Skip to main content

The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name (Cantonese Mini-Series)

This short six-episode series chronicles the relationship between the main characters, from their student days to their workplace experiences. When I say short, they are really short like 2-6 minutes each. So I was in two minds about posting this as a separate post, but then why not? I haven't seen a slice of life drama from Hong Kong in a while and this was a perfect addition. Stories of silent love and unspoken feelings are very few and this one in particular, uses silence and minimal words and brings the impact very effectively.

We never get to know the names but our two leads are known as 'The cafe Owner' and 'The Boy'. The two boys met years ago in university when they ended up sharing the same flat. Over that period, they became really close friends and shared this easy going comfort feeling with one another. The Cafe owner doesn't get good marks in university so his friend encourages his decision to open a cafe. The Boy, who now has a high profile job but a stressful one, visits the cafe everyday. The Café Owner tries his best to cheer up his friend, listening to his problems and offering support. The two have remained platonic friends over the years, but one day the Cafe Owner confesses his true feelings for The Boy. There is hesitancy on where this new dynamic will lead to and what will happen to the beautiful friendship. The last episode very beautifully summarizes that for us.

Apparently this series has been made by a small group of passionate BL fans who run a manga store. It's their passion project and I have to say what a fantastic debut. The events in the show feel very authentic, the feelings genuine and clearly the director knows what he/she wants from the story. The story and the characters are down the earth and the viewers get an opportunity to feel intimate and cozy and be a part of these 2 lovely people and enjoy the rapport they share as roommate, as friends and eventually as lovers. If I had to critique, I am sure I will be joining thousands of other fans who thought that the episodes were way too short. I mean, how can you invest in anything in just a 2 min episode. They might as well have released this as a short film and that would have made a stronger impact. But hey, like I said, Kudos to people who were so passionate about the whole BL genre that they gave it a try. Its not easy to tell a story by more visuals, minimal dialogues and still give the impact.

Overall, this is a sincere attempt that has impressed me a lot and I personally would be rooting for this group and will look forward to a sequel of sorts with hopefully longer episodes. In the current scenario, at a total of barely twenty minutes long, the mild love story end too quick to feel satisfied and fulfilled. Nevertheless it does make sure to leave an impression. (7/10)

Comments

Sailor Maan said…
Is it really made by fans?! Wow I'm impressed. In such a short running they really captured the evolution of the relationship in a beautiful way. I just think it sometimes lack emotions. But that also gives it a special feel. And the tea/coffee metaphor was a bit too quick to explain the kiss in the end, I had to watch it again to eventually understand... (and I'm still not that sure, but then it's only my fault for being slow lol)
Golu said…
Noah its not your fault. It is just how t he show is.
And yes, apparently the show is made by fans of a BL book club and that is why the show was suddenly so impressive for me. Had it been someone else, Id probably have found multiple faults in it.

Popular posts from this blog

The Shortest Distance is Round 3: Fallen Flowers

Continuing with the weird trilogy of "The Shortest Distance", I am so glad that finally I am done with part 3 and won't have to deal with this again in future. Thankfully, as of now the makers have not announced any further parts; which will save all of us on this earth from the embarrassment of watching this in near future. After the first 10 minutes are used in sort of recapping bits of first two parts, the story moves forward. Haruto is now starting to have feelings for Ruka, the mysterious pole dancer from second part. In a fit of rage, Ruka ends up killing the goat man and to save him and Haruto, Shibahara asks them to go underground. Meanwhile Shibahara continues the search for Seiya (the guy who had cut off Haruto's penis). It turns out Seiya is now also taking care of the original club owner from part 1. Both of them were released after they had informed Shibahara of Aoyama's secret location. Shibahara tortures Seiya's boyfriend leading to Seiya killin

One Summer Night (Korean)

I really wanted to like this film but for non native speakers, these movie leaves a lot to be understood and the way scenes were unfolding in front of me, I wasn't sure many times what was really going on. The story had potential button getting any back story on any of the characters limited my ability to empathize with any of these actors. Film starts with two North Korea military guys Yong Joon and Jae Sung having sex and they are caught red handed and they run. Three years later we see Yong Joon in Seoul leading a very mundane and poor life. He has a boyfriend Tae-Kyu, who is a weird guy. He is carefree, doesn't do any work and is completely emotional and financially dependent on Young Joon. In fact, even Yong Joon will go to any lengths to protect him , fend for him and taking care of him to the extent of even taking up prostitution. Suddenly one day Jae Sung appears in their life again. His motivation is not clear but it is obvious he wants Yong Joon back in his life, who

Ultimate masturbation: Shigoki no yama (Japanese) [The Ultimate Masturbation]

I would never know what was the point behind making this film. Was it supposed to be a comedy, cos it wasn't. It wasn't even porn. It was just a silly attempt at making something absolutely senseless and ridiculous. The story, as well as direction is equally shoddy. You could laugh for having seen something so bad, but I wouldn't call that comedy. An old man runs a camp about gay masturbation. The explanation given is that gays masturbate for pleasure unlike straight men, for whom the act is seen as shame or because they can't find a woman. One day a straight man shows up and wants to join the camp for his thesis. After discussion, he is allowed in. Rules include that you can masturbate together, you can masturbate one another, but there is no fellatio or anal sex. Some students of course breaks rule. The teacher then talks about 2 forms of masturbation which gives ultimate pleasure. He shows one without touching and then refuses to talk of the other. Somehow suddenly,