MareAzurre

I really like The Journey to Killing you, one of the few BLs where the whole crew were professional actors leading by Wada Masanari, a super Japanese actor. For me it was credible because it is well know that the yakuza groups have homesexual practices either because they are gay/bisexual or as a way of dominance, like with the Samurais in old Japan. I have watched other Japanese BLs that were not that good to relax, but this one was extremely boring for me, so I was fast forwarding most of the time.

I have been a fan of Japanese BL for many years, so I know how good they can be. Even if they are not that "deep" they are engaging. I respect your opinion about 10 Dance and I think I understand where you are coming from. I also prefer Japanese BLs like My Journey to Killing you and Happy for the end Then there are good comedy BLs like Osan love that have had I think like 3 seasons? I also could mention so many that tick many boxes, but lately just they don't make the cut, it is like Korean BLs, Semantic Error was something else but then I cannot recall another one that have had the same quality, the rest have been very mediocre.

First 2 eps and I have some hopes for a more engaging Japanese BL, we are in total deficit. Countdown to Yes, was so bland, the actors were simply bad. These actors are better, it always help that the production house balance the CP with one of them being a pro actor, in this case is Iuchi Haruchi. It happens the same with Happy for the end, they brought Beppo who is a good young actor. The chemistry is there, they look mature enough to deliver the storyline. The older tutor is super creepy so let's see how this play out. I really tired of the Japanese Bls in which two straight boys become gay after 10 episodes when they accept the love each other!?. In the other extreme are the Thai BLs that they want to bang each other from minute 1. Very much in the centre are the Chinese BLs in which overtly gay storylines are presented some how from the beginning: to my shore, one of them is gay the other just go for it. Kill to Love, childhood friends that became in love at the reunion nobody raise an eyebrow, and so on and so forth, at least one of the characters in a Chinese BL has been bisexual or gay from the start. Well, even the so called "bromance", who can forget Wei Wu Xian feeling an instant attraction for Lang Wan Ji. They sell "The Untamed" really badly as a bromance, it was a BL through and through without kisses and of course Word of Honour too.

I don't know what is going on with Japanese BLs, but lately they are so bland. These boys were not the best actors, one very stiff, the other trying too hard. The storyline was so boring and this was not replace by romance, so we did not have the counterbalance that the Thai BLs bring, low in script but high in sexual tension. So no I wouldn't recommend it and like this I have not watched a number of them recently released because why to bother? The BL market has now a new competitor that have raised the bar high: Chinese BLs, They have brought everything, original storylines, big romance, sex, and a decent acting, on a couple of them even excellent acting. Japanese BLs need to update the game and stop doing "idols" series. 10 Dance is an example of how far they can take the BL genre when they have the right elements.

Like crazy

Short dramas are really cliche and women have lousy roles. He is in The Maid for instance, typical short production script. I will check the Wanted Detective, thank you.

Agree. These actors just need a chance. Look at Cheng Lei, he waited for years for an acting role, finally he got into a short production, and now is top tier actor (How dare you, My journey to you etc). A higher production comes with better direction, better scripts, great photography, great costumes, make-up, hairdos, and the best post-production e.g. they apply soft filters that make the actors look gorgeous. Even ZL does not have that perfect velvety skin!

This series is more than perfect. The storyline is superior; it has all the ingredients to make this an amazing viewer experience. For TXW and ZL, one of the best characterisations of their careers, especially for ZL. Good chemistry among them, very adequate for the plot. The secondary characters are super. All of them. The little sister shows maturity in every mood. And when we thought we had all the perfect elements, they introduced Deng Kai as the super sadistic Qi Min. This actor has been recruited from short drama productions, that are normally in the spicy side, and next to Snow Kong who is pretending to have surrendered to him, delivered the best bath sex scene on a drama of this level. So it is complete. Highly recommended.

I also did not favour the love triangle. I was thinking of the reason for this, I guess they were trying to convince us that She did not just fell in love with "uncle" because he needed help to raise the baby, but because she really made a conscious choice to love uncle, who was very lovable. Having said this, they could convince us in half episode and not in three!?

Don't pay attention to the rating and the tags. This series is really good. it is centred around raising a child between in laws that did not know each other before, and when they do, they started in the wrong foot. Auntie and Uncle are very lovable characters, but the star of the show is the baby. Agree with the majority that the triangle was unnecessary and the misery tale that he was also from an orphanage so extra. Was not enough that the ML was from an orphanage? How many Korean men have been in one. Fortunatly the minority. People complained about the only kiss between the leads, but it is obvious they tried to keep with the storyline of raising a child. I have watched series with both actors and they are both great kissers. So the direction here was more into the "fish kiss" zone category, due to the presence of the baby. Anyway, it is a really nice watch, just to relax and binge watch in one go.

The acrylic was not a good idea 😂I imagine it had to do with saving costs as most Chinese costume dramas would have lots of assistants to take care of the nails, ears nose of the actors while filming, not just the makeup (this is true, I am not making it up). I am glad you managed to like the series. I really loved it and I know I will miss it always because I don't think we won't see anything like this in the future within the BL genre, as it did not have much viewing numbers as other Chinese BLs . I think future BL productions would do more modern sexual type of stories that has caught more attention of the audience, like To My Shore or ABO (I like To My Shore, not so much ABO, but it was ok).

I partly agree with you too 😊 I like Yun Qi very much, and he has lots of qualities, but in terms of the performances for those fan meetings, the gap between both of them was big. Let's also not underestimate the fact that Yiran is a well-trained actor, not just experienced in acting. Yiran graduated from the Beijing Film Academy, one of the best schools in China. Strangely enough, most of the top leads in Chinese dramas have not passed through a drama school!? Popularity, looks, luck, influence, have determined that they are in those tops acting roles. So yes, by all means, Yun Qi has done better than other better known actors and his role was really demanding .

Fan meetings - I watched clips of these, so it is difficult to have a full picture. From what I saw, Yiran is a great artist. Even if he went flat in very few moments, his voice is beautiful, the emotional delivery was impeccable, and he transmitted much warmth to the audience and YuQin. His embrace of him was committed. Instead, YuQin was not at the same level by far. I thought he had a better voice, but it didn't come through and was flat most of the time. His sexy personality did not come through either. YuQin really needs to work harder. A relatively easy boost in popularity for his good performance in the series was strongly rooted in Yiran and the acting coach's support and direction. There is a long way for him to go. I hope he understands this. Coming back to Yiran, if he decides to record solo music, I would totally stream it.

Thank you so much River!!!

Thank you to you Yerisina, who has contributed so much to this forum and make us reflect on every single frame and more with your posts 🙏❤️

To smile 😊Yesterday I posted a message thanking the team involved in the creation of Kill to Love . It was in celebration of one year since they began filming this beautiful BL🎉 As somebody drown my comment with one of those spams "discord" promotion links 😂 (please do not click on these, they could present a risk ). I post this super nice edit of ZheXu and MiJin bts that shows their commitment to these characters but also how much they enjoyed their interactions. I have not seen it before, so hopefully it is a novelty for you too 🙏❤️
https://www.tiktok.com/@phuong2992002/video/7609160115186453768?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

In appreciation: One Year Since the Filming of Kill to Love

Kill to Love — such an unfortunate English title — originally The Eternal Silence of Mountains and Rivers — is, from beginning to end, a powerful, intense and deeply passionate love story. And since its released, this story still lingers in my mind and warms my heart.

It had me from the very first published stills, and when it finally aired, it surpassed every expectation. It is truly a BL masterpiece.

The opening episodes unfold at a deliberate pace. The political intrigue dominates at first, setting the chessboard on which ZiAng and ShuHe are both players and pawns. Yet even within that slow-burning strategy, the sensual tension is there from episode one — that charged encounter in the aisle, the glances that linger too long, the awareness between, the second guessing of each other.

As the story progresses, intimacy builds through gestures that are both tender and playful: the handwashing scene, the teasing bath, the explosion of jealousy in episode five. By episode six, confession and consummation is delivered with a vulnerability and intensity that gave us some of the most unforgettable kisses in a Chinese drama. Episode seven opens in the soft aftermath, full of closeness and kisses, before episode eight tears them apart. The bridge separation scene is devastating — two men who love each other yet are driven by duty, pride and circumstance to walk away. During their separation they long for each other, dreaming night after night, until episode nine shifts the balance again: ZiAng’s decision to conquer the South and capture ShuHe becomes a dance of love and hate, strategy and desire intertwined.

And then come the final three episodes.
They are filled with a heartbreaking sensuality. ZiAng’s bursts of anger feel less like cruelty and more like desperate attempts to reclaim what he lost — possession tangled with longing, pride battling vulnerability.
In the prison when ShuHe calls “ZiAng” there is a mix of pain and seduction in his voice, back in ZiAng's room the scene feels almost like a love scene disguised as confrontation. ShuHe is breathtaking with a knife in hand, jealousy simmering, the balance of power constantly shifting. Every line of dialogue cuts deeper than the blade.
The bath scene that follows is raw and intensely intimate. Their words carry the weight of everything they have endured — betrayal, separation, desire never extinguished. It is a mutual seduction, not merely physical but emotional, two men acknowledging that despite everything, the pull between them remains undeniable. From there through to the Lantern Festival, their intimacy feels reclaimed rather than stolen.
The Lantern Festival night is perhaps the most painful moment of all. ShuHe goes against his own heart, choosing sacrifice for the sake of others. ZiAng meets him in that moment with equal parts fury and devastation. “Cruelty” is spoken, but what lies beneath is love wounded to its core.
Then comes the wedding — the first on-screen marriage in a Chinese BL series. It should be triumphant, yet it carries a deep melancholy. This is not a naïve celebration of young lovers. These are two men who know each other’s scars — on their bodies, in their souls — binding themselves together with full awareness of what have costed them to arrive there.

And finally, ShuHe’s struggle to reclaim his freedom and dignity is not about escaping ZiAng. It is about choosing him again and again for all eternity.

What a beautiful story to tell. One year ago a group of young producers, directors, screen writers and talented actors began crafting this series. I remain deeply grateful to everyone who brought it to life. 🙏❤️

The soundtrack is beautiful. I did not notice what you said at all.

It is a proper ending, it is a dignified and definite one, with the promise of a happy life.

From beginning to end is a very intense and passionate love story. Hardly any light moment, 12 episodes packed with this couple loving and hating each other madly. As you can see for the rating, most people here loved it.