#kornknock

I think we (or at least I) forget the Thai BL trajectory over the years is not exactly one from conservatism to progressiveness. Many of its creators and actors were coming out of a much more sexually-explicit but less popular queer media landscape, and you can see it in many early works. Hormones, Love Sick, Diary of Tootsies, Make It Right, Grean Fictions, and Together With Me all bear rough edges they share with that side of Thailand’s lgbt+ culture. Even Room Alone and SOTUS, teen-focused gmmtv’s first forays into queer programming, draw on the edgier queer storytelling techniques established in the 2000s. It wasn’t until 2017-18 (2 Moons, He’s Coming to Me, SOTUS S, Love By Chance) that you see the corners getting sanded down and refined into the more innocent BL many of us picture when we hear the label.

And before we make any claims about some specific nefarious force within the industry, I’d point out that this trend happened across all kinds of media around that time, a response to the toxic masculinity and discriminatory rhetoric associated with that kind of obscene humor in that historical moment of increasing fundamentalism. Progressivism framed itself as something cleaner, more pure, in a world of increasing xenophobic vulgarity. Of course, an aesthetic can contain any number of political views within it, and the pre-2018 BL options are wonderfully indecent displays of filth as a welcome home for queer people to discover themselves beyond the reaches of untrustworthy institutions that wielded purity as a weapon.

Imagine it’s year 2025, you’ve just started watching BLs (it’s been 2 months), you discover MaxTul in Manner of Death (where else?) and then of course you have to watch their previous series because they’re the couple. The most couplest couple. The couple to end (or start) all couples. Ugh. Anyway, here we go!

Episode 1:

The first scene just hits you - honestly MaxTul should be making out nonstop, they are so perfect and this is 2017!!! You can’t find such realistic intimacy representation in 2025!! And we’ll never get to witness this again :( this makes me sad.

I’m loving Yihwa

Knock is going to make me angry, won’t he?

Of course at this date and age we don’t love the “even though we had sex and we were both intoxicated, I’m going to blame you and ask what you’d done to me without any shame” trope.

I understand why people don’t like it but (and this is gonna sound controversial) I feel like cheating is a part of the real world and we’re either not seeing it enough or we’re just hating it too much to be a useful plot. Yes I get it - it’s not even a good plot here, maybe even makes the storyline more homophobic and misogynistic then it should have been but I know a lot of relationships that (unfortunately) start with cheating. Shit happens.

The girlfriend is boring the shit out of me. Matching shirts, one month anniversary - just want to puke.

NOT KORN CONTINUOUSLY APOLOGIZING. STOPPPP ITTTT

It’s too late to start today, but if I don’t binge and keep going tomorrow, I can already tell I’m gonna need a stiff drink.

Episode 2:

Should I spoil myself just to see when Knock finally pulls himself together and kisses Korn again? Honestly… tempting. Because the wait might actually kill me.

Knock is way too traumatized for a guy who very enthusiastically had sex with his best friend. Like, sir. You weren’t exactly fighting for your life when it happened. Now I sound terrible. Just - it wasn’t non-consensual, people!!!

Episode 3:

Korn is me. I, too, always dream up the worst possible scenarios and wake up drenched in sweat, fully convinced my life is falling apart.

Ahhh the teacher. Is she a porn character? The hair, the glasses, the stretching, the outfit, the bow tie. It’s a bit much.

Mew looks hot Korn. Forget this Knock asshole who thinks he’s a victim. Jesus.

I’m also loving Feii

I love friends making fun of the influencer girlfriend, because SAME. So phony. Just perfect for Knock really. Justice for KORN.

Episode 4:

Girlfriend almost killed Knock. Well done lady, maybe less influencing and more learning about your BF? I mean also if I were to have a partner, the first thing I’d tell them would be my life threatening allergies. They go out on dates, don’t they??

Korn flirting with Knock is the best thing ever because obv this was their love language previously, and Knock is used to/loves/did it as well.

Max should always smile because JESUS FUCKING CHRIST THAT MAN.

So Knock knew Korn likes men. INTERESTING.

Ugh those two terrible (ex) girlfriends are friends. I don’t care for their names. Don’t like them of course. Luckily we have Yihwa and Faii god bless them.

Oh forgot the mention the doctor. Jeez. TOO CREEPY - FARM FOR EVERYTHING THAT’S HOLY PLS DON’T, BUT I KNOW YOU WON’T LISTEN TO ME BECAUSE COLLEGE IS FOR THESE TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES, I GET IT.

Yihwa Faii Farm supremacy. I want to be in their friend group. I wanna be best friends with them. I like men but I also wanna make out with Faii.

So the teacher is Korn’s sister!! LOL. How come no one knows about it? Or maybe they do but I missed it? Idk.

Episode 5:

Knock & his girlfriend booooores me. Teacher plot booores me. Give me jealous Knock now - I need him to understand how PRECIOUS Korn is. Also maybe Faii making out with someone? I’m kinda obsessed with her.

Is Farm gonna have sex with the doc? TOO TRAUMATIZING. I just don’t wanna think about it.

My baby Korn is jealous :(((

MEW IS HOT, KORN! Give him a chance!!

What is that blue drink? Is it the new pink milk?

IS THE DOCTOR MAKING A MOVE ON KORN SKSJDJJSJ NO STOPPPPPPP

Episode 6:

JEEZ Doctor tried to rape Korn. 2 mins later he’s kissing Farm. Farm, baby boy, WHAT are you doing? Omg this series is insane. He’d fuck anything at that moment. That man is TRASHHHHHHH.

I mean Farm’s “girlfriend” is terrible but of course they’re tying to make us hate her so that Farm cheating on with the doc doesn’t feel as terrible. But the poor girl was STRANDED at the bar. It’s too much.

Ok I previously liked Yihwa but I really don’t like people who stick their nose in others’ business. Seriously mind your own fucking business. Why force people to come out to you?? Now she’s in my hit list. If she outs this relationship to anyone I’ll hurt her.

Prompt from Dragonfly_XX: Oh, and duh! The prompt... Can't believe I'm asking for this, bc it'll hurt, but how about a "What If..." story of 'Together with Me'? Bc, when Knock found out Korn cheated his main reaction was anger, and I, for some crazy reason, would like to read about Knock's reaction being more on the sad & devastated side, if you know what I mean. So that Korn feels even worth. Yup, no idea, apparently I woke up and chose pain today! 

Prompt from kebwins: HI, I was wondering if I could request a prompt or together with me that takes place during the show where Korn starts suffering from Hanahaki disease (unrequited love that causes people to have flowers bloom in their chest if you didn't know) due to Knock giving him the ultimatum of him leaving if Korn talks about their one-night stand with everyone. make it as sad as you want to, a happy ending is appreciated but sad angry is also appreciated ^*^f (sorry for sending in early before)