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)
