JanellChang

I have a basic understanding of Chinese (used to be my native tongue, but I haven't spoken it consistently for the past 20 years or so), so I can usually get the general gist of a conversation. To the best of my understanding (and this is based solely on what has been shown in the series, not based on the novel as I haven't read it):

1) We still don't know exactly why Wang Zhen is here with Wang Shuo. We know they're brothers to some extent (at least half-brothers), but Wang Zhen doesn't act like he cares much about Wang Shuo. In contradiction, however, Wang Zhen also gets super annoyed at Wang Shuo whenever he goes on and on about his love for Chi Cheng. In the birthday scene, Wang Shuo is basically throwing himself a pity party, crying over how much he misses Chi Cheng. Wang Zhen gets annoyed and throws a cup of water at him, presumably as a "get a grip" gesture.

2) The phone messages we saw are from Wang Zhen's phone. Wang Zhen texted Wu Suo Wei (WSW) "Are you coming today?" WSW responded with "Ah, I just finished working, I'm coming right away!" So, it's safe to assume Chi Cheng got jealous that WSW was communicating so cheerfully with Wang Zhen (especially given all their previous interactions).

3) The best friend bond between Guo Cheng Yu and Chi Cheng has always had some element of physicality to it. They've fought for and against one another on multiple occasions, but it's safe to assume that Guo Cheng Yu is probably aware of how emotionally tumultuous Chi Cheng is right now with Wang Shuo back in the picture. And, as any best friend would, Guo Cheng Yu wasn't about to standby while another (basically) stranger beats up his best friend (as far as I'm aware, neither Chi Cheng or Guo Cheng Yu are that familiar with Wang Zhen prior to his introduction in the series). Plus, alcohol doesn't really allow for talking in reality, so this kinda tracks.

4) Both WSW and Jiang Xiao Shuai (JXS) were meant to show up. It's Guo Cheng Yu's birthday, so he wants his boyfriend there (he has a line earlier in the scene of "Where is Xiao Shuai, how come he isn't here yet?"). And given that JXS and WSW are best friends, who are dating the best friend duo of Guo Cheng Yu-Chi Cheng, it would make sense for WSW to follow as well. However, for story purposes, of course they would arrive right at the moment the fight breaks out. WSW had no idea that Chi Cheng's anger was due to the texts on Wang Zhen's phone - he only saw the physical action of Wang Zhen throwing water on Wang Shuo, then Chi Cheng punching Wang Zhen. So, WSW misunderstood and assumed Chi Cheng was defending Wang Shuo, and then the story moves forward from there.

Hope that provides some context to the scene.

I absolutely adore how simple, basic, and fluffy this series is. With each episode, it follows the classic trope of presenting a problem with a resolution by the end of the episode - I don't need any extra angst, I have other series for that, haha. Just give me some beautiful eyes and smiles to stare at (A-Tuo fully smiling in ep 4 had me floored for a solid minute or so, he is beautiful).

I've only seen this series via short clips, because I was heavily on the fence about watching it. Your review has inspired me to move this up as the next series to watch, I just know I'm going to have so much fun having your review as a background commentary as I watch it. Cheers to you and whatever future writing project you may get, because this was some of the most cohesive and pointedly funny commentary about this type of drama tone.

I just wanted to say that I commend your vulnerability as well as your eloquence at describing your journey through that vulnerability. Both qualities are not often displayed in online forums, especially with the general pervasive sense of righteousness that many want to present when discussing the "correct" way to interpret a piece of art/media.

I'll also stand beside you in agreement with your evaluation about the depiction of red flag behaviors in media - I've always felt grateful that I could identify red flag behaviors when I saw them in a third-party context (whether through others' experiences or in media), but I'll be damned if I haven't found myself in similar situations and had to learn how to navigate them safely. It's worth a second evaluation to understand (not excuse) the reasons why these behaviors occur, and it may do more harm than good if media were to suddenly cease depicting them as if they did not occur to innocent victims daily.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and I hope your sleep recovers.

~ A fellow night owl overthinker

I'm not necessarily doubting it, but I am in absolute awe... How is Sangmin 11 years older than Petch? His skincare routine and makeup artist are out of this world.

You are correct on both the drama title and the actor. I saw this headline that confirmed both pieces of information: https://about.netflix.com/en/news/as-you-stood-by-wt-announcement

As someone going through a rough and stressful period of time, I cannot express how much I needed this series right now. I could make comments about certain editing and pacing choices, but it never felt like it took away from the heart of the story - it was silly at some points, but so grounded in each characters' core beliefs. There wasn't a ton of tension/angst (though some may argue that was due to poor writing), which allowed me to sit in the warmth of all the characters' love for one another. Absolutely adding this to my list of comfort BLs.

Even if this series ultimately goes nowhere, I'm so giddy with the thought that First and Khaotung got to spend hours filming with kittens for this trailer - they must have had a blast!

Glad to have found a fellow heartache-er! It's always comforting to know that I'm not just wallowing in my own emotions when others share their emotional responses to dramas. May your tissue box be always handy in your Asian drama journey!

I love that we get Haruna as one of the rare, explicit examples of a fudanshi in a Japanese BL - Sawamura-san did an excellent job!

Trigger warnings are meant to be in place for people to decide if they are emotionally ready to experience the scene(s).

In no way, shape, or form does a trigger warning denote that it was a bad writing/acting/directing choice.

I'm happy to repeat myself - I thought it was a beautifully made series, and I did enjoy it when I watched it. However, for the sake of my own mental health, it would have been helpful to know that I probably should have waited until I was emotionally ready to enjoy it to the fullest extent. That way, I can really appreciate the work everyone put into this project, instead of being forced to battle my own demons in the midst of it.

TW: Episode 8 - suicidal talk, suicide by drowning

TWs (trigger warnings) in my reply below, in case people need it.

I really enjoyed the series, but a trigger warning would have been helpful - I went into this while in a bad headspace and it was very overwhelming. A brilliant job by everyone involved for sure, I may need to revisit it to fully enjoy it when I'm better.

For anyone curious, there is a happy ending - the trigger warning refers to a scene just before the happy ending, so it felt like emotional whiplash.

This series left me with a beautifully quiet heartache. It's not flashy, it's not raunchy, it's not passionate - it's the feeling when your hands are cold, and you hold it just the right distance away from a heat source that it comfortably warms your hands without burning you. But, after moving away, you realize that your hands miss the warmth.

Beautiful job well done to all the actors, the camera crew, the writing team, and everyone else involved - thank you for bringing this project to us.

The stories/plots are not actually connected to one another. The reason why these three series were grouped together was more due to an underlying motif - stories of underrepresented people or stigmatized lifestyles in the shadows of the night. You don't need to watch them in any particular order, nor do you need to watch all of them to enjoy the series; they easily function as three separate, standalone series.

Thank you for reading, happy watching!

Thank you for posting about the updated information. The original draft of this article was written shortly after GMMTV's conference, so many of the later changes were not caught. Luckily, MDL has such a great community that keeps everyone updated.

The details of the shows can be found if one clicks the titles of the series/movie in this article, which will bring up the corresponding MDL page. We had to limit the amount of information provided in this article as it was so long already, but you are absolutely correct that GMMTV isn't necessarily the sole production company behind some of these series. However, it could also be argued that GMMTV has certainly made a name for themselves in the Thai entertainment field, so attaching their name to a production already brings along a certain expectation.

Thank you so much, hopefully it can be of use to you!

Very happy and thankful for your support, happy watching!

I'm glad it can be helpful to you, I was hoping it could be a solid resource for others since GMMTV announced so many titles.