Addicted Heroin (2016)

A tale of an underdeveloped slow-burner :(

First of all I'd like to start by saying to the people online who put this drama on "spicy" lists...you were wrong for that and I'll never forgive you lol

The rare romantic scenes between Bai Luo Yin and Gu Hai were superficial and a little stiff. But I enjoyed their performances as actors. The plot is very much enemies to lovers/step brothers. But let it be warned, the show ends abruptly after episode 15
because it was banned by Chinese authorities in 2016, so .... yeah...there's that too to add to the misery.

The drama itself isn't bad, but it isn't good either. It's a very slow-burner type of story with not much going on. I had the feeling throughout the show that the dialog and plot weren't really well developed, but it does have its charms. However, the could have done so much more for the plot! A lot of miss opportunities to dig deeper in the story, but it was replaced with a lot of filler moments with awkward silence.

Is it worth the watch? Not really to be honest, unfortunately. If there isn't anything else on...sure, why not. But I was expecting way more because of the reviews I saw online....but now I really don't get the tiny hype. I feel like the censorship in China had a weight in the show's quality. There are so many incredible BLs out there to watch :)

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One of the best shows, that people can't forget even after so many years...it could have been the best had it not been banned by the Chinese government.....
Yes, I know it's a pity, but even the fifteen episodes that there are perfectly planned and executed...
I loved it and if you are also a reader you can continue Their story in the Wattpad app where the original novel has been translated into English....
Absolutely perfect...I won't say much because you should discover on your own..
But I can say this.....this show will make you laugh, it will make you cry , and also make you swoon,.....I really wish this show gets a second season somehow

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Overrated, but the acting is superb.

ML's acting was the very best of this bL.
However, the series itself is kida overrated. I get the frustration about being censored and the whole homo-ban situation, but even without that, this series had some serious plot holes in the fist 15 episodes (continuation errors, and some silly mistakes due to the scrip writer's superpower to forget how reality works).
Also, the ending. If they were forced to shutdown the show by episode 15... then all they needed to do was to delete the very last scene. That way, it wouldn't have feel like an ending still, but it would have been better.

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So I finally managed to watch this, after having planned to for several years! Good to hear some Mandarin again, after so much Thai ... I had followed the backstory of the series a bit and was really impressed when two years ago I stumbled across a huge advertisement with Timmy Xu in a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City; happy to know that he has had a successful career.

Anyway, what we got was pretty short (I'm more used to the 50-minute format), so I will keep the review short as well. Overall I really liked Addicted!The series sets a good mood in my opinion, in that it has a healthy mix of (sometimes surprisingly) comedic and emotional moments. I also liked the setting, even though it got kind of depressing (always cold and grey, reminds me of my home); it's pretty different from what I'm used to in Asian (mainly Thai) series. The main actors (by that I mean the two leads and their respective parents / parental figures) are convincing and seem very genuine in their interactions. Gu Hai had some really interesting lines regarding gender roles. Not to forget: the soundtrack is really memorable (I would have never expected to hear the Shameless title song in a Chinese BL series!).

Obviously, I have things to criticise as well. I realise that these 15 eps are basically just an introduction to what the series could have really looked like (without imperial intervention), but the cuts and jumps between scenes were already too fast for me. I find it hard to follow a story when it goes on at such a pace and with so many things never shown on screen. And generally speaking, the amount of drama wasn't big in this, so the story felt a bit "flat". Additionally, the supporting cast did either not get enough screen time to give a relevant contribution to the series or was pretty bland (Gu Hai's girlfriend, as well as his brother). Then, let's not forget that Gu Hai is quite abusive in some moments (both with his girlfriend and with Bai Luoying); it sure fits his character and makes him more interesting, but consent-related issues need to be made clearer (by the way, that ridiculous kidnapping was completely unnecessary).

The two lead actors, the setting and the soundtrack are big pros for me, while I am not impressed by the length (shortness, actually) and the absence of serious dramatic moments. I have a good overall feeling though and would definitely recommend this!

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Solid BL

Thanks to YouTube, a came across this BL series. Before I start, I want to remind people that this is a Chinese BL, meaning, they have to work with tons of red tape compare to other countries. For such, they had to cut many scenes that one would expect to appear (kissing).

Now, clarifying that, this was a great show to be honest. The cast was solid. You will think they had experience but for what I could gather, they are newbies, so I was more impress with that. The editing is hard to get use to it but is understandable since, again, they had to cut many scenes and work with so much red tape.

The ending was kept open in hopes they will make a second season (they are) since the Chinese government stop the filming on the origina season. There are only 15 episodes (FYI). The second season was program to come out on 2020 but, well, everyone knows 2020 sucked….and not on the BL way. They did release a trailer where they get…. Spoiler alert…. marry. This trailer came out this year 2020, so that means that they finished the taping but still have to edit many things, and with everything that is going on, probably this will be pushed to 2021. The original cast will be in the second season.

Enjoy!

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An unfinished controversial Chinese BL, worth the watch despite its shortcomings

This BL Chinese drama felt very indie to me being in its filmmaking, script and well as its music choices. It has a lot of qualities as well as shortcomings. One of them being that unfortunately, the show is unfinished: it stops after 15 episodes of 20 minutes, right in the middle of a narrative arc.

My understanding is that the series was cancelled due to the Chinese Government censorship regarding BL stories. Here indeed, the show does not shy away from its nature: it is clearly standing out as a romance between two guys rather than a blurry bromance leaving room too interpretation. It is a shame that the show was not allowed to complete its course but I am still glad to have watched it as I think it is an important piece in the BL genre.

Despite the characters being not really likeable and the romance having some deep toxic roots, I was totally invested in the relationship forming between the two main male leads. There are not stereotypical protagonists and they felt very real to me with their raw and dry personalities. In addition to the romance, there is a strong family component to the script: it is more or less inspired but at least provide an interesting and spicy background for the relationships.

It is a shame that the secondary characters felt not correctly exploited, it seems that the writer was planning something for them but their journey never really started. It is also really too bad that almost all the female protagonists are awful: they are the antagonists and nothing more, which I found really lacking nuance.

I would recommend this to people looking for a more raw BL romance in a high school. The romance is kind of toxic but captivating to follow. And there is a real indie feel to the show that I found really attractive. As stated above, you need to be aware that because it was cancelled, it does not have a proper ending with most of the narrative arcs are left unfinished. I still think it is really worth a watch just to see the development of the romance which has some really enthralling peaks and valleys.

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it's called Addicted heroin for a reason!

I watched this bl a long time ago. But what can i say!! Since this time i became the one who is Addicted to it. I must say obsessed!!
I still remember the first time I watched it and it shocked me because this is exactly what I am looking for. A maniac obsessive wild boy named Gu Hai sets his eyes on poor Bai Luo Yin and raves about him all the time. I've never seen such desire and passion in an actor like Huang in my entire life or in any BL at all. When I finished watching it I knew I had made a bond with this series forever.

Thus i come to rewatch this one every year or when my mood is bored and want to see a bl i will always come to choose this one. I must say among all the BLs i have watched i haven't rewatch any of them. And if i did it will be with something as rare as this one.
This series has such a strange effect on me that I can never get enough of it no matter how many times I watch it. Gives me nostalgic aura and brings back the old memories of the first watch.

I will not say, like others, that I wish to erase it from my memory so i can watch it like the first time, because every time I watch this is the first time for me, so I want to watch until I fill any missing gap in my memory and memorize it by heart.

I also should admit that addicted heroin has ruined every other BL series for me. Since no other one can top it in my heart.


Awful thing that China does not allow this type of work and there is strictness and control over bl industry there. The issuance of the second part of it was prevented and production stopped.

China lost its mind over these two actors When things took an erotic turn in the acting workshops between them that they were open to each other, and this rarely happens in homophobic China

You can watch cut versions and behind the scenes with photo sessions on YouTube so you will take a grasp on what i mean.

I can't describe how sad I am even now when I feel bored or sluggish and that there is no BL series that arouses my interest just to go back to rewatch this one again and remember that I cannot complete and watch a second part of the best work for me ever. :(

sometimes i think about how it would be if there was a second part of it? maybe more addiction :XD

Despite this, this part contained everything I wanted to see, from enemies to lovers, a wild love story, the development of feelings, very intimate scenes between them, but I crave and covet more of them.

To sum up the story is exciting, the actors are very handsome, and the chemistry is unbelievable between them.

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I have been wanting to watch this like forever. Johnny Huang is one of my favourite actors, his acting is just so good. One of the reasons I watch this was because of him. I really like the actors' chemistry, their acting felt so real. Overall I liked the plot a lot and yeah the characters were kinda violent in some scenes. Watching this made me relive the feeling I got at the end of moon lovers scarlet heart ryeo, something you wished would happen but I don't think it will. The series is great but I don't think I can re-watch it again. If you're a bl fan or not you should definitely add this to your list. Just why did they have to end it like that?
I'll be suffering for some time and maybe will watch this again after healing this unsatisfied, longing feeling (it happened with the other drama I referred to in the lines above). The only Bl c-drama I love with all my heart, I will keep it in my heart forever.

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My favorite part was the acting. I couldn’t get full immersed in the story due to the way the episodes were cut, but I was never upset with the acting.

It didn’t feel like a high school drama. The only reason I knew it was one was one is cause they say it. The story doesn’t make sense in a few place due to censorship and stuff from the novel being left out. I also didn’t like the ending. It’s a total cliff hanger and We aren’t getting a season two due to China banning the actors from being on screen together.

Overall, I don’t think I would watch it again but I would recommend watching. I will be keeping an eye out for these actors in the future.

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