Reviews

This series is wowwww

Through this review I want to tell all of you to watch this series. This series is highly recommended to all of you . I know the storyline includes angels and you might not wanna see the series but believe me this series is just great wonderful and beautifullllllll. You can understand from the stars I gave this show that how perfect this show is from the acting to storyline everything is on point. You will fall in love with the male lead. You will cry everytime with the female lead. This series will make a seperate place in your heart.
I love this drama. One of my favourite thai dramas
Please watch this!
This series deserves attention ☺️

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A new standard for romance / BLs - a masterpiece

I actually signed up for an account just to write a review for this. That is just how amazing this production was.

STORY
This isn't your typical coming-of-age drama/movie. Most dramas tend to follow the same plotline of "straight guy falls in love with gay guy, finally has an epiphany and gets together" troupe. However, ITSAY adds an additional layer, as it deals with what most people struggling with their sexuality feel in their lives: denial, the inability to discuss this issue with family, societal pressures of marriage and being a "good son". ITSAY gives justice to all these issues and brings hope to watchers who may be facing the same issues. Really well-written script, tugs the heartstrings, giving the romance while also dealing with these issues. Very well done and amazing analogies and hidden symbols. Brings in so many more layers to the story.

Also, can I just say that it not only has the most beautiful kiss scene but even without any kiss, you can feel the yearn and desire Teh and Oh-aew had for each other. It's just so beautiful.

ACTING
Every actor gave their all in this series and it can be seen. There are many emotional scenes but every actor/actress managed to pull off the emotions and giving the story a lot more depth and character/story development. I would have to commend Billkin for being able to showcase the inner conflicts that one deals with in regards to their sexuality. PP Krit also did a fantastic job with the emotional scenes and the wish to have a "normal love" with the bra scene and the scene after the kiss scene where he had to accept Teh's unwillingness to accept his sexuality. Smile and PP Khunpol also did and amazing job in the rejection for their unrequited love. Also Teh's mother. 10/10.

MUSIC
There is nothing more to say that it is so amazing. "Skyline", just like what P'Boss mentioned, really makes you miss someone even if you don't understand the lyrics. The other OST, "Lost in Translation" also gives one the feeling of the yearning of love and the softness that love will bring into your world. Really amazing, and the absence of music in important scenes also adds another layer of depth into the story and emotions of the scene. 10/10.

REWATCH VALUE
Definitely. You would want to rewatch it again to see if you have missed out on any of the symbolism such as the "color theory" of Teh, Oh-aew and Tharn where Teh = blue, Oh-aew = red and Tharn = purple. And who wouldn't want to watch this sweet relationship again?

OVERALL
Really well done. For the fact that Goy wrote the script after interviewing the actors shows just how much thought and dedication went into making this drama. The production team came very well with the actors to deliver this masterpiece. Even with COVID, they managed to produce such an amazing drama. This series is no longer a "drama" but rather, a work of art. A definite must-watch even if one isn't into BLs. It shows the beauty of two humans falling in love.

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WOULD IT KILL YOU BOTH TO COMMUNICATE JUST ONCE?

No.

This was not good. At all. How anyone can get behind this is unimaginable to me. Kuea and Lian had no chemistry and just lied to each other the whole time. Chuck a couple of NC scenes in there and you think I’ll forget about it? No.

The plot was even more of mess and the characters were unlikable. Never once did I feel like they “fell in love.” Literally just 12 episodes of pure lies and conflicts that weren’t resolved by the end. Communication does not exist in the Cutie Pie universe!

Yi and Diao were cute but they need to learn to communicate too. They at least showed some feelings for each other.

The only thing stopping this from being a total train wreck was the third couple: Syn and Nuer. I loved them so much! But even so, they hardly got any screen time and were not given the opportunity to shine like the healthy and cute couple that they were! The soundtrack also slapped, I’ll give it that.

But I literally lost my sanity watching this series. I don’t recommend it at all. Someone get BounPrem out of there, they don’t deserve this.

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Also known as Love, Life And Liberation

You might enjoy if you like character-based angst that's well acted, food tidbits from various cuisines, and can find satisfaction in a romance with physical attraction that doesn't actually get physical beyond holding hands.

It's helpful to watch through the credits to the end of each episode because sometimes there's a bit more to see (often a flashback to high school)!

General Spoilers below.
Love, Life And Liberation is a much more fitting title. The title Naked Dining is completely misleading. This is a very PG romance and the only "kiss" is a slight press of lips while one of them is mostly asleep. Even so, the growing mental and physical attraction is felt, especially from Sota. And that's important because he's the character that didn't know he could be attracted to men, and so him falling for Mahiro as more than a friend is believable. It does not feel like "just a bromance" as some other JBL series with similar character progressions do.

Sota's confusion and progression of feelings for Mahiro were well-paced and very believable. His missteps while he struggles with that and his fear of losing Mahiro's friendship may be messy but are understandable.

Mahiro runs away from things a lot, even (or especially) things that he wants, which at first kind of irked me until I thought more about it. It's an instinctive defensive mechanism for fear; to avoid disappointment, rejection, or negative judgment. While this can be frusterating for the audience, there are people who really do behave this way. Mahiro's hesitancy and fear are noticeable even in the high school flashbacks so it seems life has reinforced this response in him. And I can understand him not wanting to be a sexuality "experiment" for the person he's in love with.

There are a LOT of misunderstandings, but they are also at least fundamentally understandable. What's different in this series is that the characters do actually try to communicate with each other! But often their fears lead them to either put on a brave face or to filter what the other person is saying to match what they *expect* to be said. This type of thing actually happens a lot in real life, so even though the misunderstandings are drawn out dramatically, it didn't annoy me too much because I could understand the progression. And the misunderstandings here really have a cascading effect. (They do get resolved satisfactorily.)

The actors were great, especially Kondo Shori as Sota. They made me smile and also tugged so hard at my heartstrings that I teared up. The secondary characters are well acted and likeable too.

The series is character-focused without much plot. I was really happy that they made 12 episodes (20-25min each) instead of 10 because the character and relationship arcs felt complete. The last few episodes didn't feel rushed like many 10 episode BLs do.

The cinematography was good and the music was okay but not memorable.

It left me feeling very satisfied and I could see myself watching this again at some point. Sota's character arc was especially well acted and I'll want to see that again.

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This drama played 5 days a week, for 119 episodes. As expected, the pace is a bit slow.
The overall story is told like a parable. Money can not be taken to the grave. Selfishness is not rewarded with love. The ending for each character is according to whether they Endure with a pure heart, were tempted to the dark side, or if they learn to be Generous with possessions and giving in love.
The first episode was a bit awkward. The Cat theme was a little weird until you understand how they are tying it into the story.
I am glad I hung in there.
I really enjoyed it and after 22 weeks, I am going to miss the characters.

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Almost Had It

Paint with Love was so close to being something so endearing and worthwhile, except, it throws itself under the bus after a good handful of episodes. This entire thing was just a roller coaster ride and one that you desperately wanted to get off of after the first drop. Some characters were likable until they continued to repeat their same mistakes and others were just such a nuisance that I continued to skip their scenes. It felt like we got somewhere, and then in the next episode, we'd take 20 steps back. The inconsistency and the lack thereof cause a shift in the overall mood of the series, and it sways you from wanting to finish versus trying to finish.

Let's Dive In.

I was happy to see a new BL that didn't follow down the usual paths we see. No uni students, no overplayed tropes, no bitter ex-girlfriend, no top/bottom slews, The characters were mature, career-driven, had the compacity to live like adults and work like one too. and I was excited. The overall mood and feel of the series was different too; a good type of difference, one that I was willing to accept. Singto plays Maze, this very stern workaholic serious about his company. A work inquiry requires him to hire an artist, Phap, who is the complete opposite of Maze. He's easy-going, laid-back, does what he wants, not what he needs. Their dynamics clash, causing drifts over and over again, until eventually, they realize how much they really do need each other.

Let's start off with what I really liked out of this series: I liked everyone's compatibility in the office. I never really disliked the scenes that consist of everyone. They were the funnier parts, the parts where I could tell the cast outside of their characters, got along very well.

Maze and Phap's intimate moments were handled very well. I liked how I didn't have to sit through chaste kisses, or awkward touching, it was genuinely a joy to watch. I enjoyed how the camera focused on their expressions, taking a moment right before they kissed to collectively draw in how much they wanted to touch each other. Excellent job.

Weirdly enough, I think I liked the dynamic of Kuea and Elle way more than I did with Tharn and Nueng. We didn't see too much of a build-up with them, similar to Tharn and Nueng, but watching Kuea being a shy mess around Elle was precious. When he finally does confess his feelings, I caught myself smiling. A good job indeed.

The wardrobe department did an excellent job, including the set designers. My favorite setting was Phap's house. You can see how detailed they were at making sure each thing matched his personality perfectly. The suits on Singto looked so nice, the outfits on the female characters were also a good touch. A big clap for those parts of the crew. Something I don't usually shout out, but the title sequence was gorgeous. Instead of skipping it, I found myself watching it each time. Someone really added their arm and leg into that thing. Really nice.

Moving on to what I wasn't so fond of: Obviously, Maze and Phap. I felt no chemistry whatsoever. I felt two characters who continued to bicker and bicker, which led them nowhere. When they do kiss for the first time, while a beautiful moment, it didn't bring anything out of me. No excitement, no butterflies, no nothing. it didn't feel like we were building up to anything, there was no climax during that kiss, there was no meaning behind it. Phap's sudden liking to Maze felt forced. Where did it come from? and What caused you to like him? Was it his nasty demeanor? His constant criticizing? I will say that it gets better by a couple of last episodes, but it's disappointing that it takes that long to get there. I wish the screenwriters would've done more. I think the connection between Singto and Tae wasn't really there. Whether that was because they were brand new to each other or not, we'll never know, but everything felt oddly one-sided. Like Tae would give it his all, and then in the next episode, it would only be Singto giving it his all. I think a better connection between them could've created a better form for their characters as well. On top of that, I didn't like how argumentive their entire relationship was. It's cute at the beginning, but by the end, it's tiresome. It felt like they would say one thing, and in the next moment, they're insulting each other. This happens multiple times and caused me to use the skip button more frequently.

Moving onto my next argument; the acting. I think my favorite was by far Tae. He did an amazing job at playing Phap. His charismatic side, his charming side, his dark side, all of it was so well. I loved how he was able to do such a good job of expressing himself. Singto, on the other hand, didn't feel as authentic. I want to blame it on the screenwriters, but part of me knows that's not the problem. Singto does a great job at expressing his emotions through his voice, but his face and eyes tell a different story. I don't know, I just could never really believe what he was playing. Instead, I kept seeing Singto and not Maze.

Tharn and Nueng were cute but that was it. They had no time for a build-up. So when they get together, you're just like, "awe, cute" but that's it. Nueng was a weird character for sure. I didn't like how he treated Phap, and I won't take the, "I-was-doing-this-for-you-so-that-the-guy-you-like-can-realize-his-feelings-for-you" crap. He was mean, the way he treated Tharn wasn't all that good either, but whatever. I've only seen Yoon in Y-destiny and Close Friend (cause I literally can't sit through YYY) and from what I've seen, he's not terrible, but could definitely use some work. He was used here as a pretty face, a "BL" celebrity, if you will. with some more work, he could definitely be better.

Ratings:

Story: 7.5 - Not as strong as it could've been. Some good points, but it's all taken over by the other not-so-good stuff.

Acting: 8 - Tae takes more than half this score. some others I liked were Yacht, Elle, Kuea, Sprite, and Nae. Singto and Yoon were probably the weaker links.

Music: 7 - Seemingly enjoyable to listen to. I liked watching the title sequence, which is where half this score is coming from.

Rewatch Value: 1 - Got to move on. This series was also incredibly long, with some parts being extremely boring, so there's no chance I'll rewatch.


Do I recommend this? Eh, kind of. If you love Singto or Tae, then yes. If you don't know who either of them are, then probably not. It's a long series to sit through, especially with some parts being slow and boring. If it were able to tackle some of the problems I bring up, then I think this would've been a very enjoyable series.

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As i was watching these whole episodes, i personally would like to say that this vlog is one of the best travel videos i have seen as this was done with a perfect balance of a simple but unique storytelling structure keeping us viewers engaged throughout the entire length of the video and leaving us wanting more. It speaks about creating memories with his dear friends while exploring NYC and Niagara Falls and having a good shots of people and history of landmark. Its a different side of Jung Hae In sharing his simplicity and power to inspire and share stories encompassing best memories from his travel experience. Wow! This makes me want to visit the city again.

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As average as it gets

A typical tropey drama with a mix of good and bad moments.

The drama started off nicely and I enjoyed seeing them fall in love. The main couple acted well and looked good together although their chemistry was a bit lacking. There were plot holes throughout and while I managed to ignore some, others were too incredulous and I started getting disconnected from the drama.

I appreciate that the ending was not the typical rushed type and there was a sweet albeit predictable twist to tug at your heart strings.

Some plot holes towards the end of this drama that made me laugh:
1. During a confrontation on an open area, the ML and his soldiers managed to suddenly surround the bad guys in a blink of an eye without the bad guys seeing them coming… it was an open area…
2. The FL fell off a cliff and got washed to shore and looked like she hurt her leg. Next scene shows her running like she doesn’t have any injuries…
3. FL’s foster father was on a ship at sea and wondering if the FL lead survived the fall from the cliff and in walks the FL much to his joy and my confusion… the ship was at sea… how did she come on board without anyone noticing? Nope, she didn’t swim as she was not wet.
4. The ML‘s cousin is heavily pregnant and is supported by her husband when she walks but in the next moment, she joins her husband and the others in jumping and prancing around the main couple throwing petals in the air to celebrate their union :D

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A REALISTIC FAIRYTALE

Yes, my review title might seem like an oxymoron, but it is the best way in which I can describe this drama. I didn’t know what to expect, since I quite literally stumbled across it after watching a slew of subpar ‘drama classics’. The title intrigued me and I thought: “Alright, this may just be a complete waste of my time or one of the best decisions I have ever made.” And I’m so glad that it’s the latter.

First of all, I adore the format in which this drama is presented to us. Each episode is named after a fairytale of some sort and more often than not it mirrors what the episode is about. It’s stunningly shot to boot. The first meeting of Gang Tae and Mun Yeong, under those cherry blossoms straight up reminds me of a Disney movie. But don’t be fooled.

This drama is teetering on that beautiful line between realism and surrealism, by tastefully presenting and discussing themes surrounding mental health in a surrounding and with characters who still make you feel like you’re a part of their world. Our troublesome trio Gang Tae, Mun Yeong and Sang Tae form a bond that is seldom seen in dramas. A familial bond made through similar pain, understanding and experiences, since they are all outcasts in their own way.

I don’t have enough praise for the acting. Genuinely, these actors deserve global popularity and recognition for their work here. The way they work off of each other is beautiful to see. Oh Jun-se really blew me away with this role. He’s a really talented actor and I hope to see him in awesome projects like this one! Seo Ye-ji and Kim Soo-hyun don’t fall behind either. They are a bomb together, in the best possible way. I’ve seen that Ye-ji is quite self conscious about her voice but I love it, and her. It takes a lot of talent to play a role so different from your personality so convincingly.

This drama is a really dark, twisted delight and I could relate to Mun Yeong more than I’d like to admit. In fact, there was one scene with her father that seemed like it was outright pulled from my life.

The soundtrack is also beautifully haunting and appropriate. Now for the cons, of which I only really have two. A big one would be the character of Mun Yeong’s mother and the way she was handled. I would’ve preferred if she wasn’t even shown fully or if they wanted to show her then it would seem highly appropriate to have Mun Yeong deal with her primarily, instead of having Gang Tae be that resolving link. It was a nonsensical decision in writing which has, so far shown to be exceptional. It is a clunky blip in an otherwise tight storybook. I would’ve also liked to see character development for other characters.

Alas, it is still an amazing body of work and has my GLOWING recommendation. We absolutely need more dramas like this.

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FATE, FORGIVENESS & FAMILY…

Ended up watching this a second time, first on Viki and then came across it on Netflix recently. It definitely made my Fave List since I loved everything about it. The FL’s fangirling was funny enough the entire show but each character had their own moments of humor I also enjoyed. Lots of familiar faces like Kim Sun Young (Cindy’s mom was ridiculously funny) did a great job playing that character, Park Jin Joo (the bestie) she’s always cute in anything she plays and of course, you can’t miss the big guy Ahn Bo Hyun, just love him! Great casting!

Like most dramas, the main characters are usually “fated” from the beginning, right? Guess it usually works for good storytelling. Then comes the amount of “forgiveness & acceptance” from that fated past which I found to be a very big deal with the ML’s character (you’ll see it for yourself when you watch it, have the tissues ready). In the end, it reminded me of how important family is and really, it’s not always about lineage. I think most of us have loved ones we call “family” but are not necessarily blood related.

Yes, sometimes a show can have those “extra fillers or drag” that might bore us but overall, I liked this one. The setting of the museum, art and paintings tied in very well with the storyline. When the soundtrack music is pleasant and catchy, you’ll end up singing along with it every episode. The mature relationship of the ML and FL was quite tender, they had so many loving (and sexy) moments it would make my heart flutter. If you enjoy a good RomCom, this is worth watching… enjoy!

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Tropes: rich/poor, boss/employee, enemies to lovers, office setting, cohabitation

This is a solid little office set KBL about a rich kid who ends up both the boss and tenant of a total sweetheart cutie, and falls madly in love with him. Although the show suffered from KBL’s shorter length, I love the kissable lips pair and they deliver solid all round chemistry despite limited screen time, which is rare from Korea. So I hope they stay branded and we get even more from them in the future.

Ultimately I recommend this show, a solid 8/10.

If Japan didn’t dominate the office BL niche with shows like Cherry Magic and Old Fashion Cupcake this BL probably would get higher marks for me. But it’s a difficult hill to climb (although I’m delighted to see Korea try). Even though Japan and Korea often give us the same length shows, I feel the brevity in the Korean stuff in a way that I don’t with the Japanese stuff. Frankly I think it’s Japan’s sophisticated cinematography facilitating the complexity required by shortness (what’s left out has to be implied by the lens and the acting) where Korea’s more commercial and simplistic style (which works great in longer Kdramas or something like Light On Me) falls short (pun intended) with their short KBLs.

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Many plot twists and suspense

This drama is one of my favorites! The story has many plot twists and many revelations at the end that surprised me very much. It also explain how society would work if we were in 2035 with synths. The story questions us on the meaning of being a human. The acting is very good, we could actually believe that they are robots, not only the movements, but also the way they speak. As for the "humans" the acting is also very good, they portray their emotions perfectly, etc. I personally really love the music, because they represent what's going on with the story. The opening and ending song are also very representative of the main characters and story if you understand the lyrics. I could definitely rewatch this drama and enjoy as if I watch it for the first time. I do not really understand why there are not many people who are watching this, maybe because it's the lack of subtitles, or because people find the Swedish or British version better, so they won't watch this one. The ending is like a happy/open ending, like there a new characters who are introduced, but we don't know who they are. I think that maybe they will produce a second season, but I am not sure. Overall, I really recommend this drama, because the story is very well written.

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Good season 2 that doesn't take itself too seriously

This is a sweet and enjoyable mini-show - and a second season that is just as good as the first season. The storyline based on amnesia and a lot of distrust and misunderstandings is interesting even if it is a bit cliché. Normally I skip shows with the amnesia-tag because I dislike that kind of stories. Since I watched season 1 and know that the show doesn’t take itself too seriously, I decided to watch it anyway. I’m glad I did because it is both fun and interesting without any fillers (one of the things I love most about these mini-shows). I did miss the second child we were “promised” at the end of season 1 but I can live with that, LOL.
So, if you want something that is fast, funny, romantic and a bit dramatic - without being too serious - this is definitely worth watching.

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