This was an eventful episode, and I think the theme that seems to be central to the series is that life is complicated, with lots of shades of grey, and every situation had to be looked at individually without rushes to judgment. For example, if the teacher has feelings for the student, there's nothing wrong with it - you can't control things like that. If he acts on it, that's where there would be a problem. If he channels those feelings into mentoring, that's constructive. It was less constructive when his feelings caused him to react the opposite way. But notice mom is uneasy.
Folk's acting was downright good this ep. He's really improved a lot. Phu, not so much change, but his role is basically to be adorable and he's got that down. I also like that Chon is a teenager who is inexperienced in life, shy and awkward - usually BL characters are obviously in their 20s while playing high school kids and have adult confidence and perspective, which is fine and inevitable, but it's refreshing to have someone who nails being 16 - although the actor is 18, so it's not like he has to reach deep into his memories or something.
I guess arranged marriages are still a thing, and for some people they probably work, but how can you think it's…
I don't think we can judge the student/teacher thing until we see how it resolves. The central theme of this show is that life isn't simple or black & white.
I know it won't change many minds, but a quick point - I didn't realize it until dllmzca gave me a time stamp, but a lot of people have mentioned that Xing Si had his eyes closed throughout the scene - he absolutely did not. I watched it on a large screen, but rewatching on a small screen, I can see how it looks that way on a laptop or phone.
When Yong Jie says "It's you", he opens his eyes and never shuts them again except to blink and when he's being kissed. You can see him blinking throughout.
In fact, the camera perspective is deliberately Xing Si's POV through much of it - Yong Jie even looks directly into the camera in those moments (e.g. 37:15).
That's why I've been so astonished at people saying Xing Si was blacked out. I know some people think consent can't be given when drunk, but I just can't ever agree - if that's the case, almost the entire human race is raping itself constantly. Just before COVID I visited my ex and we raped each other repeatedly for four days. Actually, mutual rape has occurred in almost every sexual encounter I've had in the last 25 years, except during relationships, although frequently then too. And it's common in relationships to be woken up in a very pleasant way, but since I would be asleep when he started, also rape.
The point is that consent is a complex subject and different in every circumstance. A black-and-white edict is not useful (I mean about whether or not there's consent - "no" means "no", period). Maybe it's a good idea to inculcate that in teens, but it's just not that simple for adults.
Sib said he's 20 in the audition and he's 26 (his mother said he and Gene are the same age), which was a lie to…
There's no way he's 6 years younger. He says he's going to university, but he's a proven liar. We've never seen him in class or even so much as carry a book or laptop, nor have we seen him study or do homework. But even if they haven't shown that because of time constraints, it would be easy to pretend to be an undergrad if you're a grad, and 26 is not too old for that. I could buy him being 24, but when you're kids, you aren't generally close to people 6 years younger, or even 4. You might be friends in a group, but parents would be freaked out if you were spending a lot of time 1:1.
You're right, it would be a lot of effort to pretend to be a student - like it's a lot of effort to become an actor just to get close to someone. The whole point of Sib is that he's willing to plow over any obstacle to get Gene.
Sib lied about his age to get the part (he's 26, not 20), and he knew who Gene was, knew Gene didn't recognize…
I agree with almost all that - the lack of demand for explanation is the biggest problem here, and the failure to deliver one a close second. The car scene didn't sit right with me either. Sib announced he was 20. Try fudging your experience on a resume by 6 years and see what happens when HR finds out, even if you're a top-performing employee. People that lie generally don't just do it once. If a close friend of yours lied to you several times about important things that have to do with your life, would you just shrug it off? How about someone you're in love with and are sort of with? And the lie is that he's a completely different person than he claimed to be? Without trust there's nothing. And in this case, there's obviously something big that happened between them in the past, which makes it even worse. If it turns out they were just childhood neighbors that lost touch, then yes, Gene's reaction would be OTT (I would probably tell him this isn't going to work and ask him to move out as soon as he can, and stay at my other house until he leaves, if I had another house like Gene.) - But this is a BL, so that's unlikely, I think.
Maybe this goes under the category of guilty pleasure. I think everyone THINKS they should hate it, but for me…
It's a bit of a missed opportunity - with a more competent production crew it could have been one of the better BLs instead of a guilty pleasure.
I was really happy about the lack of seme/uke - I was just rewatching a little of My Engineer, and come on - at camp, the ukes would get lost in the woods and be helpless to do anything but collapse and cry until the seme found him, or fall deathly ill when touched by water.
In a "standard" BL, there would probably have been a lot of audience outrage if the main couple had met how Tae & Nite II did - it took me a while to realize that really happened and wasn't a fake-out like it usually is, because BL alcohol erases your memory instead of just lowering your inhibitions.
Tae is just a guy. Sometimes he's thrown around by events, others he's fairly aggressive, and he's not dependent on some fantasy man to fulfill him, even though in this case the man is literally a fantasy.
That was better than the first ep. Everything was improved, and there weren't any unnecessarily long scenes. The story moved along quite a bit, and the central theme and conflict were established so I know what I'm watching.
The subtitles were OK, but a little effort to follow, which made it hard to keep up. Ironically, sometimes I got most hung up on English slang - it took me a few seconds to get what "resto" meant, but that's because I'm old. Also, I actually followed it nearly as well when the subtitles gave out near the end because there's so much English sprinkled in the dialog.
When it's tighter and faster-paced like that, technical issues are much less distracting, and even cute - like when "mom" glanced at the camera at the end of her scene.
As for the acting, I was blown away by the realism of the portrayal of the mini-mart cashier. It didn't feel like acting at all - flawless and seamless. I'm just kidding. There were a few clunky line deliveries, but considering the volume of dialog this ep and all the distractions around the actors, it was pretty good overall.
Also, it's not every day that you see someone butt-raped by a trans fairy (I mean the supernatural kind). If it sounds upsetting, it's not. Trust me on this.
That was better than their previous series - it was insane, but entertaining. I'm not quite sure if it's supposed to be a comedy, or if it just ended up that way. I think it's a light-hearted horror/supernatural BL?
They've really got to improve the editing. Considering the scenes were static, there shouldn't be obvious shifts to a different take. Also, if a guy is walking down a hill, you can just show if for a few seconds - you don't have to show him walking ALL the way down, although if that was supposed to be comical with the intense evil-sounding music playing in the background, it worked. In general the shots are too long, and it robs the action of its momentum.
For example, it's film "vocabulary" to have people under enchantment walk slowly. Usually in very old movies - nowadays even zombies are really fast. Another way that is often shown is by making the character's eyes turn red. But you don't have to do both. There is a LOT of people with red eyes walking slowly in this (and the contacts were making the poor short hot guy cry - that must have been painful). Why not have their eyes turn red and just walk normally?
The fairy using magic scene was way too long - we get it. about 5 seconds suffices to make the point.
Anyway, I did have fun watching it, but it won't be for everyone.
I thought it was actually good. I went into it thinking "Sigh. Another one of these." But I was surprised. The actors were natural, they had a cute relationship, although we got a few hints of clouds on the horizon, which is interesting, and they didn't have all the endemic technical issues of amateur productions. I enjoyed it. But I hope it doesn't get too preachy.
It's a good analysis, but this was ep 6. We're getting to the point that it feels like we're reaching to defend…
Up's peformance when he was Aunty's house was masterful. It was totally real, subtle, and powerful.
Regarding Bruce, Aey is in the formulaic BL villain role - the other person after the seme, and so I think people are perhaps wanting to dislike him because of that. There are two options: either he IS the villain and he's being manipulative, or he isn't the villain (like if doesn't know Gene likes Sib - he has to know Sib likes Gene, but Gene shows no sign of liking him back, and in fact explicitly says he doesn't) and yet Bruce has made most people feel sorry for Aey and yet uncomfortable about something about him.
Either way he's done an excellent job of presenting that ambiguity - it's not easy to pull off.
Sib lied about his age to get the part (he's 26, not 20), and he knew who Gene was, knew Gene didn't recognize…
Have you considered that maybe you're just really nice and forgiving to a level that almost nobody else is? Lying to get the role means someone else who deserved it didn't get it, and hiding the fact that he is someone very important from Gene's past while worming his way into Gene's life and home is a serious betrayal of trust. And incredibly stupid because Gene would have found out before long - Sib's last chance to confess was when Gene told him where he was going. He must have known Gene would pay his respects to Sib's mother. Or at some point his parents would have asked if he knew Sib had become a famous actor in a BL, which would also have put the pieces together for Gene. Also, I get that Sib looks really different than he did as a child, but if Sib has the same personal name, he would at least think of Sib and start to see a resemblance.
Actually, now that I think of it, isn't a pretty serious flaw in the writing that Gene's parents didn't connect that the son of family friends is working on a BL, and so is their own son? OR IS IT. Maybe one or both of Gene's parents are part of this. Mom might know but wants to conceal it from her very mean-looking husband.
But that doesn't explain all the lying. And in the flashback they were way pre-pubescent, so too young to be lovers.…
You realize you're being very kind, right? :) I don't think they'll manage to make what happened make real sense, but everything you wrote does. I have a feeling whatever happened in the past is connected to the looks dad was giving.
Gene's conflicts we can see because they are conveyed to us by Up, who is not acting like a carboard cutout that can somehow talk, like Kao is. I'm hoping next episode I'm proven wrong and he's been that flat because he was hiding something, which is what I've believed up to now. If you're right about your last point, then I would have liked to have seen that struggle on Kao's face. Up was emotionless when he was at Aunty's house, but conveyed everything Gene was feeling very powerfully.
Auntie is definitely not his actual aunt. Either she was his father's sister, in which case he knows her maiden…
Ah. That's what I'm missing. I was wondering why the bedroom was different but I assumed it was a rich people thing, and I didn't remember him having another place. I still don't remember even though you just told me, but it does make Gene's behavior slightly less bizarre - he still upended his plans for no apparent reason, but maybe it will make more sense next ep.
It's a good analysis, but this was ep 6. We're getting to the point that it feels like we're reaching to defend…
It's not fair to make this comparison, but Earth is also playing a reserved and unexpressive character, and he conveys an enormous amount of emotion in a masterclass of understated and subtle acting. If Kao were doing a quarter of that we'd probably be saying "wow, he's great." I think the award for that in this series goes to Bruce (Aey), who manages to be sympathetic and vaguely evil at the same time. I felt so bad for him last ep, but the look he gave his sister at the table was a little frightening.
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Folk's acting was downright good this ep. He's really improved a lot. Phu, not so much change, but his role is basically to be adorable and he's got that down. I also like that Chon is a teenager who is inexperienced in life, shy and awkward - usually BL characters are obviously in their 20s while playing high school kids and have adult confidence and perspective, which is fine and inevitable, but it's refreshing to have someone who nails being 16 - although the actor is 18, so it's not like he has to reach deep into his memories or something.
When Yong Jie says "It's you", he opens his eyes and never shuts them again except to blink and when he's being kissed. You can see him blinking throughout.
In fact, the camera perspective is deliberately Xing Si's POV through much of it - Yong Jie even looks directly into the camera in those moments (e.g. 37:15).
That's why I've been so astonished at people saying Xing Si was blacked out. I know some people think consent can't be given when drunk, but I just can't ever agree - if that's the case, almost the entire human race is raping itself constantly. Just before COVID I visited my ex and we raped each other repeatedly for four days. Actually, mutual rape has occurred in almost every sexual encounter I've had in the last 25 years, except during relationships, although frequently then too. And it's common in relationships to be woken up in a very pleasant way, but since I would be asleep when he started, also rape.
The point is that consent is a complex subject and different in every circumstance. A black-and-white edict is not useful (I mean about whether or not there's consent - "no" means "no", period). Maybe it's a good idea to inculcate that in teens, but it's just not that simple for adults.
You're right, it would be a lot of effort to pretend to be a student - like it's a lot of effort to become an actor just to get close to someone. The whole point of Sib is that he's willing to plow over any obstacle to get Gene.
I was really happy about the lack of seme/uke - I was just rewatching a little of My Engineer, and come on - at camp, the ukes would get lost in the woods and be helpless to do anything but collapse and cry until the seme found him, or fall deathly ill when touched by water.
In a "standard" BL, there would probably have been a lot of audience outrage if the main couple had met how Tae & Nite II did - it took me a while to realize that really happened and wasn't a fake-out like it usually is, because BL alcohol erases your memory instead of just lowering your inhibitions.
Tae is just a guy. Sometimes he's thrown around by events, others he's fairly aggressive, and he's not dependent on some fantasy man to fulfill him, even though in this case the man is literally a fantasy.
The subtitles were OK, but a little effort to follow, which made it hard to keep up. Ironically, sometimes I got most hung up on English slang - it took me a few seconds to get what "resto" meant, but that's because I'm old. Also, I actually followed it nearly as well when the subtitles gave out near the end because there's so much English sprinkled in the dialog.
When it's tighter and faster-paced like that, technical issues are much less distracting, and even cute - like when "mom" glanced at the camera at the end of her scene.
As for the acting, I was blown away by the realism of the portrayal of the mini-mart cashier. It didn't feel like acting at all - flawless and seamless. I'm just kidding. There were a few clunky line deliveries, but considering the volume of dialog this ep and all the distractions around the actors, it was pretty good overall.
They've really got to improve the editing. Considering the scenes were static, there shouldn't be obvious shifts to a different take. Also, if a guy is walking down a hill, you can just show if for a few seconds - you don't have to show him walking ALL the way down, although if that was supposed to be comical with the intense evil-sounding music playing in the background, it worked. In general the shots are too long, and it robs the action of its momentum.
For example, it's film "vocabulary" to have people under enchantment walk slowly. Usually in very old movies - nowadays even zombies are really fast. Another way that is often shown is by making the character's eyes turn red. But you don't have to do both. There is a LOT of people with red eyes walking slowly in this (and the contacts were making the poor short hot guy cry - that must have been painful). Why not have their eyes turn red and just walk normally?
The fairy using magic scene was way too long - we get it. about 5 seconds suffices to make the point.
Anyway, I did have fun watching it, but it won't be for everyone.
Regarding Bruce, Aey is in the formulaic BL villain role - the other person after the seme, and so I think people are perhaps wanting to dislike him because of that. There are two options: either he IS the villain and he's being manipulative, or he isn't the villain (like if doesn't know Gene likes Sib - he has to know Sib likes Gene, but Gene shows no sign of liking him back, and in fact explicitly says he doesn't) and yet Bruce has made most people feel sorry for Aey and yet uncomfortable about something about him.
Either way he's done an excellent job of presenting that ambiguity - it's not easy to pull off.
Actually, now that I think of it, isn't a pretty serious flaw in the writing that Gene's parents didn't connect that the son of family friends is working on a BL, and so is their own son? OR IS IT. Maybe one or both of Gene's parents are part of this. Mom might know but wants to conceal it from her very mean-looking husband.
Gene's conflicts we can see because they are conveyed to us by Up, who is not acting like a carboard cutout that can somehow talk, like Kao is. I'm hoping next episode I'm proven wrong and he's been that flat because he was hiding something, which is what I've believed up to now. If you're right about your last point, then I would have liked to have seen that struggle on Kao's face. Up was emotionless when he was at Aunty's house, but conveyed everything Gene was feeling very powerfully.