BL Drama Lovers Club

Burnout Syndrome ep9

i wasn’t really looking forward to this week’s episode because I felt like I had been expecting a toxic BL and I wasn’t getting it. But I actually liked the emotional notes in today’s episode. I truly felt bad for Pheem when Jira rejected him, and I really enjoyed seeing Toh and Jira happy together. I loved Pheem and Mawin’s  audition scene. Really moving. what I did not expect at all was the end of the episode where Toh uses Jira to generate AI art and then doesn’t understand why Jira is furious and hurt. This was a perfect way to bring a toxic element back to the story but in a way that is particularly upsetting to Jira as an artist. I thought it was a great twist.

as someone who is married to an artist, I have very strong feelings in line with Jira about AI and art. Not only does AI basically steal from artists’ work and then make slight changes to make it legal, but it takes the heart out of art. I think Jira’s work conveyed an emotional quality not present in the AI art Toh created. Art is about emotions, and emotions come from people. When we take people out of the equation, the product is diminished and artists are devalued. I know I cannot stop everyone using AI to make art, but that art will never be as moving to me as art created directly by people. OK, rant over.

when I was a teenager I was a serious ballet dancer. I gave it up to pursue college and graduate school. Many years have passed since then, but I still remember the intense feeling of expressing myself through dance. I miss it. (I have continued with various kinds of dance over the years but had to stop because of fibromyalgia, a pain disorder.) if someone had told me that emotions were not required to dance, I would have been devastated. I guess I equate this feeling with whatJira is going through. But also, Jira put part of himself and his feelings for Toh into that work, and now Toh is saying that doesn’t matter. Of course Jira is devastated. 

 dora:

I have very strong feelings in line with Jira about AI and art. Not only does AI basically steal from artists’ work and then make slight changes to make it legal, but it takes the heart out of art. I think Jira’s work conveyed an emotional quality not present in the AI art Toh created. Art is about emotions, and emotions come from people. When we take people out of the equation, the product is diminished and artists are devalued. I know I cannot stop everyone using AI to make art, but that art will never be as moving to me as art created directly by people. OK, rant over.

i very much agree. so far, i've really been a fan of the director, Nuchy, and the social commentary in her work. while not totally perfect (imo) i loved the message and the heart in Not Me and i know i've already spoken about how i personally connected with The Blue Hour. i was already interested in seeing more from her and from OffGun but when i watched the first episode and realized the show was going to be discussing AI art, i was really excited to see where that would go. so far, i think it's been handled pretty well and like you said, demonstrates the human elements that AI art can never replicate. i deeply value art, creativity, humanity, and the environment so anti-AI sentiment is something i hold close to my heart (i love ethical hating lol). it makes me really happy and hopeful to see this discussion being had in a show like this. and i think it's very approriate for this messaging to be in a bl show as queer people have always had such a huge influence on arts and culture

@iota

thanks for putting my comments into the larger context of BLs and social commentary. Not all BLs are right for making a political statement but this director does seem to know how to do it and still make a good show as well.

and I totally agree with what you said about queers and our influence in the arts. We belong in this conversation.

Gonna get back to Living With Him soon

 dora:

The best is still Long Time, No See which I watched as a movie on Gaga. That one is from Strongberry. Checkered Shirt is from Sukfilm which seems to be more uneven in the quality of its content.

You're so right. Although both Strongberry and Sukfilm can be quite uneven in quality, they've both produced some decent BLs, especially Strongberry. 

In addition to "Long Time, No See", which I agree is the best of Strongberry, I also loved (or at least enjoyed) "Step For You" (beautiful!), "Blossom Campus" (cute!), "Choco Milk Shake" (I'm a pet lover!), "Happy Ending" (not to be confused with "Happy Ending Romance"), and "My Personal Trainer" (amusing). I also gave good marks to "Free Bird" and "Some More", but to be honest, I don't remember either of them.

I still have to catch up on Sukfilm BLs (including "Checkered Shirt S2"), but "Blue Boys" was pretty good if one watches S1 and S2 together. (When I watched S1, I was so dissatisfied with the ending, and there was nothing said at the time about a sequel. I don't know why Sukfilm did that, as it surely hurt the ratings.) I also liked "Wrong Number": As typical for Sukfilm, it feels rather low-budget and not brilliant drama, but a nice simple story which is tightly focused on the protagonists.

 dora:

Im really loving Awakening the Steppe

Thanks for the reminder. I still need to watch this. Like Strongberry and Sukfilm, Secret of Us is likewise an indie with highly variable quality but some good stuff.

 dora:

Sculpted Light

This, too (without high expectations).

@Mr. P

i have watched Blossom Campus, choco Milk Shake, and Blue Boys 1 & 2, but none of the others you mention. As I enjoyed all these, and generally agree with you, I will add the others to my PTW.

since I already have 500+ titles on my PTW, a few more won’t matter. Lol. (I just put everything remotely interesting on my PTW, but I add priority to the ones actually recommended so I will watch them sooner.)

it’s good to have short things to watch sometimes, but I get intimidated by all the short films on Gaga, and worried about the poor quality of all the short-form on YT, so it’s nice to have some recommendations. I still watch a lot of short-form, though, since it’s such low commitment (and Art Girl posts so many links.)

 Tiffany:

Just watched the trailer for The crow club it seems interesting I will watch it. I'm happy to see Milk again after Pit babe s2.

I'm going to start Goddess bless you from death now since it's ending tomorrow. I'm a bit scared to start it because of the genre horror but it's highly rated and I like Pooh and Pavel so I'm gonna try.

It was interesting to see the new series announced yesterday in Changeverse 2026, and what that says more broadly about Change2561, but the information I'm most interested in right now is what's ahead for Supanut, Ping, Garfield and Benz following the break-ups of their ships. Maybe there'll be some kind of surprise, but it's hard to see them remaining with Change2561.

 dora:

I still watch a lot of short-form, though, since it’s such low commitment (and Art Girl posts so many links.)

My que, lol

Here's one from True Film just out "Laundry Romance". Cute couple! Starts Feb 3

You never know what you'll get with YT short series and they take so little time I don't mind checking them out. Some of the actors have quite a following.