Jessica Brown

Also I see where you're going with the definition you used of BL. I don't think anyone has made an adept definition yet. It's a little more than seme meets uke because not all BLs have super defined ukes and semes, and the flirting and steps to becoming boyfriends is not always aggressive or even treated as a competition. There is some blur between BL and gay-themed. I say the recent BKPP is a good example, and BL has room for stories just how like straight romances do.

There are shows where women go after men just like a uke can go after semes (i think of In and Korn from UWMA), and especially, I think there's the possibility for BL to soon represent more effeminate men than heteronormative acting men. That includes two effeminate men in a relationship also, and that wouldn't fit the defined stereotypes of uke and seme.. I mean, the stereotypes can be stretched to say which ever one is slightly more dominant.. Hahahah. It gets tricky.

I just think BL has lots of room to grow, and the definition.. ehh, is not so simple.. But generally once a show edges away from heavy romance components and lots of touchy-feely, steamy like scenes and tensions, it probably is less BL. Something about BL makes you want to scream, throw your phone, dance around... I think that is the essence of BL. It makes you feel like a school girl, but I have been a school girl throughout my whole career (of life), so I don't know what it feels like to be something else.. Hahahahhah. Maybe saying anything that is "mature" (in theme and possibly ages of the characters) is not BL is the most accurate. Something about the BL element of any show is amateur in the way that it's not very complex. It's romance for goodness sake!

I mean, BL stems from yaoi and Japan which is all originally by women for women. Most series are adapted from novels which again are still pretty much all written by women. It only makes sense that there is some fetishisation and generalizations and etc. It also makes sense that women may still like these shows more.

I have said it many times, but some years ago there were very little men in the BL and yaoi fandom. The world has had to adapt a lot since there are so many new fans and voices in the fandom. Years ago I would never be talking to so many men in comment sections.

I as the woman I am want there to be new types of series and want there to be less ridiculous generalizations, but I still love all the trashy stuff coming out of Thailand and probably have a much higher tolerance for problematic storylines than most gay men do. And power to all y'all. I will keep liking what I like, and I am sure the future is very bright for stories whose main genre isn't romance. It is good though so we can have regular shows about crime or law or doctors or whatever and the small romance part of the show is between two men. It brings representation while creating shows that don't necessarily target demographics by gender or sexuality. Equality for all, yeah?

But I am pretty sure BL will never die and I don't want it to either!!!! The genre of romance will never die, romance stories will never be realistic, and I love it that way.

I am not as bored with this series as others. I think it is fine as it is, but it is true episode 13 had lots of content without much shock/surprise value. Many scenes were repeated. They probably thought that it was better than it actually was while editing. Like trying to make it a shocking reveal.

Of course it'd be nice to keep seeing BL diversify. Soon they will not even be able to be called BL. But you could call this soft-selling, sure.

They don't end up together because there is no real love between them. In my opinion the ending is happy meaning I like the ending. But it is "sad" if you wanted them together. I don't know why you would want them together though, and you will see why if you watch. The genre is closer to psychological than romance.

I agree with you. This show is not really for awareness. It is more geared towards entertainment. Shows like this where rich powerful people are involved in bad things is not new.. If the show was actually about spreading awareness, it wouldn't be so dramatized!

To the OP, jpny01 is not saying the show is bad. It's just that the goal of this show is not fixing the world or some righteous goal. It has nothing to do with the quality of the show.

Also didn't know you were so rich jpny01.. Lol.

I think it does matter that she's a female. The fact she's a female made everything she did worse. The world is already bad enough, and now women are even helping other women get raped and sexually abused.

Also.. has this comment section given up on marking comments spoiler? That is why I have not hung out here the whole season run.

spoiler..

I said it a couple of episodes ago that Rungtiva might have killed her sister. Well, now we know the truth. Rungtiva is not a woman. She is the opposite of a woman. Women are supposed to protect each other. Sell your body all you want Rungtiva, but forcing your sister to do the same and killing her when she threatens to expose your crimes can never be forgiven. A REAL WOMAN would have starved before she ever did that to her own sister.

I can't afford to living anywhere else but the dorms BUT nothing beats living on campus!!! I wouldn't give it up if I could, but I would like my own room.. Lol.

Honestly. I wouldn't watch this if they kept the same actors because I don't care too much for 2moons2. Now they are switching them AGAIN, I will just watch to be a part of the drama.... hahahhahah.

I love Gunsmile. I have loved Gunsmile ever since I saw him in Lovesick, and my love for him was resolidified when I saw him in Sotus. Now every time I see him, it is a joy. BUT if you look at his roles, he has never had a main role!

His supporting characters are always very memorable and very well played. However, I don't get why GMM (because he's always been with them) has never found a main role that would suit him. He has proven that he can play a soft character in Lovesick, a fierce character in Sotus, a funny character in He's Coming To Me (not like he wasn't funny in other ones as well), and a complex character in 3WillBeFree.. So I really don't understand why won't GMM put him in a main role.

He has everything that one would need to be a leading actor. He has lots of fans, and many people love him. It's obvious that he has the talent. Does he just not want to be in a main role, or does GMM feel he is not like the typical main actor? Is it because of his looks or something? He is not a Bright or Win, but he is special and loved in his own way. I really don't get it. To me he is super handsome...

Gunsmile is seriously so fundamental to GMMTV. He lights up scenes, has had memorable roles in many of GMM's greatest successes, and he even sings an OST of Lovesick.. That song is really so iconic and nostalgic. LOOK AT ALL GUNSMILE HAS GIVEN YOU! He has given you his talent and his smile, and that is already everything.

I'm worried that this series has a sad ending and something really bad happens with Tian's heart. All that crying stuff in the trailer about counting a thousand stars.... I really do love Tian and Phupha together. Do not leave me drowning in sorrow!!!

I am just happy to see Earth in BL period, and Mix is seriously such a talented actor. I don't know where GMM found him. He is doing so incredible on his first project. He doesn't feel like a new face at all. He is nailing his role like a true leading actor. His character is my favorite as well!! Tian is so cute and half the time acts like a 3 year old. I love it and want the best for him.

Yeah. It is only my interpretation. I'm not sure myself.

When she said that, I was not sure if she meant he always took other people there or just meant that's where he went. If he seriously takes all his co-stars there, girl needs to divorce him!!! My God.

I enjoy the relationship between the two so much, but he surely sucks.

I actually thought the opposite of you. I thought Jae Ha loved Youngwoo but not the other way around. For me it was that flashback Jae Ha had during the play. When they kissed for the first time in the theater, Youngwoo greeted Jae Ha with his lines and then Jae Ha couldn't finish his lines and instead kissed Youngwoo. I thought in that moment, Jae Ha realized that Youngwoo beat Jae Ha at his own game, method acting.

Think about it, Youngwoo read Jae Ha's book and became enamored by Jae Ha's talent and method. He then started copying Jae Ha's method.

Jae Ha had a hard time being with Youngwoo. It showed him running to attempt to resolve his feelings. He didn't feel the same towards his wife. This shows a genuine emotional struggle. To be fair, we haven't seen how Jae Ha was with his other roles, so there's no way to compare if he was more emotionally attached to this one or not meaning his feelings were genuine. In my opinion, I think his wife is trying to convince herself that it's just Jae Ha's method acting when really he had a moment of infidelity.

To continue examining Youngwoo, do you think someone who loved someone would do all that stuff and convince Jae Ha that he killed his wife..? Youngwoo has no reason to do that! I think Youngwoo was faking killing Jae Ha's wife and faking falling in love with Jae Ha all to feel like he was his character Singer. He wanted to get the rise out of Jae Ha so he could feel as if he was really Singer.

The part where Singer goes, "I am not gay, I just like you." Maybe it is a horrible cliche line stolen from BLs.. ORRRRR. Singer has no interest in men at all and was only again trying to get a rise out of Jae Ha.. Hahahahah.

I shoot the thanks right back at ya!

That was freaking awesome. Youngwoo got him. That'll teach that man to never cheat again! Cheaters go to hell. Hahahah.

The kiss scene between Youngwoo and Jae Ha is so amazingly sensual. I didn't know SK put out such racy scenes with two men..

My favorite part about this movie is how we all acknowledge this relationship is WRONG! The movie in no way justifies this man cheating on his wife, and I love it. I thought I liked the fact that Youngwoo killed his wife. It's a shame she would have died, but he would have taught Jae Ha a lesson! Then when I figured out Youngwoo tricked Jae Ha, it was even better!!!! Hahahah. Cherish your wife or separate from her. Choose one.

This is so well written. I couldn't stop watching the last 15-20 minutes. So encaptivating.

I am so glad we're able to have such a civilized coversation! MDL is way better than the YouTube comment section.

I do love those happy endings, but there are plenty of Chinese and Japanese movies that are completely messed up that are good as well. I should probably just be a little kinder to the PH..

Thailand does have so much work to do with elements of homophobia and misogyny. And it's gotten to the point where I heard someone differentiate between 2gether and other Thai series. Saying 2gether is different because it has higher production value and more attention paid to the stories. They said more people need to copy what they did for 2gether.. hahah. That was so laughable. 2gether is the basic formula with Tine crushing on a girl and them both being "straight" males. Thailand does need to lighten up some.

And saying PH's culture is similar to the US is interesting to me. I guess you are right. The feeling between American stuff and Filipino stuff doesn't have so big of a vibe difference than the Phillipines and other Asian countries. The Phillipines is just the odd-ball out.

Yeah. We all have our preferences. I don't think anyone was making it a competition though. It is more like an open-discussion of comparisons.

And taking the word competition in more of an economic or creative sense, all BL shows are competing for similar audiences. They are all actually competing for views and money, so I just think it's natural that we sit down and compare them sometimes. We can be Team Thailand or Team Philippines or Team Taiwan, etc without thinking we are better than others or thinking other people suck or something like that. We just have to accept everyone and everything is different and that's okay.

And after this, this comment is very, very long. So I am putting spoiler on it because if not, it will take up the whole page. I will not be offended if you don't read it! I just enjoy articulating my thoughts and would like it if someone else read this and had something to add.

I have heard many times that Filipino BL tends to be more realistic and LGBTQ+ from many people. I may have heard you also say it on a different thread. I find that all country's have different vibes. I am confused to how much of it is the actual similarities between one country's production to another production in that same country and how much of it is my preconceived stereotypes and perceptions. Although, we all have a specific feeling when we think of a person, a food, a type of exercise, a sport, and that goes for a country as well. It is just because a country has so many more elements in it than say a piece of chocolate cake or the sport of running does, and that makes me reflect on why do some people (including myself) love some countries so much more than others.

There are more superficial reasons like you just like the way the language sounds. It can be like that. You just enjoy them speaking or maybe you have some prejudice towards people who look a certain way and think people of whatever country are more attractive. But some reasons, like the vibe I get when I watch Thai vs Filipino productions, it is very hard to say how much of what I feel is real! I am not sure myself.

I watched lots of the first PH BLs and was so excited for them. Most of them were all those quarantine ones. I really didn't like this concept and got tired of it, so maybe that ruined my thoughts towards the Philippines. Also, what you say about fairy-tale, fake productions like Thailand, yeah. I totally like that about Thailand, and I do get annoyed with engineers and pink milk sometimes, but I will honestly never get tired of it. I will watch engineers and pink milk till I die. I also love the more different stuff like Manner of Death though.

I did watch the PH production My Day that did not have many elements of the pandemic at all. However, something is still off for me. That is why I think I am truly biased because the PH could do anything, and I'd be like... ehh. I started trying to watch Gaya Sa Pelikula since yesterday, and I just confirm the vibe PH productions gives me again! I think the thing that bugs me the most is the fact they speak English, honestly. This sounds dumb to many people, but I hate hearing English while watching BL. I think that is what ruins the vibe for me. Whenever they switch to Tagalog, I feel a since of relief, and whenever they speak English I feel on edge...

Okay, I just figured out why I don't like PH BL through myself talking. I do want to get over my bias and prejudice. That is why I have tried to take up many PH shows in the hope that one will lift me off my feet and I will just love it, but I always end up dropping them because of the English. Them switching back and forth gives me anxiety and so a show would have to be very good to overpower that feeling. If I go into why I feel that way about my native language English and the only language I speak fluently.. Mmmm. I love my country (USA) and my language, but growing up I was into anime then Kpop and Kdrama and now this, that I feel listening to another language that's not mine gives me an escape, and I associate another language to an escape from my reality. The minute they start speaking English, I want to jump out the window (in the most figurative way).

For the same reason, it took me a long time to start watching Korean BLs because I actually studied a lot of Korean, so hearing Korean just felt wrong, and I am still biased towards South Korean BLs as well, but it is a lot less since I understand Korean not as well as English... Who would've thought that is the reason...

Yeah. He is overly handsome. Hope My Ride starts soon...