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Stay with Me chinese drama review
Completed
Stay with Me
1 people found this review helpful
by DreamHi
Aug 21, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 10
Story 10.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 10.0
Rewatch Value 10.0
This review may contain spoilers

Prime example of love that is shown more than spoken

As I started this series back in July, I had no expectations whatsoever. But then, entering into the first half of the 1st episode, I realized how wrong my judgement was. It was so thoughtful and deep that I decided to stop at ep 8 and binge watch it after the last episode aired. And I never valued any decision I made more than that.

This series is an existing example of how affection and bonds can be gracefully and magnificently shown without delving too much into them. It teases on the emotions, lets it float on the surface for the audience to pick up and analyze. Every interaction, each sideway glance, all the quiet smiles and loud fights gave this series so much life and domesticity that it left me with a pleasant ache.
The actors, each one of them did a beautiful job out of their roles, they owned them. The chemistry between the leads felt like molten rocks and flowing water, slick and domineering.

This series would be rightfully called a family drama with romance and slice of life. Every character was impeccably written and directed, every family diverse, every relationship unique. The subtle signs and affections scattered all over the series through expressions and even household decorations, just perfection. Special mention to the coloured glass panes of Su Yu and Wu Bi's part of the house, they made the cinematography a hundred times more impactful, influencing the moods and scenes with all the colours they gave off.

Till the 22nd episode, I had no expectation of witnessing anything remotely similar to kiss, yet it took me out like a gun shot each time they kissed each other on the cheeks, felt butterflies and stars on their intimacy. Speaking of intimacy, the series exuded sticky warmth through every intimate shots and gestures with such ease that it hit raw and real.

Many may argue that this is not BL or even call it queer baiting, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. I can't imagine the amount of bravery and guts it took for every person associated with this series to step up and play such roles when china has harsh and inhumane censorship rules. Hats off to every staff and actors involved in the making of this.

This would forever be one of my top rated BLs, eagerly waiting for s2!
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