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Thank you for your response and for stating that you don’t have double standards when it comes to forced intimacy. You mentioned you immediately call out problematic sexual behaviour when you see it on screen — and I respect that.

But by that logic, are you planning to call out every single piece of media that includes rape, sexual assault, or morally disturbing themes? Because if so, you might need to say goodbye to half of modern storytelling.
Game of Thrones, The Handmaid’s Tale, 13 Reasons Why, Outlander, Law & Order: SVU, Monster, Kill Bill, Gone Girl, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — these are just a few examples of critically acclaimed, award-winning works that depict deeply uncomfortable content, often including violence and abuse.

It’s not limited to Western shows either. A lot of BL dramas these days explore heavy, uncomfortable storylines. If you’re committed to calling all of them out, I look forward to seeing your thoughts on every one of those series too.

For the record, watching dark or controversial content does not mean someone supports it.
No one watches a serial killer documentary or film and thinks, “Wow, I want to do that.”

Fiction is a space to confront uncomfortable truths — to explore trauma, abuse, and the complexities of human nature. It’s not about glorification. It’s about understanding, processing, and reflecting on those experiences. That’s what good storytelling often does — it challenges viewers, stirs emotions, and invites critical thought.

And lastly, please don’t start your comment by shouting “GIRL!” at me. FYI, guys watch BL too. If you don’t know my gender, maybe check my profile — or better yet, don’t assume. Stereotyping people based on the genre they enjoy doesn’t help your argument, and it certainly doesn’t reflect well in a respectful discussion.

Even though the YouTube version is labeled as uncut and includes the NC scene, it’s still shorter than the GagaOOLala version. The GagaOOLala version is about 2 minutes longer and even includes a BJ scene + another sex scene that was completely left out on YouTube. Trust me—watch it there for the full experience, you won’t regret it. 😏

Such a cute BL! 💕
Twelve weeks of fake-dating-turned-real-love perfection. All four leads? Gorgeous. Episode 12 finally gave us two kisses—and the sound effects? Chef’s kiss. 😏 Worth the wait! Light, fun, non-toxic—pure Thursday night serotonin.

Episode 6 was adorable—both of them being jealous is peak cuteness. 💕
But Japan… we need to talk. It’s 2025, and that “kiss” was literally 0.5 seconds. A blink. A peck. I’ve seen goldfish kisses last longer. 😅

Please, give us a real kiss. I know you can do it. Don’t make us wait until the finale for the actual payoff!

Please stop promoting illegal platforms and watch this on their offical YouTube channel (STRONGBERRY) instead. The actors, crew, and creators poured their time, talent, and energy into bringing this story to life — they deserve our support, not to have their work stolen.

This series is available for FREE on YouTube. There is absolutely no excuse to promote piracy here. It’s not just unacceptable — it’s downright disrespectful to the people who made the series and to fans who actually choose to support it the right way.

Sharing illegal streaming links isn’t just unlawful. It’s a slap in the face to the entire production team. Promoting piracy doesn’t “help” anyone — it actively destroys opportunities for the creators, actors, and staff who work tirelessly to give us the content we love.

If you truly care about BL and want to see more quality series in the future, then support them through legal channels. That’s how the industry grows — and frankly, it’s the bare minimum any real fan should do.

I get your point, Sunghoon, and I actually agree with some of what you said—especially that the first kiss in Episode 1 wasn’t okay, and Tuo clearly crossed Junxi’s boundaries.

But here’s the thing—are we going to cancel every show or movie that depicts rape, coercion, or morally disturbing behavior? If we did, say goodbye to half of modern storytelling.

Game of Thrones, The Handmaid’s Tale, 13 Reasons Why, Outlander, Law & Order: SVU, Monster, Kill Bill, Gone Girl, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo—all explore horrific acts. Yet they are praised, awarded, and widely consumed.

Watching dark, controversial content does not mean you support it.
No one watches a serial killer movie and thinks, “Wow, I wanna do that.”

Fiction is where we confront uncomfortable truths.
We explore trauma, redemption, and the darkest parts of humanity—not to glorify them, but to understand their impact. That’s the entire point of storytelling: it creates tension, tests empathy, and holds up a mirror to society’s ugliest sides.

Millions watch Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, or The Handmaid’s Tale—full of murder, rape, assault, and worse.
Do they all “support” those acts? Of course not.

So no—watching Secret Lover does not mean fans are okay with these early scenes.
It means we understand the difference between fiction and reality—something a lot of people in these comments seem to be struggling with.

I’m genuinely curious—what is your exact definition of “romanticised”? Because it sounds like your standard shifts depending on the outcome of the relationship.

From your explanation, you seem to accept the forced kissing in Secret Relationships because SuHyeon and JaeMin’s actions were framed as “abusive” and the characters didn’t end up together. But in this series, because Tuo and Jun Xi are meant to become lovers, you see a similar moment as automatically “romanticised.”

So by your logic, are you saying:

If a character forcibly kisses someone but they don’t end up lovers, it’s acceptable because it’s just “shock value”?

But if the same action happens and they do end up lovers, then it becomes problematic because it’s “romanticised”?

That feels like a double standard. Forced kisses in any drama—regardless of the final couple outcome—are written to serve a purpose in the story, whether it’s tension, conflict, or character growth. In Episode 2 here, Jun Xi was surprised and maybe uncomfortable for a moment, but he didn’t push Tuo away or reject him later. By Episode 3, he clearly wasn’t holding any resentment.

If we applied your standard consistently, then nearly every romance drama, BL or not, would be guilty of “romanticising” nonverbal consent:

TharnType – Tharn initiates without verbal permission.

2gether the Series – Sarawat leans in first every time.

Semantic Error – Jae Young kisses Sang Woo unexpectedly, but they end up lovers.

Even Western shows like Bridgerton or The Vampire Diaries rely on nonverbal cues—are they all “romanticising” problematic behavior too?

To me, romanticised means the show frames harmful or abusive behavior as desirable without any consequence or emotional impact. In this series, Jun Xi’s initial shock is part of his journey, and the story doesn’t erase that—it evolves their dynamic naturally.

So I’d really like to hear your definition, because right now it sounds like the deciding factor for you is simply whether the characters end up together or not.

I get what you mean—consent isn’t just about avoiding force, it’s also about respecting boundaries and communication. But I think this scene actually does show consent, just not in a verbal way.

Consent can be verbal or nonverbal. In Tuo and Jun Xi’s moment, the body language says it all: Jun Xi doesn’t push him away, flinch, or look distressed. After the initial surprise, he leans in and allows the kiss to happen—that’s a clear, silent “yes.”

If we applied a rule that consent only “counts” when it’s verbal, then nearly every beloved BL first kiss would be a problem:

Sarawat & Tine (2gether) – No verbal asking, just mutual tension.

Jae Young & Sang Woo (Semantic Error) – Surprise first kiss, but totally charged with consent through actions.

Chi Cheng & Wu Suo Wei (Revenged Love) – Many kisses start without words, yet the mutual signals are obvious.

To me, this scene wasn’t about Tuo disregarding boundaries—it was about the messy, realistic way first kisses often happen between friends crossing into romance. He did need that pause to read the situation better, but the interaction stayed within the space of mutual, nonverbal consent.

I get your point, Aries21—absolutely, in real life you do not grab someone and kiss them without asking. That would be harassment. But I have to respectfully disagree with how you’re applying that to Secret Lover.

You rated Secret Relationships a 10/10 (which I agree with—one of the best Korean BLs ever). But if we’re talking about consent and “jarring” moments, let’s look at Episode 6:

SuHyeon pushed DaOn against the wall and kissed him—there was zero verbal consent, and he even used SuHyeon’s safety against him.

Later in that same episode, JaeMin pushed DaOn onto the couch and attempted sexual assault. Then he stabbed himself to manipulate DaOn, leaving him traumatized.

By the final episode, JaeMin kidnapped DaOn, forced a marriage, and tried to kill him.

That’s a lot more toxic and non-consensual than anything in Secret Lover, yet you found Secret Relationships not “jarring” and gave it a perfect score. So why does a brief bathroom scene in Episode 1 of Secret Lover suddenly cross the line for you? That feels inconsistent.

Also, I’m specifically referring to Episode 3 of Secret Lover—I felt that moment was a clear example of mutual, nonverbal consent. Did you know consent can be nonverbal as well? Tao initiated the kiss, but Junxi didn’t pull away—he leaned in and responded naturally. His body language clearly showed he was comfortable and wanted it too. It wasn’t just one kiss—they even paused and then went back for a second kiss. If Tuo was uncomfortable, he would’ve stopped right there, but instead, he leaned in for that second kiss, which pretty much shows he was enjoying it.

My point is: BL dramas are fiction, not real life. If we applied strict real-world rules to every BL, then half the genre—including your 10/10 Secret Relationships—would be unwatchable.

We’re already at Episode 17, and yet people are still leaving comments about the Episode 1 rape scene.

Yes, Chi Cheng ordered men to rape someone. It was disturbing. But let’s be very clear—this is fiction. It’s not real life. The opening scene of Revenged Love is disturbing on purpose because it sets up the emotional foundation of the series. Chi Cheng’s actions and Wu Suo Wei’s suffering are the core of the entire plot. It’s about obsession, pain, and ultimately redemption.

Are we going to cancel every show or movie that depicts rape, violence, or morally disturbing themes? If so, say goodbye to half of modern storytelling.
Game of Thrones, The Handmaid’s Tale, 13 Reasons Why, Outlander, Law & Order: SVU,, Monster, Kill Bill, Gone Girl, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo—all explore horrific acts. Yet they are praised, awarded, and widely consumed.

Watching dark, controversial content does not mean you support it.
No one watches a serial killer movie and thinks, “Wow, I wanna do that.”

Fiction is where we confront uncomfortable truths.
We explore trauma, redemption, and the darkest parts of humanity—not to glorify them, but to understand their impact. That’s the point of storytelling: it creates tension, challenges empathy, and holds up a mirror to society’s ugliest sides.
If we only watched shows with perfect morals and unflawed characters, we’d lose Breaking Bad, Dexter, Joker, The Godfather, Scarface—entire genres would disappear.

So NO—watching Revenged Love does NOT mean we support RAPE or normalizing these kind of scenes..
It means we understand the difference between fiction and reality—something some people in these comments clearly can’t grasp.

Millions watch Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, or The Handmaid’s Tale—full of murder, rape, assault, and worse.
Do they all “support” those acts? Of course not.

If you can’t separate storytelling from real life, that’s a you problem, not a Revenged Love problem.

Millions of people around the world love this series, and I’m a bloke all the way from Australia—so please stop stereotyping fans as “fangirls.” Many of my friends also love this show, and none of us are what you’re implying.

First, watching a rape scene does not mean we fantasize about it or think it’s okay. By that logic, if someone watches a murder mystery or John Wick, do they suddenly want to go out and kill people? Of course not. Dark scenes in films and dramas exist to tell a story, portray trauma, and make you feel something—not to normalize the act.

The opening scene of Revenged Love was designed to shock and set up the emotional weight of Chi Cheng’s journey—it’s part of the storytelling, not a celebration of assault.

And let’s be consistent: if we’re going to condemn every fictional series with morally gray or criminal actions, then we’d have to start with thousands of global shows and movies, like:

Outlander – includes multiple sexual assault plots, yet has millions of fans.
Euphoria, Revenge, The Sopranos, Mad Men, Bridgerton – all feature dark or disturbing acts by their leads.
Even Game of Thrones is filled with assault and murder, but audiences understand fiction is not reality.
Are we going to flood all those pages with the same outrage? Or is this judgment only reserved for BL dramas?

Fiction is about storytelling. Characters can be flawed, cruel, or broken and still have purpose—whether to horrify us, challenge us, or eventually redeem themselves. Characters are not real. Actors are not their roles. Viewers are capable of understanding the difference.

If dark themes aren’t for you, that’s perfectly fine. But don’t accuse millions of fans of “normalizing” assault just because we enjoy a fictional drama with complex, imperfect characters.

I totally get what you’re saying, and I respect that perspective, but I feel a bit differently because of the emotional context and how the scene plays out.

Yes, Tuo initiates most of the kisses—but to me, his actions never truly cross the line into “forceful.” If you watch closely, Jun Xi doesn’t show discomfort or fear. He hesitates, sure—likely out of shock because this is his best friend making a move—but he doesn’t push Tuo away, look upset, or pull back. Instead, after the surprise fades, he either leans in or allows the moment to happen. That is mutual, nonverbal consent—and it’s something we often see in romance storytelling across all cultures.

In real life and in BL dramas, passion doesn’t always come with a verbal “Can I kiss you?” Sometimes, the chemistry, the eye contact, the stillness between two people is the permission.

Look at examples:
-2gether the Series: Sarawat kissed Tine without asking first, and it became one of the most beloved BL moments ever.

-Semantic Error: Jae Young caught Sang Woo off guard with a kiss, and the audience swooned because it was charged with mutual tension, not fear.

-Revenged Love (Chinese BL, which you’re watching right now): Chi Cheng has initiated kisses and intimacy with Wu Suo Wei multiple times. Did he ever ask first? No—but the mutual signals were crystal clear.

I actually think this is why the scene works emotionally. It feels raw and real, showing that their relationship is shifting from friendship to something deeper. Tuo needed that moment to pause and learn to read the situation better—but the way Jun Xi responded shows this wasn’t about ignoring consent. It was about silent understanding, the kind that makes romance so powerful.

Haha, guess we all see things differently! 😄 Personally, I think he’s tall, handsome, and totally my type — nothing weird about him at all.

💔 Suntiny started off wild and hilarious with the whole body-swap chaos, but quickly became boring and plotless. MaxNat are amazing actors, but they deserved a much better script. 5/10

Please stop promoting illegal platforms and watch this on their offical YouTube channel (GMMTV) instead. The actors, crew, and creators poured their time, talent, and energy into bringing this story to life — they deserve our support, not to have their work stolen.

This series is available for FREE on YouTube. There is absolutely no excuse to promote piracy here. It’s not just unacceptable — it’s downright disrespectful to the people who made the series and to fans who actually choose to support it the right way.

Sharing illegal streaming links isn’t just unlawful. It’s a slap in the face to the entire production team. Promoting piracy doesn’t “help” anyone — it actively destroys opportunities for the creators, actors, and staff who work tirelessly to give us the content we love.

If you truly care about BL and want to see more quality series in the future, then support them through legal channels. That’s how the industry grows — and frankly, it’s the bare minimum any real fan should do.

I get where you’re coming from, but I actually see it differently. For me, the love interest doesn’t feel “too pushy,” because the context and body language really matter.

Yes, Tuo is the one initiating most of the kisses, but if you really watch closely, Jun Xi never shows signs of being uncomfortable. He hesitates at first—probably out of surprise, since it’s his best friend making a move—but he doesn’t push Tuo away. In fact, he either leans in or reciprocates after the initial shock. That’s not “forced”; that’s natural progression from surprise to acceptance.

Romance—especially in BL—often uses nonverbal consent as part of the tension and storytelling. If every kiss had to be preceded by a verbal “Can I kiss you?” like a legal contract, the emotional impact and chemistry would disappear. It’s the same in most romance dramas, BL or not. For example:

In 2gether the Series, Sarawat leaned in for his first kiss with Tine without asking, and it became iconic.

In Semantic Error, Jae Young kissed Sang Woo unexpectedly, but it was clear Sang Woo wasn’t traumatized—he was just flustered.

Revenged Love (Chinese BL) – You’re watching it right now. Chi Cheng has kissed and initiated intimacy with Wu Suo Wei several times. Did he ever ask first? Nope. Mutual signals, yes.

Even in Western series like Bridgerton or The Vampire Diaries, passionate kisses almost never start with a verbal request—they rely on mutual energy.

To me, the kisses in this series feel intentional, not forced. Tuo initiates, but Jun Xi accepts—that’s mutual, nonverbal consent. I think it’s a realistic portrayal of how romance often unfolds naturally.

You commented this right after Episode 3 aired, so naturally I assumed you were talking about the Episode 3 kiss. If you actually meant Episode 2, then it would have helped to specify that in your original comment.

Anyway, I just rewatched Episode 2 to respond properly. Yes, Tuo kissed Jun Xi first. Jun Xi was shocked for a second—probably because his best friend suddenly kissed him— He hesitated, processed what happened, and then went along with it. That is still a form of mutual, nonverbal consent.

If we follow your logic strictly, almost every single BL and most romance dramas would be “problematic,” because very few characters stop to formally ask, “Can I kiss you?” before leaning in. It’s just not how most on-screen or even real-life romantic moments work. Think about it:

TharnType (Thai BL) – Tharn kissed Type multiple times without asking first, and it’s one of the most popular BLs ever.

2gether the Series – Sarawat never once asked Tine verbally before leaning in for kisses; the consent was mutual through body language.

My Stand-In – Every kiss between Ton and Chet was initiated naturally; no verbal request, just mutual chemistry.

Revenged Love (Chinese BL) – You’re watching it right now. Chi Cheng has kissed and initiated intimacy with Wu Suo Wei several times. Did he ever ask first? Nope. Mutual signals, yes.

Western dramas – Even outside BL, think Friends, The Vampire Diaries, or Bridgerton—how many times do characters stop mid-scene to verbally ask before a kiss? Almost never, unless it’s intentionally written for comedy or awkwardness.

If every show followed your version of consent, it would be painfully awkward:

“Hey, can I kiss you now?”
“Yes, you may kiss me.”
And… poof, the romantic tension is gone.

Nonverbal consent is a real, valid, and widely recognized form of consent in both real life and storytelling. People use body language, eye contact, and mutual chemistry as cues.

Honestly, if this type of natural, nonverbal romantic progression bothers you, then maybe BL dramas—and honestly, most romance dramas—just aren’t for you. Because by your standard, you’d have to call out hundreds of series you’ve already watched.

I get what you mean about enjoying the simplicity of Taiwanese BLs, but I just wanted to add—please don’t judge a book by its cover. 😊

You really can’t determine if someone is a top or bottom just by how they look or act. That’s a stereotype, and it doesn’t always reflect reality. For example, a masculine guy can be a bottom, and a more feminine guy can be a top—or they could both be versatile! There’s nothing wrong with being either, but labeling Chance as a top just by appearance isn’t really fair.

Let’s enjoy the story and let the characters show us who they are without boxing them in.

It wasn’t just one kiss—they even paused and then went back for a second kiss. 😏 If Tuo was uncomfortable, he would’ve stopped right there, but instead, he leaned in for that second kiss, which pretty much shows he was enjoying it.

Totally agree! I’ve seen all the Taiwanese BLs this year, and Secret Lover is definitely the standout. ❤️
That said, Chinese BLs still take the crown for me—they just have a different vibe and storytelling that hits harder.