WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: THE GAYEST SHOW EVER - WORD OF HONOR | 山河令
Hi guys, so I know this has gotten some traction but I don’t think enough people are watching this because this is the gayest serious historical china drama ever to breathe in public without censorship slapping it in the face, so y’all get to enjoy full on with me - it’s really rare because they’re not even like stuffing a het. romance, they WENT IN FULL ON KNOWING THAT THIS WOULD BE GAY AF OKAY THEY ARE REALLY FOLLOWING THE BOOK
In fact, they made the show even gayer than the book, I don’t even know what to say. It’s naturally comedic without being absolutely cringey and adheres to the original novel really well so far (with added tinge of gayness). Gong Jun smiles a bit too much but it’s still really enjoyable to watch, and Zhang Zhehan carried the first episode on his own pretty well. Main leads honestly have huge chemistry on screen at the very least, and if you can get past Zhang Zhehan’s sadass hobo look as disguised Zhou Zishu for like I think at least… 10 eps maybe, you will enjoy this a lot. The set looks a bit cheap and the filming doesn’t look as sophisticated or crisp as some of the ones you’ve seen before definitely, but I don’t think this impacts the content much.
SO here goes friends, at this point you should just go and watch it to understand why this is the show being called “HOW THE FUCK DID THIS EVER GET TO AIR” because there is no way anyone made it through Episode 3 going like NO HOMO because it was SO HOMO
Okay so this is based on Priest’s danmei/BL novel called Tian Ya Ke / Faraway Wanderers, which was what it was originally called for the show until they changed the name like last month out of nowhere to Word of Honor / Shan He Ling. It’s relatively shorter and less complex as most of Priest’s other novels are, which makes it a really, really good read.
You can check out the carrd here but basically Zhou Zishu is an the leader of an assassins’ guild/sect of sorts, and he’s basically about to die soon in another few years (less than three). His background is a bit complex so I won’t get into it, but he disguises himself as a beggar/hobo of sorts and just starts to hobo around literally, drinking alcohol day in and out as he awaits death. He meets Wen Kexing, who is the leader of a demonic cult/sect and he’s looking for a particular item that was stolen from him - an item that would supposedly help others to gain immense power immediately, so a lot of supposed righteous sects are fighting over the item right now, but that’s not the point.
The point is, this entire story is about infatuated Wen Kexing, who literally falls in love with Zhou Zishu at first sight and he meets him while ZZS is in his beggar disguise. WKX can tell from ZZS’s bone structure and outline of his back that he’s a handsome man, and insists that he’s wearing a disguise. The disguise that ZZS uses is special, because the mask feels real so WKX can’t tell why it such a man with excellent bone and facial features would look so ugly. Insists basically that ZZS is handsome and then follows him from then on, while serving out his own agenda and dealing with the righteous sect people.
ZZS on the other hand has to deal with his impending death, and also still is put to work because of WKX’s involvement and a larger scheme happening behind the scenes. Along the way ZZS falls back in love with WKX subtly hahahaha (anything is subtle compared to WKX’s grand gestures dammit)
*A continuation to Qi Ye / Seventh Lord but not necessary to read that first if you wanna start with Tian Ya Ke - the characters from Qi Ye turn up but no need to know their backstory basically.
Eng subs available on Youku official channel (1-2 episode everyday exlcuding weekends)
On Youku officially with access to advanced episodes (no subs)
Schedule: One episode every day starting 1 March 2021 onwards (unlocked one ep every Sat, and will reach the milestone of one ep every Sun by end first week of March)
What You Are Missing Out On in the Live Action:
Immense gay, basically. Gosh I don’t even know how to put this, but Wen Kexing is such an infatuated, lovely man. You basically get him waxing poetic 24/7 about meeting ZZS and that it’s fate that they meet (WKX literally follows him around), literally that’s the entire damn show. A lot of frickin innuendo as well?!!!
1. WKX praising ZZS’s handsome look while ZZS is in his ugly disguise - At this point, ZZS’ face hasn’t been actually revealed (there’s way more, WKX goes like “you’re so handsome” at that face like a few times every episode)
2. Get someone who looks at you like WKX looks at frickin ZZS
3. ZZS deadpanning and rolling his eyes whenever WKX turns up ‘coincidentally’
4. Found family where WKX and ZZS co-parent two kids (Son & two dads, and daughter below) - SEE HOW HAPPY ZISHU IS?!!! AND HOW HANDSOME HE IS WITHOUT THAT HOBO LOOK? It’s a miracle WKX saw through his disguise
5. Innuendo - Cut-sleeve (WKX REALLY CUT OFF ZZS’ SLEEVE HOW DID THIS GET PAST CENSORSHIP)
6. ZZS calling WKX ‘Lao Wen’ and WKX calling ZZS ‘Ah Xu’ like over and over again
7. WKX acting cute (hiding behind his future husband and a fan while delirious from poison)
8. WKX deadly and gorgeous and when he holding a fan
Of course a disclaimer - all jokes and astonishment aside at what we’ve gotten so far, this is definitely not going to be an outright BL ending because honestly that will never happen with a China production, so don’t expect this to be like confirmed BL, but the shots hint at it very well a lot of hand touching, even hugs etc. and this is all we can ask for XD This is even more in your face than MRIAD which is saying a lot
