The thing with the CEOs. We already knew that North is a former actor diving into production for the first time…
This is the most logical reasoning to Third's actions, and I think people need to see through their frustration at him and start actually thinking why he would delete the evidence.
I am so sick of the talk about this being in any way, shape, or form pedophilic. So let's take a different approach…
It took a while, but I read everything you wrote - I appreciate you taking the time to share this and love the detailed insight and interpretations you have. People are too quick to judge fictional media when they only view it on the surface level using basic assumptions without taking the time to analyse the deeper meaning. I agree they have every right to because of free speech and opinions, but it's highly unfair to slap a label on something which doesn't deserve it.
Your points about the lack of music helping a scene convey its emotional message more clearly and genuinely are actually one of the reasons Japanese BL is my favourite division of BL. I’ve found that in J-BL, this is often a recurring pattern, and there is something about allowing a scene to exist without constantly relying on music to tell you what you are supposed to feel. You get the characters’ expressions, their breathing, the pauses, the awkward silences and the tiny movements between them, which can make everything feel much more intimate and natural. It almost forces you to sit inside the moment rather than being emotionally instructed by the soundtrack, and then when the music is introduced it elevates the already emotionally heavy scene. I feel like this is mirrored in what you were getting at.
I also like your emphasis on the fact that they are both struggling individuals in a difficult situation rather than the image people are trying to paint of a predator. The teacher is dealing with the consequences of the rumours that destroyed his previous life, the breakdown of his marriage, and the pressure of starting over, while the student is dealing with bullying, violence, isolation and having essentially nobody he can rely on. Their deep emotional connection develops from their vulnerability and trying to find comfort in each other, not from any malicious intent.
This is ultimately why I like series such as this, and it reminds me of another series I've watched which is quite similar. "Tsuiraku JK to Haijin Kyoshi" is a straight romance where the girl student is suicidal and the young teacher who was once suicidal as well helps her to find herself again (very simplified summary). He never once tried to force his way over the boundary, and it was her who kept seeking him out once she graduated and was in a better mental place. This series has such a deep connection and meaning to it, and yet you will find the exact same complaints as there are in this comment section if you go to it's MDL page.
I fully agree with your points about the distinction between fiction and reality, and where people often can't differentiate between them and apply real-life values to view it juridically. Fiction is a safe space to explore situations that would be unhealthy, dangerous or unacceptable in reality without endorsing them and that doesn't automatically make the creator or those who enjoy it "disgusting" people. That is completely different from saying those things are good in real life. I also think people throw around the word “normalising” far too easily, since there is a huge difference between depicting something and normalising it - showing a complicated relationship does not automatically mean the story is telling us that this is how relationships should work. You can recognise that something would be problematic in real life while still being interested in what the fiction is actually trying to explore. Otherwise, we end up judging the fictional situation purely by the standards of reality instead of actually analysing the story and seeing the vulnerable characters for their actual depth and not some expected predatory label.
nick i see you everywhere and you are always saying exactly what im thinking
Thank you for sharing this, I think it's beautiful how people choose to envelope themselves in the same interest and construct their inner world and happiness differently, and still get the same intense joy from it. For me, I do like to get to know the actors, finding things out about their lives and what shaped them as human beings and trying (with the limited info available to us) to understand them as people. It elevates the comfort I get out of watching their series and watching videos of them, but I totally understand your way of staying in your peaceful inner world. Social media can sometimes be a horrible place, and it's safer to protect your peace of fictional characters and stories than risk having it fragmented by the despicable people of the real world.
When I first found BL, I used to get very upset by the hate I would see online, especially when a series or film was not understood to the deep symbolic meaning it was created for. I would fight, almost as if it was my responsibility to protect something I loved, or it meant I didn't love it at all - which seems so obviously silly to me now, as I understand it doesn't take away from how deeply beautiful and complex a series is or how much I love it because these people think they are always right and will never change their minds. Like you said we aren't doing anything wrong by liking something despite what other people think, so what's the harm if it makes us happy - truly a beautiful statement.
I believe I've changed a lot as a person since then and I think being exposed to the hate has actually helped me protect my inner world better since I'm not as sensitive towards it. It has helped me understand that I can just laugh and ignore them, not search them out either, because in all actually they do not matter or take away from my love of a series. In real life, I do struggle with social anxiety and confrontation, so in somewhat of a positive aspect I think conversing/arguing with others online has actually helped as a form of exposure therapy to me, since I don't take it personally anymore. When I'm truly passionate about something I find it fun to converse with others who have opposing views - or maybe I just love being argumentative underneath 😂
And yes, you caught me 😂😂 I do need to stop thinking about how others perceive things it's a bad habit of mine. Your comments do make me happy! I think sometimes people may keep their enjoyment of a series/film to themselves if it has taboo topics and being heavily criticised so it makes me feel seen when I see you on random comment sections haha I believe it was Sing In Love and Dangerous Drugs of Sx if I remember correctly.
If anything remotely "immoral" is included in stories there will be an outcry from people who don't know…
There's a thin line between judging fiction by moral standards and censorship or harmful condemning of the people who created/like that fiction. I'm not saying that is what is happening here, but that is what it often leads to.
People are free to think whatever they want because of free speech. And that's the same principle applied here - freedom to create fiction in a separate world, to explore taboo topics safely in a controlled environment where nobody is hurt. It's not real, therefore I don't believe it can be held to the same standard.
Why are people making such a fuss over the age gap when both are adults? Stop with you all’s wokism. If you…
If anything remotely "immoral" is included in stories there will be an outcry from people who don't know how to separate fiction from reality and don't know how to ignore something they don't agree with, calling it disgusting and judging it by real-life standards - which you can't apply here since it is fiction lol.
Let's enjoy this story, i loved the first episodes too and i cant wait to watch the rest
I can guarantee that the majority of the people here judging the age gap are not Asian, so why do you keep using…
I know many people in real life who watch kdrama, because I'm surrounded by that demographic. If I had to guess, you are not young or friends with young people, so it's highly unlikely to meet people day to day who are interested in kdramas or admit they are.
I don't understand why you are so desperate to link criticism of age gaps to misandry. Seems to me you just hate Koreans, and women. So are you racist and misogynistic?
K-Drama 
1 
Your points about the lack of music helping a scene convey its emotional message more clearly and genuinely are actually one of the reasons Japanese BL is my favourite division of BL. I’ve found that in J-BL, this is often a recurring pattern, and there is something about allowing a scene to exist without constantly relying on music to tell you what you are supposed to feel. You get the characters’ expressions, their breathing, the pauses, the awkward silences and the tiny movements between them, which can make everything feel much more intimate and natural. It almost forces you to sit inside the moment rather than being emotionally instructed by the soundtrack, and then when the music is introduced it elevates the already emotionally heavy scene. I feel like this is mirrored in what you were getting at.
I also like your emphasis on the fact that they are both struggling individuals in a difficult situation rather than the image people are trying to paint of a predator. The teacher is dealing with the consequences of the rumours that destroyed his previous life, the breakdown of his marriage, and the pressure of starting over, while the student is dealing with bullying, violence, isolation and having essentially nobody he can rely on. Their deep emotional connection develops from their vulnerability and trying to find comfort in each other, not from any malicious intent.
This is ultimately why I like series such as this, and it reminds me of another series I've watched which is quite similar. "Tsuiraku JK to Haijin Kyoshi" is a straight romance where the girl student is suicidal and the young teacher who was once suicidal as well helps her to find herself again (very simplified summary). He never once tried to force his way over the boundary, and it was her who kept seeking him out once she graduated and was in a better mental place. This series has such a deep connection and meaning to it, and yet you will find the exact same complaints as there are in this comment section if you go to it's MDL page.
I fully agree with your points about the distinction between fiction and reality, and where people often can't differentiate between them and apply real-life values to view it juridically. Fiction is a safe space to explore situations that would be unhealthy, dangerous or unacceptable in reality without endorsing them and that doesn't automatically make the creator or those who enjoy it "disgusting" people. That is completely different from saying those things are good in real life. I also think people throw around the word “normalising” far too easily, since there is a huge difference between depicting something and normalising it - showing a complicated relationship does not automatically mean the story is telling us that this is how relationships should work. You can recognise that something would be problematic in real life while still being interested in what the fiction is actually trying to explore. Otherwise, we end up judging the fictional situation purely by the standards of reality instead of actually analysing the story and seeing the vulnerable characters for their actual depth and not some expected predatory label.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! 💗🖤
When I first found BL, I used to get very upset by the hate I would see online, especially when a series or film was not understood to the deep symbolic meaning it was created for. I would fight, almost as if it was my responsibility to protect something I loved, or it meant I didn't love it at all - which seems so obviously silly to me now, as I understand it doesn't take away from how deeply beautiful and complex a series is or how much I love it because these people think they are always right and will never change their minds. Like you said we aren't doing anything wrong by liking something despite what other people think, so what's the harm if it makes us happy - truly a beautiful statement.
I believe I've changed a lot as a person since then and I think being exposed to the hate has actually helped me protect my inner world better since I'm not as sensitive towards it. It has helped me understand that I can just laugh and ignore them, not search them out either, because in all actually they do not matter or take away from my love of a series. In real life, I do struggle with social anxiety and confrontation, so in somewhat of a positive aspect I think conversing/arguing with others online has actually helped as a form of exposure therapy to me, since I don't take it personally anymore. When I'm truly passionate about something I find it fun to converse with others who have opposing views - or maybe I just love being argumentative underneath 😂
And yes, you caught me 😂😂 I do need to stop thinking about how others perceive things it's a bad habit of mine. Your comments do make me happy! I think sometimes people may keep their enjoyment of a series/film to themselves if it has taboo topics and being heavily criticised so it makes me feel seen when I see you on random comment sections haha I believe it was Sing In Love and Dangerous Drugs of Sx if I remember correctly.
People are free to think whatever they want because of free speech. And that's the same principle applied here - freedom to create fiction in a separate world, to explore taboo topics safely in a controlled environment where nobody is hurt. It's not real, therefore I don't believe it can be held to the same standard.
Let's enjoy this story, i loved the first episodes too and i cant wait to watch the rest
Maybe take a break from the internet from a while.
I don't understand why you are so desperate to link criticism of age gaps to misandry. Seems to me you just hate Koreans, and women. So are you racist and misogynistic?