#bl thoughts

[bl-inded]

Nut really just showed up, served face, and said absolutely nothing all episode huh??

Like look at the judgement (that Thap fully deserves)

We don't even know his character's name, but I'm obsessed with him already!

[perthsantaslovechild]

I didn’t think it was possible for me to hate Jack more than I already did, but OH MY GODDDDD. The lack of maturity from not only him, but all of the characters this season is astounding. We’re supposed to believe these are all grown ass men? It’s like middle school all over again.

I also didn’t think it was possible for me to feel sorry for Raffy, but here we are, I guess?

Super proud of my baby Rome for not immediately cracking when Raffy came back. I hope he makes him work for it and that Raffy will somehow become deserving of Rome. Because despite all of the toxicity, my heart NEEEEEEDS them to be together. (I’ll admit that could totally just be my need for AouBoom though 🤷‍♀️)

On an end note: Why did I wanna see Nick be with Boston again? Like, I was so fucking proud of him for walking away at the end of the last season, but just seeing them together now made me crave that obsessive type love again, ya know?

Aaaaaand that’s enough rambling for now.

[chibipandaao3]

In the teaser Jack says they’ve been engaged a year already — I head canon the reason it’s been so long is at least partially due to Joke’s insecurities about love.

In his family, love was conditional. His father only gave it when Joke met specific expectations and it was quickly revoked. We can assume it’s been like that since he was a young child, so Joke’s whole upbringing was based on conditional inaccessible love.

Even the way Joke gives love is based on assumed conditions. That’s why he was always willing to give - and give - and give because in his mind that was the only way he’d receive it back. That’s why he accepted Jack’s words in the hospital so readily — why wouldn’t Jack revoke his love after what Joke caused? His father had for far less. He was already in borrowed time.

So, yeah — I like to think that Jack has been ready to tie the knot for the entire year and it’s Joke who has let his insecurities (internal or otherwise) postpone things thus far.

Or, at least with nothing but the teaser haha that what I think

[thelitaeffect]

Am I the only one who thinks that Fluke (Natouch) and Max (of dmd maxnat) could play brothers in a series?

[peach-thee]

One really good plot point of Cherry Magic Th that made me nod in approval was Pai standing up for herself.

P'Duj and others wanted her to go in with a fake boyfriend, and in most other series yeah that would be the case, but here, even as Rock rises to go introduce himself as Pai's boyfriend, Pai explodes.

She's done listening to her ex break down her entire personality to her physical appearance and call her fat at least twice in that very conversation, who knows how many times she's had to hear that when they were together. Being fat or not fat is not the problem here, the problem is her ex causally using at as an insult.

I loved it when she stood up for herself, no man needed, because that's what media should be showing, women telling off men all by themselves, not them having to resort to fake boyfriends and consequently making it into a cliche romcom plot.

...will I still devour queer fake partners cliche romcom plot? Yes.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk. <3

[absolutebl]

Hi abl! I was watching the eighth sense and I got the distinct feeling that it's not really a BL, just a queer show. Maybe because it's so different from standard kbls. What do you think about that?

Shall we do this thing?

The Eighth Sense - Mid series thoughts...

Episodes 1-4

(I know, but I have a lot of them.)

With 10 episodes of about 40 minutes each this has got to be one of the longest BLs Korea has ever given us.

However from tone, filming style, opening credits, and trailer I am guessing this could be sad. If its KBL doing JBL style then we are in Eternal Yesterday territory (atmospheric, thoughtful, beautiful, but unhappy), but it could be more in the Blueming vein (ultimately happy but very rough getting there). I give it 50/50 odds.

It seems this show wants to be “taken seriously” which is the death knell of BL (the BL aspects, I mean). Also if a lead smokes it means that one or both will cheat. (I don’t make the rules, the Japanese yaoi gods do.)

There’s a homoeroticism to this show that is not normal for BL (I know... but it isn’t, certainly not KBL). Reminds me a bit of I Told Sunset About You + Shelter + His the series.

OK, but do I like it?

Yes, actually, it’s... interesting. It’s got a bit of an age gap, country boy/city boy, the acting is great, characters complex, good chemistry, and tons of tension.

I actually re-watched the first two episodes before I watched this week’s installments.

CHARACTERS

We know Jae Won is popular, rich, sunshine who wants to be loved but estranged from his fam (coming out drama?). Ji Hyun is a shy, serious, polite country boy deep in first crush. But despite this dichotomy it is JH who seems more comfortable in himself and, possibly, his sexuality. Incidentally, this is what we call being “dicked around by a closet case” (sadly not the same as being dicked out by a closet case). Baby’s first love is NOT going to go well. On the bright side, baby got himself his first fag hag to comfort him after the inevitable heartbreak.

FILMING

The director is doing some very interesting things that makes the viewer experience chewy. Note the actors have been told to match strides whenever they walk together? There's a lot of hand held camera work, makes us feel a little uncomfortable and shaken, just like they are.

STORY

So far as the narrative goes we have very interesting timing on the kiss (good kiss tho it may be) because it indicates that the plot will be fall out from kissing, not build up to a romantic relationship. (Timing is a bitch.) Honestly? I’m finding this challenging because it’s SO TENSE but I can't stop watching. (This is the opposite of cozy BL.)

FINAL THOUGHTS

It’s a bit rough and sticky and less perfect than most KBL (do I detect a touch of Taiwan?). This one is deploying BL tropes (messy eater, shoulder sleep, protective seme, there’s even some hyung-slinging) but it isn’t in the safe KBL bubble. It has sharp edges that might cut us watchers - we may get a coming out sequence or even a bashing. It certainly will stay interesting.

But proceed with caution. 

And to ultimately answer your question: it's BL because we are all watching it and it is using some tropes, but ultimately I think it will fall more into the queer drama genre than BL.

(source)

[red-hibiscus]

Me as a gay bl enjoyer: ah yes finally we've reached the passionate kissing part

Me as a retail worker: Oh my god those weakass shelves and the products 😭. That's gonna be a bitch to clean up. I know nobody is watching those security cameras, but still can't y'all go upstairs where you're not gonna cause future you regret??

[theflagscene]

Listen, I love OffGun as an acting duo, they have great chemistry, timing, physicality, they can act the hell out of a scene together and it took them a lot of work to get to where they are as a duo. But after obsessing over Not Me for what is probably an unhealthy amount, I’ve come to the conclusion that I really wanna see Gun play in a romance opposite Mond or Sing, like for real, how does he have amazing chemistry with everyone!? I blame the GramBlack and ToddBlack shippers because damn, I see it and now I wanna see more!