Lovely Writer (2021)

I'm in Love <3 (Mucho spoilers ahead, proceed with caution)

Overall this series was really good and I love how far Kao's acting has come and I hope to see him in more films hopefully as a main character. He was just to cute in this series, you guys I can't get over it. I love how Lovely Writer avoided old cliques and steered a new track for BLs. It was something different that I really needed. That being said there were still somethings that I completely loved and somethings that completely threw me off
Cons:
First being that Aoey didn't even like Sib. This literally came out of nowhere, and I feel like even if I rewatched it I still wouldnt see how Aoey really showed his feelings for Gene prior to eps. 8 and 9.
Second :being that Gene was mad at Sib because Sib didnt tell him that they grew up together, honestly speaking I feel that its kinda Gene's fault for not remembering someone he was so close with as a child in the first place. It just a really dumb reason to be mad.
Third: I found it dumb how for some reason Gene was scared to tell his friends that he liked guys, especially when it wasn't like he was doing much to hide it. All the tension they had at the reunion dinner didn't even lead to much later on in the story, it felt like a very unnecessary filler :/
Pros:
This series steered clear of all things sexual harassment, assault and rape related, by this I mean every sexual act that was committed was done so with both sides consenting. The only scenes where these things come close to be shown are when the series is close to the end and Aoey is being too forward with Gene.
Second :almost every pairing in here had amazing communication. I saw a comment saying how "Gene forgave Sib to fast for the whole "not telling you we grew up together thing" especially since he was so mad about it" but honestly I prefer it this way. I hate when a series drags on a conflict that could easily be absolved by the characters just talking to one another. In this situation Gene was upset and he explained why and then Sib explained why he did what he did, Gene understood and forgave him. Its a simple as that.
Third : There are so many plot twist in here, actually there are only two main ones but still it felt like I spent episode 8,9, and 10 just gaping at my screen.
EDIT-
I forgot to add my thoughts on Tum and Tiffy. I like how the show had a straight man in there who just so happened to have "feminine skills and qualities". Its like a twist that someone doesn't have to look gay to be gay and that someone doesn't have to look straight to be straight. This show needs more promotion cause the topics that are being touched upon in here reflected the entire BL genre

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I love this series!

I'm actually a fan of Up Poompat the actor who played Gene. He is so adorable, but not gonna lie, I don't have so much expectation when the series aired. But this one is really beyond my expectation, the story is good and makes me keep wondering what will happen next, and what will happen to this and that. This series also serves different vibes of BL drama. The quality of the drama is the plus point, they didn't do everything too much, even for the ads. They keep it on the line of the plot. They exposed how toxic fans will behave and how the industry treats them as BL actors. So many values we can get from this series besides the romance between Nubsib and Gene.

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Honestly, I really like the story of this series. From the beginning they met then they fell in love to each other, separated and finally reunited. However, the problem was there were some characters who really annoys me (like a lot), both in terms of acting or even chemistry to other players.

This is actually my second series of Up that I watched, and I think this is the best his performance compared to the previous one (which I watched). But.... my impression of Kao is quite different, which is the opposite of his co-star.

Fortunately, the songs in this series have become one of my favorite ost bl series of this year.

In Indonesian:
Jujur, saya suka sekali sama cerita series ini. Dari awal mereka bertemu hingga akhirnya jatuh hati, berpisah lalu menyatu kembali. Namun permasalahan justru ada pada beberapa karakter yang mengganggu, baik dari segi akting maupun chemistry dengan pemain lainnya.

Ini series kedua Up yang saya tonton, dan saya rasa ini adalah penampilan terbaiknya dibandingkan dengan series sebelumnya (yang saya tonton). Lain halnya kesanku terhadap Kao, yang justru berlawanan dengan lawan mainnya dalam serial tersebut.

Untung saja lagu-lagu dalam series ini masuk menjadi salah satu lagi series bl favorite saya tahun ini.

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Showing the toxic sides of the industry

If there is one thing that made me really love this series, it was the critical approach to the BL industry and toxic fans. I never fully understood the whole idea of (especially) BL actors not dating or at least not being allowed to talk about it. A lot of them are in either their late teens or their twenties, the time when most people get to date and explore their options. But they can’t, because some fans cannot differentiate between fiction and reality, between characters and actors. The amount of hate an actor’s partner would get… I feel bad for them just thinking about it.

And that is something that was really shown well, especially towards the end of the series. We got to see so many different comments from many different fans. The sad part? Many of them are pretty similar to the comments we get to see online in reality.

The series didn’t shy away from showing some of the bad sides of the behind the scenes either. From the homophobic remarks in castings, to constant pressure for more NC scenes (even if they don’t fit the story), the romanticization of non-consent… There was a lot of digs to what we see in many other BLs.

Now, for the story. I really like how it was paced, I think it went great with the overall plot and everything that they included in the story. I am not a big fan of the whole childhood friends and how that was played into the story. I really disliked the secrets that were related to that.

Nubsib & Gene: Gene is so relatable, awkward, and adorable. But he is also someone who speaks up when is uncomfortable or when he needs to do things he doesn’t like. Does he still do them? Usually yes, because he is a people pleaser, but he makes it clear he doesn’t like it. Nubsib seems to be a bit more relaxed, but also very mature at the same time. I really liked how they never pressured one another to come out or do things that they were not okay with. They had some rough patches in their relationship, some of which could have been resolved quicker with some good communication. Both Kao and Up did an excellent job portraying the two characters, their emotions and the love the two had for one another. I really like how Nubsib seemed to light up whenever he got to talk to Gene. I think that was a really nice and well thought detail.

Aoey: He’s a character you want to hate, but at the same time, you find it hard to do so. He made a lot of poor choices and did a lot of bad things, yet he was hurting too. A lot. I don’t want to excuse his behavior nor his actions, but I can understand why he did things the way he did. Bruce did amazingly. Some of the scenes were so difficult to watch, yet he really shined in them.

I really liked Hin, Tum and Tiffy as well. They were really fun characters to have around, and while I wasn’t as interested in their stories as I was in the story of Nubsib and Gene, I still liked them. Hin and Tum really showed themselves as great friends to the two main characters, even if they were both kind of employed by them, as a manager and as an editor.

I think there are certain things that were left kind of open. I guess one could say that we saw how Aoey ended, but at the same time, I feel like that is not enough of a conclusion. I also think it would be nice to see how the public reacted to how it all ended. Another thing that I found a bit annoying was the amount of flashbacks to the events that happened earlier in the series. There were quite a few of them in the last few parts of the series.

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Good Acting, Mediocre Script.

You might enjoy if you're looking for something that doesn't require a lot of brain power, has multiple sweet moments, and with a little insight/commentary on the BL industry. There are multiple good hugs and passionate kisses.

General Spoilers below.
The two lead actors did well with what they were given, especially Gene. It's slow and awkward in spots and tension comes and goes. There are a lot of side characters that rarely held my interest. I fast-forwarded a lot throughout the series. I almost dropped it after Ep 8 but the story grew more interesting again in the last couple episodes. The kids kind of falling for each other when they were 6.5 and 11 years old was very odd though.

I did appreciate that it showed in practice various toxic things about BL fans and the BL industry catering to their delusional demands on actor's real lives. I also appreciated that more time was spent on the families working towards acceptance of their gay sons. It felt more realistic and nuanced than I was expecting.

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Probably one of the best BL dramas in recent years

I could gush about this drama forever and honestly, I probably will.

The concept is fresh, very insightful and NEEDED. We needed a BL drama like this - that lays open how toxic the industry is, how much pressuring and discomfort there is behind the scene, how both writers and actors of BL stories get pushed way past their comfort zones for the sake of "the fans".
I adored this show, I loved the characters, I loved the development not just of Gene and Sib's relationship but of their coming out, of the double standarts, the hypocrisy, the shared learning.

Personally I found the angsty point of season 11 quite unneeded and it didn't make much sense to me when looking back at how Gene had been portrayed up until that point.

Nubsib is a fantastic character. I was initially a little concerned because his stalker-like tendencies creeped me out somewhat but I was glad they cleared up that this wasn't an obsession since childhood that he never got over, but just a crush he revisited when already an adult - that made much more sense to me. His tendency to be caring and so patient toward Gene, yet so protective and steadfast in their relationship was wonderful to see, not to mention his constant need for consent (a first in BL if I'm not wrong). I adored him when he was soft and pouty, and I loved him when he was straight-forward and outraged at others wanting to meddle in his relationship.

Gene too brought so much to the story and I loved going through his confusion and self-denial with him.

One thing I didn't like is something I just highly dislike in general:
The whole use of children to show how close they were in childhood. It's creepy and inappropriate to me and I really don't like it.

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A BL show that’s about a BL show that’s about a BL novel

I started watching this with low expectations, thinking that it would be a ‘filler’ while waiting for other BLs. It turned out to be one of my favourite series.

It launches into a refreshing critique of the BL industry, offering a glimpse into the negative impact of toxic fan culture and taking a subtle dig at BL tropes that have become commonplace, all without succumbing to the very criticisms it explores.

But hey, I’m no expert critic – I’m here to enjoy a romance storyline unfold between Gene and Nubsib. So incisive commentary on the BL industry aside, does Lovely Writer deliver as a sweet love story? Yes, definitely.

I loved watching how Nubsib was always so soft and thoughtful towards Gene, and how Gene would get shy and bothered by his advances. I was also surprisingly invested in the second couple, Tiffy and Tum.

Overall, I liked how each character was carefully constructed – from the main couple to their friends and family, and how thoughtful the entire series was.

Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2021/12/11/lovely-writer-2021/

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2021's Best BL

As the headline says, it really is a one of kind series that is pure wonderful in every way. It's refreshing.
The plot exposes the entertainment industry's dirty secrets that only the insiders would know. This is a factor that would draw fans in because it's also a new setting other than your regular highschool/university love type of BL.
One thing I absolutely love about this BL is that it focuses on CONSENT, which is rare because many series have non-consensual scenes and people think it's okay. Nubsib constantly asking Gene for consent to kiss, hug, hold him, etc is really cute.
The cast is also a surprise! I didn't imagine 2 straight looking men would actually play a couple that would wreck the BL fandom. Love it!
The OSTs aren't my type so I would rank it lower but in each scene the music is suitable for it and makes it have more ~feel~.
Rewatch value: definitely would rewatch it someday when I'm bored. Just because it is that good too.

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If Only I Had More Stars to Give!

This BL passed my expectations in all my criteria. I admit I am easy to please, but I watch them all (regardless of reviews) and have the experience to compare.
Once again, I give a 10 star to any show that makes me "marathon" it and has a good ending. Check, Check!
Beautiful actors/actresses who can actually bring a character to life, Check
Sexy stuff and kiss scenes, Check Check Check!!!
The ML's were so lovable, but so many other characters made every episode great. I laughed, cried, and felt nervous almost all of the time. I literally wanted to give people hugs multiple times and even cried a couple of times. Yeah, they got me!
I agree that it was great having a different theme and I understand people get tired of the same school-themed BL, but I will admit that I watch them all. I will also admit that I would watch"Bad Engineer" if it was a thing, especially if Sib play's the Bully! I know I can't be the only person here that saw them acting on set and thought, "I want to watch that". I guess you could say it was a dig at the norms, but to a fan like me, it was like an easter egg and just another way this series gave me everything I wanted.

My only regret is waiting so long to watch this. I passed it up many times because the summary reminded me of some of the earlier BL series and movies that I watched but didn't love. This is easily now one of my favorites worldwide. This will be a hard act to follow. I pray 2022 brings it.

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Should be watched at least once

I've known about this series since the first teasers arrived on YouTube. What the trailers promised me was a story about the actual world of BL series made in Thailand: the work behind the scenes, the way the novels are written and published, the relationship between the audience and the creators, and even the harsh truth about the industry. While I do like BL series and I watched multiple shows, I'm not part of the fandom and I can't say that I know much about it, so I was looking forward to this series especially as an eye-opener for what do the actors, the writers and more in general the people in the industry have to go through.

In the end, I got exactly what I was expecting: a cute story that also showed the multiple facets of the BL series that I love so much. From this point of view, this might be considered a flaw: there was nothing about this story that caught me by surprise or that I didn't expect to happen. It was satisfying to watch and a cute story for sure, but I'm afraid that I can't praise much else about the story. A couple of things were left without a clear ending in the end, but I haven't read the novel, so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt and I'll just assume that there wasn't the chance to show everything properly in just 12 episodes. There's little angst and lots of fluff, which is something that I personally love, but there's also enough conflicts to make the story interesting.
The acting was VERY good, and so was the characterization. The characters have their own multiple facets and I can't think of a single character that was left with a one-dimensional personality. The chemistry between the two main characters was especially good: at no point of the series I felt like there was the tiniest bit of awkwardness in their moments together. Most of all, I was impressed by the acting from the rest of the cast: perhaps I'm too used to be let down when it comes to secondary roles, but everyone did a great job and I felt completely immersed in the story whenever I watched a new episode.

In conclusion, while I wouldn't call this the best BL ever or a favorite, it's definitely a good series that deserves to be watched at least once. I enjoyed myself while watching and it was interesting to watch a show that doesn't follow one of the usual plotlines that have been used so many times in other BL series.

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