I've made my fanfiction debut! <3
LOL2024 was such an inspiration to me. I love all the couples, I love pirates and the concept, the performances they showed us... So I started planning this story just for fun and then...it wasn't just for fun anymore. It turned into an actual fanfiction (in progress)!
A few short facts:
Pirate AU (obviously)
Every one of the 9 LOL2024 pairs will get their own love story
The stories will cross over at different points
We're starting off with ForceBook, because apparently that was easiest for me - Their story features sass and unresolved feelings :D
There will be mermaids, kidnappings, fights, gods, timetravel, treasuers, Peter Pan inspiration and hot nights ;)
Other GMMTV actors will appear as guests
1 chapter each week (I'll try, I hope I can keep it up!!)
If this sounds like something for you, I'd love if you check it out <3
Like mentioned in the description, this is my first story in English and I am not a native speaker, so sorry if there are any things I keep mistaking or use wrong. <3
It can be read on AO3 or on Wattpad! :)
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
First, let me say that it is hilarious how last week some of the same people complaining about the hickey scene WANTED Arthit to BITE Dao while he was sleeping…..
But I digress. Was the scene a bit too long for my taste? Yeah?
But it’s also important for their dynamic. It’s the first real “no” Daotok gives and it sets a firm boundary that Arthit never crosses again.
I don’t mean to minimize anyone’s response or reaction to the scene. Everyone has different reactions and opinions to media.
But the outrage is a bit performative at this point in my opinion. Things like that happen in relationships, it doesn’t make it right, but the real test is how both parties move from it.
The show demonstrates healthy communication. Dao set a boundary - Arthit apologized, checked in, gave space, and then they adjusted.
That’s how healthy relationships work.
When I first saw the outrage before watching the episode, I thought it was going to be something truly horrific. And I do understand that a large portion of viewers simply don’t have the lived experience to help them understand things like this. I do get that.
Anecdotally, the show has largely removed all the questionable consent stuff. Jo, Tonfah, and Arthit all do far more questionable things in the books. It’s a good change in my opinion.
It was interesting to go on Reddit (yes, always a mistake, and yet I keep doing it) and see a whole thread of people bemoaning the scene, and saying it gives the wrong message about consent, because to me, it comes across as such a misread of the scene.
Arthit is an incredibly impulsive character - he has been through the entire series (the man eats food he finds on the bathroom floor) - and frankly, bulldozes into his "courtship" with Dao with absolutely zero care for Dao's stated wishes. We're able to feel cutesy about a lot of it because we know it's a romance, we know Dao likes him back, and Ngern is very hot.
And in the book this seems to be par for the course, and played as fully romantic, but for the series the decision was made to accurately convey that Arthit having no control over his impulsiveness is going to be a problem for a healthy relationship. We get to see that when Dao is genuinely upset he will put up that boundary hard, and that Arthit immediately reacts, responds with genuine contrition, and refocuses on what Dao needs, not himself. He's showing he's really taking this seriously, and that in turn leads to Dao actually feeling safer with him.
Yes, it felt uncomfortable in the moment, no, you don't have to like or agree with it, but there was intention behind it. Arthit's lack of consent wasn't being romanticized, the way he listened to his partner and corrected his behavior was.
I’ve been lapping up Fourever You Part 2 likes warm soup on a cold dreary day, and one of the things it’s got me thinking about is how much I need to continue to resist an auteur theory approach to discussing BL. It’s so easy to blame or celebrate the big names for what they brought to the industry. But this has never been a solo project.
New Siwaj directed the first entry in the Fourever You project, and the company he founded, Wabi Sabi, produced it, but Fourever You Beside the Sky, as @doublel27 reminded me, is directed by one of his protégés, Natthanon Kheeddee. When I looked up Natthanon’s credits, I noticed he worked on editing or cinematography for almost all the New Siwaj series that stunned me with the choices in their color-grading, creating a vivid and unique atmosphere within the throngs of BL series: Between Us, We Are, Fourever You, and Revamp. (He also worked on P10Liners, which was less bold with its coloring but still looked sharp).These were also some of the series that fine-tuned the sound effects into something a bit more harmonious with the soundtrack and tightened the editing to more steady, musical rhythms. I was only surprised his name wasn’t listed under the other visual break-through for P’New, My Only 12%.
You see, New Siwaj doesn’t work alone. He doesn’t even just work at one company. Since the start he’s collaborated with different companies, codirectors, writers, and teams of people working to make one of the many series he’s directed happen. There are certainly patterns and interests you can see across New’s work, but to identify every single element as his own is using a view of film and television-making that doesn’t apply to any series in BL.
Auteur theory, developed by Francois Truffaut, imagined the director as the author/god of the film-making process who held total control and final say over every element. There have been few true auteurs in cinema (Kurosawa, Orson Welles, Ozu, Truffaut, Tarantino) and even fewer in TV with its smaller budget, tighter production schedules, writers rooms, and oversight by commercial interests. BLs have had plenty of unique styles and artistic merit and even visionaries, but none of them have acted in an auteur manner. They are all deeply indebted to commercial interest and depend upon the collaborative efforts of their teams.
Aof Noppharnach is someone whose name gets thrown around as an auteur. His works certainly have a distinct style, but how thorough is that style and in what elements does it show through. Aof Noppharnach is my favorite writer in BL. His lyrical realism with a deeply existential bent gets me OFF!!! The pacing of his plots are perfection, and his opening sequences sweep me into new worlds every time. He gets incredible performances (out of the 15 actors he’s willing to cast), but is that casting or coaching? Is writing all there is to a series? Couldn’t we credit some of his most visually stunning sequences in Moonlight Chicken, not to P’Aof, but to the incredible cinematographer Rath, who’s fluid neon-lit style has become a touchstone for the Aof-Jojo-Ninew corner of gmmtv. Shouldn’t we consider the fact that Aof had the future director of KinnPorsche and My Stand-In working as his assistant director for a large portion of his directing career? Or that he’s had production support from P’X since he entered the industry on the Bang Channel? And even his writing, which I adore, often comes about from a writing team rather than him alone!
You could play these kinds of six-degrees of separation games with any director in the industry. These are productions as complicated as any cathedral or temple they’re building for us on tv. It takes many minds and many hands to bring them to life.
I love when someone like Natthanon comes along out of the previous credits we paid less attention to so we can suddenly take notice of all the ways they might’ve been contributing before. Fourever You Part 2 is visually stunning, sunk in its deep sad sky blue, with some of my favorite sound-editing choices submerging the slapstick world of typical Wabi Sabi BLs within a hushed melancholy. The actors, too, understand the fragile realm that’s been rendered, vulnerable, trembling, like water droplets clinging to a window about to fall. The power of his direction here, similarly supported by others as he once provided to P’New, suggests the strengths he’s been offering when he was helping with the sails instead of the helm. As Phoon’s story shows, it takes many kind and helpful hands to lift someone’s artistic dreams into reality.
Today, I had a dream about Great. I went to some event and it turned out to be his fanmeeting, too? And then he chose one person to do a "game" with and of course it was me (it's my dream, okay? 😂) He then made me stand on something like a super high swing, which would pull me up into the sky and have me fly around in a big circle. He gave me a microphone, which would make it possible to talk to him and the audience - just that I was WAY too scared. I really was scared. I could hardly listen to anything he said (I don't think I had speakers on the swing...) and then they let me down again and I told him I couldn't do it, so he adjusted the height and then sent me up again. This time it was really low and so low that I was scared of hitting buildings and statues. I really had a hard time swinging at all. So when the circle finished randomly at some different place I didn't question it and got down happily. But there was no Great and some fans told me to walk into a certain direction. I did and ended up at a park, where half of the fanmeet was waiting with a picnic for me. And I was really moved to tears and so happy that Great thought of doing something like that. I really tried not to cry in that dream and Great was all smiley and nice and told me to sit and eat with him and the other fans. It was such a beautiful place, too. Like all the trees in the park were blooming as if it were cherry blossom season, but the light made it all seem pastel-orange-pink-y and the blankets were nice and the food looked good. It was just warm and comfy.
I am not sure where this even comes from (I mean, I get the swing. That's part of an re-occurring dream/nightmare. I am scared of falling/heights but sometimes my dream makes me semi-fly or swing in big heights like that, which aren't as scary in my dream but still make me really uncomfortable) but I think it was because I recently thought about how my Hubby probably won't give me anything for Valentine's day again this year, which is totally okay because I usually don't care about Valentine's. I don't need anything, tbh. But I somehow wish he'd give me something tiny because he just wants to, without me telling him, but how is he supposed to know I want something this year? 😂
Anyway, I had a nice early Valentine's day in my dream thanks to Great. I am happy. 😂
I absolutely love ForceBook and I love Melody of Secrets so far, but I'm 100% sure this is a show I should binge and not watch one episode weekly. 🙈 I am getting used to where we left off last week and as soon as I'm immersed in the mystery again and think I can think along, the episode is done 🥲
But then again, Dare you to Death isn't doing better with me despite being JoongDunk? I love JoongDunk a lot (my BL friends will agree lol) but something isn't clicking with me for this one? I actually blame that it's not on Youtube for me. I can't just sit down and watch it comfortably. I either have to watch it on my phone or turn on the computer, because on my TV it doesn't show me the series on Netflix and I'm too lazy after work. :/ I'll watch it tomorrow... That being said, I love Dunk's styling in this show. He looks really good! I wish I was a bit more hyped for it. I guess I'm too much of a fluffy, soft love-story girl and maybe I'm just not used to some actual, proper storyline. 😂
I'm so fan life-stressed, because after flying out with friends to Korea - COINCIDENTALLY FOR MY ULT BIAS' BIRTHDAY - I'll come back directly for the LYKN concert (IF I can make it. It's looking bad atm but I'll see what I can do) and then Bao is also coming to the UK in April, which might be impossible for me which is already bad enough. I didn't need JIB threatening me with TWO more couples for May 🥲
And I am very lucky that I am no longer on the ZNN train and am semi-ok missing out on PondPhuwin and JoongDunk this time, because I really don't have any more holidays this year. Everything is planned and done. Can my favorite GMMTV couples please wait until 2027 before coming to Europe (again)? Thanks. 🥲 Because I promise you, I won't miss Winny in Europe. If he's here, I'm going. Even if I have to invent a teleporting machine to make it work. I don't care, I want my picture with Winny! 🥲
(And Satang. I'm so sorry I'm so biased. I'm looking forward to seeing Satang, too! And our picture will be a really cute trio one. 💕 But maybe in 2027. Not 2026. 😂)
JIB getting their asses handed by BL fans was not on my bingo list for 2025. I predict they'll stick to GMTMV couples from now on... 🙈
But also, I am thinking of doing a storytime of my fanmeets. I went to every single one so far, this one with AouBoom is the first I had to skip (financial reasons), I'm not a super big fan of DaouOffroad so skipping that one too and I'm waiting for a second couple to join PondPhuwin or I might skip that one as well.
But all the fanmeets before had some good and bad stuff. I always knew the bad stuff to me wasn't bad enough go NOT come back if they have someone I like - but that only stands as long as I can afford the tickets.
Anyway, if anybody wants a storytime about any of the fanmeets, let me know. If not I'll take my sweet time writing it down when I feel like it anyway 😂
These are the ideas we need! Not screaming we need less people, less couples or less shows. We just need 2 episodes a week. Brilliant! Someone tell GMMTV!! I'm serious 😭
(I never effectively thought about how to solve their problems, so I couldn't think of this, but I'm sold. This is the way to go 😊)
Thank you for tagging me @mephistopheleswasrobbed!
Once again, as I have not enough moots, feel free to play this tag game if you see this post and haven't been tagged yet ;D
I did a first version on my way home on the train and quickly realized that I 1) had a VERY big bias just putting my favorites on top 2) had at least two trailers I had missed during the stream thanks to work and 3) that I didn't remember which poster was which story for some of them, especially the school ones - so I re-watched all the trailers and tried to NOT be couple biased. I'd say it worked...okay-ish. I also tried to sort them within the tier,... Didn't work out too well, but I tried. I gave up at the final tier, though, I just threw everything in there haha
Read my random rambling under the cut.
If I had to give one series the crown it's Lovers & Gangsters. I KNOW I am biased, because I love ForceBook and I prayed for GreatBright but on top of ALL that... the Grease-esque outfits/hair, the story, the action and love... I just love everything about this. I really, really hope they can keep this vibe for the actual series. Because I feel reminded of The HeartKillers Pilot, which somehow had a different vibe than the series? Now don't get me wrong, I loved THK, but it wasn't like the pilot and at first I was kinda confused. So let me continue praying for the best for this series...
Second in line is Weird 101 mostly for the reason that this is probably the most re-watched pilot after L&G. For some reason, this pilot clicks with me, I love SeaKeen and the story looks so sweet and fun and I am excited to see it play out. I still sometimes giggle to myself about that confession-in-the-shower-scene.
My WinnySatang bias is strong so naturally, their pilot is third. Because Winny looks amazing, the role seems to be made for him and I LOVE their dynamic. That pull in the last scene before they kiss? Uuuugh, give it to me NOW.
Last but not least, JuMark's 21 slipped into "made for me" because I realize it might not be the best pilot. I know the story seems a bit all over the place (at least to me?) and it could be a bit over the top at points. But that's why I put it into the 'made for me' position, because I really enjoyed everything about it and I am so excited to see them in this story.
Randomly EarthMix are very far behind but that is not their fault - I just don't like ghost stories, no matter how nice the ghosties look and behave. I am also a bit butthurt that they didn't get the period series (though I am aware that they gave it to ForceBook and I shouldn't complain, but still 🥲). The trailer looks adorable! I'm still VERY excited! Just not as hype as the Tier 1 shows. At least they're not alone, because AouBoom are also quite far behind with them together - I mostly think that the pilot is a bit weak and the shows will be great (for my standards) so I'm not too worried. My heart is big, I'll love all these shows, I'm sure. <3
That's also for the third tier. Those pilot's didn't blow me away but you know what? I can watch them on youtube for free, so when they air, I definitely will!! I think most of the shows that landed there were a mix of "I don't know the boys too well" paired with "I don't like where this story is going" so my excitement level was a bit behind the other shows.
I had to make a category for creepy shows. They look good! But I am weak and scared so I really don't know if I'll watch them. To this day I haven't watched Peaceful Property, despite it looking a lot less scary than I thought AND having ForceBook. So I might try on a good day, but I might skip...
The last two rows are GL and non-Queer shows. Don't be angry - I'm here because I enjoy BL and nothing else. I still might give some of the shows a chance, but all the hetero shows I've started by GMMTV were dropped somewhere in the middle, so I'm not confident I'll finish them. And I am just not a GL fan. All the power to the girls and their fans! It's just not for me (and where would I even find the time next to my BL obsession 😩)
