Second episode: "Even if Korn actually hurt his wife, it's none of our business, right?" Uh, no, main character dude. Just no. You try getting beaten up every day with no way out and then see how you feel. If you can even get your measly brain around that.
If you think Episode 4 was explicit, then I’m guessing you haven’t watched many Thai or Japanese BLs — there…
Yes, maybe I should stop watching 18+ shows. I know that was one of the original intentions of BL - for women to explore sexual desires without the very real baggage that gender norms, gendered expectations, and the realities each gender experiences being part of it. I completely understand that desire. It's why I started reading BL. I've loved many Thai and Japanese BL that have had multiple NC scenes (just look at my profile, lol), and I've watched the BL market bloom with anticipation, and there have been many groundbreaking BL with diverse plots. However, it is undeniable that compared to other genres (including straight romance dramas from the same countries), the percentage BL shows with NC scenes, and highly explicit NC scenes at that, is really high. And while the number of BL has increased, the number of low quality BL is also blooming, and I mean shallow plots and toxic relationships, not the presence of NC scenes. This includes an increasingly high disregard for consent.
As a queer person, I think it's shame and embarrassment that I'm feeling. I feel like our relationship dynamics are being used to become a conduit for highly explicit content, and I imagine a straight homophobe accidentally starting a BL at random and feel destress at the likelihood that they will come across something that only confirms their beliefs about queerness. Catastrophization at its finest, but there's been so little queer representation in the media (and include that with the current state of the world), I can't help but imagine all the ways it could go wrong.
It's not on GagaOOLala for everyone. In my region it's on iQiyi. I had to use a VPN and set it to Europe to watch it on Gagaoolala and the subtitles on Gagaoolala are NOT AT ALL as good.
Han Tuo walked all over consent like it doesn't even exist - so much so that the male lead made him promise not…
Also, is it just me, or has the quality of Taiwanese BL plummeted? Damn, I feel like I'm only saying negative things. I LOVE BL. I want *more* high quality BL that does justice and honor to the genre like we know it can because it's the best genre ever. Please and Thank you.
Han Tuo walked all over consent like it doesn't even exist - so much so that the male lead made him promise not to touch him without his permission (plain no wasn't working). Wait, isn't that consent? ARG!!! I'm so angry, but also a little sad. I'm starting to get scared to start a new BL because all it seems to be about now is getting to the NC scene and making the NC scene as explicit as possible. I'm just going to be crying off to the side and rewatching Plus and Minus and Love for Love's Sake and If it's with You.
Finished ep 1 and started ep 2, but I can't get over the two "giving him to you" parts. First (slight…
Thank you everyone. It's sad that I'm relieved that I was attacked for saying this. I appreciate everyone's thoughtful comments. I also saw the post "Messages from the novel's author, Chai Ji Dan" where the poster shared words from the author saying not to read the original novel because, "I was very young and unhinged when I wrote the novel (roughly ten years ago). Now, I'm more mature, when I did the adaption, I find some of content is really ... you know, unbearable. Please stick to the TV adaption. Real story will begin since Episode 9." Obviously the adaption won't contain a lot of what the author found to be unbearable, but some of it probably had to be included for context. It provides a little relief to see the author say this about the original source material.
Also, I want to give a shout out to the director/screenwriter/producer - whoever is in charge for not having anything…
I was dying inside because I'd seen ep 6's preview and I was depressed all day (an over reaction, I know, but this show had been so perfect so far), and then Jeongwu's "I don't like laying my hands on someone drunk." Saved the day. I just wanted to share this on the very slim chance that someone who has power in the BL-making industry sees this and sees another voice saying how incredibly sexy consent is (and reminding them that technically even a yes under the influence doesn't count). Thank you a thousand times over for this show. So many green flags.
Also, I want to give a shout out to the director/screenwriter/producer - whoever is in charge for not having anything happen that needs consent when characters were drunk. Thank you a thousand times over.
I am absolutely in LOVE with this show in every way possible. Incredible acting, incredible acting, INCREDIBLE ACTING!!! From main AND side characters as well! I absolutely adore Jeuongwu's friends. Choi Rak Yeong is a hoot and a half and Choi Jae Hyeok's every micro expression is a heart-warming and heart-melting masterpiece in equal turns. Thank you for this incredible, heartwarming show!
When I saw the title I definitely was put off, but they’re not brothers-in-law they’re stepbrothers. Nice…
looking at that comment again, makes me want to add an addendum. It’s such a fujoshi thing to assume everyone understands right away that then being step brothers totally makes everything better. Brother in laws means means cheating and betrayal - cheating on your spouse with your sibling, betraying your sibling by getting together with this spouse. With Step brothers no one’s betraying anyone, you just have to remind society you’re not blood related. Nothing about this step brother trope is at all appealing or common in the BL world 👀😂 i.e., in fujoshi language ITS AWESOME. So many things standing in their way, so many hurdles to overcome, the angst and potential plot twists, so much potential! But all without betraying or hurting anyone except their sensibilities. And those could use being knocked around a bit.
Finished ep 1 and started ep 2, but I can't get over the two "giving him to you" parts. First (slight spoiler for ep 1), is when his ex-friend "gives" a guy to Chi Cheng as a prize for winning the snake fight. I let myself be in denial. We don't see anything but him stroking the guy's face. But the second time - where the employee had done something wrong and Chi Cheng "gives" the guy over to his team to be punished, it's pretty clear he's "giving" the guy to them for them to have their way with him, erm, sexually assault him. Am I really trying not to say gang r*pe here? Gang rape him. I want to ask someone to tell me I'm wrong, but I know it's just denial. It is fiction. It is the main character. It just needs to be said somewhere.
"Even if Korn actually hurt his wife, it's none of our business, right?"
Uh, no, main character dude. Just no. You try getting beaten up every day with no way out and then see how you feel. If you can even get your measly brain around that.
As a queer person, I think it's shame and embarrassment that I'm feeling. I feel like our relationship dynamics are being used to become a conduit for highly explicit content, and I imagine a straight homophobe accidentally starting a BL at random and feel destress at the likelihood that they will come across something that only confirms their beliefs about queerness. Catastrophization at its finest, but there's been so little queer representation in the media (and include that with the current state of the world), I can't help but imagine all the ways it could go wrong.