Shiagi

I am following with the manga online and I am really shocked how this show is almost exact copy of the manga - almost scene by scene. So the development of the two characters are as the manga as well. I am also not mad about the pacing because it is good he is taking his time with a teenager and factoring in all the pro's and con's of such an age gap relationship and waiting till he's a bit more legal. That sits better with me because it is just not the done thing where I am from so could be uncomfortable. But the way the show and manga so far is handling it, makes me feel better about it.

Because BL/yaoi is a very specific genre if you know about its origins and the type of stories in BL and from production studios like GMMTV are pretty yaoi based (a lot of their stories are from Yaoi writers) rather than LGBTQ+ stories. Even Gagaoolala have separate sections for each - Gay and BL. I don't tend to take BL stories that seriously but they are a joy to watch and get lost in a fantasy land in. I would take gay stories seriously as they tend to have more gravitas to the storytelling and something to actually say about something (I am still traumatised by Grey Rainbow and I saw that 5+ years ago.). The lines are blurring more these days though. I would say You're My Sky is a good example of a BL that crosses both genres and is one of the most respectful BL dramas I have seen towards trans people in the BL world and doesn't overly focus on romance. BL dramas these days have also become more accurate in representation and showcase less toxic relationships and situations, so things are looking better every year.

I personally don't watch any drama from any part of the world and think they are representative of how people behave and feel in their country because dramas are always overly 'dramatised'. They are like fairy tales. BL (more recently thank goodness) dramas tend to end with a happy ending and everyone knows that in reality, life doesn't always work out that way. If I get riled up about anything is that in the past there were a lot of inaccuracies and stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community portrayed in BLs that I worried would influence young minds more. But thankfully, recent years they are becoming more respectful and accurate. You never would have heard anyone in a BL say the 'gay' word and the main characters would never admit to it either. These days I am pleased to see that most dramas now have characters talk about being gay and you even have characters that always knew they were gay and may even have been in previous relationships. It really has come a long way so quickly because that would never have happened in early BLs. That is some of what makes BL different to 'gay' dramas imo.

Yes Rom com = romantic comedy.

Yes it is a common dramatic trope in story telling but you are less likely to see that in Euroamerican dramas these days as much as you see them almost consistently in Asian dramas and you pretty much know when they will happen in Asian dramas because especially in Kdramas they follow a very specific formula/ structure. Sometimes they are necessary, most of the time they are not.

Oh that is interesting because this is the first KDrama where I felt it warranted a second season and would be appropriate to do so, so I am glad to hear there will be another. Maybe it was the directors cleverly leading me in that direction by how they ended the show. Subtly setting it up yet tying it up nicely even if there wasn't.

I think it is very difficult to do a story where the main character is on the spectrum without offending someone or getting it very wrong, so I appreciate hearing from neurodivergent people who can help shed light on the portrayal.

I think it was very risky for them to push the romance and at some places I was enjoying it but then when you think more about it it gets troublesome and you worry how they would resolve it. In the end I think the way they did it was good. Making her self aware of her difficulties I think it makes it easier for neurotypical people to accept a bit more that she is able to bare the consequences of her own actions and able to "protect herself" as one of the court cases made us think about. They only criticism I could come away with (and often have with kdramas with that cover sometimes quite thought provoking issues) is that they don't give a lot of time to truly explore the issues presented. It is all surface level. They gave us a good taste of potential and then moved on very quickly so either some viewers won't think much further to what was presented on screen, and others want more information to make a more informed understanding but we are ushered on to the next idea. I think for the pacing and purpose of this show it worked for them, but I also lament that it wasn't longer to accommodate the issues.

This is a very common trope across Asian dramas (I get the feeling you are new to asian dramas and Asian dramas are heavily tropey). I have yet to watch a drama where there is no separation of main couple for a period of time near the end of the series whether it is in BL or any other dramas for whatever reason( I think I may have watched like 1 in all these years but I can't even remember which one). It is even more common in KDramas maybe less so in Thai and Taiwan BLs but it is so common a trope I don't blink an eye anymore as it is an expected outcome. So I recommend that if you continue to watch these shows, you get used to it because everyone else has and we know that is not how real life always works. If you want more realistic take on relationships and life you are better off watching LGBTQ+ genre shows that you can find on Gagaoolala or vimeo because you will find stories that reflect more accurately to the trials and tribulations of relationships in the community that you won't often get from BL rom coms. If you watch BL's that are even older, you will probably get even more upset. lol.

Yeah maybe slowly as their earlier fans are now growing up with their actors as well and want to see more varied things. Maybe with the success of KinnPorache and smaller productions doing well they will explore this more in time but I also think that big machines like GMMTV are less likely to, or slower to adapt and take risks away from their successful formulas.

But then again, there are more BLs being produced than previously from more places so there will be more choice so maybe GMMTV doesn't have to change that much as there will always be new youngsters coming in as the older ones look elsewhere and occasionally come back to watch the occasional non college/ HS offerings.

We shall see how things evolve over time.

Yeah there are some out there. I didn’t say there wasn’t, but the biggest producers of BL content seem to be GMMTV who have a very specific formula and target demographic. I’m glad Jeff and Gameplay aren’t GMMTV actors or their projects would be quite limited.

Their biggest consumers of BL and money makers are teens and young adults so they tend to focus on college. For anything more adult of grownup we look to LGBTQ+ focused dramas rather than BL. They tend to explore LGBTQ+ issues and lives more maturely and accurately than teen/college romance in BL Genre. We may get more after college BL like Tale of a Thousand Stars (I just remember he went to study so still in education) - but even Porsche from KinnPorsche was in college and the series conveniently forgot about it after a couple eps.

Yeah the time gap and change of tone threw me and now they are rushing when it probably should be another season as grown ups or something. They are really glossing over the relationship between Kim's parents and himself and I can only assume it is because they abandoned their kids when they needed them the most as the siblings were living by themselves for years (I don't know at what point the parents returned but it seems recently after he graduated). I mean if you gonna go all deep and meaningful, give it more time but it really did a 180 on the light hearted tone of the show college level show to a adult office/ family drama. I am happy about the Mek's hair cut and wish they gave Kim another style!! It's been awful all season! The set of the office is also so cheap and obviously just randomly thrown together with no real office vibe or equipment and it made those scenes so distracting for me as well as that weird house they tried to insist was a restaurant/ bar/ disco? Anyway rant over. Hair and set pieces my biggest pet peeve overall but not the least. LOL

You are not gonna get 18+ KinnPorsche level intimacy in a teen/ YA drama from GMMTV.

It's true but this is the quality of GMMTV. It hasn't really changed in years. Yes there are the odd amazing surprises like Tale of a Thousand Stars and Not Me, but ultimately it still had its GMMTV feel and stamp all over it. KinnPorsche is not made by GMMTV and its very clear they could do things GMMTV would not dare to do and can reach a more mature audience. There are small independent Filipino dramas that are better even and lots of other Asian countries are bringing the quality, like Taiwan and Korea. GMMTV is too much of a money making machine and tend to cater more to younger audiences and young adults so there are limits to how far they go and the actors they use. They have a formula to make money and they are sticking to their guns. Find a Wattpad novel and turn a quick buck. It is affecting their quality. I didn't expect much from this show especially as it features greener actors, thus I am not as disappointed so far . I have seen worse.

I think the newer actors to BL tend to have less intimate scenes and all the chaste and sniffy stuff especially if the target audience is wider and younger. The more seasoned and older actors tend to push their acting a bit more. Or so I have noticed over the years (especially can be seen in the development of OffGunn. Puppy Honey they were so chaste with each other, minimal contact and kiss was just lips touching lightly...fast forward years later and we get Not Me....turn up the heat wow.) Off course you get the odd newer actors that try and show up, but they are rare and need an equally open partner. I think this is part of the reason BL companies try and stick the same actors together to develop that bond and trust in the workplace. We were fortunate Ohm, although young, has lots of experience behind him in BL and an established bond with Nanon, who is an experienced actor too, to guide him in his first BL. Those kiss scenes were chefs kiss. If they chose other actors for Bad Buddy it could have easily been lips touching and stiff as a board.

That is true.

Anyone know where I can read this in English? Reading a review I want to read it now.

Yeah I think companies that produce BL's and a lot of the LGBTQ+ production companies have historically focussed on the romance and developing relationship between the characters over the greater storyline. That isn't a bad thing per se. BL historically has been in its own fantasy land often not even admitting characters are gay but these days they are starting to blur the lines between BL and real LGBTQ+ stories and are become more respectful and representative of the community that supports it (while still giving the fujoshies their hit as that is where the money is) even if its a long time coming. LGBTQ+ stories have tended to focus on LGBTQ+ issues based on what people in the community truly experience day to day. It is nice now to come to a point where both can blend well and the romance isn't the main point and we can enjoy a fleshed out story where the leads just happen to be gay. I mean its not 100% like that but I think we are heading in that direction. There will always be romance element, but at least one day it may not always be the main point? l think those stories are the only things that are missing from LGBTQ+ and BL genres and will also attract and develop and showcase actors' skills.

Side note: ( I still feel disappointed that GMMTV struggle to make use of Gunn A's acting skills. At least The Gifted he could really showcase his skills but I have seen him do better in non GMMTV stuff so I know he can do more but GMMTV is so limiting for any talented actor. They did great with Off in Not Me though. Really pulled it out of him. But still, Gun wasn't given anything he couldn't do with his eyes closed already. This is why diverse stories and characters are so important for young actors).

I would blame their management more if they aren't getting more diverse work and then being forced into something live this in order to stay relevant. It is quick and easy cash because they have an established fan base.

Interesting take but I don't think KP would have that much influence on GMMTV filming and airing schedule as these are on the most part pre-planned to ensure actors' contracts do not overlap and any other necessary contingencies. As it is nice to think the KP will hugely influence the a mass established producer of BL before it even finishes airing, GMMTV has its own formula and audience it caters for mostly in teens and young adult genre so I don't think the shake up will be that massive as they still making the money and really push their actors fandoms and fan service to keep them coming back no matter what weak storylines they put them in. Unless GMMTV gets a more adult channel and viewership, I don't think they will hit the gravitas and maturity level of KP type of storylines. I think the closest current GMTTV storyline to KP would be Not Me - but there is only so far they can take the situations based on the age rating and their actors. If the production house of KP can keep producing hits like KP consistently, then I would say GMMTV has a competitor and will start sweating. Especially if they start making hits for younger viewers infringing on GMMTV established territory. Otherwise once KP is done, everyone still goes back to GMMTV since they have a steady stream of shows over the year. I don't think KP would hit GMTTV pockets at all since once most of us watch KP, we are still watching GMMTV so there is no pressure for them as they are not losing money or viewership.

The biggest influence KP will have will be on the independent and emerging production companies who need fresh exciting ideas and actors willing to do more mature BL content and who can do more mature storylines as their viewership is not yet set and is thus more diverse. I see more BL content that try new things from independent companies than from GMMTV who tend to play it safe most of the time. I am not saying that is bad, because they do good stories, but they tend to be very safe and restrained. GMMTV would have never been able to make KP and had they tried it would have been majorly stripped so that they can reach their younger audiences and broadcasting restraints.

All in all, no matter how huge a success KP is, it isn't a competitor for anyone on its own. It's only influence will be on the type of storylines that can be done in the mature demographic and the characters that can be portrayed as actors like to have roles that they can display their acting chops and not always play the same types of characters all the time like a lot of GMMTV characters. It can serve as inspiration to other writers and producers. That's about it.

I thought I was the only one. I could only make out 1 couple - Rain and Payu. Everyone else looked the saaaame

I just started watching The Oath of love and it hits the spot I was looking for. Really nice natural development between the leads and not too heavy a drama. If you've not seen that I so far recommend it. I am on Ep 10 and wish I could go on but I need to sleep too.