4sakeofart

Like most here, I loved the expansion of Boys Love into the Omegaverse and hope to see more of it. But I did not love the way the Wenlang - Gao Tu storyline ended. The love story between the main couple (Hua Yong and Sheng Shao You) was interesting and thoroughly presented, but I was never able to bond or sympathize with the omnipotent, scary, and manipulative enigma. But the hardest part for me was the ending for the second couple. I am completely baffled as to why the powers-that-be ignored the Wenlang – Gao Tu storyline in the last few episodes. This cannot be down to time constraint because they spent minute after boring minute introducing us to a variety of new faces in the last two episodes (most of whom we had not even seen before and did not like). Camera time that, in my humble opinion, would have been better spent flushing out the feelings and misunderstandings between Wenlang and Gao Tu. Even more frustrating was the fact that this second couple never discussed face-to-face their feelings for each other; e.g., there are no confessions. Nor did they discuss Gao Tu's ABO status or his pregnancy. Wenlang learned both these facts from other characters. I kept waiting for the big reveal, the moment when Wenlang and Gao Tu would have THE TALK. But it never happened. Logically, one would think the writers would want such a scene. It's frustrating that it never happened. I think the hug between Wenlang and Gao Tu in the balloon pen is meant to imply and convey happiness ever after but all I got from it was more confusion and frustration because after watching it, I still didn’t learn their fate. I’m not a spring chicken so, for me, a hug does not necessarily imply love in the air. I prefer happy ever after but can handle sad and/or open endings. For me, the Wenlang – Gao Tu storyline had neither. It was, in my opinion, simply left undone and incomplete. So I can understand why some viewers were left with feelings of dissatisfaction with the ending of the Wenlang -Gao Tu storyline; e.g., why they would have enjoyed it more and scored it higher had the writers and director paid a bit more attention to the ending of this unique storyline.

Thanks Monk. It's not easy being a fudanshi in Parallel Universe A and a theoretical physics geek in Parallel Universe B. Thank God for the open-minded Multiverse known as My Drama List.

The Real Science Behind Time Travel Is Absolutely Fascinating

Since Reset involves time travel, I thought some of you might be curious about the current state of the science behind time travel. Can scientists send human beings back in time or forward into the future today? No. Can scientists send photons, electrons, and quarks back in time or forward into the future today. No. But there are numerous experiments that have successfully sent photons, electrons, and quarks back in time in simulated space-time conditions. And since the human body is composed of electrons, quarks (a proton is made of 2 valence up quarks and 1 valence down quark and a neutron is made of 2 valence down quarks and 1 valence up quark), and photons (which are produced during energy metabolism pathways when free radicals react with nearby molecules), it is only a matter of time until scientists figure out how to extend the knowledge and technology that they have learned about time travel simulations at the quantum (sub-atomic) level to real time travel for human beings at the macro level. In my last post, I discussed the Multiverse and Parallel Worlds themes in JittiRain’s wonderful Boys Love drama, Vice Versa, I praised JittiRain because she got the multiverse science right. Incidentally, I would like to praise the writers of Back to the Future. 99% of the time travel science in that movie was also spot on. So, I will examine the current science behind real time travel with the hope that it will help you appreciate the time travel scenes in Reset.

How Einstein’s Relativity Equations Started the Science of Time Travel: No matter how unpleasant it might be, it is impossible to understand time travel without some discussion of Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity (published in 1905) and Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity (published in 1915) because everything we know about time travel comes from these two theories. For example, in 1908, Hermann Minkowsky was the first to propose a flat four-dimensional space-time continuum for our universe in the absence of gravity but he based this theory on Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity. Here, three of the four dimensions are spatial in nature (x, y, z; length, height, and width) and the fourth dimension is time, t, which is a temporal dimension and not an additional dimension of space. Everything that we know about mass, energy, and the speed of light; E = mc2, also comes from Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity. More importantly, everything we know about gravity comes from Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. It was Einstein’s Field Equations that proved that gravity is not a force of attraction between two objects (as Sir Isaac Newton proposed) but is actually a curvature in our space-time continuum caused by interaction with nearby objects of mass (stars, galaxies, etc.). As for time travel, the postulates, theories, and equations that are most respected derive from exact solutions to Einstein’s Field Equations that formed the basis of his Theory of General Relativity.

Traversable Wormholes and Closed Time-like Curves: The two theories of time travel that are most promising, in my opinion, are Traversable Wormholes and Closed Time-like Curves. Both these theories involve the curvature of our space-time continuum. Most important, both theories result from exact solutions to Einstein’s Field Equations. I will try to describe Wormholes and Closed Time-like Curves using a simple trampoline to represent the flat, four-dimensional, space-time continuum of our universe. This model is known technically as Minkowski Space but most of us refer to it as “outer space”. Now, let’s drop two 300-pound (136.1kg) bowling balls from a height of 10 feet onto the flat four-dimensional surface of our trampoline and observe the various geometric shapes that the flat four-dimensional fabric of our trampoline can take. I am only interested in the shapes of the Traversable Wormhole and the Closed Time-like Curve. If the impact of the trampoline with the bowling balls results in the complete warping of the flat surface fabric of the trampoline so that it sags to the ground and folds over onto itself and takes the shape of a dumbbell, where the two bowling balls at each end of the dumbbell are connected by a thin six-inch long tunnel, this would resemble a Traversable Wormhole. The two bowling balls on each end of our dumbbell are called “mouths” where a “mouth” may be a black hole, a parallel universe, a star, or even something as small as a quark. As you can see, the wormhole allows for travel back and forth between the two “mouths”. Another possible geometric shape that could form as the result of the warping of the fabric of the trampoline by impact with the two bowling balls is a horizontal figure 8 curve which very closely resembles the infinity sign in mathematics. The geometry is created when the warped fabric of the trampoline forms a cone-shaped curve around each of the two bowling balls such that the vertices of the two cone-shaped curves meet halfway between the two bowling balls to form a point center. This geometric shape resembles the infinity sign in mathematics and represents our Closed Time-like Curve. Movement along this figure 8 loop clearly allows for time travel both forward into the future and backward into the past.

Traveling Back in Time via the Traversable Wormhole and the Closed Time-like Curve: A wormhole is a theoretical tunnel through our spacetime continuum that connects two distant points (those points could be black holes, universes, stars, etc.). While most wormholes are not stable, the Traversable Wormhole could be stabilized enough to allow us to move through it. For example, the HD1 galaxy is 13.5 billion light years away from earth but the journey would take only a few minutes via a wormhole, from the perspective of the traveler. If we wish to go back in time via a Traversable Wormhole, one of the two “mouths” would need to be sped up to near the speed of light (e.g., subluminal) to slow down time compared to the other “mouth”. If we then wish to reverse the process and go forward into the future, one of the mouths would need to be sped up to a speed faster than the speed of light (superluminal) compared to the other mouth. But is it possible to move faster than the speed of light in a wormhole? Absolutely! For example, let's visit the HD1 galaxy again. HD1 is located 36 billion light years away from earth. Since a light-year is the distance light travels in one year, it would take 36 billion years for light to reach HD1 from earth if traveling the long way round; e.g., outside the wormhole. But it would only take a few minutes for a human to reach HD1 from earth via a Traversable Wormhole. That’s the beauty of a Traversable Wormhole. It is traversable and it is reversible. But wormholes are susceptible to collapse. So we would need a way to hold open the wormhole as we travel through it. This requires negative energy density. While negative energy density can be created in the lab, e.g., the Casimir Effect, it cannot be scaled up enough to hold open even a tiny wormhole. A Closed Time-like Curve is also created by the warping of our space-time continuum and takes the shape of a horizontal figure 8; e.g. similar to the infinity sign in mathematics, ∞. If we navigate around the figure 8 loop of a Closed Time-like Curve in what is known as the creation of a lifeline or worldline (basically, your past, present, and future), it is obvious that we would eventually reach the same point where we started from (the infinity sign is just two round loops that touch each other at a point). Effectively, we have “looped” or traveled back in time via a Closed Time-like Curve.

The Grandfather Paradox and the Closed Time-like Curve: The problem with the Closed Time-like Curve (CTC) is that it violates the Causality Principle; e.g., its cause and effect are not always in the correct order; CTC also violates Stephen Hawking’s Chronology Protection Conjecture, which states that laws of physics prohibit time travel. But the major problem with the Closed Time-like Curve is the Grandfather Paradox, where a young boy goes back in time and kills his own grandfather (an unmarried and childless adult at the time). The death of the boy’s grandfather ends the lifeline of the grandfather and prevents the creation of a lifeline for the boy, e.g., he does not exist so how could he kill his grandfather? But the opposite scenario is just as scary. What if the young boy goes back in time but decides not to kill his grandfather so that the grandfather’s lifeline remains intact, e.g., he eventually meets a woman, marries and has a son. That son then has a son of his own, e.g., the same nasty murderous little git that wants to go back in time and kill his grandfather again. Remember we are in a loop. This is the problem with the Closed Time-like Curve and it’s a big one! It invites time paradoxes.

Solutions To the Grandfather Paradox: Is there a way to improve the Closed Time-like Curve system so that it avoids creation of a Grandfather Paradox? I can think of several. 1) The Theory of Many Worlds tells us that we create a new parallel world (reality) for every choice that we make, much like the two identical daughter cells produced by the parent amoeba. So there are two possibilities for the young boy traveling back in time to kill his grandfather. Either he will choose to kill his grandfather in parallel Universe A and live out his life a killer, or he will choose not to kill his grandfather and live out his life in parallel universe B as a filial grandson. No Grandfather Paradox is created because each choice requires him to branch off the main Closed-Time-like Curve. So the Grandfather Paradox is avoided. 2) Quantum Superposition. This theory tells us that an object can assume many quantum states (realities) until the point of observation. Think about a coin flip at the start of a football game. While the coin is spinning in the air, two states are possible, heads and tails. We won’t know the final state of the coin until it hits the ground. The coin is said to be in a state of Superposition. The same is true of a qubit in a quantum computer, e.g., it exists as both 0 and 1 at the same time. That’s why it can handle such large and complex calculations, it works at a much faster speed than other computers. So if we apply this principle to a space-time continuum, e.g., there will be states (universes or realities) in superposition. So whether the young boy choses to kill his future grandfather (state 1) or not (state 2), there is a finite probability for the existence of both states. So the Grandfather Paradox cannot happen here. 3) Quantum Entanglement. Entanglement involves the correlation of particles where the state of one particle is dependent on the state of the other. It creates permanent pairs of particles or even worlds that will be paired forever wherever. Let’s use the opposite spin states of an electron as an example. If we separate an entangled pair of electrons and place one electron in New York City and the other in Los Angeles, and, we reverse the spin of the electron in New York City from clockwise to counterclockwise, its entangled partner in Los Angels will immediately on its own reverse its spin from counterclockwise to clockwise so that the two electrons can once again remain in opposite spin states. This partnership of opposites holds even if the two entangled electrons are infinitely far apart. Quantum Entangled pairs require a shared history and since parallel universes are simply branches off a mother universe, e.g. similar to the parent and twin daughter amoeba analogy discussed earlier, it might be possible to entangle two parallel worlds. If this happened, the two universes would most likely be opposites, e.g., very much like what we saw in JittiRain’s Boys Love drama, Vice Versa. And if these opposite worlds exist, then there is a negative state universe where the grandson goes back in time and kills his grandfather and a positive state universe where the grandson goes back in time but does not kill his grandfather. So no Grandfather Paradox is created. 4) Space-Time Remembrance. Some scientists now believe that space-time remembers (not time as we usually think of it, but space-time). Seth Lloyd, a physicist at MIT in Boston, utilized Quantum Teleportation (the passage of information from one point to another via a quantum computer) to program photons to annihilate each other inside a Closed Time-like loop. Guess what? They refused to do it! Both the arriving photon and the target photon either disappeared or were scattered when nearing each other. Seth Lloyd theorized that space-time remembers what happened at every moment of the past and will not allow it to be changed. Photons have a history in the space-time environment. Their history says that they do not willingly annihilate each other. So in this experiment, Lloyd believes that space-time itself preserves the past. If it is true that space-time has a memory and preserves the past, it will never allow a young man to go back in time, kill his grandfather, and prevent his own birth.

How Quantum Decoherence Affects Time Travel: Quantum Decoherence is a principle of physics that states that the laws and equations that govern quantum (sub-atomic) physics may not apply to a macroscopic (human) environment. This means that the mathematical solutions to Einstein’s Field Equations that predict time travel via a Traversable Wormhole and/or a Closed Time-like Curve at the sub-atomic level are susceptible to failure when applied to a macroscopic environment (humans). This happens because some quantum phenomena; e.g., Quantum Superposition and Quantum Entanglement, are naturally weak and when forced to interact with strong forces like electromagnetism and molecular vibrations that occur in a macroscopic environment, will likely lose wave coherence and as a result, their wave equations are subject to fail. The science of human time travel is complex and it will likely require another Einstein to make it happen. If only we could get our hands on a quantum-modified Flying 1981 DMC-12 DeLorean (from Back to The Future)! Anyway, I hope this post helps you to understand the current state of time travel in the real world and why it is so difficult to wrap our heads around it. I also hope this discussion of the science behind time travel helps you to understand the time travel plotlines in this wonderful drama (Reset).

Zuho, who plays Jo Yoo Jae, is a veteran actor with many dramas to his credit so he clearly knows how to emote and project love. And he has tons of experience with fan service as a member of the Korean boy band, SF9, so also knows how to provide fan service. In short, he seems like a perfect fit for Boys Love. But that doesn't seem to be the case based on this performance. The character of Jo Yoo Jae exhibits an obvious discomfort and displeasure with male intimacy. I cant believe that Zuho is that way because he has a long history of boy band fan service with SF9. So I don't know if my frustration with Jo Yoo Jae is because of Zuho's personal idiosyncrasies or the result of the way he chose to play the character. Jo Yoo Jae has been straight his entire life but learns that his life-long best friend and soul mate (Seo Han Joon) is in love with him and drifting away from him because he cant bear the pain of seeing him every day. Jo Yoo Jae is wrestling with what he sees as an ultimatum: begin a romantic relationship with his best friend and soul mate, to whom he is not physically attracted, or reject it and run the risk of losing his best friend and soul mate forever. He chose to keep his life-long friend but we are never told why he did that. Nor are we told how the physical aspects of their relationship play out. But none of this matters in the end because Star Struck has a ton of missing pieces. Zuho's characterization of Jo Yoo Jae is just one of them.

For most of us, romance requires both a spiritual union of souls and physical desire. But my vision of romantic love is not universal. Others will decide for themselves how they chose to express the physical component of their romantic relationship and may decide to ignore/reject physical desire altogether. There is no physical contact in the Chinese thriller, Killer and Healer, either but we can feel the love and physical desire between them. Because we know Boys Love dramas have enjoyed spectacular success without hugs and kisses, the failure of Star Struck cant be solely attributed to a lack of physical contact. This drama is unwatchable, a miserable experience that will leave you feeling used and confused, frustrated, angry, insulted, and misled. It actually asks us to wallow in this depressing misery for eight episodes and I foolishly did it. The Powers behind Star Struck have absolutely no understanding of Boys Love. Boys Love is a genre that features a fantasy world of sexually fluid boys and men; a world where even the impossible becomes possible; a world where all obstacles to boys love are successfully overcome . It draws on real life experiences such as gang warfare, war, social upheaval, family turmoil, sports, time travel, and sexual desire but these are just vehicles that drive two boys to fall in love with each other. It really is that simple. But these producers don't get that. The kind of faux romance seen here may exist in the real world but will not be watched by Boys Love fans. Star Struck shamelessly violates even the most basic principles of Boys Love and should be soundly rejected. I didn't like it at all.

What is the Eighth Sense? This might be posted below. I didn't read all 5000 comments. So if it has been posted, skip this comment. The five senses all of us are familiar with are Touch, Smell, Taste, Hearing, and Seeing. The sixth through eighth senses are Vestibular (the sense emanating from the middle ear), Proprioception (sense emanating from your muscles and joints), and the eighth sense, the one featured in this drama, is Interoception (sense emanating from another person's skin or bodily organs (heart, brain, lungs, etc). Interoception allows one to receive information about another person's internal state which can then be processed to connect to the other person's emotional and mental state of mind. Because this is exactly what happens to the two lost souls that connect to each other and are therefore able to save each other in this drama, the title, The Eighth Sense, is both cleverly chosen and apt.

In case you are curious to know the difference between the two senses, hearing and vestibular. The auditory system is detection and perception of external sound. The vestibular system, in contrast, is concerned with the internal maintenance of equilibrium and orientation of the body in space and, hence, is involved with motor activities.

You can find the soundtrack on Spotify but I don't know which songs are played in Episode 10. I am on Episode 7. Good luck: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4PCRYB6hX97Nj5zInebobJ?si=6dbcb041a3e245e5&nd=1

We all have our favorites and have no right to challenge anybody’s personal choices and preferences, but for discussion, I think Cherry Blossoms After Winter was the best Korean boys love drama so far. For several episodes I thought Unintentional Love Story would become my favorite Korean BL drama but when the physical intimacy and romance started, so did my frustration with this drama. The physical distancing between the two actors , especially during the hug scenes, contrasted with the romance they were trying to project to viewers but I don't think it overshadowed it. The physical distancing can’t be down to Korean television censorship practices, social and/or moral codes, or Korean conservative culture because I have seen same sex hugs on kid shows, K-dramas, and even on Running Man that were better than what was done here. I have come to accept little to no kissing in K-dramas so had no problem with the kissing in this drama, even in Episode 10. But the hesitant hugs in Unintentional Love Story were distracting and robotic. I don’t know the reason since hugging is a universally accepted expression of affection. The awkward hugs in this drama cannot be attributed to an irrational fear of male intimacy either (one of the primary factors that doom many BL dramas) because kissing also requires male intimacy and those scenes seemed sincere to me. So much so, the hugs weren’t even needed. I am surprised the Director didn't cut them. Even the magic of camera angles couldn't hide the awkwardness. In any event, the two couples were perfectly cast and generated genuine and palpable screen chemistry. I understand why so many viewers rave about it. So despite its imperfections, I still think Unintentional Love Story is a refreshing and honest homage to traditional Boys Love as it was meant to be. It is frustrating at times but there is so much to love about this drama. The good far outweighs the bad. I have no reservations about recommending it to my friends.

The best thing about Advance Bravely is the side couple, Meng In & Liang Wei Feng who stole the show as Yuan Da Yu & Wang Zhi Shui. The romantic screen chemistry between these two is magnetic , memorable, and mesmerizing. I consider Addicted (Heroine) the best BL drama of all time and my personal favorite BL drama, largely because of the magical romantic screen chemistry between Johnny Huang & Timmy Xu as Gu Hai & Bai Lou Yin . But it is the intense loneliness and palpable longing of Yuan Da Yu and Wang Zhi Shui that stayed in my head and in my heart. Despite the fact they did not get much screen time., they are my favorite BL couple of all time. It is pure pleasure watching these two quirky young actors create so many beautiful, touching, insanely hilarious scenes.

Beautiful. A very classy, mature, well-acted, and professional presentation. My attention was focused on the angst-ridden emotional performance by Moon Ji Yong as Shin Jae Woo. In my opinion, he is a fine actor and a believable leading man. Moon Ji Yong and Lee Hyun Jun have excellent screen chemistry and are comfortable with each other and with the male intimacy that defines the Boys Love (BL) genre.

I won't spoil the ending but it was not what I expected. There is some agony and grief but not an end-of-all-things. The price they were willing to pay and the sacrifice they were willing to make for their own "Once Again" is what I would expect of romantic soulmates. In my opinion, this ending is better than what might have been had there been no time travel, no chance for resolution and redemption; e.g., no chance to change the course of events. This ending fits well with the time travel theme. I loved it.

Here are some You Tube videos and some websites that will get you started:
1. “11 Dimensions Explained – Higher Dimensions Explained – All Dimensions Explained”. Note: The dimensions in this video are based on String Theory’s Calculated 11 Dimensions. Others have calculated a higher number of dimensions but they haven’t received as much attention).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxubeeSqSmk
2. The Fifth Dimension Explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBuaAtaDDl8&t=336s
3. The Fourth Dimension Explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMuc3m4wnZE
4. “Think Multiverses Aren’t Real? These Theories Will Change Your Mind” (from Forbes’ website);
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/08/11/think-multiverses-arent-real-these-theories-may-change-your-mind/?sh=6583b4796507
5. “Parallel Universes, The Matrix, and Superintelligence”. This is an old interview with Dr. Michio Kaku, a consultant for the films, The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded.
https://www.kurzweilai.net/parallel-universes-the-matrix-and-superintelligence
6. Dr. Kaku is a well respected and famous Theoretical Physicist: I am listing only three of his books here but there are others. I recommend “Hyperspace”, “Visions”, and, “String Theory”. There is a free pdf available for one of his books: “Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the Tenth Dimension”. I posted the link below:
https://archive.org/stream/MichioKakuHyperspaceAScientificOdysseyThroughParallelUniversesTimeWarpsAndThe10thDimensIon/Michio%20Kaku%20Hyperspace%20A%20Scientific%20Odyssey%20Through%20Parallel%20Universes%2C%20Time%20Warps%2C%20and%20the%2010th%20Dimens%20ion_djvu.txt
7. "Imagining The Tenth Dimension" by Rob Bryanton. Physicists have engaged in fist fights over this highly controversial work. But, Rob Bryanton poses some very interesting and novel ideas, which in my opinion, would make a very interesting science fiction book, film, or drama, since you said you wanted to do that. Watch the video and decide for yourself. His other books and his website on listed on the youtube site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htGhyQqmrGg&list=PL8342945E6FC4EE1D&t=10s
8. “11 Dimensions” via My Learning by Rob Bryanton. A very quick and succinct review of the eleven dimensions of String Theory:
https://sites.google.com/site/mywish2bmukt/11-dimensions
9. “Does Quantum Entanglement Happen between Parallel Universes? This is a very good discussion of the topic on the Quora website:
https://www.quora.com/Does-quantum-entanglement-happen-between-parallel-universes
10. “What is Big Bang?”. The short answer by NASA Science Space Place
https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/big-bang/en/#:~:text=The%20Short%20Answer%3A,and%20it%20is%20still%20stretching!
11. “Schrodinger’s Cat and The Many Worlds Theory”. This is a very good source, with references, for The Many Worlds Theory which is based on The Schrodinger Cat Experiment and Big Bang
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger's_cat

Regarding the best science fiction films that have a solid basis in theoretical physics, astrophysics, and Quantum Mechanics, I mentioned my favorites. I am sure there are others. But a few of my favorites are : The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, Interstellar, The Avengers, and the Star Trek film series.. By the way if you are in the 10th dimension, Hello God!

I was reading an article on Reddit about JittiRain’s Vice Versa. She said that it was based on Big Bang Theory and Many Worlds Theories of Quantum Mechanics ( a branch of Physics). I realized that Vice Versa had to involve other theories of Quantum Mechanics as well, so I wanted to share my observations.

1. I started by trying to explain the nature of a Parallel Universe and how it forms. I should have used an example that everybody is familiar with; e.g., styling your hair. Place a flat mirror directly in front of your face and place another flat mirror directly behind your head, and then align the mirrors so that can see each other. There is a magic angle that will show an infinite number of reflections of you styling your hair bouncing between the two mirrors. This single line of reflections is called a timeline, an example of 4th dimension (4D) space. Now if you replace each single reflection of your face in your 4D timeline with a new timeline of its own, you would have a 4D timeline with an infinite number of timelines branching off of it. You’d be in 5th dimension space. If you think of the distance between mirrors as interstellar space and your timeline, or, your line of timelines, as universes, you can envision both 4th and 5th dimension Parallel Universes in your mirror.
2. JittiRain mentioned Vice Versa was based on Big Bang Theory (and therefore Many Worlds Theory, since the two are connected). So I tried to explain how the two theories formed the basis of Vice Versa. Simply put, there was a Big Bang and that explosion is responsible for galaxies and everything in them.
3. JittiRain’s Parallel Universe seems to be a system of opposites; e.g., remember the dialogue about the difference between “yes” and “no” physical gestures in the Alternate Universe compared to our Present Universe? JittiRain never offered an explanation for this system of opposites, so I offered the Quantum Theory’s Entanglement Theory, which will always be a system of opposites, as a possibility.
4. JittiRain allows her characters to communicate and travel via a Port key, so I tried to show that Portals (in this case, a Port Key) between Parallel Universes is one of the very few available means of travel in a 5th dimension (5D) Parallel Universe with two different and interchanging lifelines.
5. Every physical thing is defined by its dimensions. A period is zero dimension, a straight line is one dimensional (length), a piece of paper is described by two dimensions (length and width), a cube of ice by three dimensions (length, width, and height), a geometrical Tesseract (remember that little blue cube in The Avengers?) needs four dimensions, and, Matthew McConaughey’s travel through a wormhole (created by a Black Hole) into a five dimensional Tesseract (5D) Universe, in the best science fiction movie ever made, Interstellar (2014?) needs five dimensions. JittiRain never tells us the exact nature of her Parallel Universe but it is obviously 5D.

So my post was about JittiRain’s crafting of the plot as opposed to the drama itself. , as MianhaKDrama stated above. By the way, I think the reason it is frustrating some viewers is because JittiRain over reached a bit. A high order Parallel Universe does not need to Soul/Body Swap to communicate between different lifelines. The reverse is also true. I’m no expert on film making but switching multiple souls, bodies, and universes may be asking too much of viewers. But I love the science so I want to see where she’s going with this.

I don't know enough about the science of television film making to judge the cinematic quality of Vice Versa. But I agree that the setting is superfluous. I wonder why she included Body/Soul Swapping in a Parallel Universe . It is not needed in a 5th dimension Parallel Universe because that capability already exists there. I was praising JittiRain's knowledge of the Quantum Mechanics in my post. Most of it is remarkably consistent with science. For example, she knew that of the ten dimensions of String Theory, only the 5th dimension (the Do Over dimension) required a Portal. So she gave her characters a Port key. That was not a coincidence, given her knowledge of Big Bang and the Many World theories. In the end, JittiRain's Parallel Universe falls into the same class of entertainment (independent of quality) as The Untamed and Guardian which are based on either Wuxia, Xianxia, or Xuanhuan, and elements of The Three Realms and Six Paths to Reincarnation that Priest and Mo Dao Zu Shi created so brilliantly.

The nice thing about fantasy is that it stimulates our imagination. And the concept of a Parallel Universe is particularly interesting because human beings see everything in three dimensions with our two dimensional retina (it is the mind that creates the third dimension of thickness or width) so we wouldn't recognize a high dimension creature even if we saw one because it would look just like us. That's a concept tailor made for television.

Vice Versa is not amateur science fiction.. It is based on Quantum Mechanics, (mathematical description of subatomic particles). JittiRain did her homework. I read that she is a huge fan of Marvel Multiverse Media (multiverse is the mother system for all other alternate universes). And it shows. Vice Versa shows excellent agreement with Modern Quantum Mechanics. Let me explain.

How is a Parallel Universe Formed: There are two possible ways to form a parallel universe: 1) Brain Power; e.g., your imagination, predestination, telepathy, and fantasy; 2) Science; e.g., Quantum Mechanics, String Theory, Big Bang Theory, Particle Entanglement Theory, and The Many Worlds Theory. The first method needs no further discussion. The only scientific theories that affect Vice Versa are the four mentioned below.

String Theory: Tells us that there are eleven dimensions, one of which is time. It also tells us that the existence of a Parallel Universe is only possible in the fourth or higher dimensions. The lowest level Parallel Universe exists in the 4th dimension but the lifelines do not correlate. For example, you are either a Doctor in Parallel Universe A or a Lawyer in Parallel Universe B, but you will never be both and you cannot change you career path. A Parallel Universe in the 5th dimension has different versions of you in Parallel Universes A and B. There is correlation but it is restricted. For example, if you are a Doctor in Parallel Universe A but now want to become a Lawyer, you can do that in a 5th dimension, but it requires a do over; e.g., you would have to go back to the point in time when you first made the decision to study Medicine, and choose instead to study Law. It is only in the 6th or higher dimensions that you can exist in multiple versions with different lifelines that are correlated so that all versions of you are aware of each other and communicate. No need to travel in the 6th dimension or higher because you exist in all of the lifelines (universes) that belong to that dimension.

The Many World Theory is based on the Big Bang Theory: Big Bang Theory suggests that billions of years ago there was a massive explosion (A Big Bang) in a space vacuum that led to the creation of other forms of matter; e.g., the elements, the building blocks for our universe, housing earth and everything in it, and, that this process repeated itself over and over so that other Parallel Universes were formed. The Many Worlds Theory is a product of Quantum Mechanic Equations. The premise is that there is a World for every outcome of every decision we make. For example if you are undecided whether to attend a baseball game or watch it on television, there is a world for both of your choices, but you can only pick one and will never even know about the other. I don’t believe in Big Bang but JittiRain does (she stated this in an interview; she believes Big Bang and the Many Worlds theories).

Particle Entanglement Theory: The Theory proposes that when two subatomic particles (e.g., electrons) become entangled (collide with each other), the interaction results in the creation of two permanently coupled particles spinning in opposite directions. Our world is a massive amount of matter that is composed of trillions of subatomic particles. In order for this to result in Parallel Universes, we would first need to find a way to break down our current universe into its subatomic particles, entangle them, then separate the particles spinning right from those spinning left, move them to different locations in space, and then recombine both sets of subatomic particles. This would create a system of permanently entangled Parallel Worlds that are opposite of each other; similar to the opposite worlds of Vice Versa.

Travel Between Parallel Worlds: Vice Versa in set in the 5th dimension so Talay and Tun would need a means of transport between their Parallel Worlds. The possibilities include 1) teleportation and replication; e.g., as in Star Trek; 2) Worm Holes, a tunnel through interstellar space created by a Black Hole; e.g. as in Star Gate; 3) Port Holes; the bending of space between two points, end to end, to form a hole that connects different worlds, as utilized by Spot in Spider Man; 4) String Theory’s High Level Dimensions (6th through 10th) allows you to be present in all your universes so there is no longer a need for travel.

Summary: Unlike trained Quantum Physicists, geeks like me see Vice Versa as more than just Boys Love Romantic fiction. For example, the Port Key concept is consistent with known and accepted science. The existence of a Parallel World that is the exact opposite of the Original World can also be explained via Quantum Mechanics’ Entanglement Theory (the system of opposites that permeate Vice Versa dialog). The Big Bang – Many Worlds Theory applies to everything in this drama because a Parallel Universe is not possible without Big Bang. And the entire setting takes place in the String Theory 5th dimension of Quantum Mechanics, the only dimension that requires a system of travel via a Portal. There are many areas of agreement between Vice Versa and Quantum Mechanics. I am amazed by JittiRain's combination of Boys Love and Quantum Mechanics!

One of the most depressing, miserable, and emotionally draining films I've ever seen. Complete disrespect for human life. Loaded with contemptible and amoral characters . It claims to be a slice of real life, an accurate and realistic portrait of gangster and prison life, and they succeeded in doing that (its well conceived, good plot, lots of action, and great acting all around; it is a good drama) but for me, this was a very difficult watch. If you are looking for entertainment that warms the heart, this isn't it. I thought it was similar to Prison Playbook , which I enjoyed, but Merciless is actually more similar to the violent Chinese gangster drama, Killer and Healer, but Killer and Healer contrasted all that violence with a beautiful bromance, loaded with love, friendship, heart, and charm. Merciless, on the other hand, is a very dark, cruel, emotionless and violent movie with little to no remorse or redemption..

Lee Chan Hyung and Jang Eui Soo have long and impressive acting resumes. They have been there in the trenches. They are very good actors. It would be silly to suggest they can’t act. Clearly they can. But none of that matters in a feature romantic drama if there’s no screen chemistry, limited expressions of romance, and a weak storyline. These two fine actors were unable to create any passion between them. One brief kiss here, but, neither kissing nor sexual contact is required to make a successful Boys Love drama. The Untamed taught us that, but, the difference is that The Untamed featured a sizzling romantic screen chemistry. A more relevant example of a drama that worked with little to no kissing is Where Your Eyes Linger, which also featured Jang Eui Soo.

I won’t criticize Lee Chan Hyung because he’s new to Boys Love but Jang Eui Soo has three previous Boys Love dramas in his resume. He knows the Boys Love game and he knows what is required of him. I have no idea why he could not or would not draw on that Boys Love experience. He is clearly a capable and believable Boys Love actor. For example, I thought he was fantastic as the reticent tsundere love-struck body guard, Kang Gook, in Where Your Eyes Linger. And, he had an excellent and palpable romantic screen chemistry with Han Gi Chan. Rather than separate them for the lackluster Oceans Like Me and My Sweet Dear, wouldn’t a sequel to Where Your Eyes Linger have been the better option, since it is more similar to the Boys Love dramas we watch today? For example, a sequel could have featured martial arts, gang fights, bodyguard love, and father-son mafia conflict, as well as tons of secret love and romantic tension.

My apology. I see your point now. You were objecting to my use of the word "parody". And you were right to do so. By definition, a parody mocks only one work. In this case, some other Romantic Boys Love drama. In my original post, I suggested that Check Out was a parody of the Boys Love genre, but that was not an accurate characterization of the drama. Just as you stated in your post. A drama that mocks an entire genre is technically called a spoof, not a parody. So you are correct. I misused the term. I still think it is a spoof. I just watched episode 7 and I am having a hard time believing this director set out to make a serious drama. I honestly think we are supposed to laugh at what we see. If we take it as serious or comedic drama, we will be disappointed. However, if we are willing to suspend our expectation of the six or seven key elements that make a good drama (plot, character, directing, acting, theme, production, etc) then we can enjoy it. Not every viewer is able or willing to suspend their expectation of cinematic excellence. But those of us who are seeking entertainment without the need of cinematic excellence or intellectual stimulation are liking it (despite the widespread criticism). Personal choice, taste, and artistic preference will always differ person to person.

Remember Archibald MacLeish's Ars Poetica? "A poem should not mean. But be."? Television drama is not poetry but both are art forms. If so, then the Boys Love genre is also an art form and Archibald MacLeish would also apply. Good or bad, Check Out is an artistic creation. Like poetry, Check Out simply needs to establish a contract between the artist (director & screenwriter) and one or more members of its audience. Some of us like Check Out, so regardless of merit, an artistic contract was successfully established. Which means the drama has enriched the quality of life for some of its viewers. Kapper Worarit Ninklom is no Aristophanes but I still leave open the possibility that this drama is a comedic spoof of Romantic Boys Love television.

I can’t really argue about parody in Check Out because I was never sure that’s what the director was doing. The parody I had in mind in my post was A man Who Defies the World of Boys Love, which mocked the entire Boys Love universe. Even if Check Out fails to do the same, I am still a fan. I get intellectual stimulus from multiple Boys Love dramas so I don’t need Check Out to do that. My fear is that we will soon be fed a steady diet of happy ending and fluffy romantic BL dramas at the expense of sexual Boys Love. I can handle either but will grow tired of the same thing. Sometimes I just want to be entertained with no intellectual stimulation required. For this purpose, Check Out is perfect. It is hilarious with wonderful visuals.

As you know Boys Love was first introduced in the seventies by the Japanese female Mangaka of Group 24. The purpose of Boys Love was to escape reality and daily drudgery and fantasize sexual relationships between bishonen heterosexual males in a seme-uke social structure. Because everything was played out in fantasy, the Japanese mangaka had no compunction about real world issues that anger many MDL viewers; e.g., male rape, issues involving gay rights and politics, gay fetish, gay discrimination and sexual identifiers. Since science tells us a majority of humans are sexually-fluid, dialog such as “I don’t-like-men-I-just-like-him” is reasonable and acceptable in fantasy and the real world. The dialog has nothing to do with denial or homophobia. The original BL founders never imagined their characters as gay. That was not part of the fantasy. The reason these issues matter in today’s television BL dramas is because viewers are demanding that human rights and equality be respected in fantasy as it is in the real world. To me, this places constraints on a screenwriter's or author's artistic freedom. I don’t like that but the number of viewers matters and will surely affect the Boys Love market. So artistic freedom might have to be sacrificed a bit as directors and screenwriters address viewers concerns , if Boys Love dramas are to continue attracting investors and sponsors.

Boys Love has always featured both sexual and romantic relationships. The Sexual component dominated Eastern media and romantic Boys Love dominated Western media . These days, romantic BL is preferred and demanded by most viewers, so there are relatively few BL dramas that prioritize sexual relationships. Although Thailand is moving toward inclusion with projects like KinnPorsche, Check Out, Why R U?, Together With Me, and Unforgotten Night, Taiwan and South Korea are largely focusing on romantic BL. China was productive in the early days with sexually-charged dramas like Addicted and Like Love but censorship shut them down. Thankfully, Japan has never dismissed sex in favor of romantic BL. They have managed a delicate balance between sex and romance. For every Cherry Magic, Love on the Line, My Beautiful Man, and Night of the Tri-colored Window, there is the sexually explicit Pornographer, Mood Indigo, The Shortest Distance is Round, and The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese. I limited my choices to dramas and movies that featured relationships between boys and young men. By the way, the ratings for Check Out are mediocre but the number of viewers remains very respectable.

I understand. Ideally we want all Boys Love dramas to be well-written, well-produced, well-directed, and well-acted. And by these strict standards, Kapper Worarit Ninklom (Check Out’s Director and Screenwriter) would not fare well. His previous Boys Love dramas averaged MDL scores of 6.3, 6.4, and 6.5. Either he is a hopelessly mediocre director with a flat learning curve or he is a maverick that routinely rejects traditional film-making; e.g., good screenwriting, good directing, and good acting, in favor of his own unique vision of cinematic excellence. I believe that his disdain for traditional film-making and his rejection of fluffy romantic Boys Love in favor of a more sexually driven storyline is intentional. I believe this is why Check Out, at least in the early episodes, is the exact opposite of the fluffy feel good dramas that most BL fans demand and are used to. Check Out is playing as a Thai Lakorn, a television genre that frequently mocks idealized romantic love. So I am not sure yet if this director and screenwriter is inept, a clever satirist, or a trail blazer. Time will tell his true talent. But I like his celebration and appreciation of the male body and love his attention to the sexual aspect of Boys Love, an aspect that is, in my opinion, wrongly criticized as porn. As a traditional romantic drama, I agree that Check Out has so far missed the mark, but if it is a parody, as I suspect, it is dead center, with undeniable artistic merit. Even if it is not a parody, I am a Kapper Worarit Ninklomnow fan and believe that despite the fact that most BL fans have a low tolerance for tainted love, there is room for him in the Boys Love universe. Each of us has our own unique artistic temperament that reflects how we view the romantic vs. the sexual aspects of Boys Love, and, this will affect how we evaluate the artistic merit of any drama. I understand and accept how you feel. Its just that I don't think all Boys Love dramas need a first rate plot, stellar directing, or excellent acting in order to be financially successful. If it is entertaining (and Check Out is naughty, hilarious entertainment), it has served its purpose. Film students will point to Ed Wood, the worst director and film maker in Hollywood history, but his films are now cult classics that are cherished world wide by millions of fans precisely because they are so entertaining.

This director is an acquired taste; either notoriously inept or quite clever. This is the same director that created the quirky and artistically dubious I Am Your King and Skinship series. His vision of Check Out is remarkably similar but contains more nudity. His vision of contemporary Boys Love appears to be a celebration and appreciation of physical male beauty; e.g., handsome faces and perfect physiques (six packs and ripped abs). Depending on their moral perspective, some here at MDL would label it as gay fetishization, sexism, or homophobia and reject it altogether. That's fine because that is what they believe based on their cultural and moral values. But I am not willing to dismiss this director so easily because it is possible there is a method to his madness. In Check Out, the director shamelessly celebrates cheating, dubious and/or forced consent, selfish sexual gratification, narcissism, and multiple sex partners. These are just a few of the Boys Love tropes that many here at MDL find upsetting and unacceptable. Surely this director is aware of this criticism and risk of rejection but steadfastly celebrates bad behavior. So I can’t help but wonder if Check Out is not a product of ineptitude but rather some sort of parody and/or satire of emotionally charged contemporary romantic Boys Love television dramas.

People differ and we must respect each other's views, but I see no wrong in the celebration of masculine beauty. Sarawut Laoruamsap (Tee) is a beautiful man and Marut Ghoummeddin’s (Nine) body is a true work of art, physical perfection. Not every Boys Love drama needs to be intellectually stimulating. There is room enough in the Boys Love universe to accommodate both the romantic (spiritual) and the Sexual (physical) aspect. Check Out is artistically divisive; definitely not for everyone, especially film critics, serious artists, and Boys Love activists, but I don't believe that it has no entertainment value. For some of us, it is a delightfully naughty guilty pleasure. I love it!

I am just an average viewer and not qualified to judge acting but to the untrained eye, Kim Yoo Hwan has all the makings of a great actor. His performance in this drama was one of the finest I've seen this year in romantic Boys Love. He never broke character. His was an honest, empathetic, and very professional performance. As is the case with all good artists, he understands the emotional contract between his art and his audience. He is unafraid to show us his heart. Unafraid to let us in. Time will judge his true talent but I love what he did here and would love to see more of him.