I am mildly displeased with the start of the season, for reasons under the spoiler. But I guess this is what NF/D+/any other Western streamer always does - people like things for certain very specific reasons, NF/D+/any other streamer THINKS they know what people want and try to include that, thus destroying much that was good about the initial story. They did this to Sweet Home too, I very much hope they put enough planning and thinking into ASfK2 to not ruin it. (Though the overblown range of all organisations in this S2 already feel too much for just 8 eps).
ETA By NF I mean any Western producer, they're all alike in how they handle second seasons. (I shudder for Moving 2).
Yeah, it was good while it was about a father-and-daughter-against-the-world. In a predictible manner, once it got out of that model, it grew larger than life and thus impossible to suspend disbelief for. A longer runtime for an ep only tells me they put in all explosions they could in the hope the hype will cause a second season, maybe. What this would do to the actual ongoing season's plot remains to be seen.
Wow, cnetizens doing unsavoury cnetizens things that used to be the NORM. I know the new crackdown on online bullying is giving the studios some room to maneouvre and threaten some consequential action on rogue agents, but still - this used to be "normal". At any one time, any one person, group or water army could go on and try and destroy someone's career and livelihood using the same methods - innuendos, random clips, out of context quotes, unclear pictures (probably a lot more clear in the age of AI), and the like.
I guess either fandoms will stop going to war overly for idiotic fun, or maybe they're indeed trying to clear the waters. We'll see.
Also, the "drama is fictional, all resemblance to existing persons and institutions is accidental" is a staple announcement for any drama lately. What did they "win" then?
Imagine if all other institutions or representatives of different professional associations protested when a drama involved them - like the police, doctors, lawyers etc LOL.
because boxing and sword fighting are different sports?
I know that, but he's supposed to be able to sword-fight and probably the original Gaew doesn't have an inkling about boxing. Yet another discrepancy he's going to have to explain.
You know what? "Dech", with that symbol on his forehead and that white outift looks 90% like a young SRK playing Ashoka. The way that cloth goes over his shoulder, the same facial frame, the same nose - it takes me places. So now I'll probably spend the whole drama looking at "Ashoka Maurya" LOL instead of "Dech". He's only missing the princely silver torc. Like...
Anyway - OMG cultural shock or what?! I would die in a second. But don't they teach some historical details of past ages in school, in Thailand? How come Great is so stumped about it? Once he figured out he's in the past, he should be a bit more direct asking about how things work if he's not certain, instead of just trying to see if modern words still have the same meaning LOL. It's hilarious anyway. Still, be a bit smarter.
And boxing! Now explain how come you know boxing but can't hold a sword, please time-traveller, do explain! :D
Who's the new guy, the second and more precious son?
Korean, Thai or danmei? Danmei has every sub-genre and trope you want, including enemies-to-lovers. They also…
It's been 7 years since I kind of left the Western MM novel corner, LOL (and got deeply mired into danmei. There's no comparison, none. I'm all set to stay here for the rest of my reader career LOL).
Before I fell over the side, I was reading all kinds of novels and enjoying them, from originals by people who weren't writers on fictionpress to long-time published authors (from Josh Lanyon, Amy Lane, Mary Calmes, TJ Klune - when he was writing actual MM only - and so on and so forth, to Becca Abbott, KJ Charles, the like.) Rina Kent doesn't tell me anything, sorry :D I guess I can't go back to "normal" now, particularly for long series.
Oh well re: danmei and danmei adaptations - it IS my cup of tea and I'm all in for it :D
Do try Wu, they're good together, it's short (I wanted more...) and while not officially BL, as I've said... plenty of direct clues LOL. There are after-scenes, don't skip them :D
I didn't realise I was kind of okay with humiliation kink until watching a few eps of this one. Though TBH Xiao Fan is not into it, he's basically a powerless doormat, too sensitive for the world he has to live in and LuQing gets way into it from the very beginning, like he's addicted to Xiao Fan's helplessness.
And then they go and move it slighter into Master and Servant territory, what, is the novel kinkier?!
I get where XF's family of country bumpkins come from too, they also had a wrong reading of the situation initially and put all their hopes and dreams into it, like Xiao Fan's relationship would be a safety collar for them too. They don't even stop to consider how their quiet and meek son would fare in that rich family and what pressure they're adding to the mess. The father is ridiculously clinging to the impression that it's a real marriage, and the mother is seemingly seeing whatever she wants to see in it... but the siblings are atrocious.
By now it's clear that Xiao Fan will NOT grow a spine and that's exactly what LuQing wants him for. To me, that's unhealthy as heck, but then... that's their kink and I'm not kink shaming anyone here.
(I bet the younger sister tries or actually steals that phone.)
ETA I browsed through the novel and it's nowhere near as kinky as expected LOL. I don't see how they'll manage to fit the rest of the story in just 6 eps but that's what adaptations do all the time, I trust them to know what they're doing. Also, I take it back, the little rabbit does have a secret courage he's randomly accessing :D
Korean, Thai or danmei? Danmei has every sub-genre and trope you want, including enemies-to-lovers. They also…
What, Pit Babe is ABO?! I wasn't interested enough to watch LOL. I might take a look now.
Knot works great IMO. They're touching most of the tropes and the acting is adequate (which is my main point of sorrow concerning Thai BL, it's always a toss if they're going to be good or just phoning it in).
Deep In is GREAT so far. They're doing an amazing job, and this is going to be a good drama in a year chock full of good BL dramas, LOL (this is the richest BL year I've ever known).
Also, if you're in the mood for GOOD story and great music, good acting and deeply in love drama, give a try to A Winter's Sun Wakes the Wind in Spring Hill's Dream. The title is title-gore level, LOL, I guess it's shorter in Chinese or something. But this is shaping up to be one of the GOATs.
Others (already aired and done) - Goddess Bless You From Death has your Pavel, LOL, and TBH I kind of watched it for the horror (they did great SFX :D) more than for the romance; then, the Thai BL Reset (because there's a powerful and caring top to a whimsical and hurt bottom and they're both beautiful); also Thai, you might try Wu (it's not BL, officially, but there are so many BL undercurrents they might as well drop the pretense LOL. Also, it's a good story and nicely filmed). Another Thai BL, a lot more introspective, is Spare Me Your Mercy. It has a story on assisted suicide, so just a warning if you're iffy about the subject.
Aww, are you sure about danmei? These men with their long flowing hair and amazing costumes, yearning for each other and crossing... swords half their lives are worth a look :D
ETA The BEST ever switch/reverse yaoi manga is Haru Wo Daiteita and there's none that comes close. And sadly there's nobody like Iwaki-san in drama (yet. I still have hope).
Korean, Thai or danmei? Danmei has every sub-genre and trope you want, including enemies-to-lovers. They also…
Danmei is the Chinese BL version (novels and a few dramas and audio dramas. The Japanese term for BL is Yaoi - or shounen-ai, if they're not being too explicit), Thai is just BL and Koreans also are supposedly just BL. Each of them is kind of specific, so you'll immediately know what you're reading or watching, even if you don't catch it with the language and names, LOL.
And yes, danmei are very much well-present in English due to licensing and good TLs. Thai BLs mostly get TLed via wattpad and the TLers aren't as experienced usually, so the novels don't look as good as danmei or yaoi for example. (For yaoi, TBH, it's going to be mostly manga, as the light novels I did read... I wouldn't recc' for various reasons - mostly for how dark they get).
To me, KBL novels are still in their early years. Aside from the oversized tops LOL, there's a kind of naive level of speaking (particularly from the bottom's POV) that's a bit off-putting to me. Their manhwa get in line with some of the good yaoi manga, but the novels (The Prosecutor's Proposal included)... not so much, LOL. I did try to read it through, as much of the chapters that were free, but it didn't catch me. Maybe danmei got me jaded LOL.
So yeah, what I've read is mostly (though not completely) danmei (and a lot of yaoi manga). Most of what I've mentioned before are danmei novels (that is, Chinese BL). Wuxia (and xianxia, and costume) mostly means martial-arts (some with some supernatural in xianxia or just simply historical in "costume") world. Like Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (the drama is The Untamed), or Faraway Wanderers (the drama is Word of Honor), or The14th Year of ChengHua (the drama is The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty). I'm mentioning these because they are basically the best-known danmei turned into dramas out there, and they're all wuxia :D
Enemies-to-lovers trope - DEFINITELY Ballad of Sword and Wine. They earnestly try to kill each other and then fall like nobody has ever fallen before. And I LOVE, love the shou (bottom) - he is DEADLY and at the same time, fragile and precious. If you want to set a standard, that one would be it :D
For Thai novels, I did read a few, but the only one that eventually got officially TLed into English is KinnPorsche, which is about gangsters (and there's a drama too), so I am not a fan (of gangsters in general, either).
For KBL, if you want to dive into why I can't really take them completely serious yet. you can try ZIG's Kiss Me Liar and Kiss Me If You Can novels (rough handling, some mental and physical torment, eventually love). There are some manhwa too, I think. And they're ABO 'verse so be warned (ABO is Alpha, Beta and Omega. If you haven't touched the genre yet, there's a cdrama called ABO Desire already released, for research purposes LOL and another ongoing Thai drama called Knot. You should know ABO usually means mpreg too and be prepared LOL).
For a beginner though... I highly recommend the best-known danmei novels. They're known because they're worth it, and most of them got official TLs OR high-quality fan-TLs.
Um so anyone know like good bl novels? Like payback was a novel as well. Like, i want one that's good, angsty,…
Korean, Thai or danmei? Danmei has every sub-genre and trope you want, including enemies-to-lovers. They also tend to be way more often translated (because a lot of them are extremely good). And some of the TLers are also extremely good.
Of which, if you haven't read them already, Ballad of Sword and Wine (Qiang Jin Jiu) and Golden Terrace might be exactly what you want. (Both wuxia danmei). Even How To Survive As a Villain (though you'll have to look up the fan TLs, 'cause the licenser is sure taking their sweet time releasing it in English). Or Copper Coins! Or Remnants of Filth. And for comfort and hurt/healing - Thrice Married to Salted Fish is the best.
Or if you want modern or sci-fi... Rebirth of a Movie Star is a comfort read to me, LOL. Or Sa Ye. Or Professional Body Double (the Thai drama version of the cnovel is My Stand-In). Or Silent Witness (the cdrama version is Justice in the Dark).
I've read less of kBL novels, so I can't tell you much (mostly because the sex scenes are hilarious LOL. A lot in line with their BL manhwa :D where everybody's donkey sized and the bottoms are strictly bottoms, never to reverse. As in, EVER.)
There was a lot of flash and less of a bang. But it was enjoyable.
The best character was the King - he could have stopped everything though and went "nah, more secrets is always good".
I wish there was some conclusion as to what the chain and promise to the Gwi Mae meant, I hope it's not a coda left to hook a second season. (Bet they're going to try anyway).
PS the little ggeokmeoksali (sp) is a no for me, sorry. I mean, he went into hysterics the first time he saw it, and by the end it's a house pet to him?! Like, what the heck. Keep monsters being monsters.
Anyway, give Kwak DongYeon more roles and make him lead already, he has the poise to carry it.
Lang Di, a little confused: Is your sister a bit abnormal? :D
I was ROFLMAO at that point. I mean, he HAS to have had crazy shippers before, but she's one to top some of the worst of them, LOL. The way she starts wailing the second she remembers hahaha~
Can someone explain the results of the DNA evidence?
The person who manipulated evidence in the case of the meth-death (their DNA was on the inside of the glove found at the site) is the biological son of Prosecutor Tak.
Now, since the actual legal son of Prosecutor Tak is adopted, being his wife's son from a previous marriage, it's evident this is another son, not legally recognised. And Mrs Oh is involved in basically all the crimes they're investigating, in one manner or another. So they deducted it must be HER biological son and Prosecutor Tak's.
I think it's Mr Song, the other investigator in Ju TaeSeon's office. It would make sense his father - if he knows about him - would put him in a certain position where he could find out anything about what's concerning Mrs Oh and Mr Tak... And if it's not the father, given how the killer keeps weapons and other keepsakes from the murders - maybe Mr Song is actually doing it by himself just for his own reasons.
It HAS to be Mr. Song. He's too in for all of it, nosing around, trying to ingratiate himself to Lee ChaeHa.
Now Mrs Oh has gone and done it - exposed Ju TaeSeon to Lee ChaeHa, good for her! Now they can air all the grievances and come to a better understanding.
Like, I can't believe how badly the whole Duke Ying sideplot was executed. So, an out-of-the-blue kid comes to…
It's accumulated frustration (because I really, really wanted to like this, and did, in the beginning. But the repetititve near-misses and last-second-saves and the harem-like devotion of basically every male around to the FL got to me.
I know they explained how Prince Lie came to her, I wanted to note how each and every time there's someone suddenly appearing just in time to save the FL from some sudden / random danger while she stays there petrified waiting for it to happen (usually the CP, this time Prince Lie). I wanted her to have (a lot) more agency herself. It's not that hard to learn to move a bit a let the arrows / kidnappers / arsons / b!tchy female villain's horse whip miss. She DID, previously (what with the scene where that noble lady fell in the water). She forgot how, lately.
Anyway. I guess it's to each their own. As I said, I'll try to keep watching - because of the ML, who does a decent job of a pretty one-tone character, but I had hoped for a lot more. And from time to time, there's a scene or two that show what could have been and it's really sad. (For example, that scene where he realizes he exposed his secret side by accident when sending the incense bracelets as a betrothal gift. That scene was so good, it deserved a lot more like it to join it in the drama, LOL.)
And now that I think about it, what's even worse is how they got a whole studded-cast that they're not even using well (they might be not lead-level but they're all experienced and pretty present in most dramas, which is a lot, given the huge competition in Chinese ent. - like, Lester Lin is there but mostly as a comic side-kick, Chen HeYi (his character has disappeared lately), Jeremy Xu has to play another one-tone character, Gala Zhang is... just there. And what they're doing with Ye ZuXin's character is criminal.)
I still blame the writing. I KNOW Meng ZiYi can do a lot better, I've seen her do it. If she - and basically all of them - feel so flat, it might be how their characters are written.
3 
ETA By NF I mean any Western producer, they're all alike in how they handle second seasons. (I shudder for Moving 2).
I guess either fandoms will stop going to war overly for idiotic fun, or maybe they're indeed trying to clear the waters. We'll see.
Also, the "drama is fictional, all resemblance to existing persons and institutions is accidental" is a staple announcement for any drama lately. What did they "win" then?
Imagine if all other institutions or representatives of different professional associations protested when a drama involved them - like the police, doctors, lawyers etc LOL.
https://youtu.be/oTwfou49xao?t=47
Anyway - OMG cultural shock or what?! I would die in a second. But don't they teach some historical details of past ages in school, in Thailand? How come Great is so stumped about it? Once he figured out he's in the past, he should be a bit more direct asking about how things work if he's not certain, instead of just trying to see if modern words still have the same meaning LOL. It's hilarious anyway. Still, be a bit smarter.
And boxing! Now explain how come you know boxing but can't hold a sword, please time-traveller, do explain! :D
Who's the new guy, the second and more precious son?
Before I fell over the side, I was reading all kinds of novels and enjoying them, from originals by people who weren't writers on fictionpress to long-time published authors (from Josh Lanyon, Amy Lane, Mary Calmes, TJ Klune - when he was writing actual MM only - and so on and so forth, to Becca Abbott, KJ Charles, the like.) Rina Kent doesn't tell me anything, sorry :D I guess I can't go back to "normal" now, particularly for long series.
Oh well re: danmei and danmei adaptations - it IS my cup of tea and I'm all in for it :D
Do try Wu, they're good together, it's short (I wanted more...) and while not officially BL, as I've said... plenty of direct clues LOL. There are after-scenes, don't skip them :D
And then they go and move it slighter into Master and Servant territory, what, is the novel kinkier?!
I get where XF's family of country bumpkins come from too, they also had a wrong reading of the situation initially and put all their hopes and dreams into it, like Xiao Fan's relationship would be a safety collar for them too. They don't even stop to consider how their quiet and meek son would fare in that rich family and what pressure they're adding to the mess. The father is ridiculously clinging to the impression that it's a real marriage, and the mother is seemingly seeing whatever she wants to see in it... but the siblings are atrocious.
By now it's clear that Xiao Fan will NOT grow a spine and that's exactly what LuQing wants him for. To me, that's unhealthy as heck, but then... that's their kink and I'm not kink shaming anyone here.
(I bet the younger sister tries or actually steals that phone.)
ETA I browsed through the novel and it's nowhere near as kinky as expected LOL. I don't see how they'll manage to fit the rest of the story in just 6 eps but that's what adaptations do all the time, I trust them to know what they're doing. Also, I take it back, the little rabbit does have a secret courage he's randomly accessing :D
Knot works great IMO. They're touching most of the tropes and the acting is adequate (which is my main point of sorrow concerning Thai BL, it's always a toss if they're going to be good or just phoning it in).
Deep In is GREAT so far. They're doing an amazing job, and this is going to be a good drama in a year chock full of good BL dramas, LOL (this is the richest BL year I've ever known).
Also, if you're in the mood for GOOD story and great music, good acting and deeply in love drama, give a try to A Winter's Sun Wakes the Wind in Spring Hill's Dream. The title is title-gore level, LOL, I guess it's shorter in Chinese or something. But this is shaping up to be one of the GOATs.
Others (already aired and done) - Goddess Bless You From Death has your Pavel, LOL, and TBH I kind of watched it for the horror (they did great SFX :D) more than for the romance; then, the Thai BL Reset (because there's a powerful and caring top to a whimsical and hurt bottom and they're both beautiful); also Thai, you might try Wu (it's not BL, officially, but there are so many BL undercurrents they might as well drop the pretense LOL. Also, it's a good story and nicely filmed). Another Thai BL, a lot more introspective, is Spare Me Your Mercy. It has a story on assisted suicide, so just a warning if you're iffy about the subject.
Aww, are you sure about danmei? These men with their long flowing hair and amazing costumes, yearning for each other and crossing... swords half their lives are worth a look :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzdtZiuwChM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fosOwbkH8xU
And let nobody tell you they're not romantic :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icGyEwDdsYA
ETA The BEST ever switch/reverse yaoi manga is Haru Wo Daiteita and there's none that comes close. And sadly there's nobody like Iwaki-san in drama (yet. I still have hope).
And yes, danmei are very much well-present in English due to licensing and good TLs. Thai BLs mostly get TLed via wattpad and the TLers aren't as experienced usually, so the novels don't look as good as danmei or yaoi for example. (For yaoi, TBH, it's going to be mostly manga, as the light novels I did read... I wouldn't recc' for various reasons - mostly for how dark they get).
To me, KBL novels are still in their early years. Aside from the oversized tops LOL, there's a kind of naive level of speaking (particularly from the bottom's POV) that's a bit off-putting to me. Their manhwa get in line with some of the good yaoi manga, but the novels (The Prosecutor's Proposal included)... not so much, LOL. I did try to read it through, as much of the chapters that were free, but it didn't catch me. Maybe danmei got me jaded LOL.
So yeah, what I've read is mostly (though not completely) danmei (and a lot of yaoi manga). Most of what I've mentioned before are danmei novels (that is, Chinese BL). Wuxia (and xianxia, and costume) mostly means martial-arts (some with some supernatural in xianxia or just simply historical in "costume") world. Like Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (the drama is The Untamed), or Faraway Wanderers (the drama is Word of Honor), or The14th Year of ChengHua (the drama is The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty). I'm mentioning these because they are basically the best-known danmei turned into dramas out there, and they're all wuxia :D
Enemies-to-lovers trope - DEFINITELY Ballad of Sword and Wine. They earnestly try to kill each other and then fall like nobody has ever fallen before. And I LOVE, love the shou (bottom) - he is DEADLY and at the same time, fragile and precious. If you want to set a standard, that one would be it :D
For Thai novels, I did read a few, but the only one that eventually got officially TLed into English is KinnPorsche, which is about gangsters (and there's a drama too), so I am not a fan (of gangsters in general, either).
For KBL, if you want to dive into why I can't really take them completely serious yet. you can try ZIG's Kiss Me Liar and Kiss Me If You Can novels (rough handling, some mental and physical torment, eventually love). There are some manhwa too, I think. And they're ABO 'verse so be warned (ABO is Alpha, Beta and Omega. If you haven't touched the genre yet, there's a cdrama called ABO Desire already released, for research purposes LOL and another ongoing Thai drama called Knot. You should know ABO usually means mpreg too and be prepared LOL).
For a beginner though... I highly recommend the best-known danmei novels. They're known because they're worth it, and most of them got official TLs OR high-quality fan-TLs.
Of which, if you haven't read them already, Ballad of Sword and Wine (Qiang Jin Jiu) and Golden Terrace might be exactly what you want. (Both wuxia danmei). Even How To Survive As a Villain (though you'll have to look up the fan TLs, 'cause the licenser is sure taking their sweet time releasing it in English). Or Copper Coins! Or Remnants of Filth. And for comfort and hurt/healing - Thrice Married to Salted Fish is the best.
Or if you want modern or sci-fi... Rebirth of a Movie Star is a comfort read to me, LOL. Or Sa Ye. Or Professional Body Double (the Thai drama version of the cnovel is My Stand-In). Or Silent Witness (the cdrama version is Justice in the Dark).
I've read less of kBL novels, so I can't tell you much (mostly because the sex scenes are hilarious LOL. A lot in line with their BL manhwa :D where everybody's donkey sized and the bottoms are strictly bottoms, never to reverse. As in, EVER.)
The best character was the King - he could have stopped everything though and went "nah, more secrets is always good".
I wish there was some conclusion as to what the chain and promise to the Gwi Mae meant, I hope it's not a coda left to hook a second season. (Bet they're going to try anyway).
PS the little ggeokmeoksali (sp) is a no for me, sorry. I mean, he went into hysterics the first time he saw it, and by the end it's a house pet to him?! Like, what the heck. Keep monsters being monsters.
Anyway, give Kwak DongYeon more roles and make him lead already, he has the poise to carry it.
Lang Di, a little confused: Is your sister a bit abnormal? :D
I was ROFLMAO at that point. I mean, he HAS to have had crazy shippers before, but she's one to top some of the worst of them, LOL. The way she starts wailing the second she remembers hahaha~
Now, since the actual legal son of Prosecutor Tak is adopted, being his wife's son from a previous marriage, it's evident this is another son, not legally recognised. And Mrs Oh is involved in basically all the crimes they're investigating, in one manner or another. So they deducted it must be HER biological son and Prosecutor Tak's.
I think it's Mr Song, the other investigator in Ju TaeSeon's office. It would make sense his father - if he knows about him - would put him in a certain position where he could find out anything about what's concerning Mrs Oh and Mr Tak... And if it's not the father, given how the killer keeps weapons and other keepsakes from the murders - maybe Mr Song is actually doing it by himself just for his own reasons.
Now Mrs Oh has gone and done it - exposed Ju TaeSeon to Lee ChaeHa, good for her! Now they can air all the grievances and come to a better understanding.
Also, JTS fell so hard LOL.
Yummy Yummy Yummy - the family that cooks together (and stuff) stays together.
There are plenty of nice family costume dramas. But there are so many cdramas you just have to get lucky finding them :D
I know they explained how Prince Lie came to her, I wanted to note how each and every time there's someone suddenly appearing just in time to save the FL from some sudden / random danger while she stays there petrified waiting for it to happen (usually the CP, this time Prince Lie). I wanted her to have (a lot) more agency herself. It's not that hard to learn to move a bit a let the arrows / kidnappers / arsons / b!tchy female villain's horse whip miss. She DID, previously (what with the scene where that noble lady fell in the water). She forgot how, lately.
Anyway. I guess it's to each their own. As I said, I'll try to keep watching - because of the ML, who does a decent job of a pretty one-tone character, but I had hoped for a lot more. And from time to time, there's a scene or two that show what could have been and it's really sad. (For example, that scene where he realizes he exposed his secret side by accident when sending the incense bracelets as a betrothal gift. That scene was so good, it deserved a lot more like it to join it in the drama, LOL.)
And now that I think about it, what's even worse is how they got a whole studded-cast that they're not even using well (they might be not lead-level but they're all experienced and pretty present in most dramas, which is a lot, given the huge competition in Chinese ent. - like, Lester Lin is there but mostly as a comic side-kick, Chen HeYi (his character has disappeared lately), Jeremy Xu has to play another one-tone character, Gala Zhang is... just there. And what they're doing with Ye ZuXin's character is criminal.)
I still blame the writing. I KNOW Meng ZiYi can do a lot better, I've seen her do it. If she - and basically all of them - feel so flat, it might be how their characters are written.