“Plus & Minus” is a (2022) Taiwanese BL series. Consisting of 12 episodes of 25 minutes each, this production has a narrative that touches on both romantic and social themes. The series handles the feelings that two close friends, who have not separated from each other since high school, realize over the years and the internal conflict they experience.
Because love, friendship, search for identity, and social pressures form the main axis of the series, the series is not an ordinary boys’ love. Especially BL productions, which have now become an industry, have shallow stories focused only on “idol actors”.
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Plus & Minus (2022) Series Plot and Review
Zheng Ze Shou and Fu Li Gong are two close friends who have never separated since high school. Years pass, and when these two friends reach the age of 28, they are still living together. Furthermore, they are two lawyers handling divorce cases in the same law firm. While working in Fu Li Gong’s father’s firm, the biggest pressure in their lives comes from their families again: “Get married already!” However, neither of them has a girlfriend, and they are bound to each other with secret feelings.
The feelings that existed between them since high school years but were not named begin to surface over time with jealousy and tension. Ze Shou being threatened in a divorce case escalates the events even further. Now these two friends need to cross both a professional and emotional threshold. Will they be able to face their families’ expectations and listen to the voice of their hearts?
The second couple of the series comes from a completely different world: The paths of Jian Ying Ze, a divorced dry cleaner who has a daughter, and Yuki, who works at a bar, cross through a small misunderstanding. The duo gets close to each other over time. This story also shows the diversity of love and that second chances are possible.
A Few Words About the Series
A tiny review and commentary
“Plus & Minus” is a quality production. Nowadays it has become hard to find a quality BL. This drama is among the productions that show how the oppressive society and the cruelties done in the name of tradition ruin LGBT individuals. At the same time, it questions gender roles and social expectations. It is important for the individual to build their own life and world, and to reject the roles that society and others prescribe to them. Suppressed feelings, internal pressures throw a human into a big psychological whirlpool.
In this drama, there is no artificial wealth or fantasy world like in Thai series. Instead, I can say that I watched a plain but impressive atmosphere closer to real life. Justice, acceptance, and love are handled from the heart in this series. Also, instead of constantly watching low-quality stories like a glutton just for “idol actors”, I prefer few and quality dramas.
The series also offers an average story in this context. It handles two close friends, who have not separated from each other since their childhood, turning their friendship into a much deeper feeling over the years. Also, I can say it is a production with an LGBT theme outside of BL. Queer themes are also successful.
The series handles friendship evolving into love at a calm pace. It is quite high-quality compared to BL series that are lively, cheerful, and where fans scream on university campuses.
Character Dynamics
The relationship between Fu Li Gong and Zheng Ze Shou relies on years of friendship, mutual trust, and suppressed feelings. Li Gong’s responsible and emotional side is balanced with Ze Shou’s fun and extroverted attitudes. While struggling with professional duties in the law office where they work together, these two characters are also tested emotionally; the love that Li Gong has felt for a long time acquires a romantic direction by combining with Ze Shou’s childhood memories.
In the background, the relationship developing between X and Jian Ying Ze brings additional depth and balance to the story by reflecting themes of freedom, past burdens, and self-acceptance.
About BL Dramas
The official broadcaster of the series is Viki. You can look at MyDramaList for more and actors. The 2022 series is 12 episodes. Since each episode is 25 minutes, it will not overwhelm you while watching. There is no need to write too much. It is also us who make life difficult and impose our mental patterns on others. Actually, everything is in our hands. Life and our whole reality consist of the patterns of our brain’s electrochemical processes. Relationships, gender roles, beliefs—whatever comes to our mind—are all actually a world we produce in our brain. It is necessary to look at the matter a bit from this perspective too.
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