Drama Digest
The drama is a Taiwanese boys love (BL) drama that revolves around the story of the main characters- Shi Yi Jie and Fei Sheng Zhe. Shi Yi Jie is a famous professor in a university who has specialized in the history of Chinese artifacts. Sheng Zhe is a very talented student with a deep interest in gaining knowledge about history. He is a very passionate student and is very serious when it comes to his education. It also includes two other characters, where one character pretends to be interested in a BL series only to impress his employee, who is also his crush. The third character is confronted by his stalker, who is obsessed with him, which eventually turns into a twisted dynamic. All these three characters are close friends and also live together.
The Feel-Good Part
The positive part is that BL lovers and the LGBTQ+ community can find solace in this series. It provides a strong representation of LGBTQ+ characters and their relationships. The drama also promoted understanding, acceptance, empathy, and equality. It explores the themes of love, friendship, personal growth, and self-discovery.
The Disappointing Factor
The viewers found it quite dissatisfactory. There were a lot of stereotypes and clichés included in this drama that highlighted a negative aspect. The show also normalized toxic relationships and emphasized nonconsensual sex, which was another disappointing factor.
In-Depth Analysis
History 4: Close To You is a Taiwanese BL series and is the fourth part of the installment of the History series. The HIStory series generally involves storylines of same-sex relationships and tries to promote them. The drama revolves around discovering oneself and one’s true feelings. It includes blossoming relationships and the challenges they face in a society that might not accept them. The characters undergo many obstacles and struggle to gain their loved ones. The show involved toxic relationships and a few scenes that were deliberately unnecessary and made the audience uncomfortable. The storyline wasn’t very powerful, and the humor used in it was very childish and unfunny. Though the cinematography was outstanding, the characters were handsome and excellent, and the music was superb.
Star Power
The most liked aspect of the whole drama was its cast, which was appreciated. They all did a fantastic performance and made the series bearable with their acting. An Jun Pen played the role of Ye Xing Si, Charles Tu played the role of Xiao Li Cheng, Anson Cheng played the role of Teng Mu Ren, Lin Chia Wei played the role of Fu Yong Jie, Cindy Chi played the role of Liu Mei Fang, and Tiger Wang played the role of Ye Zhi Hui.
Overall Opinion
The show is just okayish, with a few bearable scenes and couples. It could have been a lot better if the writers worked on the script and did not portray unnecessary cliches and stereotypes.
