This review may contain spoilers
Ok, when I first watched Kiss, I mainly watched for Pete and Kao, and got nothing. Then I watched Kiss Me Again, cause I wanted Pete and Kao. I could care less for Sandee's sisters and their love stories. And when I found out about this, I put it off until I saw it was almost finished. I watched a few episodes and fell off a bit because of watching too many things at once. However, I went through it thoroughly after binge watching it. If you sit down and watch it all at once, it's great. It's amazing. The only thing I didn't like was how possessive Pete can get with Kao. I get it he's your boyfriend, but like don't make it that obvious. Also, the fact that the gang "didn't know" about Pete and Kao, when Sandee revealed their relationship in Kiss the Series. What? You all knew this.
Non. This little f***er. I get your dad doesn't treat you well, but wtf. Classic teenager, lying about how things happened and someone ends up hurt.
Sun and Mork. MY LOVES. I wish they had the series all to themselves at one point. Nothing between them felt forced whatsoever. It was a gradual love. A hate to love, which in my opinion, is the best kind. Also, all of the little things Sun did for him, trying to not get caught in the process, was too cute for my heart to handle.
My mood needed this after watching HIStory3, so thank you.
And I really want Sun and Mork to get their own series. Blue Sky Love or something like that. Black Forest Kiss. IDK something like that.
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The only problem is the continuity of the show. Is continuity too hard to remember by the writers? In the previous series:
1. It was revealed that the friends knew about PeteKao in the Kiss series, why the F did they forget about it in this series?
2. Kao was intially portrayed as a photographer in Kiss me Again, even being able to take a job because of it. But then here they showed Pete as the photographer and Kao was acting like he didnt know how to use professional camera, even asking Pete to teach him.
3. The houses - pete and Kao's houses were entirely different from the other series. I know Pete is rich, but then here they are kind of showing that Kao is not as rich. Did they become poorer to end up selling their house from KissMeAgain?
And then again, ill say it one more time TayNew is reason enough for me to watch the show, so im giving it an 8.5. Please, if anybody can tell me where to buy Pete, im in desperate need of one.
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This review may contain spoilers
Despite the odd title (I have no idea what "Dark Blue Kiss" is even supposed to mean, or how it relates to the story), DBK is one of my top two favorite BLs for 2019! (The other: He's Coming To Me.) Here's why:1) A very realistic view of what a young gay couple goes through. Not all shows have to be realistic for me -- I appreciate a good fantasy, as long as that's what it's intended to be. But if I'm being given a plot line that I'm supposed to take seriously, I want to believe it. DBK does this for me, unlike the large majority of BLs (which can still have good entertainment value).
2) Supportive parents and friends. Pete's dad, Kao's mom, and Rain were the heroes of this series.
3) The acting from the leads. Loved Tay (Pete) in this, and especially AJ (Non), who pretty much stole the show with his smarmy unlikeability. New (Kao) got a lot of flack from viewers for being too passive, but I thought he was just fine. As for the second couple, Podd (Sun) was a creditable actor (although I found his character a bit uninteresting) and Fluke (Mork) shows some great skills for a newbie.
4) The music. I loved the music for the opening credits! The OST sung by Fluke shows him to be a really talented singer, and another OST with Tay and New really shows off Tay's singing ability as well.
5) The story. From week to week, I found myself looking forward to what was coming next.
Highly recommended! (I only gave the "Rewatch Value" a lower rating because I rarely rewatch series.)
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What about Non?
Interisting bl drama, over all inspiring and life teaching. The plot is great, actors on point, music moving and chemistry 100%. I finished this in 2 days, they don't drag the story adding unecessary drama just to make it last longer and there are no empty episodes, I'd totally rewatch it, thumbs up!One thing I didn't really appreciate is the fact that in the end they don't really give any info about what happened to Non. I mean, after wreaking havoc and so much screentime, you can't just smack him out of the series 4 episodes before the end and let us know nothing. That kid deserved some ass whooping and a smack in the face from Pete, just saying.
Apart from that, it's one of the best bl dramas of 2019, with some of the best actors and storylines ever. Would totally recommend it!
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The Best of 'Kiss'
Of all the ‘Kiss’ series this is by far my favorite. The pool scene in the first episode was incredibly cute and then the way they tied it in in the last episode had me swooning. While the story line is a tad cliche, I enjoyed watching Pete and Kao work through all their drama (a lot of it self inflicted). Normally characters as overly possessive as Pete are hard for me to like, but I enjoy Tay's portrayal so much and I know the added stress of dating a closeted person amplifies Pete's insecurities. I am confused about how supposedly no one in the gang, besides Sandee, knows about Pete and Kao when their relationship was outed in Kiss The Series. I'm not sure if the writers forgot or if they were just trying to have added pressure on Kao's reluctance to come out.One of my favorite elements in the show are the parents (Pete's dad and Kao's mom) . I especially love the relationship between Pete and his dad. I wish every parent would be that understanding and open. They did a good job with Non's character because I really wanted to fight him haha.
There were enough romantic scenes to satisfy me. Sun and Mork’s love seen was so well captured and tender. Pete and Kao are #3 in my heart (after Arthit/Kongpop and Pete/Ae). The drama in the last couple of episodes really had me clutching my blankets and tearing up. Overall well acted, good script, endearing characters. High re-watch value for me. And I have to add that wow Tay really lives up to his name, he is indeed very handsome.
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Dark Blue Kiss explores the complexity of love and the socio-economic aspect of the symbolic closet.
Raw, Refreshing, and Realistic-- these are words that I would use to describe Dark Blue Kiss, a drama that tackles same-sex relationships in a lens that deeply roots itself to the struggle of acceptance of the self and by society. Being a story bound to the semblance of reality, it was able to serve the rawness of these relationships-- a refreshing approach as it tackles issues that the sector it aims to represent faces in real life. However, one of the most spellbinding elements of DBK is how it makes us understand the concept of the "closet" by closely knitting it to the socio-economic conditions of the characters in the story. Character backgrounds played a big role to further storytelling-- creating layers which reveals more to the characters and their motivations for their decisions.We were given four main characters in the drama: Pete, Kao, Sun, and Mork. All of these characters are in the spectrum. But what creates the distinction is the fact that they came from varying economic backgrounds-- Pete and Sun are people from the middle to upper class, while Kao and Mork came from the middle to lower class. Notably, those in the higher echelons of society are "out of the closet" even if it's only to their families. On the other hand, we see how Kao and Mork aren't out, thus remaining hidden in the closet. With the need to hustle for their families, we realize how coming out is a privilege especially for people who are mired with societal expectations and responsibilities. As such, it also isn't easy to do in a world full of hatred and homophobia. This is the situation of Kao and Mork-- highly different from Pete and Sun. This dichotomy between their economic status makes it hard for both parties to enter a compromise-- resulting to conflicts. The socio-economic aspect of the closet then became the heart of the story, the driving force to further character and story development-- whether they would be able to open and face this closet is one of the questions inculcated to the viewers.
The story of DBK makes us understand more of the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community. It didn't only intend to show a charming and loving story between PeteKao and SunMork, but it also open the eyes of the viewers to the realities that people from the spectrum experience-- their path to self-acceptance and opening the closet, and being able to love without being judged for one's preference.
Over-all, I can say that the drama deserves a high rating. It's an honest portrayal of a story of those in the rainbow spectrum. It felt empowering. Although there are some areas that can be improved in the story department, the story is still stellar and it holds itself to a standard.
In the end, the drama aims to send a clear message: No one should be deprived of their capacity to express their love-- not by their gender nor by their sexuality.
(COOKIE BITS)
For the acting, TayNew's acting for this story is truly commendable. They brought us with them as we ventured into the story of PeteKao and their quest for happiness. Fluke and Podd was a breath of fresh air. AJ was so good in acting as a villain that he was able to pull some strings with his portrayal of Non. Over-all the acting deserves a high-rating.
Music is good. Opening sequence is a bomb cue Temptation of Wife realness. For its rewatch value, I'm giving it a nine just because my tendency to rewatch shows are low.
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UNDERRATED AF!!!!!
This is probably one of the best BLs that is out there.If you haven't watched this yet, do your self a favor with this one and bless that soul. You won't regret.
Okay, so for some the story story might be confusing when you start to watch this( that was the case with me), so before watching this I suggest you to watch the Kiss Me Again cut scenes for Pete and Kao and then come back to this. That way you'll have more info about their story. I say this for new viewers who are planning to watch this.
This was such an amazing journey, from start till the very end. My heartbeat was no where to be found when I was reaching the end of the series. At the beginning I was like " This needs more drama", and we got to that point I was like " Well, this is too much, take it back...". It was amazing though. The cast did an amazing job. And OMG the chemistry between them. I just loved watching them getting closer with each other.
Ain't gonna say anything about the couples because I want you to experience that for your self.
And can we talk about that opening song? THE BEST OPENER OF THE CENTRY FOR BLS SERIES. There is no competition.
So lets sum up real quick: The series -AMAZING, The story- depends on your personal liking( I enjoyed it so much),
The cast- PERFECTION, Chemistry - oh baby they got it, The OST- The BEST in the game. PERIOD
Re-watching it again? HELL YEAH
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Already the intro made it pretty clear that this was going to be kind of a soap opera, and in that it didn’t disappoint; a very well-made soap opera in any case, but obviously never on the same level as “Theory of Love” or similar series. I read a lot of criticism regarding the lack of “real” problems between the couples portrayed. While I do agree that the age of the characters and the problems they faced didn’t seem to fit, I can easily overlook that fact, because I believe that love can make us all become children again.
The actors all did a good job; I was more interested in PeteKao, the chemistry between SunMork didn’t convince me completely, but they had good moments as well. Kao was a particularly well-written character, although (or better therefore?) it was sometimes frustrating to watch him. The directing and cinematography was more than okay (again, for this soap opera kind of story) and once again I loved the music (thanks for throwing in “1 2 3 4 5 I Love You”). I was also happy that they tried to convey good messages about family acceptance throughout the series (maybe they tried too hard in some moments, though).
All in all, it was a highly predictable, funny, not too dramatic, very grounded, but (for me) certainly enjoyable series.
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I believe this drama shows in quite simple and realistic way what happens when someone openly gay dates a person who is still in the closet and not ready to come out. Most of the problems Pete and Kao faced were the result of Kao not admitting he is dating Pete to his friends and family.
That said, we cannot place all the blame on Kao only. We should take into consideration his situation too - the fear of his mom not accepting him, the possibility of losing his job because some parents might not want a gay person to tutor their children. Pete was in an extremely privileged situation - did not have to worry about money, his dad was as accepting as it was possible. Because of that, it was hard for him to understand Kao's struggle and how, for him, there was no good way out of this situation. No matter what choice he will make, there will be negative consequences.
I also like what they did with Non's character, no matter how annoying he was. The drama clearly showed how bad parenting can influence a kid. Giving us the glimpse of what Non has to put up with at home makes it easier to understand the character, but the drama makes sure to not use it as an excuse for his bad behavior. Being a victim does not mean you yourself can create more victims.
Overall, I believe this drama addresses the important topic of coming out and how it should always be decided by the person themselves, when and how they want to do it. It should not be forced on them, expected from them. It's not an easy decision and everyone's circumstances are different. To quote the drama: "It's my choice to tell or not tell anyone. I should get to decide.".
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I absolutely love this drama. There are one or two plot points that I didn’t really like and I think the main challenge in Kao and Pete’s relationship could have been easily avoided, but overall the plot is really good. I like that there aren’t so many character that I can’t tell who is who. I also like that you can watch this with having to watch the parent series, though it does help, as the parent series is filled with two many couples that I don’t care about. Plot:
Kao and Pete’s plot is a little dumb, not gonna lie. The fact that Pete is threaded by a 12 grade boy goes against his character, in my opinion, and his lack of trust in Kao’s feelings for him is a little out of left field.
I lived for Monk and Sun’s story. It didn’t take the direction I expected and there was one aspect of Sun’s character that I didn’t really enjoy but I often found myself annoyed when Pete and Kao took up to much screen time.
Rain and Manow’s story is not really a big part of the show and I was kinda uncomfortable with her being a high school student as I felt they only did that to make it seem like Non and Kao could be a thing.
Characters:
I love all of the characters in this show. I have complaints about all of them, but those complaints are the things that, while frustrating, make the characters relatable and human. The relationships between all the characters is spectacular and I really enjoy that they are entertained by not reliant.
I also think this show does a good job with the side characters. They all have a purpose in the story and, while June is annoying, I never got tired of the Camaraderie and comedic relief that brought to the table.
Most important:
To me, the most important thing about this series is the awareness that it bring to the topics discussed in the show. It deals with some hard topics but it doesn’t shy away from them or turn them into jokes like a lot of other shows. Kao goes through a lot in this series, but he and Pete talk about most of the problems and show a pretty healthy relationship. As a queer person, the time that this show takes to show supportive parents and talk about the difficulties of coming out and other aspects of queer life is really important to me. I shed tears during several of the talk Kao and Pete had about sexuality and felt deeply for the strong relationship they both had with their parents.
Overall, I think this is an amazing show. It is not perfect, no show is, but it’s message and story make up for all the imperfections. Also the acting is really good. New and Tay (Kao and Pete’s actors) are best friends in real life and their chemistry shows. By that I mean they act amazingly together though their kiss Scenes are kinda awkward.
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It has been one hell of a ride of PeteKao from being a small part of Kiss and then one of the parts in Kiss Me Again; and finally DBK - one for them...
This journey has been wonderful of seeing the most talented sweethearts TayNew as PeteKao...
During this journey, every part of PeteKao's life has been amazing and beautifully portrayed...
No other couple could have been this significant for the roles of PeteKao other than TayNew...
TayNew has made everyone fall in love with them due to their adorable and breathtaking chemistry...
Love and chemistry between TayNew work out so naturally beautiful between them...
Their real-life friendship is also adorable and cute...TayNew together is just utter love...
For me, they are the best BL couple now and forever...My sweetheart pairs and darlings...
Will be missing the journey of PeteKao so badly...
I literally crave more from PeteKao's life like seeing them after this, their marriage and their love after marriage; and probably kids...
I love TayNew madly...
Though my mind knows that they are best friends, my heart longs them to more than that...
Though PeteKao's journey has stopped here, I'll follow TayNew's life throughout...
Love you a loads TayNew...Both be blessed...
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