HIStory4: Perto de Ti (2021)

Problematic

TW: sexual assault

Let me preface this review by making it clear that I read pretty dark romance, so I honestly have pretty high threshold for things that happen in dark romance such as assault etc. This drama however, is tagged as DubCon and it is actually NonCon. The stepbrother plans out the r*pe, gets his brother drunk and then violates him while the man can barely speak. It plays into a horrible cliche that gay men are violent with each other. In other BL, we see men forcing kisses etc and whilst problematic, it’s usually addressed by the characters as pushing through their internalised homophobia. The brother is a gay man, he has already been with men. His brother isn’t “making him wake up” to his sexuality with a kiss, he is R*PING him. It got so uncomfortable for me that I ended up having to skip a lot of the show because it became clear that nobody was going to voice what this was and the stepbrother wasn’t going to have proper repercussions. It was completely unbelievable that the main couple would accept the brothers after learning about the assault. That being said, the main couple (while having a couple of problematic scenes of their own) fulfilled the BL tropes that we love so much, the golden retriever top and the moody bottom, the total flip from pursuing woman to falling in love with a man, the OTT romance, the PDA. It wasn’t like, award winning TV but tbh BL rarely is, due to budget and culture constraints. I hope we’ll see more quality BL dramas as the world changes.

Leia Mais

Delusional step-younger brother

I think the step-younger brother is delusional, very impolite, highly self-centered and his cockiness is sickening! He just thinks he can do whatever he wants and he is always correct. Breaking in other's home and acts like it is nothing wrong?? Randomly assault people around his older brother and feel proud of it? One minute he said he would kiss his step-older brother when he is awake, the next minute he rapes his older brother when he is drunk = = I mean wtf?? If he is not delusional I cannot think of another reason.
And his cold numb facial expression is just unbearable and hard to watch.

Besides, romance between step-brothers is still incest even not blood-related, it is unnecessary, could have better characters settings. It also incorporates negative and wrong impressions into the LGBT+ community. Also, one of the scenes is that both main characters wanted to be top and don't want to be bottom, this could be borderline funny, or it just making fun of the bottoms in gay relationships, someone could find this offensive.

The step-younger brother also has mental illness, he tries to suicide to get his older brother's attention, and even plays the video showing he rapes his brother to their father... he clearly has something wrong in his head and needs some serious help.

Leia Mais

2 love stories. Only 1 is watchable

I'm not kidding. Right after the molestation scene of that couple, I skipped every part of their scene.
This series does not at all take sexual harrasment and molestation seriously. But they are treated as plot points in this series.
The Muren's molestation is used to spark love between him and Licheng and the conflict arising out of it is used to strengthen their love and initiate sexual acts between them.
The writers didn't know that sexual harrasment and molestation can emotionally torture the victims even after it happened.
Because writers forgot Muren was even molested. We just move onto next plot point so swiftly. And the next plot is Licheng getting sexually attracted to Muren when Licheng saw Muren masturbate the whole night. Wtf.
Licheng could have waited outside the room.
I was so baffled when Muren was thinking what could have disturbed Licheng's sudden change in behaviour, this guy's first guess is their top-bottom fight but not the molestation where Licheng witnessed his best friend getting almost molested. And that fight happened before that scene. It's like writers want everyone, their audience and even their characters to completely forget such acts even happened. Oh good lord save this people.

But Muren-Licheng is the only reason I watched it all. I loved their small small banters a lot. They had somewhat pleasant and understanding relationship in the whole series.

Muren was my guilty pleasure and motivation to watch this all. So damn pretty.

Don't even get me started at the molester chieh fu.
There are no suitable strict consequences to molesters happening ever in this series.
I watched this kind and warm huingssa turn to naive man with bad judgement of character.
The mother and her action was beyond my understanding. The only person in this step brother story I could stand was the reasonable and logical father. (I still didn't watch them that better so I am not even aware and I don't want to know this characters at all)

The fujsohi plotline was just females squealing over gays. So much on stressing over boy love and yet they used 'i am not gay. I only like him'

And for their top - bottom fight. Did it not occur to anyone that Switch exists as well?

And it was pretty visible that dialogues were written by self entitled men because so many of the dialogue's especially Licheng's showed toxic masculinity and demeaning the feminity.
The writers clearly did not understand that being bottom doesn't at all means being feminine or losing masculinity.

Everyone in this drama acted well except that
Yung cheih. Damn that guy had one pissed look for when he's happy, mad ,excited, in love, upset
Muren gave so much expression even though he was called the Cold prince in drama.
I think I'm Muren biased. God who will not?

Leia Mais

Don't hesitate, try to watch it first.

I completely understand that there might be people who are uncomfortable with some of the themes that were discussed on this series, but I encourage you guys to give this a try.

Li Cheng and Muren has one of the healthiest relationship I ever watched on a bl series. The progression of their relationship is enough reason to stick with this until the end. The support Muren gave to Licheng as a mentor when they started off as collegues, the way Licheng is always protective to Muren as a bestfriend, to them becoming intimate lovers.

Stepbrothers' storyline is a bit hard to discuss, but after watching the entire series, you can be sure that whatever ending they had were consensual, they both wanted it, their parents learned to accept it, so who are we to meddle?

The OSTs are also worth to listen to. They add the right amount of feels for the important scenes.

The acting of all the casts are on point. You can also see their dedication from the behind the scene footages.

I started binged watching this after ep 5 release, then I always look forward to the next episodes, and I had no regrets. Love Licheng and Muren so much :)

Leia Mais

I love it!

So there's an another amazing Taiwanese BL that you must watch. I really loved it and it made its way to my fav BLs list. But there are some things you have to know before watching.
If you're very strict and sensitive with 'rape'/sexual harassment I'd say you better not to watch this. I personally can take this kind of thing quite well especially when the one forgives. As long as it happens in a series. Nowadays people is so strict with this matter and I think it's good. If producters want their BL be very popular, they just have to let this matter out of the series.
Except this issue the series was very good and well made, as I already said, I loved it!
Acting was very good and the chemistry was good as well. I really _felt_ the atmosphere.
My fav character was absolutely Muren. Gosh, I just wasn't able to take my eyes away from him when he was in scene. I also liked Xingsi, reminded me of myself. Actually I liked all main characters in their own ways.
I didn't get sleep last night so I watched this series to the end and now I'm dyingly tired and I should do an exam later today ?? But I don't regret it, not at all.

Leia Mais

Great story!

What I’m concerned about the show is the censorship. Addicted to you was another great show that touch the topic of stepbrothers, for such, they got censor, and they didn’t go that strong compare to this one. Saying that, I really like the real-life topic. As a counselor, this is not the first time I hear about this.

I always try to make it clear and differentiate between facts and emotions. In the case of stepbrothers, I always start of how they are related and what has or made it change. Past experiences and traumas. If you didn’t now that person as you do now, and if you saw that person on the streets, would that make a difference? Is there any abuse in a form or another? What are the genetics (parents and how they are related)?

Many relationships start organic (friends) and many friends are so close that they are consider part of the others family. And some grow so close that they start having emotions to each other.

Great topic and I wish these topics would be more open and not consider taboo.

Leia Mais

Glad I gave it a chance.

Mentions: Rape, Stalking, Manipulation and Incest

Is it perfect? Not by a long shot. Dialogue at times was sketchy. Am I glad I gave it a shot? Yes. I went into it skeptical at first because of the trailer but I ended up liking it. Now would be the time for Fu Yongjie apologist to stop reading or continue and be triggered cause I at no point in time enjoyed anything dealing with him(Wico tho is the cutest, I have to make that distinction cause some don't seem to know a person's opinion on a character can differ from the actor themselves.). Anyways, Li Cheng and TengTeng at first started a little off to me because I had my reservations from the trailer but by the second episode I warmed up to them. Now we know the pretending to be gay to get with a girl trope can be annoying but the plot turned away from that pretty quickly and it became more about Li Cheng and Teng discoverying and admitting to themselves what had always been there all along from their years of knowing eachother, they just needed a catalyst to make them realize. It was a rough journey with mistakes, awful advice( seriously why take advice from the rapist of Fu Yongjie) regret and overcoming problems of power and rumors in the workplace. In the end it turns out to be a beautiful relationship with Li Cheng always letting Teng know that there is nothing wrong with their love, it's for only the two of them to enjoy and the opinions of others do not matter. Be warned there's an attempt at sexual assault in their story, that's where the problem of power in the workplace comes in. The rumors revolve around the fujoshi side of the story.

For the 2nd CP. (DONT CONTINUE IF YOU DONT WISH TO BE REALLY SPOILED )
I feel it's necessary to speak on them as the storyline is triggering and should be made aware of for those wanting to watch.

Incest..Xingsi knew Yonngjie since he was ten years old and treated him as a brother and was raised like one, Xingsi's dad treated him as his own son and loved him as such. It's incest to me, argue with your mother about it if you want to.

Manipulation and Rape...Yongjie literally made Xingsi believe he was about to jump off a building if he didnt speak to him after getting him drunk and raping his drunken body as a gift to himself...not to mention recording it and showing it to the dad.

Stalking...Fu Yongjie was truly a piece of OBSESSED trash character. Yes obsessed, I wouldn't call what he felt love whatsover especially with how he stalked Xingsi and his friends to hurt them for being so close to Xingsi. That's all I can say since I skipped over majority of the scenes he was alone with Xingsi after Xingsi had accepted him as his lover...and brother 0.o I kept hoping Yongjie would have something redeeming about him but it never happened for me, anyways, onto Xingsi.

Xingsi's relationship with his father was beautiful, I loved it and he truly deserved a better option to show him the love he deserves. I was glad he had Teng and Li Cheng in his corner when he needed them most and never left his side.

As far as parents go, Xingsi's dad is alright with me. The step mom though who let her be a mother cause I have no words for how irresponsible and ableist she was with Yongjie.

Dont let that all scare you, unless of course you have a sensitivity to those topics then feel free to skip it.

Acting...Fell hard for Charles and Anson's chemistry, loved Michael's chemistry with Charles and Anson as a trio. If you can make me hate a trash character I say you did great at your job, not Wico's fault he was dealt such a poor hand to deal with, really looking forward to seeing him in something better. Yongjie aside, Wico was looking mighty fine behind the bar mixing those drinks. Loved the actor who played the dad, it was always worth a peak when he was on screen. The mom..as I said if you can make me hate an awful character you've done your job well. Also liked how Cindy went about portraying Meifang, I didnt find her as annoying as i usually find fujoshi characters.

Music...I love the theme so much, History generally doesnt disappoint with their Osts.

All things considered I would personally rewatch it cause ChengRen and Xingsi make it worth it for me. Just my honest opinion on this controversial mess of a show.

Leia Mais

DISGUSTING IN EVERY WAY

TRIGGER WARNING!!!

This series is horribly repulsive. HiStory is known for making good compelling stories so this was shocking to say the least.

The younger brother rapes his older brother. It's sickening and psychopathic. There is nothing romantic about it. Not only does he plan the rape, he shows zero remorse and even recorded it. Claiming his older brother as his. Worse than all of this is the non-reaction. Ye Xing Si just accepts in and is forced to reconcile the relationship with his brother, when the brother feigns a suicide attempt. It's wholly gross and not in the least bit entertaining.

The second couple, aren't as toxic or disturbing but cheap and insulting. Li Cheng pretends to be gay and in love with his friend Muren to get the attention of a childhood crush. However, when Muren is drugged and he watches him masturbate he starts to have feelings for him??? What an earth is this show? From that moment on he has romantic feelings for his best friend and wants to be with him.

It's not as morally repugnant but it's equally as disappointing.

There isn't a single redeeming quality about this series. The acting and chemistry between the cast is even lack luster. It's weak and cringeworthy at parts. It's like 4 actors were hired by 4 different casting agents and thrown scripts at.

I wish I could give it a 0 and I'm shocked anyone is enjoying. Non-consensual skinship must be the only factor that has people rating it so high. It's a shame that's all it takes to make people think a BL is good.

HiStory 4 misses the mark by 100000000000000%. Awful.

Leia Mais

Amazing actor and wonderful series

The story is really build realistic and we can immerse in it. Just some part are far from my reality because for me the sexual orientation is not something can make crisis in my family for my parents or for my son. For us, love is love no matter the orientation and we just check for the respect between partners and happiness so it’s difficult for me to understand that part of the story.
The actor are really in the personality of their character with great acting skills and the psychology of it. Anson Chen and Charles Tu are amazing actor with the capacity to give to the characters the right psychology and a part of their personality so the character became realistic and so true. They are incredible actor and so professional on the camera and in interviews.
This history make us wish for more and a second season.

Leia Mais