Sorry, but how come no one is talking about the series Blue Canvas of Youthful Days?

Blue Canvas of Youthful Days (The Blue of Youth, 过我年少时光的蓝色) was released this year, 2024, in October, by iQIYi, and it's a Taiwanese BL (boy love) drama.

This series is very special. It explores a difficult time in every young person's life when everything feels more confusing, intense, and every decision seems life-or-death. The dilemmas, the challenges of each character, and the LGBTQ+ theme are treated with incredible sensitivity during the episodes, bringing strong emotions at times, but also that famous smile you don't even realize you're making when watching such a series.

Synopsis: Coming from a family of artists, Qi Lu was forced to learn painting from a young age under his father's strict control. In his final year of high school, he ends up studying at a painting studio where he meets Qin Xiao, a talented young painter he had already admired online. However, Qin Xiao is struggling financially and taking care of his ailing grandfather. Qi Lu decides to get closer to Qin Xiao in hopes of becoming friends. Although it's hard at first, they gradually break the ice, and their bond intensifies, turning into something deeper.

Aesthetics: One of the highlights of this drama is its aesthetics. The colors, tones, and camera work create a modern, clean look while also being rich in symbolism and emotions. The visuals flood your senses with colors when necessary, but also clear up when it's crucial to transmit some feelings.

PWD character: Besides the main story, Blue Canvas of Youthful Days introduces a deaf character, Tan Yin-yes, in the early episodes, they communicate only through sign language! I might be new on the world of Chinese/Taiwanese dramas, but I hadn't seen PWD (persons with disabilities) representation in a plot or cast before. I was so happy about this! If you have recommendations, please share!

LGBTQ+: Additionally, Tan Yin, played by Xiao Zi Zhuo, was sent by his parents to a hospital for "gay conversion therapy." He managed to escape but is so traumatized he can barely set foot in a regular hospital to check his hearing. So many current topics are explored in the series! In a country like China, where h0m0sexuality has not been a crime since 1997, societal prejudice still persists, a theme the series work deeply in the family dynamics.

Parental/\buse: Another heavy topic addressed in the series is parental /\buse. WOW, the scenes involving Qi Lu's character and his father are tough to watch. You can almost feel the pain and fear in actor Guo Jia Le's eyes.

Performances: I found all the performances brilliant, especially the main duo, Guo Jia Le as Qi Lu and Zhang Xuan Yu as Qin Xiao. I can't recall if it was in episode 11, but Qin Xiao goes through a very tough moment, and the actor absolutely nailed the scene. According to MyDramaList, this is the first major work for most of the cast, and I see a very bright future for them. The comedic relief of Wei Jia Yu, played by Hu Ze Ming, is really welcoming.

In summary, it's no wonder Blue Canvas of Youthful Days has a score of 8.1 on MyDramaList, 9/10 on Viki, and 7.8 on IMDb. Alongside dealing with highly relevant and current topics, the performances touch our deepest emotions-fear, disillusionment, guilt, pain, but also hope and, above all, love.

"You know what is my wish for the future? I must do what I like, and love the one I love". - Qi Lu

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Muito fofo!

🇧🇷 A história é fofa! Adorei ver o Si Nian se apaixonando pela Yun Shu e gostei da atuação do Zhe Ming! Gostei também do arco da Zhi Yi com o Lin Nuo! Eu não sou muito fã das atrizea com baby voice, por isso me incomodou um pouco a atriz Xu Ruohan, mas quando ela fazia uma voz mais séria, achava ótima a atuação. Um clichê gostoso para assistir e se distrair.

🇺🇸The story is so cute! I loved seeing Si Nian falling in love with Yun Shu, and I liked Zhe Ming's performance! I also enjoyed the arc of Zhi Yi with Lin Nuo! I'm not a big fan of actresses with a baby voice, so I was a bit bothered by Xu Ruohan's performance, but when she used a more serious tone, I thought her acting was great. It's a sweet cliché to watch and get distracted by.

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