Fondueforkharpoon

Aromantic or not, I fell in love with this show

I cannot begin to describe the feeling of seeing myself represented on screen this way. I have never seen a show featuring aro-ace characters that are central to the plot, much less a show where they get to be main characters. I am so insanely grateful for this drama's existence and even more grateful to see all the aro-ace people in the comments finding joy and solace in this story just like me.

The way the writers portray the leads is simply excellent as well. They both have distinct personalities and interests and their character arcs don't simply evolve around their sexualities. It's made clear that their identities are an important part of their lives, but certainly not the only part. Seeing the two of them grow and evolve as people over the course of the show is a genuine pleasure to watch.

I will say that quite a few of the side characters annoy me immensely and I don't enjoy how some of their storylines were handled. Some plot points felt a bit unnecessary or out of place to me as well. However, all in all I still feel that the good of this show far outweighs the bad.

There is no singular aro-ace experience and the series doesn't try to pretend that there is. It offers a glimpse into the lives of two specific people in a way that will feel familar to most aro-ace people at least to a certain degree and which will give others the opportunity to learn just a little bit about one of the least well known sexualities.
For that alone I highly recommend you give this show a shot.

Read More

An action-packed rollercoaster of a rom-com

I absolutely loved this one.
It's surprisingly intense and action-filled for what could easily have been a fluffy slice-of-life story in a university setting which I personally feel adds quite a lot of excitement as well as space for interesting character arcs.
Yes, it does go to some dark places that I should probably have stayed away from, but all in all it manages even its more serious themes gracefully.
The characters, both the leads and the supporting cast, are endearing and I especially appreciate that the main couple don't quite fall into the stereotypical "Stoic hero" and "Bubbly damsel in distress" roles.
Instead, they both get to be badasses in their own right who also balance each other out nicely.
The romance aspect of the show is also very well handled. It's definitely up there among the most grounded and "explicit" (by censored C-drama standards anyway) love stories of its kind. The dynamic between the two mains is also just so goddamn sweet it gave me cavities, so if tooth-rotting fluff is your thing, you'll absolutely love this series.
In general I'd recommend this to fans of queer C-dramas and anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced watch with a certain off-the-wall charm.
Do be aware of some possibly triggering content, though.

Read More

Legend of Yunze, the Official Fanfic

Aw hell, this was just so much fun.
It did feel like I was reading an at times somewhat poorly plotted AU, but these characters just have so much charm and the actors have such great on-screen chemistry that I couldn't find it in me to care.
This special is quite light-hearted and fluffy compared to seasons one and two (which, let's be honest, were already quite sweet to begin with), but what it lacks in dark mysteries and epic sword fights, it makes up for with romance.
Watching this felt like someone had grabbed the romance dial on the switchboard and cranked it up to 11 and I do mean that in the best way possible. The show is full of classic romance tropes and even invents a few new ones (dramatically pretending to be injured to scare off your girlfriend's evil adoptive mum, anyone?).
It's cheesy, it's ridiculous, and yet it's somehow genuinely touching and romantic. I even found myself tearing up at one point.
So if you're a fan of the main show you'll very likely enjoy this as well. If you've never seen Legend of Yunze before you might still like this, but be aware that quite a lot of plot points won't make very much sense without the relevant background info.

Read More

I will never get tired of ghost girlfriends

This one was a lovely surprise.
Yes, it's fairly light and fluffy, but for how much of a feel good story it is and how short of a runtime it has it manages to deliver a surprising amount of genuine emotion and romantic chemistry between its leads.
I also really like its messages about art as a form of true self expression and the fine line between following a passion and being consumed by it.
By the end of the show I felt like both of the main characters had grown as people and influenced and learned from each other, which is more than some full length shows manage to achieve.
In short, if you're looking for a short pick-me-up with some nice messages and a good, solid romance, then this one is for you.

Read More

The lesbian bar was a welcome surprise!

I really adored this show. It's a very short watch (when oh when will K-dramas about queer women get the budget they deserve?) but it manages to tell a cohesive and frankly delightful story.
There are a good amount of humorous moments as well as several genuinely emotional ones and even if there isn't enough time for viewers to get to know the characters deeply, there is enough time to develop a surprising amount of affection for them.
It takes a lot of skill to pack all of that into a runtime of just over thirty minutes and you can absolutely tell how much love and care went into every facet of the series.
If you're in the market for a low-angst, slice-of-life show that still feels grounded and sincere, then I highly recommend this series. If you're simply a fan of queer women, or a queer woman yourself (or both!) I would also recommend giving this show a try. It's an absolute joy to watch.

Read More

I actually enjoyed it!

Listen, I know it's an ad but goddammit it was such an enjoyable one. To be fair I've only seen Zero: Photography so I can't speak to the quality of the entire thing, but what I did see, I liked.
I'm a huge Ink and Pa fan (and I can't seem to shake my eternal crush on both of them either, sigh) and I loved seeing more of them here.
The story line is absolutely insane in the best way, I mean come on, how can you say no to time traveling lesbians?
But, much in the way Bad Buddy did, this little special manages to actually tell a meaningful story through the medium of Patently Ridiculous Plot Points. There's an underlying theme of treasuring the people you love the most and the clear message that you should never take people for granted.
Zero Photography is about time travel, yes, but it's also a character study as well as a tale about the importance of cherishing the ones you love, not least by choosing them over and over again.
If you Like Pa and Ink give this a shot, you might just love it as much as I did.

Read More

Hop on, I'll take you anywhere you want to go!

This show was such a delightful surprise.
Many Thai dramas tend to fall on the raunchier side of the spectrum (which is not necessarily a bad thing, mind you) so this story made for a delightful change of pace. It is almost entirely character driven rather than plot driven and really takes the time it needs to develop everyone's personal character arcs fully, never rushing yet never slowing down either.
There are no sudden plot twists, no dramatic misunderstandings (at least none that don't get resolved almost immediately via the revolutionary method of Clear Communication) and at 10 episodes the story is perfectly paced.

I especially loved the show's varied depictions of queer people's lives. This is the first time I've seen an elderly queer couple depicted in a drama and I am so grateful for their inclusion here. Not only do those two serve as an endless well of support and advice for Mork and company, they are also plenty fun to watch just on their own.
Mork's tentative steps towards exploring his sexuality are incredibly lovely to watch and pleasantly devoid of any "gay for you" nonsense (although I did at one point find myself swearing at the screen for someone to just say the word "bisexual" already)
I also deeply appreciated the show's approach to Tawan's character who, while entirely comfortable and certain in his sexuality, is still new to relationships and physical intimacy and refuses to do anything but going at his own pace.
Given how, in depictions of relationships where one person is just discovering they may not be entirely straight, it's usually the openly queer person who is more assertive and sexually experienced, this was a refreshing twist on a well-established dynamic.

In short: If you're looking for a calm, low-drama show with good acting, a great cast of supporting characters, and a pleasantly diverse range of queer characters, then this one is for you.

Read More

A Worthy Succesor

I liked this one even more than the original! The comedy is just as clever, the acting is just as good, and the commitment to the bit has only gotten stronger.
There is a touch more emotional depth to this one compared to its predecessor but that does nothing to detract from the punchy humour or to change the well-established format.
I also am an even bigger fan of this season's opening number than I was of the previous one. The heavily stylised greaser look just works really well, what can I say. Some of the segment transitions are also truly excellent this time around.

If you liked the first season and want more of exactly that, then you will love this. If you haven't watched the first season but want something short and highly entertaining to while away an hour or so, then this season also stands up really well on its own and I'd recommend giving it a shot.

Read More

Noone deserves to be lonely, we are all worthy of love

I think this show may have been written specifically for me.
A quiet, tender tale of finding human connection after an extended period of loneliness and learning to find joy in little things each and every day? Yeah, I fell absolutely head over heels in love with this story. The fact that it was also heavily themed around food was just the cherry on top of the absolutely glorious sundae.
The cast were all truly pitch-perfect in bringing this sweet little slice-of-life drama to life and displayed an unbelievable chemistry with each other that made the bonds between all the characters feel breathtakingly loving and achingly real.
If you want a show that teaches you about finding connection, leaving behind loneliness, coming out of your shell, and learning to fall in love with the world and the people in it again and again and again, then Bokura no Shokutaku is most definitely what you're looking for.
Even if you're just after a warm comfort-watch to pass some cozy evenings, this show is for you as well.

Read More

Charmed the socks off me!

I started watching this after a long string of incredibly written and mature K- and J-Dramas and was immediately reminded of why classic Thai dramas hold such a firm place in my heart.
This show is zany, over the top, and filled with an irreverent charm that leaves you wanting more at the end of each episode.
It has an interesting plot but keeps its focus firmly on developing a slow and gentle romance, allowing the characters all the time they need to grow both as people and as partners to each other, which lets the viewer form a closer bond with the characters and lets them (the viewers) get invested in these characters' lives which makes the whole story, ridiculous as it may seem on the surface, a lot more grounded and makes every single emotional scene all the more impactful. This is still quite a rarity in queer dramas and makes for a refreshing change of pace.

Now beware, slight spoilers ahead.
Some personal highlights (aka Things I Loved):
- The loving attention to detail the writers and directors clearly paid while designing the alternate universe. These details range from the simple (e.g. cone bread), to the hilarious and silly (e.g. off-key singing as an art form), to the genuinely meaningful (e.g. the legalisation of same-sex marriage) and cheekily remind the viewer every now and again to expect the unexpected and stay on their toes
- The bond shared between Puen, Talay, Up, and Aou, and later on Kita and Fuse as well. They are the boys, the lads, the gang, utterly inseparable and always, always there for each other. I'm a sucker for good depictions of (queer) friendships and these fellows delivered big time. This show says hug your homies, hold their hand, kiss their cheeks, tell them you love them, let them know how important they are to you, and they are so right about that actually! I will die on this hill!!
- The pacing and development of Puen and Talay's relationship. As I already mentioned the buildup to every major step in their relationship is very well handled and given ample time to unfold at a slow but steady pace, but it's not just that. The way the show approaches their connection to each other hit me like a thousand bricks and made me shed actual tears a lot more often than I'd like to admit. From almost the beginning of the show these two are incredibly fond of one another and their friendly bickering becomes increasingly gentle and tender until it becomes a dynamic of "I love you so much, so there, take that you idiot, I'm expressing my genuine affection for you, suck it nerd!" at which point I think I lost my heart to this show for good.
- Dol and their understated defiance of gender norms and expression. Dol may not have been explicitly written as a trans character, but their character serves to gently question what gender identity really is and what it means for our lives but also to us personally. I absolutely adore them and wish we'd gotten to see more of them, although they do play a significant role in developing several important plot points.
- The show's approach to love in all its forms. This story boldly and deliberately blurs the lines between platonic, romantic, and queer love and emphasizes the importance of true human connection over trying to force a relationship along a predetermined course. Sometimes love means getting to know somebody over the course of several years until you've come to adore every single facet of their being and it doesn't even matter what type of love you're feeling for each other as long as you get to stay together. At the same time love can also mean the specific labelling of feelings and relationships and the boundless joy and excitement that come with being officially "in love" or "best friends" or "the most important person in each others' lives". This show says "No matter what happens, I'll go through it with you". "Remember, where there's you, there's me", it says, "Thank you for teaching me not to be afraid of tomorrow".

Some personal lowlights (aka Things I Didn't Like):
- How quickly Talay manages to resolve all the problems Tess created after returning to his own universe. I'm glad there were no great, drawn-out conflicts, but I did find myself thinking "Boy that was fast" every time Talay magically fixes whatever Tess broke. A very minor gripe in the grand scheme of things.
- How unresolved Tess and Tun's story felt by the end of the show. I know they weren't the focus of the show, but all the plot threads of Tun's unrequited love for Tess, Tess and Tun's reconciliation and subsequent separation in the alternate universe, and Tess' eventual return to his original universe, were all just barely touched on before being dropped completely. I know they play relatively minor roles in the story as a whole, but given the interesting dynamic that was hinted at between them and how solid the chemistry between Ohm and Nanon (their actors) is as we all know, I wish we'd gotten to see just a little bit more of these two.

In conclusion: A slow-paced, charmingly written and acted story about love, love, and once again love. If you want a show that provides a window into the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances who come to love each other deeply and fully while tugging at your heartstrings with how achingly gentle and real it feels, then this one is most definitely for you.

Read More

An understated landmark in queer Asian cinema and here's why

Now let me start off by answering some questions you may be asking yourself: Is this the greatest story ever told? No.
Is there anything particularly standout or special about any of the plot points, or characters, cinematography, literally anything at all? No.
But what makes it so incredibly enjoyable (and honestly objectively good in my opinion) is the way the show chooses to engage with its own genre. The whole things starts, as we know, with a fairly ridiculous plot by the university head to blackmail two of her students into producing shippy BL content and promote the university. This could have easily been stupid and downright problematic (kind of, more on this later), but the show holds absolutely nothing back in showcasing exactly why and how the entire thing is awful and problematic. Literally both goofy-ass, idiot main characters listen to the university head inform them of her plan and immediately go “Mam this is unethical as all hell”, with one main point they raise being that these sort of publicity schemes do nothing to actually help queer people or further queer liberation and both of them take issue with that big time.
This theme of calling bullshit on the fetishization of queer lives continues throughout pretty much the entire show, with a highlight being a montage of the two main characters working their way through a list of cheesy cliches to make content out of except every sappy and ridiculous moment devolves into all-out war (read – a slapstick level of physical violence) every time the camera turns off, funny and an incredibly clever and direct interrogation of almost every stupid, contrived trope this genre has ever seen.
The show also emphasizes the importance and beauty of authentic queer relationships by very deliberately juxtaposing them with the over the top, manufactured ship nonsense the characters have to crank out and they keep those themes going solidly even after the whole “we must make this BL content” storyline ends, which is fairly quickly (which I personally also found quite refreshing, I generally felt the pacing of the show was very well done)
Now why was I so blown away by this? Haven’t other shows done this exact thing except better, more in-depth, and more central to the plot? Why yes, they have, but the reason why this show sticks out is because a thoughtful analysis and deconstruction of a serious issue isn’t central to the plot or the themes whatsoever. What these showrunners have done is put all their energy into making a classic uni setting comedy-drama and then just casually tossed in some incredibly succinct and nuanced commentary on the realities of queer love in a time where such love is frequently and almost gleefully exploited for financial gain.
Combine that with some of the best and healthiest depictions of (queer) friendship I’ve seen in a long time (seriously, all six main characters support the hell out of each other and actually teach each other how to communicate, how to set boundaries, how to figure out who and what you want to be. They feel like real people with real thoughts and opinions who have things to say, want to learn and be better, and also happen to care about each other deeply. I may or may not have teared up a few times) and what you’ve got is a whole new standard for queer dramas going forward.

A quick list of negatives:
- As much as the show calls out the actions of the university head as being problematic, she still faces essentially no consequences in the end, and after she lets the boys off the hook and doesn't force them to produce more content for her, everyone just sort of has a collegial chuckle, going "Oh you, what a little scamp you are, uni head" and that's that. Compared to how well the aforementioned themes are handled during the rest of the show this just falls really flat for me.
- The show's one grand pitfall: the dreaded separation. Why do we still choose to do these, they are godawful, they make no sense, can you tell I'm just personally salty about it

In conclusion: An entertaining and sweet standard university drama that packs a little extra punch. If this is an indicator of what the average queer romance drama will look like from now on, then the future of the genre looks bright indeed.

Read More

I'm not trapped in here with you, you're trapped in here with me

What an absolute thrill ride. I went into this expecting a fun, romantic romp disguised under the thin veneer of an action thriller and boy oh boy did I get more than I bargained for. What should, by all accounts, have been a slightly over-the-top, fanfiction-esque (which is not a bad thing, by the by, just a comment on the suspension of disbelief needed to enjoy certain types of stories) plot, somehow evolved into a fairly grounded and serious exploration of familial bonds and how they influence our lives, the concepts of forgiveness and betrayal, and the quiet deceptiveness of unsolicited acts of love. All this without ever losing its charm and comedy or its heartfelt, upbeat core message.
And now off we go into the (mild) spoiler territory.

Some personal highlights (aka Things I Loved):
- The relationship between Shao Fei and Tang Yi. This may seem like an obvious one, wow you watched a romance show and liked the two main leads, what a hot take. But what makes these two so compelling and sympathetic to me and what makes their dynamic stick out against many other pairings in romances, is how honest and direct these two are with each other.
From the beginning there is respect and fondness between them, buried under a healthy amount of animosity though it may be. That fondness and respect grows and evolves as the show goes on, developing at first into unconventional but genuine friendship and then into a mature and, dare I say it, healthy relationship. As soon as Shao Fei realises his feelings he is upfront with Tang Yi, pursues him openly while still respecting his boundaries and giving him time to reciprocate or pull away. There is no dramatic jealousy, no endless waffling about, no will-they-won't-they. These are two people who decide to love each other and support each other and damn everyone who tells them they shouldn't, destiny is what you make it and problems are best tackled together rather than apart and I am so on board with it.
- Jack and Zhao Li An. While I do have some personal gripes with Jack (such as wanting to come after his kneecaps with a baseball bat for the way he sometimes acts but we're letting that go for now) I do find him a very interesting and compelling character (morally grey, true neutral bastard my beloved) and I absolutely adore his relationship with Zhao Li An. Their dynamic is funny, charming, and their connection seems genuine. I do wish we had seen a bit more of their character growth during the last episodes but I still feel the two have been set up for a happy future in which they can grow together.
- The ending. A happy ending that feels truly earned and makes a point about the importance of facing up to past mistakes and choosing to move forward together with your partner. That is pretty much all I have to say about that.
- Tang Yi's relationship with his fathers. I can't go into detail at all here or I'd end up spoiling big parts of the show, but whoo boy was that whole plot fascinating and the way it all wraps up gave me goosebumps with how serious and just plain good it is.
- Zuo Hong Ye. An interesting female character with a rich and complex inner life who is absolutely badass but is still allowed to be a real human being, warts and all, in my gay romcom?! It's more likely than you think.

Some personal lowlights (aka Things I Didn't Like):
- Gu Dao Yi and his whole plotline. To be fair this isn't so much a "thing I didn't like" and more of a "thing I liked sometimes and then disliked sometimes and felt neutral towards on the whole". I appreciate the important part he plays in driving the plot forward and enabling Tang Yi to have some character growth but something in me just does not like this man.
- Some of the more explicit scenes are a bit gratuitous and unneeded in my opinion, but for what it's worth these two do have great chemistry and the intimacy between them feels both touching and real.

In conclusion: If you are looking for an intelligent drama that explores some interesting and somewhat dark themes but won't drag you into any pits of despair and tragedy and will even make you laugh sometimes then you should definitely give this one a go.

Read More

Solid premise, yet still a letdown

This show really set itself up for a homerun and then pivoted a full 90 degrees right before the touchdown and took off over the bleachers, never to be seen again.
I love nothing more than a solid, slow exploration of characters' inner lives and their complicated relationships to themselves and others. And this show really seems to be going solidly in that direction, with interesting and likeable characters and several quite excellent and meaningful moments.
But then it just... doesn't follow through. Instead of properly exploring any of the interesting topics it brings up - like the politics of coming out later in life, complicated parent-child relationships, etc. - it opts for barely brushing past those issues, resolving complex emotional stakes in mere minutes, and focusing instead on domestic drama and drawn-out, static scenes which grind the plot to a screeching halt more often than not (the final episode is especially guilty of this).
I would also have loved it if Kanade didn't look like he was getting shanked every time he engaged in even the mildest of physical intimacy. It does detract quite a bit from the genuinely sweet second-chance romance when every now and again you're forced to sit through a scene of one of the main characters looking physically pained at having to kiss his partner.

All in all you can't really go wrong with watching this show per se, there's nothing egregiously terrible or offensive about it, it's just... mildly disappointing. Mid, if you will.
Personally I'll be busy sulking in a corner over how much of a missed opportunity this was, rather than rewatching the show.

Read More

The most solidly mid-tier show I've ever seen

Wow, that sure was some amount of time I spent watching a show. I even enjoyed some of it!
The premise was interesting but poorly executed, the characters were generally likeable and fairly solid, only occasionally let down by the writing. The pacing and editing definitely needed improvement and the humour often simply didn't land.
There were also some genuinely charming moments which kept me interested enough to continue watching and the few times the jokes worked they REALLY worked (for me at least).

All in all this was a nice enough way to while away some extra hours I had one evening, but nowhere near what I would describe as an actually good show.
Pleasant enough and deeply forgettable just about sums it up.

Read More

A great show that went off the rails somewhere along the line

Boy oh boy am I conflicted about this one! There are some things I adore about it, some things I absolutely hate about it and on the whole I suppose I'm just not quite sure where I stand.

Let me start off by saying that the acting and cinematography in this show are phenomenal, the soundtrack absolutely slaps, and best of all: it has some of the most realistic and multidimensional depictions of queer people and their lives I've ever seen in a Thai show.
Relationship boundaries are complex and shifting, sexual roles and preferences are fluid, and monogamy is often not all it's cracked up to be. For that alone the series scored big points with me.
Unfortunately though, they completely flubbed the ending in my opinion.

This story could have had the perfect three act structure: the building of relationships, then the complete breakdown of those relationships, before finally rebuilding connections and salvaging whatever possible from the wreckage.
And for a while it really looks like that's where the show is going. I absolutely adore the first third of the series and am very much on board with the sheer chaos of the second third (I especially love the twist to Mew's character and think this could have been the perfect set-up for a truly interesting and subversive character arc).
But by the last third I was so furious about some of the writing choices made that all that goodwill pretty much went out the window.

I strongly dislike the way Mew and Top's relationship rekindling is handled (I think it's a great disservice to both characters to be honest) and I just couldn't get invested in their dynamic anymore.
Boston also gets done pretty dirty in that the show frequently blurs the line between "this character is a complete dick who is unrepenting and pretty much irredeemable" and "this character is simply polyamorous/prefers open relationships" which plays into negative and antiquated stereotypes.
And then there is Boeing whose inclusion is as unnecessary as it is deeply irritating. It detracts focus from two of the most important relationships in the show and pretty much ruins several character arcs in my opinion.

That being said the series does still have a great deal to offer: it is raw, touching, and real. It subverts a lot of tired old tropes of the genre while also skillfully addressing several important issues like consent and addiction. It is incredibly sex-positive and unabashedly queer and features several loving lesbian and trans couples (though none of them really get enough screentime).
And most importantly it's pure, chaotic fun.

In short I hope to see this production team create more shows like this in the future and hopefully learn from some of the mistakes here too.
I also would like to take this opportunity to grab GMM by the proverbial collar and inform them that they better wise up and make space for more authentically queer productions going forward without leading good projects awry due to unexpected audience demands dammit!

Read More