Last weekend, we finally got to experience something we had been waiting for with excitement for months. On Saturday, we flew from Bratislava to Rome, but our main reason for traveling was not sightseeing or tasting authentic Italian pasta and pizza — it was the BL fanmeet for Shine, last year’s series by Be On Cloud as well as the DaouOffroad fanmeet and the GL couple EmiBonnie fanmeet especially since everything took place over two consecutive days and we simply couldn’t miss it!
You cannot even imagine how excited we were when we found out that our comfort series Shine and its four main actors would be coming to Rome. Honestly, we never expected to see them in person. But somehow, this dream of ours became reality, all thanks to the amazing organizers from the Italian organization Jus In Bello.
Jus In Bello is a non-profit organization founded by a group of professionals from various fields, mainly with experience in event management and organization. The project is run on a voluntary basis with the goal of bringing together fans from all around the world and creating opportunities for interaction with actors from film, television, and the arts. Even for BL and GL fans! They organize international fan meetings, and thanks to them, we were given the unique opportunity to make our BL dream come true.
First of all, it is important to mention that Jus In Bello announces all of its fan meetings well in advance, giving fans enough time to book flights and accommodation. There are several types of passes available, ranging from premium options that include professional photos with the actors, autograph sessions, meet & greets, access to the full fanmeet, soundcheck, hi-bye experiences to more affordable options. In the end, it is entirely up to you which pass you choose. Each one will bring you an unforgettable experience.
Lovely Saturday with DaouOffroad & EmiBonnie
We arrived in Rome on Saturday afternoon and immediately rushed to the hotel to get ready, as the DaouOffroad fan meeting we attended was about to begin very soon. It was our very first experience with such a meeting, and we have to say that seeing BL actors live was a really fascinating feeling. Just a few months ago, we were watching The Wicked Game at home on TV, and now we were seeing DaouOffroad live in person? No way! It honestly felt unreal but truly memorable.
Their fanmeet was truly amazing, and we enjoyed every moment of it. Not only us, but the entire venue filled with fans seemed absolutely thrilled — both by their performances and the way they interacted with the audience. At the end, actors also received flowers and the Italian flag, followed by a group photo with us.
After DaouOffroad, the fanmeet of EmiBonnie followed. The duo became well known thanks to the GL series Us. They sang for us, played games, talked about Rome, and overall, the fanmeet felt warm, relaxed, and very genuine. It left us with a really lovely impression. We will definitely be following their next projects because they were really lovely!
A day of a BL fan we will never forget
You can probably imagine that we barely managed to sleep from Saturday to Sunday because at 11:00 a.m. we had a photo session with MileApo waiting for us! Yes, they are our favorite BL couple, and we were incredibly excited to see them. In case you are not familiar with them, let us introduce their work to you. Mile and Apo are talented Thai actors who became especially famous in the BL world thanks to the series KinnPorsche, where they played the lead roles and helped bring BL series to a global audience.
However, they did not come to Rome because of KinnPorsche, but because of their latest series, Shine, which became favorite series for both of us and one we would genuinely recommend to anyone who has not watched it yet. Shine is far from being just another easy, light romance as is often the case with many Thai BL series. The story is set in a historical and politically tense environment, where the love stories of the two main couples develop against the backdrop of social conflict and important themes. This gives the series emotional depth, strong storytelling, and an atmosphere that feels very different from typical BL productions. And we absolutely cannot forget the OST — every single song in the series is a true masterpiece.
Photos with MileApo and fanmeet full of unforgettable moments
But let’s get straight to what we had all been waiting for! While waiting for the photo session, fans could choose from a variety of poses which had been drawn and placed at the entrance to the room where we took photos with them. We ended up choosing the “fake hug” pose and “big heart” pose. Then came the moment we had been waiting for. Seeing them in person for the very first time. We are not even going to lie as our knees were literally shaking. Since the photo session moved incredibly quickly because so many people were waiting for their turn, we do not remember everything from those few moments. But that does not even matter, because the photo captured it all for us.
At 2:30 p.m., we attended the soundcheck and hi-bye session with the actors, which lasted around 40 minutes and it was an amazing experience. The actors spoke English almost the entire time, interacted with the audience, and even performed our favorite OST, Far Side of the Moon. They sounded breathtaking. All of them.
Right after the soundcheck came the official fanmeet itself. It is almost impossible to put the experience into words as it is simply something you have to witness and feel alongside the rest of the audience. Imagine seeing your two favorite couples just a few meters away from you, playing fun games, talking about their favorite Shine scenes, upcoming projects, and sharing how they felt about being in Rome. More than once, we caught ourselves sitting there with huge smiles on our faces, completely absorbed in everything they were saying.
There was nothing we would have changed about that day — it felt truly perfect. Even the final high-touch was a special moment, as we had the chance to briefly say a few words to all four actors. The next day, the post-fanmeeting sadness hit us, just like the feeling many people experience after the concert of their fav artist.
More fanmeets for BL fans are coming with Jus In Bello!
But there is no need to be sad. Jus In Bello is far from done with fanmeets! This August, fans will have the chance to see the couples JoongDunk, SkyNani, and PondPhuwin live. And if you are wondering whether a fanmeet like this is worth it, there is really no reason to hesitate. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience — and for us, it certainly was.
More information can be found on the Jus in Bello website. Which fanmeet are you going to attend?
Source: Author’s text (Lenka, Mima from Asianstyle)
