Lazy Unnie’s Couch: Lovely Writer

Gene is a professional writer, whose publisher suggests he try writing a different and new genre-Boy Love. Accepting the challenge, he writes a Y novel that is both acclaimed and commercially successful. So successful, in fact, that it gets adapted into a BL drama. When looking for actors to said series, Gene is invited to auditions and gets asked his opinion on certain actors for the main role of his newly adapted series. He’s not really concerned about any of the actors until he meets Nubsib who right from the start shows his affection to Gene. Will Gene accept Nubsib love? What will it lead to?
mydramalist

Starring: Up | Kao | Bruce | Ken | Kenji | Zorzo
Episodes: 12 (1 hr. 5 mins.)
Aired: February 24 – May 12, 2021
Network: Channel 3
Where to Watch: Youtube

If you are an avid reader of our blog, you can notice I’m on a BL kick lately. I didn’t mean to fall down this hole but I’m glad to be in it. However, what I noticed being in this mood, was that a lot of the shows all have the same tropes and sometimes fall into the same toxic behavior that any fandom is subject to. Apparently, I am not the only one to notice something because here comes a show that is so Meta that Mark Zuckerberg will probably try to own it.

Lovely Writer is basically a BL within a BL within a BL? There were so many levels to this I felt like I should see a little spinning top at the end. Gene is a reluctant writer of BL novels and we see that really quickly when the show starts as he is trying to write an NC scene and quickly calls it sexual harassment. Honestly, I screamed in laughter as I watched that and similar scenes that followed because as I watch more and more of these shows I’m feeling the same! Anyway, his popular book is being turned into a series and because he is the author, he is being forced to be part of the process by his publisher. I want to start off by saying that I loved Gene. He was such a moody introvert and cat-like that I found myself relating to him on so many levels. Seeing him be snarky and broody added to his charm. And apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought so because incomes Nubsib.

The love story in this felt like it kicked off really quickly and that is because Nubsib was heart eyes from day one. What I didn’t know at the time was they had a child meet-cute story but instead of it being annoying as it could normally be, I found it to have a spin. Them being neighbors as kids and super close but growing up apart caused Gene not to know who Nubsib was even though the same couldn’t be said for Nubsib. He knew and loved Gene from the jump and every action made it clear. He was possessive, obsessive, and protective. Sometimes I found it endearing and others I wanted to slap him and tell him to grow the fuck up. What saved it for me was the obvious chemistry that these two actors had to sell that star-crossed lover feel.

But none of that was the highlight or selling point of this! Not even the steamy kisses were the main thing that kept me glued. It was the fact that this show exposed the whole industry from the toxic shipping that fans do and the way the actors are forced into fanservice to the way the shows are even produced. There was a scene where they were filming a scene for the BL and Nubsib who was playing the lead basically called the director out for the forced rape feel the scene was giving. It also touched on how these actors can’t even real lives because if they do, the illusion is lost and so are the fans. But what’s a show without an antagonist. That came in the form of Aey. Aey was Nubsib’s costar in Gene’s BL. From jump, I knew he was toxic and there were moments we were basically being told to feel sorry for him because all he wanted was love by anyone but I couldn’t do it. This was not real life.

The show hit so many points about the industry, allyship, acceptance from one’s family, and even the hypocrisy that might exist. Probably my favorite scene was when Gene was fighting with his dad once he came out about being with Nubsib. Gene’s father was going in on him but it was Gene who threw back in his face that before he married his mother that he was in a relationship with a man! The tea was spilled and boy was it hot.

Basically, this show is a gem I feel not only BL fans should watch because the messages go across all fandoms basically. The love story was fine, I feel like Gene was truly the highlight of it all. I’m pretty sure that his shoulders must hurt because the amount he carried was a lot. I just really loved him and his little reactions. Give me more Gene, please?