for itself enemies rather than friends.”

― Niccolò Machiavelli, Discourses on Livy

Let me be upfront, I don't hate Boston, I actually enjoy the chaos he brings, but he's a fascinating character to break down and really analyze his actions. The last five minutes was, in my opinion, the most chaos that he has caused out in the open. This was never a situation of Boston 'saying what needed to be said.' This was Boston seeing an opportunity to take control of someone and doing so by unfairly outing Ray's feelings. I, again, stand by the idea that Boston is not a narcissist, but rather a Machiavellian personality type. This doesn't make him a 'villain'; Only Friends does a good job at showing that there are no villains in real life, just incredibly shitty people. Boston is simply a dick, who chooses to play with his friends to feel a sense of control when he doesn't have it. Has he ever cared for his friends? Does he keep them around simply for convenience? Hard to say. That doesn't make him evil, it just makes him a first-class jackass.

In my post where I had stated that he was more of a Machiavellian rather than narcissist, I came to the conclusion that, 'In his viewpoint, he is the kingpin, even in his group of friends, because he believes that he's the one that controls how his friends move since he knows how Mew is developing feelings for Top and is aware of Ray's feelings for Mew.' This time around, he practically admits it right after purposefully revealing Ray's feelings for Mew, "I just want to keep track of my best friends' romantic moments.' Boston hoards information so that he can throw it in people's faces when it fits him the best, there's no 'good intentions' on his keeping tabs on his friends.

Boston knows that TopMew are going to sleep together, they're serious and he's out of the running. Is it simply ego or is it because of self-interest? Whatever the catalyst is, he essentially has nothing holding him back anymore. He's seeing his "friends" getting "serious", while he's out there dealing with known (and unknown) filming of one-night stands he had being used as revenge porn. That'd hurt and anger anyone, but from what has been shown, Boston thrives off of control and so having his sex life used against him would feel like an even bigger blow. They're minor events that are snowballing and Boston likely needs to feel that control again. It's why he pushes Nick down without a second thought when Nick is trying to pull him away (opposed to how Ray lets Sand pull him back). So he claims that control back, he deliberately reveals what he knows, purposefully taking Ray down with him. While he may be feeling like shit, at least he'll be better off than Ray, who's left to pick up the pieces.

Sand and Ray, the intentional destruction of the 'kingdom'

“In general you must either pamper people or destroy them; harm them just a little and they’ll hit back; harm them seriously and they won’t be able to. So if you’re going to do people harm, make sure you needn’t worry about their reaction.” ― Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince

Yes, Sand and Ray are in a “situationship.” Yes, they’re constantly getting both physically and emotionally closer. Yes, Sand is developing feelings for Ray (arguably vice versa too). But that’s it. They started off as friends with benefits and while they’ve been shifting around, neither one has fully crossed that line. There was no defined area in the relationship, at least not before the implosion. They’re barely getting to know each other, Sand even calls Ray out because he knew that Ray had never noticed him before, not in a way other than just the Bar Performer.

Ray is working through who he is without Mew, without his crush on Mew. He's come to the realization that while he put Mew as his #1 for many years, he's knows he's not that for Mew, and is slowly coming to the realization that he may have never been. These are his feelings to work out and his alone. Sand and Ray are first and foremost friends, as they had agreed upon and they happen to hook up often. This was what they agreed upon. Even if one or both of them are catching feelings, it does not mean that Ray has an automatic obligation to come clean to Sand.

Arguably, Boston was unaware of this set up, but honestly he didn't need to know. This was not his business, Boston didn't suddenly spill the fact that Ray has had feelings for Mew for years to look out for Sand. No, this was an intentional hit on Ray, where he was positive that it would hurt. Boston has repeatedly used Ray's feelings for Mew for his own convenience (Exhibit A: Meddling at the pool party), whether it be to get Ray to react in a certain way or to have a punching bag. He knew how defensive and reactive Ray would get when he brought up RayMew's kiss and supposed sex (was this ever confirmed?) that they had.

Boston speaks in definite presumptions when he talks about others, he does this to Top and he did it to Ray. He spins realities to how he sees fit and with the confidence that he speaks in, he makes others believe him. It's why Mew never questioned that Top is accustomed to sleeping around and didn't think that Top really wanted anything more than sex, because that's what Boston specifically told him that Top was like. It's why now Sand believes that he has no hour in Ray's life, even when Ray gives him the opening to ask more, because Boston purposefully spoke in definite terms. Even the most secure person would be left feeling unsure and unbalanced.

So when Sand, who knows that their relationship is based on being friends with benefits, is confronted with words from Ray's supposed friend who explicitly states that Ray is in love with Mew and that he's being used as a rebound, what else can he do but believe that?

What little trust and rapport that they had started to build up has come crumbling down. They're frantically gathering the pieces of a 'kingdom' that has been turn into dust, the aftermath of the Prince's wrath. It's why Ray scrambles for the bottle and it's why Sand shuts down. How can they react to what Boston did, when they're struggling to salvage the little remnants left behind of what was supposed to be a blossoming relationship?

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heretherebedork · 9 months

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So. Let's talk about virginity, sex, the pressure to both have sex and not have sex and what it means and what it doesn't mean and what desirability can mean to people.

Now, the first note on this is that this is gonna come from (my best version of) a tempered Western perspective. I am full on American and I do not know the details or in and outs of Thailand's relationship with virginity versus sex, particularly in the queer landscape. I, frankly, barely know that in Western terms. So this analysis is just me doing my best to use what the show has given me in order to discuss the idea of Mew's virginity in the series, why it matters to so many people and why it is honestly shaping a lot of the conflicts in this series.

Because literally the first scene we from the entire friend group is Boston claiming he was trying to help Mew get sex and Mew exasperatedly asking him to stop caring about that.

But it's obvious that everyone cares. And we see that again and again. Everyone seems to care that Mew is a virgin and wants that to change for him more than Mew himself down. And this is just... often, frankly, true. There is no one more bothered by someone else's virginity than someone who doesn't have theirs.

It's Boston who calls him a sweet virgin as a deterrent while To takes it as a challenge but the focus is still on that virginity and the mean of that virginity. That it means he won't be a know it all or pushy and he won't be 'like the others' (in this case like Boston) and that Top wants that as a change of pace.

But Boston is sitting right there talking to someone he fucked and hearing that from him is not what he wants to hear. Boston is very pleased to be a slut and I actually think that Top basically saying 'you're boring because you have lots of sex' is the worst insult Boston can hear and might have really started a lot of his upset we see between him and Top.

It's because Top took a part of their identity that they share, part of the reason that Boston pulled him into the group in the first place, and turned it into an insult.

And that goes back to virginity versus promiscuity that adds weight. Top is interested in Mew because he's a virgin, he's sweet, he's not going to be fierce, he's not going to be like Boston who is fierce and knows what he wants and is exceedingly comfortable with his own sexuality and specifically sex.

Because as we see, Mew is also comfortable with his sexuality. He just expresses it differently than Boston and Top do. And that's also just so important to me. Honestly,

Mew owns his sexuality and his virginity. He is not set on changing anything until he knows it is exactly what he wants and doesn't want. Top said he was going to be sweet and, frankly, he turned out just as fierce just in a different way.

(The comparison to Boston, though, the instant connection between the friends and how much they are going to hurt each other because they are constantly being compared by the world and by themselves because they have placed importance on these things and just Oh Man. The weight of Mew's virginity on everyone else and how Boston sleeps with everyone but discourages Top from going after Mew too seriously and how Ray's sex habit is obviously part of his own struggles with feeling like a burden while Boston seems to just like sex and how there's absolutely nothing wrong with any of these approaches in their own way... Ray might be fucked up but it's not because he's fucking.)

A change of pace can be something welcome you never expected and that's why Top is going to be destroyed by Mew. Because Mew, and his virginity, represent something new to him. Something different. Something he doesn't know how to handle or how to see.

I think that a big part of Boston's issue here is feeling like he is being judged based on Mew's virginity and Top's interest in that. Boston craves the feeling of desirability and thrives off it (as we've seen and continue to see) and having Top, someone he has fucked and enjoyed, express that a virgin is more desirable than he is was a blow to him and his ego and his comfort and his own view of himself.

Because when virginity is upheld rather than just something to lose (which is all Boston wants it to be, something that Mew loses) it becomes a virtue rather than something to be changed.

Yes, Top still wants to sleep with Mew. But suddenly he's looking for more.

Boston's relationship with Mew's virginity is fascinating to me. Because he is truly obsessed with Mew losing it but also with this idea that it can't be a good thing. Boston is so focused on Mew losing his virginity that when faced with the idea that Top is interested in more... he loses it a bit. Boston values himself for being sexually desirable and desired. He wants to fuck and be fucked. And to be told that Top, who is supposed to be liked him, wants something different?

It's a threat.

Boston is trying to act like he knows Top better than Top knows himself and he is pushing this idea because his own identity is deeply wrapped in casual sex for the sake of casual sex and not being interested in dating and seeing Top not just express interested in Mew specifically because he's a virgin but then to also start talking about dating him? That is a direct threat to that part of how Boston values himself, of how Boston finds his own worth.

If being good at sex is less desirable than being a virgin than what happens to Boston? If the people having the same casual sex as him are starting to think about dating, what does that say about him when he isn't?

Top is doing what he's doing because he wants to do it but, to Boston, it is a judgement against him.

I am actually very interested in this because while it is at least partially jealousy, I think there's more to this.

It's about virginity and promiscuity and how both get judged depending on who's judging and what matters to that person and Boston is suddenly seeing himself being judged in a place where he's always been comfortable.

Boston's safe and comfortable place is this club and the people he sleeps with and Top's interest in Mew is a blow not just to his ego but also a sudden change to his own self-image. He is not the desirable one despite the fact that he has shaped himself to be desirable.

Okay, I don't even know where this went.

But anyway I love how the show gave us a virgin who knows exactly what he wants (which ain't it yet) and different aspects to relying on your sexuality and I didn't talk about Ray much in this because he didn't have a lot to say directly about Mew's virginity or Top's desire of it which was my focus but Ray is using sex as an alternative to therapy and it ain't working out so hot so far for him but that's just another story.

... Anyway. Only Friends is definitely interesting and I am absolutely wondering where it goes from here because I can already see how much Boston will hurt Nick because a relationship just absolutely is not even on his radar at this point and, in fact, is entirely off his radar because it goes against all the aspects of himself he currently finds value in.

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bl-inded · 3 months

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So... I'm pissed? I feel like we're taking the wrong lessons here guys! Why is Mohk the one apologizing again??? He apologized like thrice in this episode and each one made me more upset than the last. He did not pity Day! Never has. Never will.

Honestly I'm kinda just mad about how they handled the whole three year break. Why is it that Mohk came back and they're back to being flirty from minute one??? What about the heart break? What about the absolute negligence for what Mohk wanted? What is happening??

I kept waiting hoping for an explanation. But nope. When he wanted to stay the first time for Day it wasn't okay, but it's the okay the second time? WHY?? It doesn't make sense. I don't get it.

And that ending??? What I'm saying IS THAT THEY COULD HAVE DONE ALL OF THIS IN EPISODE 11 WITH A SMALLER FIGHT AND 4/4 (aka happy) COULD HAVE BEEN ALL OF EP12?? Y'all pick up what I'm putting down??

Sorry this isn't an analysis. I'm just mad

I caaaannnooottt put into words how fucking mad I am.

*immediately starts writing a fic*

#turns out i have a lot of words to say how mad i indeed am #but day has the best bro and sis in law fr #and bf #i dont understand how anyone thought this was the take away from the last episode #sigh #last twilight #last twlight the series #gmmtv #thai bl #p'aof #bl rants #jimmysea #day #thai bl meta #mohk #mohkday

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sofapup17 · 9 months

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My Thoughts on Episode 3 of the Wedding Plan (esp the fourth part of the ep)

J’Im is absolutely right about letting your head make the right choices when your heart is compromised. And I love how she tells Nuea that he shouldn’t have to be a third wheel in someone else’s relationship. This girl is a genius. Plus, it was really nice to see a supportive boss, since I feel like the only ones I’ve seen are toxic (that editor in Lovely Writer, ahem). J’Im is literally a girlboss. I respect the hell out of her.

Yiwa and Marine!!!! I was so overjoyed that we got to see so much of their relationship. Honestly, it was way more screen time than I ever expected for them, since we got so little in the trailer. The way Yiwa stood up for Marine and told her team off for dissing her was so satisfying. They have so much chemistry together, which makes them even more fun to watch. Especially how Yiwa and Marine were flirting with each other at the cafe XD (How did Nuea not conclude that they were together? I mean, I know his gaydar was going off, but he decided to ignore the rampant gay flirting, I guess?)

The reveal we all wanted (because Nuea deserves to know the truth)! Unfortunately it’s not really a reveal, and it wasn’t even revealed by Sailom, but by Nuea, who guesses at the truth and hits the nail on the head. I really need to give Nuea more credit. He’s pretty perceptive (more perceptive than I would expect a bl main lead to be). Plus, I bet he’s seen at least a couple lavender weddings in his time as a wedding planner. Unfortunately, Sailom decided to lie and risked his future relationship with Nuea in the process. I know why he decided to lie and I empathize with him, but I’m still a little annoyed.

And now, my thoughts on the last quarter of ep 3:

Rain and Payu’s proposal scene was everything LITA fans could’ve hoped for. Though I only made it through the first couple eps of LITA, that proposal scene made me sniffle. Something about seeing queer couples happy really tugs at my heartstrings. Their kiss was a pretty good example of queer joy and openness. Their friends/family were clapping and supporting them in the background, which only heightened the joy of the scene to me. The behind the scenes crew clearly chose this location for its light and airy setting, symbolizing and accentuating Rain and Payu’s happiness and love.

Nuea actually helped Payu plan the proposal, so while the proposal is happening, he stands watching (WATCHING! OFF TO THE SIDE!) in a corner with Sailom and they hold hands. After that scene is over and everyone leaves for home, we get a shot of Sailom and Nuea kissing in the car. The place is almost completely dark. In contrast to Rain and Payu’s proposal scene (which happens in a place so drenched in light that it’s almost a pure white), they’re kissing each other at night in a parking garage with no one around to witness their feelings for each other. Also in contrast to Rain and Payu’s scene, their kiss is bittersweet. Sailom even says that it isn’t a good idea for him to be doing this right before he leans in. The only light source is the automatic light that turns on when you turn off the car, symbolizing how their relationship is hidden, not public and celebrated like Rain and Payu’s. When Sailom and Nuea kiss, it’s soft and sweet and secret.

Earlier in the episode, we meet Sailom’s mom, right after we are told that Sailom and Yiwa have been in a fake relationship for 13 years. I wonder how much they fear being outed, to willingly hide these parts of themselves. When we met Sailom’s mom, she seemed perfectly nice, if a little pushy and nosy about his marriage. But Sailom seems exhausted by this short encounter with her (probs because he has to pretend so much around her) and it makes me wonder how common these interactions are. We’re told that Yiwa and Sailom are already disappointing their moms a little by keeping the wedding “small”, so it doesn’t seem surprising that Sailom’s mom is a little concerned by their marriage. Plus, in the trailer, we’re told that Sailom is only getting married because his mom wanted him to. Why are Sailom and Yiwa keeping their sexualities such a secret? Is it because of the familial pressure to get married in a heteronormative wedding with all the trappings? Or is it something else? Why does Sailom fear her finding out he’s gay? Or does she already suspect something (she mentioned his frequent “nighttime escapades, but those could very well just be him working until late)?

We know that Sailom is very honest about his feelings with Nuea, and Yiwa seems to be in a happy committed relationship with Marine. (GO LESBIANS!) So why do Sailom and Yiwa feel like getting married is the only way? And I can’t imagine that Marine would be very happy becoming Yiwa’s mistress for the rest of their lives. How long do Sailom and Yiwa feel they can keep this lie going for? It doesn’t seem like Nuea and Marine would be willing to go along with it for too long. As J’Im says, you shouldn’t have to be a third wheel in someone else’s relationship, no matter how fake it is. I look forward to seeing Sailom and Yiwa’s character arcs. (THOUGH I REALLY WANT TO KNOCK LOM AROUND A LIL, so if Nuea slaps him, Lom has it coming : ) (WHY IS THIS BOY SO MANIPULATIVE JEEZ)

(I want to maim him a lil. just a lil tho)

(why am i having serious thoughts about this unserious show????)

Thanks for reading my rambly thoughts abt ep 3 of this trash dumpster fire show! *said sort of affectionately*

(SAILOM"S PUPPY FACE 🥺)

#wedding plan the series #wedding plan bl #lom x nuea #meta?#thai bl meta #sorta #dying inside #i'm watching this show for the lesbians #i have a love/hate relationship w/ this utter chaos

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forkaround · 1 year

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Thai BL and Writing

Okay, so I have something to say.

Thai BL and Writing

I don't, even for a second think, that Thai BL has bad writing.

I'm mentioning this comment specifically because of what they talk about as the flaws - logic, consistency, character motivation or common sense.

I think where a lot of people trip up is thinking that when writers write a contemporary thing that it is set in the real world. Unless it is a true story (and even those aren't 100% factual. But then that's why you have documentaries), the world is built from the ground up even if it is a contemporary, seems like real life setting.

Now to break down the flaws -

Logic and Common Sense - I don't think these two should be applied to any piece of fiction let alone BLs. One reason is if character acted with 100% logic and common sense you most likely won't have most stories. And while on paper it sounds like a good idea it takes away humanity and honesty from any character. Also Logic and Common Sense are actually subjective. Everyone has had an experience where you thought something was obvious but the other person was completely oblivious to it.

What is to be focused on, in any piece of writing, is the themes, the story, what it makes you feel, if there is honesty in the characters (mind you, honesty and truthfulness are not the same thing.)

I think, many times, if someone comes from a different background they might not understand why someone did xyz. Especially true for Western Audiences trying to understand Asian Media as we saw with GAP. Another thing might be someone looking at a thing and going - this is not my world! Meaning that they, in their lives, in the subjective lives don't think that this is how the world works. And this is pretty common and understandable mistake to make.

The other two were - Consistency and Character Motivations.

The example they use is Bad Buddy. Honestly, I don't see it. I have other examples (Specifically from this year) - The Eclipse, Big Dragon, Kinnporsche, Secret Crush on You, Love in the Air, GAP, Not Me, Triage, My Secret Love, hell, even Unforgotten Night and Ai Long Nhai have those two things.

What I always say about this is do not apply real world ideals to fictional works. It's pointless and useless. You won't win. Writing isn't about checking boxes. Writing is about feeling things. SCOY and GAP, even UFN, are absurd pieces of media, and every step of the way you feel these characters. You're not supposed to understand / relate to them so that you can say 'I would do this same thing in the same situation'. That's antithetical to writing. It's antithetical to any form of art. I see this is YA Fantasy too. It's first person POV and there is this expectation that - I'm aka the reader, is the Main Character. This is solely a thing placed upon the character and writer by an inexperienced, often privileged reader. You're not supposed to sympathize. You're supposed to empathize.

I've talked about in general so far but...

This was under a NLMG complain post I made. If you follow me you would know I have no love lost for Never Let Me Go. I think it's badly written. Why? Because it breaks worldbuilding. Plenty of shows I mentioned before lose steam towards the end but they never lose the worldbuilding or themes and that is what matters.

For eg: The Eclipse. (Coz they are both GMMTV) There is one scene that exemplifies their losing steam the best. The Akk Ayan mutual Pin scene. It's not the content itself that shows this. It's that from whatever the previous scene was, they are suddenly in Akk's room, put pins on each other, they are somewhere else. Even something so short, that's anticipated since ep 1, still needs build up and fade out. Without it the whole thing feels jarring and out of place but thematically this was where it was always headed.

NLMG begins by treating the Mafia as a serious thing. Kit even chops a finger in from of his son. It's supposed to be serious. But as the episodes progress, especially once Tanya is shot. It's no longer so. Compare this to other Mafia involving BLs. - Kinnporsche, LITA, UFN. They are all tonally different to each other. You can't confuse one for the other. They all still treat Mafia with the seriousness it deserves. NLMG is much more serious compared to those three. It has an overall heavy vibe. But the Mafia is taken seriously only by Chopper.

That's all Watsonian. A little Doylism now: When anyone attaches the word Mafia to anything there is a weight the institution of Mafia carries. Everyone alive is aware of this. Thus it's absurd to have something that has a universal connotation and not delivering on it after you've established it in universe to have the same connotation as it does outside of it.

Thus,

Logic and Common Sense are not as objective as most people think.

Any individuals lived experience is not the same as another's and trying to make it so is foolish and a folly.

Thai BL has good writing. People just trip over what that means all the time. Eg: LITA's PayuRain part. '~It has not plot~'

Art is not meant to be a point by point checklist. It's sole job is to make you(the audience) feel.

You (a writer) can't take a commonly understood thing and throw what's inside away because you just want the aesthetic.

#writing #thai bl #thai bl meta #love in the air #kinnporsche #big dragon #mafia #unforgotten night #gap #secret crush on you #the eclipse #not me #triage #ai long nhai

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chicademartinica · 10 months

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Dem debates on Hidden Agenda are going to shake the table even more than Step by Step 👀👀👀. Whew I love my let-me-teach you how to date/kiss tropes with some spices !!!!

#joongdunk #hidden agenda #tee sintanaparadee #thai bl meta #THE TITLE IS A DOUBLE ENTENDRE #triple if you count the gay agenda

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