ariel alba

Singing an out of tune 'Beautiful'

There are relationships that are not worth fighting for. There are others whose members may not have said goodbye forever. But there are other broken relationships that still have a solution.
Sometimes you do everything right in a relationship, and yet love can abandon you, leaving only paralyzing pain and a ton of questions behind. Among these the "why?" It will drag you to the bottom of the abyss.
In this case, when he (or she) is gone, you can follow him or her. You can still convince him that you love each other, that you are perfect for each other, sing him an out-of-tune 'Beautiful', by Baekhyun, and make sure he doesn't get on the plane at the last minute and leave forever. You can also crash their wedding just before they say their final "I do", so that they run away with you to the astonishment of each other's family, while mutual friends scream with joy. Or get into your car with a trailer caravan where you will live you don't know how many days, months or years, travel the distance that separates you from your loved one, stand conveniently under his window, a few meters from his bed, waiting for him to At some point I will allow you to enter it.
Or in the face of a cold and disconsolate response, you could very well be a regular at their restaurant with a name that hurts the insides and you, because you are clueless, because you don't know the reason why they abandoned you, you don't know its meaning.
What if you decided to collaborate in making the menu of said restaurant, become friends with the villagers, help clear up misunderstandings that involve your loved one's family, which is why he is not popular among the locals and why his humble business is going down the drain, and, between filming sessions and road trips, will you adapt and integrate into the quiet and simple life of the person you want to win back?
I would suggest that after reading the vague goodbye note and discovering that your lover has packed his bags and left the apartment you have shared, you put strong pressure on your agency, and tell your representative and his subordinate that you will jump out of the car in leave if they don't locate him.
Or when you can't explain to yourself what you did wrong and you can't find answers to the cause of the breakup, you choose to win the affection of the best friend of the person who has put your life in check and her small and precocious daughter, knowing that every step In this sense, it will allow you to create new opportunities to reconnect with your ex.
Precisely the latter was what Seo Joon (Son Woo Hyun) did when Ji Woo (Kim Kang Min) broke his heart in the second season of 'To My Star 2: Our Untold Stories'. Yes, I am referring to those two young people, one of them a famous celebrity and the other an ordinary chef, from two different worlds, with little in common, whose lives were shaken when they met and fell in love.
Well, it seemed like both boys would be together forever, but fate had other plans. After giving us some of the most romantic moments in Korean BL, they also filled us with sadness. But there the actor goes in search of his chef to continue enjoying, among other things, his delicious food.
And Hwang Da Seul, the director, took very seriously that no one is saved from death and a broken heart and that we must all face, throughout our lives, several different types of goodbyes. Knowing that every breakup has its reasons, its consequences and its bitter, and sometimes bloody, extensions, that life is not always laughter, love and joy, he summoned screenwriter Park Young to take up the story and develop a second season to imitate , very well filmically speaking, the breakdown of the relationship of that couple so beloved by fans of the genre, and then reconciling them, because otherwise it could not be, since, otherwise, as an audience, we would not forgive them.
I imagine Da Seul digging through the films and television series of yesteryear and today to revisit those that deal with breakups and narratives that address every cliché about love and its components, always with a similar structure and, above all, with a happy ending, a sung ending, that is, "from a movie". And all in order to promote significant topics, such as the couple's commitment and communication.
And it does so with incredible bravery, taking the flaws of the first season, especially that of a pleasant but substanceless original story, to make a sequel with greater development of the characters, expanding the dynamics of their relationships and amplifying the emotions.
While it is true that it suffers from a saturated melodrama at times, with artificial conflicts that could have been polished or not incorporated, what is also real is the achievement of the elegant arcs of the characters, which highlight growth, maturity and redemption .
I know that many BL fans will not like what is related to the breakup and the subsequent suffering of the members of their favorite ships, but a work that shows deep conflicts and characters with greater psychological complexities is appreciated.
Without giving any type of spoiler, I will ask you the same question that comes into play during the first minutes of the story: what is the reason for Jin Woo and Seo Joon's breakup?
With this fuse that is lit at the beginning of the series, the characters develop in a narrative with which they will manage to improve the original series, with richer backstories, more character development and complex relationship dynamics, allowing 'To My Star matures, comes of age and becomes a sophisticated BL drama that unfolds in a fascinating journey, seeking and fulfilling the objectives of unraveling a failed relationship, while the protagonists and the audience wonder if they would have a second one. opportunity to reconnect and be happy.
What BL lover wouldn't be surprised by the breakup of their idealized perfect lovers? Seo Joon experiences the same anxiety when faced with Ji Woo's inexplicable departure after leaving a vague message containing a single word: "Let's leave him."
So, the series is aimed at exploring why the breakup and, as I said, reconciliation. But now everything will happen far from the big city, as the cameras will focus on a small town several hours from Seoul, in Ji Woo's hometown and where he went after the breakup, and while he struggles to move his business forward in an Italian restaurant, Seo Joo continues to face problems in his acting career.
And if the proposal alone still doesn't catch your attention, I'll give you another colorful fact: through the experience of the two protagonists, the sequel explores the moving breakup of a couple with intrigue, intimacy and intense emotions. But it doesn't do so by adding a dramatic twist behind the breakup or an infamous evil destroyer of loves and homes.
No, the creators will pleasantly surprise us by letting us know that the reason for the discord is much more personal, simple but complex at the same time: Ji Woo has always preferred to repress his feelings and alienate those who care about him. Yes, it is not easy to live with him, and the series, through flashbacks, will make us understand why he is the way he is. In his case, he is not the typical individual that we see in other audiovisuals that explain his misunderstood actions, such as abandoning a person he loves and from whom he receives love, using the handy excuse of "suffering from childhood trauma." Ji Woo doesn't do anything wrong, he just stays away from Seo Joon and other people in his life to avoid being hurt.
Woo Hyun continues to show the same charm as his persistent Seo Joon. He continually and without hesitation expresses his feelings, says what he thinks and leaves no room for misunderstandings. He goes for it.
For his part, Kang Min continues to play his role as the grumpy but cute Ji Woo, but towards the end you will see him grow wings, all thanks to the persistence and love of Seo Joon.
If many BL sequels have disappointed for various reasons, 'To My Star 2' does the opposite, transforming a simple love story, but without much substance, into a moving saga of breakup and reconciliation. The maturity in the team, both acting and technical, is evident to deliver an ambitious product, the result of hard work and experience.
At this point in the note, you can already imagine what happens with Ji Woo and Seo Joon... But in case you weren't paying much attention, I can confirm that yes, they fight! However, in this case, new characters and new conflicts are added to the dynamic. With longer chapters, with diversification of filming settings and an increased supporting cast, with their plots, traumas and life stories, complex events and characters were developed that will enrich the main story through a compelling narrative.
And I leave for last, precisely because of its importance, an issue that is striking to me: it seems very light that in a country as conservative as South Korea where discrimination against members of the LGBT+ community still persists, marriage between people of the same sex, and homosexuals have difficulty fitting into society, since coming out is not welcomed in most families who consider homosexuality as something similar to a crime, show a rural community, generally defenders of patriarchal and heteronormative traditions, without its inhabitants ever questioning the "friendship" of the two protagonists when the type of relationship they maintain is evident and even trying to influence it so that it is fostered.

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Otomo Kyoichi (Okura Tadayoshi- '100 Times of Crying',) works at an advertising company. He has an indecisive personality. Despite being married, he repeatedly has affairs. After seven years, he meets his college freshman classmate, Imagase Wataru (Narita Ryo- 'Katsuben!'), who reveals that he was hired by Otomo Chikako (Sakihi Miyu- 'The Man Who Can') , his wife, to investigate his infidelity, but also confesses that he is gay and has been in love with Kyouichi since the first day he met him.
Given the confusion created in Kyoichi, Imagase promises not to reveal his infidelities in exchange for a kiss. Kyouichi accepts the proposal, hoping it will save his marriage, but their secret relationship begins to escalate and eventually becomes sexual.
Isao Yukisada's 2020 live-action film 'Kyuso wa Cheese no Yume wo Miru' (窮鼠はチーズの夢を見る) is based on a Japanese manga series 'The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese', written and illustrated by Setona Mizushiro, serialized in the josei manga magazine Judy from 2005 to 2006. The book was followed by a one-volume sequel titled 'The Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice' (俎上の鯉は二度跳ねる, Sōjo no Koi wa Nido Haneru).
This is a fascinating and heartbreaking film that deserves much more than being classified as BL, as well as better attention from the public.
The two protagonists are joined by Yoshida Shiori ('Chihuahua-chan') as Okamura Tamaki, Sato Honami ('Lupin's Daughter') as Natsuo, and Ohara Noriko ('Disturbed by Gymnopedie') as Ide Ruriko, whose characters they vividly embody. and compelling the idea that no matter who you are, once you fall in love with someone, your world will be turned upside down and there is nothing you can do about it.
The acting of the actresses allows human relationships to be more interesting than in a typical romantic film.
Tadayoshi Okura as Kyoicho shows talent and instincts, while Ryo Narita brilliantly plays the role he has been waiting for for a long time. The looks, gestures, words and silences of the two actors, sometimes playful and sometimes passionate, make this work even more realistic. The performances of the protagonists are especially good and indisputably express the heartbreaking but endearing love story.
The character played by Ryo Narita portrays with grace, naturalness and a certain sexual appeal the subtle changes in his emotions, which oscillate between arrogance, vulnerability and impatience on the screen.
Imagase transmits power and shows beautiful gestures that I have never seen before, but also despair and suffering. It's painful to be with him, just as painful to be away from him. His raw emotions make the viewer feel suffocated. He achieves the audience's empathy, and at times they forget the other characters present. He is the person who leaves the audience spellbound. His charm could perfectly work in the world of Wong Kar-wai or Lou Ye.
For his part, Tadayoshi Okura, with his passivity, boredom and rootlessness, also contributes to the creation of the atmosphere that the film tries to convey. Although natural, it exudes a certain air with elegance and seductive charm.
In particular, the scene in which while Kyoichi claims to be planning to marry a woman, Imagase begs him to allow her to continue seeing him, whether once a month or every six months, just to see his face, is very heartbreaking. At that moment I thought of the main characters of the American movie "Brokeback Mountain."
In this triumph of compatibility between director Yukisada and the actors, phrases said by Imagase will resonate over time, such as "When you fall in love with someone from the bottom of your heart, that person is the only one in everything", or "You have a weakness for the people who love you, but in the end, you don't trust that love and you keep sniffing out the feelings of the people who get close to you. Because of their power, these words impact and move.
Although Isao Yukisada set the standard within the Japanese and world seventh art with films such as 'Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World' (2004) and 'Year One In The North' (2005), creating an aura of mysticism, there came a period of stagnation from which only minor works emerged. But for the good of his followers, it also meant a time of meditation and intellectual growth.
We see the result in 'Kyuso wa Cheese no Yume wo Miru', a film with which Isao Yukisada returns to the path of success and expectations surrounding his productions, bringing us solid visual expression and human representation, making his narrative heroes play ruthlessly and skillfully.
The above is demonstrated when it seemed that the film was running out of breath after the first 40 minutes of its more than two hours of duration, Yukisada's virtuosity and professionalism refloated to achieve a convincing work.
While the two main characters cannot be happy, neither can the women around them. The four women who have been interfering in Wataru and Hyoishi's romance end up acting in a resigned or useful way for the development of the plot, which is probably why the director and screenwriter criticizes their characters from a feminist perspective.
In this kind of unrequited love, the film has the fascination of surpassing the original work. When one finishes watching it, one is impressed by its beauty and the helplessness it leaves in the viewer.
I leave for last my impression of the final scene of the film. When filming began, the two characters are on the shore of a calm, serene sea, but suddenly the wind blew and became intense. Someone asked to stop filming, but Okura Tadayoshi, Narita Ryo and Isao Yukisada, some in front of the cameras and the other behind it, stood firm, giving us a pulsating scene that leaves us with a lasting impression for life.

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A torrid sex scene is not enough fuel to get a plane or a car off the ground

The University of Technology and Innovation (UIT) opens its doors to receive new entrants every year. Its strict rules establish that future graduates, all male and interested in engineering careers, have to live on campus. It is divided into six buildings, and each one represents a group, according to the intellectual and physical qualities of its occupants.
Ai (Nuttawatt Thanathaveeprasert - Bank) and Songkhram (Chitsanupong Soeksiri -Earth) are two of the first-year students who will have to participate in multiple tests in an initial day of university orientation.
The striking physical challenges and artistic and mental competitions that they will undergo during the official reception ceremony provide a score that will define which dormitory building they will live in for the next four years.
By being elected leaders of university residences that have historically been involved in a continuous dispute, exacerbated each year with the arrival of new tenants, the two protagonists, without intending it, will end up being rivals, since each one will have to defend the interests of their respective campuses. .
While Ai, the automotive engineering student and car lover, commands building number 3, where the "handsome ones" live, Songkhram, the future aerospace engineer, who dreams of being an aviation pilot, is the guide of dormitory 2, where The "strong and athletic" ones are grouped together.
Bank, who we already saw in the drama 'Friend Forever', but with Ai makes the leap to the leading role in his first BL project, is a reliable boy who is always willing to help others, and shares a room with Touch, his best friend since the day he entered university.
This last character is played by Supanut Sudjinda (Tong), who we saw in the 2022 BL 'Unforgotten Night' in a supporting role.
For his part, Earth, also in his first leading role in BL, but with demonstrated artistic qualities appreciated in the series 'That's My Candy' and 'Even Sun', both from 2022, plays an intelligent and self-confident young man, who enters into frequent pungas with Ohm, (Bhurichon Khumsiri - Neptune), one of the occupants of bedroom 4, who has a close relationship with Ai as he is her cousin and childhood friend.
This is the fertile ground for the relationship between Ai and Songkhram, two “sworn enemies”, to flourish in the last year of their studies. The bitter conflicts and friction accumulated during the race will cause these two people, so different from each other, to first begin a friendship relationship that will soon become love.
To the aid of the two young people, indirectly, will come an assignment that they must present before graduating. They will have to form a team, along with other students, to prepare a project proposal to present to a panel of investors. This task, in addition to uniting them in complicity and romance, will also serve as a pretext to try to deceive their friends.
Despite having treated each other as adversaries, both will admit their secret feelings for each other. Songkhram is the one who will little by little stop fighting with his rival, after confirming that his suspicions that Ai is interested in Meen (Nattapat Suwanich - Pre-Saint) are not true. He will lose his fear and will be forced to reveal his love, realizing that his best friend, the athletic basketball player Bright (Natthaphon Musikanan - Boss), also loves Ai and tries to win him over.
Meen, one of the characters to take into account, is Ai's friend and has problems with class attendance and academic performance, since, along with his studies, he works as an actor in a popular television drama.
Meen and Bright used to be high school friends. However, they have grown apart and barely speak to each other at university.
Pluster (Chawanakorn Donmongkol – Po Te), and Nano (Sarin Rungkiatwong – Rim), are two first-year students who will bring new conflicts and tensions when they join the cast late in the series.
When love surprises the two main boys, they will have to contrive in front of the rest of the students to try to hide the fact that they are no longer rivals, but lovers.
In a script that reflects a weak and boring love story, Songkhram and Ai cannot show off their potential as a BL couple, despite their attractive looks and charming smiles. Embodying well-developed characters, I have no doubt they can become one of the most seductive couples within the genre.
Both the romance of the main couple and that of the secondary couples simmer and take time to develop, causing misunderstandings between them, and annoyance in the public, eager for the timid sighs of adults who act like teenagers to become hoarse. grunts of sexual enjoyment.
The adaptation of the novel "ราชาวิหค" (Racha Wihok) by Chiffon Cake lacks a compelling plot and shows little imagination. The only incentive we have, as the public, is to wait for the octane rating, that scale that allows us to rate the anti-knock power of a fuel when the latter is compressed in the cylinder of an engine, to be higher, and so on, Ai and Songkhram, like combustion generated, start flirting and kissing and thinking about a life together.
While the viewer waits for the couple to begin their journey in a stagnant plot, the repeated clichés, boring scenes and the actions of the characters, a kind of meaningless childish pranks, populate the episodes of 'Destiny Seeker'.
Only after the protagonists become adorable boyfriends with cute flirtations and romantic scenes in which there is no shortage of fun teasing and erotic games, while they hide their love from their friends and other students, the hitherto hidden BL material gains intensity and explodes with the essential fuel to get both cars and airplanes off the ground.
With a narrative that finally takes shape in the bodies of the two boys, the series enters, with plenty of momentum, into the last episodes, allowing visibility to a tender romance between two attractive young people who flirt deliciously.
The climax is reached in the passionate encounter of the young people in the final episode, in an act that borders on wild eroticism, but artistically polished like an exquisite jewel.
A hot sex scene will make even the viewer most accustomed to strong erotic images blush, due to how few they are in BL genre series.

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The constant search for happiness and the fight against gay loneliness

With 'Arisan', from 2003, the first Indonesian film with a homosexual theme about the life of an upper-class woman who feels attracted to a young gay executive, other films from that Asian country have delicately touched on the problems that a marginalized community faces.
While it is true that homosexuality is not prohibited by law, many members of the Indonesian LGBTIQ+ community remain in the "closet", as it continues to be a taboo in a country where 85 percent of its 220 million inhabitants are Muslims.
Films that have attempted to break myths around homosexuality and explore cultural taboos and social stigma in Indonesia include 'The Sun, The Moon and The Hurricane', which tells the story of Rain and his journey to find and lose happiness, love and the meaning of life. The protagonist, played by William Tjokro, will witness the change of the people around him, as well as the changes that will occur in himself simply to adapt, to survive. Rain will understand that all the events in his life and the people he meets shaped his personality and his destiny.
This brave film is easily identified with its audience through its beautiful and poetic narration. It effectively portrays the ever-changing nature of the human being, his eternal struggle to grow, to find his own happiness while fighting loneliness and facing the expectations of others.
After winning the Best Asian Short Film award at Screen Singapore with 'Red Umbrella' in 2011, Indonesian independent film director Andri Cung returns with his first feature film, from 2014, with which he contributes to the LGBTIQ+ community in its fight for rights queer in Indonesia.
Filmed in Jakarta, Bali and Bangkok with a small budget and no more than 20 crew members, the film, which screened for three consecutive weeks nationwide with Rating R21, successfully delivers its director's inspiring and liberal plot with a happy ending.
In this avant-garde, progressive, unconventional and sincere project that seeks to help change attitudes towards homosexuality in Southeast Asia, the filmmaker once again explores the social norms and taboos of his country. The notions of body image and passion, always from an artistic aesthetic and narrative, orbit the sometimes slow pace of the film.
The film takes us through the existential dilemma of Rain, who, in search of belonging, love, happiness and the meaning of life, pursues human connection in fleeting loves, and faces the inevitability of gay loneliness, this theme controversial in liberal societies. On the other hand, the viewer is immersed in the psychology of internalized shame and homophobia, shaping three-dimensional characters and weaving a fascinating plot.
In 'The Sun, The Moon and The Hurricane' the intention, as much as educating the audience, provoking reflection and perhaps connecting the audience with their personal circumstances, is also to provide a narrative that resonates with their own experiences. .
Its fundamental premise lies in the idea that our lives are a constant process of self-discovery, a journey that never ends. In this march through life, the film selected for its world premiere at the 2014 Vancouver International Film Festival advocates commitment to oneself. But in this journey towards authenticity and personal acceptance in the LGBTIQ+ community, support and connection with others is also important.
The film, which was highlighted at the 2016 Indonesia Film Festival and ACMI, Melbourne, Australia, also stars Natalius Chendana as Kris, winner of the Best New Actor award in Indonesia 2013, an actor who had previously worked with Andri Cung on '3SUM'.
Among the film's awards and achievements, the nomination for Best New Director at the 2014 Vancouver International Film Festival stands out, being selected to participate in the Jakarta International Film Festival (JiFFest) 2014 and the Jogja NetPac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) 2014. For his part, William Tjokro was nominated for Best New Actor at Piala Maya 2014, while at this same event Andri Cung was nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category.
At 19, and while experiencing a period of self-discovery, Rain is protected by the enigmatic Kris (Natalius Chendana) from bullying by homophobes at the high school they attend. Kris, who is very popular with the girls, will demand Rain's friendship, insist that she spend the night at sleepovers and that she abandon her other friends. “You don't need them. I alone am enough for you.”
However, Kris himself went out at night with a succession of casual girlfriends. Rain, who is coming to terms with being gay, will wait for Kris at his house, going through the drawers to try to discover the personality of his mysterious friend.
When Kris arrives on one of those outings with the girl on duty and kisses a Rain who is pretending to be sleeping, emotions are unleashed. Caught in the act of stealing a kiss, Kris first reacts by expelling Rain from the house, but not before ordering him to never reveal that he desires another man.
After the tempestuous sex scene that ensues, and after sleeping in each other's arms, Kris will leave Rain at her home. As the music in the background pumps as loud as the shame and guilt in her blood, Kris leaves crying, thinking that the time has come to abandon the person she loves so much. Andri Cung's unstable hand-held camera is masterful, as he follows that man inside a car, overflowing with tears of pain and sadness.
Rain, for his part, cannot understand why this young man who loves him and whom he loves abruptly disappears from his life.
Nine years later, Rain seems to have gotten over Kris. Visiting Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, she has a brief but warm and tender sexual experience with Will (Cornelio Sunny). However, he will come to confess to this free-spirited prostitute that it does not matter how many people pass through his life, because he has only had one great love.
Now, 32 years old and with a consolidated career as a filmmaker, he receives a surprising invitation to visit Kris, now unhappily married to Susan (Gesata Stella) and living in Bali. What does Kris really want? Is Rain the only person he's ever loved? The reunion with Kris will lead Rain to make the most difficult decision of his life.
While it is true that the first third of the film is slow-paced and suffers from narrative inertia, it begins to gain momentum after Kris disappears and Rain fully embraces his sexuality. The reason for this cinematographic procedure lies in the necessary accumulation of conflicts for the characters to develop.
The combination of one-liner dialogue, Rain's voice-over narration, raw, shaky camera movements, and close-ups highlight the characters' denial, internal struggles, and discomfort with each other.
The editing by Dwi Agus Purwanto and Mochamad Rizky Pratama, and the songs “The Moon” and “Daylight Dreaming”, by Toper Caesar, contribute to the visuality of the film, and create an impression of dreaminess and peace. Their combination manages to highlight the hope and intimacy shared between the two protagonists.
The sun shines during the day and is always in the shape of a circle. The moon rises at night and its shape appears to change and can sometimes be seen during the day. What are the sun and the moon? How are they similar and how are they different?
As a metaphor for life itself, the film's title alludes to the sunny and hopeful phases, on the one hand, and the dark and stormy phases, on the other, of human existence itself in perfect balance.

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Feelings for the deceased brother's partner or between stepsiblings: a challenge to the norm

For some time now, Korean cinema and television have been committed to showing characters from the LGBTIQ+ community. The works of the filmmakers demonstrate the evolution of an audiovisual panorama interested in expanding its sense of inclusive diversity.
This is the reason why among the films of this Asian nation that reflect the various aspects of seduction and attraction, couples and commitment between characters of this human group, that is, lesbians, gays, transgenders, bisexual, intersex, queer and more, titles such as 'Yeoldaeya' ('열대야'), also known in English as 'Tropical Story' or 'Tropical Night', appear.
Mixing drama and gay romance, this 2017 Korean-Thai collaboration from director, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor Kim Hun revolves around Kim Min-ki (Khan), a young Korean man who travels to the city Pattaya, Thailand, to find Park Jae-Hee (Park Hyun Soo), the lover of Kim Min-hoon (Choi Hong Joon), his older brother. Interested in finding out why Min-hoon committed suicide after escaping military service, he will try to contact his boyfriend. Min-ki suspects that his death is due to Jae-Hee's indifference. Therefore, look for him to express his regret.
Will Jae-hee be indirectly to blame for the tragedy? Did Min-hoon think about how much damage he would cause to those who love him? Is his death related to the harassment to which homosexuals are subjected within the Korean army by their superiors? Doesn't Article 92 of the South Korean Military Penal Code consider sexual relations between members of the same sex to be "sexual harassment", punishable by a maximum of one year in prison? Isn't the illegality of homosexuality and discrimination towards LGBTIQ+ people in Korea due, among other factors, to the fact that the country's army maintains a conscription system? Doesn't the military have a strong influence on the way Korean men's gender identity is configured?
Isn't it true that conservative South Korean society encourages homosexuals to feel ashamed of themselves? Don't you want homosexuals to blame themselves for not being able to satisfy society's criteria of heteronormality? Is it the purpose of the film to accuse South Korean society as a whole for the suicide that Min-hoon is forced to commit? So is it a suicide or a crime? Wouldn't society itself be to blame for the tragedy? Although this would be a good song, 'Tropical Night' opts for romance, perhaps to avoid finding other reasons for censorship and rejection in that homophobic society.
However, the film does not hide in presenting social themes that are extremely strong, such as homosexuality, the possible romantic relationship between step-siblings or between the ex-boyfriend of a deceased person and his brother, suicide, guilt, how taking steps forward in the face of problems and limits, and the fragile thread that sometimes exists between friendship and love. Generating controversy and having the ability to educate and offer a different point of view is an essential objective of 'Tropic Night'. Could Kim Hun have set out to prove that life is not simply black and white, and sometimes addition and subtraction can yield different results than expected?
The fundamental message it transmits is love, despite the situations of each character. The film teaches us how the transformative force of love can overcome and overcome every obstacle that comes our way.
Without being guilty, Jae-hee reflects the complexity of human emotions, especially the weight of guilt and the internal struggle that it generates in those who carry it. Meanwhile, Min-ki carries the pain of not having understood his brother in time and not having been by his side in his most bitter moments. Then it will hurt him to have recriminated someone who was always faithful and loving to Min-hoon.
Initially, Jae-hee appears uncomfortable with Min-Gi's presence in her house. He does not agree to give him an apology for his insistent demand to express "I'm sorry", because he does not consider himself the cause of Min-hoon's suicide, in addition to accusing him of being selfish for not valuing his life and not taking into account the suffering that the decision committing suicide would cause the people who love him.
However, Lee Tae Kyung (Lee Geun Joo), Jae-hee's stepbrother and who suffers from a fatal illness, with his jokes and laughter, will be the catalyst for the rapprochement of both boys. What first emerges as a rivalry will soon give way to friendship and from this to love. The meeting of Jae-hee and Min-ki will cause strange feelings to arise for each other. As Min-ki slowly stops blaming Jae-hee, a strong connection begins to develop between the two. Will it be morally correct to establish a loving bond between the ex-boyfriend of a person who committed suicide and his brother?
For his part, Tae Kyung struggles with the duality between the bonds of brotherhood that bind him to Jae-hee and the romantic feelings he also has for his stepbrother. If, on the one hand, the relationship between Jae-hee and Min-ki can generate a lot of controversy, especially when we base ourselves on patterns that consider a brother's partner untouchable, and especially when he has died, the fact that A young man is secretly in love with the son of his mother's husband, even if they are not related by blood.
Facing the possibility of developing feelings for a brother's partner or between step-siblings, as occurs between the three protagonists, challenges the norm, and can make the viewer who is not used to consuming strong and delicate themes in television productions feel uncomfortable. cinematographic. However, this is a challenge that can be real.
The plot seeks to explore how to deal with complex emotions and the difficult decision between preserving the friendship that could unite Jae-hee and her late boyfriend's brother, or following the path of love. Although some may consider this situation embarrassing, I believe that addressing these taboo topics is essential to enrich the narrative and provoke reflection in the audience.
Tae Kyung, knowing that he has little time left to live, prefers to hide from Jae-hee the feelings that he has kept silent for years. “I want you to remember me as a brother,” he will confess to Min-gi, who did understand the secret early on, and will encourage him to follow the dictates of his heart. “You two make a great couple,” he admits. "Do not go. “Stay a few more days,” he will instruct him, so that he can comfort Jae-hee when he is gone, in addition to giving them time for both of them to open up to love. Dying, he will seek the same fate as Kim-hoon.
The viewer must be alert to how the situation develops to understand the characters' decisions and attitudes. Only in this way will you come to recognize that despite circumstances and limits, friendship and love sometimes intertwine, generating dilemmas that are difficult to resolve.
With this film, Kim Hun challenges taboos and breaks norms to successfully guide how the characters face these complex situations. The three protagonists do not stagnate, they evolve and face twists, generating emotions and interest, giving rise to discussions among the audience.
Winner of the 'Pink Money Award' (Audience Award) at the 2017 Seoul Pride Film Festival (SPFF), 'Tropical Night' features Jeon Il-hwan as music director and Lee Sang-woo as executive producer, producer and costume designer.

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Whirlwind of love and revenge on a tourist island

He works for a dolphin and sea lion show at Fantastic Ocean. He works at a karaoke bar on a beach on the Chinese island of Hainan, where they both live. He is a talented trainer of aquatic mammals. He succeeds in his traveling business, in part because he bears a striking resemblance to the late Chinese actor and singer Leslie Cheung. He waits for him with dinner ready and both of their underwear clean. He is a daring and handsome boy who also has sexual relations with women and walks around the beach, the streets and the house half-naked. He, in silence, awaits your return. He, drunk, comes home late after playing with other men. Both help in an illicit business, while committing petty robberies and other mischief, such as recovering their assets seized by the police.
Li Qi (Shen Shiyu) and Ren Yu (Zhao Bingrui) are two young men who live a wonderfully simple life as a couple. Happy, between the two of them they have built their own earthly paradise.
However, things change when an attractive young woman, Bai Ling (Yue Yue), comes into their lives and drastically shakes their reality. When the daughter of the illegal beach food vendor joins the two men, a three-way relationship seems possible. Li Qi shines around him. She shines around Ren Yu ('Marriage Proposal Say Yes!', 2013 and 'Love in Late Autumn, 2016'). In this classic love triangle, does the girl know about Qi and Ren Yu? Does he know they are a couple? The truth is that the three of them intend to test the limitations of their own sexuality.
The lovers now face difficult decisions because they want to explore their sexuality further and include Bai Ling ('A Woman', 2022; 'Mother in the Mist', 2021), in their relationship. At times, the loving trio disappears to become a secret couple again, but now between Bai Ling and Ren Yu. But the latter will not accept his proposal to be her boyfriend and live in a distant city. Could love for Li Qi be the reason for his rejection? Don't you want to enter an uncertain, but promising future? Why then does he kiss her and while they are living their idyll, the tragedy occurs that will shake the three of them to the depths of their being?
The film, which begins at the end, initially tells us how one of the main characters commits a heinous crime motivated by revenge and then goes to the roots of the conflict to expose the reasons that motivated the revenge.
Also skillful is the location of the plot in one of the tropical and paradisiacal beach areas of Hainan (in Chinese, 海南; pinyin, Hǎinán; literally, 'South Sea'), the smallest and southern province of the People's Republic of China. The site surprises by becoming another protagonist, the fourth, of the film. Its streets and shops show the wounds of the passage of successive typhoons that hit what is now the largest Special Economic Zone of the Asian giant.
Like an island from which you can only leave by air or sea, our protagonists will also find themselves unable to escape their own destiny. This is marked from the very title of the film. The main reason to chew Asian betel nut or areca nut is for its stimulating and slightly euphoric effects. The person who consumes it obtains a greater feeling of alertness, a sensation of heat throughout the body.
Subtle and masterful use of metaphor to mark the destruction of the paradise in which Li Qi and Ren Yu have lived with the interweaving of the Chinese tradition of consuming betel nuts with the risks to human health associated with the prolonged use of these seeds. , since this practice has led thousands of people to an early death.
Released in April 2017, the film, by Chinese director and screenwriter Hu Jia, won the China Stard Best Film Award 2018. It was also presented at the Berlin International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival and Hong Kong International Film Festival, in its 2017 editions.
The yaoi genre romantic drama 'The Taste of Betel Nut' (槟榔血) depicts a story of revenge and young love, a story about the growing desire for intimacy between two men and a woman.
Very cleverly, Hu Jia makes unique decisions in writing the script and developing the plot of the film. The choice to include few dialogues does not discourage the viewer. On the contrary, it awakens in us an interest in discovering where the film story will take us. This way, the audience will be able to appreciate the images and focus more on the characters' actions.
The writer and director creates a fractured storyboard that unfolds like a puzzle: fundamental pieces are missing to finish the work. Together, he and the viewer, we will have the task of, as the footage rolls, compare the fragments we have with those intentionally omitted, in order to advance through the incomplete scenes that have kept us in the dark until we reach the light. and with this the understanding of the narrated events.
The ending is open. The viewer, once again behind the cameras, has several pieces of the puzzle in their hands. According to his wishes, only one of them may be the right one to complete the puzzle: on the terrace of his house, between sheets swinging in the air, Ren Yu, with obvious scars on his shaved head and with a slow, hesitant step, has been able come out of the coma and now turns his face and smiles at someone who approaches. Is it Li Qi who has been able to escape the fury of the bullies? Has Ren Yu waited for him during his years in prison for the crime committed? Is it just Ren Yu's imagination? Like Ren Yu, Li Qi has also died at the hands of the gang and they both meet again in another paradise, but this time heavenly?

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We are faced with a filmic gem:
Song Young Jun, 30 (Song Jae Ha) and Seo Joon Suk, 23 (Jo Hye Hoon) are a very happy gay couple despite living their love in secret. Both actors, who play their roles perfectly, are not afraid to show their naked torsos during the 65 minutes of the film and have explicit sex scenes, all achieved in an artistic way.
The young people decide to create a memory they never had in celebrating their 5th anniversary. They rent a room in a motel in Jongno (Seoul's popular gay neighborhood) to record their precious memory on a video camera.
Between a celebration cake, confidences, naked baths, sex and complicities, all in front of the camera in which they record themselves, the room is filled with the memories that unite them, like the day on the beach to which they promise. go back. Likewise, they vow to never change their love for each other.
However, there is a feeling in the air that today is going to be their last day.
On the one hand, the excellent performances, the control of the body and voice of the two actors to interpret the emotions, the direction, script and other technical elements of the film and, on the other, the viewer's refusal to accept the obvious, but All the signs of what will happen are cleverly shown: Joon Suk is reluctant to allow himself to be filmed from the first scene, the bathroom scene. He claims to be nervous, then worries that the video could be taken as pornography. Only your boyfriend's insistence will lead him to agree to participate in everything that will happen inside the room.
As Young Jun prepares to leave, Joon Suk is awake, but he pretends to sleep and doesn't want to say goodbye. It is evident that he knew in advance that the relationship would end, and of the existence of a prior agreement between the two that it would end in this way.
Young Jun will also ask “When did you hate me the most?”, to which Joon Suk will respond: “When you tell me 'we don't have a future', 'we should marry women' or 'the gay community in Korea hasn't changed'.” Young Jun will also confess that “there is a fantastic recording ready for you,” referring to the recorded video that he leaves for her to watch after he leaves.
In my opinion, not knowing how to appreciate the true emotions and feelings that the characters convey is the reason for the negative reviews and low ratings. The characters themselves, very subtly, are responsible for answering the reason why the film does not have an ending like the one we would like. The film makes a very intelligent, very subtle criticism of the discrimination that exists in South Korea against members of the LGBT+ community.
South Korea is a conservative country, with strong patriarchal and heteronormative traditions, where homosexuals have difficulty fitting into society. Coming out is still not welcomed in most conservative Korean families, who consider their children's homosexuality as something close to a crime.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in South Korea face legal challenges and discrimination not experienced by non-LGBT+ South Koreans. Same-sex sexual activity is legal, but Gay Marriage, Equal Marriage or Same-sex Marriage or other forms of legal partnership are not available to same-sex couples.
It's true: we would like a happy ending for the two young people, but reality prevailed. Young Jun leaves an envelope on the nightstand containing an invitation to his wedding to a woman. His destiny is decided by his family. Your destiny is determined by society. He doesn't have the strength to fight this and accepts not being happy and also making his boyfriend unhappy.
An ending, which would only be syrupy, melodramatic and unrealistic, perhaps bordering on the worst film productions, would have been for Young Jun to have rebelled against his family and society and not have abandoned his boyfriend. For a moment, before the end credits, I thought that they were not a couple, that Joon Suk was a prostitute (because of the envelope on the table I even speculated that it could be money) and they both pretended to be boyfriend and girlfriend for some reason. A happy ending, in this case, could be that the connection created between the two turns them into a couple. Young Jun would return to the room to confess to loving him and Joon Suk would claim that he also developed feelings for him during the hours they shared in the motel room.

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Between spies and potential mobsters, love is in the air

After delighting BL fans with the dramas 'Eternal Butler' (2025), 'Unknown' (2024), and 'Stand by Your Side' (2023) as screenwriter; the series 'We Best Love We Best Love: No. 1: For You' and 'We Best Love: Fighting Mr. 2nd', and their respective specials, as executive producer; and the Specials 'Anti Reset Extra Episodes' (2024), 'Stay by My Side Extra Episodes' (2024), 'VIP Only Extra Episodes' (2024), and 'You Are Mine Extra Episodes' (2024) as actress, Cai Fei Qiao offers us, in 'Fight for You' (2025), in her first work as screenwriter and director, a mix of genres that works quite well. Here we have comedy, espionage, drama, and, above all, romance. All this with two actors who will make you laugh and want to visit the stars.
All the genres mentioned in the previous paragraph come together in the relationship between the characters of Andy Ko (Hei Yu Bo / "Da Hei") and Nelson Ji (Bai Zhou Qi / "Xiao Bai") throughout its 12 episodes.
Let's believe for a second that the synopsis of this series doesn't spoil the interesting twist of its premise. Let's admit that the marketing campaign has sold its best secrets without hesitation. What you'll be lucky if you get to 'Fight for You' without any of the spoiled information and you go into it without knowing what it's about.
Two young people land in the middle of a house; each one hopes to get their way and occupy the best room. One of them abruptly gives in. The tenants shout with joy. They now have landlords, and two handsome young men, of course. Their false names protect their complete anonymity.
Through dialogue, brief monologues, precise flashbacks, and specific thoughts, we slowly, unhurriedly, progressively learn their false identities and the reasons for their presence and personalities. It doesn't matter who they were for the moment; we will be able to accept them for who they are now.
This is Cai Fei Qiao's first tool to draw you into her unique game: you will always know that the two of them will not be who they say they are... and we will already know who they are supposed to be.
In this Taiwanese series, built on a foundation of comedy, intrigue, deception, and humor, the romance is evident almost from the moment the two protagonists meet and begin to bond beyond what is advisable in the always dangerous realm of spies and organized crime.
Da Hei, a young man who works at a food establishment with his grandmother Hei Shi Lin (Lam Sau Kwan), is in need of money to cover the medical expenses of his ailing sister, Hei Jia Li (Mimi Shao – 'The On1y One'). Because of this, he is driven to reluctantly join a mysterious "All-Service House", run by his neighbor Dou Ke Yi (Wills Sia), which is under investigation by the intelligence department as a suspected front agency for a crime syndicate. The evidence, though inconclusive, is quite compelling.
Xiao Bai is a member of a famous family of intelligence agents. But his superiors and his own family don't see in him the qualities that distinguish his grandfather and older brother Bai Zhou Guo / "Da Bai" ('Papa & Daddy', 2021).
What Da Hei doesn't know is that his roommate is an undercover spy named Bai Zhou Qi, sent to find evidence linking Dou's business to the mafia. To do so, the clumsy agent resorts to deceiving the gullible suspected gangster, first by posing as a university student named Xiao Bai, then by making him believe he's in love with him and convincing him to fake a courtship between the two in front of Da Hei's grandmother, leading to a hilarious clash of secrets, dangers, and unexpected feelings.
As part of an exercise to reevaluate his work, the young spy must verify, as his grandfather puts it, whether the unsuspecting young man is "a just person or a hostile person".
Xiao Bai will come to the conclusion each day that of the two types of people the elderly secret agent believes exist in the world, Da Hei is of the righteous. But he will need to convince himself first, and then convince the others of this.
What the two don't know is that after completing each tracking and verification mission, their growing dependence on each other will deepen. But how will Da Hei react when Xiao Bai's true identity and mission are revealed? Would you love someone even if you felt like you didn't know them? Would you love someone even if you feel you don't know them?
By the fourth episode, I would like Da Hei to answer yes, if only for the mischief they have experienced together.
The chosen context —organized crime and the possible affiliation of one of the two protagonists— decorates a beautiful, joyful, and fun love story that delves into that which, through deception and impersonation, functions as the true support of relationships: the purest of truths.
Xiao Bai's quest, eager to prove that this truth exists, possesses good pacing and tension, despite lacking impact and surprise. It demonstrates that when the script is well-crafted —although it suffers from exaggerated dialogue— everything flows naturally, leading to a beautiful love affair.
'Fight for You' doesn't reconstruct the spy genre but reinvents it, turning the experience into a tense journey toward a happy ending, accumulating false clues and half-hidden secrets that must find their necessary conclusion.
The series fulfills its purpose of entertaining and amusing, but also of making we reflect on relationships built on the basis of complete ignorance of the other's identity.
Yes, it's cheesy. Yes, some parts are cringe worthy. And yes, the creators of the series know this perfectly. It's full of absurd and exaggerated humor, along with tender and sweet moments, and plots that keep you on the edge of your seat. The result is a heartwarming story that will give you the serotonin boost you need.
Regarding the casting, it's clear that it relies heavily on the roles of Andy Ko and Nelson Ji. It's important to note here that the one who shines the most is Nelson Ji, who makes the series his own from the moment he appears.
This actor, known for playing Duke of Yong in 'The Longest Day in Chang'an' (2019), stands out for the great spontaneity, comic timing, and believability he brings to his character, Xiao Bai. Andy Ko, for his part, is convincing as the naive, grown man who is afraid of cockroaches and is suspected of being a member of a criminal organization; both elements are frequently used to provide humor, intrigue, and suspense.
While the main characters steal the show, a cast of supporting actors enriches the narrative, creating a richer and more engaging story.
Part of the pleasure lies in seeing how all the pieces come together in a seemingly natural way.
And Cai Fei Qiao, with her narrative wisdom, draws you neck-deep into a spy-gang game with such personal nuances that even you'll want to see it end.
The elegant, classic, and calm direction allows the viewer to enjoy themselves, giving them their time and space, allowing them to settle back in their seats and enjoy the delicacy without rushing.
The script is impeccable. Every choice is spot on, nothing is missing or superfluous, everything fits together. It follows its own rules of the game and respects them to the death, like a faithful dog.
It's a strange and surprising series. It summarizes, concentrates, and distills spy and romance cinema while giving it a new lease of life and vigor.
A lighthearted series, intelligent in its exaggeration, beautiful and accomplished, that respects the tradition of the most fantastical and escapist fiction, the most dreamy and unreal.
I'll come back later with the review.

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The Dilemma of Choosing Between Oneself and One's Family

Xiao Lin is experiencing the development of his gay identity, a recently emerging term that has permeated societies globally. Our young protagonist has begun to realize that he could be homosexual, that he is attracted to young people of the same sex. Like many other people in this period of self-discovery as gay, precisely the first stage of accepting homosexuality, the Shanghai University student fears confronting his homosexuality under pressure from his family.
During a short vacation, he travels back to his hometown where his father and paternal grandmother are waiting for him. Under the influence of Ouyang Fu Gui, a more radical and visually more open young writer, Xiao Lin begins to accept himself. He even goes so far as to reveal to his new friend the possibility of being homosexual or bisexual (the Second Stage or Comparison Stage, according to Vivienne Cass (1979), a criterion widely recognized worldwide), and what that would mean if it were true. Thanks to Ouyang Fu Gui, he visits gay clubs while still suffering from Confusion.
Whether internally or with his friend, Xiao Lin expresses his fear about the consequences that being gay will have on his life.
However, after returning home and seeing his family's expectations for his marriage grow, Xiao Lin finds himself trapped in the dilemma of choosing between himself and his family.
Writer-director Wu Xuan, who trained in Film and Television Direction from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, films a short film that delves into the contemporary gay community, which is still on the verge of self-identification, and develops the story through a realistic audiovisual style and the perspective of young college students.
Rather than focusing on a sweet, sexy gay romance, as seen in Thai BL, the film by Production Company: Shanghai Theatre Academy takes a more realistic social context, showing their psychological processes and encounters, focusing on the plight of gay youth today.
Starring young Chinese actor Liu Haoqiong as Xiao Lin, the short film reflects on gender and the social constructs that have been built around homosexuality.

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It is absurd to claim that he has been censored or had scenes cut for showing alleged BL images

It is an error and a total absurdity to affirm that 'The Way Home' has been censored or scenes were cut, beyond the logical editing or audiovisual editing process, for containing supposed images typical of a BL series.
'The Way Home' is NOT adapted from a Chinese BL novel, so it was not intended to be a censored bromance-type adaptation either.
The most striking thing is that those who affirm these fallacies, with clear political rather than artistic motivations, do not break spears when there is a strong rejection in the world of representations of homosexual love (not only in fiction, but also in real life), when European countries like Hungary, and other neighbors of China, such as Malaysia, Kuwait, Indonesia, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other West Asian nations, ban and censor those fictions that feature scenes where gay men, lesbian women or Transgender characters express themselves with a kiss, a hug, a gesture, or even a few words, as occurs in the films 'Lightyear' (Pixar), 'Thor: Love and Thunder' (Marvel), 'Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous' ( Netflix), Marvel's 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness', 'Eternals', 'West Side Story', and so many other films that include LGBT+ characters.
The most striking thing is that those who affirm these fallacies, with clear political rather than artistic motivations, remain silent when Donald Trump, just hours after taking office as president of the United States, has eliminated with a stroke of the pen the DEI programs "diversity, equity, inclusion", deeply rooted in that country, considering them to be "discriminatory" policies. It is sad how with their silence they become complicit in the war against policies, inherited from the civil rights movement of the 60s, which have the declared objective of promoting equal opportunities taking into account different criteria, especially in the recruitment process or access to jobs, students and aid programs, and which take into account ethnic origin, gender, disability or sexual orientation.
The most striking thing is that those who affirm these fallacies, with clear political rather than artistic motivations, do not break spears when in nations supposedly more liberated and committed to the LGBT+ community, such as the United States, censor films such as Disney's latest version of 'The Beautiful and the Beast', for including a gay character in the story, as happened in the State of Alabama, with movie theater and drive-in owners banning the exhibition of the film for showing an "exclusively gay" moment between the character Le Fou (played by Josh Gad) and Gaston (Luke Evans).
The most striking thing is that those who affirm these fallacies, with clear political rather than artistic motivations, do not break spears when in societies supposedly more liberated with respect to homosexuality, such as the United States, from the beginning of 2023 until today a process is being experienced of legislative violence and unparalleled setback in the human rights of LGTB+ people.
I am referring to the approval of anti-LGBT+ laws by different states that openly limit different facets of the rights of said community, which aim to put the members of this group back in the closet, and which will begin in 2022 when Ron DeSantis , the governor of Florida, approved the Don't Say Gay Bill, whose text prohibits teaching any educational content related to sexual orientation or gender identity to students between 3 and 17 years old, and requires that the educational curriculum necessarily define he sex as “determined by biology and reproductive functions” and gender as “binary, stable and fixed.”

Returning to the series

'The Way Home' was never conceived as a series that explores love between boys. From the idea to post-production, through the script, the series was conceived as a bromance, a drama of youth and family growth, which became a 16-episode audiovisual, directed by Xu Huikang and written by Ouyang Lou and Liu Shuyang.
The relationship between the characters can be defined as a bromance at most, they are just friends. As can be verified, its original name was 'I don't want to be brothers with you'. Also, don't be so hard on the Chinese BL community. I know Chinese BLs can never fit your typical gay drama criteria. But they still tell really good stories and one should appreciate them.
It has all those elements you would expect from a realistic high school drama with the son of a single father sharing a room with another boy his age. There are also many friend gang moments.
In fact, the most "gay" thing we can find in the series is the pink bicycle owned by Chen Long An (Yuan Ming Ze), a friend of the two protagonists and owner of the gym and school where the boys go to train as a crew. of dragon boats, and which can be interpreted as a symbol that identifies "safe spaces" for LGBTQ+ people at work or at school.
Starring Ma Baiquan, Zhang Kangle, Chen Xinwei, Yuan Mingze, and Yao Jingyuan, among other actors and actresses, the Chinese series tells us, in a family and youth drama tone, the story of He Jia Hao (Ma Baiquan) and Jia Shu (Zhang Kangle), cousins not related by blood.
Set in Xiqiao Village, a water town in Lingnan, the once prosperous He family now has only one son, He Jia Hao, an introverted and well-behaved student, who in addition to carrying the supposed hope of his family hides a secret in his heart.
He Jia Shu, the young man raised within the family as if he were part of it, was expelled from home after the family learned an unexpected truth. Eight years later, He Jia Shu finally returns to the village, and Jia Hao, carrying the blame for causing his expulsion, seeks to make peace with Jia Shu.
The series explores traditional culture, such as dragon boat racing in southern China, the dragon boat eye-dotting ceremony, and Lingnan lantern skills.
Initially, He Jia Shu wants to completely sever ties with the He family. However, after spending time with He Jia Hao he begins to slowly return to the family. Under the pressure of maintaining the conservative concepts of the He family, the two "brothers" who are not related by blood grow and mature together, breaking the prejudices of their elders, until they regain kinship and friendship, and understand the meaning of family.
Through the mutual redemption between brothers, the series reflects the power of family affection, breaking down the barriers of lineage, rebuilding family ties, and triggers the public's thinking about family relationships.
From the China Youku Web Channel, the series tells a story of the bromance genre, in the style of 'The Judge of Hell' (2021), 'Beyond Evil' (2021), 'Sandía Brillante' (2023), 'Rugal' (2020), among many others, to describe a deep and meaningful connection between two male characters who are always there for each other, support each other unconditionally and care significantly, but without actually having a relationship loving.
The relationship maintained by the protagonists is not the same as that maintained by the protagonists of films such as 'Call Me by Your Name', 'Brokeback Mountain', 'God's Own Country' or 'Happy Together', but rather like the one that exists between Chandler and Joey in 'Friend', Batman and Robin in 'Batman The Movie', Sherlock Holmes and his esteemed detective adventure partner Watson; House and his friend James Wilson in 'Doctor House', Troy and Abed, from the North American series 'Community', Pedro and Pablo in 'The Flintstones', Howard and Raj in 'The Big Bang Theory', Blake Shelton and Adam Levine in 'The Voice', Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Martin Riggs y Roger Murtaugh, Ted, Marshall and Barney in 'How I Met Your Mother', and many other examples of bromances.
He Jia Hao and He Jia Shu are two straight men who really love and care about each other a lot. The chemistry, the friendship, the beautiful and unique relationship of brothers that these two actors maintain is undeniable, which only helps to worsen the catatonic state into which many lovers of the bromance genre fall.
The point is that these actors are too close to their audience, and that makes people love them more because it is almost as if they knew them in person. On their social networks they make comments that are regularly responded to by the other actors and the fandom implodes.
Although I am a lover of BL, I am also a lover of bromance. One of the things that hook the public into a fandom is that it has an attractive bromance, with attractive and handsome characters. This guarantees part of the success or failure of the film product.
Bromance, as I understand it, is a word in English used to define a friendship between two boys that goes MUCH beyond that. It does not necessarily imply a sexual relationship, but it is understood that their affection could be equated to having two brothers (hence the definition: bromance, a word formed by brothers and romance) or much, much more.
'The Way Home' managed to hook me thanks to the affection between the two main characters. The affection between them is such that they both pour their entire lives into each other. They sacrifice themselves for each other. Despite being so opposite, they complement and understand each other. Their friendship is unique because they are unique; They had to reunite with each other to be able to experience that kind of love that can only be felt for a true friend.
I am to congratulate the casting direction for the good judgment when it comes to choosing actors who have as much chemistry between them as Ma Baiquan and Zhang Kangle. The relationship between them began with fights, misunderstandings, distancing, which ended shortly after when they both understood that they need each other and that together they complement each other and work better for their own personal growth as well as their family.
And as the days go by, it's not just the work that works wonders for them, but they both realize that they feel genuine concern and affection for each other.
The wonderful "joking" relationship between the two actors leaves the screen and takes shape behind the scenes. It can be seen in the interviews they have given together…

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'My Damn Business' is a romantic drama with LGBT+ themes in an intimate key, which focuses on friendship and love in a work environment.
Han Woo Jim is the leader of sales team 2 who has received a dissolution notice amid the company's management crisis. He is in charge of closing deals with the associated companies he has managed within a period of three months. Left alone in his office, Yoon Su An, a deputy manager of the support team, is sent to temporarily help sales team 2.
Yoon Su An is a young man capable enough to work under Han's orders. And the latter ends up falling in love with the personality and beauty of his office colleague, when a small incident brings them face to face with each other. In this way, the lives of the two young people will change when they come into contact with each other.
With just the two of them in the office, Han can't help but notice Yoon's distant attitude. But the constant closeness will make their hearts end up broken as the days go by and they will have to deal with an office romance.
The South Korean small screen has office romances as one of its calling cards, thanks to numerous series that reflect the romantic relationships that occur between people within the four walls of any institution, relationships that can be short-term or long-lasting, and They can occur between co-workers at the same level or workers in a hierarchical relationship.
'My Damn Business' follows the path started by other series that have provided us with clear proof that love can be found in the most unlikely places, such as the also South Korean series 'Business Proposal', 'What's Wrong With Secretary Kim', ' My Secret Romance', 'Her Private Life', 'Romance Is A Bonus Book', 'My Shy Boss', among others.
Many Asian television stations are not far behind in telling this type of romance. There we have the Chinese 'Capture Lover' ('Bing Tang Xian Jing') and 'Beloved Enemy'; the Thai 'Step by Step', 'Paint With Love' and 'Cherry Magic Thailand'; the Japanese '30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii' and the Taiwanese 'We Best Love: Fighting Mr. 2nd', 'HIstory 4: Closet to You' and 'Be Loved In House', to name just a few, but The latter have in common with 'My Damn Business' that they address a love story between boys.
Even animes like 'Atarashii Joushi wa Do Tennen' address romances taking place in the offices of any company, series that at the same time expose relationships of camaraderie in work settings between employees and between them and managers, and serve as a fascinating portrait of the work life, many times without them being about anything in particular, but they are perfect for those moments when one just wants to disconnect from one's own reality.
Back to 'My Damn Business': this series, produced by GND Studio, fully inserts its plot in a company office in the South Korean capital, to mock the strict human resources policies that make it seem like romances in the environment work are doomed to fail, while reflecting the birth of a romance between two co-workers.
In a comedic tone, bright, affectionate and without great pretensions, from the first frames you will be hooked on its fun and romantic story, while it embroiders a story that describes the love of a boss and his subordinate. Quite a guilty pleasure for many viewers.
And it successfully meets that objective. The characters of Han Yu Jim and Yoon Su An breathe truth. The second one is definitely coded as a shy cat, and Han Yu Jim is the big doggo who complements the dynamic perfectly. Despite their different characters, they merge a loving relationship that arose in the heat of everyday life in the office.
With small doses of comedy that really works, the story of 'My Damn Business' stars actor Jung Jae Bin in the role of Han Yu Jin, and Jeon Yu Bin, who wears Yoon Su An's clothes.
Jung Jae Bin is known for starring in the film 'Three of Us' and the series 'BReal Bro&Sis', both from 2022, and Jeon Yu Bin is remembered by BL lovers for his starring roles in the drama 'Actor:eal', 2024, and for playing Yu Yong in the film 'His, Ice Cream' (2022), and Lee Hyun Woo in the series 'Judo Boys' ('Blue of Winter' - 2022).
For his part, Hwang Min Hwan, known for playing the Boyfriend in the drama 'Fake Buddies', from 2024, and Park Jung Woo in the series 'Sweat Romance' (2019) and 'Sweat Romance 2' (2020), intervenes to play Hwang, a recruiter in charge of introducing the two protagonists.
Han Woo Jim and Yoon Su An are credible beings who even become endearing to the viewer, despite the series not having a deep plot, a serious conflict, or a story arc that delves into the psyche of the characters. and is only interested in showing the daily life of two young people who, due to circumstances, are forced to work side by side, resulting in them getting closer, getting to know each other, beginning to help each other, while they discover what they carry inside. In short, a kind of balm for an escape from reality.
A type of series that I don't know if they are becoming more popular or if I am paying more attention to them now, but every time I am coming across more of these comedy or romance stories.
In a delicate mix of wit, silly humor and heart with a lot of potential, through these two characters, the director creates a drawing – deep and noble, individualized, rich in color and warmth – of two young people who fall in love between computers and sales management charts.
I know that at first glance this is not a series for everyone, that the short duration (only 7 episodes of 11 minutes on average) does not allow us to delve deeper into the personality of the characters or to develop conflicts and tensions, a small cast in terms of quantity and diversity of characters, the absence of a specific plot beyond "have they already confessed their love or will we have to wait for the next episode?" and that humor that is enjoyed even if sometimes it is not understood because it is very "Korean", I would encourage giving 'My Damn Business' a chance because it is a fun and tender series with which to have a good time and disconnect from everything .
But despite this, or because of it, when seeing the way in which the director transmits the feelings, humanity and the growing romantic relationship of his central characters - without grandiloquence, with virtuous simplicity -, one cannot help but think about series like ' 'The New Employee' by Kim Jo Kwang Soo, 'Love Mate' by So Joon Moon, and 'Jun & Jun' by Kim Eun Hye, all Korean, all 2023. And that's the biggest compliment I could receive 'My Damn Business'.

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Without a doubt, the worst Oxin Films series so far (final count)

'Sky Valley' is directed and written by Xion Lim, the Filipino actor, director, screenwriter and producer who was responsible for carrying out series such as 'My Day', 'Rainbow Prince', 'My Story', 'Our Story' and 'Dear Miss Becky', among others, but who also fails to capture the audience on this occasion as he lacks the voice to delineate characters and resolve conflicts, for not meeting the viewer's expectations by not achieving an adequate closure after a spectacular and powerful.
The series begins with an excellent montage devoid of dialogue that presents our protagonist, Fourth, a young man from Manila who flees from family commitments to take over the reins of a company, by traveling by plane and then by road to a paradisiacal place.
And although his true intentions remain in the dark for much of the series, both for the viewer and for himself, we will later witness that his routine reveals something more than the mere logistics of his life: we understand that he harbors resentment towards a father who wants the young man to inherit his company, which is merging with another, so he has decided to escape his responsibilities. The parent responds to his hostility with a prolonged search for his son to avoid being removed in his absence.
We will also learn that she recently had a breakup with her boyfriend, so possibly the getaway is part of forgetting a failed courtship. What he intends to do when he reaches his destination is a mystery of course to us and probably also to Fourth himself, whose anguish demands comfort as soon as rest for his tormented soul.
Upon his arrival at the airport in the Philippine city of Zamboanga, Junjun, a young rider who works at the Sky Valley Park resort, is waiting for him, the hotel located in the picturesque mountain spot chosen by Fourth to hide, which is precisely the mountain resort of the family of the director of the series and the place where he spent his first years of life. If the visitor is somber, mysterious and abrupt, the local is extroverted and optimistic, giving rise to a structure in which opposite poles repel and attract each other in equal measure.
Junjun maintains a routine of coming and going in his daily tasks, feeding and training the resort's horses, or keeping the park that surrounds the hotel complex clean, but his monotony and serenity are broken with the appearance of a kind of incarnation of a prince out of a fairy tale. From their first meeting, Junjun is attracted to the reserved visitor whose arrival awakens deep emotions within him.
While a loving Fourth tries to distance himself because he will eventually have to return to Manila to take over the company, as well as considering that Junjun is heterosexual, so she could never develop romantic feelings for him, the resort worker cannot help but fall in love, although he will also be forced to fight against the pressure that Nathalie will exert, a girlfriend with whom he has not been able to officially break up, and who will appear on the scene with the intention of winning him back.
This is how in a paradisiacal and enviable space for rest and at the same time work full of queer characters, the viewer eagerly waits for the turn in the gray and quiet life of Junjun (Jaime Lucero) to be beautifully narrated, after the arrival of Fourth, role assumed by Tim Tuppil, in an interpretation far from what we are used to in the series 'Si Andy, Si Lauren or Si Peng?' and 'Our Story', since he had always assumed the role of the top boy, aggressive and even with a touch of villainy.
Almost right with Fourth, Paris (Angelgrace America), a vlogger from Manila, arrives at the resort, who is also seeking distance from her angry and aggressive ex-boyfriend, who does not accept the breakup. Paris will begin a lesbian relationship with Taylor (Lienel Navidad), the daughter of Mrs. Corazón (Dovee Park), the owner of the resort.
In this way, the director seeks, unsuccessfully, to raise the emotion with the incorporation of Girls' Love (GL) with the couple LorrIs (Lorraine-Iris) from 'Our Story', with the intention of exciting and delighting fans of both genres. However, the terrible performances, especially that of the actress who plays Paris, the low quality of the script and the deplorable directorial decisions manage to sink the combination of BL and GL into the spring pool. The intended delight, emotion and connection never arrive and the absence of chemistry between the main couples is palpable, especially between the girls.
The always necessary antagonistic figure soon appears, this time assumed by Jabó, a character played by Jericho Del Rosario ('My Story', 'Our Story'), who also works as assistant director, the rich and arrogant local who will try take over Junjun's workplace thanks to a risky and bad decision by Taylor.
Joining the main cast's performances are Tirso Cruz III, who plays Fourth's father in a very special role, and several veterans of Oxin Films' previous BL series such as Gio Emprese, Chad Kinis, Hiro Shimoji, Philip Robles, Jake Villamor, Kate Yalung, Jaime Ramada, and a few others. Their performances are, like those of the protagonists: among the worst seen in the entire BL universe, as if at the level of a high school play. In my opinion, 'Sky Valley' is Oxin Films' worst drama so far.
The director uses, once again, very attractive actors to give life to his protagonists, he gives a lot of importance to the landscape, but he likes to focus the story on many characters, whom he does not draw well on paper, and this detracts from the lack of a deepening into the construction and history of the characters, both main and secondary, the latter also important for their weight in the events.
The music, composed by Kayowdee, includes the diegetic, that is, the music performed by the cast members guitar in hand or in the night shows that enliven the lives of the resort guests, performed by the characters Timo (Sean Perez), Simba (Christian Patricio), Pumba (Voltaire Cabe) and the actress herself who plays Taylor, is not enough to lift a series that sinks deeper into the swamp of oblivion with each episode.
A topic as suffocating as a debt and the possible loss of a family property that, incidentally, is the source of income for some of the characters and a meeting place for everyone, remains a joke.
Likewise, the viewer lacks knowledge of the causes of the characters' internal conflicts or their motivations are poorly drawn on paper, which if known could be valuable to better understand their realities. I am referring, for example, to why Fourth does not want to commit to the family business, the lack of connection with the father, he past and the failed relationship with the ex-boyfriend, these reasons for her presence at the resort and what gives rise to the unleashing of events; the reason why Paris needs to get away from her boyfriend and the past left behind in Manila; Taylor and her mother's relationship, among others.
Junjun, Fourth, Paris and Taylor don't seem to me to be characters with a life of their own. The intimacy that emerges between the four main characters does not develop organically because their performances are generally flat. A plot as tenuous as the one portrayed in the series requires much stronger characters to sustain itself. A lot of potential gone down the drain.
It's a shame that what should be a passionate intensity between the two male protagonists loses steam almost from the very beginning, before a rather artificial conflict gives rise to the relationship between the two girls. There is no emotional bond between them, as with the two girls, that connects them, in addition to the physical bond.
In a series that should be all about character and setting, 'Sky Valley' falls short of the former but succeeds in the latter. The beautiful landscapes, mountain and beach, end up forming an aesthetically coherent background for interesting characters who are otherwise not developed as much as they should.
The story aims to be an emotional and psychological journey, where the characters seek answers and comfort in the midst of their personal problems, anguish and uncertainty. But the series lacks a well-constructed narrative and compelling performances; Even so, it invites us to reflect on the complexity of loving relationships and the search for identity in a constantly changing world.
And if Fourth was a sweet and tender boy, and Junjun took care of Fourth at the beginning, Xion Lim ends up precipitating the series into an abyss of no return by incorporating threesomes and infidelities, which not even Chuk Chuk would have been able to save.

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It will remind us that there is always room for love and personal growth

ON May 17, 1990, the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the list of the International Classification of Diseases. Later, since 2004, it became a date to commemorate the fight of the LGBTIQ+ community for their rights and raise awareness about discrimination.
However, LGBTIQ+ people in Japan face certain legal and social challenges not experienced by heterosexual citizens. The current Constitution, written after World War II under the control and supervision of the United States, refers to marriage as an act between a man and a woman and is prohibited for homosexual couples.
Despite the discrimination towards this human group and the fact that the dates mentioned above are not that far away, the issue of homosexuality had already been on the rise in the Japanese film industry long before.
With diverse approaches, mainly from the 80s of the 20th century, we could remember some films such as 'Beautiful Mystery' (Genji Nakamura, 1983), considered a cult film and the first feature film from that country that addressed homosexuality as a central theme; 'Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence' (1983) and Gohatto (Taboo), from 1999, both by Nagisa Oshima, a director of extraordinary sensitivity and director of some of the most international Japanese films, and the list could be longer, because while The closer we get to modernity, the more prevalent the theme has become.
In this sense, a film that stands out is 'Sono Koi, Jihanki de Kaemasu ka?' (In English 'Can I Buy Your Love from a Vending Machine?', from 2023, a live-action adaptation of the popular manga series of the same name by Yoshii Haruaki.
Thus we find this film that was born from the thoroughness and creativity of an incomparable filmmaker who had already worked on several equally significant works such as 'One Man's Son' and 'Reminiscence Journey'.
This is a film that stands out for its deeply human themes, its formal successes and its delicate exploration of identity and friendship. Additionally, it combines elements of comedy-drama with a sincere look at relationships between men.
Although it covers several contents (the construction of a friendship narrated with unusual delicacy, the support of friends, coming out of the closet, work vertigo in today's world, a journey towards the search for happiness, self-acceptance and self-love) , the film is simply about a love story.
In 'Sono Koi, Jihanki de Kaemasu ka?', everything that can be conceived is reduced to the gaze, which confirms the existence of the other; and from there comes the rapprochement, and then desire and love. Yamashita Ryoma, a strong, tall and muscular 28-year-old man in charge of a juice vending machine in an office in Tokyo, surprises office worker Koiwai Ayumu with a noble gesture in a moment of exhaustion from hard work. From that moment on, Koiwai, 32, cannot take his eyes off Yamashita Ryoma, with whom he has secretly fallen in love. One day, he musters the courage to start a conversation, which sets in motion a closer relationship.
Although eye contact, known as shisen or awasu, is not common in Japan, and staring into a person's eyes can be very rude and uncomfortable, at some point, their gazes meet.
Actors Matsuda Ryo and Tazuru Shoho play the lead roles, Koiwai Ayumu and Yamashita Ryoma, respectively. Next to them we see Yanagi Yurina, who plays the character of Ooishi, Koiwai's colleague and friend.
Matsuda Ryo is one of the best-known Japanese actors inside and outside his country, thanks to his role as Jonouchi Hideyasu / Kamen Rider Gridon in several films and series of the Kamen Rider universe, as well as his leading performances in the films 'Bakumatsu Without Honor and Humanity' and 'Messiah: Shikkoku no Shou', among others.
For his part, Tazuru Shoho made his acting debut precisely in 'Sono Koi, Jihanki de Kaemasu ka?'. Through his character's relationship with a man who recognizes his gay status from the first scenes and who has just entered his life, he learns to accept his sexuality and find his own voice. His authentic performance captures the complexity of his character.
Written by Kumi Tawada ('Junihitoe wo Kita Akuma' (2020), 'To Each His Own' | 'Chotto Ima Kara Shigoto Yamete Kuru' (2017) and 'A Chair on the Plains | Sougen no Isu (2013)', the The audience will be able to enjoy in this office romance how each young person becomes the center of the other's attention and they build, step by step, a very strong bond, friendly at first, romantic later, although full of clumsiness and misunderstandings.
The viewer will appreciate how small everyday mistakes, such as being late for an appointment, also contribute to boosting confidence and making the person you want to conquer feel more comfortable.
Koiwai Ayumu and Yamashita Ryoma will confirm to us that Japanese way of being when it comes to seducing: they are not as inventive as Westerners could be, as it is difficult for them to express their feelings or take the initiative. Even the first kiss takes forever to come. And it's not exactly due to lack of interest, shyness or even coldness, as many might think, but it seems that flirting is still a taboo in Japan. Although much of this has changed in the last century, Japanese society still finds it somewhat difficult to express its feelings, due to its culture of extreme respect for others.
But equally, the film transgresses, for the better, some of the peculiarities of Japanese romance. For example: the characters' dates are not with groups of friends, such as work or study colleagues, and when they declare their feelings they can lead to public displays of affection.
It is striking how Yamashita, who is the younger of the two, is the one who not only asks to exchange contact information or proposes the date without spending weeks exchanging messages, as the Japanese usually do, but he will also ask Kiowai to call him. his first name and leave aside the use of honorifics, something strongly rooted in Japanese culture.
The viewer will be able to appreciate that although they are both adults, everything related to the emotions that Yamashita awakens in Ayumu, and vice versa, feels like the first love of a teenager.
I also recommend the film for joining other dramatized films in addressing issues related to sexuality and gender identity in a conservative society with strong patriarchal and heteronormative traditions, such as Japan.
I highly value the fact that 'Sono Koi, Jihanki de Kaemasu ka?' portray the diversity of human relationships with delicacy, and contribute to dismantling the prevailing stereotypes regarding what is "normal", enabling the necessary change in society.
In short, it is a film that not only seeks to entertain us, but also makes us reflect on our own lives and relationships. It is a reminder that no matter what challenges we face, there is always room for love and personal growth.

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Between fiction and reality

Seung Woo Park (played by Jeon Yu Bin) is dragged by Sangyoon Park (played by Minjin Kim) to a corner of the room and, cornered, listens, annoyed, as he is accused of having had sex with someone else.
Sangyoon attacks him and hurts him with his words. Both young people argue heatedly. At any moment they could come to blows. They are not a couple. They are just two friends who…
The victim cannot understand why he is treated that way. That's why he asks her insistently: "What does that have to do with you? Why do you keep interfering in my life? Are we lovers? Are you jealous of other people? Do you like me?" The response he receives from Sangyoon is a kiss on the lips. But when he realizes his act, he nervously turns away and asks for forgiveness.
Thoughtful, Seung Woo Park lowers his head and sighs. He feels a shudder run through his entire body. The question still hangs in the air: "Do you like me?" He looks at him again, and understands that he was not wrong: his partner loves him, most likely with the same strength that he loves him.
Looking up, Seung Woo Park meets his eyes and holds his gaze. Only then, for the first time, he sees Sangyoon Park. He sees it not only with his eyes, but with that inner gaze, through which one is able to see what is deep inside each person, and understands that both are drawn to each other like an abyss to the suicidal person. Yes, he loves the person who has been standing in front of him for months, when they met at the beginning of filming. But the most happy thing he is to discover is... that it is reciprocated.
What intoxicating delight to feel for the first time in one's life the pulsation of the blood in the veins and the pulsation of all the fibers of the body. I was learning what it is to love and be loved.
The order: "Cut!" brings Seung Woo Park back to reality.
It may be that, carried away by emotions, he has strayed from the script. That's why he looks, surreptitiously, at the director of the romantic drama in which both he and Sangyoon Park are protagonists. But she, a few centimeters away from them, camera in hand, does not correct them and has let them do it, understanding that improvisation could allow the characters to flow freely, resulting in genuine, organic, authentic performances.
By then, they were no longer two actors performing a love scene in a romantic drama while being filmed. They have become two people who, through gestures, silence and words, many of them coming from a written text to be interpreted by them, have expressed their true feelings during filming... without anyone on the crew noticing. of it.
And Jui Kim, the director of 'Actor: eal' ('Act or Real'), the two-episode South Korean miniseries from 2024, is aware that love can surprise us anywhere. The same on an ocean liner about to sink, on a desolate mountain where two cowboys discover their sexuality... or on a film set.
The direction and cinematography contribute to the artistic and visually attractive quality of the audiovisual. This work, whose centrality is its love plot, grows around love and the evident desire between its characters.
As it progresses, the miniseries captures the tender moments of their interaction. Through silence, abstract soundscapes and textured cuts, the discovery, acceptance of sexuality and the birth of love between the two young people are conveyed in a visually striking way.
Jeon Yu Bin, the actor who plays Seung Woo Park, and previously known for his leading roles in the series 'Blue of Winter', and the short film 'His, Ice Cream', both from 2022, manages, together with his co-star, to infect us that sexual tension, palpable during the almost 9 minutes of footage.
It's nice to see how in such a short time, the love between the two characters develops honestly, authentic and tender. And together they discover their own homosexuality and give themselves over to it freely, although with obvious shyness, perhaps because other people are present... or perhaps because of the obvious: they are two boys, and South Korean society would not accept them. But they take risks. Love is much stronger.
Music makes everything much more romantic.
Both the director and Jihye Woo, the screenwriter, are aware that one of the most important aspects of an audiovisual is to ensure that the trust and connection between the characters—especially those in love—is very good. That is why they selected two very convincing actors as a couple who acted together in several intense scenes..., like the one with the fast-paced kiss almost at the end, and it surprises us, not because it was not expected by the viewer, but because of its unusual nature. to see the passion represented in it in Asian BL series.
The chemistry between the actors is palpable, allowing the depth of their relationship to shine on screen.
Full of emotions, 'Actor: eal' is a work with love as the central theme, with a kiss and a happy ending. Another added value is that the heteronormative nuclear family (boy-girl) is also questioned on this occasion.
And the creators are also consistent with the logic that few feelings are more universal than love. Any human being could have their own definition and all of them would be valid, even more so if we understand that there are many types of love. The fraternal one, the one you consider a friend, the one you profess to your family... But of course, few things are equal to romantic love, whether between a boy and a girl, between a girl and a girl or a boy and a boy.
They also understand that if there is something that comes close to the authentic perception of romance, it is its representation in literature, theater and, of course, in film and television.
Both one and the other, since their invention, have been much more than simple entertainment. They have been a window to the world, a door to the imagination and an inexhaustible source of emotions. Movies, television series and short films are not only a way to escape from reality, but a way to connect with the stories, characters and emotions that touch our hearts.

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Joker, the antihero we didn't know we wanted has become someone we need.
The world has always been a place full of light and shadows. Regardless of the stage in human history, crises have often led us to think that we are living in the worst times. However, the economic situation, racial tensions, the resurgence of fascism, genocide on defenseless peoples, hunger and hopelessness have always been present in our history.
In a world where money and power guarantee that athletes, some without deserving it, take a place on the national team of their sport..., in a world where the poor, including children and the elderly, live in misery and have to work sun to sun to try, without success, to pay their debts and be able to put a crust of bread in their mouth..., in a world where being rich certifies that you cannot go out on the streets at the wrong time, because they can kidnap you for ransom..., in a world that shows the most cynical face of economic power and the amorality of the media, political and economic universe..., in a world where the oppression of the individual prevails at the hands of an alienating system, inhabit the characters of 'Jack & Joker U Steal My Heart!'.
It is in this world where Joker, a master of disguise and a skilled conman, emerges as a rebellious political and social subject. This is how he decides to lead a double life. Boastful and gifted at conversation, he is secretly a notorious thief wanted by the police. Using his exceptional disguise skills, he steals from wealthy oppressors and redistributes their wealth to help the weak and needy.
Joker is, in short, an antihero. The figure of the antihero has reigned in cinema and television series since modernity. Far from the stereotypes of good and bad, these multi-dimensional characters are more attractive to the public than heroes and villains. The antihero presents more humanity, therefore more contradictions, and this can make viewers come to love them in a matter of seconds. And this precisely happens in this 12 episode drama produced by Dee Hup House.
We are facing a transgressive series that distances itself from the bombastic epic and expansive narrative of superhero stories. We are facing a series whose main character reminds us at times of Walter White from 'Breaking Bad', an antihero who represents criticism of the American dream, who brings to light the limitations of the American middle class and the neoliberal health system; Jack Sparrow, the famous pirate who brought chaos with him and was not afraid to lie and take advantage of others, while trying to help his friends; Loki, the well-known "God of lies", who has a tendency to betray his family, but at the same time provokes laughter with his actions and phrases full of egocentrism and who was finally able to redeem himself and become the favorite antihero of the Marvel films; or Deadpool, a popular antihero thanks to his black sense of humor, high-sounding language and sarcasm who, due to his originality and lack of fear of saying what he thinks, breaks the mold of those who were considered a Marvel hero and, for this reason, everyone likes him wants.
The main character of 'Jack & Joker U Steal My Heart!' It reminds us, without a doubt, of Joker, the character created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson, and introduced in the first issue of the comic book "Batman", in April 1940, published by DC Comics, becoming one of the favorite characters for their originality, and, he is equally, or more popular than his archenemy Batman. Let us remember that his cruel past causes him to explode violently and, in the end, he manages to accept himself as he is, with all the evil, thirst for power and tireless fight with the Batman.
The chain of suffering and melancholy that drags the Joker of the Thai series by director Tee Bundit Sintanaparadee, recognized for directing the BL dramas 'I Saw You in My Dream' (2024), 'I Feel You Linger in the Air' (2023) , 'Hidden Agenda' (2023), 'Step by Step' (2023), 'Lovely Writer' (2021), and 'TharnType' (2019 – 2020), among others, is so palpable and shocking that the viewer has no other choice. The only way out is to identify both his family and society as the true villains of the show, in addition to allowing us to empathize with him.
But it will not be in a Gotham City inspired by New York in the 70s, for many, the darkest stage of the American city and where hope seemed to be lost, but in Bangkok in 2024, just as dark, violent and corrupt than that.
This is the perfect setting to tell a story that deviates somewhat from the original and twists its path of explaining how evil arises in the world, to reflect a beautiful love story between two boys, with which many people can feel curiously identified.
In this way, the sordid world of Joker, a high school student who is pressured by his parents to enroll in medical school, will turn upside down when he meets Jack, an 18-year-old taekwondo player who decides to leave the sport when he becomes discouraged the road, all in the effort to help his elderly grandmother, the only living relative he has left. The dreamy, reasonable and kind Jack, who likes to help others, will be forced to become a debt collector.
His and Joker's lives will change abruptly and unexpectedly when they find themselves involved in a complicated situation, giving way to a love-hate relationship.
The Joker of the audiovisual of the Southeast Asian country is liked and exudes a controversial charm for the population in general and the LGBT+ community in particular. And this is basically due to two things, the first is that as a viewer we manage to empathize with the human being and not just with the character. In this series, and due above all to the sublime performance of the actor who brings Joker to life, we are presented with a very human and sensitive person, despite the dramatic events that have led him to be who he is.
Second, one thing is obvious: their misdeeds are not fueled by the desire for money, personal ambitions, or other material goals. Their motivations are ideological and philosophical. It is the darkness rebelled after a dark childhood and adolescence, despite living in a wealthy family; it is the Shadow that emerges after the impact of a society that attacks and excludes, that ignores the weak, that feeds itself on its own corruption.
The character represents the Shadow that is in us. His actions remind us, without a doubt, of the concept of Shadow that Carl Jung told us about. Adverse impulses live within us that we must accept and bring to light to heal them and proceed to healing. The psychological profile of the Joker shows us, as can be deduced from the trailers, that the character lets his Shadow escape to give way to a healing process thanks to love.
What will happen when Joker's actions affect the needy and vulnerable he aims to help? What will happen when the innocent are punished for their actions?
It is not the first time that Joker, who perhaps represents that part of us that longs to break the rules and react, is represented on screen. We remember the character played by Jack Nicholson ('Batman', 1989 - Tim Burton), who brings us a gangster, that of Heath Ledger ('The Dark Knight', 2008 - Christopher Nolan), who gives us an agent of chaos, that of Jared Leto ('Suicide Squad', 2016 - David Ayer), a true sociopath, or that of Joaquin Phoenix ('Guazón', 2019 - Todd Phillips), who draws a famous crime clown and the most villainous multifaceted character of the world of comics, which transcends even the limits of his own personality and offers us a clear warning sign and a direct invitation to reflect on current societies.
However, the cunning Joker, played by the young Thai actor and musician War Wanarat Ratsameerat, remembered for playing Than in the short film 'Because I Love You' from the series 'The Right Man', in 2016, which marked his debut acting, he is a very human and vulnerable character, which is why we empathize so intensely with him. It is impossible not to put yourself in his shoes when you see how, upon discovering that his actions affect others, he without hesitation tries to correct them, even if this means admitting to his family his failure and true identity, as well as paying with years in prison.
Very plausible solution is how we can feel sympathy for a character who tries to outwit his authoritarian parents and a brother who seems to enjoy his failures as a student, and reveals himself to the shortcomings of a society incapable of assisting and giving an effective response to those who need it.
Despite coming from a privileged family, Joker suffers from a lack of affection. Unlike Jack, he does not find affection in his family life, and this has turned him into a lonely being, hungry and thirsty for love. However, we are not dealing with a person with antisocial or sociopathic personality disorder characterized by committing violent and bloodthirsty acts.
For his part, although he comes from a cosmos in which poverty, lack of material goods and the absence of his deceased parents prevail, Jack has a sweet and generous grandmother who understands and supports the young man in his daily conflicts. Much of Jack's sweetness and nobility, undoubtedly, comes from the upbringing given to him by this noble being.
Adrift from their lives, trying to find their place in the world, both of them, with such different and contrasting personalities, meet and their universes collide. And this serves to address other topics, such as memory, absence, maturity, the process of growing up, self-esteem, family expectations, the feeling of never being enough in the face of the complexity of life, discovery, acceptance, recognition…
'Jack & Joker U Steal My Heart!' It also stands out for reflecting the pressure cooker state of urban centers, and is an undisputed daughter of its time. That a stranger in a collar and tie robs a bank after being previously considered its manager, or that a young woman is chased by three violent thieves, portrays the convulsive city and its suffocating system.
The series also works in its effort to make queer people visible. Its creators know that the LGBT+ community is growing rapidly: one in six members of Generation Z in the United States identifies as part of this human group. The data also shows that LGBT+ audiences have an increasing need to see LGBT+ characters in series and films with which they feel identified.
In all this endeavor, War, in a monumental role, does not carry all the dramatic weight of the series. From the first minute, "Yin" Anan Wong, the Thai-Hong Kong actor who plays Jack, stands out in his role as a reasonable man who believes in solving problems without the use of force and has the conviction that "The strength one possesses should be used only to protect the weak," but as a debt collector he will have to impose an intimidating presence, far removed from his personality.
The chemistry between the two main actors goes beyond the physical realm, but is emotional, psychological and completely satisfying. It turns out that these two actors know each other well. They have been lovers in 'En of Love: Love Mechanics', 'En of Love: Tossara', 'En of Love: This is Love Story', all from 2020, and 'Love Mechanics' and 'Love Mechanics: Director's Cut', 2022, BL series in which War plays Mark and Yin plays Vee. They are also the protagonists of 'The Best Story' (2021), in which the former plays Best and the latter plays Dew.
Their performances, authentic, vivid, intense, are sublime as they masterfully embody the raw emotions and internal struggles of their characters through words, silences, looks...
Screenwriters Myminorh Sarun Kaensap ('Peaceful Property', 2024), Pacharawan Chaipuwarat ('Shadow', 2023), Yui Athima Iamathikhom ('Wannabe', 2022), and Anawat Kitchawengkul ('GGEZ', 2018), combine perfectly the genres of action, romance, crime and drama, to deliver a coherent, complex and uncomfortable story that works as a great mirror of contemporary society.
On a technical level, it is important to highlight that the series has an impeccable setting, raw photography and a beautiful soundtrack that take the viewer through sensations and moments that make this a journey into the depths of human despair and the need to stay afloat, especially thanks to love and nobility.
With a masterful performance, a forceful script and a clear social discourse, 'Jack & Joker U Steal My Heart!' it's not just a boy's love story. It is a necessary work to understand that today there are issues that cannot be ignored. Violence, political corruption, social class contradictions, poverty, and evil have origins that must be faced and despite how dark the present may seem, crises do not last forever. Better times will always come, if people like Jack and Joker come together to do the right thing.

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