HIStory (Taiwanese Series)

HIStory is a Taiwanese web drama anthology series with different plots and main characters focusing on the theme of boys' love, also known as BL. This first season consisted of 12 episodes encompassing 3 stories over 4 episodes each. Interestingly each of the 3 stories are quite different from one another, but as I mentioned, the theme of BL is the constant that binds them together. Apparently, this series is the first Taiwanese web drama to air on Japanese television and it accumulated a large international fan following. Lets review each of these below.

MY HERO: After dying, a young girl figures out that it was a mistake. She negotiates with the death god to inhabit the body of the recently dead boy, so that she can again get close to her boyfriend. Little does she know that the boy whose body she is going into was also secretly in love with her boyfriend. However, she has only one week for her boyfriend to fall in love with her new body. Or else both her and the boy's body dies.

To be honest, I am still not clear, when the boyfriend eventually falls in love, was it for his ex-girlfriend or was it because he eventually discovers that the boy is in love with him and he just reciprocates; or maybe it was a combination of both. The cast is good looking and acts well and thankfully not many OTT scenes. The ending was cliched and bittersweet but overall quite alright.

STAY AWAY FROM ME: When their parents get married and leave for a long honeymoon, superstar Cheng Qing moves in with his new stepbrother Feng He. With Cheng Qing on the brink of failing out of college, their parents entrust Feng He to tutor him. Feng's best friend Meng Meng loves the whole BL stories and keeps dreaming and wanting that Cheng and Feng get together. She tries her best to push them together. Cheng eventually falls for Feng but Feng is constantly struggling between his feelings for Feng v/s his relationship as a step-brother.

Firstly, the guys in this story were both so cute and they had amazing chemistry. The way Cheng Qing would trouble Feng was cute. Their acting was very natural unlike some BL dramas where the acting would start off super awkward. Stories like this where society sees you as brothers (but they are forced to be brothers), but you actually want to be lovers; are always tricky and I think the series managed to keep a fine balance.

OBSESSED: Yi-chen, a man who dies in an accident following a scuffle with his ex-boyfriend Jin-teng, is reborn and sent back 9 years. To save his future self, he avoids Jin-teng and his feelings for him. Yi-chen proceeds to destroy his diary, where he writes about his longtime feelings for him. Jin-teng discovers a few pages, and develops a growing curiosity about Yi-chen which he can't explain. Yi-chen himself realizes that he can't resist Jin-teng, no matter how many times he tries to not fall for him again.

Personally, this was the most interesting story for me, although its a little confusing in the beginning wrt timelines. Also one good thing about this is that there is a lot more physical affection and kisses in this story , when compared to a lot of other BL stories that I have seen where pretty much there is hardly even a kiss between the protagonists. So there was even a sensual element for a change and good fun to watch.

These stories were good mix of fun, novelty and pretty much what you would expect from any regular Asian BL series. It doesn't go out of its way but it doesn't disappoint you either. (6/10)