An Ode to The Devil Lords of Chinese Xianxia Fantasies – ‘Love Between Fairy & Devil’ and ‘Till the End of the Moon’

/ Lady Divine / 8 Comments

I have only attempted a few Chinese dramas in the past – being much too distracted by Korean dramas. I spent over two years trying to watch The Untamed, but could never quite connect to it in the same way the fandom did. I tried to watch Legacy but checked out around the episode 12 or so, same with Love 020 and My Amazing Boyfriend. They just weren’t clicking.

Then one day I randomly selected Love Between a Fairy & Devil (and yes, I know there is no “a” in the title of this show, but I just can’t help it… I want it to be there and so I’m sticking it in and that’s that, don’t question me!) because the drama name intrigued me and after two episodes I was hooked.

*** mild spoilers of both Love Between a Fairy & Devil and Till the End of the Moon follow… so… you know… proceed with caution.

The story of Love Between a Fairy & Devil tapped into my childhood primal brain, the one that absorbed hundreds of nights of fairy tales read by grandparents from old vintage books filled with beautiful and dark illustrations. Of innocent but cunning young girls fending off mischief and dark situations sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

It was visually breathtaking, literally taking place in cities floating on pastel clouds, magical misty forests, and dark spired castles. You can tell a lot of work was put into making this show – like… a ton of labor…

Love Between Fairy and Devil is an adaption of the eponymous novel by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang. Writers spent over 800 days developing the script. The show’s preparatory period laster over 400 days. More than 600 cast and crew members helped create over 5,000 pieces of clothing, 3,000 accessories, and 20,000 art props. 

– Wikipedia – link

The exquisite costumes (seriously, every costume change had me gasping!), the enchanting storylines, the extreme beauty of nearly every single character…

I mean… have you ever seen such beautiful creatures as these???

I was enthralled.

Honestly, I don’t think I can adequately put into words what the experience of first viewing this was like – I was hypnotized the entire show.

And both this show (36 eps) and Till the End of the Moon (40 eps) are long shows… so be warned, there is a commitment involved going in. Both stories hinge around the epic, eternal battle between good and evil, dark realms and heavenly abodes, gods and monsters – so there’s a lot going on. Love Between a Fairy & Devil is the sweet one, and Till the End of the Moon is the bittersweet one.

Love Between a Fairy & Devil is a light, charming, romantic, and playful tale with enough intrigue and twists to keep you entertained without stressing you out. It’s about a young orchid fairy who accidentally releases an ancient demon lord from his prison (with a kiss, of course!) and gets magically entangled with him (basically whatever happens to her, happens to him… one of the best tropes ever! He has to feel what she feels, whether joy or fear… and of course if she is injured at all it also injures him… forcing him to stick by her side so he can keep a watchful eye on her).

I’ve heard a lot of the “You Are Mine Now!” speeches as a drama fan… but this is definitely one of the best of the best. The dude is theatrical af.

Tumbr: @natahjikio – link

Our Orchid Fairy already has a crush on the heavenly god of war, who also fancies her though he is reluctant to acknowledge this due to their differences in status (and an inconvenient engagement to another lady)… and now she’s got this huge looming magical guy following her everywhere, insulting her one minute while pampering her the next. And who doesn’t love a satisfying love triangle?


The God of War is impressively soft, eh? His glassy looking armor, in particular, was just so impressive and yet lovely… like his billowing heavenly robes…

What’s our cute little fairy to do? Well, she’s gonna pine over her heavenly crush while teasing her new shadow, of course… hysterically calling the Demon Lord all kinds of names, like Little Immortal Criminal and Big Blockhead and so on… cause she really has no idea who he is for the longest time and it’s just adorable and funny. The humor in this show will have you grinning for hours.

Though it’s a simple story of beloved tropes, they mix it up enough to keep you entertained throughout. There’s also some side couple romances and body-swapping shenanigans and daring rescues and political schemes and even an alternate timeline-ish side story.

Even if you don’t like it… you’ll probably still like it.

And yes, you will also have to suffer through the main couple’s misunderstandings and some tearful mixups – and yes, there are darker episodes that have a more serious tone – but you need that contrast to make the brighter moments even shinier. Cause ultimately this show is a ray of sunshine, a mystical whale swimming through the clouds, a sparkly rainbow after a light spring shower. It’s just so feel good it’s ridiculous.

Tumblr: @dailyasiandramas – Link

I was delighted by the unfamiliar mythologies and characters – which are unique and intriguing and I could babble on about at great length. But the weight of the entire series rested on the shoulders of the two leads, who carried it effortlessly with their witty banter and undeniable natural chemistry.

Esther Yu played our Orchid Fairy – perfectly cast as the cute, plucky, whimsical low-ranking fairy in the heavenly realm with her big eyes and a playful smile. And Dylan Wang played our Demon King, our Moon Supreme, ideally suited for the handsome, scowling tyrant with unmatched power whose foil turns out to be a silly little fairy who teaches him about basic emotions and gets him smile sometimes.

Tumblr: @cajuncherrybee – link

The most important thing to know about Love Between a Fairy and Devil is that it is overtly and unapologetically romantic.

Just… nonstop romance, really. These two are not only on screen together constantly, but they’re close… they walk close together, talk close together, and keep close together. Their magnetic pull is palpable. They are rarely more than inches apart. And there’s lots of kissing, both playful and passionate… liberally sprinkled throughout the entire series, keeping you hooked.

Both the actors and the characters seemed inseparable from the very beginning – they’re both so beautiful and they look stunning side by side.

Tumbr: @xinxiaojie – Link

Honestly, if you haven’t watched it yet I can’t recommend it enough. I’ve already watched it four times all the way through… compulsively… I couldn’t stop myself… I wanted to go back to the dream world and relive the magic again and again. Sure, it had flaws… I mean… I guess it does… I honestly can’t put my finger on what those might be. The show was perfect in my opinion.

Love Between Fairy & Devil – Rating: 10/10. Get Swept Up in a Heavenly Pastel, Epically Sweet Romance.

Before we jump into our second drama, here’s a few bonus text-post memes for Love Between Fairy and a Devil… which admittedly will only be funny if you’ve actually watched the show.

Tumblr: @qianzhaos – Link & Link (these had me rolling on the floor laughing)

And now for our second Devil.

TANTAI JIN!!!

Tumblr: @mutantfactor – link (I mean, helllooooo)

Also known as The Demon Lord, The Devil God, Cang Jiumin… and even Ming Ye.

If Love Between a Fairy & Devil is… I dunno… Beauty and the Beast, maybe… then Till the End of the Moon is your Wuthering Heights. It’s grander in scope and story, with twice the sets, costumes, and characters. This is not the fairy tale you tell children, this is the fairy tale you read to yourself. Till the End of the Moon is the grown-up version of the “good girl” paired with the “bad boy” fueled with agonizing miscommunication and extreme reversals of fortunes and roles, with secrets being the ultimate damnation of love.

Tumbr: @blackwatervial – link

Though I will probably rewatch Love Between a Fairy & Devil more, Till the End of the Moon left the lasting impression on my psyche. This show is seared into my brain – branded – burned – clawed and scarred.

As an avid lover of melodrama, I naturally ate up this tale of woe and passive-aggressive romance like I was a kid in a candy store. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, I love more than an outcast boy who falls in love with the first person who is nice to him and never lets her/him go. It’s what made Wuthering Heights a classic story of insane lovers driving each other insane. It’s what made Queen Seondeok one of the most devastating romances of all time. It’s a trope that is hard to pull off successfully, but when executed correctly is sure to lodge itself into your heart for all eternity.

The opening scene of this drama was incredible. I mean… wow… the goth theatrics! It starts off at the end of this massive war between gods and demons, with the world basically destroyed and only a fraction of the heavenly realm still standing. Our Demon King is flying through the air on this dragon-drawn sled through dark clouds and lightning… I mean… my jaw dropped to the floor.

Tumbr: @blackmoonlightexpress – link

I was ON BOARD and already texting my best friend about this show before the 15 minutes had passed.

P.S. The Tumblr user who voted this man Favorite Male Character was @dangermousie on this post – and I will forever be grateful cause I watched this entire drama based on this one post (below) – and I rarely spaz out over characters this much – but Tantai Jin will undoubtedly haunt me until I am dead and I am fine with that.

….

Anyways, I digress. Let’s get back to the first episode…

A strangely handsome red-eyed Devil God with a fiery halo and a gigantic, weird blood-eye magical weapon that slays immortals was the hook I needed to settle down for this wild ride. Add to it a beautiful immortal girl who has just watched the Devil God destroy her entire family – no, her entire world – no, actually, the four continents and three realms… literally THE entire world! – and time-travels 500 years into the past in an attempt to change the course of destiny… and that was it. I was determined to watch the whole show after 15 minutes.

So how does this beautiful immortal lady plan to change the fate of the world, you ask?

Oh, she’s going back in time to before the Devil God was an all powerful, evil killing machine… you know… back when he was just a pitiful young man, a hostage prince in a foreign country, spurned by all, bullied and abused, a lonely lost soul who only talks to animals and doesn’t know how to cry. She goes back in time and jumps into the body of his wife… who likes to whip him before bed every night (not hyperbole, she actually does this) and starve him for fun. And now she’s gotta win this gaunt guy over… she’s gotta make this miserable, very suspicious prince fall in love with her… you know… so she can figure out how to kill him.

I kid you not. That’s the plot.

And it scratches all the weird itches in me. Everything about this story line just RESONNATES with me.

Till the End of the Moon was elevated from a very good albeit dark story about fate, trust, love, and redemption… to the upper echelons of PEAK ROMANTIC MELODRAMA on the thin frame of the leading male, Luo Yunxi.

Now, I admit fully to be a newbie with Chinese media… so this is the first time I have ever seen this dude before… and I will never forget him. He has one of the most expressive faces of all time with these huge eyes that draw you in. He does these tiny little movements with his eyebrows and eyes, shifting his gaze ever-so-slightly… it’s just mesmerizing.

Just… look at all this… emotion… all this searching and questioning and doubt and pain and longing and uuuugh….

Tumblr: @smittenskitten – link

Tumblr: @zhanglinghez – link

Tumblr: @dazzlingkai – link

And ya’ll… when he’s really happy… or when he’s in love… or when he’s really down for the count… or freakin’ out, or spitting curses, or plotting revenge, or losing his mind – it’s CINEMA. I do not understand how someone’s face can be this captivating – but it’s true – it is the main attraction. And it’s sooo sooo good. I won’t spoil it you just need to see it for yourself. He’s a force of nature in this show – he goes through literally everything…

Tantai Jin is the King of Long Suffering.

He is also a Grade A Male-Wife.

On a personal note – men who are more on the feminine side, so to speak, attract me. Especially elegant men who pamper themselves and dress prettily and bat their long eyelashes. Tantai Jin was such a man. I mean, he always looked better than the other dudes, even when he’s washing ice cold dishes… he’s got his little feathery collar. Boy couldn’t even suffer in purgatory for 500 years without embellished mourning robes and neatly trussed hair. Even when he’s a spiritual apprentice in the heavenly realm, he’s totally overdressed. All the other apprentices are dressed plainly, but not our Tantai Jin. Our baby is a pretty pretty prince, after all, with perfect eyeliner and quality selections of neutral lipsticks.

I do not think I am alone in this – attraction to pretty men is probably half the reason this show is so successful.

There’s something about a willowy gentle creature and his feather light kissing that brings out a generally submerged streak in us… a mean streak, if we’re honest. It awakens our inner bully. Delicate, breakable things inspire you to bend them… and then mend them. To test your strength. To test their limits. How many times did our female lead walk all over this guy’s body and heart, just trampling him repeatedly, and he always… always… let her come back or went chasing after her. He never tested her limits, he never pushed her, he never pressured her. Even when he had her tied up in dungeons he was more interested in making her feel guilty than being malicious. And it was delicious, ya’ll. I’m sure there’s some solid psychology behind this but all I’m saying is if you loved this drama then this is a part of the reason why.

Which leads us to our beautiful, strong female lead.

A character is only as good as their story, and this guy’s story pivots entirely around his relationship with one woman (through many stages and lives). Bai Lu played his opposite, the yin to his yang or whatever… though like most opposites, they were actually just two sides of the same coin.

She was such a cool character – bullheaded, determined, resourceful, thoughtful, funny… and also cruel, calculating, and cold when the mood struck her. Her emotions could turn on a dime, just like his. God, they were so well suited to one another. Just… walking disasters, really.

Tumblr: @xinxiaojie – link (and can we please admire the coloring of these beautiful gifs?!)

I was totally drawn into their madness too.

I loved it when they loved each other.

I loved it when they hated each other.

I loved it when they pretended they didn’t love each other.

I loved it when they pretended to hate each other.

I loved it all.

Their whole wild deal.

Well, that’s not true. I did not love having to wait so long for some kiss scenes… that was one draw back to this otherwise perfect stew of painful love and tormented devotion. But this show stayed true to the “old school” model of historical/fantasy romance dramas… with very quick and/or cut scenes anytime there was romantic interaction. Considering it was such an adult story, I was a bit surprised it felt so prudish with its intimate scenes. I mean… give us some more “dual cultivation,” please and thank you. But that’s my only complaint really.

But who can really complain when the fandom was so happy?

The best Text-Meme Posts on Tumblr: @eyesthatshinelikestars – Link & Link & Link

And here’s a few more – cause text post-memes are my jam.

Tumblr: @nehallelujah – Link

It’s a serious drama – but that doesn’t mean you have to be serious to enjoy it, ya dig? Plus there really are a ton of hysterical moments in this show – flat out comedy gold is sprinkled in amongst the angst.

Till the End of the Moon also gave us two quality side-romances – both of which were complicated, messy, and heartbreakingly beautiful in their own rights. I adored everyone. I pitied everyone. I loved them unconditionally throughout the show.

This story took us through thousands of years, several lifetimes, a few shocking deaths, and some truly soul shattering heartbreaks.

Here’s a bit of a breakdown of this drama in 4 parts (spoilers again)

  • Part 1 – TANTAI JIN IS PATHETIC & I LOVE HIM
    • Ep 1: a sexy Demon God (ML) destroys the world & a heavenly time-traveling assassin Li Susu (FL) is sent on a mission to kill him by inhabiting another body Ye Xiwu
    • Ep 2-6: 500 Years Ago – Demon God is Tantai Jin the whipping boy, a submissive “captive”
    • Ep 7: Tantai Jin samples a demon fox & runs away with his peeps
    • Ep 8: Shenanigans aboard the ship – including a sexy dance, an escape, & a betrayal
    • Ep 9: Tantai Jin & Ye Xiwu switch eyeballs
    • Ep 10: Ye Xiwu travels to the Barren Abyss & Tantai Jin takes over his homeland
    • Ep 11: Everyone reunites & takes a vacation inside a water dragon’s dream
  • PART 2 – LITTLE MERMAID SIDE QUEST
    • Ep 12-13 – A little clam princess marries (FL) the heavenly God of War (ML)
    • Ep 14-15 – The God of War finally gets laid before defeating the current Demon God & reverting to a baby dragon before experiencing domestic bliss
    • Ep 16-17 – We can’t have nice things – a jealousy, murder, & mayhem in the heavens
  • PART 3 – TANTAI JIN IS COURTED BY HIS WIFE
    • Ep 18 – Waking up from the sea dragon dream with… feelings?
    • Ep 19-23 – Ye Xiwu wins over her man’s heart while Tantai Jin wins over the neighboring territories
    • Ep 24-25 – Selective memory leads to betrayal part 2, heartbreak, murders, & tragedy
    • Ep 26 – The worst wedding in the history of all the realms
    • Ep 27-28 – Despair and sadness all around
  • PART 4 – TIL DEATH DO US PART AGAIN I GUESS
    • Ep 29-30 – Tantai Jin mopes around the underworld for 500 years until washing up in the heavenly realm & being renamed Cang Jiumin, while Li Susu (remember her from ep 1?) wakes up to an altered future
    • Ep 31-33 – Our separated & then reunited lovers are still obsessed with each other even in heaven
    • Ep 34 – Cang Jiumin is exposed as the Demon God & gets tortured again
    • Ep 35 – Our lovers tell the truth for five seconds and are happy! Don’t worry, it won’t last.
    • Ep 36 – Double-crossed by dad and double-crossed by dopplegangers!
    • Ep 37-40 – Everyone’s spitting up blood, lying to each other, getting laid, and spitting up more blood as the fate of the world hangs in the balance

In the end, it was really a story about trust. And about the power of reframing reality. Is the glass half full or half empty? It was that simple, after all… you just had to look at it another way to break free of the curse of life… and see it as something broader, more meaningful, more real.

Till the End of the Moon – Rating: 10/10. Whatever Our Souls Are Made Of, the Devil God’s and Mine Are the Same.

So I am now officially a fan of Xianxia (which translates to “immortal heroes”) dramas.

It took two devil lords to pull me in, but consider me on board from this point forward. I’ve already got a long que of ones I want to watch next… and considering how long these suckers tend to be, consider my weekends booked, ya’ll.

Love in the Air : A Masterclass in Kissing – A Review

/ Lady Divine / 8 Comments

Do you ever wish shows had more kissing?

Like… a lot more?

Like, the serious business of kissing that requires exploration of all the variations and placements on the body?

I wish to be burdened with such struggles

Softcore kissing?

Hardcore kissing?

Open mouth, full tongue, no hesitation kissing?

Just… a lot a lot of kissing?

gif from shippingcontacts

I mean… of course you do, right?

All those kisses aren’t even spoilers, really. All that was just the first episode!

It was so spicy!

Love in the Air hooked me from the very beginning. I was COMPELLED by the flirty self-assurance of ponytail boy’s moves on an adorably dim rich boy and their undeniable chemistry.

And… who is this new ponytail boy?

gifs from prapais

I mean… hellooooooo, Boss.

I’d never seen this actor or his big eyed costar before. But they looked great together and I was eager to see more.

I am addicted to their faces

I’d just let my subscription to IQIYI lapse and was gonna hold out until Season 2 of KinnPorsche but apparently no… the “Son of Vegas” won me over.

Snaps to whomever is selecting their BL dramas on that app, too, cause they sure as hell know how to keep their tender hooks in us. Two billion heterosexual shows that I’ll never watch but I forked out the 10-ish bucks a month for the VIP IQIYI subscription again solely to watch one show about rich gay kids.

My socials were sprinkled with the show for the first ep… and there was quite a buzz about it.

gifs from liyazaki

But it blew up by episode 4. Like a nuclear bomb.

Whatever else had been distracting us was quickly pushed aside as Love in the Air became the main course for the next few months. The BL fandom was on board to witness the insane chemistry of two actors that have no problem convincing us they are head over heels in love and can’t keep their hands to themselves.

But of course, we didn’t just get one couple.

Love in the Air said let’s double that and give our audience two high-intensity couples!

Boss & Noeul playing Payu & Rain – Peat & Fort playing Sky & Prapai

If you enjoy watching people staring at each other lovingly, making out excessively, and then pouncing on each other like horny but respectful wild animals – then this is your show. It earned its NC-17 rating.

Plot?

It has one. I’m pretty sure.

I dunno, I was hella distracted by all the tender touching and audible moaning.

Listen, there’s motorcycle races and architecture classes and a few scenes of the older guys at work… but really it’s just a romance, so the majority of the show is laser focused on watching the couples get together.

It’s all about the banter, the wooing, the seducing, the push and pull, the playful courtships, the insecurities, the eager hands, and the thrilling excitement of physical attraction and first loves.

Rating: 10/10. A Masterclass on Kissing.

I wouldn’t dig too deeply into it if you haven’t seen it yet.

I mean, I’m not sure it would matter… I’ve always been a fan of spoilers, but I will admit it was fun to wait week to week to discover what new sexy shenanigans the boys would get up to in the next episode. If you want to be breathlessly surprised, just go watch it. Love in the Air is on more than one app and streaming sites, so you should have zero problem finding this gem of a bl.

But if you’ve already seen it and just want to reminiscence or enjoy getting spoilery details… feel free to join me on this stupidly unnecessary deep dive into a rather simple show (it is NOT going to be deep, I promise, but it will be media heavy).

Now into the Spoiler Zone… where I just share a crap ton of gifs, pics, memes, and more from the fandom while rambling about the episodes.

Continue reading →

THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller

/ Lady Divine / Leave a comment

“Odysseus inclines his head. “True. But fame is a strange thing. Some men gain glory after they die, while others fade. What is admired in one generation is abhorred in another.” He spread his broad hands. “We cannot say who will survive the holocaust of memory. Who knows?” He smiles. “Perhaps one day even I will be famous. Perhaps more famous than you.” 
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

Why can’t the gays be happy? Why? Someone save us from the Greek Tragedies!

This book was beautiful. I looooooooved it. I switched back and forth between the audiobook and the library book, both of which I highly recommend. It’s a lush, sumptuous tale… in which the gods live among us, in which history is represented in its coldness and blood. Lives are short, wars are long, and honor and glory are men’s games. The narrator is Patroclus (shy, stubborn, horny, introverted Patroclus), faithful friend and lover of Achilles (naive, confident, demigod of war) – and their relationship is the focal point of the story – the gods, the wars, the women were all secondary… the landscape in which this love story is painted.

And you know it’s going to be sad. I mean… that 3,000 year old spoiler has been around long enough that we know it. So the dread, the mounting doom that builds… it’s unbearable. It’s delicious. It’s heartbreaking. I sobbed all over the place – even though I knew what would happen! Bury our ashes together! Oh, the sweet agony! Oh, my poor puffy eyes.

Here’s the thing – the spoilers don’t matter. It’s not what’s happening, necessarily, it’s how it’s told. The language, the prose – that’s what this book is about. With that in mind… here’s a few scenes that stuck with me (spoilers):

My favorite parts of this book were the unexpectedly adorable moments between our lovers… like when teenage Achilles comes home one night and announces he’s just found out his mother, an all-seeing goddess, can’t actually see into the cave they’re staying at… and the two boys just stare at each other as all that news implies sinks in… then pounce like hungry lions. Or when young Achi is in disguise as a woman and Patty shows up and he leaps into his arms saying, “Oh, my husband has come!” Or when they save a random prisoner of war, a woman, and take her into their tent for protection – but she assumes she’s about to be raped and no matter how much they try to calm her down and assure her, it’s a nightmare cause they don’t speak the same language, so Patty boy just grabs Achi and puts a big smooch on him and message received loud and clear. Odysseus is also hysterical and rude and conniving and I enjoyed all of his scenes – his clever turn of phrase, his keen understanding and manipulation of situations.

And you have to realize, these situations are all told with this very thick narrative voice – this metaphor and simile heavy language that really sings to you while you read it – as if the breaths you’ll inhale and exhale while you speak the lines are perfectly timed to fit this hypnotic rhythm… very much like a poem… or an old play… it’s beautifully done. Madeline Miller obviously spent a long time tailoring these sentences to create this tale. She’s a drama and classic major… so… you know… she knows her stuff.

I can’t wait to read Circe – her latest book. Though I’ll probably have to take a little break and read something fluffy or light first, to clear the palette. Maybe some YA fantasy or something.

RATING: FIVE STARS

Title: The Song of Achilles
Author: Madeline Miller
Originally published: 2011
Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, War story

KinnPorsche : The Horniest Show on Earth – A Review

/ Lady Divine / 30 Comments

***Please Note: This review is extremely media heavy (lots of gifs & images) so give your device a minute to load. P.S. All images can be enlarged if you click on them.

KinnPorsche is a Thai BL, aka a “boys love” series, created specifically with the fandom of BL in mind.

It’s a story about a mafia boss recruiting a new bodyguard and their subsequent romance as they navigate the criminal underworld, attempt to unravel the complicated web of their families, and find excuses to take each others clothes off.

The one scene we all remember from the original trailer

And like millions of others around the globe, I am currently obsessed with it.

Listen, I don’t know how to phrase this accurately – but this show gave me everything I wanted. As a fan of dramas. As a gay lady. As a content creator and consumer. KinnPorsche said, “Here, have Everything.” Including things I didn’t even know I wanted (which I will explain later).

Is it for you? It might be.

This fanmade music video is better than any trailer for the show. Check it out to see if you want to check it out.

I have loved a lot of dumb shows in my lifetime, but rarely has a series actually loved the audience back as much as this show.

The fandom was feral while this was airing. The euphoric high of waiting week to week, sharing gifs, theorizing, gushing and groaning and getting goosebumps together going over the last episode as anticipation grew to a frantic frenzy for the next. Ya’ll. Seriously. Summer of 2022 was sizzling.

If you have not noticed the fandom freakout over this series – and also somehow managed to avoid major spoilers or couple moments or Youtube & TikTok videos, Tumblr posts, Twitter threads, and so on… then wow. Congratulations! You may yet enjoy a pure viewing experience of this masterpiece.

If you have noticed it all and thought… what in the world is all this horny mess and should I check this out? Then yes, you should also watch it and wait with impatience for all of the scenes you have already seen to unfold before your eyes.

(images from Tumblr @moerusai – one of the supreme leaders of the Kinnporsche empire / fandom)

If you are coming from watching Korean Dramas or perhaps never watched an Asian drama at all – there are a few things you should know.

Without spoilers – please keep these things in mind:

  • The plot is a minor inconvenience. By that I mean do not go into this show expecting a deep dive into machinations of the Thai mafia, serious character studies, profound explorations of morals or psychology or anything else that usually sneaks its way into mafia-centric media. Don’t get me wrong, there is mafia-ish stuff happening. But don’t dig too deep into it. If you aren’t coming into this show exclusively to have fun watching gorgeous men get together while wearing suits and wielding guns, then check your tickets cause you may have purchased them in error.
  • The Action Sequences remind me of action TV from America the 1980-1990s. Meaning, they are not the highly cut, crazy angle, so-fast-you-nearly-miss-it, typical American style action-sequencing of today’s shows. They’re more on level and in real time. Still impressive to the modern eye but don’t expect John Wick, ya dig? Oh, and occasionally there are “tango-action” sequences… where the characters literally roll onto each other or into each others arms or whatever… and yeah, it’s ridiculous but it’s also sexy and fun and reminds you this isn’t The Godfather, this is a gay romance.
  • The Genre Shifts Constantly but should not be too jarring to anyone familiar with Asian dramas, which frequently jump from comedy to melodrama to romance to action and back all in one episode. There will be hot sensual scenes followed by slapstick, cheeky comedy… and mafia shootouts followed by bodyguards sitting around gossiping… serious plot moments followed by drunken dancing at a bar. And that’s just the nature of the beast with this show.
  • Most importantly, you should know IT’S SUPER GAY and in no way ashamed of it or apologetic about it or even that concerned with your opinions of the subject. This is not a show about coming out, gay self acceptance, or homophobia. This show takes place in a strange alternate dimension where very few women have speaking roles and nearly every man is gay or bisexual. This is peak BL, people.

KinnPorsche has become a global phenomenon and I would recommend it to everyone just so you aren’t being left out. What do you have to lose? The two male leads are exceptionally attractive, have unbelievable chemistry together, and there are plenty of enjoyable “mafia” moments inbetween all kinds of goofy shenanigans and kissing. KinnPorsche is both PG and NC-17 and you will have fun bouncing between the two.

(images above from Tumblr @kinnporsche)

So go and download IQIYI (or find some alt links – keep reading this post *wink *wink) and watch the show if you haven’t.

KinnPorsche (Thai BL) – Overall Rating: 10/10. The Horniest Show on Earth, otherwise known as Whump and Rump in the Gay Mafia.

In the sections below, I will be rambling on these topics:

  • THE LORE & BACKSTORY (no spoilers – the backstory to this show is just as wild as the show itself – includes all trailers and promos)
  • THE GAY MAFIA ROMANCE SHOW TAKES OVER THE WORLD (lots of spoilers)
  • THE CHARACTERS (no deep dives here, folks, just a quick hello to our major players)
  • THE COUPLES: KINN / PORSCHE (spoiler city)
  • THE COUPLES: VEGAS / PETE (spoiler city)
  • THE WORLD TOUR (in which I lose my mind, collectively, with the fandom)

Want to know more?

A FANDOM LOVE STORY: Spoilers, Gossip, Trailers, Pics, Gifs, and More below…

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2022 Reviews… but really just KinnPorsche.

/ Lady Divine / Leave a comment

So, I’ve watched quite a few Korean dramas over the last few months but none of them made me immediately run to the keyboard to write a review. There’s a few that I’ve been stewing over and will probably cover in more depth… but for now… a quick summary:

  • All of Use Are Dead – Rating: 10/10. Unexpectedly amazing.
  • Money Heist: Korea – Rating: 8/10. Good but was annoyed it wasn’t a complete series.
  • Romance is a Bonus Book – Rating: 9/10. How did I miss this gem of a show for so long? Classically good K-drama.
  • Tomorrow – Rating: DNF. I wanted to like it… but it was just so dull.
  • Twenty-Five Twenty-One – Rating: 8/10. Loved the first half… then it meandered a bit… then lost me at the end.
  • Business Proposal – Rating: 7/10. Cute. Nothing new.
  • Our Beloved Summer – Rating: 8.5/10. Excellent, a bit like an indie romance, could have been stronger but still a strong tea of a romance.
  • Our Blues – Rating: DNF. I might get around to finishing it this summer… possibly.
  • My Liberation Diary – Rating: 8/10. Not quite as good My Mister but definitely wanted to compete… a depressing examination of the disillusionment of adulthood and floundering through life.
  • The Sound of Magic – Rating: DNF. I should have watched the trailer cause I was not vibing with a musical.
  • Juvenile Justice – Rating: DNF. Meh. I like the premise but wasn’t sold on the execution of this story.
Seriously, though, All of Use Are Dead had no business being as good as it was! I thought we’d all collectively overdosed on zombie media, but nope… here comes South Korea once again beating the odds by making a zombie program unlike any other zombie program by using the magic of quality character development!

Currently, I’m watching Alchemy of Souls (meh) and Tale of the Nine-Tailed (also meh). But really, there’s only one show from Asia that is truly captivating the web. I mean… is there any other show even on right now? Cause all I see on my socials is a billion gif sets and memes and giddy gushing of fans who are obsessed – OBSESSED, I tell you – with the Thai BL drama KinnPorsche.

So… KinnPorsche review coming soon! The final episode aired yesterday and I am still high as a kite on the endorphins. Rarely has my fangirling heart been so richly rewarded by a show.

UPDATE: FULL INSANELY LONG & CRAZY REVIEW OF KINNPORSCHE NOW AVAILABLE! Read Review.

What are you all watching this summer?

Review – Bulgasal: Immortal Souls

/ Lady Divine / 4 Comments

I mean… can you resist this goth aesthetic???

There’s gonna be a lot of gifs and images in this review… so if you’re internet is slow, give it a minute to load up cause… lights camera action.

Ah, Bulgasal! I’ve been sitting on this review a while because this is a tricky show to discuss. Like many other poor fools out there, I watched this drama as it was airing. And in a strange way, that contributed to my love/hate relationship with this fantasy. Cause I should have hated it. I shouldn’t really recommend it to anyone in good faith. But I had such a blast watching this show!

I was soaked in the fandom, giddy with anticipation as the mystery unfolded, and horny over too many characters not to love it. I was amused as often as I was annoyed with the outcome week to week as the story unfolded two episodes at a time. It doesn’t deserve a high rating. It’s slow paced, the plot line is a huge mess, and the characters are weird. But I’m giving it a high rating cause I loved this dumb, beautiful disaster of a show with my whole heart.

Everything you need to know about Bulgasal is revealed in the first ten minutes of the show with the narration introducing the last monster, the flashes of mysterious scenes on a bridge, and the cool opening title sequence. Not once did I hit the skip button, either. I love that title sequence.

Bulgasal has an unknown story line (we’re not following any real historical royal families or diving into era specific conflicts or politics), so there’s no easy guessing of the plot’s major conflict. It’s got reincarnation angles, so there are multiple timelines with multiple versions of characters popping up. It’s got a grumpy protagonist who spends the large majority of the show sulking around a dirty house while a bunch of sunshine characters come in upset his world. It’s got a very enjoyable and theatrical antagonist who has more chemistry with the leading man than the leading lady does. And it’s got all kinds of wacky supernatural stuff at play without clear rules so it’s always a mystery how it’s going to effect the storyline and all the characters.

I mean, you won’t really know what’s happening or why in this show for a long time and even when you find out it’s not particularly inspired, but it’s so much fun guessing. If you have any imagination whatsoever you will invent a plotline three times better than the one offered and bask in the glory of your mental fanfiction as you stare at the beautiful people on your screen.

Bulgasal is a whole vibe. You’re either on board or not. Do you want on this ship?

Wait, I’m sorry. What was that? I don’t think I heard you.

I said DO YOU WANT ON THIS SHIP?

Meow Meow.

ALL ON BOARD.

My personal rating 10/10. My subjective rating? Uhm… 7/10? But why be subjective with Bulgasal? That’s not what this drama is bringing to the table. Let’s adjust to uh… Overall rating: 9/10. A beautiful disaster that captivated the fandom.

Now let’s talk about what made Bulgasal… Bulgasal. Or rather, let’s just follow tangents along and ramble as I reminisce on the fandom and the characters in this show.

SPOILERS BELOW.

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BL Dramas – Which Country Does BL Best?

/ Lady Divine / 6 Comments

BL, or Boys Love, is nothing new to the scene. It’s been around for quite a while, largely in print or anime format. It’s also been extremely diverse from the get-go with many different genres and settings offering us male/male relationships from super sweet romance romances to intensely sexual content. I still remember stumbling across the anime Ai no Kusabi (1992) – which was burned onto a CDR and stuffed in as some free bonus content from my order of Wolf’s Rain (2003) I’d received off eBay.

Ya’ll. I was not prepared for Ai no Kusabi.

I’d stumbled across the Finder manga in 2002 and thought I’d found the peak pervy storyline of the sexy mafia boss and his feisty reporter twink… but no. Ai no Kusabi created an entire world around sex pets, like the Claiming of Sleeping Beauty trilogy and Exit to Eden books by Anne Rice, this was a society built upon BDSM and sexual servitude.

So, like many others, I discovered BL through Japanese manga and anime. Some of them creeped me out with their childlike boy characters (No Money, Boku no Pico), while others made the age-gap work for them (Junjou Romantica). And of course, there were plenty of manga and anime series with heavily implied gay storylines and artwork, giving us “manservice” if you will, where they would show you they were gay but wouldn’t tell you they were gay. One of my all time favorite series X/1999 is one such storyline. I mean… that entire story is just queer escapism. The manga, the anime, even the weird movie… it’s good stuff. Super gay. And yet… not.

The 21st Century has already seen many cultural shifts and changes, one of the most positive of those has been the push for global acceptance of LGBTQ+ people. We have seen gay marriage, gay rights, and gay issues become major movements around the world. My ardent wish is that by the mid-century, LGBTQ+ people will have equal rights and protections under the law everywhere.

In the past few years I have watched an explosion of BL live action dramas coming out of Asia, the popularity of this genre increasing almost exponentially whereas now it seems a global phenomenon. This is largely due to the fact that gay content has always been enjoyed outside the gay community. Love is universal, after all, and whether it’s two boys, two girls, a boy and a girl, or a pairing of other gender or sexual identities, it all reads the same – people falling in love.

Since 2020, BL is increasingly common in the live action drama market. So… which country does it best?

I’m not sure there is a real answer to that, as everything boils down to preference. Whether you prefer Thai, Taiwanese, Korean, Filipino, Japanese, and Chinese dramas will, undoubtedly, heavily influence your rankings. I certainly have my preferences, as I am sure you have yours (if you have watched more than one BL, that is). My preferences tend to be related to the storylines and dynamics more than the country, though. So in the genre of BL, I tend to stray from my preference for Korean Dramas, though there are a few from Korea that I enjoyed.

Anyways, without further adieu – here are my favorite BL drama series that I’ve seen from various countries….

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THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES by Mindy McGinnis

/ Lady Divine / Leave a comment

Just finished this little gem of a YA book and had to post. I read a lot of YA… a lot of it. So it’s always nice when a book surprises me. And this book did.

It’s the story about a girl named Alex whose older sister was murdered in a small town. Alex is out for blood, peeps. Alternating between three characters – Jack, the popular boy who takes an interest in our psychotic protagonist – Peekay, the preacher’s daughter who is, honestly, just a nice representation of your basic teenage girl – and Alex, our dark hero. I actually thought the author did a good job of making the teens authentic. Other interesting characters pepper the story, friends, ex boyfriends and girlfriends, teachers, parents, police officers, townie boys. It’s a quick read – gets right to the action – and stays in first person (via three people).

I loved it! I bought it for the library, but I’m keeping this copy… already placed an order for another. It’s not Stephen King or Girl on a Train… it’s more like watching a really fun thriller movie. Bite sized and easy to digest. Highly recommended for a quick, dark read.

RATING: FOUR STARS

Title: The Female of the Species
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Originally published: 2016
Genres: YA, Contemporary Fiction

Review – Backstreet Rookie (and Ji Chang Wook’s Career Choices)

/ Lady Divine / 1 Comment

So cute! So breezy! So light weight it floats away as soon as you let go of it.

Here’s my issue with Backstreet Rookie, Melting Me Softly, & Lovestruck in the City. They all featured Ji Chang Wook, so of course I watched them all cause I’m a fan. But they’re all just… good. But not great. Not outstanding. Not the types of shows to get you excited about the story line or the fate of the characters. None of these shows are top tier dramas and Ji Chang Wook is a top tier actor, so it feels like a waste somehow, even when it’s a good show.

Ji Chang Wook is an actor who is skilled in his craft, who can bring complexity and a wide range of emotions to his roles, who can really suck you into the character arcs of a story. Ji Chang Wook who shook us to our core in Empress Ki. Ji Chang Wook who took our hearts in Warrior Baek Dong Soo. Ji Chang Wook of the iconic show Healer. Ji Chang Wook of the action frenzy escapism of The K2.

None of his recent dramas are worth him. These are all shows you hand over to lesser actors. These are shows that only required a handsome male lead who can be charming and a little pathetic when in love. And by taking these roles… Ji Chang Wook has lowered his standards, and ours.

Listen, I’m not saying I didn’t have a good time watching this show. I enjoyed every episode of it.

Backstreet Rookie is a story about a handsome dude running a convenience store and the young super model “average girl” who is obsessed with him. She comes to work at his store and helps the business do better in order to win his heart and of course it works. They both fall in love. There are obstacles along the way. It’s a typical romantic comedy without any over-dramatic high stakes or melodramatic emotional obstacles to overcome. They’re both impossibly attractive and single – so yeah… cue the wedding march, I guess. I honestly don’t remember much more to the plot than that, now that it’s been a while.

I think there was a side story line about her sister wanting to be an idol. And another side story line about a guy obsessed with Reggae music. Maybe? Was he an author or something? I don’t remember. Whatever. The side stories were cute, but they were garnish, not appetizers. They weren’t mean to be filling in any way, just decorate the surroundings of the main story.

Ji Chang Wook was super sweet in this. He’s good at playing these frustrated, adorable men. He’s good with comedic timing and playing off other characters. And he’s always good with his female leads, always.

The female lead, played by Kim You-Jung, was a drop-dead gorgeous young woman who went through a rebellious phase before settling into the routine and responsibilities of a regular job. She was stunning in every scene and her character was quite charming and I liked her the entire show.

There’s nothing to complain about. You’ll like watching it. You probably just won’t remember much of it later.

There are God-Tier work place dramas, like Coffee Prince, Incomplete Life/Misaeng, Live, Move to Heaven, & Pinocchio – you know, the ones that do the heavy lifting and bring more to the table with incredible character development, deeply moving character arcs, unexpected realism, and award winning performances – and then there are all the others, which vary from good to meh to skip it. Backstreet Rookie was good. Check it out. You’ll undoubtedly like it as it was a fun, feel-good rom-com.

I will warn you there is no physical intimacy in this drama. A hug, maybe?

This is not a spoiler, in my opinion, as we all know what we are getting into when we start a romantic comedy. For whatever dumb reason we, as an audience, weren’t allowed to see the couple kiss (other than the pop kiss in the first episode with the weird pseudo-flying move). I thought this was a bullshit choice by the show runners, frankly, and it deeply annoyed me right at the end when I was supposed to be happy about a happy ending. So an otherwise cute and cheerful romantic comedy went out on a sour note. They even had the audacity to have the characters break the fourth wall and look directly into the camera and wink at us, as if we were in on this decision and agreed to look away. Listen, that’s not how the endearing break of the fourth wall at the end trope works. Watch The Greatest Love, that’s a far better romantic comedy that did the same trick the correct way. That is what we want to experience when our characters acknowledge the viewing audience.

Sigh.

Ji Chang Wook, are you sure you don’t want to do action dramas again? It doesn’t have to be anything as exhausting as The K2, mind you. We know you don’t want to be Super Wook any longer, but surely there is a middle ground. Something between. I know you’ve got it in you to bring the house down, so I’ll keep watching and hoping you pick up a role worthy of your acting chops.

Until then, I guess I’ll have to settle for these good-but-not-great romances you keep churning out.

Backstreet Rookie – Overall Rating: 8/10 – Ridiculously Attractive People Maintain Their Perfect Figures & Complexions While Working Blue Collar Jobs Selling Junk Food.

Review – Color Rush

/ Lady Divine / 2 Comments

In the world of this drama, some people are born color blind. It is inexplicable color blindness, having nothing to do with traditional color blindness that involves genetics and cells in the eye’s retina. These unique people are called Monos. They see only in shades of gray.

Monos can be triggered into seeing color, however, if they find a person known as a Probe. Also incredibly rare, these individuals can activate (for lack of a better word) the eyes of Monos. The Monos then experience a color rush – as their eyes change to see color. It’s an overwhelming experience, causing fainting and blackouts. The Monos only experience color in the presence of their paired Probe.

Needless to say, this change in world view is very disorienting and compelling to the Monos. The experience causes obsessive tendencies and can even result in violence. The Monos desire to be always in the presence of the Probe leads many to stalking, kidnapping, and assault. There have even been cases of Monos eating their Probe partners.

So when our cute young Mono unexpectedly discovers his cute young Probe, all he wants to do is run away before the madness takes him. And all his Probe wants to do is flirt and invade his personal space, red flags of warning be damned. He strings along his color-rushed Mono, dolling out small doses of overwhelming color in carefully crafted (and surprisingly thoughtful) experiences. He drapes himself around this fainting, confused cutie and drags him into closets to see rainbows. Even when it’s obvious the experience is having an unsettling effect on the Mono, our slinkly Probe keeps pushing him along. Cause if you can see the world in color… why would you ever go back? Isn’t it worth the gamble of madness? Isn’t it worth turning your life upside down for? Isn’t it… the perfect metaphor for discovering you’re gay?

To say the premise of this series about all the colors of the rainbow is dark is the understatement of the year. It’s deliciously dark. My only complaint about this show is that it didn’t lean in harder to its obvious tonal values. It wanted to be both dark while also cuter than a basket of kittens… which is impossible to pull off under this plot line. I mean, we are told the color rush experience triggers cannibalism in the first episode. You can’t toss out information like that and not have it color, so to speak, the budding relationship.

Honestly, the entire show was just middle of the road for me – the actors, the locations, the cinematography, the side story (which was non existent but could have been awesome), and the romance. Not bad but not good either. Just a solid “eh.” BUT – the plotline elevated this show into a higher status by being so intriguing that every episode felt exciting. The “what if…?” and the “oh god, is he…?” and the “OH MY GOD, IS THAT-?” that you’ll be asking yourself throughout the run time were massively engaging. Ultimately a bit of a let down, too, but enough to propel you forward at an enjoyable speed through this shows short run time.

I’ve got more to say – but it skirts into spoilers, so let’s just drop a quick rating before we get into more. Though it really only deserved a 6 or 7, I’m gonna drop it in the top tier cause I doubt I’ll ever stop thinking about the BL story that tempted me with flesh eating insanity.

Overall Rating: 8/10 – You’ll See Colors and Cannibals Everywhere.

Spoiler time…

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