Kang Do Jin and Lee Seon U are in love and lust for each other. Lee Seon U is aware of it, but cool and controlled Mr. Kang, that underneath his need to appear "aloof", he desperately wants Lee Seon U to know just how much he likes revealing his need for him. Him talking about how he hates being touched by others, yet he craves Lee Seon U's incredibly strong hands on him.
That dude doesn't realize it, but Kang will find a way to destroy him, before he allows anyone to touch his Mr. Lee.
Hmm....That no matter what you have experienced and gone through in your past, you must continue to keep moving forward.
Quinlang taking that drink, to send his younger version of himself back to their past, to live his life focused on his career, to not be too "boy crazy", gave him the opportunity/risk to hopefully change Quintian's future. A future that may include QT's now alive boyfriend, but no chance to end up romantically with Wenshu.
Maybe, Quintian and Wenshu were never meant to be.
Changyang would find a way to rotate the universe to be with his husband, Quinlang.
At least most of the actors aren't AI. Yet, how certain scenes are filmed, they do make them appear to be artificial looking.
Chen Wan loves Zhao Sheng Ge, in a totally "platonic way", yet he's constantly imagining him being embraced by him at the same time?
While, Zhao Sheng Ge, sees Chen Wan as this strange man, who's constantly going out of his way to please him, yet hears him say that he's some sort of villain?
Which, of course makes him more interested in finding out, who Chen Wan really is.
Worth noting: while the godawful behavior of the two dads in Match Point was not homophobic, their kids did both…
Yes, in Match Point, the fathers had to change or deal with the results of the loss of their children. Sun's dad marriage imploded, because his wife grew tired of his endless tirades towards his former friend. His oldest son chose to leave, because the fathers issues, helped end his own friendship. The series also made sure that every other adult recognized how horrible, ridiculous, and shameful the fathers behaviors had a negative affect on Bay and Sun.
Even in the Weirdo 101 series, both of Niran's divorced parents are recognizing that their horrible behavior towards each other, has made their son doubt anything about who he is as an individual, and what he likes, and what he wants to do with his life. He got into judo, because of his dad, and he excelled in it, because he thought that his success, meant happiness for his parents. As he's a senior in high school, he has absolutely no idea what he wants, yet there is this younger junior in high school, actively paying interest in him, asking his opinion about what interests him, what he likes, and how he could become a part of his life, as a potential boyfriend.
There are these topics that are being brought up, within these Thai BLs/GLs that I hope the domestic younger and older audiences recognize, because it's about trying to get them to understand that their culture about parents and their ongoing relationships, with their growing older children have to change.
What bothered me the most about "Love of Silom" was the constant need in Thai BLs, to have redemption scenes of the homophopic parents, somehow finally understanding/accepting their gay son/lesbian daughter after years of manipulation, control, and verbal/mental/physical abuse, because the audience cannot fathom these adults choosing to cut these abusers out of their lives for good.
At one point, Krit's dad threatened his position AND made reference of harming Wayu. Krit's mom, as usual in these Thai BLs/GLs does absolutely nothing to show actual and genuine care as a mother, to help protect her children, from being harmed by her husband's words and actions.
It just bothers me, because I have literally only seen one Thai GL series (GMMTV'S "Us The Series") that had the daughter leaving and staying away from her family, due to the father's horrible control that he wanted to use over her life. That was even before she started a relationship with her older brother's girlfriend.
Krit's galpal Rose was fantastic, because she wasn't written to be this character, who had been nursing a long-term known crush on Krit, who then becomes psychotic over not being able to be with him in the end. She had her own life, a business, and career to focus on. Which you don't always get to see in Thai BLs/GLs either.
"Two years after “My Stand-In,” which may be the most successful BL ever about a toxic couple no one wanted to see together by the end,"
I have to finish reading your review of "Love Of Silom", but this take of "My Stand In" is so accurate. Viewers literally gave up on wishing that Joe would choose anyone or anything else but choosing to be with Ming again, and the series even had multiple friends, associates, and a guy telling him, to not choose Ming. Joe realized, understood, and recognized that he ultimately wanted the man that hurt in the most in his past life. Sigh.
what was tHAT SCENE OF THE DAD CRYING it was so emotional omg
Niran's father finally realized that if he doesn't stop trying to keep Niran from not being his dutiful son, he was going to keep on pushing him out of his life, home, and into the lives and home of Niran's mom and Uncle Rit.
The thought of Niran leaving him, scared him out of his mind. So, he started being honest about his need to believe that Judo was what Niran "loved." In his mind, that was the thing that kept them close to one another. He didn't understand that Niran loves him for him, and not the Judo. Him sobbing in Niran's arms, in utter relief, that Niran has chosen to stay with him got me good. That Niran told him, that he has to start listening AND understanding what he wants to decide for himself was fantastic. Dom and Keen were amazing in those scenes.
Sui's steps to fully embrace himself, with Harutorak's love, support, and frankly (at many times) pushiness was interesting to watch, because if he hadn't met him, Sui wouldn't have felt the need to start standing up for himself (especially regarding the one guy, who kept harassing him, because he couldn't admit to himself that he was also romantically interested in Sui). He certainly would not have come out to his mother. That scene was so hard to watch, because Sui desperately wanted his mom to have the same response as Harutorak's mom AND entire family had when Harutorak introduced him to them over Facetime. How his mom kept trying to avoid Sui's need to "have the conversation" again, once he came home to visit was sad. She knew that her initial reaction wasn't right, due to the shock of it. She couldn't apologize to Sui, but she told him that she had an idea about her son, before that moment. How does a parent, have that conversation with their child, about their sexuality? She didn't want to face it at that time. I think that idea of what she envisioned Sui's future life to be, had to change in her mind.
I'm just glad that she told Sui, that she and his father, see him as a "happy miracle" in their lives, and that she wants him to pursue his own happiness.
When you really think about it, sadly that particular aspect of a parent actively showing and voicing their support for their teenagers, growing young adults, and even adult aged kids, to focus on their happiness, and not doing their filial obligations isn't the norm in Asian dramas, let alone a BL.
Sui's steps to fully embrace himself, with Harutorak's love, support, and frankly (at many times) pushiness was interesting to watch, because if he hadn't met him, Sui wouldn't have felt the need to start standing up for himself (especially regarding the one guy, who kept harassing him, because he couldn't admit to himself that he was also romantically interested in Sui). He certainly would not have come out to his mother. That scene was so hard to watch, because Sui desperately wanted his mom to have the same response as Harutorak's mom AND entire family had when Harutorak introduced him to them over Facetime. How his mom kept trying to avoid Sui's need to "have the conversation" again, once he came home to visit was sad. She knew that her initial reaction wasn't right, due to the shock of it. She couldn't apologize to Sui, but she told him that she had an idea about her son, before that moment. How does a parent, have that conversation with their child, about their sexuality? She didn't want to face it at that time. I think that idea of what she envisioned Sui's future life to be, had to change in her mind.
I'm just glad that she told Sui, that she and his father, see him as a "happy miracle" in their lives, and that she wants him to pursue his own happiness.
When you really think about it, sadly that particular aspect of a parent actively showing and voicing their support for their teenagers, growing young adults, and even adult aged kids, to focus on their happiness, and not doing their filial obligations isn't the norm in Asian dramas, let alone a BL.
I didnt even use the word uke in my review because I did not feel like the performance given relied in any way…
By contrast, "Do Hyeon occasionally came across as a walking automaton without any clue about human behavior. So...no mistaking that portrayal for anything but a seme."
Correct, and sadly, that's exactly what the majority of the viewers want to see in these Seme characters. Like this total dominating being, who is "soft for ONLY his uke."
"Also this review will pretend the badly edited final 5 minutes of the finale that generated so much justifiable confusion simply never happened."
For me, I think the last 5 minutes shows that Eun Ho, from some current moment in high school, had his own revelation and awakening of his own desire/need/love of his best friend, Do Hyeon, that he imagined/fantasized a potential future with him. So, once Eun Ho finally "wakes up", he won't be hesitant to be as "motivated" as Do Hyeon was in his dream to pursue their relationship. At a certain point, Eun Ho likes all of the possessive behaviors that Do Hyeon expresses towards him. He just had to find a way to accept it, without it feeling, like in his mind, he was just swept away by Do Hyeon's feelings, desire, and love for him.
The two main leads were wonderful, because it's been awhile for any KBL to showcase how two young high school boys, express their growing desire, love, and need for one another in a way that makes sense. They can't keep their hands off one another. Their need to kiss. I did not feel like Eun Ho was written/portrayed as some representation of the usual "uke" that most female audiences vibe with in their minds.
"What really got me was seeing Bay being accepted and looked after by Sun’s family. I keep thinking about…
Everytime, I see this particular type of storyline, it's just shameful to me. Yet, the kids are made to feel like they aren't being "dutiful" enough towards their parents.
Episode 9 is my favorite so far, because we finally get to know what happened in the past. I do wish some of it…
"What really got me was seeing Bay being accepted and looked after by Sun’s family. I keep thinking about how many queer teenagers still don’t get that kind of support at home."
Bay really needee that friendly, opening, and welcome support from Sun's family.
It boggles my mind, that the children have to bear the issues, from what their parents caused. Boat spent YEARS lying about his internship, to please his father, made to feel like an absolute failure, lost his years of friendship with Ming, while knowing that his father stole a recipe from his friend. Yet, he and Bay are still supposed to respect their parents.
So, the mom knew about her husband, stealing the recipe for years, and never said anything about it! Wow. All of those relationships/friendships destroyed. They could of asked for help.
People acting like Wan is dumb or he’s just ignoring the signs because he’s bias/fanboy but No seriously WAN…
"Can we STOP HATING on Wan for not automatically comprehending Nine’s true personality (which is total psycho level) and yes Nine tried to drown him but WAN’s brain is overloading this information he can’t comprehend this fully yet."
I think that a lot of people/viewers refuse to have/show empathy for Wan, because they don't want to think that they wouldn't be able to see the signs of Nine's contempt, distaste, and envy in his behavior/actions. That they would be "smarter".
Deep down he knows Nine is off, he’s just in denial right now but he’s not stupid.
Even View, Wan's younger sister tells him, that he isn't stupid.
Wan's definitely in denial about Nine, and he's not really ready to face that truth yet.
He's spent years idolizing Nine, so he's going out of his way, in his head to justify why his idol is behaving this way towards him.
It has to be someone else that is "making" him anxious and paranoid, so it must be Third.
Even though, Third is the one, trying to make Wan more comfortable, at ease in being in his first ever TV series.
Wan's rose-tinted fanboy vision of Nine is getting clearer, with each new interaction on the set.
It's interesting, that most of Wan's scenes, in the production of the series, have only been with Third. We haven't seen him film a scene with Nine yet.
Nine is so threatened by his presence, I wonder what he'll attempt next to try and sabotage Wan.
K-Drama 
1 
Rao Zi Hao and Hou Ming Xuan were wonderful together as Shen Mo and Mingxuan.
That dude doesn't realize it, but Kang will find a way to destroy him, before he allows anyone to touch his Mr. Lee.
Wenshu had left the family, and was pursuing his own interests, before he met Quintian.
Hmm....That no matter what you have experienced and gone through in your past, you must continue to keep moving forward.
Quinlang taking that drink, to send his younger version of himself back to their past, to live his life focused on his career, to not be too "boy crazy", gave him the opportunity/risk to hopefully change Quintian's future. A future that may include QT's now alive boyfriend, but no chance to end up romantically with Wenshu.
Maybe, Quintian and Wenshu were never meant to be.
Changyang would find a way to rotate the universe to be with his husband, Quinlang.
Chen Wan loves Zhao Sheng Ge, in a totally "platonic way", yet he's constantly imagining him being embraced by him at the same time?
While, Zhao Sheng Ge, sees Chen Wan as this strange man, who's constantly going out of his way to please him, yet hears him say that he's some sort of villain?
Which, of course makes him more interested in finding out, who Chen Wan really is.
Even in the Weirdo 101 series, both of Niran's divorced parents are recognizing that their horrible behavior towards each other, has made their son doubt anything about who he is as an individual, and what he likes, and what he wants to do with his life. He got into judo, because of his dad, and he excelled in it, because he thought that his success, meant happiness for his parents. As he's a senior in high school, he has absolutely no idea what he wants, yet there is this younger junior in high school, actively paying interest in him, asking his opinion about what interests him, what he likes, and how he could become a part of his life, as a potential boyfriend.
There are these topics that are being brought up, within these Thai BLs/GLs that I hope the domestic younger and older audiences recognize, because it's about trying to get them to understand that their culture about parents and their ongoing relationships, with their growing older children have to change.
At one point, Krit's dad threatened his position AND made reference of harming Wayu. Krit's mom, as usual in these Thai BLs/GLs does absolutely nothing to show actual and genuine care as a mother, to help protect her children, from being harmed by her husband's words and actions.
It just bothers me, because I have literally only seen one Thai GL series (GMMTV'S "Us The Series") that had the daughter leaving and staying away from her family, due to the father's horrible control that he wanted to use over her life. That was even before she started a relationship with her older brother's girlfriend.
Krit's galpal Rose was fantastic, because she wasn't written to be this character, who had been nursing a long-term known crush on Krit, who then becomes psychotic over not being able to be with him in the end. She had her own life, a business, and career to focus on. Which you don't always get to see in Thai BLs/GLs either.
I have to finish reading your review of "Love Of Silom", but this take of "My Stand In" is so accurate. Viewers literally gave up on wishing that Joe would choose anyone or anything else but choosing to be with Ming again, and the series even had multiple friends, associates, and a guy telling him, to not choose Ming. Joe realized, understood, and recognized that he ultimately wanted the man that hurt in the most in his past life. Sigh.
The thought of Niran leaving him, scared him out of his mind. So, he started being honest about his need to believe that Judo was what Niran "loved." In his mind, that was the thing that kept them close to one another. He didn't understand that Niran loves him for him, and not the Judo.
Him sobbing in Niran's arms, in utter relief, that Niran has chosen to stay with him got me good. That Niran told him, that he has to start listening AND understanding what he wants to decide for himself was fantastic. Dom and Keen were amazing in those scenes.
He certainly would not have come out to his mother. That scene was so hard to watch, because Sui desperately wanted his mom to have the same response as Harutorak's mom AND entire family had when Harutorak introduced him to them over Facetime. How his mom kept trying to avoid Sui's need to "have the conversation" again, once he came home to visit was sad. She knew that her initial reaction wasn't right, due to the shock of it. She couldn't apologize to Sui, but she told him that she had an idea about her son, before that moment. How does a parent, have that conversation with their child, about their sexuality? She didn't want to face it at that time. I think that idea of what she envisioned Sui's future life to be, had to change in her mind.
I'm just glad that she told Sui, that she and his father, see him as a "happy miracle" in their lives, and that she wants him to pursue his own happiness.
When you really think about it, sadly that particular aspect of a parent actively showing and voicing their support for their teenagers, growing young adults, and even adult aged kids, to focus on their happiness, and not doing their filial obligations isn't the norm in Asian dramas, let alone a BL.
Sui's steps to fully embrace himself, with Harutorak's love, support, and frankly (at many times) pushiness was interesting to watch, because if he hadn't met him, Sui wouldn't have felt the need to start standing up for himself (especially regarding the one guy, who kept harassing him, because he couldn't admit to himself that he was also romantically interested in Sui).
He certainly would not have come out to his mother. That scene was so hard to watch, because Sui desperately wanted his mom to have the same response as Harutorak's mom AND entire family had when Harutorak introduced him to them over Facetime. How his mom kept trying to avoid Sui's need to "have the conversation" again, once he came home to visit was sad. She knew that her initial reaction wasn't right, due to the shock of it. She couldn't apologize to Sui, but she told him that she had an idea about her son, before that moment. How does a parent, have that conversation with their child, about their sexuality? She didn't want to face it at that time. I think that idea of what she envisioned Sui's future life to be, had to change in her mind.
I'm just glad that she told Sui, that she and his father, see him as a "happy miracle" in their lives, and that she wants him to pursue his own happiness.
When you really think about it, sadly that particular aspect of a parent actively showing and voicing their support for their teenagers, growing young adults, and even adult aged kids, to focus on their happiness, and not doing their filial obligations isn't the norm in Asian dramas, let alone a BL.
Correct, and sadly, that's exactly what the majority of the viewers want to see in these Seme characters. Like this total dominating being, who is "soft for ONLY his uke."
For me, I think the last 5 minutes shows that Eun Ho, from some current moment in high school, had his own revelation and awakening of his own desire/need/love of his best friend, Do Hyeon, that he imagined/fantasized a potential future with him. So, once Eun Ho finally "wakes up", he won't be hesitant to be as "motivated" as Do Hyeon was in his dream to pursue their relationship. At a certain point, Eun Ho likes all of the possessive behaviors that Do Hyeon expresses towards him. He just had to find a way to accept it, without it feeling, like in his mind, he was just swept away by Do Hyeon's feelings, desire, and love for him.
The two main leads were wonderful, because it's been awhile for any KBL to showcase how two young high school boys, express their growing desire, love, and need for one another in a way that makes sense. They can't keep their hands off one another. Their need to kiss. I did not feel like Eun Ho was written/portrayed as some representation of the usual "uke" that most female audiences vibe with in their minds.
Bay really needee that friendly, opening, and welcome support from Sun's family.
It boggles my mind, that the children have to bear the issues, from what their parents caused. Boat spent YEARS lying about his internship, to please his father, made to feel like an absolute failure, lost his years of friendship with Ming, while knowing that his father stole a recipe from his friend. Yet, he and Bay are still supposed to respect their parents.
I think that a lot of people/viewers refuse to have/show empathy for Wan, because they don't want to think that they wouldn't be able to see the signs of Nine's contempt, distaste, and envy in his behavior/actions. That they would be "smarter".
Wan's definitely in denial about Nine, and he's not really ready to face that truth yet.
He's spent years idolizing Nine, so he's going out of his way, in his head to justify why his idol is behaving this way towards him.
It has to be someone else that is "making" him anxious and paranoid, so it must be Third.
Even though, Third is the one, trying to make Wan more comfortable, at ease in being in his first ever TV series.
Wan's rose-tinted fanboy vision of Nine is getting clearer, with each new interaction on the set.
It's interesting, that most of Wan's scenes, in the production of the series, have only been with Third. We haven't seen him film a scene with Nine yet.
Nine is so threatened by his presence, I wonder what he'll attempt next to try and sabotage Wan.