Welcome to my weekly blog post where I give thoughts on dramas I’m watching but not recapping.
I took this week off from recaps but I did write a post on 25 Random Recommendations from 2023. Check it out and see if you missed anything good.
This week I’m talking about two shows that have almost nothing in common besides having people in them.
First, I finished:
Love Me Love My Voice – 很想很想你 – 2023
Recently aired Chinese contemporary romance with 33 episodes.
A doctor-voice-actor-cook woos a student-composer-convenience-store-worker. There’s a lot of smiling and singing and eating.
Two attractive, talented, good-natured people meet. As the intro song says “slowly, slowly they fall in love”. That’s it as far as the plot goes. The rest is 33 episodes of everyone being good and kind as they work towards career goals, go on vacation, eat delicious looking food and sing. If there was any conflict it barely registered and was quickly resolved.
At its core this show is a very particular kind of fantasy: The partner who can completely accommodate you and anticipate your every need.
Considering how often in life we can ask for things or tell people what we want and get ignored, I get this fantasy. The downside is it can look like him being in complete control while she passively lets things happen without saying anything.
For the show to work, you have to believe what he’s doing is what she genuinely wants. His perfect-ness and her passiveness did wear on me at times, but I get it. I too would like my needs perfectly anticipated at times.
Ultimately, it’s not a favorite of mine but for anyone seeking romantic escapism, it’s an easy one to recommend. Also, the music is catchy and I regularly get “Slowly, slowly” stuck in my head.
And now for something completely different:
The Sign – ลางสังหรณ์ – 2023
Currently airing Thai police-supernatural-BL, I’ve watched 5 of 12 episodes.
Two young men in training to become police officers discover connections that might go beyond this life.
So far this show is an intriguing and light hearted adventure with a lot going on and a lot of blurred crotches.
There’s the supernatural stuff: One of our leads has precognitive abilities that seem to show up strongest in relation to the other lead. There are also supernatural creatures that show up from time to time as well as some past life connections.
There’s the police stuff: Our leads start the show in training to become cops. With at least one of them there’s some kind of personal reason tied to their past. There’s also a serial killer on the loose and exciting fight scenes..
There’s the romance and Yai: One of our leads is reserved and has never been in a relationship. The other is outgoing and friendly and seemingly experienced. The actors have good chemistry and a cute height difference. There’s a lot of flirting and teasing and skinship. Everyone (including me) wants them to get together. Yai, their annoying friend Yai, won’t stop trying to force it. Chill out Yai.
There’s the comedy: Somehow I’ve watched all three shows produced by Idolfactory; Secret Crush On You, GAP, and now The Sign. All three have the same kind of humor. I think it worked best in Secret Crush On You, which had a school setting and comedic set-up. Here it gives me whiplash as we go from gruesome serial killers to comedic-ketchup-on-the-crotch scenes. Also, there are so many drunk scenes.
But in the school-office-place-romance dominated world of Thai BL, I’m always excited to go somewhere different. I want to know what terrible things their past selves might have done. I want to know what led them to be cops in their present lives. I want to see them rescue each other while looking amazing.
For that, I’m willing to put up with ketchup-crotch and Yai.
Now I’m going to go watch the next episode!
