jarabaa

Thanks! I'm trying to trace the Xiao Bing Chih song right now. I am not sure what it's called. It's the song at the beginning of each episode of "Make Our Days Count". But there is a different theme song at the end of each episode, and it's even more beautiful. I've discovered it's by Arrow Wei, and it's called 我還是不懂 ... I think that means "I still don't understand". Which is true in my case. I still do not understand more than a few words of Chinese. But I know that I'm enchanted by these beautiful young men and their beautiful love story - and this beautiful song.

Sorry to write so much about "Method" (below), a totally different film. I've now watched "Long Time No See" ... and I need to think about it a bit!

I totally agree. That's what I was trying to say. The film was not about homosexuality at all. It was about Method Acting - a theatrical technique which I associate with the 1950s. The idea in the film was that Method Acting takes over the personalities of the actors and makes them behave in real life like the characters they portray on stage. So it was a study in delusion - or brainwashing. But I felt that a play with homosexual characters was chosen because that would be especially shocking and disgusting - that is, to see the "normal" actors gradually deceived by Method Acting into behaving in real life like the gay characters in the play. For me, the problem with the film was the simple idea of two gay men in a relationship being represented as something extreme and grotesque: the characters in the play are shown as most definitelyextreme and grotesque, and the drama of the film is that the two actors are brainwashed by Method acting into behaving like these homosexual characters in the play. And that's what I found homophobic: male homosexuality was depicted as bizarre, violent, dangerous etc - something that no "normal" man would be associated with unless his consciousness is overwhelmed by something like Method Acting. It reminded me of other films and plays about people who do violent and evil things because their minds have been taken over by hypnosis, drugs, mental illness, extreme hero worship, Satanism, etc. In this film, male homosexuality was the "violent and evil thing" which the innocent heterosexual actors engage in because their minds are warped by Method Acting. So that's where I see the homophobic quality of the film.

I agree about the kissing scenes, though! However, I'm someone who likes seeing two attractive men kissing. But perhaps the intended audience in Korea was expected to see two men making love as something bizarre and horrifying which the two deluded actors only do because their minds have been taken over by their stage characters?

I'm very keen to watch this. I've watched many Thai and Taiwanese films and series which include gay and bisexual male characters and show relationships between men. There are so many that there is quite a range of stuff to be seen. It's great. And it's absolutely not the same as what we get in Europe and North America. But I've seen nothing Korean other than the film "Method" - which suggested that an acting technique could trick men into having a sexual relationship: a storyline which strongly implied that heterosexuality is the natural default norm for all men and homosexuality a "perversion" brought about by mental disorientation. In the light of the Christian churches' anti-gay crusading in Korea right now, I found the message of "Method" disturbing. Whether a film is judged fuffy and romantic or dark and sad, I want to see gay men who are real human beings who happen to be gay - people who fall in love and have real relationships. Anyhow, "Long Time No See" sounds richer, more open, more realistic, more inspiring. Which is what I want to see. I will do what I can to locate it online (and pay for it) and watch it! The comments here are so encouraging and positive.

Very important question! I've looked everwhere online, even using Chinese language characters. No episodes to be found. Just trailers from months ago. Does anyone know if this has actually even started airing??

It's always a ... pity to encounter bad parts written for female characters in series which have "BL" storylines (not sure about this one!) or which focus on gay male romance. In real life, girls and women play major roles in the lives of boys and men who are in same-sex love relationships - as sisters, friends, colleagues, teachers, pupils, neighbours, role models, advisers, confidantes, mothers, cousins, schoolmates, employers, etc etc! I would suggest that they only rarely feature as (troublesome or doomed) "girlfriends". One of the weaknesses of many series with major BL plotlines is that girls and women are shoehorned into silly, limited "girlfriend" roles which inevitably cast them in a negative light. In the real world, a lot of guys who are in love with other guys belong to tight-knit social networks which include a lot of girls who have a major and positive influence on their lives and relationships. We should see more of this.

I also love it. Absolutely. By the way, can anyone tell us something about the theme song? I love that too, though I don't speak Chinese. I would like to know more about the singer, the content of the song, whether it's more widely known in Taiwan (i.e. beyond those who watch "Make Our Days Count"), etc - ? Also, the locations: I live in London but I'll be in Taipei soon, and I am curious to get a look at some of the places we see in this series (and other HIStory series).

This man is SO beautiful. I consider myself a devotee of (and expert on!) male beauty, and I am repeatedly knocked speechless by the charms of Thai actors, including several in "Dark Blue Kiss". But every moment Sun is on the screen, I am transfixed. I often go back over a scene and rewatch it just to bask in the captivating dazzle of Pod Suphakorn Sriphothong. His smile is spectacular, and every twitch of his lips, every moment he casts his gaze this way or that, is ... mesmerising. I am no longer a young man, and I have admired and known many truly beautiful guys around the world over the years, but this man is EXCEPTIONAL.

As I mention below, I was very effectively put off by the (many) eloquent negative comments. And so I chose not to make any effort to watch this series. Then, very recently, for some reason I decided I liked the ... 'different' look of Mork - with his short hair and sticking-out ears and impish air - ... and I thought to myself: I'll give it a try. And I like it. The plot has holes, but I am not watching this in search of a crafted, airtight plot. The characters seem real and original, the humourous devices make me smile (or even laugh), and the couples have real chemistry.

I was also hugely put off by the negative comments. I chose not to make any effort to watch this series. Then for some reason I decided I liked the different look of Mork with his short hair and sticking-out ears ... and I watched ep 1, then 2 - and decided I liked it. I even found myself laughing out loud. And feeling moved and touched by other scenes.

It's a bit puzzling figuring out what there is of this series that can actually be seen. As of now, the 10th of November, it seems only one episode with English subbing exists, not surprisingly episode 1. It's on Youtube, on 9naachannel, details given by Shiyin and Liz below. That's it. Several teasers exist, all the way through to ep 4, maybe beyond, and I have the impression that ep 1 actually aired nearly a month ago in mid-October. But so far nothing beyond ep 1 with English translation is in existence. I did find ep 2 online with Indonesian subtitles, but .... I don't speak Indonesian!

I am certainly here to support Newyear, an openly gay actor playing a gay character. In gazettu's review (above), I found confirmed what I'd long suspected: gay actors are in fact discriminated against in these BL series and straight actors are preferred. Well, gay love is a reality, not an illusion or a fantasy, so I want to give this series with a gay main-role actor a good fighting chance,

I followed this through to the end. Thanks ENTIRELY to mijumaru who reposted a full list of links to the "eng sub" version on "tv.line.me" (know idea what that is) - absolutely invaluable. Without that list here in this comment column, I would not have known where to look.

I am torn. I completely agree with those who praise the interaction of Korn and Knock in this series, their passion, the way we see them struggle with a problem. But I agree with those who say there is too much emphasis on cheating. After all, couples encounter other sorts of problems in real life.

Nevertheless, adhering to loving monogamy is not easy, and gay men get no help from anyone in pursuing this ideal. They have had to struggle for the right to marry - only recently granted in certain countries. And all their lives they receive negative, harsh messages about their sexual desires and their commitment to love. I am always amazed that so many gay men do in reality sustain very enduring long-term relationships. As against the whole institution of heterosexual marriage, the endless outpourings of religious institutions praising the superiority of heterosexual love, the absence in much of the world of any form of same-sex unions recognised in law, and the colossal body of literature and music promoting heterosexual romance, gay men and lesbians have access to only a tiny, miniscule amount of stories and images celebrating their love and telling them that they too are virtuous human beings. So, every time I hear Korn and Knock ardently expressing their love for each other, or see them making love, I am not only pleased - I'm inspired.

But I'm also for the same reason disturbed by negative caricatures of personalities depicted as "sluttish" - whatever their gender or sexuality. The Dr, for instance, was absolutely open and honest in the first series about his non-monogamous lifestyle. He didn't lie to anyone. And here we see Farm adopt the same lifestyle. Plenty of human beings choose to live this way - they don't want to put all their eggs in the basket of "True Love". They want to protect themselves by keeping their options open. They aren't "sluts" or "whores". And these terms are pejorative words applied only to women and gay men, by the way. A heterosexual man who sleeps with many women is referred to with admiration as a playboy, a Lothario, a Don Juan, a womaniser etc. At any rate, the reality is that a non-monogamous person who "plays the field" may still fall in love. And then the drama begins. And that is the story here of Farm, Bright and lovely Rit.

I therefore felt that this storyline was in its way trying to tackle a real situation that many people end up facing in our day. I was very disturbed by all the adverse comment from viewers condemning "sluts" - sorry, but it's disagreeable to read endless moralising put-downs of this nature. Meanwhile, the "cheating" storylines imposed on Korn/Knock and Cho/Yiwha were probably less plausible ... especially in the case of Korn and Knock. But they were a vehicle to explore this territory of "How to Remain in Love and Monogamous" plus a detour into the land of "Couples Dealing with Problems and Threats". In fact, another real challenge which many gay men have to tackle was also explored here: rejection by homophobic parents.

At the end of the day, the Max/Tul chemistry remains mesmerising and I was totally satisfied watching them all the time ....

It's certainly .... engrossing. And at the same time very UNlike the previous HIStory series. I totally loved 'Trapped'. And the one about the professor and the student ('Right or Wrong'). And the one about the volleyball players ('Boundary Crossing') - likewise unforgettable.

This one has got off to a strange start. I'm engrossed, as I say, I do like watching these characters - at least the main ones. And like the others, it begins in a somewhat lurid, shallow way, and suddenly goes deep. Before you know it, rather profound issues are being dealt with, the acting is gripping, and the development of the characters and their relationships is satisfyingly rich and nuanced. But so far, we haven't quite got there.

Yu Xi Gu's struggle, his suffering, his literal starvation and brutal self-neglect are increasingly compelling drama. And in this episode Xiang Hao Ting seems to embark on a process of reflection and even contrition which is quite intense to observe. But set against it, I find some of the other characters jarringly silly and shallow. That poor girl - as others have pointed out, the character carries on like a 5-year-old. It's ludicrous and embarrassing. Just because there are storylines here about love between males doesn't mean we can't have some female characters who are interesting .... mature .... complex. Come on! And the little gang of friends, hmmmmm .... mainly irritate me. Nevertheless, they're also getting more and more interesting. Sun's extremely upfront heart-on-his-sleeve vulnerability is impressive: the way he tells Hao Ting about his passion for Lu Zhi Gang - wow, a great scene - ditto when he cries on his shoulder after his apology to Lu Zhi Gang goes awry. That's fascinating to watch. He is way out of the closet to the point that his total openness is the problem: his abolute willingness to reveal the extent of his devotion. A commonplace in heterosexual romance, but how rarely we see such a thing in a same-sex context. So ... this looks like it's going places.

I am eagerly looking forward to series 2 now. I agreed with all the praise of the 1st season. Yes, realistic. A powerful account of gay men's lives in Bangkok. Fully-rounded, complex, interesting characters. Many scenes which are painfully close to things that real gay men (and plenty of other human beings) all over the world have experienced. What will series 2 be like?

I did have a major reservation, though, about series 1. Yes, it wasn't pink-cloud fairytale BL romance. But in order to give us "reality" and "drama", series 1 dragged us in the opposite direction - into the familiar territory of "all gay men are heartless players who cannot sustain a meaningful relationship". Which is a tired and contrived, melodramatic way of attempting to represent reality.

In fact, the reality is that there are guys who have trusting, loving relationships and stay together. Guys who just aren't interested in round-the-clock sex. Guys who like to have a boyfriend and are able to stick with him, no problem - because they're totally caught up in other stuff going on in their lives. Men who are happy being single and are neither reckless sex maniacs nor lonely singletons pining for Mr Right. Men who have strong ethical or religious principles which enable them to sustain their commitment to monogamy. Male couples who stick to monogamy and are ... not very happy. Male couples who have stopped having sex and are most definitely not very happy. And on and on. All of those types of men and situations exist and countless others. That's the (maybe humdrum) middle ground. That's reality. It's complex and diverse. It's routine. But it's only boring if you think that over-the-top ruthlessness and betrayal are "dramatic".

No, reality doesn't look like blissful BL "fluff" - which is great - I LOVE blissful BL fluff, love it. But it's also not all heartless bar-hopping app-addicted players ceaselessly using and deceiving and dumping one another - that quite simply is not "reality". Series 1 took us to precisely to that vale of tears, and then pulled us back from the brink. But even if it seems to be drama of a kind, that's not reality. Reality is more the middle ground - full of guys trying their best and struggling with all the things the rest of humanity struggles with.

So useful to have this comment. I live in London - and I don't speak Thai. I only know what I know via subtitles and this website. I've loved watching English-subtitled series on Youtube (SOTUS, 2 Moons 1, 2 Moons 2, etc) - but they are my whole reality, so to speak: I have no idea what's actually happening in the everyday current real world of Thai television! No idea at all. So your messages fill me in and give me some context. It seems there really are periods of drought and of flood - times when there are no BL storylines unfolding, and times (e.g. imminently, now, October?) when there is an absolute glut. Thank you for all clarifications!

Thanks to anchorenomore and everyone else for helping me make sense of the order here. It helps. And I realise there's a bit of ambiguity. I finally watched Kiss Me Again very recently and enjoyed it because I knew the characters from Our Skyy 4 - which is what I happened to encounter first. The analysis of the Pete & Kao relationship in Our Skyy was also very helpful, i.e. the tension between one man who wants a lot of sex (and seemingly not much else) and the other who wants more kissing and everyday tenderness. Been there, done that, have the T-shirt! But it's a very real state of affairs in male/male relationships and it was good to have that insight to shed light on what was going on. Many thanks to everyone.

I'm a bit confused! Pete and Kao are the boys in episode 4 of "Our Skyy", right? And Tay and New are the actors' names? And before "Our Skyy", they were in ... those "Kiss" titles? "Kiss Me Again", "Kiss: The Series" - which are only partly about their BL theme, from what I understand, as these series also feature other (straight) couples. I liked ep 4 of "Our Skyy", anyway. But I cannot figure out how "Dark Blue Kiss" fits into the scheme of things! I'm totally puzzled. In "Our Skyy" they seem to be an existing couple - indeed, they seem to be living together - and yet, I had the impression that they aren't having a full physical relationship as lovers. There was a lot about holding hands and a kiss which seemed to be presented as a first kiss. So I am really very puzzled about the sequence of events in the development of their relationship.