BL Drama Lovers Club

 Indie Art Girl:

This drama seems like one to either love or hate.  Like Secret Crush on You, lol. Like, did those scenes really happen?  Can someone really be that ridiculous? 🤣 😆  In a drama, yes!

Good thing dramas let stuff like that happen. 😂 I haven’t watched Secret Crush on You yet, but if it’s anything like I Will Knock You, I’m already halfway in love.   🤣🤣 Life needs a little ridiculousness sometimes. And I’ll admit it: I have a soft spot for characters who are, let’s say… delightfully eccentric. 😇🫣

 Indie Art Girl:

I feel so shallow in comparison whenever I read your and RX's posts. Dora's too. 😂

Kinda like the character in Legally Blonde before she goes to Harvard, lol, but I don't dress girlie or have a fifi doggie. And I'm not blonde. 

Just because you don’t write deep analyses doesn’t mean you’re shallow. Maybe you’re just more visual than verbal.

even when you’re down, you provide sunshine to hold our group together. We all appreciate that, I know.

 Indie Art Girl:

I feel so shallow in comparison whenever I read your and RX's posts. Dora's too. 😂

Kinda like the character in Legally Blonde before she goes to Harvard, lol, but I don't dress girlie or have a fifi doggie. And I'm not blonde.

don't worry i'm also usually not the super analytic type with shows. especially on my first watch. i prefer to just turn my brain off and enjoy most of the time. not to mention i usually smoke beforehand too so i'm definitely not in the headspace for making deep analytical observations loll 

 Ju Moon:

Revenged Love:

great observations!!! i still have a couple episodes to go, i'm excited to watch them but not excited for it to be over 

also i'm glad i'm not the only one who noticed the omegaverse nods. i feel like it had to be intentional, if i remember correctly the ABO tire at least shows up 2-3 times 

 Ju Moon:

Kitty is such a cute name! I’ve had cats before, and they’re definitely a blast.

I don't know what kitty's name is, haha. That's my name for him for now, since he's a mystery. I had a best buddy cat for a long long time. His name was Kitty Pooh. yk, like Winnie Pooh.

Yeah, I'm kinda half joking half serious, but tbh I learn a lot from everyone's in-depth posts and at times it helps me to appreciate a drama more and the actors too. Not to worry!

 I hope u get some rest & relaxation!

 iota:

don't worry i'm also usually not the super analytic type with shows. especially on my first watch. i prefer to just turn my brain off and enjoy most of the time. not to mention i usually smoke beforehand too so i'm definitely not in the headspace for making deep analytical observations loll 

I get that. Yeah sometimes my brain is on vacay and I don't even use weed.

Shine—episode 2

I finally watched Sunday’s episode of Shine. I’m glad it’s only going to be 8 episodes because it’s intense. It’s more true-to-life than i usually like, but its also one of those shows I’m so grateful for when I do watch it. The entire production is top-notch—costumes, sets, cinematography, OST—all these really elevate the quality and the viewing experience.

As for the actors, I’m impressed with everyone so far. I love when characters can convey a range of emotions just through looks and facial expressions. As expected, Mile is fire in this role, and Apo is nailing the uptight and naive (and beautiful) professor. I’m also loving Trin’s (Apo’s)  embarrassment and inability to deal with his feelings for Tanwa (Mile.) And that closing scene was powerful and hot! I always have trouble with characters who‘s decisions are so influenced by homophobia, but it’s being shown with such empathy and finesse, I’m really moved.

i didn’t expect to write so much about one episode, but I am just so impressed by this show already. I just hope it doesn’t destroy me emotionally. Please please please I want a satisfying ending. My perfect historical drama is moving and thought-provoking without leaving me devastated.

btw, I have no reason to believe the ending will be sad, I just get scared by shows that aim to reflect reality, because reality doesn’t usually have happy endings. Hence my constant escape into romances, especially BLs.

 Ju Moon:

My beautiful man

Eloquently put. I love it. ❤️

Revenged Love - finale

First and foremost let me acknowledge the final scenes where Chi Cheng bought back Suo Wei's family home and surprised him. Suo Wei's final words, "I have a home again." struck a chord with me. This statement holds so much depth to it, in terms of the events that took place in the series and in terms of real life realities. In terms of the series the statement sums up Suo Wei's relief and feeling of being secure again after the events of the last few episodes. Chi Cheng being gone is hard enough on Suo Wei as his partner, but it is made more lonely and worrying since Suo Wei is an orphan and now his only family is Chi Cheng, Cheng Yu, and Jiang Xiao Shuai. In terms of real life realities, a home and a house are two completely different concepts and experiences when you pause and reflect on it. Any structure can be dwelled in and become a house, but a home is a space lived in where life is experienced (birthdays, accidents, memories both happy and sad, laughter, etc.) and a loving space is made. We hear persons speak about growing up in cold houses that lacked love and warmth, and as adults they search for not just a house but a home. If you will allow me to go off on a tangent, I promise to be short.

Let me share a man's story who was interviewed about his success story. He grew up with his grandmother in a poor environment; a small house, enough food, and enough essentials to survive, but not to live. He said they could not afford chocolate tea or any other tea aside from herbs grown in the yard. He said every night his grandmother would warm water and add sugar to it, and give him to drink before bed because they could not afford chocolate milk or any other milk. According to him even though they did not have a lot, he felt loved and even though the house was not the best, it was a home with warmth. Today, he is a doctor and his grandmother has died, and he says he will never forget the love and the home she gave him. Hence, you could be living in a poor house and go spend the night in a huge mansion, but if that mansion lacks the warmth of a home, you will feel safer and more at home in your poor house. I will leave it there.

Back to the series, am I the only he found this finale too short to be the finale?

One of the things a series must balance is length. Short series have the challenge of putting in enough in the short amount of episodes they have, while a long series has the challenge of not burning out by evenly distributing the plot, or not adding unnecessary drama. Twelve episode series have managed to strike the right balance. This series is a long series, and therefore had a greater challenge. It overcame the hurdle of not burning out, however in my opinion it stumbled in overcoming that hurdle with the writing concerning the relationship conflicts involving Chi Cheng, Suo Wei, Wang Shuo, and Wang Shuo's brother. I have not read the novel, so I do not know how closely the series followed the novel. I can only speak on the writing presented in the series; if it is the case where the novel was strictly followed then consider this a critique on both. In the author's defence she did publicly say that you should not read the novel because she wrote it at a time where she was less mature.

In my opinion the misunderstandings were too blatantly avoidable; if proper communication, maturity and some common sense were exercised the conflicts could have been significantly reduced. It is for this reason that I could not connect with characters emotionally and instead I just felt irritated. There seems to be little to no growth in the end; Chi Cheng telling Suo Wei he hates him in episode 23. The last conflict they faced in the last episodes was more palpable for me.

I must, however, acknowledge the growth concerning Suo Wei's money habits. We see where he learned to put things in perspective about what truly matters and not to be frugal to the point of living below comfort you can afford because in the blink of an eye you could spend large sums of money on things that bring no happiness (sickness, legal issues, etc.) - given my intended profession I am happy that people do spend so much money for legal services 😁

Moving on, in the finale, am I the only one who found it odd for them to be in a full blown water war after Chi Cheng is released; a water war with Wang Shuo and his brother at that. In my humble opinion this was a missed opportunity for a truly moving scene where Chi Cheng and Suo Wei are reunited. The water war being used as a bridge scene between Chi Cheng walking free and them going home took away from such an anticipated moment of reunion. I acknowledge that many scenes were cut for reasons I am not aware of, but will assume it has to do with trying to avoid attention with the upcoming 2025 China Victory Day Parade. In the end it was a disservice to the finale.

I am happy that in the end Chi Cheng's parents accepted them. One thing that came up during this series is parents' expectation of grandchildren. This is a re-occurring point of objection to same-sex relationships expressed by parents Asian or otherwise. I think it is a myopic view to have in this evolving world, but the situation in Chinese society is different where same-sex relationships are seen as an affront to norms. I often say that it is unfair for parents to reduce their child's happiness to the bearing of children for their own sense of pride. Suppose your child does not even want children? I have much to say on this, but this is not the right space. 

Regarding Cheng Yu and Jiang Xiao Shuai, I am glad they got enough screen time for their romantic development. Xiao Shuai's story of trauma really provoked thought concerning issues of manipulation, suicide, and assassination of character. We see how his ex took advantage of him, breaking his spirit and assassinating his character in the process. Many people like Xiao Shauai are broken mentally from such experiences and driven to end their life. I find it powerful how Xiao Shauai is made to look at himself and past trauma through the girl who was left in his clinic who wanted to end her life after her ex broke her. It was a moment of staring down his own trauma and silently reliving it as a spectator.

I cannot do this review without bringing up Suo Wei's mother. Her death is the most powerful and palpable part of the entire series for me. I cannot forget how she said, "Take me home. I want to go home." I feel she knew her end was near and wanted to pass away in her home where her husband's memories and essence are forever embedded. I think it is also symbolic in a religious sense, since home could be referring to the after life - heaven. Zi Yu's acting here was very good. I felt his grief through the screen. Suo Wei laying there at his dead mother's feet, glued in that moment as time passes by while he is forever stuck in the moment of finding her dead.

Regarding Chi Cheng keeping his mother's illness a secret from him, it was written well as it definitely provoked the audience's emotions. At the end of the day Chi Cheng had no right to hold that secret from Suo Wei.

Moving on, a huge shout out to whoever was in charge of the songs in this series. Every song choice fits well with scenes they are coupled with. For me those songs brought home the emotions.

I will not miss the snakes 😂 

With all that being said, this series was a very good one. Yes, it had its flaws, but it had many wonderful moments.

Now lets rate it.

Production - 2/2

Writing - 1.5/2

Acting - 2/2

Intimacy - 1.5/2

Music - 1/1

Special 10 scene - 0/1

Total rating score = 8/10

We have seen the successful release of a full blown Chinese BL despite censorship, while it is not the first one since censorship to make it to the finale, it is a welcome change in recent times of others being cancelled before reaching their finale episode. For it and the actors to have garnered such popular acclaim both in mainland China and internationally, is truly amazing amid the strong Chinese censorship. One can only hope that it is a signal of near future change for not just the Chinese BL industry and community, but also for the gay community in Chinese society.