The Novel and the Series

My thoughts bout the early part of the series and the differences that I saw between the light novel and the series.

LA Joe is different from the novel Ah Xiang. Zhou Xiang is already kind and soft hearted but Joe really took it to another level. (The ending really annoyed me). He still cooked breakfast for Ming🥲. "In the novel, Ah Xiang shoved MingXiu away harshly and fled frantically from his own home. Then he drove aimlessly as he didn't know where he should go. He can't go to Wei Ge's (P'Wut) house because his sister-in-law is pregnant and he doesn't want to disturb them. And so after driving aimlessly in that winter night, he decided to go to the company and stayed in Wei Ge's office."

Joe again is used as a scape goat between Director Pao and that snake. P'Wut also is kinda different from Wei Ge in the novel. I know and I can see the brotherhood between P'Wut and Joe but dyk that in the novel it was Wei Ge who convinced Ah Xiang to accept that lead role offered by Director Pao? Because since Ah Xiang already offended that snake (yes, I'm not gonna say his name even the og from the novel) and he will surely receive some backlash from that snake's fans as it was already rumored (everyone already knows) that the lead role of Director Pao's next project is that snake. Then his reputation will surely hit rock bottom and it'll be difficult for him to get any stunt jobs or any job in that industry. It's a lose-lose situation and so him accepting it won't really change anything. But rather it could give him a slight chance of finally making a break through. That snake and Ming didn't directly kill Joe but they pushed him in that direction. So Ming... grovel hard.

This will probably piss off all of you more. In the novel, after that snake attended the conference as the lead role he eventually dropped the project. He actually didn't want it. He just hated Director Pao and more importantly, he didn't want a mere stuntman to take his "place". So the project was eventually scrapped.

I wish they stuck to the monk rather than a fortune teller. And they changed that connection to his father?? Wth? It was supposed to be MingSu's master. Yan MingSu is Ming's older brother. P'Mike (MingSu) is the older brother of Ming. They're taking the character set-up of P'Mike and distributed it to other characters.

1st, they changed May into a supportive and loving sister (which takes away the character set-up of MingSu in which he's the only one who cared to support Ming after Joe's accident when everyone in the family are turning a blind eye that Ming is suffering due to a death of a male "lover" and he's the only one who accepted Ming for being gay). Which is why he was the only one who knew how much Ming loved Joe. I can accept this because May was such a b*tch in the novel that made me think that she and that snake deserves each other. Plus, more people to love and stand by Ming's side so I'm fine with it.

2nd, as I've mentioned, the monk (in the LA is a fortune teller). The monk would show the supernatural events that Joe went through and the connection between Joe and Ming which involves fate and karma. Changing it into a fortune teller kinda makes it shallow. Moreover, it is an opportunity for them to show their culture. Hence, I really don't get why they had to change that.

3rd, P'Mike having a monk as a master would show that he is not the type of wealthy person whose life only revolves around money and that he is someone who values the teachings of a monk. So when he saw that his beloved brother is almost at the death's doorstep, he sought the guidance of his master.

I am utterly disappointed of how much they downgraded Yan MingSu (P'Mike). He's probably the 2nd if not the top favorite character of everyone who've read the novel. He's the BEST BROTHER anyone could ask for. Someone who'll always make sure Ming is still breathing no matter how far and tired he is. He would fly in and out of the country just to take care of his younger brother. All those sleepless months just to take care of Ming because no one in their family wanted to accept that Ming is gay. He took care of Ming himself all while managing their business. And he doesn't look down on Joe unlike the typical attitude of those wealthy people. I really loved MingSu's character so I'm really emotional with these changes. His role is actually more significant.

I liked how Poom showed Joe's feelings, you can really see it his eyes softening while watching Ming but then the moment he heard how Ming would only smile when he's acting in that snake's movies, you can see how it made his walls higher and stronger.

I don't get why Joe was looking aimlessly around his house. Ming left it EXACTLY how it was 2 years ago as it is in the novel.

I needed THE mental breakdown that MingXiu showed in the novel.. My heart is sad for Ming but I hope they wrote it with something like hyperventilation. I needed the scene where Ming is having a hard time breathing. I just needed more anguish? Because seeing him crying is making me heart ache a bit but I hoped what I felt was heartbreaking instead. I really shouldn't have read the novel first. Up, my baby you did well.

BUT the scene where Ming and that snake are talking in Ming's room is a hella lot MORE satisfying than in the novel for me. In the novel, it was Ming who went to that snake's room. Ming did slam the door after their conversation but this in LA is much much more satisfying. I laughed so hard as it was so satisfying when he casually just pointed the door and did the hand thingy like he's shooing him away and kicked that snake out. He didn't even bother to look at him nor walked him to the door 🤣. And the way he reminded that snake of the fact the of all people, he has the least right to talk about Joe in front of Ming because they were the reason why Joe was pushed into making that decision.

I like the added detail where this is a sequel of that snake's first movie with the same director. I also loved how the director regret his decision of encouraging Joe to sign a contract where he won't be credited.

I've read comments saying it was Joe's fault why his second life is becoming like his 1st one. Like why did he accept Ming's but rejected P'Wut and Sol's help. He and Ing (I finally know her name, I've been calling her Chen Ying) have a 3million thb loan from a loan shark which is really dangerous. And his mother is sick and is in need to receive dialysis every week which cost a LOT of money, they needed a better place to live for Ing's condition. He needed to pay that loan ASAP, have a good place to live, money for dialysis, other medicines, hire a caretaker for Ing and money for other expenses. So, why did he reject P'Wut and Sol's help? Because he felt guilty to receive that AMOUNT of financial help from them. He knew P'Wut somehow still blames himself why Joe died and so P'Wut has been very active in giving him support as a way to release his guilt for Joe's death and Sol practically told him that he's only receiving this much support (the jobs that P'Wut got for Joe2) was because he reminded them of Joe1. He felt guilty of using that to get their help. Jobs are one thing but financial matters are a different thing. So why did he accept to be a "stand-in" AGAIN for Ming? Because with Ming, it is a transaction. He doesn't have to feel ashamed nor guilty (but it must have been painfully heartbreaking for him to practically sell 1 year of his life to ming of all people) because Ming was still gonna screw him over so why not benefit from it? Joe's decision is actually the most practical choice. He wasn't being dumb.

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