Wow, super surprised by the number of people dismayed by representations of high schoolers having sex. A) Uh, read the synopsis and the tags. Skip if itâs not for you. B) I canât speak for all cultures, but in Western cultures, teens having sex is very very normal (and I suspect some other cultures as well, I just canât speak knowledgeably about that). You are entitled to your opinion that you donât agree with it happening, but that doesnât make the fact any less true. And it never will (See: typical human development).
And you know what has always gone over well? Adults judging teens for their choices đ If you truly care that much about the well-being of teens, I suggest more listening, understanding, and guidance and less judging.
Itâs also normal in Western cultures for teens not to have sex too. Both are normal; neither is bad or wrong.
So Iâll start by saying I have watched approximately 200 BLs, and this is the FIRST ONE that shows natural, ongoing affection between the leads. Like the majority of people in real life romantic relationships do. Holding hands everywhere. A hand on the back. A playful peck/sniff on the cheek. An absent-minded rub along an arm or leg while watching a movie. A hug from behind, with a chin on the shoulder. All throughout, very naturally, not just as a token moment once or twice in the show. This is so unusual (sadly) that I spent a good portion of my watching time just being (pleasantly) gobsmacked by this. Truly the most believable, natural interacting between a couple Iâve seen not only in my BL watching but also in any of the het shows Iâve seen.
I thought the last episode was well done. The take on the NC scene was also unlike any Iâd seen before, as well as the very ending scene. The caring shown between the characters during the episode was sweet and believable.
As others have said, the series gets off to a kinda weird start, and also the editing left something to be desired, the âvillainâ plot and the dorm ârivalryâ were nonsensical, there were some hot/cold emotions at one point that made no sense, some kisses were good, some were not (although the tongue sucking caught me off guard, but again, a very realistic part of irl kissing).
But if youâre in the mood for something light and feel-good, there are worse choices. If youâre prepared to sort of gloss over some of the rough bits and just enjoy the natural, (ultimately) sweet relationship between the leads â not a break up in sight! â then I recommend giving this show a try.
He's SO gorgeous! I feel like the character Hagiwara couldn't have been played by anyone else. He's a great mix…
Youâre looking at his hair when heâs in the shower? đ
It is interesting to me how different he looks with his hair back. I mean, still gorgeous as fuck, but such a different look. I really wish they would spend even just a few more seconds on those scenes, so I could really have time to appreciate the differenceâŚ
Episode 5:Good heavens, this just keeps getting better and better...one of the best BLs I've seen and perhaps…
The same thought crossed my mind about the, uh⌠blocking⌠as well, but I was surprised enough by what action they *did* show (especially with a young idol involved), that my, um, focus quickly moved on to other things.
And I would include an addendum to your note for the director: if *any* two humans are having butt sex face-to-face, there are legs in the air. Ya know, if they ever happen to be directing a non-BL and want to kick it up a notch đ
Other questions crossed my mind about the mechanics of the act, but I just created a semi-plausible explanation in my head and went with it. Itâs fiction, so does it really matter? Nah, but it made me feel better.
And Iâm with you about Itoâs chest. Holy crap, man, way to hide the goods!
I agree that Fujisawa has issues. He is definately emotionally manipulating Sei, saying that he cares for him…
Yes, thank you. The prevalence in these comments of the black-and-white attitude that all cheating = bad is a bit surprising to me, although I suppose it shouldnât be. Damn, humans and human relationships are so complex, that narrowing any human action down to black and white boggles my mind. Plus, putting so much focus on the âcheatingâ misses *so much* of what this story is about.
*For what this drama is trying to communicate* it is doing such a superb job of it that itâs too bad that some people are rating this lower based primarily on their feelings about cheating (and fictional cheating at that). I donât condone many things irl that are portrayed in shows, but it doesnât mean that shows shouldnât represent multiple facets of the human condition. And I appreciate any show that can share compelling stories about those facets, including the light and the dark and the grey (and letâs be real⌠SO much about human-ness falls in the grey more than the other two). I think part of what makes some viewers uncomfortable is that characters which otherwise most viewers would agree are lovely, decent people are the ones showing their âgrey side.â Itâs so much easier to accept dark and grey in characters if they are already the âbad guy.â
I get it if people want to watch shows to escape greyness and darkness â I certainly do that as well â but Iâm disappointed to see a show that tackles human complexity so well and so poetically get some of its low ratings because it doesnât present the world as black and white, which it never set out to do in the first place.
I'm really enjoying it too. I said this to Maggi on a different thread:"I donât know whether I like it because…
THK is definitely a fresh take for a Thai BL (not an uni engineering student in site!) and this is definitely a production they put more effort into. As a result it would likely feel less âmass-producedâ to you, but itâs still very much a Thai BL! đ Just so you go in with the applicable level of expectations, if you do watch it.
If you just want to skip to the scene in question â for comparison purposes of course â youâll want to pop over to Ep 2 at the 56:45 mark. If you do watch the scene out of context, it helps to know that the character is definitely repressed for several reasons, is very curt and belligerently closed off, and he would like to think he is not as flustered and turned on by another character as he actually is.
The older American man plays a very small, âguest-levelâ role.
I'm really enjoying it too. I said this to Maggi on a different thread:"I donât know whether I like it because…
ââŚthis is the first BL where they showed the guy doing it in action.â Someone has probably already mentioned this to you by now, but if not⌠have you seen the masturbation scene in The Heart Killers? Even though Joong is pretty shameless in general, I have no idea how he filmed that scene. The scenes in this show (while appreciated for their realism) do not hold a candle to the one in THK. THK is not going to be to everyoneâs taste for sure, but that scene? Just, wow.
I'm really enjoying it too. I said this to Maggi on a different thread:"I donât know whether I like it because…
Your opinions might be unpopular to someone, but itâs not me ;-)
I never even watched Cherry Magic Japan because I had read there was no kiss at the end. I appreciate that some people can enjoy a drama with sexual tension that never culminates in (at least) a kiss, but thatâs not for me. The kiss is my money shot.
Despite the accolades, I also have no interest in watching Spare Me Your Mercy, for example, after reading about all the sexual chemistry between two ultimately âplatonicâ characters. I am thrilled there are dramas that show loving and caring friendships between men, but if sexual tension is knowingly added to the mix, then Iâm going to be expecting more than a hug by the end.
Yes, the blanket-covered sex in HOTE was weird and a cop out, and I too chalked it up to there being an idol-actor involved. But then again I feel that *anyone* willing to simulate sex in front of a camera is already miles ahead of my comfort level, plus there were so many other intense scenes already, that I guess I ultimately gave them a pass on their questionable execution of the sex scenes.
Kenshinâs kissing in Our Youth didnât bother me, so I canât speak to that specifically. But in other BL shows when I feel the kissing is sub par, I try to remember that while it may be true that the actor is not cool with kissing boys (in which case they shouldnât have taken the job), it is possible there could be other reasons at play. Maybe they are just fine kissing boys but feel uncomfortable kissing on camera (in which case they should reconsider their career choice). Maybe they are just fine kissing boys and on camera, but they are just⌠bad kissers. Especially for actors who just havenât had a lot of practice kissing.
At one point I read a comment from someone in the industry who observed that actors who had been in personal relationships were generally better at kissing on-screen than those who hadnât. And given how young some of the BL actors are and especially the idol ones who may have been more sheltered during training, it wouldnât surprise me at all that just overall lack of experience can be a factor for some of them.
I have seen the Pornographer series and DDOS, and I guess I donât really try to compare those to the execution of Japanese serialized dramas (which doesnât mean the serialized shows canât do better sometimes). I donât know if youâve seen the Korean movie One Summer Night, but some would be hard pressed to believe that came from the same culture where lovers in serialized dramas go to bed in and wake up in what are basically street clothes, while somehow the audience is supposed to believe that somewhere between those two points in time the couple had passionate sex.
But I digressâŚ
As I stated at the beginning of this post, Iâm not a keen fan of shows that build sexual tension and then donât give us the non-porn equivalent of the money shot. And this show⌠wow⌠itâs not even about the usual horny lust. This is about the primal longing â the primal *need* â for intimate, sexual connection. About the utter deprivation of this connection. About being repeatedly, painfully denied emotional and physical intimacy by our closest loved one and what that does to the human spirit. If the script or the director isnât going to let the audience witness in real time the moment these characters find that connection with each other, then someone please DM me and tell me now.
And IF the reason we are denied that cathartic moment in real time is solely because one of the protagonists is played by an idol, then please also remind me to avoid anything by this producer who would allow that casting.
I'm really enjoying it too. I said this to Maggi on a different thread:"I donât know whether I like it because…
Hmmm, do you think no on-screen kiss is really a strong possibility, given that Kenshin and Rei from ONE Nâ ONLY have each been in recent (very well-received) BLs where on-screen kissing and sex were definitely served? No on-screen kisses are definitely a let down in shows intended to create sexual tension, but in a show that is singularly focused on sexual longing, not only would no on-screen kisses (at a minimum) be a let down, it would also, as @JollyGolly writes, be ruinous to the so-far incredible script. *And* I would question the producerâs choice to cast someone for this story who is not comfortable representing physical intimacy on-screen. There are people still salty about the end of Cherry Magic Japan!
okay guys round table discussion but ep 9's nc scene was so worth the wait bc first of all teerak was the one…
I know, right?? Those glasses. I loathe â looooooathe â when a character wears glasses while making out, but I would not have had a problem if he had had those on đ
ForceBook might surprise you in this one. I know we weren't fond of them in OF, but hear me out, Book is hilarious…
I didnât realize until recently that the couplesâ episodes are basically separate, so Iâm thankful I can watch just PerthSantaâs and skip the rest (not interested in the third couple either).
Ugh, this is the second place Iâve read that this story has a time skip. I really, really dislike (actually hate might not be too strong a word) time skips. But I also love a good JBL. Aghhh, I just donât know.
Imagine you're taking a music class and the first day in walks your teacher and he's some ultra-hot actual rock…
I donât mind a slow burn romance, but a Chinese-length series slow burn⌠nah, thatâs too slow! Someone posted their mutual attraction starts to show around ep 25, so honestly thatâs where I started the series. I cared little for the political aspect, so that helped, but it wasnât really that hard to pick up on the gist of the back story. A â12 epâ Chinese series was perfect for me đ
2. Whatâs up with the crazy weird promo pic that has a totally different vibe than the show? đ¤ˇââď¸
And you know what has always gone over well? Adults judging teens for their choices đ If you truly care that much about the well-being of teens, I suggest more listening, understanding, and guidance and less judging.
Itâs also normal in Western cultures for teens not to have sex too. Both are normal; neither is bad or wrong.
I thought the last episode was well done. The take on the NC scene was also unlike any Iâd seen before, as well as the very ending scene. The caring shown between the characters during the episode was sweet and believable.
As others have said, the series gets off to a kinda weird start, and also the editing left something to be desired, the âvillainâ plot and the dorm ârivalryâ were nonsensical, there were some hot/cold emotions at one point that made no sense, some kisses were good, some were not (although the tongue sucking caught me off guard, but again, a very realistic part of irl kissing).
But if youâre in the mood for something light and feel-good, there are worse choices. If youâre prepared to sort of gloss over some of the rough bits and just enjoy the natural, (ultimately) sweet relationship between the leads â not a break up in sight! â then I recommend giving this show a try.
It is interesting to me how different he looks with his hair back. I mean, still gorgeous as fuck, but such a different look. I really wish they would spend even just a few more seconds on those scenes, so I could really have time to appreciate the differenceâŚ
And I would include an addendum to your note for the director: if *any* two humans are having butt sex face-to-face, there are legs in the air. Ya know, if they ever happen to be directing a non-BL and want to kick it up a notch đ
Other questions crossed my mind about the mechanics of the act, but I just created a semi-plausible explanation in my head and went with it. Itâs fiction, so does it really matter? Nah, but it made me feel better.
And Iâm with you about Itoâs chest. Holy crap, man, way to hide the goods!
*For what this drama is trying to communicate* it is doing such a superb job of it that itâs too bad that some people are rating this lower based primarily on their feelings about cheating (and fictional cheating at that). I donât condone many things irl that are portrayed in shows, but it doesnât mean that shows shouldnât represent multiple facets of the human condition. And I appreciate any show that can share compelling stories about those facets, including the light and the dark and the grey (and letâs be real⌠SO much about human-ness falls in the grey more than the other two). I think part of what makes some viewers uncomfortable is that characters which otherwise most viewers would agree are lovely, decent people are the ones showing their âgrey side.â Itâs so much easier to accept dark and grey in characters if they are already the âbad guy.â
I get it if people want to watch shows to escape greyness and darkness â I certainly do that as well â but Iâm disappointed to see a show that tackles human complexity so well and so poetically get some of its low ratings because it doesnât present the world as black and white, which it never set out to do in the first place.
If you just want to skip to the scene in question â for comparison purposes of course â youâll want to pop over to Ep 2 at the 56:45 mark. If you do watch the scene out of context, it helps to know that the character is definitely repressed for several reasons, is very curt and belligerently closed off, and he would like to think he is not as flustered and turned on by another character as he actually is.
The older American man plays a very small, âguest-levelâ role.
I never even watched Cherry Magic Japan because I had read there was no kiss at the end. I appreciate that some people can enjoy a drama with sexual tension that never culminates in (at least) a kiss, but thatâs not for me. The kiss is my money shot.
Despite the accolades, I also have no interest in watching Spare Me Your Mercy, for example, after reading about all the sexual chemistry between two ultimately âplatonicâ characters. I am thrilled there are dramas that show loving and caring friendships between men, but if sexual tension is knowingly added to the mix, then Iâm going to be expecting more than a hug by the end.
Yes, the blanket-covered sex in HOTE was weird and a cop out, and I too chalked it up to there being an idol-actor involved. But then again I feel that *anyone* willing to simulate sex in front of a camera is already miles ahead of my comfort level, plus there were so many other intense scenes already, that I guess I ultimately gave them a pass on their questionable execution of the sex scenes.
Kenshinâs kissing in Our Youth didnât bother me, so I canât speak to that specifically. But in other BL shows when I feel the kissing is sub par, I try to remember that while it may be true that the actor is not cool with kissing boys (in which case they shouldnât have taken the job), it is possible there could be other reasons at play. Maybe they are just fine kissing boys but feel uncomfortable kissing on camera (in which case they should reconsider their career choice). Maybe they are just fine kissing boys and on camera, but they are just⌠bad kissers. Especially for actors who just havenât had a lot of practice kissing.
At one point I read a comment from someone in the industry who observed that actors who had been in personal relationships were generally better at kissing on-screen than those who hadnât. And given how young some of the BL actors are and especially the idol ones who may have been more sheltered during training, it wouldnât surprise me at all that just overall lack of experience can be a factor for some of them.
I have seen the Pornographer series and DDOS, and I guess I donât really try to compare those to the execution of Japanese serialized dramas (which doesnât mean the serialized shows canât do better sometimes). I donât know if youâve seen the Korean movie One Summer Night, but some would be hard pressed to believe that came from the same culture where lovers in serialized dramas go to bed in and wake up in what are basically street clothes, while somehow the audience is supposed to believe that somewhere between those two points in time the couple had passionate sex.
But I digressâŚ
As I stated at the beginning of this post, Iâm not a keen fan of shows that build sexual tension and then donât give us the non-porn equivalent of the money shot. And this show⌠wow⌠itâs not even about the usual horny lust. This is about the primal longing â the primal *need* â for intimate, sexual connection. About the utter deprivation of this connection. About being repeatedly, painfully denied emotional and physical intimacy by our closest loved one and what that does to the human spirit. If the script or the director isnât going to let the audience witness in real time the moment these characters find that connection with each other, then someone please DM me and tell me now.
And IF the reason we are denied that cathartic moment in real time is solely because one of the protagonists is played by an idol, then please also remind me to avoid anything by this producer who would allow that casting.
https://youtu.be/q9GQI1md_EI?si=EJsi-DDXv4mzc3sB