HIStory3: Trapped (2019)

still a favorite

Overall: I originally watched this in 2020. Re-watched in 2024, I saw the areas of improvement but the two m/m couples stayed as two of my all time favorites. On YouTube as twenty 22 min episodes and Viki as ten 45 minute episodes.
Note: Shao Fei's piece of hair was sticking up on purpose, I think they called it Fifi lol

Content Warnings: past murders, attempted murder, grief, manipulation, violence, blood, torture, held against will, suicide (off screen), drugging, beginning sexual assault, non con touching, manhandling, past child abuse

What I Liked
- dynamic of enemies to lovers/opposites attract
- Shao Fei & Li An's friendship
- Shao Fei wasn't completely inept, did have some fight and detective skills
- sweet moments
- a few funny moments (though some were too cringey)
- good intimacy
- second m/m couple (but not Jack saying Li An had to take responsibility for (unknowingly) attracting him)
- OST

Room For Improvement
- episode 1 was weird when the sister wore his shirt and acted flirty
- the het side couple didn't hook me, wish they had spent that screen time on the second m/m couple
- confused/zoned out with all the mafia intricacies/plot 
- some camerawork had a low budget feel
- comedy sound effects
- unrealistic parts, i.e. the 2 coworkers handed Li An off to a known criminal
- some truly heinous suits
- wish something hadn't happened towards the end when they visited the grave, didn't deduct points

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BITTERSWEET BUT BRILLIANT

I’ve always been a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope, especially in BLs, so naturally I had to give HIStory3: Trapped a try, and it did not disappoint! I’m also into mafia/gang-style stories with a good mix of action and romance, so this hit all the right notes for me.

The chemistry between the leads? Top-tier. You can’t fake that kind of connection, they were such a great pairing. And even though this series doesn’t have a lot of NC scenes, the emotional tension and affection between the leads felt very real and sincere, which I honestly prefer.

The side couple? Adorable and totally hilarious. They added the perfect amount of lightness to balance the heavier themes.

Now, I usually lean more toward Thai BLs, so I was a bit hesitant at first since this is a Taiwanese series but with all the high ratings and buzz around it, I gave in, and I’m glad I did. The production value, acting, and storytelling were all really solid.

One thing that threw me off a bit, though, was why the police weren’t wearing uniforms? It felt kinda unrealistic. I’m used to seeing law enforcement in proper uniforms in shows from the Philippines and Thailand, so that stood out to me here.

As for the ending… it’s bittersweet. If you’re someone who only enjoys BLs with happy endings, this might not be your cup of tea. But personally, I still really enjoyed the ride from start to finish.

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conflicted

So, overall my rating for this series would be an 8.5. I did enjoy the series and I did end up enjoying the majority of the characters by the end. However, my big issue is that it took way too long for me to get invested into the show in my opinion. The first few episodes (if you're counting on a 1-20 ep scale) were honestly a little bit dull. Visually the scenes were not interesting, kind of dull color schemes and basic sets, and I did not feel anything for our main leads until about episode 4 or 5 (on 1-20 scale). However, I waited it out, because I knew it is a beloved treasure within the bl community. Thankfully, I did because soon I met Jack (him and Zhaozi were honestly a huge highlight for me) I knew I had a character I could hold onto to at least FINISH the show and then also to my luck the main leads warmed up to me. The pace of the mystery plot also picked up (but unfortunately I was kind of meh to it. I enjoyed it but wasn't overly impressed by it).

On another note I'll speak about the acting, I honestly do not believe that it is a problem with the actor who plays Shaofei, because he honestly did really well in scenes where he was serious, but I think the directing was a bit confusing for some of his scenes. He would have to go from serious to goofy in the snap of a finger, and honestly the comedic aspect didn't hit right in those scenes. I think Shaofei and Tangyi's storyline could have been left without the weird goofy aspects, and that could have been left to the group of cops and Jack/Zhaozi's relationship personally. I also HATE HATE HATE that every single kiss within this series used the dead ass wide fish kiss eyes. Like who kisses like that???????? But overall it was very nice and overall enjoyable, some aspects just didn't hit right with me.

I think that the actor who plays Tangyi was honestly the highlight of the show. He was so good at playing his character and showcasing every emotion Tangyi felt. His scene at the end of episode 18 (or 9) was so wonderfully performed. I would love to see more from him in the future.

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This series was so good that I had to write my first ever review for it on this site.

I'm not going to lie. I saw the trailer for this series back in 2019, but I wasn't genuinely interested enough to watch it. Now, two years later, I'm kicking myself for not watching it sooner. This is one of the most impressive BLs I've ever seen.

The plot is straightforward and to the point. Much of it is not revealed until later episodes, which I personally appreciated because focusing on character development in the first few episodes worked really well. I am a huge fan of the mystery genre, so I had high hopes for this series. And, I won't lie, the revealing of the mysteries was well thought out and executed flawlessly. However, there are numerous plot holes in this series. There are so many things that bothered me that weren't explained at all, which is a shame because they all seemed so interesting and deep, but the creators didn't seem to care to explore them.

Throughout the series, there is ONE character who completely dominated the show. Tang Yi is the name. I rarely connect with the characters, but I felt his emotions, trauma, actions, and everything else about him. He was simply a fantastic character. At first glance, he appears to be a generic character who had to grow up tough due to a tragic backstory. However, the way this series handled his story was extremely refreshing. When Tang Yi appeared on the screen, it was clear that the story was about HIM.

Meng had a lot of potential as a character, but we only get a small glimpse of his backstory, which is unfortunate because he is the main character and all we see is him being used as a plot device all the time. He is a nice character, but I couldn't connect with him because there isn't much behind him.

Overall, this is a show that you should watch. The story is a little lacking, but Tang Yi's character makes up for it. The acting, production, and music are all excellent as well.

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Brilliant, Moving, and Full of Pain

This is a phenomenally good BL series that touches the human connection in a way I was not expecting. The series starts out very much as a ‘cops and robbers’ scenario but turns way more intense and personal . This love story is secondary to the development of the main characters forming a bond based on honesty, trust, and basically doing the right thing. It is essentially based on higher ideals and goals not just for life but for their love. It is truly a beautiful story. This is a great story, solidly written and beautifully acted. All the supporting roles are so good and add both to the flow of this series and to its content of making it more of a human story that a love story. It is filled with emotions, painful past memories, and a plethora of unsavory aspects of what makes us human. The beauty of it was that it did not define them, merely explained them. You can read my full review of this very interesting HIStory series at ppbongi.medium.com.

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Mafia Boss vs The Police? Heck Yeah!

I remember I watched this around December 2019 on my sister's recommendations. This is the best HIStory, imo. The story is very good and since I'm a simp for enemies-to-lovers troupe, this is perfect. The chemistry between the first couple and the 2nd couple are sooooo goood. The plot is great and the NC's timing were very good. I loved how they put comedy in this series too. They could make it serious but funny and sweet at the same time. but the ending kinda ruined it for me...LIKE WHY IT HAS TO END WITH TANG YI'S IMPRISONMENT?! FREE TANG YI!
I would recommend this to someone who like detective/police series and love NC's between the couples.

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Amazing love story, packed with action, cuteness, and perfect chemistry

I am not an ease one to please. If fact, I rarely get excited by BL movies and dramas (although I keep watching them for some reason....), but this one was a completely different league.

The story is mature (not your average boyish, coming-out plot). Everything revolves around a cat-and-mouse game between police and mafia. The main leads are simply perfect: cute, handsome (OK, I know they all are, but I had to mention it), with realistic characters, feelings and actions. Their characters evolve over time in a convincing way (one can understand why they change and what their thoughts are - this does not mean necessarily that one has to agree, but it's believable). The balance between romance and action is good, and the portion of intimacy just right. Everything is sprinkled with a dose of humor (but not too much to spoil the mixture), mainly arising from the side characters. The main characters gradually fall for each other (oh well it is a BL drama after all), but they do not question their feelings, rather they question their life choices and how they led them to today's situation. And this is what I expect from adults living in a modern society. There are the occasional ticklish scenes (such as provoking jealousy or fear), but not too much. Relationships are critically looked at, but not overdramatized. And people actually work, they do not just sit around discussing their heart's adventures, although the latter ones naturally emerge from the plot.

I consider this series a rare gem, which I personally rewatched twice (I can barely remember doing that for any other BL series). It is hard to tell if I am being objective, or it just hit the right nerve, but in my defence I am neither a cop nor a mafia member, so I wish to believe it is the first... :-)

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Cringey but I love it

This show had me rolling my eyes every bloody second but I love it. History3 Trapped was definitely better than the first two season. Even though it was less realistic it had a more interesting plot and excellent chemistry between the leads which was missing from the first two seasons. Also, it didn't enforce any problematic behaviours. I loved how this wasn't a high school or college plot, and I love the mystery, action plot they gave us. Especially on the budget that must have been available for this show.

I really recommend this show if you're looking for a fun show, with quite an interesting in depth plot. If you're looking for something serious and realistic this probably isn't it.

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CHEMISTRY OVERLOAD

April 13, 2021

History 3: Trapped, hands down one of the steamiest and strongest chemistry out there for both main and second lead couple. However, there are major flaws in writing especially in the plot. Like how did Officer Meng went from hating Tang Yi to suddenly loving him. It was such a huge jump in terms of feelings that it bothered me so much. Also, HOW ON EARTH IS OFFICER MENG AND HIS SUBORDINATE THE ONE WHO IS LINKED WITH JACK BOTH POLICE. LIKE NOT GONNA LIE BUT THESE TWO CAN BE HUGE IMBECILES. Another huge plot that irked me is the villain, how can you make such a big deal of finding the real culprit then make it underwhelming the moment they are caught. It's like there was no climax...

Anyway on to the good stuff. Honestly, this would be a 10/10 if they fixed that storyline. I already talked about chemistry so now I'll talk about their dynamics. First of all, Officer Meng and Tang Yi, Officer Meng literally turned Tang Yi into such a soft puppy towards him only. Like, when Officer Meng did not answer him for a day, Tang Yi was about to bawl his eyes out. Also, I find their statement "let's kiss then talk" so hilarious. These two make out so good like daaaaamnnn. Their steamy scenes really got me running around my room like Tang Yi and Officer Meng are so aggressive even when they had angry s- yah that part heheh

Jack and Officer Meng's subordinate REALLY OUT HERE SHOWING WHAT LOVE CAN DO. JACK GAVE UP EVERYTHING FOR THAT MAN. IF THAT AIN'T LOVE THEN IDK WHAT THAT IS. They made me so jealous like I want this kind of relationship in my life. Jack has the biggest growth in terms of character development, I really wanted more of their scenes. I hope these two actors can star in another drama or even their own spin-off cause holy mother- their chemistry is just off the roof.

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A Rom-Com Crime Drama with a Gangster-Cop Love Story

This is a BL that is more about its plot than it is about the queer romance of the two leads. I mean the twists you can see coming from a mile away. However, the acting is first-rate. The redemption arcs are well done. This story in the anthology series jumps between a serious crime drama and a truly hilarious rom-com. The side BL couple is just so much fun. I don't think they are necessary to the plot, but I love the eccentric Jack and the super naive/innocent police officer dynamic. The naive cop is a grandma's boy, has never dated anyone, and still has stuffed animals in his bed. He also will just walk on his hands in a scene just because its fun.

I also liked this show because it definitely moves beyond stereotypes, especially the queer stereotypes.

This series arc in the HIStory anthology was truly a blast.

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One of the best BLs I've watched

This is my first review here, sorry if it's bad, but I love this drama so much, I had to write something.
First, I've watched this one I think two times and a "half", and I'm definitely not the type re-watch something, so that tells you something about the story.
The main couple is really sweet, and, even with the obstacles and the clear differences between them, they manage to be one of my favorite BL couples, the actors did SO WELL with them, even when they're not being intimate, you can tell they're attracted to each other. They're lowkey an enemies to lovers kind of couple, but I feel like there was always tension in between them. Also, when the policeman (I forgot their names lmao) started showing signs of liking, he was soooo cute.
Now, my favorite couple is actually the second one. They're so cute so sweet, they're were clearly going to be together from their first interaction, the amount of times I've watched YouTube compilations of those two together... God!! I love them!!! I love the contrast between the cute and naive policeman, with the "dark", clever and dirty minded mafia guy. And I love how they're were not toxic, and Jack never forced anything to happen. He knew exactly how to flirt, and I looooove their ending.
I would love to see a season 2 showing how their lives changed since starting being a relationship with a mafia person. That would be so cool!!!

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