There's a common expectation especially as a viewer or third party in a situation, to plainly view things as: if one person has feelings for another that the other person has to have a "valid" reason (ex: already dating someone or not being of the sexual orientation that would make them attracted to the person) if they don't accept the other person's feelings, especially in this case where it takes some time.
I think this comes from an inherent want (even as an external person) to see that the person who is pursuing gets their affection returned - perhaps because we hope to be loved back, or even more so, to be loved for who we are - since childhood - and that in a romantic context, then accepting a confession would be proof of that.
But confessions and dating aren't so straightforward, they're tied to societal perception, and each person will approach it with their own motives: whether for status, pressures of norms & others' views, purely wanting to escape loneliness, being physically attracted to someone, loving someone sincerely, wanting to explore one's identity and more. and within all that, it's easy to forget, that we treat people and ourselves with intentions, and we sense it between us (whether consciously or subconsciously).
On one hand, the person who is receiving a confesssion, shouldn't have any obligation to reciprocate of course, but it's also more than that: it's about authenticity and respect both toward the confessor and yourself, rather than as a reflection of someone distant or emotionally cold. on the contrary, being able to accept, reject or take time with someone's confession at one's own pace and based on one's genuine mindset/feeling, is the most warm-hearted and sincere answer.
This is why I really like how Duang With You introduces us to the story through Duang's perspective first to reel us into that default mode at first; we very much see and feel how Duang is affected - with time - by the uncertainty of whether Qin will ever reciprocate his feelings, and those feelings are underlined rather than dismissed. But one of the strengths of the series is that Qin's perspective is given equal weight, as he is portrayed as discretely gentle, guarded yet straight-forward, taking time to open up, doing so more slowly than societal expectations (and his friends - affectionately) impose.
Therefore any way that he does want to be with Duang feels that much more meaningful because of this. it's a reflection of himself rather than what we/the world hopes for, and gives further subjectivity & legitimacy to his experiences. it's the overall importance that everything he shows, every mutual feeling they share, is one that isn't for granted nor obligatory, it's free, it's thought out, and carried out with great care despite the fear, which is highlighted even more with the show's emphasis on consent.
I find that thereâs so much beauty in how the intimate scene was made and edited in episode 2. Even though it is most likely a flashback, everything about it - from the pyjama clothes, to why Saebyeok was sleeping on the sofa - creates a mystery & ambiguity about when and what is actually happening, since it introduces the possibility of the scene not being a flashback:
In the present timeline, it could genuinely be that thatâs where Saebyeok is sleeping prior to the morning scene, because we know he didnt leave the house and ended up in the same bed as Haneul in the end. But weâre also made to think it is a flashback because the current Haneul (with amnesia) wouldnât initiate a sexual interaction with him and at the very least, would not act the way he did (with experience and familiarity of Saebyeok), meaning that, given itâs most likely a flashback, there is nonetheless an undisclosed reason as to why Saebeyok is sleeping on the couch (given theyâre a couple), which directs us, the viewers, to have to speculate about what happened in a past timeline (for example, maybe they had a small fight and Saebyeok ended up sleeping on the couch or that S. came back home late from work and just fell asleep on the couch for some reason). Yet because the reason is undisclosed, it makes the viewer correlate the scene to the present timeline even more.
In fact, the past and present timeline feel merged in that scene altogether. What specifically makes it feel that way for the viewer, is that, when Haneul approaches Saebyeok on the couch, his first reaction is to trace Saebyeokâs face with curiosity, just like youâd assume he would in the current timeline(in fact the scene starts with us thinking we *are* in the current timeline due to this) - because it suits the reaction of a character/Haneul who is in disbelief that his rival friend has become his lover, and who would want to look at him more closely as Saebyeok is sleeping (since Haneul would be too stubborn & guarded to do so if Saebyeok was awake). But the following moments, where heâs sensual with Saebyeok, are clearly from the âconsciousnessâ of the 29 year old Haneul who is used to being physically intimate with Saebyeok. Still, the scene creates enough ambiguity, strangely enough, that we simply donât know 100% what is true (even if itâs 99.9% likely that itâs a flashback). This makes the scene feel so much more eery and plays with notions of dream and reality. It makes the idea of memory/identity feel very vivid and yet ephemeral and hard to grasp. Even more so, it opens up a new possibility, that perhaps Haneul temporarily regains his memories at times, making the scene feel even more mystical and cryptic - are there even moments that we as the viewer donât see in the current timeline and that Saebyeok experiences?
Thatâs the kind of mystery the scene gets us to feel. Even if Haneul doesnât actually temporarily turn into his 29 year old self in the current timeline, itâs more about the fact that the series is playing with that ambiguity to make us feel like weâre in young Haneulâs shoes, seeing things from this fragmented, dream-like perspective, which is exactly why when he wakes up, he, himself, asks whether it was a dream. Itâs one thing for the series to add an intimate scene and then show the character being confused to let us know what theyâre experiencing, and itâs another to make us, the viewers, feel that confusion, desire, and curiosity *with* the character. I know it might not be for everyone, but I really liked that so much personally.
This is my take on Pai's reaction (as a non-novel reader), because I really feel this progression elevates the emotional layers of the story character-wise. What I really liked about the latest episode is that it showed a clear contrast between the two main couples but it also highlighted what makes the dynamic of each couple special beyond their trope-based characterisations. Most of all, it made the details of certain characters, especially Pai, shine.
As the audience, we saw how North and Pai reacted when they found out about Yu a few episodes back: the outcome, especially on Pai's end, was to resort to putting distance between them and Yu, even to the extent (logically) of wanting him gone altogether. So for us, this created more tension around how Pai would react to "Tim"âs true identity being exposed. It made us expect that Pai would similarly distance himself from Tim for a while - and this is the most common execution in a series for this kind of scenario. But instead, whilst Pai is in disbelief and angry, he still lets Tim stay in his vicinity. Instead of completely isolating himself as we would have come to expect, he doesn't completely cut Tim off, in fact he's (reluctantly) willing to see him, he's (ultimately) willing to go to his house, he even instinctually calls out to him for help when he's scared and jumps to hug Tim, reflecting that, despite the betrayal, thereâs something more to this that allows Pai to have Tim around him, even if he is currently hurt (if someone was to argue that Pai is only around Tim right now because his grandfather blocked all his credit cards & access to his house, my thoughts on this are that, if he really wanted to, Pai would have other ways to find a place to sleep, such as his childhood friendâs place - so his choices showcase the openness that remains for Tim in his heart).
Now there are two particular reasonings behind Pai's reaction which I find meaningful:
1. Pai doesn't seem to let people in his life easily. He was suspicious and disliked Yu from the get-go, so when Yuâs true plan was exposed, Pai is decisive about cutting Yu off from their lives, especially as he's protective of North. Pai appears to be more logic-oriented and detached when making certain decisions, which I think is something he has honed at work (in his role as CEO), and which he seems to apply to people he isn't as close to or has put a distance from, from the start. But it's different when he cares about someone, especially someone he confides and feels safe with - which brings that down to a very few people because he is that specific about who he allows in his heart.
2. But even more interestingly, what stands out to me is that Pai's reaction also, almost in contradiction to my earlier point, solidifies Pai's ability to assess people, and his intelligence: a key reason as to why Pai isn't cutting Tim out of his life so far is that now that Pai knows the truth, he can think back on every interaction with that knowledge. Pai is most likely already putting together all the possible inconsistencies in how Tim presented himself, and differentiating between the act and the genuine. So even though it hasn't been shown or said explicitly, I feel like this is what is happening to Pai in the second half of the episode. Even as Pai knows what Tim did, he still knows and/or feels deep within that parts of what he saw of Tim are true. That what he had with Tim wasn't solely built on lies. Because Pai's reaction is of someone who is troubled by the shock of processing the extent of the lies and not so much on the premise that nothing was real.
This is a direct contrast to North, who, as a person, struggles more in analysing events logically, and judges based on his assessment of emotions, action and empathy - which is why the turning point for North was to learn about Yuâs perspective, his backstory, and experience with trust - because it is more difficult for him to assess purely by re-considering past events. Meanwhile, for Pai, whilst he also shows love & empathy for Tim (when heâs hurt etc), he operates more on the consensus of how he can, through his own judgement (not so much the other person), make out what led to this specific moment from an analytical point of view.I do believe that a lot of Paiâs reaction can be explained by the fact that Pai senses that he 'understands' Tim as a person even if he doesn't 'know' exactly who Tim is anymore, and this understanding is rooted in the time that they have spent together.
This also goes to show the difference in how the series represents betrayal psychologically in terms of the time spent between both couples. Pai has spent enough time with Tim, and has the depth of judgement, that allows him to reason Timâs actions without even knowing the whole truth yet, and it is because he does have a grasp of who Tim is beyond the facade he was showing. Whatâs beautiful about this is that it is representing love (in a case where it was mutual like Tim and Pai) as based on a more profound understanding of the person, even if it wasnât fully conscious, especially before knowing what was going on with the person. And you see this a little bit with Yu and North as well, where, unlike Pai, North has a more primal sense of distrust after he finds out about Yu (based more simply on the facts of what he learns at any point in time and the feelings they procure, rather than analysing the nuances), yet he also keeps Yu physically around and tries to test him, not because he doesnât want anything to do with Yu anymore, but because he wants to know the truth and subconsciously wants to continue having Yu around, and hopes that the mutual love he thought he felt is actually real, and not just fabricated.This brings me to the aspect that personally comforted me the most in this episode.
Whilst some of the interactions of Pai getting scared by the geckos and hugging Tim come across as comedic on the surface, they are at the heart of why Pai is reacting the way he does. Tim is one of the only, if not THE only, person he truly feels like he can rely on and be vulnerable with (as can be seen by the fact that his instinct is to hug Tim when he is afraid). All he wants, now that he does know the truthâŠ.is to be reassured. He wants reassurance that Tim is still there for him, even when he has nothing. He wants the reassurance that Tim does love him, and wasnât solely there for the money. He wants the reassurance that at least a part of what made him feel safe with Tim is real. That his judgement of reality had substance (because this goes further than a relationship with someone, it also ties back to questions of his identity and perception). So when Pai sees that Tim still goes after him even when learning that Pai is disowned, when he sees that Tim waited outside for him all night, I think it is intentionally symbolic that when he got scared by the gecko, he âopened a doorâ to let Tim back in to protect him, and be with him. A first step toward accepting Tim despite the circumstances, and which leads to the second step of him accepting to go to Timâs house (all of these are based on âproofâ that Pai is now continuously assessing how Tim reacts to him now that Timâs plan failed and that Pai doesnât have any wealth to his name). In fact, I wouldnât be surprised if, even if only subconsciously, Pai himself was the one to suggest getting disowned by his family, because he wanted, emotionally, to really see what would happen if that was the case, what this would reveal about Tim (even if part of it is of course due to the guilt Pai thinks he bears in his âlapseâ of judgement, and wanting to take responsability for his family).
And to me, it makes Pai and Timâs scenes after the ârevealâ that much more heartfelt, and warm. Because Pai is already seeing that Timâs love is indeed genuine, he senses it even before he asks any questions with all of the things I mentioned prior. So when the scene at night occurs, and he sees physical traces that further show the genuineness of Timâs feelings for him and his intent to build the âfamily projectâ together, you can see in Paiâs eyes a kind of gradual certainty, openness and gentleness that sets in. When Tim then tells him he does truly love him, even if not at first sight, you see this. Whatâs unique about the scene is that the execution is strikingly different to a lot of other series. Many series would show that the other character is overwhelmed with anger (understandably) to even be able to hear the person out. In Paiâs case, heâs listening whilst looking conflicted, because whilst it allows him to confirm more things that are brewing in his mind, then, just like he says himself, thereâs a difference between understanding and forgiveness.
Yet, despite that, his heart is very much there for Tim, and that really shows, when he hugs Tim again when Tim pretends thereâs a gecko, and then lets Tim kiss him on the cheek multiple times, even when he figured there wasnât a gecko and is âseeminglyâ trying to get out of Timâs hold. To me, this says everything. He doesnât even get angry when he gets teased by Tim, and doesnât seriously try to push Tim away. He needs this. Itâs healing for him. Because it is a true display of Timâs feelings for him, and itâs anchored by the fact that the moment that precedes this is the moment Tim says âWell, I did askâ. Itâs a moment when Tim had said he isnât giving up on Pai, showcasing a new side of Tim, a real side of him that shows he is just as in love with Pai as heâd shown before. This is why the events of the episode play out so well in my mind, and really makes the episode feel heart-warming and soothing (and interesting in terms of themes of trust and forgiveness). Of course, I do think that Pai will not let Tim go so easy, and will have go about his own way toward forgiving Tim, but I think that thatâs more a matter of Pai strategically regaining further trust in Tim and getting Tim to face some sort of consequence, but on an emotional level, this episode really captured the nuances of how Pai went about assessing whether he still felt safe loving Tim and allowing him back into his life. (Sorry for the long rant and thank you for reading, curious to hear any thoughts)
"Is this real now? When two people become one." The lyrics of the song really made me think of the emphasis on unity in 10dance, with how two separate people when they emotionally connect, become one as though they were one body, conjoined, which visually reflects in how Suzuki and Sugiki look like when dancing, moving as one. But even more than that, feeling the other's intention when people led, when being held, the emotion coursing transparently through touch in dancing, in a raw manner. And once that emotional investment is there, it is felt whether they are even interacting or not. I made this edit of them with that in mind:
An edit of Enaga/Ai and Chiaki on how Chiaki falls in love with both sides of him. I used Kate Bush's song, Babooshka, because the lyrics were eerily fitting:
The foreshadowing/parallels that were revealed in this episode are really cool: in episode 3, Jet and Charn swim in the lake with their university mates. When Jet splashes Charn, Charn loses his glasses, panics and then is relieved because he remembers he has a second pair of glasses (implying theyâre his last ones, in ep 5). In this episode, Jet (possessed) causes Charn to fall into the water as well, and the glasses start falling, threatened to be lost just like Charnâs life. If they continue falling and become lost, it would symbolise his death. And in this case, the glasses that are falling are his second pair/last pair of glasses = his second/last life. But Jet catches these glasses in time, it symbolically shows how Charn is saved and stays alive, just like the glasses (unlike the previous pair that Jet couldnât save, exactly like their previous life that they lost together).
The last few eps have been really impressive to me. Episode 10 in particular, which I thought would be slightly cliche based on the preview, was anything but. In fact the episode/story takes on a whole different path, creating a pensive atmosphere, refreshing twists, and bone-chilling symbolism. I wanted to write down in more detail the reasons as to why I thought this episode was done extremely well, to the point that it really blew me away quite a bit (especially as I was expecting for this episode to be less interesting since it seemed to fall into the âseparation of lovers=doomâ trope at first). Warning: incoming rant.
One of the main ideas I want to touch on is how effectively the series creates a false sense of security that is exposed to us in this episode, as well as what they have done to elevate the events, interlinking multiple prior elements/characters that appeared before to create new meaning. But first, I want to dive into how the series doesnât rely on cliche tropes that they easily could have gone with, but instead, cleverly avoided:
-trope 1 : the characters deciding to continue their daily lives as usual even when thereâs a short deadline that can risk the protagonistâs life. I like how the series plays with this cliche and then stops it right from the start: the cliche is that characters who are experiencing near-death scenarios/know theyâre risking death, simply decide to continue their routine, exposing themselves to more possibilities of danger (which makes the audience question why they wouldnât just isolate themselves home with company, to not risk it). What âKhemjiraâ does as a series, is show their self-awareness of this cliche by first including it as a possibility, when we see Khem, Jet and Charn preparing to go to uni. But pretty much immediately, they almost get killed by a car, and decide right after to stay indoors for the rest of the period. To me, that scene is an example of the seriesâ use of dark humour, where theyâre intentionally toying with the audienceâs familiarity with cliches and showing how theyâre walking around them, disrupting them ultimately.
-trope 2: a side character doing something clumsy which leads to an opportunity for Khem to be in danger. âKhemjiraâ doesnât resort to this. Even in the vision, Ramphueng seems to forcibly put Jet and Charn to sleep, beyond their control. Then Charn is the first one to wake up (which is logical and not random as he has strong senses that could realistically alert him awake when such danger is looming). This shows that the series is intentionally not relying on the audience to suspend their disbelief, and is instead coming up with unexpected ways to deal with the issue to keep us on our feet, and are intentional with their choices (not taking the âeasy way outâ in the writing).
-trope 3: the concept of Peem/the love interest arriving at the last minute during Khemâs fall, and saving him just in time. This cliche is usually done to create dramatic tension, but it doesnât have much emotional impact for the audience because the audience kind of expects it. And on top of that, if the love interest arrives at the last minute to save them after a separation, it makes you question the choice in characterisation, because even if itâs not intended, it almost makes the character seem petty for risking their loved oneâs life by appearing at the last moment (which âKhemjiraâ doesnât do). Not to mention that the probability of saving someone at the last second is a classic act of âdeus ex machinaâ (as in âsaved by the bellâ, too timely to be belieavable). Instead of doing this, the series âKhemjiraâ as a series reveals that the course of events is a vision that Peem is having, and has not actually happened yet. Therefore, the series prevents this trope from happening, and it also serves to show that Khemâs death can actually happen, that narratively, it is more likely than unlikely.
-trope 4: âIt was all a dreamâ. I know I finished the last paragraph saying that Peem was dreaming the events, but ironically, even this trope is subverted. The reason why I mention this trope as a cliche is that it usually takes away from the weight of the events that happen in the dream (which at the time, the audience thought were real). It makes the events that unfolded feel like they lose their meaning and merely serve as a warning to the protagonist. But here, âKhemjiraâ, completely flips that over its head. How? Two things: first, the timeline. When Peem experiences the vision, most of what we saw in the vision had already happened, except for the last day, so most of it was indeed real. And second, Ramphuengâs invisible presence.
Indeed, Khem didnât fall/die, but there is a much more terrifying reality in what the vision has shown us, something Khem is already experiencing: the overt presence of Ramphueng in Khemâs mind. Whatâs viscerally disturbing, beyond the warning that Khem will die if Peem doesnât save him, is the false sense of security that is created. The other characters, Jet and Charn (and Jetâs sister) AND the audience, thought at one point that, at least in the building, Khem was somewhat safe so far, that Ramphueng hadnât yet appeared, even when knowing that sheâll probably appear at the last moment to do something, but that so far she hadnât.
But when itâs revealed, in the vision, that she was there all along, tormenting Khem with the dread and threat to his life, without being able to tell anyone else, we, as the audience, who also didnât know, are faced with the acute and violent realisation that what we had assumed was safe suddenly isnât, and that in a way, Ramphueng has crossed our own invisible barriers, and trespassed into our minds. From this, a looming sense of lack of safety and danger then dawns on us, the audience, who were equally mislead about Khemâs safety (or lack thereof).
The truly great part in the writing here, is that when Khem falls to his death, and we see Peem wake up to it being a dream, this reveal does not erase the implications of what we have just seen. It doesnât away the emotional reality and weight of the events. Our sense of security is still broken: because even if Khemâs death is a prediction that hasnât yet occurred, everything else is real and happening already. What really drives home the theme of false of security is the visual image of the âTrojan horseâ shrine. When we first see the shrine, as the audience, itâs easy to predict that, whilst the shrine protects Khem for now, Ramphueng might be able to break it closer to Khemâs birthday (maybe with the logic that she grows stronger as the deadline grows near). But instead, itâs revealed that the shrine itself was in no way keeping Khem safe. Quite the opposite, it was granting Ramphueng access, a gateway to enter Khemâs mind and affect him (and us). And the fact that a shaman had planted it there, a trusted figure (most likely threatened by Ramphueng to keep silent), visually shatters our trust (literally, they smash the shrine) of everything around the characters, and this makes us realise that safety seems like an illusion altogether.
Now I want to talk about key aspects of the episodes that elevates the writing and turnout of events, to create an unsettling atmosphere and striking imagery:
1. The CCTV filter in Peemâs vision. Now that we know that the passages leading to the death-scene was a vision, the meaning behind the scene is eery to say the least, and downright horrifying at most. I thought it was odd when I first watched the scene and saw Ramphueng, possessing Khem, stare at the camera. Why would she bother? The first thing that came to mind for me, was how, in real-crime documentaries, police investigations sometimes uncover CCTV footage of the victim of a murder appearing and acting strangely prior to their death, just like we see Khem/Rhampueng do. But why would Ramphueng, in Khemâs body, bother to spook potential investigators, who have nothing to do with her grudge and curse? I think the reason is much more alarming: if Ramphueng knows that Peem is seeing all of this through a vision, sheâs not taunting a poor security guy/police of the future, sheâs taunting Peem. Which means that the scene, before we even know it, is not only hinting that itâs a vision, it makes us realise Ramphuengâs potential omnipresence, further relaying the experience that there is no true safety: she is inescapable, she is even in Peemâs mind in a sense, aware and relentlessly present. So instead of the trope of the âvisionâ taking away from the emotional impact of the story, the writing around it is ADDING to the meaning of what the reveal of the âvisionâ represents.
2. The Naga Lore. When thinking about how Khem will be saved, the more obvious conclusion we can make from the start as an audience is that Peem, as a master, will somehow have enough power to save Khem and everything will be alright. And writing-wise, it would be typical enough to just show that Peem/Khem just have the luck to survive, or maybe they somehow convince Ramphueng now that they know her âbackstoryâ. This would have worked fine too, but narratively it can come across as fairly convenient. So when they introduced the possibility of Peem being able to save Khem for an entirely different reason altogether, I was shocked, because it shows that the series has meticulously thought of a unique route that none of the viewers would have likely expected.
The common issue with this is that, when you introduce a new component, it can sometimes have the opposite effect on the audience. By trying to surprise the audience with an unexpected element, it can backfire easily, because it usually spawns out of nowhere, is done purely out for dramatic effect, and sometimes even brings about an unwanted and often âunnecessarilyâ unsatisfying conclusion, which is why audiences usually say that the choice âdidnât make senseâ (ex: giving an unhappy ending to the lovers, just for the sake of âsurprising the audienceâ to show they wonât have a typical happy ending - thatâs weak writing). But not at all. Whatâs commendable in the writing of this episode in âKhemjiraâ is that the naga lore makes sense. Why? Because it doesnât come out of nowhere, the series has actually created the foundation for this plotline to come about naturally, which, instead of confusing or irritating the viewer, pleasantly surprises them and feels like a sensible âplot-twistâ.
How so? Two key factors from past episodes: the deity from the forest, and Peemâs previous mention of having roots to a naga. I think itâs safe to say, that most of the audience probably thought the series wouldnât really go back on those factors at all. The deity of the forest had their role at the beginning, and serves to show that there are other strong figures around, but also showcases how powerful Ramphueng is that she can threaten them. And the mention of Peem having naga roots (something his grandfather had told him) merely felt like exposition (at the time) to justify why Peem seems to be so well-protected and influential as a shaman. Probably didnât think they would come back in the story at all, and even less that those two, seemingly separate factors, would actually be interlinked. So in this episode, the reveal that Peem was actually a naga, and the story of how he became human + his previous bond with the serpent deity + the weapon he receives all makes sense. If anything, it actually clarifies and adds intent to the previous plot lines especially the theme of past lives, making the story even richer in its writing, and conveying a real sense of how fate/connectivity/karma works in this world throughout time. In addition, this plotline is creating a less predictable outcome for the finale for the audience, because now more factors are at play.
3. The use of the âvisionâ and the dream in which Peem and Khem reunite effectively resolves the conflict between Khem and Peem. Itâs easy in a romantic story, to use a plot device such as a character saving the other, to show that now their relationship is back to how it was, without actually showing how the characters have addressed this between them, either through communication or through a specific symbolic gesture (so purely âsaving someone from dangerâ doesnât typically make up for that). But here, it does, because in this scenario, the conflict is psychological. Instead of like in the vision, Peem goes to Khem the night before, when Khem is more mentally in danger than physically (even if thatâs also the case). So when Peem makes himself visible to Khem in the dream, pleading for Khem to not take his own life, to ânot give upâ, they are indirectly already addressing the root of their conflict. As here, the idea of ânot giving upâ has multiple meanings: it means for Khem to not give up on his own life, but it also means to not give up on having others save him, to not give up on relying on others, and in their case, to not give up on their relationship (which was their main conflict/cause of separation). So when Khem decides to not give up, waking up in his room to see Peem, and initiating the hug, Khem has chosen to not give up on Peem himself nor on the relationship. The act shows that they have essentially communicated to each other that they will stay together, which is further emphasised with the hug (=reunion, resolving the conflict).
Lastly, one fact I wanted to talk about is the discussion on how âKhemjira is not BL/it is too good to be BL/shouldnât be BLâ etc. As someone who has been watching BL for around 10 years, I think people are really putting down what BL truly is. If multiple works of good quality are appearing in the last few years in BL, then claiming that theyâre not because of factors like quality, success, and multitude of genre feels reductive. Iâve seen similar discussions about Shine or anime like The Summer Hikaru Died, and more, saying that theyâre âqueer seriesâ rather than BL. I say theyâre both.
Rather than saying that such works canât be categorised by BL (unless youâre making a point about stylistic choices, etc), we should be saying that the BL âgenreâ is evolving in such a way that it can rival or even overtake mainstream works. But even that argument doesnât really reflect the bigger picture because, personally, I believe that BL series have always been experimental, genre-bending and thought-provoking for the very fact that they are queer (=not as defined by the norm). Think of series like Eternal Yesterday (2022), Grey Rainbow (2016), films like Sei No Gekiyaku (2020), The Eighth Sense (2023), Manner of Death (2020), I told Sunset About You (2020). To me, theyâre all BL, and each of these tap into different themes and genres, other than just romance. A series like Eternal Yesterday is a metaphor about grief and the process of grief, Sei No Gekiyaku is a philosophical statement on transgression and how sexual violence is used as a form of human communication, The Eighth Sense is an essay on mental health, Manner of Death is a mystery thriller on queer justice, and I Told Sunset About You is about the fragility of dreams and subtlety of intimacy. All of these, BL.
If people say that theyâre an exception rather than the rule, consider how even stories that may not seem as profound on the surface, such as âLove In The Airâ, are presenting something of its own, from its queerness. Love In The Air for instance, focuses on a character who discovers their desire for men, with the interlinked plotlines around boundaries, and the theme of responsability that is developed. I think Khemjira is an example of what BL is capable of, and I hope that we can celebrate it as such.
Okie, this was quite long once again, but Iâm always really interested in hearing different perspectives and knowing what people thought of my ideas/analysis so feel free to let me know what you think ^^
it was so creepy when the scene shifted to the cctv view and the rooftop too. the way khem gave that small smile.…
Itâs even creepier when you realise itâs Peemâs vision so itâs as if he was seeing the CCTV footage post-Khemâs death, like from a police investigation (thatâs all I could think of when the CCTV was playing so when it was revealed that it was Peemâs perspective, that link came to me immediately)
Was just watching a reaction to Revenged Love and wrote this rant, so I thought I'd post it here if it's interesting:
Regarding the point about Wu Suowei and Chi Cheng thinking that the leads still needed to discuss things further after all their misunderstandings to clear things up through conversation, I have a different take on the writing for the episodes (15-20), let me know what you think: given that this series likes to portray its characters as having a heightened awareness, and constant strategy to what they do, thereâs this repeated idea throughout the show that even if you know something, and trust someone, they still get hurt by what they see or hear, so thereâs an interesting conflict between the charactersâ conscious rationalisation and conscious emotional response. Whatâs even more interesting is how the series shows that the characters are acutely aware of this internal conflict, of their own emotions and those of others, and actively implemented that knowledge into their plans, almost as though the show is also making a point about human psychology, and how to effectively approach events in which the âirrationalityâ of human nature comes into play.
An example of this is Chengyuâs method of dispersing any remaining doubts in Chi Cheng about not having slept with Wang Shuo. Chengyu doesnât have any concrete proof other than his own words to claim it didnât happen. So instead, he sets out this long plan to expose Wang Shuo. He remains near Chi Cheng during those six years, because leaving would be a sign of his guilt in Chi Chengâs eyes. In doing so, heâs showing he has nothing to hide, heâs also subtly alerting Chi Cheng that heâs been framed (because the series keep emphasising the idea that the characters pick up on things and realise things by understanding other characters and seeing if their behaviour âadds upâ in the wider frame of the circumstances to re-evaluate what they previously concluded), and most importantly perhaps, what Chengyu is truly assuaging is the human doubt (of Chi Chengâs) that comes from our innate skepticism as humans, especially when we feel betrayed.
Chengyu is kind of âprovingâ and relieving Chi Cheng of this slowly over time, by not saying things like âI didnât do itâ, which could lead to further doubt (emotionally for Chi Cheng). By not saying anything, only leaving clues with these actions, Chengyu is allowing Chi Cheng to make his own conclusions, and not force it, patiently waiting for his chance to lure Wang Shuo to expose himself. Which is exactly what happens, in episode 17 when Chengyu and Wang Shuo talk, CG lures Wang Shuo to admit it by making Wang Shuo think that CG stayed with Chi Cheng to have a chance with him romantically (once again, this only works because Chengyu is aware that this is Wang Shuoâs insecurity and not rooted in truth), and Wang Shuo unintentionally admits it. (Do I think that direct communication is the healthiest and extremely important? Definitely, and ideally, itâs how people should confront things, but I think that what the series is doing with the story is to portray human conscience as an intricate web that one scheme throughs - not necessarily as a negatives thing - in every aspect of our interactions, because the emotional layers of our experiences must be addressed with delicate awareness, and take into account that thereâs more to it than using logic to persuade).
In the context of Wu Suowei and Chi Chengâs âmisunderstandingsâ, I really believe that both Wu Suowei and Chi Cheng knew or sensed the truth of what was going on. For example, even as WSW âthoughtâ that CC was going to the hospital to see Wang Shuo, I genuinely believe that itâs more in the sense of : consciously, heâs smart enough to know that there is more than meets the eye, yet emotionally it still affects him. Same with the kiss, I donât see it WSW truly believing that Chi Cheng cheated on him, he knows thereâs more to what he sees, but he has a breakdown because itâs triggering his deepest fears and insecurities, and hurting him regardless especially as he himself knows that thereâs a missing piece of information heâs lacking, but he doesnât know what it is, so heâs in even more despair. Same thing with Chi Cheng hearing the âtruthâ about the plan from WSW. He knows that WSWâs act of seeming like he did it all for money and to get back with Yue Yue, that the idea that âhe doesnât love himâ, isnât true, but it still hurts him, and âthe break upâ is both part of the plan to unravel all the things involved with all parties that are scheming and a reflection of that pain. But as you see in episode 19, Chi Cheng himself doesnât really treat this as a break-up and more like the time apart they have to have until everything settles, and thatâs why when Chengyu says âwhatâs the big deal, is it worth it (aka the plan to stay apart)?â then Chi Cheng answers: âIf JXC told you he never loved you, how would you feel?â. The implication here in my view, is more so that it's about the pain of hearing someone you love say that, even if you know they didnât mean it, rather than because you actually believe they mean it.
Thatâs why in episode 19, both WSW and CCâs reactions are more âtameâ whilst theyâre separated, because theyâre focusing on figuring out all the schemes around them so that they can finally be together as they resolve and find the causes/proof/method of exposing external intruders they need. With Wu Suowei, you see this with how in episode 19, he talks with JXC about someone instigating Yue Yueâs appearances, instead of being portrayed as totally heartbroken (which would be more reserved for a reaction in which he truly believed Chi Cheng would never be with him again - which is not the case here). So when Wu Suowei gets the call about his mum, finds out about the situation and itâs shown that he knows that that what Chi Cheng was up to, itâs heavily implied that WSW has already put all the pieces together regarding the âcheatingâ,and that thatâs cleared up. Same with Chi Cheng, he already knows Wu Suowei loves him, and CC himself said he doesnât care about the deceit, he just cares about Wu Suoweiâs sincerity in his feelings for him, so their temporary physical separation is for the âgreater planâ, itâs for him to be 'with his feelings' from the pain of essentially beind told they don't love you aka not hearing what he was hoping (even if he knows WSWâs intent), and partially also because itâs a way of getting back at WSW for a while before he goes back to him, which is why when they reunite in episode 20, Chi Cheng says that the time apart was only âhow long he could bear to be apart from himâ, and is also the reason why he starts off with saying cruel things as a petty and very temporary ârevengeâ (more like harsh teasing really- which WSW senses too), before he caves in and finally softens, is direct with him, and showers him with love. In other words, thatâs my view as to why âfurther discussionâ shown on screen between the leads is not necessary in my view, because the series has conveyed through many actions that the characters have actually (in this kind of symbolic and indirect manner) realised the misunderstandings and communicated their true intentions already(for instance, Chi Cheng knows that Wu Suowei was able to figure out why CC couldnât be upfront about his absences once WSW learned about his motherâs condition), kind of like bread crumbs that you follow to find someone whoâs been kidnapped to understand their message/the truth of their situation (if you know the tale Iâm referring to). This is something the show also wants us to know and so itâs reiterated through the scene between JXC and Guy Chengyu later in episode 20, after everything occurred, when Jiang Xiao Shuai inquires about why Chengyu went to such lengths, he says: âIf itâs not revealed, it would have been a ticking time bombâŠ.Theyâre both smart people. Anger is temporary. Given time, slowly, theyâll understandâ, which I feel really reflects the thoughts above. Would love to know if anyone agrees/any other thoughts ^^
But you are đ not new to BL right? He expressed himself that it's a psychological reason and he meant during…
Thank you, I'm really pleased to know your reaction and that it was an enjoyable read! ^^ I think one of the things that makes Revenged Love so refreshing and memorable for so many people (regardless of how it's interpreted) is that it really faces societal norms head on, without shying away from them or simply contradicting them, they full on toy with them by using absurdity, and therefore reveal their flaws and yet transcend them without ignoring their grasp on how people live day-to-day, which I think a lot of media is more prone to avoid, by either conforming to those norms with some exceptions or by challenging the norms but through the means of having characters that simply already are non-heteronormative (perhaps they're queer or think differently or both) but minimally engage with the norms themselves directly (it's another method of subverting norms which is what I very much love in series too but it's thus different to what Revenged Love does too). Ps: also happy to get your friend request, would love to talk moreâ
But you are đ not new to BL right? He expressed himself that it's a psychological reason and he meant during…
Hi! Sorry for interjecting but I got really invested in your debate and noticed that there was a point that I really wanted to address, let me know your thoughts: from what I understand, the issue that you have with the relationship is the idea that Wu Suowei is the one being âforcedâ into a gender role of being the submissive one in the relationship and that therefore it creates a power imbalance with Chi Cheng because CC insists on control through it? To answer, from my point of view, Wu Suowei only actually wishes to "top" Chi Cheng, especially at the beginning, because of Wu Suowei's own pride and him wanting to "retain" his so-called straightness and power. The reason why it's portrayed as comedic is because the series is actually making fun of this kind of outdated thinking, where "topping" = power/masculinity/straightness. So Wu Suowei insisting on being the top throughout the series is because of him amusingly still thinking in this way. This is why, when Wu Suowei is starting to have feelings for Chi Cheng, he tries to stay in denial of it, and when he has to admit to himself that he does have feelings for Chi Cheng (because WSW is so self-aware), then his problem becomes "having to bottom". This is the reason why: if you look into some psychology articles about this, what is very common for queer people when they are trying to understand their sexuality, is that they may be able to accept the romantic feelings that they have, but going through with the sexual act, which makes it feel more real, can be even more difficult to accept, especially when it comes to bottoming. This is because society has ingrained the idea that masculinity is inherently linked to taking on the « dominant role » which is stereotypically associated with topping in bed. This is even the case for people who prefer to bottom but who are still accepting their sexuality, and can go through an identity crisis when it comes to having sex as a bottom, because taking this position is contradicting what society has (wrongfully) taught them that they are as âmenâ. So the series is intentionally showing Wu Suowei's acceptance of his sexuality in relation to his reluctance to bottoming.
So itâs actually the opposite of what youâre fearing: the series is creating satire out of this by showing Wu Suoweiâs evolution regarding his acceptance of his identity as a queer man. So from episode 9 to 12ish, the main struggle that Wu Suowei overcomes is his need to cling onto his false âstraight identityâ, he comes to terms with the fact that 1. He does have feelings for Chi Cheng, and 2. That being the bottom doesnât mean that he is less of a man, or not an equal to Chi Cheng, which is why when Chi Cheng and Wu Suowei have sex for the first time which is at the end of episode 11 and continues at the beginning of episode 12, we are seeing Wu Suowei being brave enough to be free from these societal misconceptions. It then remains as a long-running joke in the series, about Wu Suowei âwantingâ to top, because the series is making fun of the idea, that even if you know that a norm is wrong in society, itâs hard to let go of things like heteronormative pride, and I honestly believe that Wu Suowei himself uses it in a consciously satirical manner, because when Chi Cheng and him have that conversation that is initially mentioned in this thread (the bathtub scene), itâs quite clear that Wu Suowei is poking fun at Chi Cheng and riling him up. The evidence for this is how the conversation even happened in the first place: Wu Suowei brings up the fact that Chi Cheng couldnât figure out the codes that Wu Suowei was sending when he was kidnapped. Chi Cheng admits he couldnât figure it out (which is steretypically associated with false ideas about how a top has to be more "capable"). Then Wu Suowei playfully says: « So it seems that this household still needs me to be in charge. » Chi Cheng replies: « You have the final say » (admitting this). Then Wu Suowei says whilst smirking: « Then itâs settled. From now on, youâ'll be the bottom » (reflecying WSW's awareness of this kind of societal norm). So Wu Suowei is clearly making fun of this and is teasing Chi Cheng lol and Chi cheng teases him right back, and it is why the scene ends with Wu Suowei saying « Youâre such a bullshitting bastard (jokingly) ». Wu Suowei is also content in their sexual dynamic, and thatâs reflected in all the episodes after episode 12 (because before episode 12, everything Wu Suowei was reluctant about was due to my prior explanation), and the scenes after ep 12 where WSW mentions topping Chi Cheng is as a way to tease each other and a reflection of what the series is trying to parody: social norms.
What this means is that the series is, through satire, also trying to debunk the idea that a bottom should be associated with qualities such as submissiveness, having less power, and not being an equal to a top. So yes, Wu Suowei is a bottom and Chi Cheng a top, but the series is intentionally communicating that doesnât mean theyâre not equals, that people shouldnât associate such traits with people based on their position in bed (countering the way that other series sometimes do this). Instead, what makes people equals is the nature of their relationship, which can be determined by the way the physical aspect of the relationship is portrayed and the way the emotional aspect of the relationship is portrayed. In Revenged Love, I discussed the way that the physical relationship is explored in a way that destigmatises/satirises what being a bottom means, and that WSW's previous views on topping/bottoming had everything to do with his struggle to accept his bisexuality/queerness, which is why they are now content and can make light of it (through jokes). So then what of the emotional aspect of the relationship? WSW and CC are depicted as equals through the fact that they both understand each othersâ intentions even if they canât see through the details of each scheme, because they trust each other and have a strong foundation as a couple. Even when they are separated physically due to other circumstances, they know what the other person means, even if their words are saying different things to what they are feeling. And when they are together, they are loving, and care about each otherâs dreams, livelihoods, and identity. In my opinion, the fact that they are both portrayed as being capable, and knowledgeable in terms of schemes is a way of communicating to the viewer that as characters, they are written as equals both as people and as a couple.
In fact, to support this, when Chi Cheng is released and that WSW and CC have a conversation on the bed, Chi Cheng thanks WSW. Then WSW mentions that he neednât thank him, because they are a couple (and CC knows what WSW is getting at, which again shows their mutual understanding but still wants to express gratitude). The idea of the couple as expressed in this scene is once again explicitly conveying their status as equals in the series. A couple, as Wu Suowei implies in the scene, is two people who are there for each other in equal measure, there isnât one overpowering the other, or providing more (for example, heteronormativity in society reflects the stereotypical idea that âmen are providersâ and women are not, which reflects a common power imbalance in relationships). So WSW and CC are depicted in the scenes as already operating on the basis that they can do as much as the other for each other, because they are portrayed as equals. Which is why when Wu Suowei explains this, Chi Cheng no longer insists on saying thank you and they start teasing each other as the affectionate pair that they are. So thatâs the way I see it and Iâm curious as to if youâd be more inclined to agree with this or if you still have another view. If anyone has read this far, thank you for the time and Iâd love to hear anyoneâs opinions on this
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There's a common expectation especially as a viewer or third party in a situation, to plainly view things as: if one person has feelings for another that the other person has to have a "valid" reason (ex: already dating someone or not being of the sexual orientation that would make them attracted to the person) if they don't accept the other person's feelings, especially in this case where it takes some time.
I think this comes from an inherent want (even as an external person) to see that the person who is pursuing gets their affection returned - perhaps because we hope to be loved back, or even more so, to be loved for who we are - since childhood - and that in a romantic context, then accepting a confession would be proof of that.
But confessions and dating aren't so straightforward, they're tied to societal perception, and each person will approach it with their own motives: whether for status, pressures of norms & others' views, purely wanting to escape loneliness, being physically attracted to someone, loving someone sincerely, wanting to explore one's identity and more. and within all that, it's easy to forget, that we treat people and ourselves with intentions, and we sense it between us (whether consciously or subconsciously).
On one hand, the person who is receiving a confesssion, shouldn't have any obligation to reciprocate of course, but it's also more than that: it's about authenticity and respect both toward the confessor and yourself, rather than as a reflection of someone distant or emotionally cold. on the contrary, being able to accept, reject or take time with someone's confession at one's own pace and based on one's genuine mindset/feeling, is the most warm-hearted and sincere answer.
This is why I really like how Duang With You introduces us to the story through Duang's perspective first to reel us into that default mode at first; we very much see and feel how Duang is affected - with time - by the uncertainty of whether Qin will ever reciprocate his feelings, and those feelings are underlined rather than dismissed. But one of the strengths of the series is that Qin's perspective is given equal weight, as he is portrayed as discretely gentle, guarded yet straight-forward, taking time to open up, doing so more slowly than societal expectations (and his friends - affectionately) impose.
Therefore any way that he does want to be with Duang feels that much more meaningful because of this. it's a reflection of himself rather than what we/the world hopes for, and gives further subjectivity & legitimacy to his experiences. it's the overall importance that everything he shows, every mutual feeling they share, is one that isn't for granted nor obligatory, it's free, it's thought out, and carried out with great care despite the fear, which is highlighted even more with the show's emphasis on consent.
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In the present timeline, it could genuinely be that thatâs where Saebyeok is sleeping prior to the morning scene, because we know he didnt leave the house and ended up in the same bed as Haneul in the end. But weâre also made to think it is a flashback because the current Haneul (with amnesia) wouldnât initiate a sexual interaction with him and at the very least, would not act the way he did (with experience and familiarity of Saebyeok), meaning that, given itâs most likely a flashback, there is nonetheless an undisclosed reason as to why Saebeyok is sleeping on the couch (given theyâre a couple), which directs us, the viewers, to have to speculate about what happened in a past timeline (for example, maybe they had a small fight and Saebyeok ended up sleeping on the couch or that S. came back home late from work and just fell asleep on the couch for some reason). Yet because the reason is undisclosed, it makes the viewer correlate the scene to the present timeline even more.
In fact, the past and present timeline feel merged in that scene altogether. What specifically makes it feel that way for the viewer, is that, when Haneul approaches Saebyeok on the couch, his first reaction is to trace Saebyeokâs face with curiosity, just like youâd assume he would in the current timeline(in fact the scene starts with us thinking we *are* in the current timeline due to this) - because it suits the reaction of a character/Haneul who is in disbelief that his rival friend has become his lover, and who would want to look at him more closely as Saebyeok is sleeping (since Haneul would be too stubborn & guarded to do so if Saebyeok was awake). But the following moments, where heâs sensual with Saebyeok, are clearly from the âconsciousnessâ of the 29 year old Haneul who is used to being physically intimate with Saebyeok. Still, the scene creates enough ambiguity, strangely enough, that we simply donât know 100% what is true (even if itâs 99.9% likely that itâs a flashback). This makes the scene feel so much more eery and plays with notions of dream and reality. It makes the idea of memory/identity feel very vivid and yet ephemeral and hard to grasp. Even more so, it opens up a new possibility, that perhaps Haneul temporarily regains his memories at times, making the scene feel even more mystical and cryptic - are there even moments that we as the viewer donât see in the current timeline and that Saebyeok experiences?
Thatâs the kind of mystery the scene gets us to feel. Even if Haneul doesnât actually temporarily turn into his 29 year old self in the current timeline, itâs more about the fact that the series is playing with that ambiguity to make us feel like weâre in young Haneulâs shoes, seeing things from this fragmented, dream-like perspective, which is exactly why when he wakes up, he, himself, asks whether it was a dream. Itâs one thing for the series to add an intimate scene and then show the character being confused to let us know what theyâre experiencing, and itâs another to make us, the viewers, feel that confusion, desire, and curiosity *with* the character. I know it might not be for everyone, but I really liked that so much personally.
As the audience, we saw how North and Pai reacted when they found out about Yu a few episodes back: the outcome, especially on Pai's end, was to resort to putting distance between them and Yu, even to the extent (logically) of wanting him gone altogether. So for us, this created more tension around how Pai would react to "Tim"âs true identity being exposed. It made us expect that Pai would similarly distance himself from Tim for a while - and this is the most common execution in a series for this kind of scenario. But instead, whilst Pai is in disbelief and angry, he still lets Tim stay in his vicinity. Instead of completely isolating himself as we would have come to expect, he doesn't completely cut Tim off, in fact he's (reluctantly) willing to see him, he's (ultimately) willing to go to his house, he even instinctually calls out to him for help when he's scared and jumps to hug Tim, reflecting that, despite the betrayal, thereâs something more to this that allows Pai to have Tim around him, even if he is currently hurt (if someone was to argue that Pai is only around Tim right now because his grandfather blocked all his credit cards & access to his house, my thoughts on this are that, if he really wanted to, Pai would have other ways to find a place to sleep, such as his childhood friendâs place - so his choices showcase the openness that remains for Tim in his heart).
Now there are two particular reasonings behind Pai's reaction which I find meaningful:
1. Pai doesn't seem to let people in his life easily. He was suspicious and disliked Yu from the get-go, so when Yuâs true plan was exposed, Pai is decisive about cutting Yu off from their lives, especially as he's protective of North. Pai appears to be more logic-oriented and detached when making certain decisions, which I think is something he has honed at work (in his role as CEO), and which he seems to apply to people he isn't as close to or has put a distance from, from the start. But it's different when he cares about someone, especially someone he confides and feels safe with - which brings that down to a very few people because he is that specific about who he allows in his heart.
2. But even more interestingly, what stands out to me is that Pai's reaction also, almost in contradiction to my earlier point, solidifies Pai's ability to assess people, and his intelligence: a key reason as to why Pai isn't cutting Tim out of his life so far is that now that Pai knows the truth, he can think back on every interaction with that knowledge. Pai is most likely already putting together all the possible inconsistencies in how Tim presented himself, and differentiating between the act and the genuine. So even though it hasn't been shown or said explicitly, I feel like this is what is happening to Pai in the second half of the episode. Even as Pai knows what Tim did, he still knows and/or feels deep within that parts of what he saw of Tim are true. That what he had with Tim wasn't solely built on lies. Because Pai's reaction is of someone who is troubled by the shock of processing the extent of the lies and not so much on the premise that nothing was real.
This is a direct contrast to North, who, as a person, struggles more in analysing events logically, and judges based on his assessment of emotions, action and empathy - which is why the turning point for North was to learn about Yuâs perspective, his backstory, and experience with trust - because it is more difficult for him to assess purely by re-considering past events. Meanwhile, for Pai, whilst he also shows love & empathy for Tim (when heâs hurt etc), he operates more on the consensus of how he can, through his own judgement (not so much the other person), make out what led to this specific moment from an analytical point of view.I do believe that a lot of Paiâs reaction can be explained by the fact that Pai senses that he 'understands' Tim as a person even if he doesn't 'know' exactly who Tim is anymore, and this understanding is rooted in the time that they have spent together.
This also goes to show the difference in how the series represents betrayal psychologically in terms of the time spent between both couples. Pai has spent enough time with Tim, and has the depth of judgement, that allows him to reason Timâs actions without even knowing the whole truth yet, and it is because he does have a grasp of who Tim is beyond the facade he was showing. Whatâs beautiful about this is that it is representing love (in a case where it was mutual like Tim and Pai) as based on a more profound understanding of the person, even if it wasnât fully conscious, especially before knowing what was going on with the person. And you see this a little bit with Yu and North as well, where, unlike Pai, North has a more primal sense of distrust after he finds out about Yu (based more simply on the facts of what he learns at any point in time and the feelings they procure, rather than analysing the nuances), yet he also keeps Yu physically around and tries to test him, not because he doesnât want anything to do with Yu anymore, but because he wants to know the truth and subconsciously wants to continue having Yu around, and hopes that the mutual love he thought he felt is actually real, and not just fabricated.This brings me to the aspect that personally comforted me the most in this episode.
Whilst some of the interactions of Pai getting scared by the geckos and hugging Tim come across as comedic on the surface, they are at the heart of why Pai is reacting the way he does. Tim is one of the only, if not THE only, person he truly feels like he can rely on and be vulnerable with (as can be seen by the fact that his instinct is to hug Tim when he is afraid). All he wants, now that he does know the truthâŠ.is to be reassured. He wants reassurance that Tim is still there for him, even when he has nothing. He wants the reassurance that Tim does love him, and wasnât solely there for the money. He wants the reassurance that at least a part of what made him feel safe with Tim is real. That his judgement of reality had substance (because this goes further than a relationship with someone, it also ties back to questions of his identity and perception). So when Pai sees that Tim still goes after him even when learning that Pai is disowned, when he sees that Tim waited outside for him all night, I think it is intentionally symbolic that when he got scared by the gecko, he âopened a doorâ to let Tim back in to protect him, and be with him. A first step toward accepting Tim despite the circumstances, and which leads to the second step of him accepting to go to Timâs house (all of these are based on âproofâ that Pai is now continuously assessing how Tim reacts to him now that Timâs plan failed and that Pai doesnât have any wealth to his name). In fact, I wouldnât be surprised if, even if only subconsciously, Pai himself was the one to suggest getting disowned by his family, because he wanted, emotionally, to really see what would happen if that was the case, what this would reveal about Tim (even if part of it is of course due to the guilt Pai thinks he bears in his âlapseâ of judgement, and wanting to take responsability for his family).
And to me, it makes Pai and Timâs scenes after the ârevealâ that much more heartfelt, and warm. Because Pai is already seeing that Timâs love is indeed genuine, he senses it even before he asks any questions with all of the things I mentioned prior. So when the scene at night occurs, and he sees physical traces that further show the genuineness of Timâs feelings for him and his intent to build the âfamily projectâ together, you can see in Paiâs eyes a kind of gradual certainty, openness and gentleness that sets in. When Tim then tells him he does truly love him, even if not at first sight, you see this. Whatâs unique about the scene is that the execution is strikingly different to a lot of other series. Many series would show that the other character is overwhelmed with anger (understandably) to even be able to hear the person out. In Paiâs case, heâs listening whilst looking conflicted, because whilst it allows him to confirm more things that are brewing in his mind, then, just like he says himself, thereâs a difference between understanding and forgiveness.
Yet, despite that, his heart is very much there for Tim, and that really shows, when he hugs Tim again when Tim pretends thereâs a gecko, and then lets Tim kiss him on the cheek multiple times, even when he figured there wasnât a gecko and is âseeminglyâ trying to get out of Timâs hold. To me, this says everything. He doesnât even get angry when he gets teased by Tim, and doesnât seriously try to push Tim away. He needs this. Itâs healing for him. Because it is a true display of Timâs feelings for him, and itâs anchored by the fact that the moment that precedes this is the moment Tim says âWell, I did askâ. Itâs a moment when Tim had said he isnât giving up on Pai, showcasing a new side of Tim, a real side of him that shows he is just as in love with Pai as heâd shown before. This is why the events of the episode play out so well in my mind, and really makes the episode feel heart-warming and soothing (and interesting in terms of themes of trust and forgiveness). Of course, I do think that Pai will not let Tim go so easy, and will have go about his own way toward forgiving Tim, but I think that thatâs more a matter of Pai strategically regaining further trust in Tim and getting Tim to face some sort of consequence, but on an emotional level, this episode really captured the nuances of how Pai went about assessing whether he still felt safe loving Tim and allowing him back into his life. (Sorry for the long rant and thank you for reading, curious to hear any thoughts)
https://youtu.be/_LrgQQCn3MY?si=KxLoR_b5mLON9ENu
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One of the main ideas I want to touch on is how effectively the series creates a false sense of security that is exposed to us in this episode, as well as what they have done to elevate the events, interlinking multiple prior elements/characters that appeared before to create new meaning. But first, I want to dive into how the series doesnât rely on cliche tropes that they easily could have gone with, but instead, cleverly avoided:
-trope 1 : the characters deciding to continue their daily lives as usual even when thereâs a short deadline that can risk the protagonistâs life. I like how the series plays with this cliche and then stops it right from the start: the cliche is that characters who are experiencing near-death scenarios/know theyâre risking death, simply decide to continue their routine, exposing themselves to more possibilities of danger (which makes the audience question why they wouldnât just isolate themselves home with company, to not risk it). What âKhemjiraâ does as a series, is show their self-awareness of this cliche by first including it as a possibility, when we see Khem, Jet and Charn preparing to go to uni. But pretty much immediately, they almost get killed by a car, and decide right after to stay indoors for the rest of the period. To me, that scene is an example of the seriesâ use of dark humour, where theyâre intentionally toying with the audienceâs familiarity with cliches and showing how theyâre walking around them, disrupting them ultimately.
-trope 2: a side character doing something clumsy which leads to an opportunity for Khem to be in danger. âKhemjiraâ doesnât resort to this. Even in the vision, Ramphueng seems to forcibly put Jet and Charn to sleep, beyond their control. Then Charn is the first one to wake up (which is logical and not random as he has strong senses that could realistically alert him awake when such danger is looming). This shows that the series is intentionally not relying on the audience to suspend their disbelief, and is instead coming up with unexpected ways to deal with the issue to keep us on our feet, and are intentional with their choices (not taking the âeasy way outâ in the writing).
-trope 3: the concept of Peem/the love interest arriving at the last minute during Khemâs fall, and saving him just in time. This cliche is usually done to create dramatic tension, but it doesnât have much emotional impact for the audience because the audience kind of expects it. And on top of that, if the love interest arrives at the last minute to save them after a separation, it makes you question the choice in characterisation, because even if itâs not intended, it almost makes the character seem petty for risking their loved oneâs life by appearing at the last moment (which âKhemjiraâ doesnât do). Not to mention that the probability of saving someone at the last second is a classic act of âdeus ex machinaâ (as in âsaved by the bellâ, too timely to be belieavable). Instead of doing this, the series âKhemjiraâ as a series reveals that the course of events is a vision that Peem is having, and has not actually happened yet. Therefore, the series prevents this trope from happening, and it also serves to show that Khemâs death can actually happen, that narratively, it is more likely than unlikely.
-trope 4: âIt was all a dreamâ. I know I finished the last paragraph saying that Peem was dreaming the events, but ironically, even this trope is subverted. The reason why I mention this trope as a cliche is that it usually takes away from the weight of the events that happen in the dream (which at the time, the audience thought were real). It makes the events that unfolded feel like they lose their meaning and merely serve as a warning to the protagonist. But here, âKhemjiraâ, completely flips that over its head. How? Two things: first, the timeline. When Peem experiences the vision, most of what we saw in the vision had already happened, except for the last day, so most of it was indeed real. And second, Ramphuengâs invisible presence.
Indeed, Khem didnât fall/die, but there is a much more terrifying reality in what the vision has shown us, something Khem is already experiencing: the overt presence of Ramphueng in Khemâs mind. Whatâs viscerally disturbing, beyond the warning that Khem will die if Peem doesnât save him, is the false sense of security that is created. The other characters, Jet and Charn (and Jetâs sister) AND the audience, thought at one point that, at least in the building, Khem was somewhat safe so far, that Ramphueng hadnât yet appeared, even when knowing that sheâll probably appear at the last moment to do something, but that so far she hadnât.
But when itâs revealed, in the vision, that she was there all along, tormenting Khem with the dread and threat to his life, without being able to tell anyone else, we, as the audience, who also didnât know, are faced with the acute and violent realisation that what we had assumed was safe suddenly isnât, and that in a way, Ramphueng has crossed our own invisible barriers, and trespassed into our minds. From this, a looming sense of lack of safety and danger then dawns on us, the audience, who were equally mislead about Khemâs safety (or lack thereof).
The truly great part in the writing here, is that when Khem falls to his death, and we see Peem wake up to it being a dream, this reveal does not erase the implications of what we have just seen. It doesnât away the emotional reality and weight of the events. Our sense of security is still broken: because even if Khemâs death is a prediction that hasnât yet occurred, everything else is real and happening already. What really drives home the theme of false of security is the visual image of the âTrojan horseâ shrine. When we first see the shrine, as the audience, itâs easy to predict that, whilst the shrine protects Khem for now, Ramphueng might be able to break it closer to Khemâs birthday (maybe with the logic that she grows stronger as the deadline grows near). But instead, itâs revealed that the shrine itself was in no way keeping Khem safe. Quite the opposite, it was granting Ramphueng access, a gateway to enter Khemâs mind and affect him (and us). And the fact that a shaman had planted it there, a trusted figure (most likely threatened by Ramphueng to keep silent), visually shatters our trust (literally, they smash the shrine) of everything around the characters, and this makes us realise that safety seems like an illusion altogether.
Now I want to talk about key aspects of the episodes that elevates the writing and turnout of events, to create an unsettling atmosphere and striking imagery:
1. The CCTV filter in Peemâs vision. Now that we know that the passages leading to the death-scene was a vision, the meaning behind the scene is eery to say the least, and downright horrifying at most. I thought it was odd when I first watched the scene and saw Ramphueng, possessing Khem, stare at the camera. Why would she bother? The first thing that came to mind for me, was how, in real-crime documentaries, police investigations sometimes uncover CCTV footage of the victim of a murder appearing and acting strangely prior to their death, just like we see Khem/Rhampueng do. But why would Ramphueng, in Khemâs body, bother to spook potential investigators, who have nothing to do with her grudge and curse? I think the reason is much more alarming: if Ramphueng knows that Peem is seeing all of this through a vision, sheâs not taunting a poor security guy/police of the future, sheâs taunting Peem. Which means that the scene, before we even know it, is not only hinting that itâs a vision, it makes us realise Ramphuengâs potential omnipresence, further relaying the experience that there is no true safety: she is inescapable, she is even in Peemâs mind in a sense, aware and relentlessly present. So instead of the trope of the âvisionâ taking away from the emotional impact of the story, the writing around it is ADDING to the meaning of what the reveal of the âvisionâ represents.
2. The Naga Lore. When thinking about how Khem will be saved, the more obvious conclusion we can make from the start as an audience is that Peem, as a master, will somehow have enough power to save Khem and everything will be alright. And writing-wise, it would be typical enough to just show that Peem/Khem just have the luck to survive, or maybe they somehow convince Ramphueng now that they know her âbackstoryâ. This would have worked fine too, but narratively it can come across as fairly convenient. So when they introduced the possibility of Peem being able to save Khem for an entirely different reason altogether, I was shocked, because it shows that the series has meticulously thought of a unique route that none of the viewers would have likely expected.
The common issue with this is that, when you introduce a new component, it can sometimes have the opposite effect on the audience. By trying to surprise the audience with an unexpected element, it can backfire easily, because it usually spawns out of nowhere, is done purely out for dramatic effect, and sometimes even brings about an unwanted and often âunnecessarilyâ unsatisfying conclusion, which is why audiences usually say that the choice âdidnât make senseâ (ex: giving an unhappy ending to the lovers, just for the sake of âsurprising the audienceâ to show they wonât have a typical happy ending - thatâs weak writing). But not at all. Whatâs commendable in the writing of this episode in âKhemjiraâ is that the naga lore makes sense. Why? Because it doesnât come out of nowhere, the series has actually created the foundation for this plotline to come about naturally, which, instead of confusing or irritating the viewer, pleasantly surprises them and feels like a sensible âplot-twistâ.
How so? Two key factors from past episodes: the deity from the forest, and Peemâs previous mention of having roots to a naga. I think itâs safe to say, that most of the audience probably thought the series wouldnât really go back on those factors at all. The deity of the forest had their role at the beginning, and serves to show that there are other strong figures around, but also showcases how powerful Ramphueng is that she can threaten them. And the mention of Peem having naga roots (something his grandfather had told him) merely felt like exposition (at the time) to justify why Peem seems to be so well-protected and influential as a shaman. Probably didnât think they would come back in the story at all, and even less that those two, seemingly separate factors, would actually be interlinked. So in this episode, the reveal that Peem was actually a naga, and the story of how he became human + his previous bond with the serpent deity + the weapon he receives all makes sense. If anything, it actually clarifies and adds intent to the previous plot lines especially the theme of past lives, making the story even richer in its writing, and conveying a real sense of how fate/connectivity/karma works in this world throughout time. In addition, this plotline is creating a less predictable outcome for the finale for the audience, because now more factors are at play.
3. The use of the âvisionâ and the dream in which Peem and Khem reunite effectively resolves the conflict between Khem and Peem. Itâs easy in a romantic story, to use a plot device such as a character saving the other, to show that now their relationship is back to how it was, without actually showing how the characters have addressed this between them, either through communication or through a specific symbolic gesture (so purely âsaving someone from dangerâ doesnât typically make up for that). But here, it does, because in this scenario, the conflict is psychological. Instead of like in the vision, Peem goes to Khem the night before, when Khem is more mentally in danger than physically (even if thatâs also the case). So when Peem makes himself visible to Khem in the dream, pleading for Khem to not take his own life, to ânot give upâ, they are indirectly already addressing the root of their conflict. As here, the idea of ânot giving upâ has multiple meanings: it means for Khem to not give up on his own life, but it also means to not give up on having others save him, to not give up on relying on others, and in their case, to not give up on their relationship (which was their main conflict/cause of separation). So when Khem decides to not give up, waking up in his room to see Peem, and initiating the hug, Khem has chosen to not give up on Peem himself nor on the relationship. The act shows that they have essentially communicated to each other that they will stay together, which is further emphasised with the hug (=reunion, resolving the conflict).
Lastly, one fact I wanted to talk about is the discussion on how âKhemjira is not BL/it is too good to be BL/shouldnât be BLâ etc. As someone who has been watching BL for around 10 years, I think people are really putting down what BL truly is. If multiple works of good quality are appearing in the last few years in BL, then claiming that theyâre not because of factors like quality, success, and multitude of genre feels reductive. Iâve seen similar discussions about Shine or anime like The Summer Hikaru Died, and more, saying that theyâre âqueer seriesâ rather than BL. I say theyâre both.
Rather than saying that such works canât be categorised by BL (unless youâre making a point about stylistic choices, etc), we should be saying that the BL âgenreâ is evolving in such a way that it can rival or even overtake mainstream works. But even that argument doesnât really reflect the bigger picture because, personally, I believe that BL series have always been experimental, genre-bending and thought-provoking for the very fact that they are queer (=not as defined by the norm). Think of series like Eternal Yesterday (2022), Grey Rainbow (2016), films like Sei No Gekiyaku (2020), The Eighth Sense (2023), Manner of Death (2020), I told Sunset About You (2020). To me, theyâre all BL, and each of these tap into different themes and genres, other than just romance. A series like Eternal Yesterday is a metaphor about grief and the process of grief, Sei No Gekiyaku is a philosophical statement on transgression and how sexual violence is used as a form of human communication, The Eighth Sense is an essay on mental health, Manner of Death is a mystery thriller on queer justice, and I Told Sunset About You is about the fragility of dreams and subtlety of intimacy. All of these, BL.
If people say that theyâre an exception rather than the rule, consider how even stories that may not seem as profound on the surface, such as âLove In The Airâ, are presenting something of its own, from its queerness. Love In The Air for instance, focuses on a character who discovers their desire for men, with the interlinked plotlines around boundaries, and the theme of responsability that is developed. I think Khemjira is an example of what BL is capable of, and I hope that we can celebrate it as such.
Okie, this was quite long once again, but Iâm always really interested in hearing different perspectives and knowing what people thought of my ideas/analysis so feel free to let me know what you think ^^
Regarding the point about Wu Suowei and Chi Cheng thinking that the leads still needed to discuss things further after all their misunderstandings to clear things up through conversation, I have a different take on the writing for the episodes (15-20), let me know what you think: given that this series likes to portray its characters as having a heightened awareness, and constant strategy to what they do, thereâs this repeated idea throughout the show that even if you know something, and trust someone, they still get hurt by what they see or hear, so thereâs an interesting conflict between the charactersâ conscious rationalisation and conscious emotional response. Whatâs even more interesting is how the series shows that the characters are acutely aware of this internal conflict, of their own emotions and those of others, and actively implemented that knowledge into their plans, almost as though the show is also making a point about human psychology, and how to effectively approach events in which the âirrationalityâ of human nature comes into play.
An example of this is Chengyuâs method of dispersing any remaining doubts in Chi Cheng about not having slept with Wang Shuo. Chengyu doesnât have any concrete proof other than his own words to claim it didnât happen. So instead, he sets out this long plan to expose Wang Shuo. He remains near Chi Cheng during those six years, because leaving would be a sign of his guilt in Chi Chengâs eyes. In doing so, heâs showing he has nothing to hide, heâs also subtly alerting Chi Cheng that heâs been framed (because the series keep emphasising the idea that the characters pick up on things and realise things by understanding other characters and seeing if their behaviour âadds upâ in the wider frame of the circumstances to re-evaluate what they previously concluded), and most importantly perhaps, what Chengyu is truly assuaging is the human doubt (of Chi Chengâs) that comes from our innate skepticism as humans, especially when we feel betrayed.
Chengyu is kind of âprovingâ and relieving Chi Cheng of this slowly over time, by not saying things like âI didnât do itâ, which could lead to further doubt (emotionally for Chi Cheng). By not saying anything, only leaving clues with these actions, Chengyu is allowing Chi Cheng to make his own conclusions, and not force it, patiently waiting for his chance to lure Wang Shuo to expose himself. Which is exactly what happens, in episode 17 when Chengyu and Wang Shuo talk, CG lures Wang Shuo to admit it by making Wang Shuo think that CG stayed with Chi Cheng to have a chance with him romantically (once again, this only works because Chengyu is aware that this is Wang Shuoâs insecurity and not rooted in truth), and Wang Shuo unintentionally admits it. (Do I think that direct communication is the healthiest and extremely important? Definitely, and ideally, itâs how people should confront things, but I think that what the series is doing with the story is to portray human conscience as an intricate web that one scheme throughs - not necessarily as a negatives thing - in every aspect of our interactions, because the emotional layers of our experiences must be addressed with delicate awareness, and take into account that thereâs more to it than using logic to persuade).
In the context of Wu Suowei and Chi Chengâs âmisunderstandingsâ, I really believe that both Wu Suowei and Chi Cheng knew or sensed the truth of what was going on. For example, even as WSW âthoughtâ that CC was going to the hospital to see Wang Shuo, I genuinely believe that itâs more in the sense of : consciously, heâs smart enough to know that there is more than meets the eye, yet emotionally it still affects him. Same with the kiss, I donât see it WSW truly believing that Chi Cheng cheated on him, he knows thereâs more to what he sees, but he has a breakdown because itâs triggering his deepest fears and insecurities, and hurting him regardless especially as he himself knows that thereâs a missing piece of information heâs lacking, but he doesnât know what it is, so heâs in even more despair. Same thing with Chi Cheng hearing the âtruthâ about the plan from WSW. He knows that WSWâs act of seeming like he did it all for money and to get back with Yue Yue, that the idea that âhe doesnât love himâ, isnât true, but it still hurts him, and âthe break upâ is both part of the plan to unravel all the things involved with all parties that are scheming and a reflection of that pain. But as you see in episode 19, Chi Cheng himself doesnât really treat this as a break-up and more like the time apart they have to have until everything settles, and thatâs why when Chengyu says âwhatâs the big deal, is it worth it (aka the plan to stay apart)?â then Chi Cheng answers: âIf JXC told you he never loved you, how would you feel?â. The implication here in my view, is more so that it's about the pain of hearing someone you love say that, even if you know they didnât mean it, rather than because you actually believe they mean it.
Thatâs why in episode 19, both WSW and CCâs reactions are more âtameâ whilst theyâre separated, because theyâre focusing on figuring out all the schemes around them so that they can finally be together as they resolve and find the causes/proof/method of exposing external intruders they need. With Wu Suowei, you see this with how in episode 19, he talks with JXC about someone instigating Yue Yueâs appearances, instead of being portrayed as totally heartbroken (which would be more reserved for a reaction in which he truly believed Chi Cheng would never be with him again - which is not the case here). So when Wu Suowei gets the call about his mum, finds out about the situation and itâs shown that he knows that that what Chi Cheng was up to, itâs heavily implied that WSW has already put all the pieces together regarding the âcheatingâ,and that thatâs cleared up. Same with Chi Cheng, he already knows Wu Suowei loves him, and CC himself said he doesnât care about the deceit, he just cares about Wu Suoweiâs sincerity in his feelings for him, so their temporary physical separation is for the âgreater planâ, itâs for him to be 'with his feelings' from the pain of essentially beind told they don't love you aka not hearing what he was hoping (even if he knows WSWâs intent), and partially also because itâs a way of getting back at WSW for a while before he goes back to him, which is why when they reunite in episode 20, Chi Cheng says that the time apart was only âhow long he could bear to be apart from himâ, and is also the reason why he starts off with saying cruel things as a petty and very temporary ârevengeâ (more like harsh teasing really- which WSW senses too), before he caves in and finally softens, is direct with him, and showers him with love. In other words, thatâs my view as to why âfurther discussionâ shown on screen between the leads is not necessary in my view, because the series has conveyed through many actions that the characters have actually (in this kind of symbolic and indirect manner) realised the misunderstandings and communicated their true intentions already(for instance, Chi Cheng knows that Wu Suowei was able to figure out why CC couldnât be upfront about his absences once WSW learned about his motherâs condition), kind of like bread crumbs that you follow to find someone whoâs been kidnapped to understand their message/the truth of their situation (if you know the tale Iâm referring to). This is something the show also wants us to know and so itâs reiterated through the scene between JXC and Guy Chengyu later in episode 20, after everything occurred, when Jiang Xiao Shuai inquires about why Chengyu went to such lengths, he says: âIf itâs not revealed, it would have been a ticking time bombâŠ.Theyâre both smart people. Anger is temporary. Given time, slowly, theyâll understandâ, which I feel really reflects the thoughts above. Would love to know if anyone agrees/any other thoughts ^^
To answer, from my point of view, Wu Suowei only actually wishes to "top" Chi Cheng, especially at the beginning, because of Wu Suowei's own pride and him wanting to "retain" his so-called straightness and power. The reason why it's portrayed as comedic is because the series is actually making fun of this kind of outdated thinking, where "topping" = power/masculinity/straightness. So Wu Suowei insisting on being the top throughout the series is because of him amusingly still thinking in this way. This is why, when Wu Suowei is starting to have feelings for Chi Cheng, he tries to stay in denial of it, and when he has to admit to himself that he does have feelings for Chi Cheng (because WSW is so self-aware), then his problem becomes "having to bottom". This is the reason why: if you look into some psychology articles about this, what is very common for queer people when they are trying to understand their sexuality, is that they may be able to accept the romantic feelings that they have, but going through with the sexual act, which makes it feel more real, can be even more difficult to accept, especially when it comes to bottoming. This is because society has ingrained the idea that masculinity is inherently linked to taking on the « dominant role » which is stereotypically associated with topping in bed. This is even the case for people who prefer to bottom but who are still accepting their sexuality, and can go through an identity crisis when it comes to having sex as a bottom, because taking this position is contradicting what society has (wrongfully) taught them that they are as âmenâ. So the series is intentionally showing Wu Suowei's acceptance of his sexuality in relation to his reluctance to bottoming.
So itâs actually the opposite of what youâre fearing: the series is creating satire out of this by showing Wu Suoweiâs evolution regarding his acceptance of his identity as a queer man. So from episode 9 to 12ish, the main struggle that Wu Suowei overcomes is his need to cling onto his false âstraight identityâ, he comes to terms with the fact that 1. He does have feelings for Chi Cheng, and 2. That being the bottom doesnât mean that he is less of a man, or not an equal to Chi Cheng, which is why when Chi Cheng and Wu Suowei have sex for the first time which is at the end of episode 11 and continues at the beginning of episode 12, we are seeing Wu Suowei being brave enough to be free from these societal misconceptions. It then remains as a long-running joke in the series, about Wu Suowei âwantingâ to top, because the series is making fun of the idea, that even if you know that a norm is wrong in society, itâs hard to let go of things like heteronormative pride, and I honestly believe that Wu Suowei himself uses it in a consciously satirical manner, because when Chi Cheng and him have that conversation that is initially mentioned in this thread (the bathtub scene), itâs quite clear that Wu Suowei is poking fun at Chi Cheng and riling him up. The evidence for this is how the conversation even happened in the first place: Wu Suowei brings up the fact that Chi Cheng couldnât figure out the codes that Wu Suowei was sending when he was kidnapped. Chi Cheng admits he couldnât figure it out (which is steretypically associated with false ideas about how a top has to be more "capable"). Then Wu Suowei playfully says: « So it seems that this household still needs me to be in charge. » Chi Cheng replies: « You have the final say » (admitting this). Then Wu Suowei says whilst smirking: « Then itâs settled. From now on, youâ'll be the bottom » (reflecying WSW's awareness of this kind of societal norm). So Wu Suowei is clearly making fun of this and is teasing Chi Cheng lol and Chi cheng teases him right back, and it is why the scene ends with Wu Suowei saying « Youâre such a bullshitting bastard (jokingly) ». Wu Suowei is also content in their sexual dynamic, and thatâs reflected in all the episodes after episode 12 (because before episode 12, everything Wu Suowei was reluctant about was due to my prior explanation), and the scenes after ep 12 where WSW mentions topping Chi Cheng is as a way to tease each other and a reflection of what the series is trying to parody: social norms.
What this means is that the series is, through satire, also trying to debunk the idea that a bottom should be associated with qualities such as submissiveness, having less power, and not being an equal to a top. So yes, Wu Suowei is a bottom and Chi Cheng a top, but the series is intentionally communicating that doesnât mean theyâre not equals, that people shouldnât associate such traits with people based on their position in bed (countering the way that other series sometimes do this). Instead, what makes people equals is the nature of their relationship, which can be determined by the way the physical aspect of the relationship is portrayed and the way the emotional aspect of the relationship is portrayed. In Revenged Love, I discussed the way that the physical relationship is explored in a way that destigmatises/satirises what being a bottom means, and that WSW's previous views on topping/bottoming had everything to do with his struggle to accept his bisexuality/queerness, which is why they are now content and can make light of it (through jokes). So then what of the emotional aspect of the relationship? WSW and CC are depicted as equals through the fact that they both understand each othersâ intentions even if they canât see through the details of each scheme, because they trust each other and have a strong foundation as a couple. Even when they are separated physically due to other circumstances, they know what the other person means, even if their words are saying different things to what they are feeling. And when they are together, they are loving, and care about each otherâs dreams, livelihoods, and identity. In my opinion, the fact that they are both portrayed as being capable, and knowledgeable in terms of schemes is a way of communicating to the viewer that as characters, they are written as equals both as people and as a couple.
In fact, to support this, when Chi Cheng is released and that WSW and CC have a conversation on the bed, Chi Cheng thanks WSW. Then WSW mentions that he neednât thank him, because they are a couple (and CC knows what WSW is getting at, which again shows their mutual understanding but still wants to express gratitude). The idea of the couple as expressed in this scene is once again explicitly conveying their status as equals in the series. A couple, as Wu Suowei implies in the scene, is two people who are there for each other in equal measure, there isnât one overpowering the other, or providing more (for example, heteronormativity in society reflects the stereotypical idea that âmen are providersâ and women are not, which reflects a common power imbalance in relationships). So WSW and CC are depicted in the scenes as already operating on the basis that they can do as much as the other for each other, because they are portrayed as equals. Which is why when Wu Suowei explains this, Chi Cheng no longer insists on saying thank you and they start teasing each other as the affectionate pair that they are. So thatâs the way I see it and Iâm curious as to if youâd be more inclined to agree with this or if you still have another view. If anyone has read this far, thank you for the time and Iâd love to hear anyoneâs opinions on this