Never 2gether

I was very surprised by all the negative reviews here as I have always heard 2gether praised as a wonderful BL drama and, of course, Bright/Win is a major ship. Having finally watched it, I can confidently say...I don't get it. Any of it. The story after the first couple of episodes is god awful. The level of miscommunication and lack of character devolvement is just astounding. As for Bright and Win, like the vast majority of BL actors, they're attractive, but unlike a number of other BL actors I could name, they're not overly talented so I don't understand the hype. So as far as I'm concerned, 2gether is severely overrated.

The story starts out promising and relatively cute. It was fun, I liked the characters and progression, and then suddenly, Tine and Sarawat make the move to an actual relationship and everything just folds. The chemistry they had during their fake relationship is gone, the character development is gone, the entertainment is mostly gone and suddenly we're dealing with a lot of angst and paranoia and just general BS. But what it lacks, and it lacks it in spades, is communication. There is constant miscommunication between the two because they simply will not open their mouths to talk. Rather than sitting down to have an actual conversation, Tine resorts to stupid methods like flipping a coin to ask Sarawat questions or going through Sarawat's phone. And Sarawat knows what's up, but rather than getting a handle on things before they get out of hand, he just ignores it. Tine's also constantly suspicious of Sarawat's actions which Sarawat doesn't help by doing an excellent impression of a clam. They just sabotage themselves and each other at every turn and it's utterly ridiculous to watch.

Their characters also just devolve. Tine starts out as this sassy, confident young man and by the end he's practically a shadow of his former self. He's constantly paranoid and uncertain of where he stands with Sarawat, he lacks confidence, and in that end scene, he's almost simpering. Like, please bring back the bad ass who went head to head with Sarawat at the beginning. And Sarawat just became progressively more and more wishy-washy. When they were fake dating, he was ready to go head to head with people, but when they're actually dating, he lets the likes of Pam get between them. Which don't even get me started on that whole trope of bringing back the ex-girlfriend to stir up drama. It was just so disappointing to see.

The side relationships were thrown in far too late and/or given far too little attention to add anything meaningful. Man and Type's relationship was severely rushed especially there towards the end and both theirs and Phukong and Mil's felt very shallow. I never got a good impression of why Man and Phukong were so obsessively attracted to Type and Mil respectively aside from they were attractive and had a generic moment of kindness. I really couldn't care much about whether they got together or not because they just weren't believable to me as couples.

I know I've seen a lot of complaints about the lack of physical intimacy between Tine and Sarawat. Personally, that didn't bother me. We have so many dramas these days with heavy make out scenes or downright NSFW scenes, that it was kind of refreshing to have a distinct lack of that. Not every relationship is going to be defined by one or both people wanting to jump the other's bones. Intimacy can be shown in a variety of different ways. The problem here is that Tine and Sarawat are supposed to be boyfriends and there is almost no intimacy of any kind. Again, I'm not talking about physical intimacy like kissing or hugging or even hand holding. I'm talking about things like little touches, eye contact, doing things for one another, spending time with each other one on one, etc. Those kinds of things can convey a level of intimacy as well. Instead, they just seemed uncomfortable whenever they had to be in too close of proximity to each other after that transition to boyfriends and I really don't understand it.

The acting of the leads wasn't anything impressive. However, since this was Win's first main acting role, he did a serviceable job. He definitely has room to grow though. Considering the number of roles he's had since, I'm hoping he's improved. I would have expected a lot more from Bright with his experience but he was just very wooden throughout. Maybe that was deliberate, but even if you're playing a wooden character, there needs to be some flexibility and expression and he just really lacked that. Mike, Drake, and Khaotung were the standouts. Mike is always good at bringing in the laughs and this time was no different. His character was a little more forced this go around, but I still thought he did a good job though I preferred him when he wasn't pursuing Type. Drake is such a versatile actor, he deserves more main roles. He always brings his A game though and this time was no different. And I love Khaotung. He plays the sympathetic characters so well and I really loved how he portrayed Fong here. He balanced the teasing and softness really well.

The music was superb. I had never heard of Scrubb before, but I am now a fan as I'm sure many who've watched this drama are. If nothing else, this drama wasn't a total waste of time since I found some new music.

I am going to be very frank and say that 2gether was still pretty much a waste of time. I can generally find something redeemable about most dramas I watch, but this is a tough one. I think the fact that it was so hyped makes it harder for me to reconcile how truly disappointing it was. If you're looking for a good story, skip it. If you're looking for NSFW scenes, this is definitely not for you. If you're simply looking for attractive actors and good music, then you might enjoy this. Basically anything else, it's really not worth your time.

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Only 12% Is Good

I came upon this drama by seeing a snippet of it posted on Instagram. That scene is arguably the sweetest and best part of the whole drama, the rest is a slow, repetitive slog that even the acting skills of Earth and Santa can't quite redeem. The story itself isn't bad despite the fact that it's entirely predictable. I wanted to like it and there were certainly aspects that I did like, but as a whole it just failed to engage. The lack of character development, the excessive crying, the slow pacing, and repetition, coupled with the final episodes being overly preachy and moving away from the romance of the rest of the drama resulted in a less than stellar product.

Like I said, the story itself isn't bad even though it is predictable. The problem comes from the slow pacing and repetition. The first couple episodes were more of a slow burn that I didn't mind so much because characters and the background were still being established. But once that was established, it became frustrating that it felt like very little was happening or progressing a lot of the time. The repetition was throughout. Eiw would feel hurt because of something Cake did or feel neglected and would sulk until they finally made up or, mostly after the time jump, vice versa. Despite the pair constantly talking about how they'd known each other since they were babies and how much they cared about each other, their communication absolutely sucked and I didn't feel that was ever really addressed or resolved.

Another detractor was the constant water works from Eiw. I don't think there was a single episode where he didn't cry at least once and he spent the vast majority of the final two episodes in tears. On the one hand, kudos to Earth because that had to be exhausting, I hope they kept him well hydrated with the amount of water he was losing, and for the most he was believable, but it was another aspect that was very repetitive. I was truly hoping after the time jump and the changes that he made to himself, there would be less crying, but unfortunately that wasn't the case.

The character development felt like it was lacking despite the number of years that go by. Yes, Eiw does make a change and come out of his shell and learn to socialize, but it feels superficial. Ultimately, he and Cake are still wrapped in their own little world where very little has changed. Even Cake coming out and saying that he would be gay with Eiw felt shallow. Maybe part of it is that while Eiw's feelings for Cake were developed and explored which was an aspect that I overall liked and felt was well done, we get none of that with Cake. He just comes back after 4 years and suddenly his love for Eiw has transformed from that of a brother to romantic. It felt far too abrupt and without reason. I wanted to see how Cake came to the realization that he loved Eiw romantically. The other characters felt equally stagnant. Again, despite the passing years, it didn't feel like there was much, if any, difference between them as high school and university students. Any changes were communicated verbally, not by actions.

The last two episodes were the final nail in the coffin, so to speak. We suddenly move from focusing on the romance between Eiw and Cake to Eiw's mom is dying and we're going on an anti-smoking campaign. It felt disjointed and like it didn't fit with the rest of the story. The vast majority of these final two episodes are spent with everyone crying, people constantly saying that his mom is going to be fine which was obviously a lie, Eiw blaming himself which while on the one hand was realistic to an extent, was again repetitive because we've gotten this from him several times previously. Not everything bad that happens is your fault, hon. But he's bound and determined to make it his fault. And then there's the anti-smoking PSA which just felt awkward and out of place. The doctor's explanation that the fact their father smoked was the cause of their mother's cancer was complete and total BS. Yes, third hand smoke is a real issue, but to so definitively say that was the cause of cancer was ridiculous. And then Eiw talks about how he asked his dad at every festival and holiday to stop smoking which I didn't find believable. I don't know many kids who would have enough of an understanding of the dangers of smoking to do something like that. Maybe once they were older, but I got the impression he'd been doing that since he was a little kid. Also, that's why he was mad at his dad? Not for abandoning their family which is also never explained why he did so, not for apparently failing to maintain contact, but because he smoked. That didn't seem realistic to me. And then there's the ending with Cake's friends suddenly deciding to throw out their packs of cigarettes and we're treated to a close up of them in the trash. None of it felt very cohesive with the rest of the story.

In terms of the characters themselves, I found them all to be a bit underwhelming. While I liked Cake for the most part, I found Eiw to be annoying and boring much of the time. Cake was much more nuanced with his emotions and reactions to things. He was interesting to watch. Eiw though spent 90% of the drama whining, crying and nagging. There was definitely an element of what on earth does Cake see in him. He got better after the time jump once he had more confidence, but the character was never my favorite. The other characters just kind of felt like they were there most of the time. The romance between Hom and Peak was lackluster and not believable to me. He stays hooked on this girl that he met a handful of times and doesn't really know for years? Also, timing, sir. His decision to pull her aside to talk about their relationship, or lack thereof, and ask her for another chance while her mother was dying was incredibly cringe inducing to watch.

The acting was a mixed bag. I liked Santa as Cake. For this being only his second drama in a main role, he did really well. He managed to convey a lot of emotion with just his eyes, but was equally good using facial expressions and body language. His acting made Cake the most interesting character to watch. Earth, Earth, Earth. He's a good actor, I know he is from other dramas I've seen him in, but I feel like he was so underutilized in this drama. His ability to realistically cry is impressive. Despite the amount of crying that he had to do in this drama, it rarely felt forced or fake. But he can do more than that, and I don't feel like he was really given a chance to shine. He was pigeonholed into this role of being weak, naggy, and overemotional and his character wasn't really allowed to develop beyond that. Prem was good as Eiw's older brother, Pao. Despite being a year younger than Earth, he was realistic as an older brother and I really liked him in a more mature role. I think this is actually my favorite role he's played.

The production was overall pretty good. I liked the way the changing technology was used to help show the passage of time. The cinematography was pretty good. There were a handful of shots that I really liked and the rest was decent. I can't say much for the music because I didn't notice it all that much, which can be seen as a positive since it wasn't distracting.

I didn't hate this drama, but I also didn't love it. Frankly, I found it to be pretty forgettable. It has some good moments, some sweet scenes, but I ultimately just found it to be lacking in almost every respect. Is it worth watching? Meh. You're not missing out if you choose not to watch it. Honestly, if you want to see the best part, just Google Cake's love confession from episode 12. It is truly the highlight of the drama, in my opinion, and one of the best confession scenes I've ever seen in a BL. Otherwise, the rest really isn't worth the time or effort to stay invested.

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Broken Promise

Prior to watching this drama, I watched the two episode prequel which I very much enjoyed and felt was a setup for an excellent story. Instead what came to pass was a cheap story that very much deviated from the one begun in those two episodes and left me feeling disappointed and thinking of what could have been. I don't know who approved those changes, but I blame them for ruining what could have been something great.

If you too are planning to start this drama after watching the prequel, I urge you to stop right now. There are so many differences in terms of tone, story, and characterization that it serves little to no purpose to watch it beforehand. Watching it set me up for failure to like this drama from the get go because of those changes. Rather, I would recommend watching them apart and viewing them as two separate entities, albeit with the same characters and general story. Just my two cents.

Aside from the deviations from the prequel which I'll get to in a bit, this drama is just full of problems. The story makes no sense. Phu's decision to disappear for 10 years seems very over the top here. I understand being afraid of rejection, but to ghost your best friend for 10 years because you don't think he'll return your feelings? That's a tad dramatic. The decision to have half the male cast swooning over Nan was also unnecessary and didn't feel realistic. The drama it added didn't do anything to move the story forward really or at least not in a way that couldn't have been done in another fashion. Killing off Phu's grandmother was predictable and, again, unnecessary. Honestly, there was so much that was unnecessary in this drama. But having her die right after he and Nan finally confess their feelings was not okay. Also the whole thing with his grandmother thinking it was better to hide her condition. Like, really? That never ends well. The final episode was a trainwreck and full of more unnecessary crap. Khunkhao did not need to end up being Phu's half brother. I guess it gave them a way to end their feud, but it was lazy. Similarly, the plane disappearing with about fifteen minutes left was just stupid. What was even the point of that? There wasn't one. The pacing was atrocious, mostly I think because we have eight or so episodes of when are these two finally going to get together. It's dragged out far too long and we're left with almost no time of them together as an actual couple.

One of the biggest issues with this drama was the complete lack of communication between the main characters. Phu's failure to communicate with Nan led to their 10 year separation. And both of their failure to communicate afterward led to them almost missing each other again. The level of self-sabotage on both their parts is just astronomical. We also never see them have an actual conversation about what happened 10 years ago. Even when they finally confess their feelings for each other, we don't get to see them have an honest conversation about what went on between them, why Phu felt the need to leave, why Nan was hesitant to express his feelings as well, etc. Nan's anger at Phu is never really addressed either. It's there for a moment and then it's pretty much just swept under the rug and not mentioned again. In general, I don't think we got to focus enough on the myriad of emotions that both men had to be feeling, but especially Nan. I think his initial reaction of happiness made sense. After 10 years, he was just happy to know that his best friend was alive and back in his life. But eventually, those other emotions, not just anger, but sadness and confusion, would have come to the fore and while we saw glimpses of them, we never really saw them dealt with or even acknowledged to any degree. And then there at the end, Phu's lack of communication leads to a fight between them. Thankfully they finally have a moment where they do communicate and Phu tells Nan how he really feels about him going to China, but it's also a bit of a situation of too little too late since Nan had committed to going by that point. This is one of those dramas where I want to bang my head against the wall, because if they would only communicate, most of these problems would have never come up. And while lack of communication is incredibly popular in BLs for moving the story forward and creating drama, I find it extremely lazy. If you want drama, there are other more creative ways to go about it.

While Phu's reaction to run away was overdramatic, I found Nan to be more realistic in his reactions. Things like avoiding the fact that both Party and Khunkhao were attracted to him. He wasn't interested in either of them beyond friendship, but it seemed obvious that he could tell they were attracted to him and just didn't want to go there. He's not encouraging to either one, he doesn't lead them on, at least not in my opinion, but whenever they try to express their feelings, at least until they outright do so, he puts them off, creates some distance between them. I think a lot of people do that and not just in that situation. We think that if we avoid the situation, it'll go away. Clearly that didn't happen and he was forced to confront both men. Similarly with his comments that he wouldn't want to start a romantic relationship with a friend. How often do we say things that we don't necessarily mean as a way to protect ourselves? It was so obvious that he loved Phu but was too afraid to face that. Besides their lack of communication, fear was a primary barrier that prevented Phu and Nan from getting together sooner.

The characters were okay, but not amazing. I preferred the Phu from the prequel. He came across as more confident, less self-conscious than he was in the drama and less afraid. Don't get me wrong, the fear was still there, but he didn't let it control him as much. Here he just felt kind of weak and almost cowardly. I never felt he really took responsibility for his actions and the damage they caused. Nan's character was more consistent which I appreciated, but I felt he lacked the depth he had in the prequel. He became more one-dimensional which was disappointing to see. The other characters were tolerable, but nothing great. Frankly, aside from Party who was the only down to earth one, the rest were just annoying. Gigi with her tarot cards and mumbo jumbo was annoying most of the time. Also, who wears clothing like that at a professional job? Don't get me wrong, she's a beautiful woman who can rock probably anything she puts on, but it was just jarring to see the guys wearing suits, the other women professionally dressed and then she's there in a crop top and mini skirt with a suit jacket. Man was unbelievably annoying. I really wanted to see Ken give him a proper dressing down, but of course that never happened. I don't know why Ken kept him around when he was so completely useless. Khunkhao just came across as a jerk. I liked him better in the prequel as well. His character seemed more subtle and interesting there. Here he was just possessive and overbearing. I liked Party both for his personality and character. He was smart and dependable, but not flashy about it. I liked his courage in confessing to Nan and his maturity when he was rejected. I also loved how he treated Phu. He was never rude to him even though they both loved the same man, he gave him fair warning when he decided to confess to Nan, and after he was rejected, he not only gave Phu advice, but also helped the pair get together by blocking Khunkhao. Aside from him, Dena and Grandma get honorable mentions. I really liked Dena in both the prequel and here. Despite being a minor character, she had a great presence and like her brother, I appreciated that she didn't fly off the handle when rejected and turn into an ass. One thing I will say for this drama, I liked that they didn't use a woman to come between the leads. Yes, there's one minor scene where Nan misinterprets events, but I don't really count that. But Dena wasn't a harpy and once she realized she had no chance, she gracefully bowed out. Grandma was fun with her sassy attitude. I enjoyed her and her friends and the way she razzed on Phu. Their relationship was very sweet.

The acting wasn't terrible, but again, not amazing. For that, I am laying full blame though on the script and director, mostly the script though. There's only so much you can do with garbage. I actually like Kun and Kiak together. I thought their chemistry was promising and they interacted well with each other. I preferred Kiak's acting over Kun's. His performance was more nuanced and he was more emotive, especially with his facial expressions. He also managed to convey a good amount of emotion just with his eyes. Kun wasn't bad, he just tended to stick to one expression more. It's like he would get stuck in a rut for a bit then realize he needed to use other expressions. He doesn't have the same amount of experience as Kiak though and again the script was awful, so I'm not writing him off yet. I liked Boss as Party. His expressions were great and I just really enjoyed what he did with the character.

All of the negatives with this were just compounded by one primary problem, the glaring differences between the prequel episodes and the drama. I really enjoyed those episodes. They weren't perfect, but I liked the tone of them, the emotions, the depth, the symbolism, and the maturity. I felt it worked quite well. The drama though just went in a whole other direction. Gone was the more mature and serious tone of the prequel. Instead, we get a weak rom-com that got maybe two laughs out of me. It wasn't funny or clever. Most of what they seemed to think would get people to laugh were in fact just annoying. I'm thinking of Man specifically who seemed to be included to bring laughs but was about as unfunny as they come. The very story was altered. In the drama, Phu and Nan share a kiss and Phu panics and disappears. In the prequel, Phu is planning to confess his feelings for Nan in what I'm sure would have been a much more romantic scene than what we got, but instead sees Nan apparently accepting the feelings of a girl they know. He leaves thinking that he missed his chance. While still an over the top reaction, it made more sense and I could get onboard with it better than the kissing excuse. We also get left with the understanding that Nan is aware of Phu's feelings as his landlady essentially told him, revealing how Phu had carefully picked out the flowers in the bouquet he planned to give to the one he was going to confess to, the exact same style of bouquet as he received on his graduation day. We also have the symbolism of the pocket watch Phu gave Nan which I loved. The way it stopped working and then right before they meet again, it starts again. I was so sad they completely left that out. The one area I will give credit to is that Nan's episode gives background to his relationship with Khunkhao and how they meet and develop a relationship. There are more minor discrepancies, like the comment in the prequel that they're from the same faculty but different majors whereas in the drama they're both marketing majors which, as a side note, made no sense since Phu makes a comment about not knowing how to market his grandmother's coffee farm. Also the girl Phu sees confessing to Nan is named Gigi, but it's unclear if she's supposed to be the same Gigi from the drama. Presumably not since they're played by two different actresses and neither she nor Phu acknowledge ever having met before in the drama. But truly the biggest differences were just the tone, the story and the way the characters acted. I couldn't stop comparing the two and the fact that they were night and day just left a bad taste in my mouth and really colored my perception of the drama.

This is yet another drama in a string of dramas or specials I've watched recently that had so much potential and then just fell flat. I can only imagine how amazing this drama could have been if it had explored its character's emotions and motives, spent less time on the drama and focused more on our leads rebuilding their relationship and taking it to the next level. A lot of dramas leave the love confession until the end, but I think this one had the unique opportunity with the prequel episodes to get that out of the way early on and follow up maybe with Nan struggling to come to terms with a confession after 10 years and Phu having to rebuild that trust like I mentioned before. It would have given us the opportunity to see them together as a couple and all the challenges that would bring. It's just so disappointing that this is what we got. In all honesty, I wouldn't recommend this drama. Go watch the prequel and stop there unless you want to be like me, haunted by what could have been.

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Jumping Out Of This Bed

Going into this drama, I really didn't have high expectations. Based on the title alone, I figured it would be something pretty mindless, something I wouldn't have to concentrate on too much. And in many ways, I was correct. It suffers from a severe lack of story or plot, the characters, while charming in their own ways, are not well fleshed out, and thus far, there's just a lot left out. That being said, it also has some nuggets that I actually really appreciated like the focus on consent, the way mental health is addressed, and the absence of a few all too common tropes. Those nuggets don't make it a good drama, but the fact that they are present is promising and makes me hope other dramas will follow suit in that regard.

Again, the storyline/plot is severely lacking. While I wasn't expecting anything deep, I did expect there to be some semblance of a plot. Instead, the first 6 or so episodes is essentially made up of our leads flirting, mostly on King's part, and a fair number of awkwardly cut bedroom scenes. And then suddenly, it's like they decided that they actually did have a story to tell and the sex scenes all but disappeared and now its time to focus on Uea's trauma and fixing everything. On the one hand, I like that justice was served, but it also didn't flow with the rest of the story. The final episode didn't add anything really other than more lovey dovey scenes between our leads and introducing Tutor's character of Mai from Middleman's Love.

Speaking of Uea's trauma, good lord did they dump on the poor guy. What I initially expected and could have gotten on board with, was something where both Uea and King had some kind of trauma which came to light as their FWB relationship developed into something more and they helped each other cope. Instead, everything falls on Uea. He's abused by his mother and sexually assaulted by his step-father, his ex AND his boss and those are just the big ones. How he's functional at all is beyond me. And King? Well, there's nothing really wrong with his family other than his parents wanting to arrange a marriage for him and his mother seeming a bit hard-headed. Again if the trauma had been shared between King and Uea, I think it could have created something interesting, but with it all belonging to Uea, it just feels like overkill. The sexual assault perpetuated by his boss, however, does open the door for two positives. First, the fact that even though Krit is related to the main boss, there is no leniency. It was gratifying to see someone higher up in the company taking care of his employees, to the point that he gives Uea information to see a psychologist. The second positive is the fact that Uea's deteriorating mental health is addressed at all. He talks about seeing the psychologist and he's on medication to help keep his mental health in a good place. With so many of these dramas you have characters that clearly need professional help, but their mental health is never addressed or is skimmed over and it's treated like having a hot boyfriend solves all your problems. No, it doesn't. It helps to have someone there to support you and love you, certainly, but they can't replace actual professional help.

The character's themselves don't make much sense. A good part of that is because they're so one dimensional, King in particular. And maybe I'm just forgetting, but I don't recall Uea's animosity towards King ever really being explained other than he just doesn't like the fact that he's a player. For the way he treats him initially, it felt like it should have been something much more personal. I understand not being a fan of a player, but his reaction felt over the top. There also wasn't enough background information to understand his relationship with his family. All that's shown is the trauma and nothing else. I know trauma affects everyone differently, but I wanted to know more about his state of mind. With the level of abuse he suffered, why did he maintain any kind of contact with his family aside from his sister? Why, as an adult, did he let his family continue to treat him the way they did until he finally just snapped? Same with Krit, he was clearly being sexually harassed, and yet, he didn't even try to report it? And his interactions with King showed that he could stand up for himself and speak his mind, so why didn't he with others? There's just so little to the character that it was impossible to even begin to try and understand his mindset and what he was thinking. Same with King, I don't have a good feel on why he loves Uea so much aside from physical attraction. And some of his reactions just don't make sense. His assumption that Uea was willingly with Krit the night Uea was assaulted was completely irrational. He knew Krit was harassing Uea, he knew Uea didn't like it, so where did that thinking come from? Furthermore, with the whole arranged marriage, why he didn't shut that down right off the bat didn't make sense either. Why was it so hard to tell his office mates that he had no interest in this girl, he loved someone else, this was being forced on him by his parents and he was looking for a way out? I'm aware that both these instances were likely included to fuel the drama and to create a rift between King and Uea, but if you're going to create drama, at least make it believable to some degree. I also took issue with Uea's treatment of King even after they were together. There were times where he was clearly baiting him, daring him to break the rules he had set in place. I didn't appreciate that, especially when it came down to refusing to let King touch him in any way there towards the end, even in a non-sexual manner. It was so clear that he was taunting King and enjoying himself doing it. It's one thing if it's mutually understood that this kind of behaviour is okay and desired by both parties, but I never got that impression from King so it just made it uncomfortable to watch.

The one positive with both these characters was the aspect of consent. Considering what he'd been through, consent was obviously a big deal to Uea and I liked the fact that they laid out rules before beginning their FWB relationship, although King didn't always strictly follow them. I also appreciated that King really did respect Uea and made a concerted effort to follow his rules for the most part and always made sure that he was okay. The one downside is that Uea was drunk their first time together and I'm guessing King was not fully sober either. However, this is somewhat addressed later on when Uea gets drunk again and comes onto a sober King who does not let the same thing happen twice. Uea even mentions afterwards when King asks for a reward for showing restraint that he behaved as he should have. It's something that's not often seen in a lot of BLs, certainly not repeatedly throughout the drama and I found it's inclusion to be a big positive.

The acting is hit or miss. Net and James are both attractive young men, there's no denying that, but to be an actor, you need to be more than just a pretty face. They are both old enough and have been in enough other dramas that I expected more from them. James' acting felt wooden at times and he is not good with emotional scenes. The crying with no tears got old fast. It feels fake and takes away from the emotional impact the scene could have had. Net is better, but his expressions got a bit monotonous after a while. He did have some great moments where he absolutely nails a scene, he has the ability to convey a lot of emotion with his eyes alone. Their chemistry was also hit or miss. There were times where they seemed to match really well and other times it felt forced. I liked Yim in Cutie Pie, his acting and character were two of the only things I liked in that drama, but here he just felt very one note. It doesn't help that Jade just isn't that interesting of a character, but I feel like he could have done more. He also suffered from the whole issue of crying without tears which seemed very fake. Honestly, the only actor that I felt gave a good performance thus far was Ya Janya as Uea's aunt. I know she's barely featured, but her emotions and reactions felt more raw and real than anyone else's.

The production value is a bit meh. There's some awkward editing, scenes that were just cut weird. Some of the cinematography got a bit repetitive. There were angles that just didn't work, odd lighting and in general it was just a hodge podge because there were some really beautifully shot scenes, it's just that none of it was consistent. The music was overall pretty forgettable. I gave it a 7.5 because while it wasn't memorable, I also didn't find it distracting.

As expected, the final episode didn't make much of a difference. It's basically forty minutes of fluff and not much else. I think this drama could have been a lot more than it is, I think it could have gone deeper and been more than just the sex scenes and trauma, but unfortunately that's not what happened. It has a few positives and I will say that I think they are major positives, but the negatives just far outweigh and overshadow them. Here's to hoping that Middleman's Love is better than this mess.

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Tokyo in April is...Unimpressive

Tokyo in April is... felt like it had a lot of potential but got lost along the way. It started out fairly strong, but the ending was weak. I also think a stronger cast would have helped it's case as well, not that they're terrible, just unable to convey some emotions effectively. Despite that, I do give it credit for tackling some serious issues and actually giving them the attention they deserved. Even with it's flaws, there were parts that were well done and I did enjoy aspects of it.

Tokyo in April is... has the feeling of a slice of life drama which I actually quite liked. It centers around Kazuma and Ren, two young men, who met and became friends when they were teens, but were then separated for 10 years before reuniting unexpectedly. The story follows them as their renewed friendship turns to friends with benefits and then develops from there but with drama and angst along the way because what would it be without those elements. Flashbacks are used liberally, some are effective and give necessary background and information, but there are a fair number that are unnecessary and either add nothing or the scene shown was one that happened recently and didn't need to be seen again. Numerous issues were tackled, rape and drugging playing a more central part in the story, but also sexual/workplace harassment, homophobia, and abandonment. Rather than just being issues that were added to cause further drama or problems for the characters, it felt like they were given the attention and respect they deserved. And while I appreciate those issues being addressed, several of them were tied to Sanada who felt like an unnecessary and unrealistic villain. Personally, I would have preferred for the drama to focus more on Kazuma and Ren overcoming their misunderstandings, addressing Ren's trauma and depression, and their healing. Sanada felt almost cartoonish in his villainy. I also found it incredibly unrealistic that he could have taken out Ren. Not only were the circumstances surrounding their encounter unbelievable, but the idea of Sanada, who was much shorter and drunk, being able to subdue Ren was laughable. The ending with Kazuma's mother was baffling because up until the point she stated that her only problem with the two of them was that they were underage when they had sex, it was implied that she took issue with them both being men. It made an already anticlimactic ending even more so.

Miscommunications and misunderstanding is the name of the game between our leads. They've been in love with each other essentially since they first met, but neither had the courage to speak those feelings prior to their separation. Now, 10 years later, there's the same issue. Though they eventually do become friends with benefits, neither is willing to speak his true feelings and so the misunderstanding continues on. Ren's reticence is more understandable. He was aware that he was gay and had feelings for Kazuma when they were teens and even tried to sound Kazuma out though with little success. After they have sex, the first time for both of them, Kazuma falls seriously ill and Ren takes the full blame leading to his family disowning him and shipping him off to France. The experience leaves him deeply scarred, but when he and Kazuma meet again, he hides all of this, keeping it to himself as much out of fear as in an effort to continue to protect Kazuma. Being with Kazuma makes him happy, but he never speaks his feelings and after an encounter with Kazuma's mother brings the past rolling back, he runs away for Kazuma's sake. That's a trope that really needs to die. Kazuma is a bit more complicated in that there's not a clear cut reason for why he doesn't voice his feelings for Ren. He clearly has feelings for Ren as a teen, but perhaps is less consciously aware of them. After his illness, he's shipped back to the US before meeting Ren 10 years later though evidently he did try to find Ren in the interim. But while he is very obviously still in love with Ren after all these years, he doesn't give voice to it. Perhaps it's out of fear, but I didn't feel like a good reason was given. Towards the beginning he repeatedly used the word friend, creating a distance between himself and Ren. If the gay for you trope wasn't so overused, I might not have minded it so much, but here it just felt cliche. So much of what happened could have been prevented if either one of them had simply communicated. Wanting to protect the one you love is understandable, but when it causes more problems, is it really worth it? They were only able to move forward once they were honest with each other and communicated.

The acting was subpart to say the least. Neither actor was emotionally believable in the more serious scenes and any scene where they had to cry, there seemed to be a focus more on aesthetics than actual emotion. As such, they failed to convey anything real and I truly felt nothing. It's disappointing because some scenes could have been quite powerful with better acting. Their chemistry was hit or miss. There were moments when I felt it, but there was a lot where I did not. The actors seemed uncomfortable with physical intimacy in some scenes which didn't help to lend credibility to their characters. While the actors portraying the characters as teens made a lot of people uncomfortable, I felt like that was partially the point and was a deliberate choice. I found them more compelling to watch than the adults. They seemed more comfortable with each other and had good chemistry. They also resembled their adult counterparts enough to be believable.

I found myself a bit disappointed in the production value. There were some scenes that were really beautifully shot, but there were more that were awkward or just ineffective. There was really nothing special about it. The music was also unimpressive. The opening and closing songs were okay, but not great, and the rest of the music was forgettable.

I had hopes that this drama was going to be better than it was and while I didn't hate it, I also didn't love it. It's a pity it couldn't maintain it's momentum of the beginning and instead just became a bit monotonous. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this drama, but given that it's so short, I also wouldn't discourage anyone from watching it either. It's an easy watch and if your expectations aren't too high, you might enjoy it.

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Middleman's Disgrace

It's hard to believe that Middleman's Love and Bed Friend are in any way connected. They're so completely different, it's almost jarring. While I wouldn't say that Middleman's Love was a series I was hotly anticipating, I was curious about it and looking forward to it to some degree. Bed Friend had a host of issues, but Jade was not one of them. I thought Yim's portrayal of him was a bit one note and there just wasn't a whole lot to the character, but with the focus on him and a proper storyline, there was potential. Unfortunately what we got was a complete disaster. Where Bed Friend tried to be darkly sexy with a healthy dose of trauma thrown in, Middleman's love went for a rom-com feel, heavy on the slapstick comedy. It doesn't work and it was almost physically painful to get through. If it was any more than the eight episodes it was, I would have bailed and I very nearly did within the first fifteen minutes, but clung on because of comments that it improved. And while there is some improvement in the last two episodes, it's far too little, too late to make a difference.

The story is a pretty generic office romance between an employee and his intern. It had the potential to be cute, but there's so much crap and unnecessary drama to bog it down that it's anything but. And sometimes that's redeemable if the characters are likeable, but they weren't. I guess there's the theme that there's someone for everyone, but it definitely could have been done better. I was put off almost immediately by the animation sequence that started things off. It was weird and unexpected and pointless. There were a couple more instances of that and they failed to add anything beneficial. They just continued to be weird and pointless. Equally off-putting was the abundance of comedic sound effects. Those were eventually toned down, but still very much overused. Given the title, I anticipated the fact that Jade always found himself in the middle would play a larger role than it did. In effect, it really played no role as it was mentioned a couple times, but that was about it. I think the drama could have been much more interesting if they had leaned into that concept and how always being in the middle really affected Jade. The NSFW scenes were...interesting to say the least. The scene between Gus and Tong felt abrupt. There had been the whole push and pull between them for a while, but when they finally got to the point where they were a couple, they immediately jumped into bed. To me, it felt out of character and out of place. Jade and Mai's scenes were even more out of character. Considering how Jade is Jade and that he was a virgin, the level of sensuality he gave was not believable to me. There needed to be some awkwardness and fumbling and not straight to sex god. Also going to say that the two of them eating the rose was just weird. There were, however, a couple things that I did appreciate like the theme of consent that continued over from Bed Friend. Gus actually verbally giving consent to Tong was nice to see. I also really liked both Jade's and Mai's families and how supportive and loving they were. With Jade's family, the conversation they had where they acknowledged his feelings was very well done and I wish we'd had more scenes like that.

The characters were pretty much irredeemable trash.
-Jade in Bed Friend was cute, a bit quirky and eccentric, but not in a bad or obnoxious way. He was a good, loyal friend who seemed to have a solid head on his shoulders. But with this series, it's like they took his eccentricities and magnified them a thousand times to the point where it didn't even seem to be the same character. And that was a major downfall because Jade ended up feeling more like a caricature than a character. He was loud, awkward, and painfully self-conscious, not at all cute. Other than getting over his fear of rejection to pursue Mai, there was very little character development. There was a lot of potential for Jade and if they had retained his original character, I think the romance between him and Mai could have been quite sweet.
-Mai was a besotted puppy who truly was essentially perfect. He was not one of those characters who seems perfect on the outside, but as things progress his flaws are shown. No, he was portrayed as being the perfect employee, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect son, everything. He lacked any kind of dimension or interest. He revolved around Jade and that was it.
-Ueau and King returned to serve as love advisors for Jade and Mai. We didn't get to see a whole lot of them outside that role, but the few moments we did revolved around petty drama. The fact that Ueau couldn't have a simple conversation with another man without King getting his hackles up was absurd. And while Ueau was still pretty much himself, they neutered King. In Bed Friend, he was confident and sexy, and while he pretty much always caved to Ueau, he had a personality and was his own man. Middleman's Love saw him turned into a simpering puppy whose most frequent line was calling Ueau Teerak (darling). Sort of cute the first time or two, but it quickly became redundant. He as a name, King, consider using it. Also, be done with the jealousy. It's not cute.
-Gus and Tong were a cute secondary couple, but their back and forth and where they stood got confusing at times. It would seem like they were getting somewhere and then next scene Gus would be sulking for some inexplicable reason. They needed more screen time to really build on their relationship. Also found Tong's comment that Gus never annoyed him and that he was just foul-mouthed to be utter BS. You were acting very annoyed a time or two there, sir, being foul-mouthed had nothing to do with it.

I'm not going to hate on the actors because they had garbage to work with. The script was a disaster and should have been shredded then burnt. Watching the behind the scenes, you can see how much effort they put into it, but there was just no saving it. As much as I couldn't stand Jade, I will give Yim all the kudos because I can only imagine how hard portraying him was. Playing high energy characters like that is exhausting, but he remained consistent. Tutor, again, just had nothing to work with. I know he's a good actor, but there were so many close ups that I don't think he had a chance to really spread his wings. He wasn't wooden though which he easily could have been and there was expression in his eyes so I'll give him that.

The production needs to be fired. How they looked at any of this and thought, yeah, this looks great is beyond me. They let down their actors who deserved so much better and they let down the fans who had been looking forward to this. There were some awkward scene cuts as well as a few scene jumps that didn't help matters and made the story progression more confusing than it needed to be. The opening credits with the bobbleheads was not cute or funny, just bad. That was one of my first indications that this series was not going to be what I expected. And the music, particularly during the NSFW scenes was either forgettable or distracting. For the NSFW scenes, it didn't fit and I ended up muting eventually. I don't understand why they feel music is necessary for those kinds of scenes. If you have to have it, use instrumental pieces, it flows better.

To sum it up, Middleman's Love was a dumpster fire that should never have been made as is. The few cute or wholesome scenes are buried so deep, you have to sift through a mountain of garbage to find them. This is such a case of wasted potential and I hope Tutor, Yim and the other actors are given better opportunities to show their talents cause this was not it.

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Forever Beloved

One of my biggest issues when it comes to Asian dramas is pacing. They're either horrifically slow in places or just go way too fast to try to wrap everything up. This is one of the few dramas I've watched that pretty much nailed the pacing. I was never bored and the ending didn't feel rushed. As for likability, well, it took me less than 24 hours to burn through it. I was hooked from the get go. The chemistry between the leads was amazing and their developing relationship was captured so beautifully. The issue of being in a same sex relationship and the effect that might have on others was handled with such care and created a truly heartfelt scene. I also just loved how unfazed everyone was with those relationships, such a change from how things were even a few years ago. The acting is superb. Like I said, the leads' chemistry was smoking, and even the more minor characters are engaging. The secondary relationship was sweet and I enjoyed watching it develop as well. I would highly recommend this drama. It's an easy watch, somewhat cheesy, but very entertaining and one I will certainly be rewatching.

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Nothing Special

Why I thought this special episode would be any better than the series is anybody's guess, but I can assure you it's not. It's not worse exactly, just pointless unless you're looking for some NSFW action. It adds nothing to the story and is yet another addition to the list of dramas that don't seem to understand that time passing should equal change.

The special picks up three years after the end of the series. Not that it feels like three years because almost nothing has changed, at least nothing that we're allowed to see. There's essentially no update on the character's lives. Sky appears to still be an intern, although I thought it was mentioned at some point that he had only a year left. Either way, he's apparently still at the hospital and has not yet opened his own clinic. What's Venus been up to? Who knows. How's Janus and Bom's convenience store? Who knows. What about Tong and Kla, are they still going strong after Tong's year abroad? They're not even mentioned, much less seen. How's Day doing? No idea. He's mentioned once and never again. So what does happen in this "special" episode? Well, nothing particularly exciting.

Sky gets sick and while putting his paperwork away while he's sleeping, Venus comes across a bottle of vitamins in his bag with a love note attached. So naturally, he waits for Sky to wake up and they have a conversation like the adults they are, right? Of course not. Venus leaves his sick lover to fend for himself and returns to his brother's home. And like in Episode 1 of the series, the following morning he comes upon Janus and Bom doing the deed over the dining room table with Janus in cat ears and a collar, meowing. I get some people have kinks like that and more power to them, but frankly that scene was just weird and uncomfortable to watch for me. Both Bom and Janus notice something is off and take turns asking Venus what's going on, Janus predictably obtuse and saying the wrong thing and Bom giving a speech about how after being together for a while things change. Sky, still sick, shows up, and despite Venus telling them to say he's not home, Janus spills the beans. Sky and Venus finally sit down and talk though Venus is annoyingly vague and just accuses Sky of cheating on him. Sky has to wheedle the truth out of him that this is all about the note and vitamins found in his bag and, as it predictably turns out, they were not for him, but were in fact from Day's lover to Day and the nurse accidentally put them in the wrong bag. Sky is weirdly excited that Venus was jealous and Venus is still kind of pouty, but relieved. And because Sky gave Venus a sponge bath when he was sick in the series, naturally Venus must give Sky a sponge bath after which Sky is feeling much better, well enough to seduce his all too willing lover and that's where things end, with the two of them f*****g each other's brains out. Romantic. Honestly, I kept waiting for Janus and Bom to either walk in on them or be watching through the window. I'm not sure if I'm thankful or disappointed that neither happened. It would have been a much more entertaining conclusion though.

And that's it. There's no character development, no real continuation, the focus really is on the fact that these guys are all apparently very horny. It's a disappointing special episode for an equally disappointing series. Don't waste your time.

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Eternally Mine

My Beautiful Man: Eternal serves as a solid continuation and conclusion to the story of Hira and Kiyoi. It gave a more introspective view into Kiyoi as a character and also allowed Hira to bloom and grow. By the end, though there is still that master/servant undertone to their relationship, it feels like they understand each other better and are on more even footing. The cinematography mixes grounding tones with more ethereal ones that suit the characters and story. It's nothing groundbreaking, but I found it thoroughly enjoyable and sweet.

The movie is a pretty direct continuation of Season 2. Very little if any time has passed between the two. Kiyoi is still working on his drama and Hira is working as an assistant to Noguchi. There's a decent amount of focus on the two of them, on where their relationship is going and how it's changed over time and also how, despite those changes, some things never change. We're also allowed a glimpse into Kiyoi's thoughts, giving a better understanding of him as a person and his feelings for Hira. Hira continues to battle with his self-confidence and giving voice to what he wants, to be the only one who photographs Kiyoi. There's also the sweet friendship between Kiyoi and Anna which, while not explored too deeply, was still an aspect that I appreciated. Kiyoi being kidnapped by Shitara was something that I think most were anticipating, if not quite to that degree, then certainly expecting something to happen. It, combined with Anna's scandal, allowed the movie to explore a little more the dangers of social media and the frenzy and damage it can cause as well as the dangers of idolizing those in the entertainment industry to an unhealthy degree. Hira explains it very succinctly when he states, "Once you start imposing your will on her, you are no longer her fan."

I appreciated the growing equality between Kiyoi and Hira. As I stated previously, there is still very much that master/servant bond between them, but it grows to feel less of an obstacle to their love and more just a part of who they are and they accept that. Hira's subservience does lead to a few more understandings with Kiyoi, but it seems that overall Kiyoi has become accustomed to it and finds it less objectionable. Through Noguchi he comes to understand Hira a bit better as well as misunderstanding him again, but that scene does show that he wants to know and understand Hira. Kiyoi's kidnapping allowed Hira to show that he was still the Hira who had defended Kiyoi in high school. He was willing to kill or be killed protecting him. But what that scene also highlighted was that Hira's need is not one sided, Kiyoi needs him just as much, even if he doesn't express it as much. I liked that Anna was brought back. I appreciated her strength of character and the friendship that she had developed with Kiyoi. The way they could talk to each other easily was very sweet and wholesome. I also appreciated that she knew what she wanted. She wanted both to be with Kiriya and be an actress. The fact that she didn't shrink away from stating such and that she wasn't willing to give up either was refreshing.

Hagiwara has been fantastic as Hira from Season 1. His eyes are deeply expressive and he brought so much to the character of Hira. The scene where Anna calls him to tell him about Kiyoi is a testament to his acting skills. The change wrought in him is simultaneously subtle and dramatic, because no one messes with his Kiyoi. Yagi has steadily improved over both seasons and again in the movie. His acting style feels more nuanced and natural and he was more expressive with both his face and eyes. That growth really helped to give more depth to the character of Kiyoi.

The cinematography was gorgeous. There are some truly stunning scenes. Again, that scene where Hira gets the call, I loved the lighting change. It gave a whole other dimension to the scene. I also generally liked the music choices. Particularly the song used when Shitara and Hira were fighting, it was unconventional, but also worked very well. The ending with them at the school was really lovely. The way they incorporated the flash backs with the present was well done and simultaneously sweet and entertaining.

My Beautiful Man: Eternal is not perfect. It sometimes feels a bit cluttered with plot lines and there are a few holes, but ultimately I found that none of that really affected my enjoyment of it. It wrapped up Hira and Kioyi's story fairly neatly with the promise that, despite the uncertainty of the future, they will remain together. If you've watched Season 1 and 2 of My Beautiful Man, I think you'll enjoy this conclusion. And if you haven't, there's enough background given that you don't strictly need to have seen the first two seasons. You'll just have missed out on the a lot of the character growth and more details on how the two came together. This will certainly be a movie that I'll come back to in the future.

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Ju(no)

I had relatively high expectations for Jun & Jun because I'd heard a fair amount of chatter regarding it and most people seemed to really like it. While I can't say that I disliked it, it also didn't come even remotely close to meeting my expectations. It had potential, but the lack of plot and the bloated cast brought it down. The leads did have great chemistry though and there were some cute/romantic moments that were enjoyable. I don't regret watching, I just wish there was more to it.

The plot was so thin as to be almost nonexistent. A former idol starts his first office job and coincidentally reunites with his childhood best friend who just so happens to be the director of the company he's working at and naturally they fall in love. Aside from that we have the interns doing a lot of gossiping, Lee Jun dealing with the affections of three men (why is this such a thing), and a lot of office meetings. What's disappointing is that if a lot of that had been limited or cut entirely, the story could have been vastly improved. We know that Lee Jun and Choi Jun were childhood friends, but at some point were separated when Choi Jun was sent to the US. At what age this happened, why they didn't or weren't able to stay in contact, none of that is addressed or answered so the viewer is left guessing. The build up of their relationship is inconsistent. They're hot then cold and then suddenly make some huge leaps, physically at least. It felt disjointed and rushed, like several steps were missed, whereas previously things were progressing steadily if a bit slowly. Lack of communication serves as the main conflict between the leads which isn't anything new, but Choi Jun's reactions, the fact that he didn't seem to understand why Lee Jun reacted the way he did when he found out he was engaged, didn't make sense. He's supposed to be incredibly smart, but, my lord, was he dense in this situation. Most decent people are not looking to enter relationships with those who are engaged, certainly not without a very good reason or explanation which we eventually got, but, again, it shouldn't have taken as long as it did to come out.

The cast was way too big for the very limited amount of time there was. Too much time was focused on the other interns and office workers who really didn't contribute much in the way of moving the story along. Most of them could have and should have been cut to allow more time for the lead's relationship to develop. Furthermore we have the absurdity of three guys pursuing Lee Jun. Is he cute, yes, but aside from that, I didn't necessarily get why each of the guys wanted him, particularly Simeon. Choi Jun and Hyun Jae at least had history with him that was shown more and built up slightly, but we didn't see much of his relationship with Simeon in the past. Their liking of him just felt quite shallow. Despite the lack of communication and his lapse of judgment in explaining things to Lee Jun, I liked Choi Jun. I appreciated his straightforwardness when it came to Lee Jun, the ways that he helped and supported him, and his flirting was bar none. The innuendo laced conversations he had with Lee Jun were generally pretty entertaining and were more explicit than I was used to in a KBL. Lee Jun was generally pretty likeable, although I did question at times why he didn't just ask for help when he didn't understand things. He also wasn't the most effective communicator and would listen to what others said and believe them rather than communicating with Choi Jun and getting the information from him directly. The other characters didn't leave much of an impression on me. The hints that Hyun Jae and Simeon might become a couple were cute, but also felt rushed and unnecessary.

The acting was decent. Hyun Woo and Jun Mo had great chemistry, particularly during their romantic scenes. Some of their other scenes though fell flat or felt awkward. Maybe those were some earlier scenes that were shot, their interactions just didn't feel as natural. The cameo of the two Mr. Heart actors and Tutor and Yim was fun and a nice little treat.

I know I've probably made it sound like I hated this drama, but I really didn't. It just could have been so much better and stronger and that's where the disappointment lies. The first couple and last couple of episodes are the best, the middle episodes could honestly almost be skipped. It's mostly enjoyable and an easy binge, just don't have too high of expectations for it.

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Nobody's SuperStar

Be Mine SuperStar can be summed up in single word: disappointing. This was a drama that had a potentially cute story, good actors, gorgeous filming locations, and yet still managed to completely fail. The plot is all over the place, the characters were a combination of cringe, problematic, and charming, the comedy aspect was boring, and the supposed love between the characters ranged from almost nonexistent to only about sex. Getting through those last few episodes was almost physically painful. If anything, this drama gets the reward for most pretty crying scenes in the shortest amount of time.

The premise didn't sound ground breaking, but it doesn't need to be either to tell a good story and be fun. I mean, how many of us have dreamed of meeting our celebrity crush and them falling in love with us? It seemed like if nothing else, it would be relatable and an entertaining rom-com. It wasn't. Frankly, I don't even know where to start with this mess. The plot was a bit all over the place and very inconsistent. It was only towards the end that it became a bit more cohesive. The comedy aspect was forced and overdone. Very little of what was played for laughs was actually funny. There were a few amusing parts, but they were few and far between. The angsty drama, mostly centered around the managers, was excessive and unnecessary. It was, I think, supposed to be amusing. It wasn't. It got old very, very quickly and took far too long to get resolved. Some arcs felt a bit unfinished, particularly with Priew and Title. Priew was arrested and Wan released the video of Title threatening to hit her and then that was it, there was no real resolution as to what happened to them. There didn't need to be a huge deal made about it, but something along the lines of mentioning that Priew was being prosecuted or Title was thoroughly disgraced and no one wanted to work with him would have wrapped up their stories a little more cohesively. The love stories were both very lacking. The romantic chemistry between Achi and Punn was almost nonexistent. Achi was too passive and Punn seemed more obsessed with Achi than in love with him. It just wasn't well developed to make it believable that these were two people in love. Lack of communication is almost always the source of conflict in dramas and this one is no difference. Despite being advised to communicate with each other, we never see them communicate effectively. Throwing Title in as the villain to their love was cliche and boring. He was not an effective or interesting villain. Muang and Ning's story was both troubling and boring. Muang was a red flag multiple times during his pursuit of Ning. The way they actually entered a relationship was glazed over and rushed. One second Muang is clinging to his leg begging him and the next they're having a drink and talking. There was too much left in the air. And once they finally did get together, pretty much every scene they had together was a NSFW scene or they were talking about their friend's problems. Other than obviously being sexually compatible and physically attracted to each other, I have no idea why they even liked each other. In general, both relationships lacked substance and meaning. The pacing was inconsistent, it positively dragged toward the end and ended being mostly filler with a lot of pretty crying and staring wistfully into the distance. It was a very anticlimactic ending to an anticlimactic drama.

The characters were lacking...a lot. Very little background on most of them which was disappointing because having that background can make or break a character. In this case, that lack didn't allow viewers to get a better understanding of the characters and help them understand their actions and behaviours. I had initially gotten the impression that Punn's history with Achi was going to play a bigger role in their story, but it was pretty casually brushed aside and basically only served as the starting point of Punn's love for Achi. A lot more could have been done with that to enhance the story and characters and I was disappointed that didn't happen.
-Punn was a struggle for me. There was a part of me that kind of liked him, but mostly I just found him to be incredibly immature and his behaviour to be very cringy. I don't know what they were going for with his character, if he was maybe supposed to be socially awkward or neurodivergent, but it didn't work. One of the questions I feel like his character brought up is whether the love we feel for our celebrity crushes can be romantic love or just a form of hero worship. True, Punn met Achi before he became famous, but it's clear they never actually knew each other and Punn's love for Achi did seem more hero worship than romantic to me. He came across as obsessive at times and he also didn't seem to fully appreciate or understand the boundaries Achi set for when they were in public given that he broke them multiple times. He just didn't seem mature enough to really be in a relationship. And some of his actions made zero sense. For example, when Priew was blackmailing him, rather than going to Wan who he knew would be in his corner, instead he went to Muang who also didn't suggest going to Wan and told him to sign the contract. What exactly were they thinking? And then there was the absurdity of his reaction to Achi's notes which served as the catalyst for their fight that took up the last couple of episodes. I feel like it's fairly common knowledge that actors and artists in general infuse their emotions and real life experiences in their art. That's part of what makes it realistic. So Punn taking Achi's notes as a sign that Achi was using him seemed unreasonable. Also, Punn had proven himself to be gullible at times, but to so easily believe Title when he knew Title didn't like him and was in love with Achi just seemed unrealistic. I really wanted to see Punn grow in maturity and come into his own as the drama progressed, but that just never seemed to really happen.
-Achi was a bit of an enigma. I struggled with his character because he seemed too passive at times. His words and actions just didn't match up for me. He said he loved Punn, implied that he was the love of his life, but I didn't feel it and didn't really see it. He seemed to find Punn's hero worship of him alternately amusing and, at times, vaguely annoying. I can understand if his character wasn't meant to be overly demonstrative but there needed to be something to show that he truly loved Punn. The build up of his love for Punn was also lacking. You could see him coming to tolerate Punn more and developing a certain level of affection for him, but where that crossed over to love wasn't clear. Essentially, there was a clear physical compatibility between them, but not so much a mental or emotional one. His lack of setting up boundaries with Title became an issue and why he didn't communicate that he was off the market, even if he didn't specify who he was with, is beyond me. In general, he was just a bit too trusting and seemed almost naive at times which didn't quite track with someone who'd been in the entertainment industry for a while.
-Muang was the highlight of this drama for me and for the most part I really loved him. He was funny, loyal, selfless and generally just a gem. Except for one glaring fault which would be with Doctor Ning and their second encounter together. I get that Muang was head over heels for him, but the fact that he was willing to take advantage of him when he was inebriated was a huge red flag. And then it was pretty much brushed aside and never mentioned again. That didn't sit well with me and felt out of character. In general, Muang's behaviour regarding Dr. Ning prior to them getting together was not great. He essentially stalked the man and wore him down, but not in a healthy way. Their relationship in general didn't seem particularly healthy and I was not a fan of it. For all that Muang said something to the effect of their relationship was not just about sex, that's pretty much all we saw them do. So that aspect of his character, I didn't like. Muang as a friend though was great. I liked how he took Punn under his wings and really did in some ways become a father figure to him, helping him, guiding him and supporting him. He was also a good friend to Achi, serving as a sounding board at times and supporting him as well.
-Title was boring. I know he was supposed to be the big bad coming between Achi and Punn and causing issues between them, but he was such a cliche that I just found him to be pointless and ineffective. His whole spiel of if I can't have him nobody can was eye rolling. The thing is, I think he could have been more interesting if he was given more depth and purpose.

The actors did a decent job given the garbage they were working with. Both Ja and First are talented actors. I've watched almost every drama they've been in so I've seen that they have good chemistry and work well together. Here though, the story and the script just failed them and they seemed to struggle. I was excited to see First in a more serious, mature role and I think for the most part, he did a decent job except for when it came to the romance aspect. He was too stoic and, like I mentioned before, I struggled to tell if he truly had feelings for Punn or not. For Ja, again, I'm not sure what they were going for with his character, the level of second hand embarrassment he generated was extreme, but he was consistent with it. I wasn't overly fond of the character, but Ja did commit himself to the role. Their chemistry was lackluster, nothing like in previous dramas such as Don't Say No or Remember Me. Bosston did a good job as Muang. He generally lit up the screen when he was on and was the one overall bright spot in this drama. His physical chemistry with Jo was good, I just would have liked their characters to have more than that. Wayo worked well with what he had. His character was just lacking in addition to the script and I can't really blame him for not being able to save it. I hope he has better opportunities in the future.

The one production aspect of this drama that really shone was the costuming. The costumes, whether within the drama they were filming or their regular clothes, were so well done. The sets were also well done, particularly the filming ones. Beautifully designed and they were well used. The cinematography, particularly in Japan, was beautiful. They really made use of the snow and snowfall to create some really beautiful shots. Some of the shots on the drama set were well done too, I particularly liked the one of Achi and Punn looking at each other through the fan. It was creative and oddly beautiful.

I was excited for this drama and the seemingly fun, romantic story it was going to tell. I was excited to see Ja and First again since their last drama, Remember Me, wasn't particularly good. And I was excited for the beautiful scenery the trailer showed and all of it's possibilities. The only aspect that didn't disappoint was the scenery. The rest was a bust. I kept hoping that things would get better, but they never did. It got to the point where I was looking forward to the next episode just because it was one step closer to the end and I wanted to be done with it. This isn't a drama that I recommend. It's got a few good parts, but overall, it's just not worth it.

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Sweetly Sung

Sing My Crush is a sweet, breezy little drama that manages to keep a good balance of fluff with a little bit of angst and drama to keep it from being cloying. It's easily bingeable and can be completed in an afternoon and is a great de-stressor after a long day at work. I speak from experience. The characters are endearing, the plot simple, and the music divine.

The story is simple and it's simplicity is an asset considering the limited number of episodes. There are no deep dives into the characters' backgrounds, no real flashbacks, just a steady progression as the characters grow and it works. The story is overall cohesive, there are a few loose threads, the issue with Sangin doesn't feel fully resolved, for example, but nothing huge to complain about. The pacing is steady and overall well done despite a few laggy moments, but they're not enough to hold the story back too much.

The characters aren't overly complicated; on the surface, they're fairly transparent.
-Han Ba Ram is a sweetheart who, after being burned by love, is a bit hesitant to confess again. Being gay also complicates the matter and elevates his fear, so he keeps it a secret and continues living with the man he loves until his first love re-enters his life and complicates things. There's an element of frustration with him, the feeling that wouldn't it be better to just confess and get rid of the proverbial sword hanging over his head. But, having been in his shoes, I can also understand how incredibly difficult it is to confess, especially when you're afraid of ruining the friendship that you have. I was impressed with the character growth seen in such a short period of time. You can really see his confidence grow both in his music and as a person.
-Im Han Tae has to be one of the most dense characters I've seen. I truly thought he was already in love with Ba Ram up until Ba Ram confessed and he was totally clueless. His actions and behaviour afterward left me alternately laughing in exasperation and wanting to bash my head against the wall. It's a good thing he's cute. Nevertheless, I appreciated his loyalty and steadfastness when it came to Ba Ram and even when he wasn't 100% certain of his feelings, he still took care of and protected him.
-Sangin annoyed me from the get go and just got worse from there. He was far too handsy for any kind of reputable teacher and the way he baited Ba Ram into trying to kiss him to prove his love was disconcerting. Coming back after the fact and trying to steal Ba Ram's song was the cherry on top. I found it disappointing that he never once took responsibility for his actions, but continued to blame Ba Ram till the end. As a side note, he seemed too old be debuting, not that I'm any kind of expert on that and frankly I think expanding the age range would be great, but realistically, I didn't buy it.
-While they didn't play huge roles within the story, I liked Young Mi and Jeong Pal. They were cute as a couple, but I also liked their friendship and dynamic with Ba Ram and Han Tae.

The acting was good all around. Do Yoon and Hyun Woo had good chemistry. Even their first kiss, which I would normally consider a dead fish lip press, actually worked for them. It was hesitant and sweet and felt realistic for a first tentative kiss. They just seemed very comfortable around each other and I liked them together. I felt both actors did their character's justice.

I loved the music. Both "Letter of Apology" and "Second Wind" are beautiful songs. "Letter of Apology" was utilized throughout the run but it was done in such a way that I didn't get tired of it or feel that it was overplayed. The rest of the music was pretty generic but those two definitely stood out.

This is not a deep drama, it's too short to delve into any kind of real issues, and again they were smart to keep it simple. But simple doesn't mean without it's merits and it does touch on elements like having confidence in yourself, growing as a person, and pursuing what you love. I found it to be an enjoyable diversion for an afternoon and one that I would recommend and will likely come back to in the future.

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Star in Their Own Minds

Star in My Mind is unique in that despite the fact that it has a decent sized cast, everything revolves around a single character. There are no side couples here, no side stories even, everything and everyone is solely focused on this one person. It's a unique take and with a better character and stronger actor, it could even work. The problem though is that Dao isn't the most interesting or likeable character and this was Dunk's breakout role and he simply didn't have the experience to essentially carry the entire show. It's not bad, it's simply mediocre and at times, incredibly frustrating.

Such a laser focus on a single character is really the only unique aspect of this drama. Otherwise, it's a pretty standard college BL story with a lot of the standard BL tropes. The story is simple enough in that you have two characters in love but one of them doesn't know how to express their feelings and the other, having been rejected in the past, is afraid to confess those feelings again. Miscommunication is the name of the game here and it pervades nearly every aspect of the drama. If Dao and Kluen had simply sat down and had an actual conversation, this drama would have been done in maybe two episodes. But where's the fun in that? No, it's much better to have our leads running around in circles for six or seven episodes before they finally get their heads screwed on straight and get everything sorted out.

Initially, the lack of communication isn't terrible. Dao and Kluen meet again after being separated for a year. Their last meeting involved Dao confessing his feelings for Kluen and with Kluen responding by telling him to have a safe flight, thus breaking his heart. The kicker here is that Kluen is, in fact, in love with Dao as well, he just royally sucks at expressing himself and giving voice to those feelings. So when they meet again, Dao is faced with the fact that he still has feelings for the guy who rejected him and Kluen is continuing to say nothing while getting irritated at all the guys hitting on Dao. Speaking of which, having three guys pursuing Dao was a bit much, plus Papang, can't forget her. Don't get me wrong Dunk is cute, but not quite to that degree and the character of Dao wasn't nearly interesting enough to garner that level of attention. In any case though, the miscommunication just keeps ballooning to the point that everyone else is aware that these two have feelings for each other, except for Dao who is oblivious.

I've seen a lot of people give the character crap for being so obtuse, but I can understand where he's coming from as well. As far as Dao is aware, Kluen essentially rejected him previously. Not explicitly, but he also didn't accept Dao's feelings. Why would Dao expect that a year had changed anything? Even with the signals that Kluen was sending, I can see why Dao would second guess whether he was reading those signs correctly. And then Kluen tells him that Typhoon is a good guy and essentially tells Dao to be with him. There was also the matter of Gia. As far as Dao was aware, Kluen and Gia were still together and Kluen doesn't say anything to dispel that notion. That simply adds to Dao's confusion because why should he believe Kluen would be pursuing him when he's already got a girlfriend. Again, I know people like to give Dao crap, but frankly, Kluen was sending so many mixed signals that even if everyone else knew that Kluen liked Dao, I can see why Dao was so uncertain. Essentially the majority of their miscommunication boils down to Kluen being entirely too close lipped for his own good. Also the fact that he seemed to be able to communicate with others just fine, it was just when it came to Dao that he suddenly was unable to communicate in any way meaningfully.

There is one scene that I was very much not okay with and was extremely out of touch. Dao and Kluen finally have a conversation and Kluen essentially confesses his feelings when he receives a call from Gia. It's later revealed that Gia had a fight with her partner that turned physical and she called Kluen. There are numerous issues with this scene, first and foremost though the use of domestic violence as a gimmick to separate our leads. It is both tactless and tasteless and should never have been used. Almost any other excuse would have been better. Dao's reaction is another issue. He uses that moment to try to force Kluen to choose between him and Gia and then gets butthurt when Kluen still leaves to help Gia. Again, he's purported to be this very caring guy, but apparently he was temporarily struck deaf since there was a clear urgency to Gia's call and Kluen was obviously very concerned.

When it comes to the characterization, neither Dao or Kluen is particularly unique or interesting. Dao's big thing was that he's supposed to be caring and compassionate, but in reality, he was frankly a coward. His inability to say no to people wasn't a strength or a sign of a good person, but rather that he was afraid. He tried to make it seem like he was thinking of the other person, but in reality, it was simply selfish. When it came to Papang, he didn't reject her right away because he didn't want her to get hurt the way he had when Kluen didn't accept his feelings, but did he really think that time was going to make the pain any less? Wasn't it in fact more cruel to give her hope and then dash it on the ground later? Similarly with Typhoon, he obviously didn't want to actually be his boyfriend for the day, but rather than rejecting such a ridiculous idea, he went along with it and, of course, there were consequences which he never really took responsibility for.

With Kluen, I got real tired of his whole "am I too late" schtick. Like, dude, you are literally doing this to yourself, if you would simply open your mouth and communicate, things would not be so messed up. I really needed more from him to try to wrap my head around his mindset and how he was thinking and why he did and said some things, but we're never given that opening and so he remains a bit of an enigma and not in a good way.

The acting was nothing spectacular. Frankly both Dunk and Joong were outshone by some of the supporting cast with more acting experience. That's not to say it was completely terrible either. Dunk did a decent enough job for his first main role, but clearly struggled with the more emotional scenes. He also lacked nuance in his expressions, though not to the same extent as Joong. While I understand that Kluen was supposed to be a stoic character who didn't show a whole lot of emotion, Joong's acting came across not as deliberate, but as wooden. He needed a greater balance in his facial expressions so that the audience could see that he wasn't just a robot.

This drama started out pretty well and seemed promising but then it was just a steady decline from there. There are still some cute, fluffy moments, but it could have been so much more than it wound up being. It's not unwatchable though and it's short enough that it's not a total waste of time, it simply gets frustrating as the story progresses. For this one, I would say watch at your own risk.

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Save the Date

Our Dating Sim is a drama with a lot of heart in a small package. It manages to combine a lot of well known tropes into a cohesive, well paced story that's cute and entertaining without overdoing it on the fluff factor. It presents characters that are likeable with enough of a backstory to also make them compelling. The game component added another layer that was engaging and further drew the viewer into the story. It was an all around fun little romantic comedy.

The story is relatively simple and uncomplicated which, with such a short air time, is smart. Flashbacks are kept to a minimum, just enough to give the viewer the gist of the characters' past relationship and it's importance. The pacing is very well done. It's not rushed, but the story is constantly moving and it never gets boring. It is very much a fluff fest, but there are a few tenser moments and some angst thrown in to keep it from getting too overbearing. Those scenes also allowed glimpses of characters in their more vulnerable moments.

Lee Wan and Gi Tae both presented as compelling characters. I liked that Gi Tae was a confident character, but he wasn't a bully like those types of characters often can be. He was clearly comfortable with himself and he shared that positivity with those around him. Underneath that confidence and positivity though was the pain of having lost Lee Wan and once he found him again, that pain turned to fear, the fear of losing him again. The scene where he thinks Lee Wan has disappeared again and he goes searching the streets for him is a poignant one. You can feel his fear and distress. And then once he does find him, his relief that he hasn't disappeared again is almost palpable. Much like the plants that he loves and cares for, Gi Tae takes root and really doesn't change much. His character is pretty much unwavering, but that simply allows Lee Wan's character to grow more.

Lee Wan is a bit more complex. One of his defining characteristics, at least initially, is his flight instinct which is very much active. Interestingly enough, they're typically preceded by moments of bravery like confessing to Gi Tae or accepting the job interview. He's an admirable character. He throws himself into his work, pushing himself, striving to learn. He's not a wallflower, but he also doesn't stand out. His journey has more ups and downs than Gi Tae's as he discovers more about himself, finding that in a way, Gi Tae is his roots, the reason he started drawing. He stops running away, instead accepting and declining opportunities after considering what is the best option for himself.

Lee Seung Gyu and Lee Jong Hyuk absolutely delivered with their performances. Physical intimacy is generally poorly done in Korean BLs but they brought their A game and everything about them was so effortless and natural. They both had clear understandings of their characters and their performances were believable and nuanced. I also really liked Sung Ryung as Sunny. She had a great presence and while she didn't say much, what she did say held weight.

The production value was fabulous. Having the dating game theme continued through pretty much every part was very engaging. The game stages at the end of each episode were cute and fun. I personally took them as an example of how the game they created was played and thought it was nice way to incorporate it.

This is not one of those dramas with a lot deep, thought provoking content and it doesn't try to tackle any issues, but it doesn't need to. It serves as something light and fluffy to take your mind off things and give you something to smile at for a bit. It's a very well done, short drama that I would absolutely recommend for multiple viewings.

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I'll Follow You Till The End

I didn't really have any expectations going into The End of the World With You. I never read the manga so I was going in blind. The premise made me think it could either be really interesting or just full of straight up NSFW scenes. The beginning left me thinking it was going to be the latter which I was not particularly impressed with. But I continued watching and discovered an absolute gem of a drama. It takes a rare drama for me to rate it a 10. I originally rated this a 9.5. But when I couldn't get it out of my head, when I found myself coming back to certain lines and scenes I realized that it deserved that honor. The story is heartfelt and while the romance is there, it doesn't dominate instead often focusing on the family unit the characters create and their dynamics. The characters are flawed but they are layered and relatable. There are reasons for their flaws and you come to understand them. It's a beautifully woven tale and it really does leave you wondering a bit, if the world was ending, how would you spend your final days?

The plot isn't particularly original, it's your run of the mill disaster story of a giant meteor's going to crash into earth and nothing can stop it. The kicker comes when Masumi, who up until this point hasn't really been living his life, goes to the library to spend his final days there reading and runs into his former lover Ritsu. Their relationship ended poorly when Ritsu cheated on Masumi leaving him traumatized and heartbroken. Now some ten years later, they're thrown together again. But even at the end of the world, life has some twists and it comes in the form of a teenage boy named Yuma. Their mission becomes getting Yuma back home. Along the way they add another person to their group, Meguru, also trying to get home. Together they create their own little family and through their various adventures and mishaps, Ritsu and Masumi slowly begin to reconcile.

The first two or episodes are deceptive in that they don't reveal the depth of this drama. These episodes are mostly flashbacks that reveal Masumi and Ritsu's history. It's important information that's necessary to understand their characters and especially to see how they've grown and changed since. But, it's also where a number of those NSFW scenes come in and it can make you question what you're watching. But once you get past those first couple episodes, you start getting drawn in because this drama isn't afraid to delve into some hard topics. Suicide is one that comes up repeatedly. Ritsu initially gets Masumi to come with him with the lure of a euthanasia pill if he'll help him dispose of a body. The body turns out to be that of a high school student who Ritsu assisted in committing suicide, except, surprise, he's not dead. This leads to a discussion on why the kid, Yuma, wanted to commit suicide in the first place which then leads to a conversation on perspectives and thinking things through. The guy bullying him will graduate soon, he basically has his whole life to look forward to, new people to meet, new experiences, etc. and suddenly Yuma realizes he doesn't want to die, he wants to live. Of course, there's a meteor headed towards earth so that's a bit of a problem. Then there's Ritsu who also planned to take one with Yuma but didn't, presumably because he wanted to see Masumi one last time and then does actually try to take one later on. It's also revealed in a flashback that he's been borderline suicidal at least once before and likely more than that.

There's one scene though that really resonated with me. In a flashback, Madoka, a friend of Ritsu's and Yuma's idol, depressed and suicidal after her lover gets a boyfriend and her reputation goes up in flames, has gone to see Ritsu. She asks him if he's ever considered suicide to which he says no and she says she hasn't either, she was just asking. She's too scared to go through with it anyway. But as she walks away, she turns back and points to her neck and tells him that if there was button there that if pressed would end everything, she would press it. It's one of those lines that I think anyone who has ever had depression or has been suicidal could absolutely relate to. It's heartbreaking but true. Life is challenging, that's part of what makes it worth living, but when it gets overwhelming, when our brains betray us, a way out can seem tempting and both Madoka and Ritsu presented as characters to sympathize and empathize with as feeling trapped with death as the most ideal solution.

Another hard topic stems from the scene where Masumi receives a call from his abusive mother asking him for help. He cut ties with her years ago, the number she's calling from is a blocked one, but there at the end of the world, she calls him for help because she recently hurt her back and can't move and is running out of food. Whether anything she says is genuine, her apologies or her regret, is left up to the viewer. Masumi doesn't want to go, but out of filial piety, he prepares to do so, until Ritsu puts his foot down and says that if he won't come with them, then he won't take Yuma home. It's Ritu's comment that they're both doing what they want with the little time they have left that leads Masumi to decide to continue on with them instead. It's the kind of moral dilemma where you often see the opposite choice made. And it's not like the choice is easy for Masumi, he even says that he thinks he's wrong. But it also begs the question, at the end of the world, which takes precedence? Want or obligation?

The characters are absolutely the highlight of this drama. They are beautiful and damaged and relatable and perfect. I came to love each and every one of them for their flaws and quirks and for the way they grew and overcame their flaws. I honestly don't think I would really change anything about them.

I absolutely loved the way Masumi's character was portrayed because I could see a lot of myself in him. I feel like to an extent he's a rarity. Sex is one of those things that seems to be thrown around a lot today. People hook up and break up like it's no big deal. His comment that for him sex was a form of trust resonated for me. It also highlighted just how differently he and Ritsu viewed sex. Ritsu viewed it as a commodity, something to be shared around with anyone, while Masumi saw it as a gift meant only for that special someone. And that's where things broke down for them. Masumi thought they were building something permanent and that betrayal broke him. There's also the aspect of love, I think. He thought he'd finally found someone who truly loved him. God knows he didn't get that from his mother with her physically and verbally abusing him. So Ritsu's betrayal was on multiple levels which I think was why Masumi was left so completely devastated. What was interesting to see was the life that started to come back into Masumi's eyes almost immediately after meeting Ritsu again. He started engaging more with life and with people. And as much as he claimed to hate Ritsu, he also couldn't help but want to know about him and his life. His slowly softening towards Ritsu was sweet to see, particularly that scene after his accident, it was just very well done and a great moment between them. I also really felt his monologue when they're at the river. Beautifully worded and spoken, I really loved that scene. The idea that there's a world worth seeing and living in out there not too far away if we just step outside of our homes and outside ourselves. I also loved the evolution of his thoughts from the-world's-ending-I-could-just-have-sex-with-him to I've-fallen-back-in-love-with-him-and-I-want-to-build-a-future-together.

I've seen some comments describing Ritsu as a toxic person just as a blanket statement. And I would disagree with that. I think he absolutely started out as a very toxic, but also very damaged person. And while, yes, I would have liked to have seen more of a change in him over the years, I also got the impression that he never cheated on anyone again after what happened with Masumi and was essentially a serial monogamist. He learned his lesson after that. And I think one thing to point out, and it's not an excuse, but he was twenty when he and Masumi got together. He was young and he was stupid and he made choices like I'm sure many of us did when we were that age that he came to regret. Masumi was the one that got away and he bore an incredible amount of guilt after discovering just how devastated Masumi was after the end of their relationship. But by the time he had his second chance, he was clearly a different person. He was not the same toxic kid he had been, again he had learned his lesson and he was ready to move forward with Masumi in a real relationship if Masumi was willing. Ritsu in general was just a very interesting, multi-layered character. The amount of guilt and self-loathing he carried was honestly heartbreaking. He blamed himself for Madoka's death for not answering her calls. He loathed himself for his own sexual desires and constantly seeking out new partners. I really wanted to delve into all of that a little more as to what drove him to seeking that as his outlet. I loved his scenes with Madoka. He's one of those people that seemed to always have a mask in place to fit the situation and with her, that was off, he was just himself. Their relationship seemed very special, brief as those scenes were.

Yuma was a fascinating character. He was very anima/manga like in some regards which was interesting/weird at times, but I didn't dislike it. He was also absolutely adorable. I honestly loved him. He had a great dynamic with the rest of the characters. His chivalrous attitude was simultaneously funny and sweet. He was definitely over the top, but not in an annoying way. I did get the impression that he actually is supposed to be some kind of magical being but what exactly, I have no idea.

Meguru surpassed all my expectations. First, loved having a non-binary character that was not treated as a cliché. Also really enjoyed how they were incorporated. I wasn't sure how that was going to work when they were thrown in at first and then the bathroom scene happened and it was like, oh, this is going to be interesting. I thought it was awesome that Masumi and Ritsu really didn't bat an eye after getting over their shock and were just cool with it. Loved their relationship with Yuma. Honestly those two were so adorable. And I just liked their character in general, they were not whiny or constantly complaining, they fit in with everyone and pulled their weight.

The cast was all incredibly talented. Seto was fantastic as the moody Masumi and Nakata matched him perfectly as the charismatic Ritsu. Facial expressions, body language, all of it was just so good. Their chemistry together was also phenomenal. And I'm not just talking about the NSFW scenes. They're so expressive together and genuinely seem to have a connection. Fantastic to watch. Tomimoto nailed it as Yuma. Kudos to him for nailing some of those odd scenes that required him to act like an anime/manga character without taking it overboard. Idegami was wonderful as both Madoka and Meguru. Props to the casting director for casting an actual non-binary actor as a non-binary character. And equal props to Idegami for being able to create two easily distinguishable characters.

The ending left me conflicted. I don't generally like open endings, but I actually don't mind this one in the least. My issue comes with the very cringy special effects there at the very end. If I had my way, it would end after Masumi and Ritsu go to sleep. I'm sure the ending of the drama follows the manga, it's just the terrible special effects and the alarm kind of ruined the moment.

For a drama that I wasn't expecting anything of, it completely exceeded any expectations I could have possibly had of it. I honestly struggled writing this review because there was so much I simply couldn't put into words. This drama resonated with me in a way very few other dramas have. It is one that I would absolutely recommend and one I will certainly be rewatching. I have a feeling it gets better with repeated viewings. As Masumi says, I guess miracles do exist.

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