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.
I believe it’s only not available to the US on gaga. so I watch it on IQIYI
100% agree. I finally got a working VPN and was rewatching ep 3 I think and I was blown away by how different they were. In some places a whole different meaning came across. I had to supplement what I remembered from the iQiyi ones, but there were a couple of details that I didn't get out of the iQiyi ones. I'm enjoying this show so much that I might get both platforms (for the first time at the same time) just so I can watch both versions to get the most out of it.
im dropping it at ep 12, and that I’m seeing some comments but seem like it ends poorly and that the male lead does something bad, but up until now, Kim Tae Hui was such a green flag. He might not have been in touch with his emotions the whole time, but I’ve never seen anyone who is better at validating and empathizing and being there for the other character. Thank you for creating such a beautiful character. I wasn’t going to finish anyways because I got so bored, but I hope you didn’t do him too dirty at the end.
Even though I'm depressed with this episode and wish it had ended many different ways, maybe Japan needed this episode. I found myself googling "is gay marriage legal in Japan" during the episode, and the answer is essentially no. I'd read How I Met My Husband and knew you could have a religiously recognized same sex marriage and some prefectures offer same-sex "partnership certificates," but somehow that's almost worse. In a place where same sex marriage is not legal, I would feel exactly like Jin, both needing it to feel safe in his body, and at the same time, fearing it. It hurts and it even frustrates the viewer a little bit, but I hope it makes a statement in Japan. Not nearly as loud and powerful as Not Me's literal Pride parade and catwalk of couples (this was just prior to Thailand's legalization of gay marriage), but it's still more than any other J-bl I've seen. I think honestly, because Japan is pretty much the inventor of BL and the standard to which all other BL is compared, I forget that gay marriage isn't legal there. I'm kind of mad at myself. But maybe that's also because the country I live in is seriously regressing on queer rights, much to my living, breathing terror.
I always wonder if my detest for Hasumi was just me or subtly curated throughout the drama. I know part of it was because I (and hopefully everyone) hated who Sumire was around him. But also, I was always so uncomfortable when they were together. I flinched when they kissed, I groaned whenever I saw him coming towards her, and I even had a feeling of profound relief when she ran away rather than having sex with him. I know it was because I (and hopefully everyone) hated who Sumire was around him. But also, I thought he was too pushy, too self-centered/believed in his own goodness, convinced that Sumira was who he wanted, and didn't even really look at her. And when he noticed that he was getting a fumbling iceberg, he never even got close to seeing/experiencing her genuine self (he biffed hard on that one). I always felt his kisses were forced on her, and she only melted into them because she felt she should. I felt like she gaslighted herself into loving him, convinced that he was who she wanted because she had had a crush on him before, and he met all of her "requirements." Part of me thinks that the directors did it intentionally because we could see how different she was around him than Fukushima was. Sumire never jumped into his arms when she saw him, never showed enthusiasm to be around him, and Fukushima's happiness showed just how forced Sumire's smiles were, and how hesitant and unknowingly forced her reactions were around him. Also, I liked who he was around Fukushima as well. He was less awkward and didn't make me feel as grossed out when he was around her. So I think it was intentional by the directors and Sumire really thought she liked him for way too long (not in a the-directors-should-have-changed-it kind of way, ok yeah, you dragged out the pain a little too long, I would have liked it if she had gradually started waking up a little bit earlier in the drama. Make us even more convinced of her love for Takeshi.)
It hurts and it even frustrates the viewer a little bit, but I hope it makes a statement in Japan. Not nearly as loud and powerful as Not Me's literal Pride parade and catwalk of couples (this was just prior to Thailand's legalization of gay marriage), but it's still more than any other J-bl I've seen. I think honestly, because Japan is pretty much the inventor of BL and the standard to which all other BL is compared, I forget that gay marriage isn't legal there. I'm kind of mad at myself. But maybe that's also because the country I live in is seriously regressing on queer rights, much to my living, breathing terror.