A closeted BL drama? (Some spoilers)

So, after watching the series, that's really the first thing that came to mind. This was a BL drama that was trying to remain in the closet. 

Watching the series, I really wondered where they were going with Yeo Jun and Soo Hyun's characters. I mean, it honestly felt like they were setting them up as the endgame couple.  Absolutely no offense to So Bin (or Kang Min Ah who definitely deserved this lead role) because she was a great character as well.  But the story really centered around Jun and Soo Hyun's characters and their relationship. How that friendship developed and grew while they both helped each other overcome their emotional scars.

It's the kind of typical K-drama romantic set-up. And it was so confusing to me how the show really played up these "romantic" moments. The kind of moments reserved for any straight/heterosexual lead couple or 2nd lead. I remember seeing tweets pointing out how Jun and Soo Hyun got a couple-like montage before Jun and So Bin. 

Then there's one of the main posters for the show:

When you first see this poster, a reasonable first impression is that there's something romantic going on between them. 

Another reasonable explanation is of course a hyung/dongsaeng relationship. Which it partly was. But it's hard to deny several moments throughout the series where (whether it was the acting or the writing) it very much implied the feelings they had for each other went beyond a brotherly or close friend bond. It wasn't even vague. There were some pretty direct moments throughout the series. Other times, less obvious.

I only learned about the webtoon's original story after finishing the show and it made a little more sense why the series was this way. The source material featured a gay character and legit feelings, but they weren't going to make that a central theme in the television series. It's sad, but unfortunately reality of Korean entertainment today. But it's slowly becoming more open.

It's just so interesting though how even though they weren't going to pursue two young men as the main couple of their series, but they pretty much included every single moment that could be used to justify such an endgame. Like they wanted to actually do it and go through with it, but obviously couldn't. 

I think there was really an amazing opportunity for a groundbreaking series here. And as disappointed as I am that they didn't take the opportunity, I still very much enjoyed and loved the series. It's just very interesting to wonder about the thought process that went into adapting the webtoon for TV. Especially since this had been in development for a few years now.

100% agree with you. However, I do like that Yeo Joon and So Bin are in a relationship. It's cute af, imo.

It depends on your point of view. Viewers with BL vision will see it, people without, won't. Just because 2 characters of the same gender have chemistry doesn't automatically mean they're in love. Just sayin'.

And now that I'm watching episode 4, it's becoming a lot clearer that Jun is chasing the love of an older brother, something he's never experienced. I'm crazy close with my little sister, so I get it. I can't imagine the pain of having a sibling and not being close.

 misspulane:

I literally came onto this page to look for this exact sentiment.  South Korea (and much of the world) is not ready for same sex in their lounge rooms and we get it. But as you say, a real pity. But I loved the chemistry and I can even go as far as to compare it to the two male leads from the Devil Judge. A whole wow!

Okay please I saw an edit. Is The Devils Judge a BL cause it sure as heck felt like it in the edit.

 misspulane:

It is not a BL, just a questionable bromance. Many shipped because of the magical chemistry between the leads, but alas not a BL unfortunately.

So they masked the gay. And made it so they were eating each other for breakfast basically. But its a bromance. Got it! XD lol

I thought this too and it kinda made me not want to watch it until I found out that, although the original webtoon is BL, the love interests isnt between Yeo Joon and Soo Hyun.... Soo Hyun i think ended up with Yeo Joon's brother?? Did some digging and the korean wiki says Soo Hyun ended up dating Yeo Joon Wan in the end. I think it is unlikely there was a love triangle either.

Yeo Joon and Soo Hyun were just friends/"the brother i never had" type of relationship even in the webtoon, Yeo Joon never saw Soo Hyun in a romantic/sexual way. 

 roddib:

Just wondering why the heck would it need to be interpreted as a closeted bl when there are overt ones - maybe even 1/3 of new Viki releases are overt bls. And consider that bi people  in rl are much more common. But I guess, I know, that everyone writes their own interpretation and story of the drama. Therefore, it is different things to different people.

Overt BLs/gay stories shouldn't stop people from interpreting other stories as having BL/gay undertones or themes. There's something special about decoding gay secret glances and loaded silences

Overt BLs are the main course, and implied BLs are the appetizers that whet our appetite for more. Why limit ourselves to one when we can have both?

 June:

I thought this too and it kinda made me not want to watch it until I found out that, although the original webtoon is BL, the love interests isnt between Yeo Joon and Soo Hyun.... Soo Hyun i think ended up with Yeo Joon's brother?? Did some digging and the korean wiki says Soo Hyun ended up dating Yeo Joon Wan in the end. I think it is unlikely there was a love triangle either.

Yeo Joon and Soo Hyun were just friends/"the brother i never had" type of relationship even in the webtoon, Yeo Joon never saw Soo Hyun in a romantic/sexual way. 

They say they are "just friends," but have you seen the way the boys look at each other in the drama? It's like they are communicating in secret love code