There is no research proving a definitive link between fictional portrayals of suicide and increased rates of suicide among audience members. The idea that such research exists is a myth.
Being "triggered" = experiencing a strong emotion or feeling. Fictional media, especially drama, is MEANT to evoke such a response.
On the other hand, I'm sure you know many BL production houses deliberately push their actors to provide fanservice…
Well, all sorts of psycho shit goes down online every day. I doubt that random straight guys in the general population being "shipped" with other random straight guys by psycho women ranks among the top problems on social media or elsewhere.
"...I do know some do it on purpose for clout..." So, are you saying that some random online dudes seek the attention of women by pretending to be dating other random online dudes? I'm confused.
I'm a sucker for super low-budget, big-heart BLS like this. The production quality is abysmal, but for me, that's part of the charm. The MC have great chemistry, their acting is good, and they're cute as two buttons, together and apart. There's a little sexual energy, too, even though there is zero sex in the show.
I squealed a few times and teared up a couple of times.
Well done.
Had this been made on a full budget, it might be a 10/10. 8.5/10
I'm amazed that in Korea you could go after online slander.This is how it should be everywhere. That person got…
"Pitch a tent?" lol
Are you suggesting that crime and public urination are rampant to the same extent in every country, from Germany to France to the US, it's all the same?
Meh... (I acknowledge that everything below comes from my perspective as an individual and a Westerner. But since that's who and what I am, that's the only place from which I see anything.)
The last 50 minutes were a slog. This would have benefited massively from an edit down to at least 2:30 and preferably 2:00. The acting, on and off the stage, is magnificent. The Kabuki theatre scenes are breathtaking, especially the costumes, sets, and lighting.
The story offstage is full of holes and gaps.
It pissed me off that up to the very end, the screenplay presented Kikuho as not just being accused of ruthless ambition that destroyed families, individuals, and his own child, but being GUILTY of such, even though Hanjiro II is the one who declared Kikuho his heir over his own son and insisted on it being no other way, even though that declaration was in recognition of Kiluho's innate talent and hard work, even though Shunsuke ran off with Kikuho's GF to whom he had proposed and disappeared for ten years, even though said GF refused Kikuho's proposal and insisted he focus on his art, even though the woman who became his mistress and mother of his daughter WANTED that very life for herself and encouraged Kikuho to place his art above all else, but yeah...let's pretend Kokuho is the bad guy.
Why did Shunsuke suddenly reappear after ten years out of touch and his father's death? Was it because he knew that with his father out of the way, he could claim the legacy his father DID NOT THINK HE DESERVED OR HAD EARNED, and snatch everything, including his home, away from Kikuho? Why, yes, yes, it was. And yet, apparently, all of Japan saw this as just dandy and admirable. I'm glad Kikuho punched Shunsuke out when he condescendingly, from the steps of the only home Kikuho had ever known and from which he had just ejected him, suggested he would put in a good word for him so they could work together. Dude...you asshole.
It's not those events that piss me off, that's just good drama, it's that the film's view seemed to be that Shunsuke, the lesser talented one, the one who cowardly ran away with Kikuho's GF, the one whose father saw him as what he was, a less dedicated, less gifted actor than Kikuho, was the victim and in the right through all of this.
Huge story gap: After the old Kibuke Queen called Kikuho to his deathbed and granted him absolution or something, why were Kikuho and Shunsuke suddenly reunited as a stage duo and besties? Who knows? We weren't told.
It is exceedingly rare that healthy adults whose diabetes is managed and controlled lose limbs to amputation. Was Shunsuke's diabetes poorly treated/managed for some reason? Who knows? No one told us. He suddenly had diabetes and they chopped his leg off. For some reason Shunsuke didn't think it worthwhile to so much as get a second opinion. He seemed downright eager to lose a leg.
It gets worse. Declining and missing a leg, Shunsuke declares his comeback in a huge, traditional Kabuki role. Never mind the spot that puts his fellow actor(s) in; that's what he wants, so that's where we go. Then, in an over-the-top bit of camp and melodrama, Shunsuke ruins the show and damn near dies on stage. As he lays, in extreme danger of death, in Kikuho's arms behind the curtain, Kikuho insists he GET UP, OR YOU'LL BE REPLACED. Dude...he's dying. I don't care...he needs to get up. Where's that ambulance? What ambulance? Oh well.
It gets worse. Kikuho's illegit daughter, born of the woman who got what she wanted as Kikuho's mistress, pops up melodramatically out of nowhere as the photographer at his official something-or-other, and lays a guilt trip on him before doing a 180 and rapturously gushing that he did it, he is now the Kabuki GOAT of all time!
It's fascinating that "onnagata" are high-class, expensively costumed, coiffed, and made-up drag queens, and became a thing only after an emperor or such banned women from the stage in the 17th century, yet this survives as a hallowed art to this day. I'm not saying it's NOT an art, but it's curious that in macho/male-dominated/homophobic Japan, the stylized feminization of men on stage not only slips under the culture's misogynistic radar, but is glorified and honored to such a degree. Where are the women playing male kabuki roles?
Finally, the ancient Japanese fetishization of death and glorification of suicide, which ended only after the disaster of World War 2, is fascinating/disturbing. Damn near every kabuki show they did featured someone killing themselves as a means of saving face, displaying love, or honoring someone else.
With the plot tightened up, holes filled, nonsense fixed, and some repetitious elements, both onstage and off, cut down to no more than two-and-a-half hours, preferably two hours even, this might have been a 9 or 9.5/10 for me.
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There is no research proving a definitive link between fictional portrayals of suicide and increased rates of suicide among audience members. The idea that such research exists is a myth.
Being "triggered" = experiencing a strong emotion or feeling.
Fictional media, especially drama, is MEANT to evoke such a response.
I didn't mind seeing two handsome, well-built bodies entangled, not at all, though, as you said, it was quite a surprise.
A delightful surprise. :)
Koreans are very serious about their drinking. :)
Good acting, but how many times has this exact plot been done before in BL and everywhere else?
Creative, new ideas, please.
What did you see?
The two young actors are as natural as any professionals I've seen; more so than most.
The black/white to color to black/white cinematography is lush.
Highly recommended.
10/10
This is a riot. :D
A friend of mine turned me on to older JP gang/crime silliness like this.
I love it.
I doubt that random straight guys in the general population being "shipped" with other random straight guys by psycho women ranks among the top problems on social media or elsewhere.
"...I do know some do it on purpose for clout..."
So, are you saying that some random online dudes seek the attention of women by pretending to be dating other random online dudes?
I'm confused.
I'm a sucker for super low-budget, big-heart BLS like this.
The production quality is abysmal, but for me, that's part of the charm.
The MC have great chemistry, their acting is good, and they're cute as two buttons, together and apart.
There's a little sexual energy, too, even though there is zero sex in the show.
I squealed a few times and teared up a couple of times.
Well done.
Had this been made on a full budget, it might be a 10/10.
8.5/10
Are you suggesting that crime and public urination are rampant to the same extent in every country, from Germany to France to the US, it's all the same?
Where in the West do you live?
(I acknowledge that everything below comes from my perspective as an individual and a Westerner.
But since that's who and what I am, that's the only place from which I see anything.)
The last 50 minutes were a slog.
This would have benefited massively from an edit down to at least 2:30 and preferably 2:00.
The acting, on and off the stage, is magnificent.
The Kabuki theatre scenes are breathtaking, especially the costumes, sets, and lighting.
The story offstage is full of holes and gaps.
It pissed me off that up to the very end, the screenplay presented Kikuho as not just being accused of ruthless ambition that destroyed families, individuals, and his own child, but being GUILTY of such, even though Hanjiro II is the one who declared Kikuho his heir over his own son and insisted on it being no other way, even though that declaration was in recognition of Kiluho's innate talent and hard work, even though Shunsuke ran off with Kikuho's GF to whom he had proposed and disappeared for ten years, even though said GF refused Kikuho's proposal and insisted he focus on his art, even though the woman who became his mistress and mother of his daughter WANTED that very life for herself and encouraged Kikuho to place his art above all else, but yeah...let's pretend Kokuho is the bad guy.
Why did Shunsuke suddenly reappear after ten years out of touch and his father's death?
Was it because he knew that with his father out of the way, he could claim the legacy his father DID NOT THINK HE DESERVED OR HAD EARNED, and snatch everything, including his home, away from Kikuho? Why, yes, yes, it was.
And yet, apparently, all of Japan saw this as just dandy and admirable.
I'm glad Kikuho punched Shunsuke out when he condescendingly, from the steps of the only home Kikuho had ever known and from which he had just ejected him, suggested he would put in a good word for him so they could work together.
Dude...you asshole.
It's not those events that piss me off, that's just good drama, it's that the film's view seemed to be that Shunsuke, the lesser talented one, the one who cowardly ran away with Kikuho's GF, the one whose father saw him as what he was, a less dedicated, less gifted actor than Kikuho, was the victim and in the right through all of this.
Huge story gap: After the old Kibuke Queen called Kikuho to his deathbed and granted him absolution or something, why were Kikuho and Shunsuke suddenly reunited as a stage duo and besties? Who knows? We weren't told.
It is exceedingly rare that healthy adults whose diabetes is managed and controlled lose limbs to amputation.
Was Shunsuke's diabetes poorly treated/managed for some reason?
Who knows?
No one told us.
He suddenly had diabetes and they chopped his leg off. For some reason Shunsuke didn't think it worthwhile to so much as get a second opinion. He seemed downright eager to lose a leg.
It gets worse.
Declining and missing a leg, Shunsuke declares his comeback in a huge, traditional Kabuki role.
Never mind the spot that puts his fellow actor(s) in; that's what he wants, so that's where we go.
Then, in an over-the-top bit of camp and melodrama, Shunsuke ruins the show and damn near dies on stage. As he lays, in extreme danger of death, in Kikuho's arms behind the curtain, Kikuho insists he GET UP, OR YOU'LL BE REPLACED.
Dude...he's dying.
I don't care...he needs to get up.
Where's that ambulance?
What ambulance?
Oh well.
It gets worse.
Kikuho's illegit daughter, born of the woman who got what she wanted as Kikuho's mistress, pops up melodramatically out of nowhere as the photographer at his official something-or-other, and lays a guilt trip on him before doing a 180 and rapturously gushing that he did it, he is now the Kabuki GOAT of all time!
It's fascinating that "onnagata" are high-class, expensively costumed, coiffed, and made-up drag queens, and became a thing only after an emperor or such banned women from the stage in the 17th century, yet this survives as a hallowed art to this day.
I'm not saying it's NOT an art, but it's curious that in macho/male-dominated/homophobic Japan, the stylized feminization of men on stage not only slips under the culture's misogynistic radar, but is glorified and honored to such a degree.
Where are the women playing male kabuki roles?
Finally, the ancient Japanese fetishization of death and glorification of suicide, which ended only after the disaster of World War 2, is fascinating/disturbing.
Damn near every kabuki show they did featured someone killing themselves as a means of saving face, displaying love, or honoring someone else.
With the plot tightened up, holes filled, nonsense fixed, and some repetitious elements, both onstage and off, cut down to no more than two-and-a-half hours, preferably two hours even, this might have been a 9 or 9.5/10 for me.
As it is, though, it's a 7/10.