Jakksen

I'm sorry you feel like this is what winning is. I feel even worse for you knowing that my saying this to you, will be interpreted as some sort of success rather than exasperated pity.

I'm hoping, for your sake, you are just really young and this is just a phase you will grow out of. It could also be that you are young and raised somewhere that validates/allows/promotes your "point of view" - as you grow up, you'll encounter more people, from more places - you will become more understanding and open minded without even realizing or meaning to.

People just naturally become much more open and accepting of new things than the old people that filled their heads when they were young. Eventually, you will have to think for yourself and accept who you are. Its fairly obvious to everyone that you "doth protest too much" - its a rather sad state of delusion, but we've all been there. You can do it!

I wish you all the best figuring yourself out.

Well said.

Wow, I've seen Fang Jinlong around but I had no idea he was such an incredible musician - that was truly incredible on the pipa. ZXC is very talented - that was the first I've heard what I'd a modern style of Chinese Opera and he killed it!

Thanks for sharing 😄

This is a great drama, like this isn't just a great censored adaptation or a great BL. Priest has written a fantastic psychological story, with an original setting, and an original plot in a very saturated genre. I'm just impressed from the gate with this drama. The cast is perfect - their acting is superb. I really enjoy the music. There is very little about this show I'm not liking. Very well done!

Liu Yi Hong is ridiculously cute.

I appreciate!

You've touched on an aspect of the censorship that isn't widely discussed - the non-sexual content that is also not OK. The OG ban of Addicted I feel was actually more about the portrayal of the CCP and the corruption that was so blatantly shown thru out the show. The gay content was obviously not well liked by the CCP but there was no way they could allow the entire world to think thats how China works.

I love that everyone is going off about how there isn't any young eye candy in this series. The lead is an attractive man - he is an adult man tho. Men change in their 30s, thats just how it is. Leo and Neo are going to be men like this someday too, all of them will - doesn't mean they stop being attractive 😉 I haven't seen this, I'm basing my assessment of the lead off of his performance in Longest Day in Chang'an (absolutely fantastic watch btw) - in that drama the lead here was the bad guy, a very handsome bad guy.

Leo and Neo made a 90s drama... thats almost cheating.

This is a Gay Story, censoring doesn't make it straight.

What's really sad is that you have to think of that way to allow yourself "permission" to enjoy it. This isn't a bold position, its rather the opposite.

Straight people can also watch and like gay content, in the same sense that I can enjoy straight content. I have plenty of gay friends that I'll never sleep with - I don't even know what's going thru your head in that second line.

This conversation is why my Grandma taught all of us - "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all" - Don't be a Karen is a better way of saying this for you... I'll explain.

You volunteered a negative opinion (trolled, that's what we call that) that doesn't add to or detract from the opinions of anyone at all (so entirely without social value) as you literally just stated what we all already knew + how much you don't like BL, so much so, that even tho its "your faave" actor, you will skip it.

Nobody cares Mizuki. That what Nico said to you - that nobody cares. I care only bc I want to lmao at you caring so much that you reply to me 😉

If you cant even try to watch a drama to support a favorite actor, bc it has men kissing, and one of them is even your "a favorite actor" - yeah, thats pretty self-evident homophobia. You can't watch bc it scares you. That what that discomfort feeling is - fear. You ought to realize that before you have a conversation like this again.

Between your "I'm not blank but here is my blank belief" comment to start off the conversation (with your foot in your mouth mind you) - your follow-up comment, where you tell a Gay man he overused the word homophobia, makes it incredibly obvious you've been called that before - but still don't know exactly what it means. Despite so - you still retort 🤣🤣

This just oozes insecurity and low self-worth - so much so, that despite the fact that I'm telling you I'm trolling you, that I'm explaining this to trigger you, how I'm able to write this bc you showcased me your insecurities, your prejudices, and then you annoyed me.

I totally totally do expect you really to care so much that you actually do reply to me 🤣🤣💯

Its funny you mention the yodeling - it seems super innocent but its actually a very bold move that I think went off without a hitch. We were supposed to notice it, exactly as we did, it was a flex in many respects.

I've noticed this now in a lot of Chinese media - they are aware they are making Global content now and they have every intent to make lots more. The US has been taking whatever from whatever culture and adding it to whatever for the whole time. We could do that bc the US has always been making globally distributed content. Now so is China.

Any and all of the worlds culture can now become part of a broader Chinese culture and thereby extension included. They put the yodeling from sound of music into the 5th most popular drama in China - which already made it one of the most popular dramas on earth, but it genuinely had a massive international audience as well.

So, how long until its the yodeling from Joy of Life?

I don't really kno thats something that can be disagreed with but... thats also fine 😁

Enough ppl that shows like this can be made to ride the coat tails of their success 😉

That Peter Ho reveal at the end - f*cking brilliant play.

This show just kept adding layers. I'm often writing really long reviews about how great things are... this show deserves an epic book of a rant. Its funny and sad, light and deep, a rather obvious plot and a mystery - its like all the genres. When its funny - it is actually so. When it is sad - you will feel stuff. When it makes a statement - its a powerful one. It has an incredible range that is very rarely well done. The cast pulls it all off with a sort of effortless embodiment of these very memorable characters - there really isn't any weak cast members, acting, or even side characters in this entire drama. Very well done!

edit: The music and the graphics too - tbh its really all 💯

I thought this was a very good drama. High quality production, sets and costumes. I liked the characters, the story - I really enjoyed the Father/Son dynamics - there are some quite memorable characters and the actors did a fantastic job. This is a character driven drama and the acting doesn't disappoint at all. There are a lot of familiar faces from JoL - which to me is a very good thing. I was quite surprised/happy to see Rong Zi Shan - gave me NiF Leo Wu vibes.

The Leads in this were excellent. Hu Jun is one of my favorites and I think this may be my favorite role of his. Zhang Ruo Yun delivered yet another very solid performance. I like him a lot actually, I like all the roles I've seen him in, I like his delivery and expressions - I've seen ppl hate on him a bit and I don't understand, I think he is very good at what he does. Lastly, Teresa Li - who apparently is contentious.

I spent most of the time watching Teresa Li's scenes thinking stuff like "Now this is how you play a Princess" , "How can she play this role so effortlessly" and "I've never seen a better 'Princess Next Door' trope" - I'm not kidding, I truthfully enjoyed her and her character. I think all the Directors that take their Adult Women Actors and turn them into prepubescent, helpless, boy crazed and stupid characters - they need to take notice of Theresa's performance in this, bc this is exactly how you portray this type of role.

Also - I have personally decided that I will never again deride a female actor's performance bc of the way they were made to play their character. Its one thing if they actually do act badly but in reality the widespread nature of this particular issue proves its a problem that stems from the overall direction and production leadership of multiple dramas, across different studios. Its like they think we have some sort of fetish for these ditzy princess types, or that women can't handle seeing a competent FL on screen, but obviously based on the reactions - they just need to move on and not make women act that way anymore.

I'm sorry that I have added to this increasingly problematic critiquing of the FL - I will do better 😅

I'm not done with it yet but this show is so good - its a lot of fun tbh. I'm on 32 now and I just some thoughts from this last episode. I'll prolly comment again on the actual show when I'm done - highly recommend btw.

I really wish China as a society would lean more into being a cultural power because I think they are getting very good at it. Truthfully, that is the most powerful aspect of the US and China has everything it needs to be incredibly competitive with us there. I'm an American that frequently watches Chinese media and I'm not the only by any means - thats proof of concept right there.

Also - I really can't say enough positive things about some of the rhetoric and language that has been center stage of the biggest dramas, like this one. That speech Xi Qian gave the Tianyu Monk during their fight - the one with "everyone doesn't have to be the same/what is the meaning of life" - that was fantastic and so aligned with my own values as a human being. In Joy of Life - the MC's Mother's Monument - thats like practically the Declaration of Independence, I had a hard time believing that was in the 5th most popular show in China. These are fundamental beliefs that it seems we share... seems...

I want so much for China to walk this talk if you will. I think a China truly allowed to be free and say and make whatever it wants would be an incredibly powerful creative force in the world.

Yeah - do you know how many times I've thought this about you?

Why do you think we are having this conversation 3 weeks after it happened? I wanted the show to be over and people to bury these comments.

See, I'm just pushing buttons bc I can - you don't actually bother me all that much but I've seen you bother other people, many times actually.

Tbh, I did actually think you were smarter than you turned to be. There was an element of curiosity going into this conversation but it turns out you are not all that interesting, just an overcompensating a**hole like sooo many others (some say I even fit in that category!) its a real tired trope you know.

Do better... or not - I'll likely never interact with you again.

Have a great whatever!

I'm just closing tabs and this just made me laugh again.

I do think I'm brilliant, well - I kno I'm brilliant is more like it, but in the context of this conversation, the economics I'm speaking are like the most basic, elementary principles of supply and demand - haha, that you didn't understand exactly that and thought you could do a jab about my "economic knowledge elitism" bc I kno like kindergarten stuff...haha.