etoks21

I wondered about that too, if the JP stalker hadn't flown to Korea, which is really hardcore. Sad thing is, if he was being blackmailed with something so horrific that he would take his life over it, whatever it is is going to be revealed by the police investigation anyway. Perhaps he just didn't want to be around when that happens.

I have a strongly felt theory about what went down but I'll keep that to myself for now.

The way in the bromances are portrayed, which you describe well in your reply, is exactly why I don't watch them. As an audience member, I resent being treated like a child looking for clues to a puzzle that will never be completed on screen.

Regarding this show, a good MDL friend has watched all seven episodes available and reports that it gets better as it goes and that the romance is explicitly confirmed and demonstrated physically in the last three eps or so. I'm only halfway through episode #3, as I find the watch to be OK but not something I'm engrossed in to binge.

As for where Chinese homophobia comes from, it is more complicated than just the government "teaching" the populace that gayness is a horrible thing. China, as a culture and society, has been homophobic for centuries. It's built into the zeitgeist that homosexuality is an appalling deviance and must be discouraged/punished. The government takes that existing bias and encourages it. F**k them.

Yes, I'm hoping the aggressive statement from his agency will be backed up with aggressive ACTION. Words are cheap.

Thing is, if I really boycotted Korean product I would have almost nothing left to watch other than the few things Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand put out that I like.
The OTHER thing is that I watch almost all of it free through helpful Internet sites, so my boycott would be silly, as no one knows I watch anyway. I do have Netflix, which carries lots of Korean content.

That's a big part of the frustration: How can Korea have such a strong film/drama industry and yet not be taking strong, aggressive action to publicly address the problems you so eloquently listed in your comment?

I WAS pleased to see yesterday that FIVE people have been remandedby the cops for trial in the Lee Sun Kyun case, which took place nearly a year ago. The day after Christmas, I believe it was. Two of them, the women from the club, are charged specifically with blackmail. I hope they do some serious time in jail. It's funny but also sad that they met in prison while serving time for other convictions

Yes, I share that anxiety. I've been worried about Yoo Ah In for over a year now. If he were to take himself out over the drug charges and now the ridiculous one-year prison sentence, I would be horrified but not surprised. He is a spectacular talent. I thought he had already been dragged off to prison, but apparently, he is still out because he has appealed the sentence to another court with the premise that it is far too severe for the "crimes" committed, which harmed no one but himself.

Again, I question how and why someone would kill themselves over the actions of one online stalker in Japan. Why not block the person? If that turns out to have been the reason, and I doubt we'll ever be told one way or the other since Korea as a society likes to hush up suicide news as fast as possible, with the excuse that talking/writing about it might lead to copycat suicides. BS.

Anyway, if it was this one stalker online, there's a lot more to the story than we've been told. I'm wondering if he was already in a bad place due to severe depression/anxiety chemically or for a specific reason, and the harassment was the last straw.

Because they're assholes. Your asking that question and wanting to hear some rumors, guesses, unfounded speculation, and other crap from whoever answers you is part of the problem. They attacked him because they are hateful, bad people. I hope they go to jail. I'm glad to see at least one management company and actor go after these crazy netizen psychos.

Way to go Korea, you murdered yet another talented artist/entertainer. Another one makes an "extreme decision," "embarks on a long journey," and "becomes a star in the sky," right? " Good work! After every one of your killings, I hear those disgusting cliches from your media and I want to puke.

It's been nearly a year since Lee Sun Kyun took himself out via charcoal briquettes, so you were way overdue for another celebrity suicide. It's one of the things you do best, Korea!

Most of my favorite series and movies are Korean, but the way Korea treats its creatives leaves me feeling guilty at times. No other country on Earth has anywhere near as many of these deaths as Korea. Am I supporting this poisonous celeb/netizen/fan/media culture by watching Korean content? I haven't answered that question for myself yet. But honestly, since the suicide of Lee Sun Kyun and with all those before him in mind, every time I gear up to watch a Korean show, it pops into my head.

I'm sure there's a LOT more to this story than one psycho stalker from Japan leaving a few insults on social media. It's unlikely Song Jae Rim killed himself over that alone. However, I won't be holding my breath to hear any scoops from Korean media. They prefer to move on quickly and pretend the last suicide didn't happen...until the next one does.

Well, I know what you mean and I was mostly referring to the authoritarian government. Regarding the Chinese people, you're kidding yourself. It's EXTREMELY difficult to be out of the closet there. The culture is a long way behind the West in accepting homosexuality as an acceptable fact of life. A huge percentage of the population, especially older generations, were taught the homosexuality is not a real "thing," that it's a symptom of the degenerate immoral culture of Western countries.

There's an older, well-known BL out of China, released before the ban, that captures this very well. I wish I could recall the name of it. When the gay couple is inadvertently outed, one of the mothers is flabbergasted; she had no idea that such a thing even existed. So, she got a double shock.

Yes, you can find gay-haters anywhere, but there is a much higher percentage of them in China than in most Western countries, along with Taiwan and Thailand, both of which have legalized gay marriage. :)

Finally, there's t the simple fact that censored Chinese bromances are insulting to the audience. You're expected to play hide-and-seek, keeping an eye out for subtle indications that characters are gay and/or in a relationship with another dude. You're supposed to find great significance is bland dialogue full of little hints and double meanings. You're supposed to accept that a romantic couple is such, even though they never touch, let alone hug or kiss. It's just a juvenile mind game I'm not interested in playing.

What you wrote here seems almost completely unrelated to what you wrote above, but that' fine. I won't pursue it further.

As I said above, why are you defending the indefensible?
I repeat: Nobody, gay or straight, kisses like this unless they are, as you apparently are, one of the worst kissers on the planet.

What a stupid reply. I said nothing whatsoever about the need for tongues down throats or lip "eating." Those are your odd/extreme word choices, not mine.

Apparently, in your universe there are two choices when it comes to kissing: Barely brushing against each other, then holding still like mannequins, which is what we got here; or spit-swapping, tongue-digging, throat-rimming, lip-bruising "Mafia" kissing, is that correct? Do you envision no gradations whatsoever between those two extremes? If so, you must be one of the worst kissers in the world.

Even first-time kissers do NOT barely brush lips and then hold completely still. As I said, it's unnatural and homophobic. I have NEVER seen a straight couple do this in any live-action drama. Get a clue.

ummm...pretty sure the Chinese government does whatever it wants, regardless of ownership.

Why do people watch anything out of homophobic China?

Was that not a dead fish kiss? Is there something WORSE? If so, what is it? :)
I'm like you: the show is well-done...and then BAM! Dead fish; I'm out of the scene.
When will JBLs grow a pair and show realistic kissing? It's as stupid as if the director told everyone to walk on tippy-toes all the time...distracting and stupid. It's a gay story for god's sake. The characters are gay as the Christmas goose. And believe me, we don't kiss like that, even the first time. NO ONE kisses like that.

I know. It was terrible.

That was not a kiss. That was two actors reluctant to do a guy-on-guy kiss, or being restrained by a scaredy-cat director. Kissing is instinctive. No normal human places their lips on those of another and simply holds them still without the slightest movement. It's unnatural and absurd. I like the show otherwise, but why defend the indefensible?

I agree, except for the fish kisses which kill the vibe every time.

After episode 2:

This is quite good in many ways.
Will JBLs ever grow up and stop with the ridiculous dead fish kisses, especially in scenes so well-staged and acted? When that happens, I'm yanked right out of the story and back into my living room, shaking my head with a smirk at how stupid it is. It's a homo show with a homo story, there's no doubt about it, so what's with the pulling back from smooches? Absurd.

Everything else about the show is coming along well. I will keep watching.

"Sponsors?" Hamas "sponsored" this war. Why don't you go tell them to elect a different leader? The war would end the moment Hamas surrenders and stops hiding behind its people, but for some reason I don't read you calling for it to do that. Interesting...instead, you want to blame Kamala Harris. lol

Look up the word "genocide." There's none of it happening in Gaza or anywhere else. In 14 months of war, about .018% of Gaza's population has died. Some fucking genocide.

If you think Joe and Kamala have been bad for the Gazans who choose to be ruled by Hamas, wait until the imbecile Trump takes office. You haven't seen anything yet.

That said, I'm not on MDL to argue politics/war/the brutality of Hamas or your ignorance. I made one statement of apology to MDLers outside the U.S. and that's it. If you respond with more silliness, I won't reply. I will block you.