TianQi

I find myself going on this rant here a lot, but I don't care. I live in China and it's enough that the government censors and purports falsehoods and inaccuracies, but I'm not about to let foreigners on the 'free' internet do it too. All LGBT entertainment was banned from ONE platform: Weibo and after public backlash (that is: the Chinese majority who believes discrimination against the LGBT community is fundamentally wrong) the ban was lifted. The bit about all people connected w/ LGBT entertainment not being able to work in China is flat out wrong. Timmy Xu (Bai Luo Yin) from Heroin/Addicted (the most famous Chinese BL, if not the most famous BL, period) still enjoys a singing and acting career in and out of China. Huang Jingyu (Gu Hai) from Heroin/Addicted is currently **starring** in a tv series right now.

Chinese laws are strong and coarse on paper (sometimes), but rarely play out in society as strictly as western news media portray them. Also important to note: Chinese society, in general isn't anti-LGBT. Taiwan, like Hong Kong, is democratic and not directly controlled by Beijing, but unlike Hong Kong, it was never colonized by western countries and never came under as strong of a western influence at its core. If anything, more traditional Chinese culture is retained in Taiwan than in the mainland to many extents. Yet it was Taiwan that led the way for equal marriage in Asia and is a very tolerant society of ethnically *Chinese* people who've been separated from the mainland for less than a century. I'm really annoyed with the way China's painted by people who've clearly never been here.

Chinese dramas usually drag, but this one just doesn't. There's always some anticipation, goals accomplished, new problems arising etc. I've read other comments that say this series lasted too long, but if you're familiar with any other sort of palace/fantasy Chinese dramas, you wouldn't think this one drags.

Oh those types of marriages are EXTREMELY common nowadays. I think for most of those couples, they don't plan on staying in China. So, once they move to more accepting countries like the UK, US or just anywhere their parents can't get to them, it'll be easier for them to explain to the child and the child would maybe be more understanding of their circumstance.

I think the producers could potentially film in those other places, but it would be much more expensive and it's not like BL movies get a lot of funding to begin with. :/

It's talking to you. I like being able to share firsthand about things in China. :)

Even if mainland production companies did want make movies in Taiwan, it would be really difficult as most mainlanders aren't allowed to go there unless they have a very specific visa..and it usually requires them to be with a registered tour group and they can't stay for much longer than a week at a time.

Having to hide in the shadows is definitely no way to live, but it's a reality for us here. As a gay guy myself, I feel it. However, for the most part, gay people are out to their friends and classmates. Parents and co-workers are the ones that tend to be left in the dark.

About the lead actors from Addicted, they were banned from being on television together, not being seen in public together.

This thread was a good read. ^_^ I just wanted to add: Chinese society gets a terrible rap because of the (reported) actions of the Communist Party. Very many people -hear- things reported about China by western news sources, but so few actually come here (to China) and experience it for themselves.

Firstly, LGBT characters, movies, and tv shows are not completely banned. Each one gets reviewed on a case by case basis and it's usually after the fact that the government pulls in the reigns. This is because the Party always seeks to -deter- "deviant" behaviour that gets too popular (a la Like Love, Addicted and Advance Bravely), not forbid it. Lu Zhuo from 'Love Is More Than A Word' and 'Till Death Tear Us Apart' appeared on national television on a talent show in full drag and went on to play a transgender character in the show 'Untouchable Lovers' which aired on primetime television this year. Also, the movie 'Swinging Blossoms' is a BL with romance and sex that wasn't banned. Granted, it also didn't have a 'happily ever after ending', but it can't be said that that was necessarily due to government intervention...and the ending wasn't horrible. You guys should check it out.

I'm not saying that the government is tolerant, because it's not, but it certainly isn't as anti-LGBT as it is: anti-American imperialism, anti-Japan, and anti-religion. LGBT people here live in social niches like everyone else and try not to ruffle any feathers. People aren't getting the shit kicked out of them here because they're gay and, in spite of not having a gay pride parade, there are gay clubs, bars and meeting spaces ALL over the country. Blued, a gay hookup app, isn't banned nor is Grindr or several others...while Facebook and YouTube are (LOL).

As for the hip-hop thing: that was the direct result of two things 1) the sharp rise in popularity of hip-hop; non-Chinese things that become immensely popular in China are always subject to government reduction no matter what it is. 2) A Chinese rapper who made it on the tv show "China has freestyle" (a famous hip-hop talent show) got criticised for making lewd remarks about women in his songs; to which he responded: "Well, I get it from black people's culture because that's where hip-hop comes from." to which Chinese people responded on social media with, "BULLSH*T!" then it sparked a huge debate and so the government banned cut his music from major music share apps and reduced the amount of hip-hop seen on mainstream tv. This is not to say you won't hear hip-hop on the radio, nor that famous foreign rappers aren't allowed to come to China to perform, nor that you can't have a rap battle with your friend in front of Tiananmen Square if you wanted. lol

Lastly, consider this: the demographics of Taiwan are the same as the mainland, over 95% Han Chinese, most of whom moved there post revolution and still have family whom they communicate with on the mainland. Even in spite of the regime on the mainland, mainland people are generally as open-minded and tolerant as Taiwanese people are. Please, please, please don't let Emperor Xi and his red posse taint your perception of the people of China. <3

This is one of the funniest comments on a drama I've ever seen. hahaha

When did it start to drag for you? I put off watching this one for so long because I wasn't sure if I was ready for 63 episodes of potential dragging, but I'm at ep 21 and it's been doing ok so far. Usually, Chinese dramas lull around this time.

She does! hahaha And it's not even *that* good of a color on her.

Most Taiwanese are Taoists and Buddhists, so the tolerance level is really high there as well in addition to being a democratic country. Actually, culturally speaking, Chinese people have always historically been pretty tolerant of LGBT people..even some emperors were gay.

I think Taiwan is a good example of what mainland China would be if it weren't for the government. Chinese people are very tolerant, the government is not.

I almost don't like to compare them because I liked them equally for different things. This story fits the "BL" genre more. Right or Wrong was good as just a gay movie, in general. The story was definitely unique.

Yeah, it's one of the few gay, but not BL Thai movies out there and it was great. Totally underrated.

Hmm I see what you're saying. I wonder: what country do you live in? You said you don't know anyone who's ever been in a homosexual relationship who isn't bisexual. That strikes me as really odd. I grew up in the U.S., but live in China now. Most all gay people I know are turned off at the thought of dating a bisexual person and all the bisexual people I do know usually have heterosexual relationships.

About the brothers, what I think the show was trying to imply is that the two of them always had the hots for each other...like even growing up. It's just that neither of them had the guts to say anything about it..for obvious reasons. However, it gets to a point where the closeness of their relationship (friendship/love/bond) is being interrupted by someone else for the first time...which is kinda plausible seeing as how most people more or less start dating in high school anyway. I think it was all the more easier for them to be all lovey dovey in the end precisely because they were brothers and have already shared most of their lives together anyway (they're practically married...in a way lol). I'm still totally of the opinion that their storyline was completely unnecessary/needed a LOT more development though.

"Make It Right" and "2 Moons" are *total* fantasies. Sometimes while I was watching MIR, I became unsure what audience/age range the show was actually made for. In one scene, there's raw, hardcore sex, then in the next they're making obnoxious fart jokes. For "2 Moons", the notion that the most popular AND best-looking guys in the school are ALL gay AND dating each other AND nobody has a problem with it is completely farfetched, but I'll be damned if I didn't love "2 Moons". lol Those two shows would make beautiful mangas and anime, but when played out with real actors, it doesn't sell.

Lastly, the BL genre in Asia (nowadays) is the combination of shounen-ai and yaoi concepts. This means that they are centred around idealism and fantasy narratives. The "top" is always taller and slightly more masculine than the more sensitive "bottom". These types of themes along with ALL the characters being gay in the show are central to the BL genre. Another, and probably, the most major point is that virtually all of these BL's are written by women...heterosexual women. Heterosexual women don't know what it's like being a man or being gay and that's not what it's about. It's about what straight girls fantasise two gorgeous guys being together is like. This is the #1 reason why straight actors are always cast for these parts...so that the girls can have their cute fantasies when they watch the show, but they can still have hopes in their hearts that if they meet the actor in person some day, they can fall in love. haha These shows aren't being made for gay audiences, they're being made totally for straight girls. And I can say: a gay guy, I'm the only one of my gay male friends who even remotely likes BL. My gay guy friends don't get how I can watch them, but I'm a hopeless romantic so whatever.

Of the major countries that make gay-themed movies in Asia (China/Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Thailand), Korea actually produces the most successful just gay (not BL, actually made by gay men) movies...which comes as a surprise to a lot of people, evidently. 'A Frozen Flower', 'Night Flight', 'The Depths', 'One Summer Night' are all good examples. The only just regular gay Thai movies/series I recall are 'The Blue Hour' (with Gun from Puppy Honey), 'Gay OK Bangkok', 'Bangkok G Story' and Father and Son'...all of which are very good.

I agree. He was by the far the most entertaining to watch.

Adam Uni is truly MY HERO for having added the English subs so quickly.

I agree with you about the second couple. They could have left them out and story would have gone on just as well. They were clearly just put there for eye candy imo. haha However, I have a couple questions for you: Why difference does it make if the characters are gay, bisexual, or only-gay-for-you? Since none of them engage in any heterosexual relationships throughout the series, how is this relevant? Why is people realizing that they are gay is irritating to you? Why do you take issue with the fact that there are no straight couples if the HIStory series is supposed to focus on homosexual love? I feel like having a straight couple would have been almost as pointless has having the second couple was. I say "almost" because at least the second couple were gay. lol

Maybe I'm reading your comments the wrong way because I know you liked the series, but some things just seemed a little 'off' to me. haha Hope you don't take offence.

The other parts of the HIStory/HIStory2 series (if you haven't already).

Right Or Wrong had the most interesting story, but I think the acting was better in this series.

This was a great series. The whole cast really did their best. I think I appreciated how genuine each of the characters come off more than anything. The music throughout the show also stood out to me, which isn't normal. It really fit with all the scenes. The leads have great chemistry (and that chemistry truly culminates in the final episode). As everyone else as said, it sucks that it's so short, but it doesn't feel like I've been let down. I definitely want more, but everything that was delivered in these eight 20 minute episodes was just good.

I highly encourage people to watch the BTS. The actors are ADORABLE together.

For the most part, I liked this. Acting (especially from the lead both as an old and young man), cinematography and the music were very nice. However, I REALLY hate when plots make the main characters experience a type of hardship, experience something good and overcome that hardship only to end the story with the main character wallowing in the EXACT SAME HARDSHIP. It renders the story somewhat pointless...but meh, I guess I liked it in the end.

Yeah, they took down really quick...dunno why though. Also, this film has been HEAVILY edited (at least the version I saw). In the BTS, you see Huang Li Ge in full costume along with the rest of the cast, but in the movie, he's nowhere to be found. Also, I was expecting Lu Zhou to be like intersex or something, but the movie also didn't touch on that. Honestly, the movie, in spite of the beautiful scenery and costumes wasn't really that good...and there was no trace of BL.