Asian Drama and Music Lovers <3 discussion
C-Dramas!
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What c-dramas are you currently watching?
I think you have a good point. I wanted to wait for ABO Desire for all episodes to come out but it might be really better to start sooner :)I started watching A dream within a dream but I went into it mostly blind, so I didn't expect it to be transmigration. It's a little too much comedy for me but I'm still enjoying it so far.
I do try to watch the BL dramas when they release. Like I missed out on Guardian by Priest on Viki before it got removed. Still mad about that.
I was wrong. I was thinking of Desire the Series on Viki. Revenged Love is only available on Viki Plus in my region. Oh well. Maybe it will change someday.
I decided to give Addicted Heroin the Thai version of Addicted (Chinese) a try. Still gets me how it just like ends! I wonder which one is more true to the novel. I’ve never read it, just curious.
Monique wrote: "I think you have a good point. I wanted to wait for ABO Desire for all episodes to come out but it might be really better to start sooner :)I started watching A dream within a dream but I went in..."
We seem to be on the same page 😊 I had also planned to watch "A Dream within a Dream" but will watch the BL dramas first. The Liu Yuning drama isn´t going anywhere so it can wait although I do want to watch it. He is having a great year and perhaps finally silencing his critics enough for him to enjoy his popularity.
Katie❄️ wrote: "I do try to watch the BL dramas when they release. Like I missed out on Guardian by Priest on Viki before it got removed. Still mad about that."Oh no! You missed "Guardian" 😬 Is it available on YouTube?
Katie❄️ wrote: "I was wrong. I was thinking of Desire the Series on Viki. Revenged Love is only available on Viki Plus in my region. Oh well. Maybe it will change someday."That´s sad that "Revenged Love" is behind a paywall in your region. I have a subscription so that might be why I can watch it, but I have to turn off my VPN to do so. The other streaming platforms are OK with the VPN.
It has tiered subscription here. I do have a subscription but not the “plus” tier. Just basic. I wouldn’t even know how to mess with vpn on my tv. 😅I know Guardian by Priest is on youtube so I will watch it eventually.
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~MasterDaoistQuqu~ wrote: "Omg I was going to watch Revenged Love too but then I realized I can't watch it for free on Viki 😭😭😭"That is sad ... I am subscribed so I didn´t realize that it was behind a paywall.
It seems to be as if the streaming services are dipping their toes into BL carefully. iQiyi is broadcasting "The Next Prince" and both Youku and iQiyi are broadcasting "ABO Desire" which is an omegaverse drama.
Perhaps they are testing the waters to see if they can get away with it on international versions of their platforms? Wouldn´t it be great if this were a loophole for them to broadcast the many BL with high production values that they have in their vaults?
But if fans go too crazy, the plan might backfire and censorship will lockdown this release strategy, too...
I am finding it strange that Pit Babe has the same rating as Addicted Heroin, both rated R, but they are completely different. Both I believe are from Thailand. PB had a lot more nudity, touching, kissing, naked in the bed, ect. Where AH so far hasn't had much of anything, maybe one kiss, they share a bed but fully clothed and only to sleep, so far anyways. So it makes me wonder if they have this "toned down" so that other regions can watch it because of censorship. More as a fan service because the original Addicted got cut.
Omg. 🤣🤣 Only from Addicted Heroin is the best. His drunk friend Pop is spending the night. While Only’s trying to sleep. Pop strips naked and cuddles right up to him. Only wakes up and is like “What is this warn thing” takes on peak under the covers and is like “Oh, no! All over me.” 😂😂 Moves Pop back over to his side and wraps the comforter just around Pop. Drunk Pop must think he’s sleeping with Hero. 😅 Cannot say I would just be so casually cool if a drunk friend stripped naked and tried to cuddle me in my sleep. 😏😒
Katie❄️ wrote: "Omg. 🤣🤣 Only from Addicted Heroin is the best. His drunk friend Pop is spending the night. While Only’s trying to sleep. Pop strips naked and cuddles right up to him. Only wakes up and is like “Wha..."Horses for courses 😄
Sollenbum wrote: "Is anyone watching "Revenged Love"? (Viki) I thought I would check it out because of the drama with the fans and because it is a BL drama that actually seems to be airing in mainland China. I was..."
So, now I have watched up to and including episode 14, which as of today is the last episode that has been released.
The drama gets better as it proceeds. The beginning has quite a bit of silly scenes and some cringe but when the revenge arc is finished the drama settles down. Both the main and side couples are well done and they are woven together.
It is interesting that the main lead moves from liking his girlfriend to liking Chi Cheng much more and in a more meaningful way than he ever did with the shallow girl who left him.
The plot turns dark when Jiang Xiaocheng´s backstory is revealed but it is touching how his new, potential partner stands up for him.
As of episode 14, a previous boyfriend turns up and will probably create havoc soon...
It is still quite mind-boggling that it has been possible to film this drama and to broadcast it. Perhaps censorship is thawing on this issue?
My strategy is still to watch BL dramas quickly, just in case they are pulled...
Anyone watching "ABO Desire"? I have just watched the first two episodes. It is on both Youku and iQiyi as well as Viki. It is quite remarkable that the drama is so well distributed.
It is an omegaverse drama and there is mpreg, too, so it is definitely niche but it is a high budget drama with excellent, but fairly unknown actors and the chemistry is fabulous. In the drama it is literal chemistry with pheronomes but the actors create a relationship that is nuanced and engages the reader.
It looks like a modern CEO drama but the underpinnings are science fiction with perhaps also a socially critical aspect.
Can definitely recommend if omegaverse, mpreg and sci-fi don´t bother you.
Hhhmm ABO Desire isn’t available in US region Viki. Sounds good though.
Anyone seen League of Nobleman? I just wrapped this one up recently, and absolutely loved it! It’s based on a Da Feng Gua Guo novel, so I’m really curious how the BL romance weaves into the story as it’s absent from the drama. Kind of Sherlock Holmes-y vibes, lots of humor peppered into a fairly concise historical crime/mystery setting.
I just watched the first episode of ABO desire and I have to say I'm impressed. They really went all in with omegaverse stuff. I've been reading omegaverse for years and never thought I would actually watch drama about it.
Katie❄️ wrote: "Hhhmm ABO Desire isn’t available in US region Viki. Sounds good though."Perhaps use a VPN to access it?
It is also broadcast on iQiyi and Youku as well as many other platforms. It is quite remarkable that it is enjoying such a broad international release.
The drama is visually beautiful and very compelling - not just as a BL or merely an omegaverse drama.
Monique wrote: "I just watched the first episode of ABO desire and I have to say I'm impressed. They really went all in with omegaverse stuff. I've been reading omegaverse for years and never thought I would actua..."Agree completely! I thought it was clever how they wove a pandemic situation into the backstory for the emergence of the omegaverse.
It is quite remarkable that such a high-budget, well-scripted drama can be released. The actors are also very good at micro-expressions and chemistry. Both the main and side couples are good are compelling.
Grace wrote: "Anyone seen League of Nobleman? I just wrapped this one up recently, and absolutely loved it! It’s based on a Da Feng Gua Guo novel, so I’m really curious how the BL romance weaves into the story a..."Watched this drama when it was released. I agree with you that it works really well. The subtle chemistry between the main couple was well done. It shows that is such a bonus when top notch actors are willing to take such roles.
I heard that they had to edit it quite a lot to achieve a version that was broadcastable. Would have been interesting to see the footage that had to be taken out ...
Grace wrote: "Anyone seen League of Nobleman? I just wrapped this one up recently, and absolutely loved it! It’s based on a Da Feng Gua Guo novel, so I’m really curious how the BL romance weaves into the story a..."I really liked it too! I feel like people rarely discuss this one, though that might be because the author didn't really support the production. I personally thought the cinematics and the mystery solving were both very compelling, and this was one of the few dramas I binged in less than a week.
I think it's quite a bit different from the source material though, but that's only through what I've heard and what I read of the novel so far.
Regarding romance, I think this is one of the few dramas where I felt the "bromance" tag was appropriately labelled since I didn't feel there was any romantic tension between the 2 male leads. I think Lan Jue x Gu Qingzhang had better chemistry, and that was the cp I actually shipped when watching the show...
eastwind.s wrote: "Grace wrote: "Anyone seen League of Nobleman? I just wrapped this one up recently, and absolutely loved it! It’s based on a Da Feng Gua Guo novel, so I’m really curious how the BL romance weaves in..."I can absolutely see how the drama and the author's novel would be vastly different. I've read Imperial Uncle and Peach Blossom Debt, so from those examples I can tell this drama takes its own artistic direction. But I'm so curious to see how much it peels away from the source material (still waiting for the fan translation of the novel to be completed!). I TOTALLY AGREE with Lan Jue and Gu Qingzhang's chemistry. The scene where Lan Jue is introducing Gu Qingzhang to Zhang Ping really gave "here's my ex" vibes. Zhang Ping seemed so jealous. But that might be the most "romance" that I picked up on between the two male leads. That scene alone made me want to pick up the book just to see if Gu Qingzhang and Lan Jue were originally romantically involved.
Sollenbum wrote: "Grace wrote: "Anyone seen League of Nobleman? I just wrapped this one up recently, and absolutely loved it! It’s based on a Da Feng Gua Guo novel, so I’m really curious how the BL romance weaves in..."
I noticed the irregularity of the episode lengths, so that makes so much sense if they cut out a bunch of stuff! I'm wondering if it was gore-relevant material or what?? Some of the cases do get pretty intense.
Anyone watching “ABO Desire”? I just heard that it has been pulled from Youku, iQiyi and other mainland platforms. Hardly unexpected but still sad. It was really pushing the envelope.It is still available internationally, though, so I will continue watching it on Viki. Hope that we will make it to the end of the series internationally. With one episode per week, it is quite vulnerable even outside of China.
I am one of the Revenged Love fan-girlies. It is one of my favourite TV series this year.I normally only watch completed series but impatience got the better of me and I signed up for the YT channel. I didn't regret it, even the long week waiting for the postponed episodes.
The producers kept us occupied with a lot of behind-the-scenes and then released the final 6 episodes over last weekend.
Now just fingers-crossed for the actors' careers. Zi Yu seems to be getting his idol career back on track, while Liu Xuan Cheng and Zhan Xuan recently appeared on an award show. Unfortunately Tian Xu Ning seems to be suffering some blow-back though his agency is now suing over those nasty rumours.
This weekend I will probably binge a rewatch.
Sollenbum wrote: "Anyone watching “ABO Desire”? I just heard that it has been pulled from Youku, iQiyi and other mainland platforms. Hardly unexpected but still sad. ..."Even YT had trouble with ABO Desire so I am going to try and sign up with Viki.
Scifi is my jam, especially highly stylized like Desire, while omegaverse and mpreg remind me of the fun I had reading fanfiction in the early 2000s
Of course my social media feed is now full of BL trailers so there is the Taiwanese 'Secret Lovers' up next and then maybe I will try Thai or Japanese?
Sollenbum wrote: "I am now watching "The First Frost" with Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan. It is a parallel piece to "Hidden Love" with Chen Zheyuan and Zhao Lusi......Has anyone else watched it? ..."
Me!! I am just getting to the last few episodes. I spent one evening this week in tears watching the episodes explaining what happened with her family. Now I just need to find time to binge until the end.
Before that I watched Hidden Love which also was a bit of a tear-jerker in places.
For me in both series the romance is a little slow and innocent (my true addiction is to Vertical CDramas) so it is a testament to the quality of the script and the acting that I still couldn't stop watching them.
At one point in TFF Sang Yan's sister mentions Duan Jia Xu (MC from Hidden Love). Until that point I had thought the similar city names was just a coincidence but then I had to look it up.
It is the casting of Victor Ma in Hidden Love that creates the dissonance. He is great as Sang Zhi's brother but nothing like the character in the book. More like Su Haoan than Sang Yan.
Katie❄️ wrote: "Ssssooo I just finished Addicted, (Looks like there is a Thai version of this too (Viki)) only to be disappointed by it not being finished! I like had to triple check. 🥲 After watching what I did I..."A victim of censorship and one of the reasons people were/are so nervous about Revenged Love and ABO Desire.
Sollenbum wrote: "hey work extremely well together. It does, however, require that the viewer simply accepts that the cast has been changed..."I loved that the wedding scene played out the same in both dramas just from different POVs.
(Not a spoiler the wedding is of a side character)
Mira ♡(Semi-hiatus (◕ᴗ◕✿) ♪♫) wrote: "Have any of you watched The Ghost Bride? It's a Taiwanese Malaysian drama based on a novel of the same name by Yangsze Choo. I'm currently on ep 4 and mind you this is only 6 episodes long. It does..."I watched it a couple of years ago and remember loving it. I was also intrigued by how much time they spent burning stuff for their dead ancestors.
Esther wrote: "I am one of the Revenged Love fan-girlies. It is one of my favourite TV series this year.I normally only watch completed series but impatience got the better of me and I signed up for the YT chann..."
Revenged Love was fun, wasn´t it? I thought the pacing was a little patchy, though. Some episodes were really good and some were simply very silly.
Let´s hope that the careers of the main actors won´t be harmed by starring in a proper BL. Dangerous times...
Esther wrote: "Sollenbum wrote: "Anyone watching “ABO Desire”? I just heard that it has been pulled from Youku, iQiyi and other mainland platforms. Hardly unexpected but still sad. ..."Even YT had trouble with ..."
ABO Desire is definitely a good-looking drama and I even like the way that they depicted pheronomes being released. Both the main and side couple have sizzling chemistry in very different ways.
The only slight problem is inherent in the omegaverse, because it slides into non-consensual scenes with the excuse that pheronomes override consent. I am hoping that there will be redemption in the future for both couples. It looks like that since the BTS clips seem very happy...
By the way, have you seen that "Kill to Love" has dropped on YouTube?
Esther wrote: "Sollenbum wrote: "I am now watching "The First Frost" with Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan. It is a parallel piece to "Hidden Love" with Chen Zheyuan and Zhao Lusi......Has anyone else watched it? ...."
How wonderful that you also liked these dramas!
I found "Hidden Love" was easier to watch than "The First Frost" but the later was deeper, which is perhaps why it took me longer to watch. I find that I need breaks when the drama becomes intense. Both dramas were beautifully done.
Sollenbum wrote: "......I found "Hidden Love" was easier to watch than "The First Frost" but the later was deeper, which is perhaps why it took me longer to watch. I find that I need breaks when the drama becomes intense. Both dramas were beautifully done."I definitely agree with that assessment.
Sollenbum wrote: "Esther wrote: "I am one of the Revenged Love fan-girlies. It is one of my favourite TV series this year.I normally only watch completed series but impatience got the better of me and I signed up f..."
Have you seen the recent 'insane' BTS drop?
Most of them don't have English subtitles (at least on YT) but the Reddit forums are a goldmine.
Most of the actors seemed to be doing OK career-wise but some people were a little concerned about Tian Xuning until his recent skincare endorsement.
Sollenbum wrote: "Esther wrote: "Sollenbum wrote: "Anyone watching “ABO Desire”? I just heard that it has been pulled from Youku, iQiyi and other mainland platforms. Hardly unexpected but still sad. ..." Even YT ha..."Life interfered so I haven't yet started "Desire".
I saw about "Kill to Love" which looks stunning. but first I want to catch up with an older series "Unknown" and then "Secret Lovers" and I have been told I need to watch "KinnPorsche". Maybe more Omegaverse with "PitBabe".
And I don't want to have an exclusively BL watchlist so this weekend I will be matching "Desire" with "Blossom". Then I need to squeeze in "Love Between Fairy and Devil" because I want to understand why people like Dylan Wang so much. And as if that wasn't enough I want to see the new series with Yang Yang.
As my mother used to say, my eyes are going to go square from watching too much TV :0)
Life needs to be lived, too!I agree entirely about not watching BL dramas exclusively. I am watching “Coroner’s Diary’ with Ao Ruopeng and Landi Li. It’s a cozy, crime procedural mixed with a court intrigue drama. The main couple is very wholesome and a pleasure to watch. Not sizzling chemistry but very sweet and a good, sensible relationship, based on mutual respect.
“Blossom” and “Love between Fairy and Devil” are excellent choices as well.
It is difficult to find time to all these dramas while also having a job, reading and enjoying other hobbies. It’s a balance 😄
I haven’t watched much of the BTS clips for Revenged Love. But I have been watching quite a number of BTS clips for ABO Desire. They are such a good complement to the series.BTS contents can really make a drama even better 😄
I just started Revenged Love yesterday and I’m already hooked. It’s so messy and I love it 😂 also I’m very glad they put “No animals were harmed in the making of this production” in the post-credits….these poor snakes 🙃🐍🐍
Grace wrote: "I just started Revenged Love yesterday and I’m already hooked.......these poor snakes"I feel it is a testament to how good Revenged Love is that even a snake-phobic like me enjoyed it so much.
My sympathy was entirely with the actors having to deal with the snakes!!! (though I was glad no one, snake or human, was harmed)
Grace wrote: "I just started Revenged Love yesterday and I’m already hooked. It’s so messy and I love it 😂 also I’m very glad they put “No animals were harmed in the making of this production” in the post-credit..."I agree, Revenged love is so addicted. I already finished it but thinking about give it a rewatch 😄
Esther wrote: "Grace wrote: "I just started Revenged Love yesterday and I’m already hooked.......these poor snakes"I feel it is a testament to how good Revenged Love is that even a snake-phobic like me enjoyed ..."
Yes, I don't like snakes and I'm afraid of them but by the end I found Little Jelaous One to be almost cute 😅
Grace wrote: "I just started Revenged Love yesterday and I’m already hooked. It’s so messy and I love it 😂 also I’m very glad they put “No animals were harmed in the making of this production” in the post-credit...""Revenged Love" is good, isn´t it?
Some sections were perhaps a little too silly but other parts were really emotional in a way that feels real. Promises put characters into situations that they would not have chosen themselves. This plot device works well.
Enjoy!
Anyone watching "Kill to Love"? I try to watch Chinese BL dramas fairly close to their release, because they are sometimes pulled for mysterious reasons. But I have now bitten the bullet and subscribed to GagaOOLala, where "Kill to Love" is streaming with English subtitles. It is also on YouTube but as far as I can see it does not have English subs.
This drama is a full BL Chinese costume drama. It looks like a mix between a court intrigue drama and wuxia. The actors are handsome and they can act. Sometimes BL actors are a little less experienced, perhaps because they have fewer opportunities to gain experience. But here their acting has nuance.
The costumes are gorgeous although the wigs look a little less luxurious than in some more high budget dramas but that is a very small gripe.
The main couple has chemistry. I have only watched three episodes so far but it is already clear that there is a real connection between the actors and the characters that they portray. It looks as if there are side couples, too, and that their story will be integrated into the main plot and not left as sub-plots that exist on their own.
I look forward to seeing where this all leads ...
I just saw a clip of this and it's another one I am interested in watching. I'll pry have to watch it on Youtube.
Sollenbum wrote: "Anyone watching "Kill to Love"? I try to watch Chinese BL dramas fairly close to their release, because they are sometimes pulled for mysterious reasons. But I have now bitten the bullet and subs..."
I have just signed up to Viki for ABO Desire but people seem to switch around subs all the time so I may try Gaga00Lala for Kill to Love and Secret Lovers.
iQiyi is also looking temping for the vertical dramas - with the help of Reddit forums it is relatively easy to find the dramas online but the quality is so much better on iQiyi, I am hoping the subtitles might be too.
I just watched the 'Princess' vertical drama with Ke Chun and Ma Xiao Yu and had to toggle between two different versions in an effort to make the subtitles make sense!!
Esther wrote: "Sollenbum wrote: "Anyone watching "Kill to Love"? I try to watch Chinese BL dramas fairly close to their release, because they are sometimes pulled for mysterious reasons. But I have now bitten t..."
Fortunately, these dramas are still available on international platforms. I already had a subscription to Viki, where "ABO Desire" is streaming but they didn´t have "Kill to Love". I have now had a subscription to GagaOOLala for about a week and I can see that they have more options in the BL genre than Viki. That makes sense since Viki has many different genres.
Actually, I also subscribe to iQiyi, but have not watched any vertical dramas. Can´t seem to find them on my app. However, realistically, there are only so many hours in the day and work, leisure reading and life in general does make it unreasonable to watch dramas all the time 😊
Vertical dramas only take up about 2.5 hrs - kind of like a drama snack. Though I had watched a couple recently that were a bit of a slog due to translation issues.I have got to ep.10 with "ABO Desire". The production and acting are excellent but the storyline and characters haven't grabbed me like "Revenged Love" did.
My favourite is Gao Tu and Sheng Shao You is growing on me but Shen Wen Lang is a spoiled rich boy and Hua Tong is just sinister. His interactions with Shen Wen Lang seem less creepy because he is more genuine but is manipulating your crush into submission really love?
Last night the need to slept really interfered with my drama viewing :0)
I was surprised that any Chinese BL was produced but it is actually from Taiwan, right?
As of now, I am on episode 4 and it is a silly but entertaining story about a young man who is trying to get back on his ex-girlfriend, because she dumped him for someone who is rich. His plan is to seduce this rich, young man who actually seems intrigued by him.
There are definitely some cringe scenes but the main couple is fun and there seems to be a side couple with his friend and his admirer.
10 episodes have been released but broadcasting was paused; they seem to have resumed again but with a very slow release. One of the reasons why I decided to watch now is that BL dramas sometimes are pulled so I wanted to watch it while it is available.
Will probably do the same with "ABO Desire" (iQiyi). Some of the other dramas that I want to watch will stay on the platforms for a while, but who knows with BL dramas?