Hermine Voltaire

Well said!

Again, it is not just using a minority group as a comic relief...
It is using any kinds of group (Minority or non-minority) as a comic relief...
This is the core of the discussion, here.

I do not need to re-read your comments because they were rather self-explanatory and simple. I understand all of your comments and I respect your personal opinions on that matter; however, I certainly do not have or need to agree with any of them.

Fyi:
Unsavory does not mean marginal racist or full blown bigot.
The figurative definition for unsavory is disagreeable and unpleasant because it is morally disreputable for some groups.

And I am definitely not conflating any terms...
Whether it is the use of comic relief or the use of unsavory.
To some of us, it was unpleasant to watch. Whether it was filmed intentionally or not, that is a question only the director can answer.

*As I already stated; you are free to have your own opinion on that matter... Just as I am.
As long we don’t judge each other’s opinion as irrelevant.

It does not have to be the Sikh culture...
Using anyone’s culture as a comic relief would undoubtedly come out unsavory.
Mind you, I DID NOT use the word “Offensive.”
I used the word “Unsavory” as in for some of us, viewers - domestic or international, it was uncomfortable to watch.

*And as everything else in this world, not everyone has to agree or disagree with my comment.

Although the action scenes are decent and they are plenty of them...
The writing, on the other hand, is so unexciting.
I could only ingest 6 episodes before I put it on a pause.

I really don’t get its rating of 8.3 - 8.4
Go figure...

Some major things that bug me about this drama:
- The criminals are way too obvious. First episode and we already know that Mr. Mu is a dirty scumbag. He probably has his hands on Li Jun Jie’s shifu and parents deaths.
Give us some suspenses... Good grief, make us guess a little...
That is the allure of a good action thriller.
- Maggie Zhou’s very revealing outfits and unprofessional accessories are interesting but not in a good way. Girlfriend looks like she is always going clubbing... Which is one of the aspects of her character that makes her tough girl persona less believable.

*You know that you are loosing interest in a drama... When you gradually stop reading the subtitles...
It has been a while since we see a clean and preppy William Chan in a nice action-packed thriller. I was excited; I thought that it would be a sort of a Chinese version of The K2...
Well, that is not it.
Unless there is a major twist, at some point in the storyline, that will change the character of Mr. Mu, aka Mr. Scumbag into a decent one...
The writing for this drama is not clever, at all. It is predictable and slightly annoying.
Because I am a big fan of William Chan and his action scenes, I might not drop this drama but it will certainly be placed on a long extended pause.

I will be surprised if this BL production does not get roasted for using those unsavory subliminal portrayals of the Sikh culture, as a comic relief.
They were already pushing the line with Duen’s pooping comedy scenes...
I think this director really made a wrong move with this one.
I hope they don’t get any severe backsplash for those scenes... Because generic BL storyline or not... I was enjoying the comedy aspects of it.

I think the fact that he was a scriptwriter, first...
Helps a lot.
His attention to details and creating all sorts of images and scenarios come with the territory.

Well said.

With all my respect to the LGBT-community...
As a heterosexual, myself, when I am watching a drama or a movie; I don’t see labels.
Which character is heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian, bi, fluid or transgender...?
What captivates me is the essence (The chemistry, the synergy and the dynamic), the commitment and the profound/extensive work that the writer or writers, the cast, the behind the scene crew, the director, the editing crew and the producer have put into the project.

So to answer your question about what I think is the difference between Naruebet Kuno and Aof’s directing, in terms of style and vision...
For me, it is Naruebet Kuno’s undeniable commitment to the craft.
One example - Even the color palette used in ITSAY was a reference to sunset. The reds, the greens and the blues were all mixed together, as a sort of a collage to the main theme of the drama. That is what I call, COMMITMENT.
As for Aof’s works, I have watched a few of them. Of course, the most recent one was A Tale of Thousand Stars; which was unique in a sea of generic BL dramas... But for me, it was lacking commitment and some minor adjustments.
He's Coming to Me - One of my favorites but again... Missing details were scattered here and there.
2gether - I seriously did not like it. I actually dropped it, midway.

Why the ears, the fangs, the eye colors and the bird?
This is getting weird...

Which part of Mr. Mu’s plan was stupid?
Oh! The entire thing.
His plan was so stupid that he must be working with the criminals... I smell corrupted security agency official...

The first episode was interesting; however, I don’t think that I like the whole sensational vibe about it.
As for the FL, Gülnezer Bextiyar, I am having difficulty buying the whole tough security agent from her.
There are only a few well established Chinese actresses who are able to play the tough girl roles. And for this specific FL role, Sandra Ma or Cecilia Liu would have made a better choice of cast.
Regardless, just 1 episode in... I am already finding it so much better than Storm Eye.

LOL

And I totally concur.
I am impressed with the entirety of the production; not just because it is one of the very few greatest BL productions that I have fully enjoyed...
But because in terms of general and overall production, itself...
That was a cinematographic masterpiece.

I am utterly baffled with viewers who said that they did not enjoy it.
Even without the BL arc, just the cinematographic part of it, is enough to capture anyone’s full attention.
And they don’t even have to be a connaisseur in the field.

I am telling you...
Billkin’s voice is so reminiscent of the 90s R&B.

I wish the director for “ITSAY” could give lessons in directing to all other BL drama’s directors, out-there.
The cast could be great at acting... However, without a phenomenal director, like that one, who pays attention to every single detail and nuance...
A scene with a trillion of takes could simply be... Just mundane.

*Therefore, my biggest homage is to that director.

I am going through a very severe “ITSAY After Effects.”
Every production beyond their release feels now pedestrian, to me.

I should have watched "A Tale of Thousand Stars" before “ITSAY...”
Because it was after; I could not overlook some blatant missing details. It is really “The devil is in the details.”
- The northern location parts, in terms of the folkloric heritage of that village, their agriculture, their schooling, their manière de vivre and even that rich-boy new teacher’s acclimatization to that rural environment were on point.
- On the other hand, the military/ranger parts, in terms of non-civilian mannerism, systematic trained demeanor and general military stands were seriously lacking. I am from a military family and I grew up listening to their military jargons and code-names. For me, that part of that production crew needed a lot more training prior filming.

*All in all, it was enjoyable to watch for the uniqueness.

Another one with an expected release in August that also seems to be catered to the mainstream; however, I will most definitely watch...
- KinnPorsche (2021)

Agreed, History 3: Trapped was different; however, I found it overly catered to the mainstream.
So it was interesting to watch it but not a re-watch for me.

This project indeed screamed authenticity...
- The southern province location.
- The use of local food names, like Oh-aew and the Hokkien noodles.
- The Chinese and European heritage in Phuket.
- The use of southern dialects and expressions by the cast.
- The Chinese language aptitude that is required for university admissions.
- The metaphorical interpretations and meanings of the Chinese hibiscus.

And the list goes on and on...
It was not the stereotypical, mainstream commercialized BL clichés.
Authenticity was at the core of the entire production.