This show feels like they are trying to put some difficult topics in a show with no research, I'm also sick of…
TharnType and Theory of Love are each attempting to create a plausible reality, which is why I think it's fair game to call them out for celebrating the awful behaviors that they depict.
This series doesn't offend me because I realize it's a satire. Hardly anything the characters do would be plausible in real life. For some reason, though, people really hate it for depicting homophobia without condemning it at every turn. The series is exaggerating it and making Tonhon look like a fool -- a fool who will eventually realize that he himself is in love with another man.
I hope GMMTV does *not* do what you hope for, which is to do away with satire. Not every series needs to be mature and realistic. As long as it's clear to me when they're satirizing something instead of celebrating it, I'm in.
If you're considering watching this show, and you haven't seen I Told Sunset About You, just watch ITSAY. The…
Tonhon's homophobia is *meant* to be unbelievable. The series is a satire. Satirical shows purposely exaggerate the people and behaviors they're targeting in order to make them look ridiculous.
Does anyone really think a gay couple could live with a homophobe for three years and he would never realize their relationship -- especially after walking in on them when they're both naked together in the shower? Of course not. But this is a satire, not a standard drama, so the gay couple keeps up the pretense and the homophobe is so dense that he never picks up on it.
For people to think the writers of this series believe that they're depicting a plausible living situation says more about them than the writers.
This series is also not in the same genre as ITSAY, which doesn't have any farcical elements to it. ITSAY is trying to tell a plausible story. They're both BLs but that's where the comparison ends.
I wouldn’t really agree, Chon has liked Ton since childhood, and it’s very likely that back then Ton was not…
This series is definitely a satire. That kind of humor doesn't appeal to everyone, as this comment section shows. Some people seem to think it's a documentary.
Irozuku Subs has a movie called 'L-DK: Two Lives Under One Roof', where Machida Keita (Kurosawa) has a supporting role. His character there is VERY different from Kurosawa. But the movie is not a BL.
It looks like maybe Cha Eun Woo's character Lee Su Ho will fall for the no-makeup Lim Joo Gyung while Han Seo Jun falls for the version wearing make-up. If so, there's lots of comedic potential there, with a possible moment of truth when both guys find out she's one and the same girl.
"This particularly bugs me because it casts a shadow over that beautiful scene where Saifah and Zon each pledge…
Because after that amazing moment, which was essentially an exchange of vows, for Zon to later decide that it was disgusting and that he never wanted to see Saifah again ... it would make all of it a sham.
Remember the tear that Zon shed as he said 'I will give myself to you only', and the emotional catch in his voice? That was unique to any BL I've seen. I would resent it if the writers stomped all over it like it was just another plot device.
Thank you for your well written review.According to what I understand from what you said, your questions would…
You are correct, I haven't cared enough to do any kind of survey, and even if I did I wouldn't know how to carry it out. I should probably update the review and take that part out, but it was how I felt at the time, so ...
As with other series that I disliked and then reviewed, once the review was done it got everything out of my system and I just moved on. Until your comment notification came along I hadn't given 'The Shipper' a thought in months.
As I look over the comments on its MDL page today I'm pleased that there have been very few in the four months since the series ended, and that many of those also cite the 'gays must die' twist as being particularly unsavory. I sincerely believe that this character death will always be the main thing 'The Shipper' is remembered for, when it gets remembered at all. Some people will bemoan it while others will defend it as part of the ironic comedy, or whatever.
As for the debate over what constitutes a BL, I've had people say all sorts of things about it. One person gave me a lecture about its origins in Japan or something like that. What I don't agree with is your statement that if 'The Shipper' isn't a BL then the points in my review are irrelevant.
If 'The Shipper' wasn't a BL then it was at least a satire on BL and its fans, and in a way that makes the killing off of half of its pseudo-BL couple even dumber. Making people sad or angry isn't the best way to win them over to one's ideas on a subject. It wouldn't have cost the writer or director anything to have the boys become a real couple at the end with everyone alive, and it would have given the series true rewatch value and a long and happy life. Now it will just be a footnote.
I thought the concept of Zol deleting the novel and Zon having to actually win over Saifah in real life was really clever. I'm disappointed that it was just a fake-out.
And after Zon is unbearably cruel to Saifah, he just shows up a couple of minutes later and says 'sorry', and everything is fine again? We get no explanation. I'm sorry, it's just bizarre. I'm all for emotional fluff but that strikes me as lazy screenwriting.
Also, Saifah tells Zon that he wants to do what they did at the beach again, so there goes the theory that these episodes take place before the trip to the beach with Fighter and Tutor. This particularly bugs me because it casts a shadow over that beautiful scene where Saifah and Zon each pledge their love to the other before having sex for the first time.
Finally, aside from the characters for the series the school seems completely deserted. I understand why, but it gives the mini-series a vibe like the whole thing could be a dream.
ep 5ugh... what a brutal rejection... just brutal... ugh... (not even gonna look up who those two were and how…
I like your analysis. I'm also intrigued by Padbok. There's a Korean actor named Hwang In Yeop who played the bully in '18 Again', and he has the same kind of interesting appearance that gives off a dangerous and sexy charisma. (He's also the SML in Cha Eun Woo's new drama 'True Beauty'.)
Watching those scene s with Padbok today it occurred to me again that the universe created by BL dramas just has boy after boy who will go after another boy without so much as a second thought -- even tough guys like Padbok (who has never been able to commit to a girl ... hmm.)
Hold up! I though that Tong (glasses boy) liked Pok (swimming boy)- I had to go and look up thier names. The way…
The relationship charts in the photo section show Tok and Pong with a "heart" connection so over the next few episodes I guess their situation will improve. I hope so.
The people who market these series are so dumb to prevent the international audience from watching when they are first released. And Waylu Films are sketchy for not letting anyone know that this would be happening until a day before the release.
Clearly a BL disguised as a bromance, and even then just barely. Even if we never see them in a sexual relationship, the emotional bond is depicted clearly.
Maybe Nick Yang's work here got him the part in Boundary Crossing.
Okay I'm trying to find this English song which played in the 2nd episode but I can't find it ANYWHERE! CAN somebody…
Shazam doesn't recognize it and a google of that lyric doesn't turn up anything, so it's likely to be an OST for the series. If that's the case, it will probably get posted to YouTube at some point.
It's pretty good but there's a lot of wasted time in the first two episodes. The way YSY stalks KIS is also a little cringy.
And I guess YSY hasn't left much of an impression on KIS. YSY has (1) locked eyes with the singer while listening to him perform on the street, (2) been stuck in the middle of a talk between him and his manager through the bus window, and (3) pretended he lost something and searched under their table at the pub (where I thought KIS was kinda rude), yet when KIS sees YSY playing keyboard in the trio by the pool he doesn't even recognize him (he refers to him as just 'the guy on piano').
So far for me it's the least auspicious beginning for a Viki mini-BL. I hope things start to pick up in Episode 3.
5 
6 
2 
They should make this like the Cdramas and give it 48 episodes lol.
This series doesn't offend me because I realize it's a satire. Hardly anything the characters do would be plausible in real life. For some reason, though, people really hate it for depicting homophobia without condemning it at every turn. The series is exaggerating it and making Tonhon look like a fool -- a fool who will eventually realize that he himself is in love with another man.
I hope GMMTV does *not* do what you hope for, which is to do away with satire. Not every series needs to be mature and realistic. As long as it's clear to me when they're satirizing something instead of celebrating it, I'm in.
Does anyone really think a gay couple could live with a homophobe for three years and he would never realize their relationship -- especially after walking in on them when they're both naked together in the shower? Of course not. But this is a satire, not a standard drama, so the gay couple keeps up the pretense and the homophobe is so dense that he never picks up on it.
For people to think the writers of this series believe that they're depicting a plausible living situation says more about them than the writers.
This series is also not in the same genre as ITSAY, which doesn't have any farcical elements to it. ITSAY is trying to tell a plausible story. They're both BLs but that's where the comparison ends.
As of Episode 2, count me in!
Remember the tear that Zon shed as he said 'I will give myself to you only', and the emotional catch in his voice? That was unique to any BL I've seen. I would resent it if the writers stomped all over it like it was just another plot device.
As with other series that I disliked and then reviewed, once the review was done it got everything out of my system and I just moved on. Until your comment notification came along I hadn't given 'The Shipper' a thought in months.
As I look over the comments on its MDL page today I'm pleased that there have been very few in the four months since the series ended, and that many of those also cite the 'gays must die' twist as being particularly unsavory. I sincerely believe that this character death will always be the main thing 'The Shipper' is remembered for, when it gets remembered at all. Some people will bemoan it while others will defend it as part of the ironic comedy, or whatever.
As for the debate over what constitutes a BL, I've had people say all sorts of things about it. One person gave me a lecture about its origins in Japan or something like that. What I don't agree with is your statement that if 'The Shipper' isn't a BL then the points in my review are irrelevant.
If 'The Shipper' wasn't a BL then it was at least a satire on BL and its fans, and in a way that makes the killing off of half of its pseudo-BL couple even dumber. Making people sad or angry isn't the best way to win them over to one's ideas on a subject. It wouldn't have cost the writer or director anything to have the boys become a real couple at the end with everyone alive, and it would have given the series true rewatch value and a long and happy life. Now it will just be a footnote.
And after Zon is unbearably cruel to Saifah, he just shows up a couple of minutes later and says 'sorry', and everything is fine again? We get no explanation. I'm sorry, it's just bizarre. I'm all for emotional fluff but that strikes me as lazy screenwriting.
Also, Saifah tells Zon that he wants to do what they did at the beach again, so there goes the theory that these episodes take place before the trip to the beach with Fighter and Tutor. This particularly bugs me because it casts a shadow over that beautiful scene where Saifah and Zon each pledge their love to the other before having sex for the first time.
Finally, aside from the characters for the series the school seems completely deserted. I understand why, but it gives the mini-series a vibe like the whole thing could be a dream.
Watching those scene s with Padbok today it occurred to me again that the universe created by BL dramas just has boy after boy who will go after another boy without so much as a second thought -- even tough guys like Padbok (who has never been able to commit to a girl ... hmm.)
But that was a brutal rejection. Damn.
Maybe Nick Yang's work here got him the part in Boundary Crossing.
People get fed up when the 'greatness' of something is shoved down their throats.
The motorcycle that picked up Tan at Dr. Bun's house looked a lot like the one in the security footage from the hospital.
And I guess YSY hasn't left much of an impression on KIS. YSY has (1) locked eyes with the singer while listening to him perform on the street, (2) been stuck in the middle of a talk between him and his manager through the bus window, and (3) pretended he lost something and searched under their table at the pub (where I thought KIS was kinda rude), yet when KIS sees YSY playing keyboard in the trio by the pool he doesn't even recognize him (he refers to him as just 'the guy on piano').
So far for me it's the least auspicious beginning for a Viki mini-BL. I hope things start to pick up in Episode 3.