Why Does Everyone Become Gay?

First off, I can see why Theory of Love gets hate. It's unrealistic. All these straight people turning gay. I cannot! First Khai and then, Two. What?! Anyways, I finally get to see the highly raved OffGun pairing in action. They do have good chemistry though I felt that their chemistry isn't anything special. KristSingto & BrightWin had more in my opinion. Anyways, the series started off really strong but quickly runs out of steam and becomes aimless. There's only so much you can do with a protagonists who longs for his straight best friend who does not reciprocate his feelings. So, he cries so much. Like literally. Every episode, Third mopes and cries because of Khai, whether that be Khai having a girlfriend or talking to a girl, etc. How can someone cry this much? It's gets kinda annoying to be honest, especially when set to cheesy, sad pop music. But when Third pulls away and doesn't hang out with Khai anymore, Khai, the straight best friend realizes that he has feelings for his gay best friend and makes an effort to win him back. This is when the story starts to get interesting again and you get invested though the interest kinda fizzles out towards the end. The story is pretty predictable and unrealistic. Yes, it is fiction, but this show seems to aim for realism, unlike say like 2gether that is intentionally over-the-top. It's kinda risky making actual gay people believe that their straight friends will fall for them. I hope that no one will actually believe this. This seems to be the reason why some people don't like this show; because it's unrealistic. There's also some questionable plot points and character actions that don't make sense.

The performances were good. Gun gave probably the best performance in the series though I felt that he was over-acting at times. And The fact that the characters are film students is pretty cool as I've always wanted to go to film school and become a film director. It's cool seeing the BTS of making a film from a student perspective.

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SHIN & HIS CHEST DESERVED BETTER!!!!!!

Watched this series just because Joss Way-ar, who I came across on Instagram, is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! My first non-BL Thai series! Told myself that I wasn't going to watch any non-BL Thai series, but the show got good reviews, Joss is too beautiful, he plays a stripper! and I've read that this series had some BL scenes though it isn't categorized as a BL drama, so I had to watch it!

Gave up after three episodes as I was bored and the story was quite bland and didn't make much sense as there are way too many plot holes and questionable plot points. Joss was stunning though. His crop tops (which was clearly just a ploy to amp up his sex factor) worked! *heart-eyes emoji* His acting ability is okay but I can tell that he is earnest and hard-working. With training, he could be really good. He does have charisma though and you always feel drawn to him whenever he is on-screen.

And I do love the transgender representation! Jennie! And giving her a love interest and an actual story arc was pretty cool! The bisexual and polyamory representation was pretty cool too!

On a side note, I hope that Joss gets a BL role very soon. Hopefully, due to the domination of BL at the 2020 LINE TV Awards and the huge popularity of 2gether (which I believe to be GMMTV's biggest hit in recent years), GMMTV will produce more BL's and offer Joss an actual BL role (maybe with Luke who's already a good friend) that will catapult him into superstardom! He'd be perfect for an Arthit or Sarawat kind of role!

However, I decided to revisit the series randomly two weeks later and after falling in love with Tay Tawan through his role of Kao as part of BL couple PeteKao and as a exuberant, talkative host of various GMMTV features. I loved the scenes of Joss and Tay. The hottest, best-looking young Thai actor (in my opinion), Joss, with my favourite personality (and who I also find very attractive), Tay! A BL dream! The series was pretty good at times to be honest. It was exciting and entertaining with some touching moments here and there, such as Neo and Shin's friendship. However, there were moments that dragged and the story still didn't make much sense, but it was still a fun watch, And I did fall for Shin (Tay) as many other have also. I also fell for his chest when he started to work for his father lol. To be honest, I was hoping for Shin to make the change from an innocent pushover to a ruthless mafia boss like his father but of course, there wasn't enough time for that change. Ter's death scene did hit me though, especially since he was waiting for Mae's gender reassignment surgery. And the last episode was quite tense and suspenseful. Overall, a fun and entertaining (though shallow) ride.

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So cute, sweet and charming in its depiction of young gay love. I felt my heart about to burst when Mew and Tong first kissed. I wished that I saw a film like this when I was younger. It would have done wonders for my self-esteem. Anyways, it's kinda messed up hiring someone to pretend to be your daughter so that your husband will get better, but it makes sense in the story. Not sure how it would play out in real life though. Although I absolutely loved the relationship and scenes of Mew and Tong, the other drama, such as the sister subplot, didn't really interest me, and I found the film to be quite slow. Also, really annoyed about that terrible ending. Why can't Tong be his boyfriend? Didn't his mother accept him when he chose a guy or a girl ornament to hang on the Christmas tree?

On a side note, I'm still on the search for my favourite gaysian film, which I have yet to find (though I do find 'Farwell, My Concubine' to be a masterpiece, I wouldn't say that it's my favourite gaysian film).

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Just Another Standard Zombie Story...

A standard zombie story. Nothing special about it. Due to the huge success of The Walking Dead, we have seen a plethora of zombie films and TV shows which all tell the same story. Kingdom doesn't add anything new, just placing zombies in the past instead of the modern world. Zombies still eat human beings who turn into zombies themselves. Like what one of the top rated review of this series says on MDL, "the show isn't too concerned with character development and a deep storyline," just standard blockbuster drama with a ton of murder and gore, which quickly gets boring. None of the characters interest me either as I found them all flat or despicable. I watch K-drama for something different. Something that Western media doesn't have. Unfortunately, this series adheres too much to the vacuous zombie stories of the West. Better to spend my time watching quality K-dramas like Reply 1988 or Prison Playbook.

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Boring but Interesting...

I first came across You Who Came from the Stars from seeing the 'Most Popular Shows' list on MDL. The premise intrigued me so I had to watch it. While being on my watchlist, I watched It's Okay to Not be Okay and fell in love with Kim Soo Hyun, who starred in You Who Came from the Stars! Another reason to watch this K-drama!

This series was entertaining though a bit fluffy, cliched and drags at times. There wasn't much substance but that is alright as it works for what it is, a form of romantic escapism. However, it quickly becomes stale as it drags a lot to the point where I am bored watching the drama. However, it is also able to keep me interested with its cliffhangers. It's a weird dichotomy of being both boring and interesting at the same time. I know that if I was watching this drama as it was airing like one or two episodes weekly, I would definitely be able to finish it. However, since I am binging, I am unsure if I want to even finish it when I could be spending my time watching something that I like better.

The story is a bit messy with a lot of plot point that didn't make much sense. Characters hold back knowledge that could easily save them or help find the culprit, but they don't divulge for the sake of prolonging the story, which is bad writing in my opinion. Like why is Song Yi so dumb? She knows that Han Yoo Ra didn't commit suicide so it must have been murder. And who could have killed her? Uh... how about the person who was arguing with her before her death? An argument that Song Yi eavesdropped. But that never came into her mind. She even revealed to Jae Kyung that she heard their argument. This is bad writing. There's no way that she would be that dumb. In addition, Min Joon knew that Jae Kyung killed Yoo Ra but didn't tell anyone for some reason, not even Song Yi whose career is being affected by Yoo Ra's death.

On a side note, It's pretty cool seeing how Kim Soo Hyun changed in the 7 years between YWCFTS and IOTNBO though he was still beautiful then and still is beautiful now. It's interesting to note that both of his roles in both dramas are quite similar as he plays the stoic ML opposite an over-the-top FL.

It's nice seeing that Kim Chang Wan and Kim Soo Hyun acted alongside one another in this drama 7 years before IOTNBO. I love their dynamic!

On another side note, why does Min Joon shower with a towel on? Lol. Couldn't they just show the waist up if they wanted to show him showering?

On a somewhat related note, Is the Korean entertainment industry this ruthless when it comes to rumours and portraying the perfect image? I know that the Kpop industry is ruthless, not wanting their idols to be in relationships and whatnot, but can something like what happened to Song Yi actually occur? Can a top celebrity be blacklisted for 'causing' the suicide of a fellow celebrity?

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Watching This K-Drama Felt Like Coming Home...

Reply 1988 was one of the K-drama that has received the most praise on the K-Drama subreddit thread along with the fantastic My Mister, so I had to watch it. The fact that this drama was from the people behind my favourite K-drama thus far, the excellent Hospital Playlist, only further piqued my interest in this series. After watching its first two episodes, I must say that I was disappointed. Although the series is technically good, it just didn't grip him like Hospital Playlist did. There is a possibility that the series will grip me at a later episode, but it is only 20 episodes and I am unsure if it will ever hook me if I continue to watch. I found the story so far to be a bit pedantic and melodramatic. Unlike the profound realism and bright optimism of Hospital Playlist, Reply 1988 opts for forced life moments with cheesy life lesson narration and slight comic relief through irritating family squabbles (where the wife is always yelling at and nagging the pathetic husband), shrill sister fights and weird husband antics. Though I do admit that the friendship between the 5 teenagers was quite touching.

On a side note, what is up with that annoying goat-bleating sound? I get that it's for comedic effect like a laugh track for sitcoms, but it really gets on your nerves.

I've finished Episode 5 and I'm still not interested enough to keep watching. I'm still not hooked. I find it to be a bit too slow and aimless for my taste. I guess that unfortunately, this highly-accalimed K-drama just doesn't mesh with me. This will be the first K-drama that I drop (unfortunately)...

However, I gave the drama another chance and I became quickly hooked. Watching this drama felt like coming home. Watching it was relaxing and the perfect way to unwind after a stressful day of school. Though the drama can be a bit slow and cheesy at times (like when Sun-woo talked to his dead father), it is always engaging and touching. Just like Hospital Playlist, this K-drama displayed the beauty of everyday life, in a specific neighborhood during a specific time period. I loved how the drama explored the issues and laws that were prevalent in that time period which piques my curiosity and made me do some research, such as why the same-name marriage law and the two-in-laws-from-the-same-family taboo existed.

I do have to say that I was surprised that Deok-sun ended up with Taek and not Jung-hwan. I was rooting for Jung-hwan the entire time. The writers wanted us to root for Jung-hwan because he held a flame for Deok-sun for much longer than Taek and was more earnest and persistent in his actions. Taek was just luckier. Deok-sun's husband also looked and acted like Jung-hwan too! What a bait-and-switch if I ever say one! Kudos to the writers though for not giving in to convention and giving the audience what we expect. However, I did quickly fall for Deok-sun and Taek's relationship, I must admit.

I also got quite emotional at times when the drama made me reflect on my own life; about whether or not I would actually practice as a dentist after I finish dental school or pursue something that I actually enjoy or whether I will ever get married (which I fear will not ever happen). I do love whenever a story makes me think about my own life, reminding me to live a life that I would be proud of - those are the best kinds of stories...

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Meh...

I've heard a lot of good reviews about this film. Unfortunately, I was let down. Though the cinematography was absolutely wonderful, especially during the water scenes, the story was melodramatic and too rosy-coloured to feel believable. There were several questionable plot points such as why would Oat give Namwan the password to his computer when he was cheating on her and knew that she could easily access his social media accounts? And for something as trivial as wedding photos? Like what?! Namwan's reaction to finding out that her husband was cheating and that he was gay was quite underwhelming and completely unrealistic also, being all supportive and understanding of Oat. On a side note, it was never really explained why Oat married Namwhan in the first place? Because she was pregnant? Hardly a good reason.

I found the first film, though questionable in its own right, to be more grounded and realistic.

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Story Taking a Hit as Series Keeps Getting Extended...

First heard about this series on Reddit and was excited to watch a Filipino BL! I really love how innovative the story is depicted, especially in this social distancing times. It reminded me of the film Searching that was set entirely on computer screens and smartphones. Such a great idea that is also topical! I do feel like the story is way too rushed though, especially since it’s only been one episode and the characters are already full on flirting and setting up a second ‘date.’ And it didn’t seem realistic how quickly Cairo accepted a video call from Gavreel, a literal stranger, but I cannot really say much since I am not a gamer and don’t know anything about the social etiquette of gaming.

In terms of acting, Kokoy’s acting as a flirty playboy was great! He’s got charm and charisma. Newcomer Elijah’s acting pales in comparison as all he did was just stare wide-eyed. Hopefully, we’ll see more range from him in the upcoming episodes.

Upon watching the second episode, I really enjoyed how the story progressed and expanded as the budding love between Cairo and Gavreel grows, a storyline about a family member dealing with COVID 19 is introduced and Gavreel’s girlfriend is introduced to spark some future conflict! The production and editing continues to be top-notch with excellent usage of social media. The scene where Gavreel places his phone under him when doing the pushups was comedic gold! It was great seeing Cairo getting flustered. However, it feels like their relationship is bit too fast in my opinion. I expected Gavreel to initiate the calls more and Cairo to not initiate any calls based on his reluctant feelings in the first episode. Still though, I was completely engaged with the story! This series is getting better with each episode! I’m hyped for the next one!

Episode 3 was a bit much in my opinion. It felt too forced. Like the story was too rushed and that Kai's jealousy was a bit too much and Gav's gestures to win Kai back a bit too grand for their current relationship. It felt like he was trying to win back a boyfriend, rather than a friend/crush. And the communication could have been better. And why did Gav's friend post that Facebook post, pretending that Gav was her boyfriend? It didn't make sense. And Kokoy's acting, although good. I felt like he was over acting in this episode with his teary eyes when talking to Kai and when professing his love for Kai on his IG stories. Or it was the script or director asking him to be teary-eyed, which was a bit much. And Gav singing an original song that he wrote for Kai was cringey. Kai accepting a call from Pearl and they acting as if they've talked before was random. Kai video-calling Pearl when he was in the bathroom getting ready (as if they are best friends) made no sense. I found Episode 3 to be a step back in terms of storytelling and quality. I was actually a bit bored watching it unfortunately. Hopefully, Episode 4 will be better...

Upon watching Episode 4 , I felt that the series was losing steam. There wasn't any progression in the story. Just fluff. Just Gav constantly making Cai flustered, just with Pearl this time. I do have to admit though that the split-screen kiss was very cute and adorable. And the ending, with the introduction of an ex brought a much needed dose of suspense into the show. It is interesting how this series always ends episodes with a cliffhangers: the introduction of Peal, the car outside Cai's place and now, Gav's ex. On a side note, I feel like GameBoys is the most popular BL currently airing at the moment (Where Your Eyes Linger was more popular but it finished airing). Although I find it good, I prefer Tien Bromance and Stage of Love (though I may be biased as I am Viet lol). Anyways, I wonder how the introduction of Terence wil play out.

Episode 5 with the introduction of an ex was barely interesting for me either. I was actually quite bored with all the video calling between the characters. Cai is still being evasive. Gav still hitting on Cai hard. Terrence was hardly an interesting character, just a bitter ex trying to ruin Gav's future relationship. Cai should have known better or at least, communicated better to Gav. I must commend GameBoys for being the most popular BL that is currently-airing at the moment. Good for them!

Episode 6 was quite dull as the story dragged when Cai tries to apologize to Gav by making him go on an online scavenger hunt where Cai makes a cringey puppet apology video. There's only so much you can do with this virtual format and it's showing with this series. And not sure why Terrence invited Cai to his video call with Gav. I doubt any person would want to beg for their ex back in front of another love interest. To be honest, I'm liking Hello Stranger better than GameBoys at the moment as I find it to be more natural and engaging. Hopefully, GameBoys will become good again.

Episode 7 was also a disappointment. They are dragging this series out way too much. I was so completely bored watching this episode. The online dance party was awkward. The brother blaming Cairo for their father's illness because the father chose to find Cairo after he ran away doesn't make sense. Covid has a 2 week incubation period. How did they know that it was due to that incident? And even if it was, the father chose to try to find Cairo. He didn't have to. No one asked him to. Maybe I'm being a bit mean and harsh, but being manipulative by having a lead's parent die is also a bit cheap. Elijah's acting though was impressive in this episodes. His crying was quite realistic.

Episode 8 was also quite dull though there were some touching moments like when Cairo's mother told him that it wasn't his fault and when Cairo read his father's email. It is clear that they are dragging the series out way too much in my opinion. Supposedly, this series was supposed to only be 8 episodes, but due to its huge popularity, the producers decided to extend it to 10. They should've kept it at 8 episodes to be honest...

Another disappointing, dull episode where there's nothing of any significance until the end where we are once again left on a cliffhanger. I also just learned that the production company extended the series to now have 13 episodes. It began with 6 episodes, then got extended to 8, then 10 and now, 13. Not surprising as the series has been doing quite well around the world, but the story is really taking a big hit. Do we really need to watch Cai, Pearl and Gav have more random, unnecessary exercise/meditation Zoom sessions or Gav hitting on Cai who rebukes him while blushing? The story is already so thin as it is. They should really stop...

Episode 10 was decent as there was actually some progression in the story as Cai and Gav finally met one another. The social distanced kiss and hug were hilarious though also quite charming and cute. I'm interested in seeing how the last three episodes will play out now that they have met...

Episode 11 was boring as another love interest is introduced. It's like the writers don't have anything important to say so they just bring in another love interest to amp up the stakes. And why is Gav being so b*tchy all of a sudden? He was never this mean when Terrence was actively pursing Cai. Wesley was just a childhood friend. Not even actively pursuing Cai and yet Gav mocked his appearance and his social media videos. Like Gav post the same kind of content. What a hypocrite. I'm so done with this overrated series. Hello Stranger is leagues better.

Episode 12 was another boring slog where literally nothing happens. And Cai and Gav fighting over literally nothing. What they are fighting over does not make any sense logically and they were both acting out of their characters, making decisions and saying things that they wouldn't normally say just for the sake of undeserved drama. I'm so happy that this series is ending next week. I'm over it...

Overall, the series started off strong. It was compelling and exciting. However, it quickly took a dip in quality as the series kept on getting extended, making there be a lot of filler, unnecessary scenes. Both Gav and Cairo quickly gets annoying with their antics and the story drags. It is full of fanservice and lacks any real substance. I must admit that their kiss in the finale was quite nice though. All in all, this series is completely over-rated. Hello Stranger is a much better pinoy BL that also uses video-calling as its main format.

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Meh...

I heard about this series from a BL Instagram account and it piques my interest due to BounPrem and the fact that it's a horror series! Upon watching the first episode, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the series (thus far)! The story was intriguing and really got me riled up! I got so angry that Praewa (who is trying her best to make friends and fit in) was getting bullied by all these popular 'jocks.' And why the eff was she getting beaten up when she wasn't even the one in the video with Brave? Yes, the dance team members, specifically Aya thought that Praewa was the one in the video, so they beat her up. Why? Because they thought that she 'seduced' Brave. Even if she did seduce him, she literally does not owe Aya anything. Brave is the one in a relationship with Aya, not Praewa. Brave should be the one who gets beaten up, but no, he's a guy. It's easier to target the 'mistress.' It's not his fault, but the 'mistress' who seduced him. It's not like Brave was dancing seductively with other girls in front of Aya at her birthday party. I DESPISE when stories perpetuate victim-blaming and use this plot point to amp up the drama and further the plot. It's cheap and influences society that women are the one to blame. But I must admit that it is also effective as it really gets the viewer angry. I truly hope with all my heart that Praewa gets revenge on the dance team members.

On a side note, why did Brave lie and say that the girl in the video was Praewa? I'm guessing that the girl was probably a good friend of Aya's and most likely part of the dance team whereas Praewa is the outcast.

Episode 2 was okay. It was kinda boring, but it was nice seeing those bullies begin to get killed off. Not sure how this story can sustain 10 more episodes though. It seems like 3 or 4 more episodes should be fine for this story. I may actually drop this series as the only BL relationship was 'fake' and one of the pairs died already by the second episode. I'll give it an episode or two before I decide...

Episode 3 was quite boring as it resulted in another death of a classmate. The story is quite dull now and since there is no more BL in the series, I've decided to drop it. It's not worth it, especially since the story is hardly interesting...

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Watched PeteKao's episode after watching the three-part PeteKao/Kiss Me Againi cut on GMMTV's YouTube channel in preparation for Dark Blue Kiss. Their relationships was nice though it seemed like Pete accepted his feelings for Kao a bit too quickly. He didn't seem to struggle (at least from the scenes that I saw, he may have actually struggled but GMMTV didn't include those scenes). I really liked how supportive the father was, which was unexpected coming from someone who seemed strict and traditionalist like him. Their Our Skyy episode was a little adventure though I found it to be dull and aimless. It didn't really progress or add anything their relationship, other than highlight that they argue a lot, which is kinda ironic because apparently the BL actors, TayNew, also argue a lot too.

Kongpob and Arthit's episode: It was cool seeing an extension of their story where Kongpob pursues his desire to get a master's in what he actually wanted to study overseas and Arthit's fears about having to break up with him. My only criticism is that they time jump in the end and make the two years seem like a week, but of course, it makes sense to end it on a happy reunion rather than an uncertain future. I hope that there will be a SOTUS O where they can focus on coming out to the family and getting married! That would be awesome! And then a SOTUS T where they have their own family, etc. That would be awesome growing old with the characters though I doubt that that would happen.

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Enjoyable at the Start But Quickly Gets Dull...

I first heard about this series from a BL Instagram account. I was surprised that JACE TV, the production company behind Truly Very Yours, had another BL coming out so soon. My hopes weren't high as I really disliked Truly Very Yours, which was my least favorite BL that I've seen thus far. However, I was pleasantly surprised with Hook Up's first episode. The first half of the episode was quite boring as Lee talked to his best friend who made some cringey, distasteful gay stereotype comments. Just because a guy like K-pop and knows the steps to a BLACKPINK song, they are automatically gay. Like what?! Shouldn't we, as a society, be past this point already? This would've been okay and made sense several years back, but now, it's awkward and offensive. Anyways, the second half of the episode when Lee went on Findr and talked to Henry was surprisingly good! Their conversation was quite entertaining and I loved their banter. Henry being all flirty and forthright while Lee being all innocent and bashful. I'm excited to see their relationship progress!

On a side note, It is surprising that it took this long for a BL to uses a Grindr-like app in its story since gay apps are essentially a part of gay dating.

Episode 2 was fine. It was really cool and surprising to see the best friend apologize to Lee for assuming that he was gay due to his music preferences. The conversations between Mark and Henry were cute but a bit over long and could use some trimming. I’m liking how this series mentions sex toy story and condoms, which other BL’s don’t. The split-screen scenes where it looks like Mark and Henry were having sex was a fun little touch too. I do feel like their relationship is a bit too rushed though. This series is 8 episodes and at the end of episode 2, Henry already wants to meet! Like, chill dude. Lol.

Episode 3 was decent. There wasn't any kilig moments though it was nice to see Mark begin to realize that he likes Henry and it was nice to see Henry's family life though his step mother's got nerve; asking Henry for more money to spend on her addiction when she isn't even his real mother. He owes nothing to her. Even if she was his real mother, he still won't owe anything to her. And she has the audacity to call him selfish and self-centered and tell him to mind his own business when she is literally asking him for money. I didn't like how Mark told Henry that he is obligated to take care of his step-mother and his family. That is not his obligation! I also didn't like that Henry apologized to his step-mother when he did nothing wrong! She is the one in the wrong! On a side note, I LOVE the acoustic rendition of the theme song that JC (who plays Henry) sang in this episode! It was quite beautiful! Anyways, hopefully the next episode will concentrate back on Henry and Mark's budding relationship, rather than irritating extra circumstantial matters...

I found Episode 4 quite boring even though Henry and Mark did finally 'hook up,' which was surprising for this seemingly G-rated show. Props for a character identifying as bisexual and the use of gender-neutral love names though.

After watching mid-way through Episode 5, where Henry gets so angry for no reason, I have decided to drop this series. It started off strong, but has gotten boring and melodramatic. Not good enough to continue watching (for me).

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Funny But Unnecessary

A funny though unnecessary sequel which didn't add anything important to the story of Haruta and Maki. It was a bit over-the-top and way too melodramatic, especially in its last act with a random kidnapping subplot which felt like watching a completely different movie to be honest. All in all, it was fun though fluffy. I got to spend some more time with the unique characters of Ossan's Love.

A funny though unnecessary sequel which didn't add anything important to the story of Haruta and Maki. It was a bit over-the-top and way too melodramatic, especially in its last act with a random kidnapping subplot which felt like watching a completely different movie to be honest. All in all, it was fun though fluffy. I got to spend some more time with the unique characters of Ossan's Love.

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What a Thrilling Ride...

"An academic test is the most boring activity on earth. The film's conceit is to turn it into a gladiatorial ring, a place of risk, wit and sublime deception ... and against the odds it works." Kong from The Bangkok Post

A thrilling, suspenseful and innovative take on the heist genre that made me want to take a standardized test myself lol. Who knew a film about cheating could be this riveting? I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and my eyes were glued to the screen. I couldn't look away, even if I wanted to. The acting was impressive. The fact that the main cast are newcomers is all the more impressive. The cinematography razor-sharp. The editing though. The EDITING THOUGH! Freaking exceptional! Though there were a few questionable plot points such as how Lynn's father knew to go to that printer address and why is the head of the exam was willing to chase a 'possible' cheater all the way to the train station and why didn't Lynn hide in a women's bathroom instead of trying to run away from him, especially since she was busy texting the answers. Anywho, as many others have said, the ending was a cop-out with its "cheating is bad" message which felt out-of-place and completely unnecessary in this film. Lynn should have said yes to Bank' offer, especially since she was the mastermind behind the STIC cheat and the one who pulled Banks into it. She owed him, but suddenly she got a moral conscience at the end and didn't even take the money. Like what? Her choice didn't make sense, especially since she got caught the first time around yet still accepted to help other cheat on the STIC for the right price. Anyways, I've heard that a Bad Genius series is going to come out soon! I cannot wait to see it and wonder if it will be a sequel to Lynn and Bank' story or a reboot. I hope that it's a continuation. I would love to see Banks and Lynn pursue a relationships with one another.

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GAMEBOYS COPY...

First heard about this series under the Comments section of GameBoys, another filipino BL series that uses technology for its filming. It seems like the creators of this series wanted their own version of GameBoys, seeing the huge popularity of the latter series. And to be honest, it feels more like a YouTube vlog rather than a BL series at the moment (and not a very good one at that). Not surprising though as the protagonist, Mark, is played by an actual YouTuber. Anyways, the story so far is questionable. How does prank calling people with lines from films gonna help you write a script? Only the ending was interesting when a possible ex-lover is introduced. I will continue to watch this series to see where it goes. Hopefully, it'll get better!

Episode 2 was meh. We got to learn a bit about who the ex-lover is, but we barely learned anything. It doesn't help that this episode was like only 5 minutes. And why was the ex-lover's torso filmed for no apparent reason? He wasn't filming a blog like Mark. Just a weird, directorial choice.

Episode 3 wasn't that good either. We get to actually see who David is, but why he is being filmed still doesn't make sense. We are also introduced to Des, Mark's female best friend (just like GameBoys' Pearl) who Mark talks to about David. I know this isn't very important, but why is Des being filmed as if she has a camera behind her computer? Shouldn't she be filmed like Mark as if she is talking to the computer which is filming her? Anyways, we did learn a bit about who David was and what Mark's relationship with him was. Hopefully, the story will get better in the next episodes...

Episode 4 was also quite uneventful as Kevin, another love interest, is introduced. I was bored and was waiting for the episode to end the entire time. If the episodes weren't so short, I probably would've dropped this series to be honest. Poor acting. Bad writing. Ugh.

Episode 5 was quite bad too. Nothing made sense. This series was quite bad overall and has become my least favourite BL easily. Ugh...

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Full of Sweet, Tender Moments...

I've heard that Love By Chance was the most popular BL series of 2018, so I had to watch it. I've also heard a lot of mixed reviews (with several people listing it as their least favourite BL), so I wanted to see for myself how I would like the series. This is my second Studio Wabi Sabi production after Until We Meet Again.

And OMG! This series really hit the ground running. In the first episode, there is an encounter with a possible future love, a blackmailing to out someone and a coming out. And that future love is Ae, who is sooo cute and kind! He is literally the perfect boyfriend! Pete is so lucky to have met him! I wish that an Ae will come into my life, someone to take care of me. Though I do feel like their love for one another is a bit quick and sudden though. I understand Pete falling for Ae as he is kind and protects him. But I don't really understand Ae's love for Pete. Yes, Ae wants to protect Pete because Pete is fragile, but why does he feel this need, this urge to protect Pete? Is it because he is a good human being? Does it stem from some childhood trauma?

Engaging and full of sweet, tender moments. Ae and Pete have the sweetest, cutest, most romantic scenes out of all the BL couples that I've seen thus far without a doubt! The portrayal of first love, the fears of intimacy, of jealousy and other qualms of love were quite nicely done.

Though Ae's friend, Pond, is a jerk (at first) but he redeems himself as a supportive friend. And wtf is with that Trump dude? His actions don't make any sense at all! Why is he so obsessed with getting money from Pete? If he's that obsessed with money, why not get it from an easier source, especially since he doesn't have anymore leverage on Pete? And why doesn't Pete want to report Trump? Because he doesn't want his mother to worry about him? What kind of BS excuse is that? Wouldn't she worry when she sees his bruises and sees that he is in pain anyway. Anyways, the Trump storyline kinda just disappeared into thin air and was never resolved unfortunately.

I love Pete and Ae's relationship, which is very sweet and cute, like watching first love blossoming. Seeing them experience so many firsts together. However, there isn't any friction or conflict between them (until Ae started getting easily irritated towards the end for some reason). Although I do love Pete & Ae, I found myself much more invested in Tin and Can's relationship due to their rich backstory and the dynamic tension/friction between them. which is the complete opposite of Pete & Ae's relationship. How it took so much courage for Tin to open his heart to Can to only have it shut down. My heart broke! When Tin kissed Can, my heart was FULL! I and many other are so f*cking furious at the end of Tin and Can. Luckily, probably through the huge demand for justice for Tin and Can, there will be a sequel where they will be the leads! YAY!!!!!!

On a side note, the subplots with Tar and Tum is completely unnecessary and served literally no purpose at all other than increasing the runtime of the series. The subplot of Techno's brother (Technic) helping to give his friend (Kengkla) a chance to rape No is disgusting, weird and creepy. Both subplots are completely out-of-place in this series. Yes, I know that including these subplots serve as a lead-in to Tharntype, so that people who watch Love By Chance will want to watch Tharntype, but still. These two nonsensical subplots completely cheapened the series and damaged an otherwise wholesome series.

It is interesting though. Love By Chance was the biggest BL in 2018 and Tharntype was the biggest BL in 2019. That's impressive for the author of the BL novels that both of these series are based on. And there will be sequels for each series too! I wonder if LBC 2 and Tharntype 2 will be the biggest BL's of their years...

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