Gene is actually 25 (turning 26 this year) and Nubsib is 20 (turning 21 this year) so their age gap is 5 years. People seem to be misunderstanding "I'm turning 26". Gene isn't 26 yet.
Just how *much* are BL actors paid? Nubsib drives a BMW SUV, Aoey has this expensively-furnished apartment.
In real life, BL actors don't make much money from their shows. All their wealth comes from endorsements.
Nubsib actually drives an Aston Martin Vantage (according to the novel) and he comes from generational wealth + he's the co-heir of his family's company. He's wealthy because of his family, not because of his job. He's only an actor-model as a part-time gig.
Aey is wealthy but financially cut off, so I don't know how he afforded his condo. It's possible his parents bought it for him before they disowned him.
Knowing what's going to happen, I'm ready for shit to hit the fan this week. Episode 5 was a grower so you know that means Episode 6 is gonna show out.
I love how the casted Aoey as the "feminine" type for the Bad Engineer (-.-) drama, but guys Bruce is taller than…
Aey is tall and masculine but he has a high-pitched voice and pretends to be soft which is why Gene and most people assume he's a bottom. I think it was done on purpose because SPOILER he's supposedly a top. We shouldn't assume the bedroom preferences of actors based on the role they play, and neither should Gene!
Clothes are meant to reflect the personality of a character. Gene is an introverted 25-year-old shut in who acts…
"They're just going out of their way to make Gene look badly dressed."
...that's the point. Gene doesn't have a good or young sense of fashion because of his personality. He literally says in the show, "Do I look like a fashionsta?"
What does this hashtag mean: #GeneIsNotTheDriverDoes it mean that Gene is not the "chauffeur", but rather a significant…
Fangirls always saw them together and assumed Gene was the driver because he was driving the car. They now know that he isn't and he's actually the author because of Nubsib's IG post, which made the shippers go wild because that means he didn't HAVE to drive Nubsib everywhere but he was choosing to: hence the #GeneIsNotTheDriver ghostship tag.
I really like this show so far except... who tf styled Gene lmao He is always dressed up so badly. Those grandpa…
Clothes are meant to reflect the personality of a character. Gene is an introverted 25-year-old shut in who acts like he's 35, and doesn't like to leave the house. It makes sense that he dresses like a grandpa. If he dressed like a normal stylish 25-year-old it would be more out of character.
Why is everyone in BL fandom so obsessed with incest? Who cares? As long as people are in a consensual relationship,…
I'm sorry, I didn't realize thinking incest is morally abhorrent was a niche obsession of the BL community. I'm pretty sure that's just standard.
In real life, incest is usually an abusive relationship between parent and child or older sibling and younger sibling. It's not two attractive same aged siblings consensually choosing to sleep together, like it's often romanticized as and portrayed in the media. The problem with these romantic depictions is that young people might see them and romanticize or excuse their own abuse as a way to rationalize it.
And for the record, Nubsib and Gene are not siblings. I've read the novel, and it's a ridiculous fan theory. Thanks for the unrelated essay with lots of random hypotheticals defending incest though.
I'm incredibly confused by the people here and on Twitter who randomly jumped to "SibGene Incest" just because of the Episode 6 promo. Do people seriously think THIS particular show—which is entirely comprised of criticism and satire of toxic BL tropes—would make their two leads RELATED!?
Please have a little more imagination guys. This is not Cruel Intentions or Love by Chance.
What a heartbreaking episode. Episode 5 was totally different from the SibGene-focused fluff-fest that was Episode 4, but it was still so well done.
Gene's insecurity and low self-esteem hurt me! Even though Nubsib has been loud and clear about his intentions, Gene immediately decided that Nubsib would probably like Aey and stepped back so Aey could have him. He didn't protest when Nubsib asked if he was okay with it and he pinched himself so he wouldn't cry before running off to collect himself. His face when Aey and Nubsib kissed was heartbreaking.
The clear communication once Nubsib got back was very different and nice to see. I like that the miscommunication wasn't dragged out and that Nubsib immediately comforted Gene so he wouldn't be jealous and insecure.
Nubsib telling off the director for forcing him and Aey to act out a romanticized r*pe scene was really nice because it shows that even when Gene isn't involved and it's entirely fictional, Nubsib is not comfortable acting out non-consensual acts.
Now: Aey. The entire dinner scene had me in tears. They did a great job at making it tragic and dramatic without spilling into telenovela melodrama (I'm looking at you 1000 Stars Episode 8...). Aey will undoubtedly cause trouble for Nubsib and Gene later on because he's hurting, and I'll probably curse him for that. But I can't hate him, because hurt people, hurt other people.
I also cried watching Aey breakdown in Tiffy's lap. I loved the scene even if it was very sad. Sometimes, found family is all you've got, and your blood family are the ones who hurt you the most.
Lastly, Mhok. I don't like him. Him acting like Aey had a big ego because he didn't want to come home until that point, siding with Earn, telling Aey to calm down when his family was tearing into him, and then eventually kissing him when he was having a breakdown? All of that left me confused and angry. He's clearly attracted to Aey but I don't believe he has the best in mind for him the way that Nubsib has for Gene. I also wonder if him "warning" Gene to stay away from Aey in the Episode 6 promo is actually coming from a bad place. Like, we know Aey will cause trouble for SibGene because of the trailers. But I wonder if Mhok is warning Gene off of Aey because he's being possessive or homophobic, not because he's genuinely worried for Gene.
Next episode we've got the SibGene childhood friend reveal and the shipping drama finally kicking off. I'm so scared to see how Gene is going to take the revelation that Nubsib is his childhood friend, considering how well the writers wrote the angst for Aey and Gene this week.
But let's go Wednesday! I'm ready for the writers to break my heart again.
I think the villagers deserve to be angry. Throughout the series, they always remind us how much they love Torfun.…
"About Phupha... I don't want to say much about him because to be honest after 8 episodes I still don't understand who and what kind of person he is. He is characterless. His character is always distorted by the desires of the plot. I don't care if he acts out of character, because what even character is he? It was really jarring to see how different the writer's efforts to build Tian's character and Phupha's character. This is definitely Tian's series."
I heavily agree with this. Phupha is disciplined, awkward, and strict. That's all we really know about him and those are surface level traits. I don't mind the show being about Tian's journey but because his character is given so much care, it makes it more obvious that Phupha is severely underwritten. He's just there to do what the plot requires of him and act as Tian's prize at the end of the show. That's all.
China too... I mean word of honor , untamed, immortality and countless other BLs coming out this year and next…
"insinuate that something about the relationship is out of the norm, then it is not a bromance."
You could say this about a lot of really good male friendships in Western media like all the Supernatural ships and Stucky. Does that mean those characters and ships are canonically gay? Did Captain America serve us some really good gay representation because Steve and Bucky are really good friends? No. It's illusions and shipping.
"they are surviving as gay relationships in a very hostile environment and that should be commended."
Who is "they"? These "gay couples" are not real gay people and the bromance dramas aren't gay because they need to work around Chinese censors. I understand that. It doesn't change the fact that the shows aren't gay. They're friendship dramas.
China too... I mean word of honor , untamed, immortality and countless other BLs coming out this year and next…
It's not about having kiss or NC scenes. If two men aren't explicitly romantically involved then it's not BL, it's bromance. Calling really good friendship dramas coming out of China "gay" or "BL" dilutes what gay romance actually is.
I kind of got the feeling that Phupha doesn't even like Tian that much after episode 8.
It's not about Phupha turning his back on Tian, or feeling betrayed, because that's understandable. It's the fact that he didn't even ask or want to hear Tian's side of the story, and he completely abandoned him without any attempts at communication. Longtae inevitably came around because he cares about Tian and he wanted to hear it from him, even if he initially avoided him and was angry. To me, that's love.
Phupha so easily dismissing Tian from his life did not seem like love.
I really wish Tian had asked Phupha if he would have loved Torfun "like that" if she was a man, because I was wondering if that was the case when Phupha tried to guilt Tian for having Torfun's heart. No matter how angry he was at Tian, he literally just stood there when Tian said he'd give his heart back to Torfun if he could.
We already knew that Tian thinks his life has no value compared to Torfun. Does Phupha think the same thing?
Yes, I know Phupha took a bullet for Tian at the end of the episode. But personally, I can chalk that up to duty and guilt. In my opinion, he would have taken a bullet for Rang, Yod, or Longtae if they were in Tian's place at that exact moment.
The episode wasn't objectively bad (except for those shoddy nighttime scenes) but it killed the love story for me. Phupha getting shot is clear bait for viewers to forgive all his sins from this week's episode, Tian doesn't love himself so forget loving anyone else, and there's no trust between Phupha and Tian. That became abundant when Phupha decided to go rifling through Tian's personal things after one phone call and then called him out in public.
Everyone's already said it, but the drunk bed scene was beautiful. The lighting and the tension between Nubsib and Gene was amazingly done. I was really touched by how much Nubsib doted on Gene, even when you could tell he wanted him, but he was restraining himself. It showed that love = restraint. Love isn't carnal lust, which is often glorified in BL dramas because it's hot.
Drunk Gene being honest about how much he liked Sib and how hot he found him was cute and hilarious. Nubsib looked like he was on Cloud 9 while Gene was checking out his teeth. "Ok, I'll be a piggy for you to ride," was also a hilarious whipped line.
I loved the morning after scene were Gene was cuddling with Nubsib's hand, it was very soft. I also like how Nubsib jumped right back into making Gene squirm, showing the difference between Nubsib while Gene is drunk, and Nubsib while Gene is sober. When Gene is drunk, Nubsib is gentle and honest because he knows Gene doesn't know what's going on. But when Gene can control himself, Nubsib goes right back to being sneaky. He just has lines he won't cross, which I appreciate.
The burn scene was really wild. I think we all know what it was supposed to be a stand in for.
I enjoyed all the scenes where Nubsib was being harsh with Tum. I mean, Poor Tum, of course, but it shows that Nubsib is a "bad boy" with everyone else. Gene is just the exception.
LINETV Taiwan aired a different cut from everyone else. Nobody knows why but they're the only market that got…
I think you misunderstood me. Taiwan actually received MORE footage than other territories, they didn't censor any scenes for being "too gay" or anything like that.
And Taiwan is the first and only country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. They're arguably the most liberal country in Asia when it comes to homosexuality.
I have no idea why Taiwan got the extra footage when even LINETV Thailand didn't (LINETV Thailand and the Youtube versions are exactly the same) so Thai fans didn't get to see the scenes either.
If all of it was free, why would Thai fans waste their money buying the novel?
English version (only up to Chapter 2): https://www.wattpad.com/story/240793552-lovely-writer-นับสิบจะจูบ-_eng-tran
Indonesian version (only up to Chapter 17): https://www.wattpad.com/story/243614041-lovely-writer-terjemahan-bahasa-indonesia
Spanish version (only up to Chapter 6): https://www.wattpad.com/story/248606620-docenas-de-besos
For the languages you don't understand, I'd advise using Google Translate's "translate this entire page" function.
Nubsib actually drives an Aston Martin Vantage (according to the novel) and he comes from generational wealth + he's the co-heir of his family's company. He's wealthy because of his family, not because of his job. He's only an actor-model as a part-time gig.
Aey is wealthy but financially cut off, so I don't know how he afforded his condo. It's possible his parents bought it for him before they disowned him.
...that's the point. Gene doesn't have a good or young sense of fashion because of his personality. He literally says in the show, "Do I look like a fashionsta?"
In real life, incest is usually an abusive relationship between parent and child or older sibling and younger sibling. It's not two attractive same aged siblings consensually choosing to sleep together, like it's often romanticized as and portrayed in the media. The problem with these romantic depictions is that young people might see them and romanticize or excuse their own abuse as a way to rationalize it.
And for the record, Nubsib and Gene are not siblings. I've read the novel, and it's a ridiculous fan theory. Thanks for the unrelated essay with lots of random hypotheticals defending incest though.
Please have a little more imagination guys. This is not Cruel Intentions or Love by Chance.
Gene's insecurity and low self-esteem hurt me! Even though Nubsib has been loud and clear about his intentions, Gene immediately decided that Nubsib would probably like Aey and stepped back so Aey could have him. He didn't protest when Nubsib asked if he was okay with it and he pinched himself so he wouldn't cry before running off to collect himself. His face when Aey and Nubsib kissed was heartbreaking.
The clear communication once Nubsib got back was very different and nice to see. I like that the miscommunication wasn't dragged out and that Nubsib immediately comforted Gene so he wouldn't be jealous and insecure.
Nubsib telling off the director for forcing him and Aey to act out a romanticized r*pe scene was really nice because it shows that even when Gene isn't involved and it's entirely fictional, Nubsib is not comfortable acting out non-consensual acts.
Now: Aey. The entire dinner scene had me in tears. They did a great job at making it tragic and dramatic without spilling into telenovela melodrama (I'm looking at you 1000 Stars Episode 8...). Aey will undoubtedly cause trouble for Nubsib and Gene later on because he's hurting, and I'll probably curse him for that. But I can't hate him, because hurt people, hurt other people.
I also cried watching Aey breakdown in Tiffy's lap. I loved the scene even if it was very sad. Sometimes, found family is all you've got, and your blood family are the ones who hurt you the most.
Lastly, Mhok. I don't like him. Him acting like Aey had a big ego because he didn't want to come home until that point, siding with Earn, telling Aey to calm down when his family was tearing into him, and then eventually kissing him when he was having a breakdown? All of that left me confused and angry. He's clearly attracted to Aey but I don't believe he has the best in mind for him the way that Nubsib has for Gene. I also wonder if him "warning" Gene to stay away from Aey in the Episode 6 promo is actually coming from a bad place. Like, we know Aey will cause trouble for SibGene because of the trailers. But I wonder if Mhok is warning Gene off of Aey because he's being possessive or homophobic, not because he's genuinely worried for Gene.
Next episode we've got the SibGene childhood friend reveal and the shipping drama finally kicking off. I'm so scared to see how Gene is going to take the revelation that Nubsib is his childhood friend, considering how well the writers wrote the angst for Aey and Gene this week.
But let's go Wednesday! I'm ready for the writers to break my heart again.
I heavily agree with this. Phupha is disciplined, awkward, and strict. That's all we really know about him and those are surface level traits. I don't mind the show being about Tian's journey but because his character is given so much care, it makes it more obvious that Phupha is severely underwritten. He's just there to do what the plot requires of him and act as Tian's prize at the end of the show. That's all.
You could say this about a lot of really good male friendships in Western media like all the Supernatural ships and Stucky. Does that mean those characters and ships are canonically gay? Did Captain America serve us some really good gay representation because Steve and Bucky are really good friends? No. It's illusions and shipping.
"they are surviving as gay relationships in a very hostile environment and that should be commended."
Who is "they"? These "gay couples" are not real gay people and the bromance dramas aren't gay because they need to work around Chinese censors. I understand that. It doesn't change the fact that the shows aren't gay. They're friendship dramas.
It's not about Phupha turning his back on Tian, or feeling betrayed, because that's understandable. It's the fact that he didn't even ask or want to hear Tian's side of the story, and he completely abandoned him without any attempts at communication. Longtae inevitably came around because he cares about Tian and he wanted to hear it from him, even if he initially avoided him and was angry. To me, that's love.
Phupha so easily dismissing Tian from his life did not seem like love.
I really wish Tian had asked Phupha if he would have loved Torfun "like that" if she was a man, because I was wondering if that was the case when Phupha tried to guilt Tian for having Torfun's heart. No matter how angry he was at Tian, he literally just stood there when Tian said he'd give his heart back to Torfun if he could.
We already knew that Tian thinks his life has no value compared to Torfun. Does Phupha think the same thing?
Yes, I know Phupha took a bullet for Tian at the end of the episode. But personally, I can chalk that up to duty and guilt. In my opinion, he would have taken a bullet for Rang, Yod, or Longtae if they were in Tian's place at that exact moment.
The episode wasn't objectively bad (except for those shoddy nighttime scenes) but it killed the love story for me. Phupha getting shot is clear bait for viewers to forgive all his sins from this week's episode, Tian doesn't love himself so forget loving anyone else, and there's no trust between Phupha and Tian. That became abundant when Phupha decided to go rifling through Tian's personal things after one phone call and then called him out in public.
Drunk Gene being honest about how much he liked Sib and how hot he found him was cute and hilarious. Nubsib looked like he was on Cloud 9 while Gene was checking out his teeth. "Ok, I'll be a piggy for you to ride," was also a hilarious whipped line.
I loved the morning after scene were Gene was cuddling with Nubsib's hand, it was very soft. I also like how Nubsib jumped right back into making Gene squirm, showing the difference between Nubsib while Gene is drunk, and Nubsib while Gene is sober. When Gene is drunk, Nubsib is gentle and honest because he knows Gene doesn't know what's going on. But when Gene can control himself, Nubsib goes right back to being sneaky. He just has lines he won't cross, which I appreciate.
The burn scene was really wild. I think we all know what it was supposed to be a stand in for.
I enjoyed all the scenes where Nubsib was being harsh with Tum. I mean, Poor Tum, of course, but it shows that Nubsib is a "bad boy" with everyone else. Gene is just the exception.
And Taiwan is the first and only country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. They're arguably the most liberal country in Asia when it comes to homosexuality.
I have no idea why Taiwan got the extra footage when even LINETV Thailand didn't (LINETV Thailand and the Youtube versions are exactly the same) so Thai fans didn't get to see the scenes either.