iOizys

I never said progress couldn't be made and I'm not disagreeing with the sentiment you have. However, the last paragraph is where we differ in opinion. I would rather a gay story be done beautifully and to the best of their ability rather than cheaply. There is a reason that well done censored LGBTQ+ shows are STILL considered queer shows. Because when a show is done well, the subtext that was present in the original work still shines through. It's always obvious that the characters care for each other in a way that is more than friends even if it isn't said explicitly.

I'm not sure if you have attempted to watch this show, but that is also the case in this show. I watched this show blindly without being aware it was a censored work and I could blatantly tell that the 2nd ML had strong non-platonic feelings for his classmate.

1. The way the 2nd ML is grumpy but his face softens when his gaze shifts to the 1st ML.
2. Crying at the side of his hospital bed because of the though that the 1st ML isn't the classmate that he supposedly disliked.
3. The 2nd ML wanting to stay over at the 1st ML house when he learns the 3rd ML will be staying over.
4. The 2nd ML getting into a fight for the 1st ML (someone he barely knows) even though he has an emotionally abusive father who punishes him for every minor offense.
5. The 2nd ML getting jealous over the 1st ML taking care of the 3rd ML.

All this in just the 2 most recent episodes and so much more. The show was not just WIPED of everything that made it queer.

Cheap BLs with "less-than-stellar production values" are often not "the scrappy underdogs" Why? because they're just not good. The writing could be amazing but when it is not executed well, it falls flat. I have seen this happen with a good amount of BLs that were adapted from some of my favorite books.

No writer is going to take their time adapting a story they love for the screen, just to knowingly turn it into a "cheap BL." When people adapted books for the screen it is because they like the book and want to share the story to a larger audience. Any writer worth a damn is not going to settle for "less is more."

Literally all I'm saying is that a gay story on live TV is not going to happen rn and it's unrealistic to expect it to. South Korea is not as socially developed as other 1st world countries, even if we ignore the LGBTQ+ community. There are many things that are RARELY shown on TV in Korea (single moms with children born out of wedlock for example) because they are considered indecent. When SK stops considering being gay an illness that can be cured, when they allow gay people to serve in the military, and when they establish anti-discrimination laws. Then I will say it is possible for them to air an uncensored work.

I understand what you're saying and I understand your sentiment but no matter how upset you are about the matter this situation you want to happen is impossible in current day Korea.

South Korea doesn't have anti-discrimination laws (for anyone not just gay people), it's illegal for gay people to be in the military (they are often labelled "mentally handicap" or as having a "personality disorder"), the current president promised to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality, conversion therapy is VERY much legal, gay couples cannot walk hand and hand in the streets without getting strange stares or harassed, and it's not uncommon to see banners hanging on the streets talking about saving their children from gays.

Women can't even say anything about women empowerment without getting cancelled and dragged through the mud in Korean society, but you want them to broadcast a gay show...okay... Idk why you think that would go over well (let alone be possible)...but okay.

This show is not a "I could keep the show gay but I don't want to because then no one would watch it, so I have to water it down." No it's a "I have to censor this show so that it will get investors, it will get picked up by a broadcasting station (so it's not a web drama), so I can pay the staff working on it, and I can get talented actors to perform in it."

If you want this show to be gay in Korea it is going to be half of the show it is. The quality would be a lot worse, the acting would be a lot worse, the sets would be cheaper, the episodes would be a lot shorter, and it would be shown on a random streaming website in Korea. Just like all the other BLs in South Korea.

That's fine if you want that, but the show in it's current state would genuinely not exist if they didn't remove the gay plot line.

It’s not being defeatist it’s just being realistic. I’m not agreeing with what they’re doing I don’t think it’s right. However, societies develop at different rates and South Korea is just starting to become more accepting to LGBTQ+ people. Societies go through developmental stages. South Korea can’t just skip their developmental stages because you’re mad it’s not moving fast enough. The only way societies develop is by being supportive of the ways they push the status quo. South Korea used to NEVER include LGBTQ+ people in their media. But they slowly started doing it and it received support so they kept pushing the envelope. Now we have Korean BL web dramas that are receiving positive feedback in Korea. And because those web dramas are receiving positive feedback we’re starting to see more LGBTQ+ characters in shows that are airing on TV. And now we’ve had a few dramas that are adapted from a BL novel (this one included). And if this one receives positive feedback, guess what? They’re going to keep pushing the envelope.

This reactionary “boycotting” of the show doesn’t help LGBTQ+ people in Korea. If you really wanted them to develop their social views better you would support the things they are doing to try to make LGBTQ+ content more acceptable to the mainstream (this show is one of them).

I don’t get what you’re trying to say. Sure, in the show Se Kyung doesn’t have feelings for SH but here’s the problem. They’re taking scenes and actions in the manhwa/book that came from someone that has feelings for SH. Even if you get rid of the fact that they are gay, those actions and scenes were created with the intention of expressing the feelings of someone who has romantic feelings for SH. So the result is a scene that is not gay but still feels VERY MUCH like it is gay. They actions and scenes are not normal responses from someone who wasn’t friends with SH and didn’t really talk to him.

His actions when beyond being concerned which is why I said “way too concerned.” I’m not trying to argue with you but I am simply explaining what I meant and how this show has a strong gay subtext since it is hard to erase the original intent from the story.

Tf is going on in the comments? I came to the comments cause I noticed the tension was REAL SUS between the leads (bromance going crazy) and there are mfs arguing about boycotting, being homophobic, and just overall being insufferable on both sides.

1. To the “homophobes”: Some of yall are actually being homophobic while the rest of yall are just trying to watch the show. To those who are being homophobic, the show isn’t better because there aren’t gay people you just don’t like gay people. To the ones who are just trying to watch the show, me too, me too. Even if they removed the lgbtq+ content. As someone who didn’t even know it was censored and watched it blind; It was still obviously gay to me. Mainly because the 2nd ML was WAY too concerned over a supposed stalker (especially in the last two episodes). Whether you are homophobic or not this is a queer show. I say this because anyone with eyes and ears can tell there was smth btw the 2nd ML and his classmate.

2. For the BL fans: Even though South Korea is a democratic country, they DO censor lgbtq+ content to a certain extent. Why do you think you never see BL shows airing on TV (actual TV)? They’re all web dramas. I remember a few years ago that any thing that was lgbtq+ in Korea was given a 17+ rating. Shows with LGBTQ+ main characters have to be shown late at night in Korea because they have “decency laws” about what is able to be shown on TV. In addition YOU are not their target demographic. South Koreans are, and South Koreans do not want to watch a sad gay love story. That is the truth. If you want a high quality drama with popular actors, you are going to get censorship. Period. It’s commendable that these popular actors even chose to act in a drama made from a BL book in the first place. South Korea is FAR away from being in the social setting where a BL airing on actual TV is possible. Stop comparing SK to liberal countries.

it doesn’t seem like it. I looked through Neptune’s old posts and he posts a lot about his friends but I didn’t see Chalarm anywhere.

With the way Ken and Pan’s actors b acting on instagram I thought we would have gotten a throuple scene. But not even a kiss???? BOOOOO 🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅

the Ken and Japan situation is so confusing. In some of the posters Ken and Japan are hugging each other or leaning on each other and Seiji is just??? And then on the instagram of the actors for Ken and Japan…I don’t usually assume actors irl are dating but??? They’re kissing on the cheeks, kissing near the mouth, holding hands, playfully biting, putting their faces close together, and the actor for Seiji is barely on their IG it’s just the two of them. The actor for Seiji is also rarely at events w the other actors. For actors that don’t even have a couple with each other they’re hanging out a lot and being hella touchy. Unless they’re suspicious close irl, then it has to be fan service and they’re the final couple.

I would like to buy a ticket!

I badly need the love triangle to turn into a throuple. Maybe im just being delusional but this episode Ken was giving Japan sus looks especially during the cooking scene. And then when he told Seiji to wait cause he was helping Japan???

I thought Na Ah Jung already knew. She’s mentioned several times that she knows the reason he is marrying her, so I thought she was referring to him being gay. She also said in the earlier episode that he can’t be honest with his family and can only be honest with her. Im like 80% sure she doesn’t actually like the brother and is just upset with falling for the ML because it throws a wrench in the marriage plans and makes everything messy

He really is LMAO but that’s what’s so interesting because usually that character is seen in the mother-in-law, not the brother-in-law. It’s honestly so fun seeing the role change

Thosr of y’all complaining about the ML stealing his brother’s fiancée must have not have heard anything about this drama before watching. It was literally promoted with the plot of a a guy stealing his brother’s wife. Like come on now…

And with a plot like that no way you thought the characters would have been likable. The characters are flawed and that’s what makes the show interesting imo. Tbh I wouldn’t even be watching this show if the FL, ML, and brother were all good people who always do the right things. Thats boring asl and would be especially boring in a drama with this plot.

They don’t actively use bl novels because it’s not allowed. It’s not because they dont need to cater to international audiences. There were A LOT of Chinese dramas that were adapted from bl novels but in recent years the CCP has cracked down on adaptations so its not seen a lot or it’s heavily censored. There is a big audience for bl in China, dont be mistaken. Hell, the bl audience in China got AO3 BANNED and also made two actors unable to interact in public anymore.

IM SCREAMING WHY DID HE YEAT HER LIKE THAT, I did not think he’d put his hands on her 😭

please mark this as a spoiler

I love that he was able to come around and love him (platonically?) in the end.

this was A WHOLE lot better than I was expecting.

what is wrong with Punn, like LORD WTH 😭😭😭

waiting a whole week is PAINFUL, I'm so happy it's tomorrow