Reviews

I think this is one of the most under-rated dramas I know of. Like most people, I watched it for Aaron. But after the first couple of episodes, I liked it much more for the stories than him. Since they are based on TRUE stories, it always had the creepy feel to it. It was also pretty controversial, which is probably the only reason why they added a "Death Girl." The "romance" between the main characters lacked big time. Aaron's character was also kind of annoying and I felt kind of bad for him. The other characters' stories made up for these faults. The end was also pretty good.



If you don't like dramas about certain sensative issues like suicide and sex, then don't watch this.

If you do, then I would defiantely watch it!

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XX is undoubtedly the best show Playlist Global has delivered up to date. The story, the acting, the production, the characters...everything was *chef's kiss* The show was original, something new, and contained meaningful lessons. Whether it may be broken friendships, or toxic relationships; I think the show did an excellent job of portraying the character's troubles and allowing viewers to really learn from their mistakes. The women in this show were especially powerful, which was so nice to see!! With Sunmi's 'Gotta Go' playing at the back (this song is PERFECTION btw), I found myself getting goosebumps as my heartbeats skipped for these women :,) Each episode really left me wanting for more!

The show isn't really romance focused, but instead emphasizes on revenge and friendships. I personally loved that it took this unique approach (for a webdrama). The bits of romance were still enjoyable since it was all quite heart-warming. I loved seeing a healthy relationship and a male lead who was kind and patient for once. The characters were imperfect but that only made them more relatable and interesting. For a webdrama with short episodes, this show did a phenomenal job with the development.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this show to anyone who wants a quick, meaningful watch. Keep in mind that this is a webdrama with a few 15-25 minute episodes; thus it will probably not be the best show you have ever seen. However, for a webdrama coming from a smaller company - meaning limited money and time - it really did the best it could! Thus, I would give it a 10/10 for a webdrama ((:

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Everything from the ost to the starting scene to the casting was perfect. The direction and script compliments each other to bring a story that is relatable and screwed up. Just the same story so many people go through every day, whether its the workplace or school, or even at home, you cant get away from bullies. The feelings of the four main characters especially Junpei and Tomoki's characters all seem equally guilty and innocent throughout the drama so you really think you know something but then something so strange or convoluted happens you're left wondering again and thats what always maintains the suspense. And of course the whole thing reaches a climax that is both thought-provoking and entertaining like the rest of the drama. Just absolutely loved it.

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The mini series without a plot

This series is a mini series, 22 total episodes, supposedly 10 minutes each but it’s really about 7 minutes each. It revolves around a fairy/food deity being sent to the human world for punishment but it talked a turn because upon her arrival there is slight chaos in the home and apparently she is already fated. Okay, I know it sounds weird but this short story has so many plot holes that it was really hard to figure out the point of anything. As we get to the end, we are life with an unprecedented cliff hanger and it appears purposefully done. Although the cast were leads were good in appearance it couldn’t make up for this choppy series and ended like it was a commercial break.
Is it worth the watch? No, not in my book.
Why? Nothing made since and it was too choppy to really understand things. On top of that no growth making it hard to like anyone.
Would I recommend? No because their was no plot or reason,
Is it romantic? Nope
Is it cute? Nope, just people dressed up nicely.

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Character-driven social commentary

One thing I've noticed about these Taiwanese mystery thriller dramas is that it's not necessarily about the whodunnit or about blowing your mind with plot twists. It's about making social commentary through the eyes of different characters. Copycat Killer did a really good job of that.

Don't get me wrong, I still really enjoyed the mystery element, but I realized I shouldn't overthink the actions of different characters and waste my time trying to figure out who did it. Instead, the drama made me think about the killer's motivations and psychology, and most of all how the media and the rest of the public enabled it.

This is a really character-driven (as opposed to plot-driven) story; if someone keeps those things in mind, I think they'll really enjoy this one.

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Not quite there but getting so close to being perfect.

Acting: Cast were one of the winning cards of this drama, even small/guest roles were done very nicely. Main point of the story is a case and the people connected to it in 1997 and 2010 and characterization, make up and acting together make you feel the years passed and the changes in the appearance and personality of the people involved. I seldom remember a drama showing time change this delicately.

Story: My problem with whodunit stories, either in writing or on screen is that they tend to spend more than 95% of their length circling around who has done it then the short remaining time is spent on a hasty "Why" and "How" . I don't know if it's because the creators are afraid it becomes boring after the culprit is exposed so they keep them hidden as long as then can or else but the important part here is "hasty wrap up". From 4th ep. and Yang Zhe's introduction until 21th ep. by emphasising on both his personal traits like interest in European paintings, amateur drawing, writing detective novels, etc and parallels between his behaviour and Lu and Wei's descriptions of a serial murderer doing things like asking around to get information on their case or going away and stop killing, the writers made him a perfect suspect, "The only suspect" for at least 18 eps. I lost believe in his guilt before his return in the '10 timeline but still they did everything they could, even the smallest details (e.g. having him living in the same neighborhood as the murderer and coming home at midnight, Ning being wary of him, killing Hong violently on the night YM stood him up to gave him anger) to keep us focusing on him, they even gave him a knife in an isolated place only to forget his existence after a harsh arrest just like Lu did. I didn't want a full story of his life or what did he do if he didn't have a company but his subplot could've been solved much earlier and more graceful. On the contrary a good unassuming suspect like Guapi was wasted away hurriedly like that. They could've very well use his similiar surname to Wu Jia to play this father and son game a bit more, instead of getting divine police instinct in the last 2 episodes and know the culprit on the spot. Two good plot twists was done with in a blink.


Anyway, the '97 timeline was wrapped up nicely by reaching the first episode point but at the end, the original murderer's thoughts and motives remained largely unanswered, like his interest in drawing, paintings, detective fiction, etc, Specially as he used the hole on his mother's face to compare how the victims' faces would look in her picture. How did he even chose them? Lu ordered his subordinates to investigate his background family but it was never mentioned again, there wasn't a glimpse of his notes too. Here we had a character that barely talked more than 5,6 sentences throughout the drama with a mysterious past but they killed him off in flashbacks without shedding anymore light on him other than being a monster.( personally when they said he disappeared, I thought WJ must've killed him)


Lastly: although the story took its time with pacing, going between the past and the present wasn't disjointed or boring but rather uneventful. I think the suspects were too few, there were barely one suspect for every death and they were cleared quickly. Copycat crime was a nice diversion but still there wasn't enough suspense to keep up the thrill. Also, I didn't understand why Lu and YM had to go through all the bothers to get an official divorce and stay a couple when they could easily just live separated. Ning only needed a relaxed home.


P.S: Out of seven deaths, two unattended ones excluded, I liked Liu Meng's posture the best. When Wei called the others to watch it from behind the frame, the lights, the set and the music were just great.

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Uneccesary remake, of a dated story-line.

The settling of a debt: the sins of the father laid upon one child. One punishment for having jerks for parents? Selling off your child and future grandchild in an all-in-one human trafficking moment. But then, both families were 'a piece of work' in both versions (2001, 2015) of this drama.

I do appreciate they toned down little sis' need to be the male lead's mistress in this version. Though early cringe moments can be heard as inappropriate shadows, left in dialog. As for the 2001 original rape scene; 2015 same scene, slightly consensual context (FL touches ML's back in fadeout), & same outcome. A bad remake, of a dated story-line. Not recommended.

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Love it or hate it, it's probably better than you think

Spoiler-free Review (as much as possible)

I think this is sort of a love-it-or-hate-it kind of show, in particular because there is a difference in tone between the first and second half that can make it frustrating for people who like a little magical realism rather than a full-on Taoist cultivation magic/gods are real/demonic creatures abound sort of fantasy.

Make no mistake though, despite the weirdly (and great!) "Steam Punk Sherlock Holmes in the Tang Dynasty" vibe of the first half, it is a full-on fantasy NOT a period piece with some "unexplainable-maybe-magic, acupuncture-just-works-for-some-reason, sure-people-can-jump-that-high, handwave handwave" sort of fantasy. It has all those elements, but they are grounded in the full mytho-religious scope of Chinese historical lore--akin to how Lord of the Rings is grounded in the full scope of European lore. In this show, magic and cultivation are real, are understood by people in this world to various degrees, and immortal cultivation is possible. If you are expecting this kind of world, the plot is perfectly comprehensible, and the choices characters make lead reasonably logically to the next scenario. If you are expecting minimal fantasy in a mostly "period" setting, it's going to throw you for about a million loops, especially after the magical quest picks up.

The romantic arc is, I think, explained well by a comment the Tang Empress makes maybe about a third of the way in: that a lasting relationship requires that couples have equality. She's not strictly speaking about a political kind of equality (like, it's not a feminist statement nor is she *exactly* talking about status). She is somewhat talking about feelings, somewhat about status, and somewhat about how they see each other--which encompasses feelings and status and respect. This, for me, was the reason the MC couldn't be together in the first half: they were unequal; and it drove many of the plot progressions in the second half.

Overall, if you hang in to the end *most* of the stuff that makes you go "huh?" is explained, and it's a really entertaining ride full of great acting. I recommend it to people who like fairly fluffy high fantasy with good characters and enjoy plots that take them for a ride.

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Spoiler-light review of the ending: was it happy or sad?

I have no particular issue with the ending in terms of *what happened*... but I did find the last scene weirdly abrupt and it took a while to interpret it. Key to understanding the ending is noting that the main characters are experiencing a calamity/tribulation (which is stated near the end by the character with the best grasp of what's going on). In Western romance, happy endings are required and are defined as the couple together. However, I find that in Chinese romances, when a couple's love is entwined with "the fate of the world," it usually requires some kind of significant sacrifice and they usually do not end up both alive and together. Just like Western romantic endings, these can be done well or poorly. In my opinion, the ending fit the story and the world-building, and it was increasingly clearly inevitable--as an ending largely should be. It does not fit the standard Western "happy ending" but at the same time, I wouldn't call it tragic or bad.

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Spolierish review of ending: what the heck was that last scene?

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Is Mu Le alive or dead? Well, the best interpretation I've seen (it is supported but subtle in the show; I read that this it is how the book explains it but I can't find an English translation of the book to confirm) is that he is the son of the goddess who made the beads. We see that the one egg shaped bead, which is the center one, survives. This is the bead in which Mu Le's spirit is sealed. So, basically Mu Le is a god. His mortal self perished, but he can't die. You can view the entire series as the "mortal tribulations" portion of a show like _Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms_ or _Ashes of Love_.

My personal take is that Ye Yuan An is also experiencing a mortal trial. Just a bit of head cannon; but based on the "equality" idea; that their love for each other is one that spans mortal and immortal status.

Anyway, because Mu Le is the god that seals the egg bead, him appearing at the end isn't just a sop to a happy ending after the inevitable sacrifice. It's actually him fulfilling his promise that if he has an afterlife, he'll spend it with her. So I would count it as a happy ending but presented in a not-very-satisfactory way.


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Full of details and random spoilers analysis of what I liked and disliked. Read at own risk :)


Things I liked:

The Second Lead Couple: fully developed characters and a reason to be together besides just 'cause

A lot of time second lead couples in stories where one or both was originally in a love triangle with the lead/leads feel like they were given to each other by the author as a consolation prize for everyone with second lead syndrome. Not so in this case. First of all, their relationship is rocky *at best* for most of the series. Second of all, they're actually perfect for each other, if they can make it through all the rockiness--which is the essence of a true OTP.

Ming hui, the princess, is initially an antagonist. She has an unlikable personality, although she shows a different side in a few moments of vulnerability. When we later learn of her good motives, her personality doesn't change, but our perspective of her has a chance to. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that her personality stays difficult. It's easy to hate Ming Hui, and the writer *could* have gone for the stereotype that equates difficult personalities with being a bad person. She *could* have had Ming Hui turn out to be a sweet person and her undercover personality a mere persona . And that would have been super boring.

Instead she challenged us to find the good in Ming Hui, to find what was likable and consider what was forgivable. And she showed up what growth looks like in a person who isn't exactly bad, but is kind of selfish and prickly. Ming Hui, although not having much redemption from the stuff she did under cover (it's kind of excused as "what she had to do"), does experience real growth as she first tries to brute-force her romance and then realizes that she was wrong, and finally starts to figure out how to be a genuine person to the one she loves.

Despite Ming Hui's unilateral initiation of their relationship, the pairing between her and Lan Zhi actually makes sense. She seems very cold and calculating, but while she is extremely pragmatic about her duty and what she has to do to achieve her goals, she's actually very impulsive and emotional in her relationships. This leads to her initially hating Lan Zhi and Ye Yuan An. In my opinion, hating Ye Yuan An didn't make much sense, other than that Mu Le rescued everyone and her servant was the only one that died. But as the series went on, it became more and more obvious that Ming Hui and Ye Yuan An had these parallel experiences with loving a slave and being unable to do anything about that love (including admitting it to themselves). So I think that Ming Hui hated Ye Yuan An so much because Ye Yuan An still had Mu Le, whereas Ming Hui's love was dead.

But as time goes on and Ming Hui keeps encountering Lan Zhi, she has unsettling experiences with him that make her feel valued and seen, something she hasn't had much of in her life. He has also been the only person to see the potential goodness in her when she was undercover, and believe that she could do the right thing.

She feels strongly but has no confidants and isn't at ease being vulnerable, which means that she tends to repress her emotions to the point where they bubble out into irrational decisions. This means that when she takes such drastic actions to force Lan Zhi to marry her, he isn't able to take her claim to love him seriously. He believes her demand is about the rivalry with Ye Yuan An, not about any actual feelings for him.

Some people felt disappointed that he wasn't the ML. But I think the writer established that he wasn't right for her very early and in repeated ways. Whereas he sees the goodness in Ming Hui when she's putting up a front, he doesn't see the suffering or vulnerability of Ye Yuan An when SHE's putting up a front, nor does he recognize her as someone who has as strong a moral code and as much a need to act on it as he does. In short, he never actually recognizes their equality (in the sense the Queen talked about). In fact, he much more recognizes his equality with Ming Hui, as when he relates his childhood story of becoming a good person to her difficulties and potential for doing the same.

Lan Zhi's arc actually parallels hers a bit. His personality is also difficult. He tends to hide behind the letter of the law whenever faced with complexity. He is very judgmental and while he is fair, he is not kind. He can be selfish: although he said he wanted Mu Le in the army so Mu Le could gain some merits, he really wanted Mu Le away from Ye Yuan An. It was obviously going to end terribly (a supernaturally strong man who ignores propriety and will only somewhat take orders from one person who is not in the army is supposed to do well in the army??? No. Lan Zhi. You did not actually think that was how it was going to go.). He does not express his feelings to the people he cares about and his bearing is so rigidly law-abiding that it's easy for the people he loves to believe his feelings for them are not deep.

With Ming Hui, he has to learn a bit about forgiveness, and how to let go of the past. He learns to be more flexible, more vulnerable, and more expressive--but none of this to the extent that feels like a personality rewrite. I also like that he never comes to hate or distance himself from Ye Yuan An. Like, we get the definite feeling he's stopped pining for her and started loving his wife. But she's still his friend, she's still important to him. And it's still a difficulty in their relationship, which just read as really true.

You can totally imagine how them as a main couple would make for a sort of typical "arranged marriage, enemies to lovers" story, but enjoy it as a less developed side story because it's elements are in so many ways done to death.

.... okay.... this is crazy long. To be continued, maybe :D

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Disappointing

The storyline about past lives was really interesting but something fell flat about this show and I can only put that down to the 2 leads lack of chemistry. I really didnt care if they got together or not! Somehow the male lead just seemed flat and she was gorgeous and wore fantastic clothes but again just didnt really care for her! As to the kissing scenes- I get more affection from my dog!!! Is she against kissing in dramas / disliked the male actor/ just a bad kisser?!!
There were a few factors I found dislikeable
- his manipulation of her - what a nasty way to get close to her. Altering her memories ? How dare he?! Im surprised she grew to like him and perhaps thats what is missing - apart from"Fate" what did these two even like about their present personalities?
- his past 2 lives deceiving her- just why do writers put this outdated notion of man acting ostensibly in best interest of woman by sarificing themselves. No respect or trust.
- mothers actions - distasteful and ridiculous.
After episode 8 I just fast forwarded to get the gist!!
The second male was great and the best thing about this show!! The parents were funny to start with but even their funny scenes became monotonous!

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Favorite Thai Drama To Date!!!

This is an ongoing drama, so I haven't seen the end yet. But I felt compelled to write a review of this drama from what I've seen so far. The male lead is absolutely amazing! He's so adorable, and as the drama goes on, you can see the look of love in his eyes when he sees the female lead. He is green flags everywhere. I love how accepting he is of the female lead despite her crazy family and weird personality. I absolutely love it. The female lead, I absolutely love her too! She's adorable, kind, funny, and brings out more goodness in the male lead. She also gives him love that he never received while growing up. They are such a perfect match for each other.

The story line is impeccable. The cast is so well picked, and the characters are so funny! They just add to the story. If you are considering watching this, I definitely say, "GO FOR IT!" I can't wait to see how the story will end.

UPDATE:

I have officially finished the drama and let me tell you. This drama is worth watching. Most people say it's a slow burn romance, which... it is. But for me it didn't feel that way. It didn't feel that way because I was entertained the whole show. The main leads romance was cute and adorable, and I loved seeing how the ML fell first. Were there characters that got on my nerves? Sure. But there are always characters we don't like. I enjoyed pretty much the whole cast, and they did a splendid job with this drama. If you like romance with green flag main leads, which includes a cute and perky FL who helps the ML break out of his shell, with fun friends, coworkers, and family, this drama is definitely for you. Watch this drama, you won't regret it.

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I'm conflicted with this one. Small disclaimer, I haven't read the manga, so all opinions on this review relate to the drama specifically.

Let's start by saying that I love Naomi Watanabe. A recurring problem I have with her dramas is that she's either most often pushed to the side as a supporting character/comic relief or, when she's lead, they tend to not let her shine in what she does best. For example, Five Star Tourist was a really good drama that I enjoyed a lot but they hid her behind a pretty bad wig, dull clothes and a personality that didn't let her do the most she could do. This drama lets her be 100% unapologetically herself: Kanna is funny, outspoken, stylish, everything we all love about her. And the plot doesn't revolve around her being plus size, another very recurrent issue in dramas that star plus size leads. She's also playing a fashion designer, on top of that, which is fantastic, considering she has her own clothing line in real life. So far so good.

Another great thing about the drama is that Kanna's relationships with female characters are very complex and interesting. Even the ladies that start being seen as "rivals" end up developing in something less archetypal and more human, which allows for her character to develop as well with these relationships. To be honest, some of these ladies (at least 3 that I counted) end up having more developed relationships with her than the male characters they pair her up with.

Now, if that would have been the drama (which is what the plot up there makes it out to be), if it had been all about Kanna facing life as a divorced mother with a dream to fulfill and bills to pay and facing the world through friendships and heartbreaks one day at a time, that would have been great. But enter the entire plot of Kaname Jun's character, Kanna's cheating husband, Rei (and his god awful parents).

My main issue with Rei's character, believe it or not, isn't that he's a terrible person (you need to read the plot or watch just episode 1 to see that). My problem is that they attempt, throughout the series, to give him a redemption arc, without actually focusing on him understanding his mistakes but just saying that he does and trying to fix them with money and things.  It is possible to have redemption arcs with these kinds of characters without compromising the agency of the female lead or the aim of the story. A good example of this is Mondai No Aru Restaurant or even Mother Game, where the reason why the jerk guy faces his mistakes is because he finally understands empathy and sees what he's putting the female character through, but that does not immediately grant them forgiveness (Mondai No Aru Restaurant handled it amazingly well with Higashide Masahiro's character). Rei's arc is about karma punishing him, more so than empathy, so the audience would feel sorry enough for his poor soul to forgive him out of sheer pity rather than having him actually show his understanding of what he's done, besides trying to fix it with material things and empty words.

From any other drama, I would have probably let it pass with an epic eye-roll and a huge sigh. If this was yet another Ishihara Satomi/Kiritani Mirei josei drama of the last few years, I would have expected that sort of thing. But this was Naomi Watanabe kicking butt, being a strong female lead, inspiring me to keep going, and it deserved better than weak male leads raining on the plot's parade. And I'm not even gonna talk much about the character of Rei's mother, but picture the worst mother in law you've seen in a josei adaptation and multiply her annoyance times 10.

The acting is pretty good in this drama, it's very well directed, the clothes Naomi wears are fantastic (the ones she designs, I'm not so sure), it has emotional moments and funny moments, strong friendships and cool female characters, it's overall enjoyable. It just could have been so much more of that without wasting its time in an arc that went against the idea of the story.

I'll keep waiting for the drama that 100% is what Naomi Watanabe deserves as a lead.

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Just me passionately waxing poetic on The Devil Judge:

For more visual experience:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C04SC4ENuRD/

In a futuristic-dystopic South Korea, three charismatic judges are appointed for a live court show. Citizens have the agency to cast judgment on the defendants as the trials and verdicts are broadcast in real-time. Unknown to the public, our lead judge, Kang Yohan, plans to take down the corrupt government. However, he is challenged by his subordinate, Kim Gaon, and an ambitious secretary, Jung Sun Ah. They fight, they hate, they fall for one another, and they do more amazing things...

Sexy, shiny, and unapologetically cruel, "The Devil Judge" tells the story of broken souls yearning for revenge within their shattered dreams. Mind you, the trials are so over-the-top and can be illogical, but stay calm; that is dystopia. "A trial is a game; fail to serve evidence, you lose," said Kang Yohan. This is not only true for these trials but also perfectly describes our leads' arcs. The evil scheming is fun, ridiculous, and never boring as we’re constantly rewarded by thought-provoking and intense twists. I also appreciate the cinematic sets and aesthetics in this drama.

Of course, I have to talk about the masterfully-written characters. First, the complex, well-spoken Yohan, brought to life by Ji Sung with his arrogance, elegant sensuality, his smirk, and his wink that is worth A-Million-Dollar-Swoon. Just as impressive as him, Park Jin Young as the feisty and smart Gaon is an appropriate match for Yohan. Whoever cast them goes to heaven! Also, Kim Min Jung as Sunah is one of the greatest femme fatales whose presence dominates everyone. Her motivation is intriguing and a delight to see.

Beyond a law-revenge drama, we have a subtle but deep romance that keeps you thrilled throughout the entire drama (and I am not lying). Shrouded in the shades of Beauty and the Beast, Yohan is like a loner Beast who wants Gaon by his side even when Gaon hates him, while Gaon is obsessed with Yohan, at the same time he hates Yohan since he is such a hypocrite, but Gaon still finds truth in his words. They have the best chemistry beyond their dialogues and gestures, in silence and behind the scenes. They are constantly skating on each other's vulnerability while playing out power roles in fascinating ways.

TL;DR: Yohan and Gaon are made for each other, and I can never get over them (Oh my GaHan!) Furthermore, it's beautiful to watch their bond heal each other, giving warmth to Yohan's family, which story I won't delve into to prevent spoilers, but there is Elijah as Yohan's sole family member and there is a mystery to why they ended up this way. There's just so much love in this dysfunctional family; without it, the drama would not be as wholesome.

Honestly, I could go on, and it wouldn't be enough to express my passion, but I will stop here and I hope you won't miss watching this drama if you haven't seen it. I would recommend “The Devil Judge” to all.

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Gorgeous, Sincere, and Compassionate

I'd heard people calling this show a masterpiece and thought "Right, sure, whatever." And then, of course, I actually saw it.

This show is incredibly compassionate and detailed - perhaps more so than any queer movie or television show ever aired. Rather than attempting to placate viewers with BL tropes, this show steps into a queer mindset and asks "How would it really happen?" and "What are the real internal obstacles to this love?" There's never an attempt to insert artificial drama. No evil exes, no random tragedies, no one-dimensional homophobic bullies. Teh and Oh are multi-faceted characters with dreams of their own, trying to figure out what is going on between them, because it isn't clear - as it often isn't in real life. Is this friendship? Is this love? How do they know? With no role models, no representation, Teh and Oh are left on their own trying to figure what is happening between them and many of the side characters are eventually brought into the crossfires. At times, everyone behaves poorly, and it is abundantly clear from the acting of the cast that each actor portrays their character as if they themselves are the main character.

As for the story: there are scenes here that are so lovingly and sensitively portrayed that you can't help watch them over and over again. There's also a concerted effort to show, not tell - red hibiscus vs purple hibiscus, the smell of coconut shampoo, the evolution of the back massage. Each character has a rich psychological framework they are operating out of, and the show displays their inner life with an enormous amount of non-verbal scenes. At times, I think there's almost too much detail in the stares for the average person, but I'm not sure how much of a cultural background features into eye contact. Do Thai people stare at each other that much and that long? I mean, maybe right? As an American, I can't exactly say. The story comes across as very Thai, as well, and at times Americans (and maybe other non-Thai folk?) may struggle to figure out exactly what's happening, given the inclusion of a myriad of Thai customs not always explained to the non-Thai perspective. Some people might complain that the story moves too slowly - but I would argue that it goes at an extremely believable pace, even slightly too quickly. For instance, some of the necessary backbone of Teh and Oh's relationship is glossed over as the story moves into their romance. People eager for their romantic interactions might not mind, and PP Krit and Billkin certainly have great chemistry. But on the most technical level, I think we needed to see more of what Teh and Oh like about each other as people. They're certainly playful and they understand each other extremely well; they also share a passion for acting. But I don't think it's ever made clear why exactly Teh is so in love with Oh. To be fair, Thai BL rarely explain the logic behind the passion, and teenagers in general tend to be less logical about these sorts of things, but a little more logic might have given the show a more mature perspective. Towards the end, there's maybe one or two scenes (I'm thinking specifically the Chinese New Year scene) that feel like they're milking the emotions more than necessary - I'd argue we could have done without Teh and the song and just had a red hibiscus make its appearance to be effective. But other than that, there really is so much stunning writing and deeply honest conflict that makes the story feel unique, believable, and genuine in its attempt to explore the lows and highs of the characters.

The acting: I mean, it is definitely good - and in part due to the director. The director has such a strong sense of the smallness of looks and touches. It's all very subtle, but very detailed. Again, all actors give their characters complex and specific interior lives. The chemistry is also really lovely between Billkin and PP. And of course, the actors who play Tarn and Hoon are just wonderful.

The music: absolutely stunning. All of it. Sensitive and - as I think I saw another review put it - wise. And there's such a tenderness and compassion in the music; you can tell that the composer really loves these characters and so hopes they find happiness. There's also a lot of emotional complexity to the music which greatly aids scenes that are extremely subtle. You will more than likely be humming a few of these songs when the show is over.

The cinematography: also, absolutely stunning. Careful, lavish, meticulously thought-out, very high production. This is a project that people really, truly cared about, and it shows on every level.

Rewatch value: I NEVER rewatch BL dramas, but I've watched nearly ever scene about three or four times now. Again, every scene is so complex - there is so much hidden symbolism and psychological warfare - that you won't be able to pick up on everything the first time around. But as you rewatch, things just become clearer and richer. And there is SO much to talk about. I Told Sunset About You investigates queer love with an honesty unparalleled at this point and there are scenes and conflicts wholly accurate to the queer experience that have never been displayed before. I Told Sunset About You never tries (or almost never tries) to make the experience melodramatic - it is sincerely invested in helping you see how difficult - and how beautiful - queer love truly is.

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