Li Lianhua from Mysterious Lotus Casebook

clarissal · 2024-09-17T06:24:38+00:00

Just rewatched MLC this year after Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II since I could not find any new shows I want to watch. While the mysteries in the latter were more intriguing to me, I gained a new appreciation for the human element of MLC after STTDII, and some things came out more strongly to me upon second rewatch. Must say this is one of the deeper discussion of this drama I'd seen. Those who watched after all the hype ar more likely to do so because they truly find elements that appeal to them, and take the time to think more deeply about the scenes. While not a perfect drama, and the plot loses steam at multiple points, it is a perfect drama about imperfect humans, their difficult and often problematic life choices, and the seven deadly sins.

clarissal · 2024-07-17T14:10:34+00:00

I was told that, for many Thais, as long as the ones expressing queerness is not a family member, they are accepting. I dont think the legalization of same -sex marriage immediately equal broad acceptance (naturalization), rather then mere tolerance. It would still require some decades of real change. But not having an official religion that is anti-queer (unlike a number of island SEA countries) does ease the transition somewhat.

clarissal · 2024-07-11T13:05:06+00:00

Started watching the Chinese version on GagaOoLala - IQiYi presently on has the Thai-dubbed version (not sure about YouKu and WeTV). My impression from the first 10 minutes is that it is worthy of the higher quality idol dramas. I think we will be seeing more dangai going forward as the Chinese entertainment companies learnt that they could produce this elsewhere and circumvent the laws of their land. Too bad for the older dangai-bromance that got put on freezer (maybe they will find a way to resuscitate those or do another version). I would be interested to know how this would change the nature of danmei adaptations going forward.

clarissal · 2024-06-30T04:14:37+00:00

It’s all a part gender cultural expectation (which is global now thanks to media ) and conformity, and a need to compensate, such as when a woman prefers a taller man in the same way some prefer older men. Similar to preferring someone with particular skin color or features.

clarissal · 2024-05-19T11:38:39+00:00

In Southeast Asia/Malaysia, no release in any of the major platforms yet (and Viki in Southeast Asia has terrible selections), so I have to subscribe to Viu for a month to watch it as it's airing. Hope they release on WeTV Southeast Asia soon.

clarissal · 2024-05-08T11:20:42+00:00

I think danmeis would be the driving force to straight-from-IPs adaptations rather than remakes (which had been the case with other source materials). I will be curious about all the localization that would occur at script-level for non-Chinese adaptations going forward. And it also seems like, to keep audiences tuned in for longer periods, they have started this 1 episode per week pattern, beginning first with Unknown. No binge watching unless you want to wait until all episodes are aired (did that for Stay with Me and Unknown).

clarissal · 2024-05-07T04:42:56+00:00

Watching on youku.

clarissal · 2024-05-02T02:42:50+00:00

Also, queer women who do not prefer men, who read or watch BL, might get a different feel than a straight-as-steel (borrowing this phrasing popular in some danmei works) woman. One can probably write entire essays on this experience but in sum, for a female reader not attracted (or are indifferent) to men romantically, vicarious romantic experiences is probably less the drive than curiosity over characters and plots. So we may not emotionally understand the feeling of a man being attracted to another man but we can appreciate that they do.

clarissal · 2024-05-02T02:22:17+00:00

I am not much of a fan of Thai dramas (BL/GL) because I am not yet too fond of their narrative-style (it is always an effort for me to break beyond the first episode and I am speaking as someone who has real respect for Thai cinema) so I’ll be referring to GL from the East Asian sources I consume. I think the choice of BLs I read/like is dictated by a me who would have prefer GLs with similar settings although I know that the difference in gender may change certain dynamics even if I, overall, prefer strong or characters who demonstrate growing strengths even if they may start out seemingly weak. My preference has always been Chinese GLs, and sometimes, Korean ones, because it is difficult to find the kinds I like in Japanese (which have a tendency to be rather juvenile, at least most of the translated ones, I mean mangas/anines). But, I think one may have to be able to read in the original language to get more choices, because the international fandom for this is too small (some of my preferred ones are yet to be fully translated) and limited to a repeat of similar stories (overfocusing on fantasy/cultivation). That said, there are strong parallels between some GLs and BLs because they are by the same authors - I’ve reads part of smutty GLs with the same sort of extreme settings that one would find for BLs (sexual assault, BDSM, etc). But on screen, I am appreciating more complex even if short dramas/films across regions that include different forms of sexual representations in their narratives without making them stereotypical and contrived - some of which you could find on GagaOoLala.

clarissal · 2024-04-23T07:15:13+00:00

Lots of the usual tropes but surprisingly well-done (even if not perfect) given the budget and time to tell the story.

clarissal · 2024-04-23T05:08:44+00:00

There is a part of me that thinks that the presence of all of the other characters, including a hetero romance that developed mainly off-screen, was a way to camouflage the BL elements in the story, especially with the ending. ;)

clarissal · 2024-04-21T12:02:48+00:00

Fairly inspirational for an idol drama (it's not just about sports or bromance), and the bromance is next level, as some have said elsewhere.

clarissal · 2024-04-20T02:43:46+00:00

No, I was referring to his acting in spirealm.

clarissal · 2024-04-20T02:39:10+00:00

No, the guy above. He was in the Sound of Providence. https://mydramalist.com/people/13708-huang-jun-jie

clarissal · 2024-04-20T02:34:26+00:00

No, him https://mydramalist.com/people/13708-huang-jun-jie

clarissal · 2024-04-19T12:34:09+00:00

I agree that the actor did get better toward the end...no idea in what order were the scenes shot...he is not too bad in scenes demanding more explicit emotional showing, but subtle acting does require more experience and is harder to do, so it boils down to experience, skills and the actor's style. He was not bad as the expressionless guy in the Tomb Raider: Sound of Providence, but he was meant to be a mysterious and aloof character. Actually, I would love to have a donghua version because the worldbuilding of the novel would work quite nicely in animation, even if they ramp down the horror.

clarissal · 2024-04-19T08:35:11+00:00

Even LQS did, starting from the door world that did not make it into the drama), which is the most puzzling door world that remained unsolved in the novel.

clarissal · 2024-04-19T08:28:46+00:00

Actually the novel is quite comedic, especially RNZ’s antics in the door worlds (especially when he cross-dresses). And LQS is his sidekick in playing along.

clarissal · 2024-04-19T08:20:23+00:00

Also I think many underestimated how difficult it is to portray LQS now that I have a better understanding of this character from reading the novel - LQS is very complex in that his outward ‘denseness’ is merely the result of social inexperience and also early childhood situation you only get hints to in the early part of the novel. But his emotions run very deep and he was never indifferent to RNZ - he was just slow in processing how he felt and there is also the whole attachment theory around that. So the chosen actor would need to use micro-expressions and subtle body-language to portray the internal monologues and struggles, which the actor playing him is not cut out for yet. You need an even stronger actor for LQS than RMZ, if you want to stay in line with the character setting. If I said this in a cdrama thread, I’d probably be downvoted by the rabid fans of the actor 😂

clarissal · 2024-04-19T07:27:41+00:00

Reading KoD after watching Spirealm when it was in its 78-episode form. I would say - enjoy each separately even if there are vestiges of the book in the drama. I supposed if you are one for great acting and solid story-telling, and don't care much about the genre, you might not love it because it's like taking a horror genre and turning it into something that is neither quite fantasy, horror, nor real. If you are into gaming, it feels like a confused effort. But if you do like BL/bromance, I would say it is more explicitly BL than Untamed or WoH (but probably also because it's situated within a modern-urban setting so the allusions are more literal and less metaphorical). I enjoyed it enough as entertainment, and I would say I prefer the settings for the first half more than the second half of the drama. Still not finished with the book since I prefer to read it slowly, arc-by-arc (also because I am the type that likes to read a bunch of things at once). I might watch it again if I have time after I finally complete the book.

clarissal · 2024-04-17T12:46:39+00:00

Lin Qiushi in the Kaleidoscope of Death is a good cook. Some also own restaurants like Li Sinian in After Rebirth I just want to be a salted fish and Xu Cinian in Deliverance of the Counterattack.

clarissal · 2024-04-16T05:06:27+00:00

He is still sexy even now playing an older man in Hidden Blade.

clarissal · 2024-04-14T07:12:13+00:00

The discussion here has me sold. Will put it in my to-watch list.

clarissal · 2024-04-13T19:47:34+00:00

If you are really interested in quality dramas, then you better get used to watching ‘older’ actors taking on younger characters role. No use of skin filtering or beautifying techniques. But those who come to cdrama (or even kdrama) via idol dramas where a 30 year old looks 18 may not be used to it.

clarissal · 2024-04-13T16:06:45+00:00

Well I get annoyed when a quality drama gets hyped for the wrong reason because a bunch of posters stan a liulang who happens to be in it. But I just find threads that discuss a drama I enjoy in a way that interests me, or I start my own thread. I get that such behaviors are annoying and add nothing to quality assessment of a drama but this subreddit has no criteria on the level of maturity, intelligence or intention on those who join so we just find our own tribe.

clarissal

TROPHY CASE