BL Drama Lovers Club

Ohhhhhhhhh the 4th episode of My Summer of You is so heartbreaking. I really like this cute and slow Japanese love story. Now another week of waiting has started.

Portugalia67:

Ohhhhhhhhh the 4th episode of My Summer of You is so heartbreaking. I really like this cute and slow Japanese love story. Now another week of waiting has started.

I like it, too, even though it's admittedly slow. As with many JBLs with short episodes, this might've been better as a binge watch.

Wataru (Oku Tomoya, left, who also played Asuka in "Minato") is a sweet little cutie-patootie.

p43425:

Portugalia67:

Ohhhhhhhhh the 4th episode of My Summer of You is so heartbreaking. I really like this cute and slow Japanese love story. Now another week of waiting has started.

I like it, too, even though it's admittedly slow. As with many JBLs with short episodes, this might've been better as a binge watch.

Wataru (Oku Tomoya, left, who also played Asuka in "Minato") is a sweet little cutie-patootie.

I'm resisting the urge to start it because I want to binge-watch it. It's hard, but I'm hanging in there. I'm so curious to see Oku Tomoya again after Minato.

Tiffany:

Saygo:

Upcoming Taiwanese BL trailer drop for Connecting to You

Premiere Date= August 14th

The first 30 seconds were enough to add it to my PTW !

This short series premiered at a film festival in April, so my expectation is that it's quality and a bit artsie.

Tina:

But they're Leaving Gagaoolala Soon, so what can I do other than watch them?

Useful tip, if you've not observed this already: Titles that leave Gaga often return to Gaga, sometimes within just a few months. Not always, but it seems to be a pattern. Not sure if this is Gaga's way of trying to make it artificially look like they're release more new titles than they actually are (which would hardly be necessary, given how many real new titles they've been releasing lately).

p43425:

Useful tip, if you've not observed this already: Titles that leave Gaga often return to Gaga, sometimes within just a few months. Not always, but it seems to be a pattern. Not sure if this is Gaga's way of trying to make it artificially look like they're release more new titles than they actually are (which would hardly be necessary, given how many real new titles they've been releasing lately).

Yeah I know about this tip. Though what can I say? Once I see it's leaving soon, I do wonder if it's going to ever return. As you said, not all titles return. Which is why I'm even watching so much in the first place. Especially the short films. Those are being watched first, in case they leave fast.

Continuing with my drama reviews:

Double Helix

Who needs coffee when they've got XiaoChen's mum?

I barely remember the original adaptation, so I'll just focus on this one. We follow the love relationship of Lu Feng and Xiao Chen over the course of 10+ years. Initially it was a cute and innocent high school first love, but it turned into something much darker and more twisted. Thanks to nosey people meddling in their affairs, their love relationship came to light and caused an outrage among the school community and their families. I admire how brave and protective Lu Feng was, but he was too impulsive for his own good. They've got separated for three years or so, with Lu Feng being sent to the States and Xiao Chen transferring schools. They met again at Lu Feng's family company. They rekindled their love, but were never able to enjoy themselves in peace. Cheating allegations, Lu Feng's dad, Xiao Chen's mum... Oh, how I loathe this woman. My blood pressure was rising every time she appeared on the screen. I put the blame on her, even though Lu Feng's impulsiveness got the better of him again. Another break up, even more years wasted. After five or so years Xiao Chen went to Lu Feng to apologise and as a result was held captive and abused. I don't want such love in my own life, but I find it fascinating in literature and on screen. The kind of love that hurts you deeper each time and yet you just can't let go of it. You yearn for love, you long for pain. The kind of love that tears you apart and shreds you to pieces and at the same time is the only force that keeps you whole. Anyways, Xiao Chen's ex-wife came to his rescue, only to shoot him and put him in coma for who knows how long (I've lost track of time). I'm telling you, Xiao Chen suffers from a martyr complex. As if that wasn't enough, Lu Feng suffers from a bipolar disorder. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Xiao Chen was reconciled with Lu Feng even before he knew about the illness, so this subplot wasn't necessary for the story. Was it used to evoke pity in viewers, so they could forgive Lu Feng as well? Whatever it was, I'm glad Lu Feng got admitted to the hospital and got the necessary treatment. That's how our mad-ly in love couple got their happy ending. Beside the main couple, we've also got Yi Chen and Qin Lang. I know some people didn't like the younger brother, but he's a great example of what growing up in a homophobic environment does to people. Right from the start he was hostile to Lu Feng, because he could feel what was really going on between the two. He disliked the fact his brother turned into 'a pervert' because of him. He blamed their sexual orientation for everything bad that happened to his brother. He was adamant that he doesn't like men. He rejected Qin Lang and made him go after his brother instead. He denied his own feelings. Only after Xiao Chen told him that liking someone is not 'perverted' has he got the courage to reciprocate Qin Lang's feelings. He truly loved his older brother and he just tried to protect him, I can understand that. Qin Lang was the green flag in this drama. He was so sure of his feelings and so patient with Yi Chen. To sum it up, it was a solid drama, certainly different from the films in some aspects, but interesting nonetheless.

To My Shore

Toxic lovers shrouded in cigarette smoke

I love characters whose obsessive love pushes them into the abyss of madness. I've got to admit, though, Fan Xiao lost his mind way before. He'd be an interesting case to study. If You Shulang had known dire consequences of bumping into the wrong car, he would have been a much more careful driver. The relationship between Fan Xiao and You Shulang bears the hallmarks of toxic love, but I've got an impression they're pretty well-matched. They're both scarred by their past, but they felt comfortable enough to confide to one another. An odd element found its matching piece. If only their relationship hadn't started in such an unhealthy way... I enjoyed the redemption arc. This drama was crazy, but entertaining. The whole story was crazy, but well-written. Those cigarettes were so sexy, I literally started coughing.

The Gaze

Gonić króliczka*

I admit I started watching this, because I've seen one kiss scene on YT shorts. In other words, the second couple was the reason I started this drama and was the reason I finished, it was all for them. I'm not saying the main couple was bad, but they've failed to capture my heart. Too many misunderstandings, too little love (plus overprotective younger brother). Second couple's love story was more enjoyable to me. Gu Hao is a cutie. Episode 5 was the best. Just watch it and forget the rest.

*gonić króliczka - to chase the bunny - to court/seduce someone you're interested in

ZhouYanRan:

The Gaze

What timing ! I started this one about two minutes before your post ! And I wasn't even planning to watch it, at least not this month (I started it because I couldn't concentrate on my Chinese drama. I wanted something simpler and not too good). I remember asking people what they thought of it while it was airing, and they said they only enjoyed it because of the second couple. Otherwise, they didn't think it was worth watching. I really want to see the second couple, but so far I've only seen Gu Hao.

ZhouYanRan:

Double Helix

Who needs coffee when they've got XiaoChen's mum?

Exactly ! Just thinking about it again makes my blood boil.

ZhouYanRan:

This drama was crazy, but entertaining.

Good summary !

Portugalia67:

I started Fourever You (1st season) because I want to watch Fourever You 2, but for now I didn't get hooked after ep1 like I did with Perfect 10 liners. Let's see after 2-3 more episodes.

If I remember correctly, I wasn't hooked at first either because I was most interested in North's story, and that doesn't come until a few episodes in.

Portugalia67:

On Tiffany's recommendation I watched Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! (the Japanese series) and it was so nice, I had finished it in one day. I kept the 2 special episodes for the next day ;-) Now I think I'll wait a little and then watch the Thai remake later this year.

I'm so glad you liked it ! The Thai remake was pretty good too.

Portugalia67:

With Tuesday being a bank holiday here in France, I spent almost the whole day watching series and finished 2 Korean/Japanese cop/crime series. It was good to watch something else than RomCom and BL, and I really like Korean detective series, they're so good at it... No surprise I love the Prosecutor's Proposal!

You're right, it's nice to switch genres sometimes. It's been a while since I watched something other than romance. I should add a crime title to my August schedule.

Portugalia67:

I like to watch it on a weekly basis, even if 20 min per week is really little! But it's airing on a Wednesday, that's almost the only show in the first half of the week. It would have aired on Friday, which is so full, I may have binge watched it when all episodes were out.

Since Japanese titles are short, I think I prefer to binge-watch them. Fake Fact Lips was an exception, but your approach makes total sense too.

Portugalia67:

Inn/Ongsa's pairing is working pretty well, I'm not surprised Prince Thinnakon couldn't resist Phob for more than a couple of seconds: he owns all the kiss scenes. Pond Ponlawit playing the jealous and incompetent brother is so good in his role, it's worth the watch.

havent checked mdl yet but is this inn-ongsa's first pairing? and i agree abt pond ponlawit. i first saw him in a bad-guy role in clairebell (gl) and i loved it. this one is better since his exposure is way longer =D