Holy smokes this episode was intense! When the last week episode ended with the cliffhanger of a bathroom kiss,…
"Nice to see the parallel between father and son, both hot headed and using fists real fast, but calming down and listening to their respective loved ones."
In Episode 1 there is too much time spent on the interviews. I realize they wanted to give the audience a sense of who everybody is but it's better to "show" that than "tell" it interview style. They could have jumped right into the main story and used flashbacks or other methods to give the background of each character.
There's been some talk on twitter that there might not be any BL in this series but Episode 2 hints at two possible BL couples.
Like others I think the pace is too slow. On the Mellow website they show a view count for each segment of the episodes and in both Episode 1 and Episode 2, the number of views drops significantly after the first segment. That's really unfortunate for Episode 1 in particular because that first segment was interview after interview, a real snoozer. This should be a lesson for other series: don't start out by putting people to sleep.
I think maybe even by next episode the parents will accept them, at least that's what 'i hope.
Based on the main trailer for the series, Xi Gu does end up tutoring Hao Ting, and based on the preview for the next episode (with the celebration scene) maybe it leads to some success.
In the main trailer there's also a scene where Xi Gu is walking back home alone and is just reaching his apartment building when he finds Hao Ting there waiting for him. Hao Ting starts running toward him and then the scene cuts away. I wouldn't be surprised if this is their reunion after Hao Ting's parents give him permission to get tutored.
Hao Ting has the most kissable lips in Asian drama. Holy shit.
That makeout session on the couch was worth the wait, especially with Xi Gu taking so much initiative. He's not passive anymore and it has fueled their chemistry.
one of my favourite series but the second FL (Sua) makes it really hard to watch. Even when I'm rewatching it…
I agree with so much of your comment! Although I do think Soo Ah was essential to the series. She is one of the best villains in any series I've seen, and I was disappointed when they gave her a gimmicky "redemption" plot at the end. Like you, I don't think she deserved redemption, and the way Kyung Sok kept giving her the brush-off was so enjoyable. (One of my favorite moments is when Kyung Sok says to her, 'Congratulations. I never thought I could hate someone this much.' He looked so menacing!) I think it would have been truer to the Soo Ah character if she'd just ended up transferring to another university and started over with her plotting and scheming. Her sudden contrition just didn't ring true.
As for Mei Rei, the core theme of the series is about her coming into her own after years of self-loathing and rejection. To her, getting attention from Soo Ah and being accepted by her other schoolmates required overcoming a lifetime of being judged negatively. I think she had suspicions about Soo Ah early on but talked herself into thinking differently, either out of a lack of confidence or a wish to maintain ties to a person who is naturally beautiful.
I *really* appreciate what you say about the Yoo Eun character. I loved her -- her beautiful smile, the way she always supported Mei Rei, and her friendship with Jung Boon. (One of my favorite moments with her is early in the series, when Kyung Sok drinks the shots on Mei Rei's behalf during the 'impressions' drinking game. Jung Boon whispers to Eun, 'There really must be something between them!' and Eun smiles and whispers back, 'I know, right?' I'm sure that moment passed unnoticed by a lot of people but my immediate thought was how much I'd love having a friend like her.)
I've seen a few comments here about Lin Yi's acting being "stiff". Similar criticism was leveled at Cha Eun Woo for his performance in "My ID Is Gangnam Beauty".
In this series Lin Yi is playing a character with a particular set of personality traits. As an actor he didn't just show up on set one day and decide that he'd perform this character a certain way. Rather, what we see on-screen is the result of collaboration between him, his costars and the director. They likely workshopped the scenes for weeks before filming.
The world does contain asocial, emotionally distant people, and I enjoy the dramas that include such characters. I think that too often, audiences perceive only flamboyant, overtly emotional performances as "Acting" with a capital A. Creating a character who is reserved and conveys emotion in more subtle ways, and who undergoes a transformation over the course of a series, is difficult. It might just look easy because we relate more to the characters who emote more conventionally.
I'll try to answer the questions LOL.1. That opening scene with XYG in the classroom -- I assume he is waiting…
Your answers to 1 through 3 have to be right. It seems so clear now! >__<
I guess I was too used to there being no continuity between episodes. I didn't even consider that these scenes took place very shortly after the end of the previous episode. Nice catch.
The reason I know that the old Yu Huai is on a comeback at the end of the series: he shaved before going to meet Geng Geng in the Late Autumn Highlands. :)
Questions and Comments on Episode 5 (or 9 & 10) ....
1. That opening scene with XYG in the classroom -- I assume he is waiting for Hao-ting to walk him home?
2. A little later, when Hao-ting apologizes to XTG outside the gym, is it because he didn't show up at the classroom? I think that's the reason, but why didn't he show up?
3. Was he upset for the same reason that he didn't show up? We never find out. It's too bad, too, because it was an opportunity for his character to show some vulnerability and depth.
4. As Hao-ting's friend comes running into the classroom to say that XYG has been summoned before the school master, when he pauses to catch his breath - that was pretty corny acting. (But I'm fascinated by how in Asian countries schools can discipline students for behavior outside of school hours and off school grounds.)
5. I guess the way to say "gay bar" in Chinese is "gay bar". :)
6. When the guys say "gay bar" so loudly, the other students in the classroom don't react at all. Maybe they haven't learned that term in English class yet? :)
6. Speaking of which - the guy who faked the photo - before that confrontation scene I thought that character was gay.
7. Hao-ting looks damn sexy in a sleeveless shirt or track suit.
8. The way XYG ate that apple slice ... so appreciative and tender, and nicely contrasted with Hao-ting just popping the whole thing into his mouth.
9. What was XYG's Christmas gift in the pyramid-shaped box?
10. The "Love Love Love" streamer clipped to Hao-ting's jacket sleeve - I really love that. :) I need to go back to earlier episodes and see if that was its first appearance.
11. I'm also curious to see Sun's chest tattoo. It looks pretty big.
12. Although I have to admit that Couple #2 is less and less interesting to me.
13. My favorite moment was when Hao-ting showed up at XYG's apartment to bring him breakfast. That hug hello was everything.
There will be intimate scenes. They said that several times in interviews.
I think Trapped and Obsessed might get an R rating but I think PG-13 is more likely.
If a movie doesn't show anyone's naughty bits and keeps the swearing under control, it gets a PG-13. If they show any naughty bits, including women's bare breasts, then it gets slapped with an R.
For NC-17 the movie has to border on porn, like the one where Shia LaBeouf is shown naked and hard. NC-17 is rarely used, probably because standards have loosened so much but also because filmmakers avoid getting it. They don't want to limit the audience for their films so radically. (They also try to avoid R ratings so that teens are allowed to buy tickets.)
So... out of curiousity (and also confirmation)... do the two characters end up becoming boyfriend x boyfriend?…
I've always assumed they do, otherwise it wouldn't be true to the theme of the anthology. Plus, why go through all that angst if it isn't for the high stakes of love.
BL series just love to work the "stepbrother" trope but one thing I've noticed in the dramas I've seen that feature it, the stepbrothers rarely kiss romantically. So, my theory is that the stepbrother theme is a tease intended as a riff on actual brothers getting together and, given that, the writers think that physical intimacy on-screen would be going too far.
So, in 'Stay Away From Me' the kiss that happens between the stepbrothers is one-sided rather than mutual, and rebuffed by the recipient. Later when they've both admitted to romantic feelings (romance is only a subtext, I guess) no kiss occurs.
And doesn't it feel awkward that there isn't one? In any other drama a kiss would seem to be a requirement, almost instinctual. So I think the stepbrother theme causes everyone to hold back.
5 
6 
2 
Nice insight there!
There's been some talk on twitter that there might not be any BL in this series but Episode 2 hints at two possible BL couples.
Like others I think the pace is too slow. On the Mellow website they show a view count for each segment of the episodes and in both Episode 1 and Episode 2, the number of views drops significantly after the first segment. That's really unfortunate for Episode 1 in particular because that first segment was interview after interview, a real snoozer. This should be a lesson for other series: don't start out by putting people to sleep.
In the main trailer there's also a scene where Xi Gu is walking back home alone and is just reaching his apartment building when he finds Hao Ting there waiting for him. Hao Ting starts running toward him and then the scene cuts away. I wouldn't be surprised if this is their reunion after Hao Ting's parents give him permission to get tutored.
In the story I was glad that Hao Ting's mom got to see that. It changed the whole direction that things were going.
That makeout session on the couch was worth the wait, especially with Xi Gu taking so much initiative. He's not passive anymore and it has fueled their chemistry.
What this one lacks in polish it makes up for in passion and commitment. You can tell that everyone involved in the production is giving their all.
As for Mei Rei, the core theme of the series is about her coming into her own after years of self-loathing and rejection. To her, getting attention from Soo Ah and being accepted by her other schoolmates required overcoming a lifetime of being judged negatively. I think she had suspicions about Soo Ah early on but talked herself into thinking differently, either out of a lack of confidence or a wish to maintain ties to a person who is naturally beautiful.
I *really* appreciate what you say about the Yoo Eun character. I loved her -- her beautiful smile, the way she always supported Mei Rei, and her friendship with Jung Boon. (One of my favorite moments with her is early in the series, when Kyung Sok drinks the shots on Mei Rei's behalf during the 'impressions' drinking game. Jung Boon whispers to Eun, 'There really must be something between them!' and Eun smiles and whispers back, 'I know, right?' I'm sure that moment passed unnoticed by a lot of people but my immediate thought was how much I'd love having a friend like her.)
I too wish she'd had more screen time.
In this series Lin Yi is playing a character with a particular set of personality traits. As an actor he didn't just show up on set one day and decide that he'd perform this character a certain way. Rather, what we see on-screen is the result of collaboration between him, his costars and the director. They likely workshopped the scenes for weeks before filming.
The world does contain asocial, emotionally distant people, and I enjoy the dramas that include such characters. I think that too often, audiences perceive only flamboyant, overtly emotional performances as "Acting" with a capital A. Creating a character who is reserved and conveys emotion in more subtle ways, and who undergoes a transformation over the course of a series, is difficult. It might just look easy because we relate more to the characters who emote more conventionally.
I guess I was too used to there being no continuity between episodes. I didn't even consider that these scenes took place very shortly after the end of the previous episode. Nice catch.
Also, that ear to ear grin kinda says it all.
1. That opening scene with XYG in the classroom -- I assume he is waiting for Hao-ting to walk him home?
2. A little later, when Hao-ting apologizes to XTG outside the gym, is it because he didn't show up at the classroom? I think that's the reason, but why didn't he show up?
3. Was he upset for the same reason that he didn't show up? We never find out. It's too bad, too, because it was an opportunity for his character to show some vulnerability and depth.
4. As Hao-ting's friend comes running into the classroom to say that XYG has been summoned before the school master, when he pauses to catch his breath - that was pretty corny acting. (But I'm fascinated by how in Asian countries schools can discipline students for behavior outside of school hours and off school grounds.)
5. I guess the way to say "gay bar" in Chinese is "gay bar". :)
6. When the guys say "gay bar" so loudly, the other students in the classroom don't react at all. Maybe they haven't learned that term in English class yet? :)
6. Speaking of which - the guy who faked the photo - before that confrontation scene I thought that character was gay.
7. Hao-ting looks damn sexy in a sleeveless shirt or track suit.
8. The way XYG ate that apple slice ... so appreciative and tender, and nicely contrasted with Hao-ting just popping the whole thing into his mouth.
9. What was XYG's Christmas gift in the pyramid-shaped box?
10. The "Love Love Love" streamer clipped to Hao-ting's jacket sleeve - I really love that. :) I need to go back to earlier episodes and see if that was its first appearance.
11. I'm also curious to see Sun's chest tattoo. It looks pretty big.
12. Although I have to admit that Couple #2 is less and less interesting to me.
13. My favorite moment was when Hao-ting showed up at XYG's apartment to bring him breakfast. That hug hello was everything.
If a movie doesn't show anyone's naughty bits and keeps the swearing under control, it gets a PG-13. If they show any naughty bits, including women's bare breasts, then it gets slapped with an R.
For NC-17 the movie has to border on porn, like the one where Shia LaBeouf is shown naked and hard. NC-17 is rarely used, probably because standards have loosened so much but also because filmmakers avoid getting it. They don't want to limit the audience for their films so radically. (They also try to avoid R ratings so that teens are allowed to buy tickets.)
BL series just love to work the "stepbrother" trope but one thing I've noticed in the dramas I've seen that feature it, the stepbrothers rarely kiss romantically. So, my theory is that the stepbrother theme is a tease intended as a riff on actual brothers getting together and, given that, the writers think that physical intimacy on-screen would be going too far.
So, in 'Stay Away From Me' the kiss that happens between the stepbrothers is one-sided rather than mutual, and rebuffed by the recipient. Later when they've both admitted to romantic feelings (romance is only a subtext, I guess) no kiss occurs.
And doesn't it feel awkward that there isn't one? In any other drama a kiss would seem to be a requirement, almost instinctual. So I think the stepbrother theme causes everyone to hold back.