Gui Zhao (2024)

It is absurd to claim that he has been censored or had scenes cut for showing alleged BL images

It is an error and a total absurdity to affirm that 'The Way Home' has been censored or scenes were cut, beyond the logical editing or audiovisual editing process, for containing supposed images typical of a BL series.
The most striking thing is that those who affirm these fallacies, with clear political rather than artistic motivations, do not break spears when there is a strong rejection in the world of representations of homosexual love (not only in fiction, but also in real life), when European countries like Hungary, and other neighbors of China, such as Malaysia, Kuwait, Indonesia, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other West Asian nations, ban and censor those fictions that feature scenes where gay men, lesbian women or Transgender characters express themselves with a kiss, a hug, a gesture, or even a few words, as occurs in the films 'Lightyear' (Pixar), 'Thor: Love and Thunder' (Marvel), 'Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous' ( Netflix), Marvel's 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness', 'Eternals', 'West Side Story', and so many other films that include LGBT+ characters.
The most striking thing is that those who affirm these fallacies, with clear political rather than artistic motivations, do not break spears when in nations supposedly more liberated and committed to the LGBT+ community, such as the United States, censor films such as Disney's latest version of 'The Beautiful and the Beast', for including a gay character in the story, as happened in the State of Alabama, with movie theater and drive-in owners banning the exhibition of the film for showing an "exclusively gay" moment between the character Le Fou (played by Josh Gad) and Gaston (Luke Evans).
The most striking thing is that those who affirm these fallacies, with clear political rather than artistic motivations, do not break spears when in societies supposedly more liberated with respect to homosexuality, such as the United States, from the beginning of 2023 until today a process is being experienced of legislative violence and unparalleled setback in the human rights of LGTB+ people.
I am referring to the approval of anti-LGBT+ laws by different states that openly limit different facets of the rights of said community, which aim to put the members of this group back in the closet, and which will begin in 2022 when Ron DeSantis , the governor of Florida, approved the Don't Say Gay Bill, whose text prohibits teaching any educational content related to sexual orientation or gender identity to students between 3 and 17 years old, and requires that the educational curriculum necessarily define he sex as “determined by biology and reproductive functions” and gender as “binary, stable and fixed.”

Returning to the series

'The Way Home' was never conceived as a series that explores love between boys. From the idea to post-production, through the script, the series was conceived as a bromance, a drama of youth and family growth, which became a 16-episode audiovisual, directed by Xu Huikang and written by Ouyang Lou and Liu Shuyang.
Starring Ma Baiquan, Zhang Kangle, Chen Xinwei, Yuan Mingze, and Yao Jingyuan, among other actors and actresses, the Chinese series tells us, in a family and youth drama tone, the story of He Jia Hao (Ma Baiquan) and Jia Shu (Zhang Kangle), cousins not related by blood.
Set in Xiqiao Village, a water town in Lingnan, the once prosperous He family now has only one son, He Jia Hao, an introverted and well-behaved student, who in addition to carrying the supposed hope of his family hides a secret in his heart.
He Jia Shu, the young man raised within the family as if he were part of it, was expelled from home after breaking a forbidden rule. Eight years later, He Jia Shu finally returns to the village, and Jia Hao, who bears the blame for causing his expulsion, seeks to make peace with Jia Shu.
The series explores traditional culture, such as dragon boat racing in southern China, the dragon boat eye-dotting ceremony, and Lingnan lantern skills.
Initially, He Jia Shu wants to completely sever ties with the He family. However, after spending time with He Jia Hao he begins to slowly return to the family. Under the pressure of maintaining the conservative concepts of the He family, the two "brothers" who are not related by blood grow and mature together, breaking the prejudices of their elders, until they regain kinship and friendship, and understand the meaning of family.
Through the mutual redemption between brothers, the series reflects the power of family affection, breaking down the barriers of lineage, rebuilding family ties, and triggers the public's thinking about family relationships.
From the China Youku Web Channel, the series tells a story of the bromance genre, in the style of 'The Judge of Hell' (2021), 'Beyond Evil' (2021), 'Sandía Brillante' (2023), 'Rugal' (2020), among many others, to describe a deep and meaningful connection between two male characters who are always there for each other, support each other unconditionally and care significantly, but without actually having a relationship loving
He Jia Hao and He Jia Shu are two straight men who really love and care about each other a lot. The chemistry, the friendship, the beautiful and unique relationship of brothers that these two actors maintain is undeniable, which only helps to worsen the catatonic state into which many lovers of the bromance genre fall.
The point is that these actors are too close to their audience, and that makes people love them more because it is almost as if they knew them in person. On their social networks they make comments that are regularly responded to by the other actors and the fandom implodes.
Although I am a lover of BL, I am also a lover of bromance. One of the things that hook the public into a fandom is that it has an attractive bromance, with attractive and handsome characters. This guarantees part of the success or failure of the film product.
Bromance, as I understand it, is a word in English used to define a friendship between two boys that goes MUCH beyond that. It does not necessarily imply a sexual relationship, but it is understood that their affection could be equated to having two brothers (hence the definition: bromance, a word formed by brothers and romance) or much, much more.
'The Way Home' managed to hook me thanks to the affection between the two main characters. The affection between them is such that they both pour their entire lives into each other. They sacrifice themselves for each other. Despite being so opposite, they complement and understand each other. Their friendship is unique because they are unique; They had to reunite with each other to be able to experience that kind of love that can only be felt for a true friend.
I am to congratulate the casting direction for the good judgment when it comes to choosing actors who have as much chemistry between them as Ma Baiquan and Zhang Kangle. The relationship between them began with fights, misunderstandings, distancing, which ended shortly after when they both understood that they need each other and that together they complement each other and work better for their own personal growth as well as their family.
And as the days go by, it's not just the work that works wonders for them, but they both realize that they feel genuine concern and affection for each other.
The wonderful "joking" relationship between the two actors leaves the screen and takes shape behind the scenes. It can be seen in the interviews they have given together…

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