Role Reversal (RR) Drama Lovers Club

Unveil: Jadewind

So let me get this straight: Xiao Huai Jin can magically figure out the height of that mysterious guy in black just by checking out the moon phases? And he can also measure his forearm by comparing it to a window on an alley wall?  And then there's Li Pei Yi, who apparently has a PhD in window widths of all the commanders' homes, allowing her to deduce the length of arms and whatever else. It's 3 lengths, not 4, because obviously, that makes sense. Seriously, what even is this first episode?

 didichan:

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I just have to know: does the plot actually improve? How's the pacing? Because let me tell you, the first episode was like watching a snail race. Right now I'm not vibing with the female lead's attitude. I know her family got wiped out, but she seems hella rude.  And from that little flashback I caught, I'm guessing the male lead is her childhood hero and the reason she’s still breathing? Oh one last question, are there any mystical creatures in this show, or is it more like Scooby Doo, where the monsters are just villains in disguise and a bunch of meddling kids have to unmask them? lol 

 didichan:

I don’t know how to hide spoilers I would give details why it was rubbish 🤣🤢

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 didichan:

 I actually finished this and I rate it in one of my most hated dramas of all times !

The beginning of the year has been somewhat disappointing for me regarding RR dramas. I haven't encountered one that truly captivates my interest, and based on your description, I might consider dropping this one. It doesn't seem like something I would want to invest another 31 hours into.

Once again had a reply finished but forgot to send it, and then closed my laptop, so my slightly delayed and likely more shallow response :-;

 potatocouch:

and it'll be so good I like the feeling of excitement building as I wait for the next episode 😂

I know the feeling! xD Sadly for me it goes from excitement to impatience and eventually indifference. Guess that's a bit of that all-or-nothing approach I have. Haha

I've never started a currently airing drama that I finished. Lol. 

 potatocouch:

I have a two-story colonial in Pretty Boy Nation, and a condo on Femboy Island. I have property in both locations.

No wonder. That makes more sense XD

 potatocouch:

I'm so excited! I hope it's good.

Trailer sure seems promising... almost enough to make me consider joining you... but not enough xD

 potatocouch:

Is he in a lot of modern ones?

I wouldn't know... I only heard him in historicals

 potatocouch:

His voice is angelic! I've only heard male vocals this high in the few Chinese opera songs I've heard. But his voice is more airy, and pleasant to the ear.

Glad you agree, isn't he absolutely mesmerizing?! I am so not normal about him. His songs come up and I have to just sit back and appreciate it because ohmygod

As for the songs, did you try looking for them with the original chinese title? I found that a lot of those sites have them only in the original language. 

 potatocouch:

Mermaid Song (the high notes are ugh...he sounds like a siren luring me into a watery grave)

Absolutely nailed that comparison. The best part of The Blue Whisper was definitely the OST. Still one of my all-time favs when it comes to dramas. 

 potatocouch:

His Unholy cover is...unholy >.> It's another cover I like more than the original.

Agreed! So good!

 potatocouch:

She's winning in life if that banner is any indication of their relationship.

Totally!

 potatocouch:

He's just a bad person in general. 

Oh wow, I had no idea- What a POS indeed! Poor Rihanna 

 potatocouch:

but Yang Se Jong was cute enough to distract me.

Mostly considered this drama cuz I know he suffers real good. But there was a lot that I didn't fuck with in the ep I watched :( 

 potatocouch:

It's about mad scientists running a secret facility where they run tests on kids and inject them with this serum that gives them superhuman abilities.

Oh, tf? I had no idea! Sounds quite interesting 👀

 potatocouch:

then tried the OG trilogy again. After that, I was like clearly this is just not for me.

Valid, does seem like you tried everything you could've xD 

I wonder how into the franchise I would've been had I found it myself and when I was older. I still think I would've liked it because sci-fi that actually does space opera is very rare on TV, but like I said earlier, the SW I like is more the extended media than the movies themselves, haha. P much all the stuff that Disney made non-canon now, lmfao. 

 potatocouch:

Interesting interpersonal relationships can sometimes be a buffer for heavy politics

Sassy Obi and bratty Ani are hard to beat, I agree xD

 potatocouch:

It makes me wonder what you'd have to say about movies like Memento, Us, and even The Prestige.

Noped out of the "Us" trailer when it started going into horror. I am NOT touching western horror with a ten foot pole, nope, no, not doing that. "The Prestige" seems quite interesting but also a bit campy based on the trailer, haha- also wow, what a famous cast 

 potatocouch:

He's lowkey one of my favorite directors. Everyone says that now though 😅

Ain't that how it always goes? It's cringe until it starts trending, uhuh

 potatocouch:

Has a FL ever thrown a man over her shoulder in a RR? 🤔 Now I wanna see this.

Thrown? No. Carried to some extent? Yeah. SFL to SML in Moonlit Reunion briefly. And Zi Ben Jia Da Shao! Zheng Hao Kang Hui Jia Zuo Lao Gong if you can handle how cringy that was, lol xD 

Also weirdly two non-RR dramas from what I know, which like... how??? 

I am SO deprived of the MLs being snatched by their ladies. Especially over-the-shoulder carries, like auuugghh- I see it in any context and I'm like "WHY ISN'T IT HEERRRRRRR" :( 

 octopus_joy:

but here back on ep 5 I LOVE IT.

Glad you're enjoying it so much! 

 octopus_joy:

How he's like "wow yeah he definitely thinks I'm your whispering concubine" - buddy literally no one said that, that is allllllll you.

In his defense, I did say that, and I think he must've heard me xD I kept thinking "how concubine of him" and then he said that. It was hilarious. He wants to be her concubine so bad. It's so cute!

 octopus_joy:

The way he weaponizes submissiveness! And it WORKS on her every single time! Batting his eyes! Casting himself at her feet! Pretending to faint! waaaaaaaah it's so good for me

Definitely a highlight for me too!!!! It's so well done!! The fact that he keeps pretending to faint is just *chefs kiss*. That man was made for the harem; it's a waste to have him be a minister! 

 octopus_joy:

I just call him Gaston

That's the perfect name, tbh. He's SO Gaston-coded XD

 octopus_joy:

really kept up with the whole "this is a reality TV competition" element of the husband-hunt

Yeah, I guess that's why it's so unserious to me. Not something I would expect in a historical drama that isn't tagged as a comedy, haha. I also take issue with everything RR always being comedic, but that's just me. 

 octopus_joy:

but I didn't think it was going to be this one.

If not in this drama, then I don't think we'll be getting this in any drama, tbh. If a drama that's set in a matriarchal family and focuses on the lives of the women living there without too much patriarchal oppression isn't a drama that can portray more than one woman as anything more than a sexist stereotype, then idk what drama will. Like, matriarchy dramas do it too, but those are highly censored, so I expected this drama that was more 'conforming' in a way, to do better 😭

 octopus_joy:

and she's weak to his submission but keeping herself really locked down, which I also like.

Definitely a highlight for sure. Girl is NOT subtle about her being down tremendously for his concubine scheming. 

 octopus_joy:

YESSSS SIX MONTHS OF FAINTING AND BLEEDING AND BEING OVERWHELMED WITH WEAKNESS.

Ahahahaha.... about that... 

It's a cdrama, my friend, and he's the ML. He's not gonna be out for more than half an episode 😭 as a fellow whump lover, I WISH!

 octopus_joy:

Since we're talking about femboys and beautiful high voices - both of which are major interests of mine - do we know Jeff Satur around here?

I definitely know this man... knew him from pinterest then my friend forced me to listen to his music, and he's a good singer AND easy on the eyes xD Thanks for the pics, #2, #3, & #4 are something else, sheesh

Have you heard of his alleged project that will totally air fr fr ong? My Chef in Crime. RR supporting couple by the looks of it 👀

 octopus_joy:

For some RR vibes and also very good singing I recommend this performance video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSagyvDgVk0

Wow.... that was DELICIOUS. Him on his knees, in chains with a lace blindfold which he can't reach to take off (such a good detail btw? omg?)? Augh- and then it turns out he's being kept there by two women? OOF- this combines RR, whump, AND evil women all into one delightful package. When they grab his neck? 🥵

It's giving his domme underlings rescuing him to me, idk why. I really like the idea of a pretty man with an army of cool badass women and him being submissive to them, but that's a given. Though like I said, it's also giving kidnappers, so either ways, very nice!

I know he does a lot of BL stuff, so I was NOT expecting this, lmfao. 

 octopus_joy:

Also I canNOT let a femboy discussion go by without at least mentioning Cooheart:

I know him from pinterest too! Literally so fucking cute ommggggg

 octopus_joy:

anyway Arclei you are not alone, I also enjoy femboys VERY MUCH <3

Good to know 🤝💞

 Arclei:

Valid, I find most wuxia-type fighting very cringy, but I've also learned to accept it, so *shrugs*

Have you ever seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or House of Flying Daggers? That's what got most people I know into wuxia-type fighting, even people who don't normally watch C-dramas.

We didn't know that's what it was back then though. 

 Arclei:

Like, ugh, such a shame... Gimmie them older femboys- don't be COWARDS!!!

IT'S AGEISM 😤

Yeah, matriarchy dramas never seem to show older, established RR couples in society. They treat RR like a "young person's game".  

 Arclei:

Their relationship would be INTENSE because they're similar; both overlooked, looked down on, cunning but never allowed to make use of it, both manipulators, and both ultimately better than they even think of themselves. Liiiiiiike, it could EEEAAAAATTTT!!!!

It would be extremely binge-able!!!

Now that I've stopped binging the drama, I'm finding it hard to pick up again. The excitement has really died down for me (plus I was busy over the weekend). Maybe I'll try in a day or two.

 Arclei:

And bro, can you imagine after a life of having to seduce men for a living, kiss up, and fulfill their every wish to suddenly being the one welcomed home by a pretty man half-naked in bed with eyes only for her and the homme fatale skills to make sure she stays? Bro, not us making an OC xD

I can imagine! It would be awesome seeing her slowly relax and not have to be in survival mode. Letting her guard down. Letting a man try and seduce her for a change. It would be such an interesting storyline, and they'd end up being a wholesome couple.

I love our OC <3 Should we name her?

(Also, let me know if you think I should use spoiler tags. It wasn't a knee-jerk reaction for this part of our convo since it's basically our Glory "fanfic" LOL).

 Arclei:

EDIT: Also... imagine if she were older... like maybe 5+ years? I could see the age gap being bigger too, so we get a diff generation in the family dynamic (I also think he's fairly young- my guess is about 4th sister's age, but could be younger too so it'd be a nice contrast). He can then be the green-tea who's experienced with everyone else but completely outplayed by a veteran green-tea herself whom he ends up absolutely smitten with? He tries to play coy and seduce her, only to end up having the tables turned on him? Pinned down and flustered?? Imagine!!!!! 

YOU KNOW I'M NEVA GONNA SAY NO TO A JIEJIE ROMANCE!

Her being an older, veteran green tea instead of a contemporary is brilliant!!! It would intensify the RR and the whump. And the initial tension between her and Shan Bao. She could even have a combative relationship with Grandma Rong since Grandma Rong sees through her. It would be a good way to involve Grandma Rong so she can do more than sit in her chair.

(I love that you speak in Star Wars memes and I speak in The Office memes).

 Arclei:

He can be the clingy LW to her traumatized CJ? Aye?

Love that 🥺

 Arclei:

But also bestie... I am a bit concerned about the dehydration and lack of sleep 😭 Are you okay? Pls at least hydrate!

Working on it 🙂‍↕️ I feel much better today.

 Arclei:

I was in my head like "pls compromise him pls compromise him,"

Praying on his downfall 💀

 Arclei:

Because idk if we talked about it, but the butler SCENE IN EP 3?!??!? I couldn't BELIEVE what I was seeing, just mouth open STARING!!!! Girl really said, "pay me with your body," and he DID!! She then offers to train him to bag one of the sisters????? Like??? 

That took me by surprise too! Didn't he, like, crawl to her? And I was scandalized (and thoroughly enjoyed) the detail of them being hella sweaty in the next scene while they plotted. But tbh, I didn't pay as much attention as I should've at first because I was trying to Sherlock homegirl's motives. I was suspicious that she was going to hurt the Rong family. 

I don't know what episode you're on, but...their storyline's gonna be another thing you're disappointed by :-/

 Arclei:

I have too much minidrama brain rot and didn't even consider the fact that ML would go save him!

It's minidrama and  fanfic brain rot 😂 Minidramas are gonna be very upset if fics get off scot-free in this accusation. 

 Arclei:

Orrrrrr. her pretending to be blind acts starts slipping cuz she maybe gets flustered or jealous, or or or?? Possibilities. 

Oooohhhh!!!! Seeing her composure slip would also be good!!!! It would've been a great place to start foreshadowing that her blindness is an act. Cause if it's an act, I guarantee the current writing is gonna drop that on us with all the subtly of a ton of bricks.

 Arclei:

You're just describing my ideal story at this poiiiintt!!! You'd write an incredible toxic FL I just know it. These ideas are next lvl, girl!!!!

The ideas are flowing because they're usually repressed LOLLLL. They couldn't wait to get out. I really want to go all-out and write a toxic FL one day, but so far the most toxic woman I've ever written was the FL in the story I told you about where she clocks the charming sociopath at school, and starts playing mental games with him—and winning. (Wish I'd gotten further with that story).

Have you written any toxic FLs? Original or fic?

 Arclei:

Her getting even more possessive of him every time he name-drops FL is just *chefs kiss* so in-character and yummy! Oh, she'd see reeeedddd. That dynamic is gonna explode SO good bad!!!!

She'd be like, "Oh, Shan Bao's so much better than me, huh? Okay. Then I'll stand out by being worse."

 Arclei:

I also would like it being the cousin to rescue the scholar cuz the scholar had gone out of his way to protect the cousin when he was nearly SAed, so this would be a good payback and development moment for them both <3

Look at us covering all the narrative bases?

 Arclei:

Finally, a love triangle I can get behind!!!!! 

I almost feel proud that I've created a love triangle you'd be into 😂 

 Arclei:

I can just imagine at one point in the present day, when FL protects boy cousin yet again, and the 4th sister just has this moment of pure rage where she recalls every near-identical instance where FL scolded her for being 'too rough' 'too mean' 'too impolite' 'too cruel', and she just SNAPS. Or... she has to swallow her rage and then lashes out on someone else, oop

This would be absolutely delicious!

I think I'd want her to go and lash out at someone else. Maybe sneak into the tea fields to do it? He follows her because he knows how destructive she is, and he's worried she's gonna sabotage the family somehow. And a small part of him is just drawn to her intensity and anger. Anyway, he follows her and sees her command some guards to pluck a young man picking tea. They take him to a remote area in the tea fields, and she starts whipping him, yelling at him, and calling him the cousin's name. She's so furious, she starts crying, but doesn't stop whipping the young man. She keeps yelling at him like he's the cousin and talking about all the times the cousin has rejected her, and compared her to Shan Bao when all she wants to do is love him and have him by her side. The cousin watches from a hiding spot in horror, but for the first time realizes the depth of her feelings (and obsession). 

I'm stuck between letting him sneak away and tend to that boy's injuries later or having the 4th sister catch him watching. I'm leaning toward the former, so he can have a chance to digest what he saw, and start dealing with the mix of fear and flattery (?) that scene evoked in him. 

 Arclei:

Also, also... I think a good explanation as to why she didn't just tell Grandma Rong or FL that she wanted to marry the boy cousin could be either 1. She refused to ever admit that FL 'owned' him and that she couldn't just claim him for herself. She didn't need to ask FL for 'permission' because FL should never have had first dibs anyway 2. She was in complete foolish denial and wanted to win him over herself (by setting traps to get him to drop out n stuff like you mentioned earlier), or 3. Maybe she did say it, and the boy cousin STRONGLY disagreed, and not wanting to force him, Grandma Rong and FL decided to not allow the marriage to go through, so 4th sister is EXTRA livid and betrayed... which would also explain a possible forceful encounter I mentioned... 

These are all very strong and compelling reasons. I really like reason #3 though. It would deepen her resentment for Shan Bao, thus making their dynamic even more interesting.

 Arclei:

Even though I think this is all still safe enough to be done. *shrugs* 

Yeah, I don't think we're mentioning anything that hasn't already been done in a trad dynamic. 

 Arclei:

I can't tell you what a joy it's been to be able to share all my random thoughts and feelings and not have to cut out like 50% at least or tone it all down a LOT xD

Me too. I can't believe I get to be unapologetically myself 🥹 And not censor my thoughts. I'm always censoring my thoughts outside of this club and in real life because I don't want to scare people 😂 (I usually still do...le sigh~)

 Arclei:

Bro, FOR REAL!!!! I'm so glad we met under ZGZZS that one random day!!! Who would've thought it would turn out like this!??! A writer friend who's also into RR and likes to chat, and also lowkey twin? I mean- yeah, GOLD!

ZGZZS has a special place in my heart because of that. I wish MDL showed the date of posts instead of saying "__ months ago", so we knew our friendship anniversary<3

 Arclei:

Okay, so just me, or do you not really get that FL gives a single flying duck about the boy cousin? They talk and talk about how they were childhood sweethearts and allathat but I don't see it. Bro is smitten, and she cares about him like she'd care for a dog, maybe... They then try to pretend like she does by having her 'favor' him, but this lowkey seems to come out of left field, no?

Uh...YEAH. I think your theory is spot on considering they wrote the boy cousin to not know anything about Shan Bao lol. I understand that she's aloof, but if she actually cared about him—even as a friend—she would've opened up to him a little over the past decade or two.

 Arclei:

I kept pushing through for the soft RR vibes between the leads, but it wasn't enough.

Another club member  that simplified my decision on whether to drop this drum or not. I'm feeling quite let down because it was a series I had been looking forward to since last year. However, I suppose there are many more dramas scheduled to be released this year that I can eagerly anticipate. I'm making an effort to keep your advice about dropping dramas at the forefront of my mind.

 Arclei:

she's written similarly to a lot of MLs, but if you dislike arrogant and rude characters, you won't like he

I hope this doesn't come across negatively, but I actually prefer stubborn and arrogant male leads over female leads. For some reason, it doesn't bother me if the ML has these traits; but when the FL do they  comes off as to aggressive, and their stubbornness feels too superficial, which is a major turn-off.  I've noticed that when FL are excessively stubborn, they often make foolish decisions that could have been easily avoided. This leads to wasting several episodes trying to navigate around their choices and resolve the issues they created, or helping them notice the obvious details they overlooked because they were so focused on being right about everything. Maybe it's due to my being a woman that it affects me more.

Regarding the mail lead, I agree with you. I was really hoping that he would experience more character growth from the very first episode, which would make him less dull. However, he definitely comes across as quite uninteresting right from the start. I was anticipating some excitement, but you're correct—he contributed absolutely nothing. LOL

 Arclei:

The latter, unfortunately.

Well, that's rather disheartening. It seems like a missed opportunity for the writers to have written something engaging.

 didichan:

This drama also has a lot a crimes against women...

I want to give the FL the benefit of the doubt and suggest that her decision to run off and tackle cases on her own might stem from a desire to prove herself as a woman. However, based on what little I observed of her personality and the first episode, I seriously doubt that was her motivation. I have no issue with cases centered around women; for instance, I watched the drama "The Corner's Diary," which featured numerous cases involving the murders of women. Those cases made sense as they were intricately woven into the overarching plot of the entire drama. I'm not sure if this drama, with its mini cases, is linked to a larger storyline, but honestly, it doesn't seem like something I would find enjoyable.

 didichan:

If  you are already struggling it gets worse.. The first episode which I hated too. It was the best one.

Thats truly awful since I could hardly make it through the first episode. It was really disappointing. I kept searching for something that would captivate me, but right up until the point of them measuring the arms, nothing really convinced me. lmao