BL Drama Lovers Club

 angeliviki2022:

are you watching via VPN?

Netflix seems to be pretty darn good at recognising and blocking VPNs. Also, I personally might worry about getting banned, given how assertive Netflix is on this. Maybe better (and easier) to just wait till you're back in Japan - or in the case of "Doku Koi", just live with the small release delay.

 p43425:

Although most in this group (myself included) seemed to enjoy "Pit Babe",

I might be one of the few that didn't watch this series. I tried the first ep and that was it for me.

 Jadeheart:

What made you want to hold off until ep 3?

I'm not sure if Mr. P. and I have the same answer, but this is the second question, lol. 

I think it's cuz Magnoliee wanted to wait for a few eps to watch at once to get a better feel for all the characters, and then Mr. P said he would join in then too and then I jumped in and said I would start at that time with them. 

 Magnoliee:

How do you both and everything else keep track watching everything?

I have a short attention span (which, in addition to moods, is a reason I jump around and get easily distracted) - and yet (strangely contradictory) when I come back to a series later, I can remember quite well where I was (especially if cuties are involved).

 p43425:

Speaking of Netflix, I recently watched "Marry My Dead Body" - and even though I'd call it a gay-themed police action-comedy-ghost story more than a BL in the usual sense, and even though I wasn't really expecting to like it, and even though I don't have a crush on either protagonist, I loved it!

Me, too! I actually cried while watching the film. Because it was so good. It touched my heart. I didn't expect that. I watched it in summer this year and it was really great. 

Recently found myself explaining the timeline of events in Love In The Big City to my friend. Thought I would leave it here in case anyone else was struggling with it. Spoiler ahead so proceed with caution.

Pre Series (Early 2014)
Based on the conversation with Gyu Ho in episode 5, Go Yeong went to complete his military service in early 2014 but was discharged within 7 weeks because his ex gave him HIV. In the club he tells Ho Min it's his turn next and Ji Tae wants to know his secret to get out.

Episode 1 (Early 2014 - Late 2015)

There are a lot of bare trees in the opening scenes and the academic year in Korea starts in February. Go Yeong has been seeing someone for a week but finds out his partner has not broken up with the previous boyfriend who's been away at the military. Go Yeong goes to the photo shoot and meets Nam Gyu. Some time passes before Go Yeong and Nam Gyu meet again for coffee and agree to date. Nam Gyu appears to be using an iphone 5s released September 2013 when he leaves the love lock on the fence and gifts Go Yeong with the promise rings. Ho Min and Ji Tae are preparing to go to the military and Go Yeong breaks up with Nam Gyu. At some point he starts dating the instagram guy who later breaks up with Go Yeong. It's really unclear how much time has passed throughout this episode but it must be late 2015 by now based on episode 2. Length of the relationships with Nam Gyu and the Instagram guy are unknown. By the end Mi Ae is 5 weeks pregnant and both the DJ and the tattoo artist are the potential fathers.

Episode 2 (Late 2015 - December 2016)

2 weeks later in episode 2 Mi Ae has recovered from the abortion and Nam Gyu appears with food for Go Yeong. Ho Min and Ji Tae have returned from the military suggesting it's been at least 18 months since Go Yeong and Nam Gyu broke up. It's likely late 2015 here. We can see on the laptop in episode 2 that Mi Ae is applying for a job at Water Purification Group in November 2015. Final exams are usually around mid December. Mi Ae starts her new job and starts seeing Jun Ho. There are Christmas trees in the restaurant when Go Yeong and Jun Ho are introduced. Mi Ae and Go Yeong fight and he moves out in February 2016. 10 months later they have the phone call to announce their respective good news, immediately followed by the message that Nam Gyu has died. It's clearly displayed on the text message that Nam Gyu died on 16th December 2016.

Episode 3 & 4 (Late 2017 - December 2018)

It's unclear what the date is at the start of episode 3 however we can see fallen leaves on the ground indicating we've passed summer of 2017. Go Yeong started dating Yeong Su on Halloween. When they go shopping for the couple shirts he says it's to celebrate their 22 days making it 21st November. That night he rushes to the hospital and his mother is later moved to a different room. It's unclear how much time has passed between these 2 events but it's daytime so possibly the next day. She gives him her card to go out with his friends, presumably that night. He drunk calls Yeong Su and ends up at his place and discovers the paper the following day, which at earliest could be 23rd November. He goes to the hospital that night in the same outfit from the night before where they agree to go for a walk after church on Sunday which is 26th November in 2017. It's possible this is a week later on 3rd December depending on how much time passed before the room change at the hospital and if Go Yeong waited a few day to go out with his friends.

He arranges for Yeong Su to meet them at the park but he never shows up. That night Yeong Su contacts him and wants to meet up the next day to eat pasta at a fancy restaurant. Making the earliest breakup possible 27th November but it could possibly be 4th December. He takes the pills that night. Eun Soo's relationship with Jun Bae starts after this in early 2018 based on the proposal from episode 7. After the hospital scene we see the package Yeong Su sent him and in his letter he says it's been so long he feels awkward, like it's been 10 years instead of 1 making it late November / Early December 2018.

Episode 5 & 6 (January 2020 - Early 2022)

The date on the social media post Gyu Ho shows him at the theatre is 5th January and Go Yeong indicates this is the day after they first met at the club and the day of the funeral. Gyu Ho's student card was registered in 2019 and the driving licence shows 26th March 1994 as the date of birth not 1995 (the subs are wrong), making him 25 almost 26. Go Yeong's phone gives a date of Saturday 25th January when they talk about Kylie and start dating, placing this in 2020. Go Yeong was using the Korean age system when he noted that Gyu Ho was 27 on the laptop. Some time passes, Gyu Ho is introduced to Go Yeong's friends and both of them start new jobs. The news website gives us a time stamp of 4th March 2020 and Gyu Ho moves in not long after. Go Yeong later confirms to his friends that they have been dating a year and haven't had sex in 3 or 4 months. We also get confirmation that some of them have been friends for a decade placing the start of their friendship in 2010. Go Yeong and Gyu Ho go on a trip to Thailand in the late rainy season (September to October 2021). Following this Gyu Ho is promoted to Head Nurse. Gyu Ho says that next year they are opening a branch in China. He moves to China in 2022.

Episode 7 (Early 2023)

It's a year since Gyu Ho left and Go Yeong has quit his job of the last 3 years placing this early 2023, likely January or early February. Go Yeong receives the Dublin Literary Award (Full disclosure this event doesn't quite fit into the timeline correctly. The winner is usually announced in May, around the 24th). Jun Bae proposes to Eun Soo who accepts. Go Yeong's phone indicates it's Wednesday 22nd February (which matches for 2023) when he first goes to the hotel to meet Habibi. This is also the date the Seoul High Court recognised equal benefits for same sex couples which could have been what the protest was about outside the hotel. The JW Marriott Hotel is not far from the court. The date is unclear when Eun Soo cries while arranging flowers with Go Yeung. This is perhaps when he decides to call off the wedding and break up with Jun Bae as he is single by the end of episode 8. Go Yeong and Habibi run up and down stairs. The date on Habibi's phone was a bit blurry but to me it looks like 29th February 2023. Habibi invites Go Yeong to Thailand.

Episode 8 (March 2023 - 2024?)

The hotel in Thailand remembers Go Yeong from his stay in 2021 (kinda impressed). He spends the day wandering the city and reminiscing on his time there with Gyu Ho before meeting Habibi at 6pm. Later that night Habibi's phone tells us it's Thursday 8th March. This date is a little off as 8th march 2023 was a Wednesday, neither does it fit for 2024 as that was Friday. I'm just going to say this was an error. Go Yeong goes back to Korea where takes time for himself and eventully moves apartments. Unclear what the date is but it's possible we are not at new year 2024 either January or the lunar new year (February). Go Yeong talks about his 10 year friendship with the guys. I'm guessing he met them at university in 2014 and the other 3 possibly knew each other from high school.

I have not read the book so I have no idea if this lines up with any dates specified there.

 American Fan:

I'm not sure if Mr. P. and I have the same answer, but this is the second question, lol.

I think it's cuz Magnoliee wanted to wait for a few eps to watch at once to get a better feel for all the characters, and then Mr. P said he would join in then too and then I jumped in and said I would start at that time with them.

okay   d(⌒_⌒)

 p43425:

Netflix seems to be pretty darn good at recognising and blocking VPNs. Also, I personally might worry about getting banned, given how assertive Netflix is on this. Maybe better (and easier) to just wait till you're back in Japan - or in the case of "Doku Koi", just live with the small release delay.

That's what I was thinking, in addition to Sugar Dog Life.

 ark90elf:

All episodes are available here: Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (2024) (2024) 

Thanks for the link! I have reported this theft to the fansubber whose work was stolen and posted there.