jpny01

I couldn't get through it. Awful. BTW, Yes, the acting here is worse than Golden Blood, but GB is the highest-high-end BL with a huge budget. They should never have cast such a weak actor in the main role. But they also cast Boat, so I'll forgive them. But it still drops what could have been a first-rate series into "meh" territory.

Although you have to admit, that's not the standard way to begin a BL.

I feel guilty for watching this pirated, but I for some reason I'm not having any VPN luck. Has anyone else had trouble connecting? I'm going to try Singapore instead of the usual Thailand.

The scene where Tin & Louis were running made me laugh more than anything has in years. Edan and Kenny Wong are comedic geniuses - Anson Lo doesn't have quite the same punchy timing, but I like that the gay character is tough and together for once.

Really? I love the boss - he's so delightfully creepy. I like that he's a comedic character.

I guess my question is, if you want to use these actors (and I can certainly see why anyone would want to for sure), then why make it a high school story? Since the actors are older and have more life experience, why not try a setting more appropriate to their ages and less imitative of 1,000 previous BLs?

If there's any appeal to high school stories, it's the naive innocence of the characters, which is related to youth. This is a particularly attractive cast, and with musical ability - why not have a story about a band? Or a music production company? Or anything at all that isn't the same setting we've already seen so many times?

There is no evidence that this is related to market desires - it's simply imitiation and artistic laziness. It's not like Hollywood and other major media machines aren't imitative, but nobody is quite as dismal in it's lack of creativity as Thai BL. It's easier to follow a formula and adapt bad novels than write original screenplays, even though when this happens audience response is very strong, like with ITSAY.

Making the same story over and over will eventually burn out the genre as people move on to something newer. Innovate or Die is the expression.

That's a really good point - thanks.

The subs are there now.

OK, so I think I found the secret for me to enjoy this series - I skip everything that's not about Simai, Phob, and Eak, et voilà! The copy customer makes me want to punch him in the face, the basketball storyline is totally irrelevant to the story, and Both & Newyear are terrible actors. Phob is getting on my nerves with his surliness, but I like the main three + Lukmo.

I watch the scenes with the main characters and skip everything else and find it enjoyable There are way too many characters and most of them aren't connected, so you can skip ythem and not miss anything

That was adorable.

I guess it isn't really fair to compare a Japanese show to a Thai show - but the Thais have proved they can do 1st rate when they set their minds to it, they just don't seem to want to set their minds to it very often.

OK, maybe "not ENTIRELY shallow" is more humanizing. I can be entirely shallow for about 2 weeks, but if he doesn't have a brain it won't go much longer than that.

Oh, we're the worst - no doubt about that. But in general the cities are more progressive and the rural areas less so.

Thai BL is stuck on adapting formulaic novels that are basically mediocre fan fiction - until they start drawing from better sources it's all going to be the same.

I do like one-couple shows - I'm OK with a secondary couple if they're integral to the plot and not just thrown in to have a secondary couple - or if they're comic relief but don't chew up too much run time. But in Top Secret In Love, I'm constantly asking "Who ARE these people?!?" There are at least 5 couples and I can't see what they have to do with each other.

Oh, that is really wonderful - I didn't know any of that about the game thing - that explains a lot - thank you.

Usually the rating drifts down, but it's actually risen - that's what provoked my question, but what you said makes sense. Thanks for the explanations.

Thanks - I appreciate the explanation.

I get it - I like non-deep fluffy shows too - including some that not that many people like. My confusion here is the 8.9 rating.

Can you point to where I said everyone who enjoys the show has bad taste? I made a point of saying that I'm sincerely asking the queston because I don't understand and want people to tell me so that I do understand. I also don't understand how you are taking it so personally that I don't like something that you do, to the point that you need to be rude.

I totally get that people like different things - and I wouldn't even ask the question if this had an 8 rating - but an 8.9 is much higher than Gaya Sa Pelikula - I don't see how that's possible, hence my question.

I'm so happy you said that. You've restored balance to my universe.

Those are good points. That boy's skin puts porcelain to shame. I would love to be able to see his forehead, though!

What's really surprising is the rating. If it had an 8 I wouldn't even ask the question. Sometimes we just like things. I watched Cupid Coach & Brothers. I enjoyed them both, but I recognized they were not really very good and I would never in a million years think either deserved an 8.9 - it's completely mystifying.