AthenaTheStorierX

I'm in the middle of my master's thesis, so I'm not really watching anything on IQIYI at the moment. I was only keeping it for Gen Y, at least until I finish my thesis and go back to watching more stuff. And besides, I think i heard KinnPorshe will be on IQIYI? So I'll definitely be going back. But there's no point paying for the subscription right now, especially with how hard IQIYI is making it to watch the one thing I was keeping it for during this time.

I think it would be more internalized homophobia if we hear Fah say something like "we're both men," "i like girls," "I've only liked [whats-her-face]", "i'm straight," or something like that. But we're only seeing him concerned right now with the fact that it's Thorn, not because Thorn's a guy.

Yes, exactly. Black woke up and seeked out White. But never reunited with him at that time because he ran away after getting with Gram. So it wasn't until almost the very end that White and Black actually reunite.

But yet it looks like Black and White reunite this episode straight away after Black watches White and Sean through the window. So what's happening doesn't line up with the book at all.

I wouldn't say he got bitchy. He was disheartened.
He wasn't passed to at all during that game, even though there was a scout there. Fah even got a tryout because of it.
And he wasn't told what was happening. Considering the tension between him and Fah recently, he might've thought it meant Fah was avoiding or upset with him. It also probably reminded him of their past when their old coach sabotaged him, and Fah started distancing himself from him in favor of other players. And Fah was able to move forward in his basketball, but Thorn didn't - despite them promising to stick together.
Context is important. Thorn isn't inherently selfish. We see that in the freshy games game, in training, in flashbacks, etc.

His character is pretty stiff. Even when around Thorn, he doesn't ever really relax. I do believe that that is intentional, and so I dont blame the acting or story at all. But it does stand in pretty stark contrast to all the other characters.

Same! I was reminded of the same scene in this episode. Lol.

Same! I was reminded of the same scene in this episode. Lol.

For one thing, they JUST reconnected and are mending their relationship. It wasn't long ago that Thorn had "pokerface Fah" written in his notebook, and the 2 were figuring out what they might've done to each other to make the other feel bad. They are both insecure and cautious by nature. And it's made worse because they don't know everything that's going on in each other's minds anymore.

For another thing, Thorn is his best friend since childhood. Perhaps he even considered him like a brother. And he's been actively only pursuing the other girl for years. Realizing that 1.) he might have nonplatonic feelings for him and 2.) he might not have feelings for the girl anymore - that's scary, and confusing, and really shakes up your perception of things.

Plus, what would pursuing those feelings do to their currently mending friendship, as well as their basketball collaboration and dreams?

He probably invited the girl out to see if he still likes her. And he'll probably realize he doesn't. If it was internalized homophobia, when Aii brought it up in their conversation - he would have said something to suggest it being a problem because their both guys, he's straight, or he likes the girl. He didn't bring any of that up. Which suggests that he's confused because it's Thorn, not because Thorn is a guy.

We see this same dilemma occur in just about any friends-to-lovers story. Whether they be straight men and women friends, two out and proud homosexuals, or what have you. It's not reading internalized homophobia right now. Please don't assume that hesitation automatically means homophobia. There are ALOT of things that can't make someone hesitate.

Fah and Thorn have been extremely close friends for so so long. Almost like brothers perhaps (at least in Fah's mind). So coming to the realization that there might be something bigger there, combined with the fact they'd been distant from each other for so long and are still mending their relationship (like the whole "poker face fah" situation in a previous episode) is scary and confusing.
There might be some internalized homophobia there, but right now - I am only seeing a man who's been only interested in this one girl for years and is just starting to come to terms with the fact that he might actually have feelings for his best friend since childhood. And what all pursuing those feelings might mean for their mending friendship and current basketball dream.

Anybody else watch the cast reactions to the new trailer?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBJmAwASH7o

Nah, i get it - in some shows they have used it for like the passage of time - but when it goes back and forth like that, it's just that they didnt touch it up.

It's fairly common in a lot of Asian productions, especially ones from non-major production companies, to forget to touch up blond hair dye. There's a lot of reasons why this might be the case 1.) because day-to-day there's not a lot of difference; 2.) blond can be kinda difficult to color match and maintain when youre also dealing with alot of things being put in your hair (like an actor would be) and of course 3.) they have other things to worry about, and Asian dramas tend to have a quick turnaround time to abide by.

Yea but Black didn't watch it happen, he was preoccupied (or am I thinking of the wrong Black appearance?). And he runs away. And doesn't actually come face to face with White until much later.

But yet based on the trailer snippets, and the fact that the preview scenes line up, Black and White will formally reunite here. Which completely changes how things will go down.

Plus in the preview for next episode we have a snippet of Sean asking "you have a brother?"
And this could be 1 of 2 things, both indicating that he's figured it out.
1.) Its a flashback of Sean talking to Black. If he's remembering this scene, he's remembering it because he's figured it out.
2.) It's him talking to White. For him to pose such a question also suggests that he is figuring things out, or will provide him with that final puzzle piece to figure it out.

Sean has been suspicious of White (as Black) this entire time, thinking that this is a game to Black. Black broke his trust long before the events of this series (the getting suspended flashback) and Sean doesn't forgive. But he knows something's different here - White doesn't act like Black at all.

So Sean dug around in Black's apartment. And what did he find? Glasses. And contacts. Black has never needed these things. Plus these items are very expensive. Perhaps he may have even found White's ID as well off screen (he's certainly doing a thorough search, and why wouldn't he search his wallet; or even his ID from when he took the government test that would in theory be in the same bag). Combined with all the other behaviors that don't line up (and the ridiculous questions White would ask that Black would know). Sean has to know that White is not Black.

Then there's the conversation with Gumpa that gets cut off for us viewers. What other purpose would that conversation have? Especially since it's right after he leaves White.

Then there's the whole abandoned building bit, where he seems to be testing White and paying extra attention to him.
-The "good at spying" line was clue number 1. No where in the series have we gotten any clues that White or Black are good at spying. This was an indirect jab/hint to White that he knows.
- The way he pulled the bench up to window and helped White get through was also pretty telling. He has never showed this courtesy to him before, especially because Black would have been able to do it no problem.
-White being winded from running up a flight of steps (something that is suggested to be very out of character for Black both in this scene and in the rooftop training scene a few episodes back)
-watching how White reacts to being forced so close to Sean
-tickling White (another thing that keeps getting suggested as being a new thing, but not so easy to suddenly appear)
-the trust fall (Sean was just talking about how ridiculous the exercise was when White did it, besides he wouldn't trust Black to do that, Black has already let him "fall" before with that suspension flashback).
-And then the kiss. I do believe there might be some history between Black and Sean. Something that made it where this test confirmed that White isn't Black. Either because Black would never have let him do that, or because they kiss different.

I'm avoiding comparing it to the novel as much as possible. They are so dramatically different from each other, plus P'Nuchy's statement that it would be an almost entirely different story. So I'm basing my plot analysis solely on episodes and the trailer.

I'll probably go back and make comparisons later. Because once we know what plot stuff is the same and different, the book can provide really good character insights (because it does look like the character personalities are pretty much the same - except maybe Sean, at least in the beginning; and of course the end-game couples).

I wonder why it’s different than the one they have with the episode and posted on youtube.

But regardless, the scene they chopped up in the trailer leading up to the reunion (which you can tell by the background and clothes) line up with even the youtube episode preview. Black’s back and I'm here for it. I didn’t think it’d be so soon.

Yes I noticed that too! The preview for ep 9 totally seems to match up with the Black-White reunion in the trailer!

I'm thinking that about the product placement as well. Because, especially in this episode, they're really jamming product placement right after each other (in the most natural way they can). So I think it's so that we can get more serious or plot-fitting scenes later without the product placement interruption.

I personally agree. But I know some people constitute it as cheating so I put "except maybe" to allow for that personal interpretation.