When I watched this series, the character I was most drawn to was the female lead. There was something unusual about her that I couldn't figure out. Every episodes the writer would drop hints here and there, but I wasn't able to put the puzzles together until it was revealed. The second half of the series focused on the main guy past. Anyway, I enjoyed the entire series very much. I watched every episodes because I was intrigues with the storyline. The romance blended in perfectly in this drama too. Definitely the director, writer, producer, and the casts deserve recognition for this great series.
Some viewers complained about the soundtrack in this series. I, on the hand, enjoyed the soundtrack in this series and thought it suited the drama perfectly.
Would I recommend this series? Since this series focus on serious real life circumstances, I would only recommend for adult or mature viewers only.
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For sake of argument, I am going to share something very personal. In 2009 I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This isn't a condition that you catch like a cold, but rather one that manifests at a certain age and snowballs until it's nearly impossible to function. You can't prevent it through proper care, you can't always predict its onset and you certainly can't run from it. Essentially, bipolar disorder means I suffer from violent mood swings - severe bouts of depression and self-destructive manic states. Most people are familiar with depression on some level, but the idea of a manic state is foreign so I'll take a moment to explain it. If depression is an extreme state of sadness or hopelessness, you can think of mania as an extreme state of happiness. It's generally characterized by impulsive (and often destructive) decisions, lack of sleep and is almost always accompanied by the physical feeling of euphoria (you can think of this as something similar to the effects of several drugs like ecstasy.) This state is the most dangerous and, for me personally, meant that I would blow through money on drugs and alcohol, ostracize my friends and family because of an uncontrollable temper and sail off into the sunset feeling invincible. These impulses left my life in ruins.
I crashed hard during my third semester of college and had to withdraw. At my worst I was suicidal, faced with a crippling loneliness that I had never felt before. You can think of it like standing knee- deep and staring into a dark pool of water. The only light is the reflection of your own eyes and even those seem foreign to you. If you shout you're greeted by a distorted echo that you recognize as your own, but it's masked by an alien quality. In this sense, mental disorders create two yous; the you that you're familiar with and the stranger you can't recognize beyond a silhouette and the stain it leaves behind. You're a prisoner in your own body and every single day you feel yourself inching closer and closer to the water.
If there is a single safe harbor in all of this, it's love. When two souls dredge through the fire and connect, the bond can become unbreakable. Empathy is the great uniter; shared pain is like cement. Love will harden through pain. Two souls become pillars, lifting the other out of the water and into the sky. This is what separates this drama from the rest. This is why It's Okay, That's Love is a masterpiece.
Mental health is not a topic that is addressed very often in Korean dramas, and when it is it often comes across as comical. Mental health balances between something people think of as self-imposed, something you can shrug off if you try hard enough, and something to be afraid of. Because of this, it's usually presented as one of the two extremes: something too light, often existing as comic relief or a silly quirk meant to add flavor without substance, or as something too heavy, existing as some ethereal force that twists the mind into something less than human. It's Okay, That's Love is able to present something serious and keep a lighthearted tone without being insulting.
If you're looking at the melodrama tag and expecting something that borders on makjang, this drama is not that. The feeling of melancholy threads this drama together, but it does not weigh it down. You won't find endless sobbing, misunderstandings or two-dimensional characters. Instead, this drama showcases the marriage of two souls through unconditional love and growth. Love is strongest when flaws can fit together like a jig-saw puzzle, and the characters in this drama compliment each other perfectly. It's important to emphasize that these characters are flawed. Too often dramas shy away from characters with real problems and instead settle on external conflict to move the story in its entirety. The characters in these dramas are perfect outside of the experiences they undergo and the forces that act on them and it makes them two-dimensional. This is not the case in this drama. Most of the conflict is internal, but it's relatable and organic. Every single character is presented in a manner that allows you to love and empathize with them - it's a multi-layered story, the supporting cast is also very well-developed.
In addition to a perfect atmosphere, this drama does something almost unheard of in a Korean drama. It presents a love story that is not about the chase, but rather endurance. Adult topics such as sex, intimacy and trust are at the forefront and allow the drama to paint a picture of actual couplehood instead of traditional guy-chase-girl or girl-chase-guy fare. You'll watch the couple grow not only as individuals, but as loving creatures. It doesn't stop at love, either, the concept of friendship as a refuge is just as strong. The entire cast grows over the course of the show, and if you're anything like me, you will grow along side them.
I really can't gush enough about this drama. It's been a very long time since I watched something that resonated within me with such perfect harmony. The soundtrack captures the moods perfectly, the actors (from main to supporting) have realistic and beautiful chemistry. The melancholy is haunting, but it won't overwhelm you. I cried, I smiled, laughed and lived with this drama. I saw those two souls grow into a love so pristine that you honestly believe they cannot live without each other. The term soulmate can only apply when two people love each other unconditionally, and they both crossed the sea in a rowboat to reach it.
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Let me count them down with you:
1)Corrupt people in power who have successfully fooled the public into believing that they are good.
2)Our underdog hero and heroine who have a tragic past caused by the above mentioned corrupt people in power.
3)Our hero and heroine having coincidentally linked childhood history of some sorts.
4)An abundance of convenient plot-devices and complications that happen just for the sake of happening.
5)Rushed endings.
6)Our hero having magical powers that makes him have an IQ of 269, ninja fighting skills and a slightly whacked emotional quotient.
Yeah in 9/10 K-crime/law dramas this will happen. I bet my left tit on it. So if you are going to wear your granny glasses and make these the basis of judging what is original and what is not- you might as well save yourself the hassle and stop watching these altogether because by these standards you’re never going to find a drama that is “original”. Even if you do find one that seems different on the surface, I assure you it too will have a lot of typicalities in its core. And I say this in the nicest way possible ‘cause been there and done that.
So you ask me, Jeana, if they all tell more or less the same story what’s the point in watching? So glad you asked. The thing is, while the story may not be entirely never-before seen; the characters that tell the story and the way they tell it, is. And that makes all the difference.
Lawless Lawyer, in its core is also a typical crime/law drama and it has all those tropes I just mentioned above. However, the reason why it’s a must-watch is because it fulfills the goal all dramas strive to achieve: entertainment. And ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you this: LL is entertaining as fucking hell. It has moments that will have you cracking up, moments that will have you hold your breath in suspense even when you can already predict what’s going to happen and moments where your heart will fill with pride because of the characters you will surely come to love.
I’ve been eyeing Lee Joon Gi ever since I saw him single handedly carry the clusterfuck that was Scarlet Heart Ryeo on his beautiful broad shoulders. His acting chops are no joke. You bring him on the screen for two minutes and he’ll show you he isn’t playing. You know how we say that “some actors just emote with their eyes”? Yeah well, LJG emotes with the very flex of his jaw, the flick of his eyebrow, the tilt of his head- you name the part and the man will show you how to act with it. Simply put, he is brilliant. Which is why it’s literally a surprise to nobody that Bong Sang Pil is an extremely enigmatic character with madness in his eyes and gold in his heart. It was a joy to watch him and by the end of 16 episodes I was mighty fond of him.
Holding her own alongside LJG was our beautiful and talented Seo Ye Ji who first impressed me in Save Me and now won me over in LL. Her character had a solid backbone and she wasn’t afraid to show it. I usually have a bone to pick with beautiful actors -both male and female- because they rely heavily on their looks and decide to model their way through the episodes. Even when they are talented, you can see them take it easy and just roll through. I hate that and even my superficial tendency to fawn at pretty faces, masculine abs and collar bones isn’t enough to stop me from giving the drama a big fat 4 if I felt like the actor relied more on looks than putting in work. Here however, both LJG and Seo Ji perfectly embodied their characters and did their job despite being two very gorgeous people and that just made watching them extra sweet.
Some people say that a show is only as good as its antagonists and worry not my folks because the villains here are also an absolute delight. I have loved Choi Min Soo since his supporting role in Warrior Baek Dong Soo where he stole all the spotlights from his younger and more popular co-stars. Some people think that he tries hard or exaggerates with his roles but I disagree. I feel like he always brings these unique characters to life whose actions you both love and hate. He was an excellent villain in Lawless Lawyer and his Ahn Oh Joo- a greedy, ruthless and power hungry goon made me enjoy every second he was on-screen.
Next up on the antagonist list is Nam Soon Jo who with her over-the-top screaming and deliberately evil expressions never failed to amuse me and then finally, last but definitely not the least- we’ve got Cha Moon Sook played by Lee Hye Young. The evil mastermind and the woman on top of the food chain. She was as cold as they come. As sophisticated as she was cruel and I loved every scene she was in.
Lawless Lawyer was a very enjoyable ride from start to finish. There were many endearing supporting characters and some side roles and cameos by older actors who I adore. The music wasn’t too extraordinary but it was well-placed throughout the episodes. There wasn’t too much of a love story either; as a lot of potentially good chemistry between our leads was left unexplored but I’m not complaining because there were some good kisses and cute moments and I don’t ask for much in a drama which has romance as a sub-plot only. Other than that, I’d say LL had basically a bit of everything- love, laughter, kickass action scenes, suspense and emotion and so baby, I was a happy camper.
Yes, there were things that could be better. Some scenes could have developed more properly, some events more fleshed out. The ending more nicely executed but you know what? This show got me out of a three month slump. Before this I kept dropping shows half-way through or near the end ‘cause I just lost interest but with Lawless Lawyer I was compelled to watch episode after episode and I just didn’t want it to end.
So be brave, give it a shot and delve a little in the land of the lawless. ;)
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Anyone disappointed after watching this? NOT ME.
An incredible series that GMM25 has delivered and a dangerous new standard for the upcoming series. Why? Read below. This is a longer review than usual, but this series is INCREDIBLE and therefore incredibly hard to only put into only a few paragraphs. :))(Quick recommendation. Listen to this while reading: https://youtu.be/__6Eb2jhceo)
The story is unique and nothing that anyone has easily come close to achieving. Political topics have a high risk of not being well received by the viewers because the pacing often becomes very sluggish and boring if it is not implemented correctly. Another danger with this trope is that romance can often feel redundant and inappropriate, thus degrading the quality of the story. Neither is the case here. Why? The answer is not very simple.
PRODUCTION
Let´s start with the production and filming/ writing of the scenes. Throughout the entire series, one can not deny the beautiful shots that were taken. Everything seems to have gone under detailed planning of how to use the natural light the best and how to film beautiful scenes at locations, that doesn´t depend on much editing. However, one thing is certain, professionals are at work. Both in the filming and editing, but also in the individual usage and choice of music. Incomparable to other series.
Praise to Nuchy Anucha Boonyawatana, Noolek Sureechary and M Rittiktai Kanjanawiphu for the incredible screenwriting. I did not stumble across any grievous mistakes. Personally, I want to thank the creator of "Not Me”, Dem Thanutnun Vitsivakun, for creating this incredible story. She has succeeded in merging the topics of politics, injustice, LGBTQ+ and revenge to a point where you can only be amazed.
And of course, praise for the cinematographer Beat Pramett Chankrasse, he gifted us with captures of breathtakingly beautiful moments. The scenes embody the emotions of all the characters and carefully embrace them. But how are other series supposed to keep up now, mister? I have no idea.
The difficulty that this series has met was the decreased amount of episodes because of budget problems. This problem was briefly felt towards the end, but the overall presentation is so brilliant that the few inconveniences can be overlooked, really!
PLOT
Black and White are twins with a powerful connection but the two are as different as day and night. White is very dedicated to reveal the truth behind the state of his hospitalized brother, but his personality is FORTUNATELY too different to not cause other problems, incidents, etc. This fact is very well implemented by the writers: Without being too obvious about it they make White purposely misbehave in his role as Black. The story and its execution go hand in hand in this series.
The entire plot had so many risks in its adaption, but the series succeeded in not getting trapped by them. On the contrary, they used this fear to create a masterpiece that will amaze everyone, probably even the people involved themselves. The expectations were more than met.
The side stories also have their unique charm, and the introduction of a mute person just gives the overall picture that certain something of realistic scenario that you get addicted to watching. No matter if politics, injustice, LGBTQ+, revenge or disadvantages, each topic is accurate and not exaggerated.
The female characters did not meet the cliché standards of many other BL, on the contrary, they were no tools for the story but - and that should be the norm - they were their own masters, had their own lives and did not have any unexplainable toxic trades. All their reactions were understandable and well implemented.
The characters aren't denied their mistakes either, rather in the series these people try to work on their mistakes. That's what makes them so human and the series so perfect.
ACTORS
Before I get to Gun´s outstanding performance, I start with the supporting cast. The acting of all of them was solid and no one seemed to be uncomfortable to look at. Additionally, I also want to praise whoever cast this outrageous cast. Because even smaller roles like the parents or the antagonist have proved themselves well and worked fine with the plot.
Film (Eugene) and Lookjun (Namo) delivered two incredible performances as two female characters in a gay romance oriented series. They acted very naturally, and one could sympathize with their portrayed roles. Especially Film was well cast for her role as Eugene. Filmshy was also doing a good job, but she didn´t have much screen time, so it´s hard for me to review it.
Let´s get to the boys. Oh. I have so much to say but I don´t know where to start. I have never imagined Sing to ever get this kind of role, but he succeeded in any means. If you ask me, he deserves to get more main roles in series because he is such a flexible and good actor.
The leader of the garage, Gumpa played by Papang. Two words. Unexpected Gem. This guy did such a good job in his role. He also deserves more screentime because he is truly gifted. The same goes for Mond, who portrayed Gram. Personally, I like this actor a lot because he always managed to meet my expectations and I love the control he has over his facial expressions.
When it comes to emotions and portrayed intimacy, First (Yok) and Fluke (Dan) were blowing my mind. I loved their shots and on-screen scenes. Everything in this series worked incredibly well together but especially these two. After watching their sequences, I got inspired and overwhelmed by a sudden wave of motivation. I will miss them. I will miss the PAIN. THE PAIN.
There was also incomparable harmony between Gun (Black/ White) and Off (Sean), again ... but honestly, how do they do it? How crazy can one succeed in their role? The two are a great match and I hope to see more of them in the future. Speaking of how incredible these two are, Gun deserves a special mention. He managed to draw a clear line between Black and White. Cold and warm. Physical and psychological. He was playing both twins, but you could tell them apart. Manifestly! What an incredibly good actor! Mastering a twin role alone is something many have attempted and failed, but none has been as good or compelling as Gun. Give him a huge award and lots of love and attention.
OVERALL
At this point I´d like to cite our POP-Queen Lady Gaga:
NOT ME is “talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, (…)”. In a nutshell, this show is everything and more the LGBTQ+ film community has ever wished for. The sceneries and shots are breathtaking, the actors outstanding and the edit incomparable. Even the use of music has been merging with the entire awesomeness of this show. Every expectation is being met and it´s honestly nothing you should miss.
The upcoming series has a lot of work ahead if they ever want to meet this extreme standard of perfection.
Who am I lying to ... it´s impossible.
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The plot was something that originally drew me in. It sounded very original and worthy enough to watch at least the first two episodes. While watching Age of Youth, there were so many moments that either relatable, touching or just plain hilarious. The writer did a fantastic job of the script. With the characters, it took me a few episodes to love all five of them (especially Jung Ye Eun) but each and every one of them, they had a story to tell and all made massive development with their lives. Yoo Eun Jae I grew attached to straight away because I felt a small connection with her and wanted her to grow stronger. Jung Ye Eun was annoying at first (and still can be), but her passionate personality made her admirable. Song Ji Won is the weirdest but most wonderful housemate, and always made a lot of scenes better. Kang Yi Na seemed to have an easy life, but had problems that she kept to herself and solved herself - her pride is something we should all aim to have. And finally, Yoon Ji Myung. I think everyone who has watched Age of Youth can agree that we all wanted to her to be happy as she deserved it the most. Her issues at work, with her brother and mother always caused her to be unhappy and we viewers did not want to see her suffering. All five of them were perfect, unique and lovable. Also, the boys - thank you for all being beside the girls and supporting them (except Ko Doo Young of course). My only issue with the story was the small ‘supernatural’ element that introduced some of the characters’ problems - I wish that was done in a different way.
The acting was on point and this drama was a huge stepping stone in the actors careers. I know I should talk about each actress individually, but I feel like I expressed my feelings a lot in the previous paragraph as their acting was what helped to make each of the characters the best they could have been. The five actresses were amazing, stunning and won my hearts over. None of them wavered in their acting styles, they consistently stuck with their character and continued till the end. I will most definitely be keeping an eye out for their next dramas because I want to see how they all grow.
Music worked extremely well with each scene and every single track was gorgeous to listen to. If you ever have spare time, just stick on the Age of Youth soundtrack and fully appreciate the audio because it will be worth it. My favourite track is definitely the main one, Butterfly by Sogyumo Acacia Band - it has that perfect, young vibe to it.
There is no doubt about it, I would rewatch this right now if I didn’t have so many dramas to catch up on - but I most definitely will be watching this again before the end of the year.
Age of Youth is worth everyone’s time and for me, is the drama of the year - maybe of the decade/century as well haha. If you love a simplistic and cute story with well developed characters and immersive backstories, this is the drama for you.
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So I'll give my review based on what made me love this drama:
1. Story. It's very sweet and kind of sad too. As so many other drama's storylines to come, there is a love triangle, in this case with five people involved though and each relationship between the characters is special in it's own way. The characters have their own story which tell you the reason behind their actions. Furthermore there's so much beyond romance. It's about striving to achieve your dream, meeting or countering other's expectations, follow your heart or doing what is expected of you.
2. Casting. Among one of the most professional castings in any drama series. Only the names say a lot: Angela Zhang, Wallace Huo, Penny Lin! They simply are the role they are acting.
3. Music. Basically the whole series is about music; searching for the voice that can reach people's heart, achieving the music dream. This is behind the scenes of the music industry. The music is perfectly fitted to the story, from opening, each scene to the ending.
4. Rewatch value. I've stopped counting how many times I've re-watched this drama. Even directly after watch it the first time, I was eager to watch it again, and not only some scenes, it's the whole story. It gives one hope, encourage you not to stop hopping for your dream to come true as long as you try your best, it applies to true love and career.
I didn't expect I would write so much but I simply have a lot of reasons to put down, recommending you to watch this drama! Enjoy!
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2This review may contain spoilers
Machiavelli in love.
The first thing that comes up in any discussion of the Rise of the Phoenixes is that it has a bad ending. I put this in cold storage because I didn't want to be punched in the face after 70 episodes. After watching it, l can confirm that it does indeed have the worst ending ever: 5 bad minutes that make little sense. The rest of it is so engaging that I loved almost every moment, plot flaws and all. It is one of my top 3 dramas. There are mild spoilers and a discussion of the ending (only major spoiler- can be skipped) in this review.This drama was adapted from a popular novel (which I did not read) that had tragic elements but did not end in tragedy. Most of the flaws can be traced back to a fatal decision to change the book ending. That resulted in plot inconsistencies and several main characters making odd and uncharacteristic decisions in order to forcibly achieve this outcome. This begins after about episode 50. The last arc (about 10 episodes) was the least convincing and closes the drama at its weakest moments. There are excellent reviews here that analyse the many plot holes and flaws with this drama so I won't deep dive any of that. I will focus on what makes this hidden gem so irresistible and unforgettable in spite of the negatives.
This is a political drama about the ascent of Ning Yi, the 6th prince of Tiansheng. Raised amidst palace intrigue, betrayal and murder, Ning Yi is naturally a somewhat dark character who is an ultimate survivor. He is the quintessential Machiavelli; a ruthless manipulator and a consummate Go player both literally and figuratively. Wrongfully banished for eight years, he claws his way back to favor, methodically eviscerating his scheming brothers along the way. Initially his main purpose is uncover the mystery behind his mother's disappearance and avenge his third brother's deposal. As he gains power, the goal posts change as he aspires to unite the kingdom and make it a place where all are equal in the eyes of the law. Like all characters destined for political greatness, Ning Yi believes that the ends justify the means and ruthlessly and deftly eliminates anyone that gets in his way. He is a guarded character that conceals his true self behind a mockingly care-free and cynical facade. Shards of radiant light emerges when his core convictions are tested and when the people he cares for are threatened. Chen Kun's deliciously portrayed Ning Yi is brilliant, dramatic, wicked, ferocious, daring, charismatic, mischievous, sentimental and completely and utterly unforgettable. I could not get enough of his wandering eyebrow, the wicked gleam in his eyes, his vehemence and his diabolical sense of humor. Ning Yi is an endlessly fascinating, one of a kind character that is by far my all-time favorite c-drama protagonist.
Fang Zhiwei for the first ~50 episodes is the rare strong female lead character we sadly don't see enough of. She is the lowly niece of a powerful minister that is raised in his household on sufferance. She is highly educated, clever, idealistic and audacious enough to take charge of her own destiny. She encounters Ning Yi for the first time in a bold attempt to foil her uncle's plot to marry her off to this powerless prince in her cousin's place. He is intrigued by her and recognizes her resourcefulness could be useful to him. But she has a mind of her own and does not fall in with his plans that easily; as often as not they end up on different (though not necessarily opposing) sides. With Ning Yi's help, she disguises herself as a male scholar Weizhi and enrolls in the most prestigious school in the capital. She gains recognition as the Ultimate Scholar and becomes an influential member of the court and trusted confidante of the emperor. I love strong female characters like this and Ni Ni really shone in this role, especially when she goes toe to toe with Ning Yi. She is as persuasive as the boyish, accomplished and cunning Weizhi as she is the exquisite, vulnerable and overly idealistic Zhiwei. Zhiwei/Weizhi is a consistently awesome character until she sheds her identity as Weizhi and becomes Zhiwei again. At that point, in all the moments that matter she loses her common sense and regresses into a naive, overly emotional and easily manipulated Zhiwei who no longer knows what she wants. Unfortunately this remarkable character was thrown under the bus to facilitate the dreadful ending.
Ning Yi and Fang Zhiwei were just made for each other. Only actors of Chen Kun and Ni Ni's caliber can express intense passion and longing while barely touching and the wordless communication of two soul mates who just know each other. All of their interactions are mesmerizing - their spirited and witty banter, the way Ning Yi chokes with unholy mirth every time he teases her and of course the biting scenes that I couldn't stop re-watching. Every time they part ways, I feel utterly devastated by how dejected Ning Yi is; how their body language conveys the true feeling behind the false bravado of their words. Ning Yi is proud of, not threatened by Zhiwei's abilities and independence, even when she challenges him. Thus Zhiwei bails out Ning Yi as often as he saves her. They are the ultimate power couple, a force to be reckoned with when they are united against some rather formidable villains. They are by no means invincible, suffer crushing personal losses and setbacks that among other things forces Ning Yi to make the hardest sacrifice to keep Zhiwei safe.
The romance is so consuming it sucks you into rooting for the OTP through many obstacles; blithely ignoring the blatant warnings throughout that it doesn't end well. This overshadows the fact that this drama is actually about political strife both internal and external. Together our main protagonists have to deal with internal conspiracies, ambitious princes and politicians, rebellious fiefdoms, remnants of the former kingdom, encroaching neighbors and a devious and paranoid emperor. The emperor is a distant father with too many sons that he treats as little more than pawns and potential usurpers. He is the one person that Ning Yi cannot protect Zhiwei from once her origins are revealed. Their worst enemy however is misplaced fiduciary to an older generation that can not let go of the past so that the younger generation can follow their hearts and dreams.
While the plot is complex with multi-faceted main characters, the overall narrative is clear, well paced and easy to follow. Despite some messy transitions and plot holes (likely due to censorship), the meaning and general thrust of the storyline is intact. The dialogue is witty and sprinkled with light humor that balances politically heavy tone of the drama and brings the characters to life. The characters are colorful and many have lovable quirks: Nanyi's odd eating habits, Ning Sheng's priceless facial expressions and Helian Zhang is just a parody of a lovesick fool. Both main protagonists have meaningful and independent relationships with the other core characters; they are not just defined by each other. Ning Yi's key friend, ally and confidante is headmaster Xin Zhiyan, an ambitious and wily strategist. He is protected by the fiercely loyal Ning Cheng, who is the couple's greatest champion. Zhiwei is aided by the dependable Yan Huaishi and protected by the devoted and silently lethal Gu Nanyi. The characters are mostly well written, with their own priorities and agendas and have free will. Ning Yi and Zhiwei's relationship and their actions create uncertainly and friction in some of these surrounding relationships that sets in motion a number of unexpected and exciting plot twists with occasionally heartbreaking consequences.
Though the last ten episodes were the weakest with some pathetic and unconvincing villains, I still wanted to see the last main villain go down. Although I was warned, I won't lie: the last 5 minutes were still despicable and unforgivable. It was also completely out of character for Fang Zhiwei and thus not convincing. It was so bad I didn't even feel sad, I just kept shaking my fist at the TV. That said, this drama must be judged in its entirety and remains emphatically one where the journey is much more important than the destination. What a thrilling and riveting journey! I started to re-watch it almost immediately, something I haven't done since TMOPB. I really want to give this a 10 because I love it so much I just don't care about the flaws. But I knocked off 0.5 anyway as my petty and impotent vengeance for the ending.
Upon rewatch I realized that the ending can be interpreted as open but that is a major spoiler that I discuss below (can be ignored).
Warning: Major Ending Spoiler
In Zhiwei's last conversation with Nanyi at their old home in the capital, he reiterates that he goes where she goes. He asks her if she is really going to marry Ning Yi and be his empress. She asks if that would be such a terrible thing? We may not have been shown the whole conversation which ends with Nanyi saying that he will wait there for her, implying she is coming back (and not marrying Ning Yi). Also, the ending jump scene had a very surreal quality to it, almost as if it were a dream and not real. It can be argued that she fakes her death and disappears with Nanyi. This would be much more in character for Zhiwei. It would also be closer to the book ending which has her similarly faking her death and eventually reuniting with Ning Yi who gives up the throne for her (credit to @Skibbies who shared the book ending with me). I think most viewers (including myself) were so shocked and dismayed they missed this subtlety. Though less obvious, it is the ending interpretation I personally prefer. I understand why Zhiwei wouldn't want ti be empress when their path to the throne is littered with bodies but she is also smart enough to know that their cause was never her cause and that would be too unfair to Ning Yi. Ning Yi and Zhiwei have done enough for king and country and deserve a chance to enjoy their uncommon love as common people.
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I guess if you're the type to prefer fluffy, lovey dovey, Kdrama cliche type of dramas, then this won't be for you. My Mister is completely different in terms of the "Kdrama formula."
After watching each episode, it's fulfilling, yet you are (extremely) hungry for more. This drama gave me the biggest comfort whenever I feel down. Ironically, the drama itself, is depressing, gloomy, and melancholy. You know how whenever you feel sad you want to see things like rainbows, and puppies, or eat good food in order to make you feel happier, yet none of that truly comforts you; or sometimes it might even irritate someone even more. My Mister is that person that would sit by your side, cry with you, hug you, and allow you to release your emotions so you truly feel comfort. It's not a stress reliever, it's something that makes you embrace those emotions and let you move on from them.
I've never seen a drama that portrays depression as realistically as My Mister, heck, I've never seen a drama that actually has depressed leads. Between each and every character, there is a special bond that is strong and meaningful. The relationship between PDH and LJA is not family love, nor romance, nor friendship. It's a different form of love that it's hard to wrap the head around, but the best way to describe it is human love. Human emotions, comfort, and acceptance. Personally, my favorite parts are the interactions between Lee Ji An and her grandmother. I cry in every single scene because it's so beautiful.
Honestly, during the painful scenes, you cry. The touching scenes, you cry. The silent scenes, you cry. And the happy ones, you cry. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive when I'm watching this drama... It's painful but heartwarming.
I think many people who don't like this drama probably thinks: the brothers are annoying or the drama is too slow. You can't really fully immerse into the drama unless you learn to appreciate the brothers, and what they symbolize. Although it feels slow paced in the beginning, trust me, 1 hour 20 minutes feel like 30 minutes.
The cinematography is stunning. Just like how many people said, it's like you are watching a movie within each episode. It's stunning in a way that is effective to convey the story and mood, and the beauty of each character. There is not one character I dislike, not even the bad ones, because they are all so compelling.
Edit:
For anyone who aren't feeling up to expectations, a little disclaimer. Don't dive into the drama expecting to be blown away or be on the edge of your seats the entire time. I watched it week by week, so the drama itself felt like it was very well paced. If you try to binge watch the beginning episodes, it might feel very very slow, eventually losing interest. But the best way to experience the high expectations, is for sure you really need to immerse yourself in small details, and focus on every single aspect in each scene. Sometimes it might even get a bit mentally intensive. As for me, watching it week by week allowed some breaks in between before fully going into analyzing mode. It's kind of like you have to critically analyze every detail in order for the viewer to meet its expectations. If all else fails, then it might just not be your taste and that's all okay :)
Edit Oct 2021:
I think what kept me coming back to stalking this drama is because somehow they were able to make the most depressing and mundane of things feel exciting and alive again. It's something that not many shows I've seen can do, which is why this show still has a special place in my heart.
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'Bpoop Phaeh Saniwaat' is a wonderful light-hearted romantic-comedy lakorn which feature underlying themes of history, karmic retribution and fate.
STORY (No spoilers)
Time-travelling dramas are not new, even amongst lakorns, but I think that this show is a bit more inspired because it certainly knows how to make use of this premise and give us a lovely light-hearted walk through 17th-century Ayutthaya without making either the history-bits or the political-bits too heavy and overwhelming. On the contrary, from the title of the show itself - ‘Love Destiny’ - it makes it pretty clear that this show is primarily a romance show, which it fulfils to a tee.
It was very clever of this show to transport a budding archeologist back into ancient history because the show gives us a natural teacher in her. As she gradually meets one historical figure after another, we get wonderful internal monologues about the various characters’ positions and their impact on history. And when she gets all excited over ancient historical sites, we get lovely little expositions of the significance of those sites. And through her fish-out-of-water personality and conversations, we are seamlessly introduced to the culture and customs of the times, as well as their hilarious reactions to her modernisms. History becomes so much more accessible and digestible as we follow Kadesurang/Karakade through some of the definitive times in King Narai’s reign in history. It’s a brilliant piece of writing and a brilliant way of introducing a slice of Thai history to viewers without making it too heavy or boring.
One would think that with so much historical setting, background, characters and events, the romance would be short-changed to accommodate it all. Wrong! Very wrong! As a romance tale of hate-to-love, and of fated love, this show not only provides generous amounts of time to introduce our main leads and develop their relationship, it actually also spoils us with plenty of fan-service and squeal-worthy scenes. If you’re a romance-junkie like me, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how much fixes you’ll get.
This show does many things well but one of the best things about it is the character and personality of our main leads, particularly our main female lead.
Suddenly transported from the 21st-century into the 17th-century, she is very much a fish-out-of-water and it doesn’t help either that the body she inhabits is one which has a reputation of being a rather evil witch. Having to not only adjust to her new environment, but to also redeem Karakade’s reputation amongst the community, is a tall undertaking but Kadesurang rises to the occasion magnificently. To see her slowly but surely win person after person around to her side is a lesson in human gentleness, kindness, patience and poise which has personally inspired me to try and do the same. She is resilient, resourceful and empathic, and she takes every hit she receives in her stride but without losing a shred of her dignity or determination. She is beautiful and amazing.
Our main male lead is very much a product of his status and his time but his evolution from him despising the woman he is affianced to, to learning to see her for who she is in her new personality, and then to be curious about her, and then to accept her (quirks and all), and then to love her - deeply love her - is both funny and very heart-warming.
They also make a pretty compatible couple. They don’t dwell on their fights for long; they take pains to listen, understand and learn about each other; and they learn how to accommodate, give-and-take, and be flexible with one another. Theirs is no childish playground-bickering juvenile romance, nor is it those demanding, personality-clash, dramatic ones. It’s quite wonderfully mature and steadfast, but losing none of its charm or warmth. I love it!
Before I say a few words about our supporting cast (because they are deserving of their own little section), I would like to say that another good thing about this lakorn is its great absence of your typical thai lakorn tropes.
No evil nangrais (aka second female leads)? Check.
No love triangles? Check.
No mad antagonist/ crazy villain? Check.
No plot-filler? Check.
No long-drawn-out misunderstandings? Check.
No lack-of-communication angst? Check.
No revenge plots? Check.
No slap-kiss? Check.
No cartoon/ cardboard characters? Check.
No inconsistent or irrational character portrayals? Check.
Wow, too good to be true? Yes.
There is, however, one - ONE - lakorn cliche that does feature itself heavily in this show and I would be remiss in not pointing it out. It’s your ‘tripping-and-falling-into-arms-followed-by-long-stares’ trope. Not gonna lie, this one gets quite a bit of air-time but they’re all variations of the trope so it might be interesting to see just how much they can stretch it, lol. They do water it down to just ‘turning-and-staring’ as the show progresses, and perhaps it may be a matter of taste but I personally thought the show did okay in giving this particular trope quite a bit of spice through its variations.
Finally, a word about the supporting cast. SOLID is the word that comes to mind. This show’s supporting cast have added extra layers of life, depth and breadth to the show. They sparkle and shine in their own different capacities, and while some might be a little more intense and heavy in terms of presence and personality, the show also gives us little insights and glimpses into their thought-process which makes them all comes across believably real and human. The scintillating supporting cast is truly a massive plus.
ACTING/ CAST
POPE THANAWAT - as Thun Muen Suntorndewa/ Por Date. I’ve seen Pope before in the 'Suparburoot Juthathep' series as the 2nd brother and I knew he had it in him to give his character an aura of gentlemanly dignity and authority where needed. And I also knew he could act and pull out the emotions and the tears if required. He did not disappoint. Our main male lead did a great job in taking us through his emotional journey from start to finish, and if he has not won for himself new fans after this show, I would be very much surprised. His eyes and his smiles are his best assets here as they are beautifully expressive.
BELLA RANEE - as Kadesurang/ Mae Ying Karakade. I’ve always liked Bella from her 'Padiwaradda' and 'Khun Chai Puttipat' days, but she blew me away here with her incredibly versatile portrayal of Kadesurang/ Karakade. I think this show/ script is also great as it allows her to really expand her acting ability and show us just how versatile and capable she is as an actress. I am so glad that she took the script by the horns and threw herself into it with gusto. She really is the main character and the lynchpin to the entire show and she shone brilliantly all the way through. Wonderful performance.
Best of all, the chemistry between these two in this show is on fire! No words - It has to be seen to be believed and after you’re done curling your fingers and toes, squealing into your pillow and rolling all over the floor in romantic ecstasy, you’ll get up and want more. For a show that doesn’t have many skinship scenes, this is a masterclass on how to do restrained romance in dramas. Goodness.
The supporting casts of actors and actresses are all stellar. Standout performances for me were:-
Nirut Sirichanya as our dear old Khun Loong/ Ork Ya Hor Thibadi (Por Date’s dad) was absolutely lovable.
The girls playing Karakade’s personal maids P’Pim and P’Yam killed every single one of their scenes - they are a dynamic duo and such an example of sisterhood girl-power.
Ampha Phoosit as Nang Prik, and Chamaiporn Jaturaput as Khun Ying Jumpa (Por Date’s mom), were an unforgettable double-combo act.
Punjan Kawin was charming as Khun Reung, and Chartchai Ngamsan had that on-screen gravitas as Kosa Ban.
Louis Scott added vulnerable dimensions to a power-hungry Constantine Phaulkon, while Got Jirayu stole all his scenes as a charismatic and hot-looking Luang Surasak.
And the actor playing Joi? Adorable.
Really, the supporting cast all outdid themselves here and I’m so glad this show’s hit-status has brought them into the limelight.
MUSIC
The OST for this show has apparently been outselling itself so it can't be bad. Holistically, taking into account everything from the soundtrack, the background music and the sound effects, I thought this show did very well in incorporating the various elements of it into the scenes. I particularly enjoyed the way they employed their sound effects - it definitely added pep and pop to the scenes!
RE-WATCH VALUE
This show has so many things going for it - sweeping romance, liberal sprinklings of humour, good introduction into Thailand’s ancient history, beautiful sets and costumes, a memorable set of cast of characters, and a storyline which doesn’t spin itself into unnecessary knots or is packed with fillers.
One of the best light-hearted romance dramas I’ve seen to date. Definitely re-watchable.
EDIT TO ADD:
There are 2 versions of this lakorn - it's original 15-episode (1 hour 50 mins per episode) version, and a Director's Uncut 40-episode (40 minutes per episode) version which features a few hours worth of extra footage scattered throughout its entire run.
This lakorn became such a massive hit in Thailand during the year it ran (2018), it single-handedly cleared Bangkok's notoriously terrible traffic jams on the evenings when an episode was airing and spawned an Uncut version release. Unheard of. Yes, this lakorn was THAT good.
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This is the new standard for bl shows
Wow what can i even say about this show, like for the past 10 weeks I've went thru so much emotions that i couldn't believe i could exude.Tale of a thousand 1000 stars is one of the best bl shows to air this year. The cinematography, acting, music literally everything was perfection. If i was being honest when i first heard about the show i wasn't that that excited but still interested but oh wow my expectations went thru the roof. Both actors held their ground and proved they will be running gmm for years to come. Tian and phupha had so much chemistry and tension you couldn't even deal if you tried.
I honestly don't even know what else do i have to say like its just that good so EVERYONE GO WATCH
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No matter how beautiful a woman is. No matter how successful she is in her work life. No matter, how good she handles her house and children. No matter how smart, considerate, kind she is. Cheating men will cheat.
And then most of the time that woman has to deal with friends and family who will tell her to forgive the man, innocently selfish children who will ask her to compromise, outsiders who will gossip and an unapologetic man who will think it is his right to cheat. She'll be left with a destroyed family, broken pride and a stamp of a woman who couldn't handle her marriage.
This drama tells the story of what happens when you mess with the wrong woman.
Sun Woo is ruthless and takes no prisoners when it comes to revenge. Giving a new meaning to "Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned", she is obsessive, borderline psychotic, scarily intelligent, calculating and even selfish but at the same time she is incredibly strong, bearing and someone who's been hurt in the most profound manner.
Kim Hee Ae's acting is beyond phenomenal, not unexpected from a four time Daesang winner. She hits every emotion on the spectrum to the point you are fully attuned with her character. She will make you love her fiercely, frustrate you to no end, question her motives, pity her and even hate her.
The shock value in this drama is no joke. Things that you haven't imagined in your wildest dreams happen in the most iconic fashion and you're just left with your mouth hanging.
There's no passive watching this drama, for it wrenches feelings out of you. You'd be screaming at the screen, tearing at your hair and will probably think of throwing your phone at the wall once or twice.
Every aspect is exceptionally executed. Where there is emotion, you'll be crying your heart out. Where there is thrill, you'll be biting your nails to stubs. Where there is suspense, you would be sitting at the edge of your seat. Where there are makeout scenes, the entire room will feel hot.
None of the characters in this show are truly likable. The moment you start warming up to someone, they'll do something to screw you over. These people are extremely complex, selfish, vindictive, weak- human nature at its worst and that's the beauty of the show.
The music is amazing and added in just at the right moments. The writing plus dialogues are crisp (pretty loyal to the original series) but the direction and delivery by the actors takes the cake.
It's impossible to stop, once you start watching it and it maintains the tension from beginning to end with never a draggy moment.
A true masterpiece, that explores the dark waters of marriage, relationships and being human, it is not reccomended for people who can only root for righteous and wholly good characters. For this drama, leave your moral compass behind or it will explode.
Lastly, the drama beautifully succeeds in delivering its point:
Cheating is NOT ok and you don't have to forgive it. No matter how weak you get, no matter how hard it is (and it will be) no matter what the world says, no matter how much history you have, you don't have to compromise. No excuse should be enough.
The world of married is a place where there are no winners, you just have to do what's right by you. Because, before being a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a working woman: you are your own person.
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I Like You, Always Have and Always Will
Shining For One Thing tells the story of a woman who is unsatisfied with her current life. One day, she gets a chance to time travel back in time by deleting messages in her old phone. She goes back and tries to do well on her high school examination in hope of changing her future, but she was always sent back. It was only after several times that she realizes that there is more of her return to the past.Shining For One Thing indeed has cliche troupes: childhood sweethearts, unrequited love, smart guy-cheerful girl, high school memories, and more. But what makes this drama stands out from other drama is that it has a logical, coherent, and tear-jerking plot, top acting, beautiful OSTs.
The drama storytelling is progressively paced and satisfyingly engaging without hardly any dull moment or substantial fillers. I particularly enjoy the fusion of romance, youth, and time travel. Furthermore, the love story between Zhang Wansen and Lin Beixing is very touching, if I were to use a word to describe it, their love is eternal. No matter what time and space, they would always eventually find each other and be there for each other. The cinematography is generally adequate, but some shots were beautifully shot and the color grading and filter used makes the drama even more fleshed out! In addition, the use of music scoring and the Impeccable OST encapsulated every essence of the story. The OST added so much emotion to the drama, it complements the drama montages and also the cinematography.
Zhang Jianing (Lin Beixing) and Qu Chuxiao (Zhang Wansen) did exceptionally well here! They added so much emotional nuance in the character, that makes the characters feel real so vivid to the audience. In addition, there is depth and richness from both the characters, each of their story and development arcs is also fleshed out. Not only the main characters, the supporting characters also did very well! Mai Zi is one of the characters I really applaud for, as a character he always does his best to protect his friends, even if he suffered physically and mentally.
All in all, if you love angsty time travel romance drama, do give this a try!
For those who have finished the drama, here are some easter eggs and theories:
1. Zhang Wansen didn't die in 2010, if you search his phone number (+86 13021991397) on WeChat, you can find his contact! Meanwhile, WeChat was launched in 2011.
2. Zhang Wansen didn't die, he's comatose and brought abroad by his parents. Years later, he woke up. But knowing that Lin Beixing is about to get married to Zhanyu, he doesn't come back. But he has the opportunity to time travel with Lin Beixing again - this explains why he always predicted the exam questions correctly and how his speech is exactly the same with what happened in the future, because he was from the future
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This review may contain spoilers
PERFECTION
I have to admit, before watching "I Told Sunset About You" i never knew who Billkin and PP were. I did not watch "My Ambulance" and Nadao productions doesn't really make a FULL BL Series compared how frequent GMMTV makes BL Series. Thanks to MDL i saw some posts in the feeds about this show. Unfortunately this show is not on Youtube and the only way to watch this legally is either through Line TV without Subs or Vimeo which comes with a hefty price. I decided to watch the first episode in DC just to test it and if I love it, i will watch the remaining episodes in Vimeo. (which i did).After watching Episode 1, I was really amazed that I was watching a BL series. I've never experienced this kind of quality as far as cinematography, editing and direction in a BL series. When i rate shows in MDL i have my own expectations for Asian Dramas especially with Kdramas, and i have my own expectations for a BL series (which is normally a bit lower and usually try to disregard some technicalities like editing and cinematography). After watching Episode 1, I knew that this drama would be one of my favorite BL series of all time. And i was right, after finishing the 5 episodes of ITSAY, this show becomes not only my all time favorite BL series but also one of my most favorite Asian dramas of all time.
MUSICAL SCORE - I honestly believe that ITSAY has one of the best Musical Scorings in any asian drama. As they say, music stimulates our minds and hearts. The way they used different versions of the OST "SKYLINE" depending on the mood of the scene is amazing. They also have other OST which is used perfectly on other scenes which adds emotions to the scenes. Some of the memorable scenes with perfect musical scoring are the following:
- Episode 4 - in the exchange of IG stories between Teh and Oh Aew, the BGM was building up to when Teh was crying and about to open his book to review, the BGM used keeps building up which adds suspense to the scene... then once he opened the book, there's complete silence until he burst out crying, then as soon as Teh cried the instrumental version of "Can’t Translate” added sooo much emotions in the scenes which made the audience feel more for Teh. That scene was perfection.
- The Bra scene... the BGM used when Oh Aew was removing the bra and crying... that was tastefully done and made the scene more impactful. this was the musical score they used : https://youtu.be/VcjvE7xkEnU
- The musical score they used in the trailer when Teh and Oh Aew were in motorcycle, this is one of my favorites: https://youtu.be/-gaXP7rgNE4
- Uderwater scene - need i say more?
Nadao was generous enough to share most of the original musical score tracks they used in Youtube and i have to say i fell in love listening to these tracks!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCUIsYHYpxJMwSYDxRX37w3iUjibNNQc_
CINEMATOGRAPHY - Because I'm into videography and photography, I could say that cinematography is my favorite technical aspect in a movie or drama. The cinematographer or what we call the director of photography of ITSAY carefully thought every shot, considering the angle, the camera movement and placement, the shot composition, the light and used different cinematography techniques from close ups, long shots, tracking shot, crane and dolly shots, panning to name a view. The usage of light either natural or artificial to set the vibe of the entire show and to set up the mood of a scene are so meticulously done. The cinematographer was able to capture the emotions of the actors on all of their close ups and extreme close ups especially on their heavy dramatic scenes. And most of all the cinematographer was able to show how beautiful Phuket Thailand is especially the amazing sunset shots and the underwater scenes.
I found a youtube link that compiled some of the best cinematography in ITSAY and majority of the shots selected are some of my favorites. Please watch this and be mesmerized by ITSAY's cinematography.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVKrDkDLR5o&feature=youtu.be
- The underwater scene and the sunset scenes are so magical. But some of my favorite camera shots are (1) the hammock scene in ep3. The amount of light which is almost a silhouette but you can still perfectly see the sand, see and sky is just perfection. (2) the review scenes on Ep2, the camera shots from above, below, ground level, these shots made the scenes much enticing to the viewers (3) motorbike scene in Ep2. How beautiful this shot is? The colors, the lights in the streets and while the motorbike is moving, the cinematographer has the best shot of Oh Aew and Teh's happy faces , Oh Aew raising his hands while both of them are having the best time of their lives. (4) the movement of camera on Ep4 when Oh Aew walked away from Teh. The camera did not follow Teh as he walked towards Oh Aew, but the camera just keeps moving (with PP's version of Skyline as background music) and all we can see is the wall. But as soon as camera ended the shot with the wall, we saw Oh Aew & Teh under the stairs hugging each other. How beautiful and well though of camera shot is that? clap clap!
EDITING - the way each scenes are edited were done so well. Like how they explained in the documentaries, the emotions of the characters are very important and this should have continuity in every scene. You cannot just cry without any reason, or even if you do, in a drama the audience should understand where the emotions are coming from. One thing i appreciated in ITSAY editing is they do not resort to making flashback scenes for audience to understand what Teh and Oh Aew are thinking. This happens a lot in Kdramas. Even just some scenes which happened 5 seconds ago, the editor will resort to flashback of the same scene just for audience to know what the characters are thinking at that moment.
example:
- During the Bra Scene - the editor can insert some flahsbacks like the sensual scene in ep3 where Teh keeps touching Oh Aew's chest or the underwater scene on episode 4 where Teh still touched Oh Aew's breast. Even without showing those flashbacks, because the editing was done perfectly we would know already what was Oh Ae thinking.
- All of the coconut references. Every time Teh smells or eat coconut, the editor did not need to show flashbacks about the coconut... through the entirety of the show, we know how the coconut reminded Teh of Oh Aew.
- Episode 5 - during chinese new year and the pianist played "skyline" both Teh and Oh Aew were crying. We don't need to have flashbacks on their scenes when they were singing that song... we just felt their emotions and even cried with them.
SCRIPT/STORY - We've seen many coming of age dramas in BL series but i have to say, the way ITSAY delivered their story and message is very refreshing. The script was so good that it made us understood the characters and their decisions (which are stupid at times or very impulsive). We were reminded how young people can be confused, impulsive and give their all when they fall in love.
- When I rewatched this series multiple times, I can't help myself but praise the writer more and more. I just love how detailed the writers are. From the little things like Oh Aew always itching his back and sniffs most of the time when he was a kid, we would still see this when he grew up (Teh still scratching Oh Aew's back). From the purple bra of Tarn which Teh saw from her blouse in ep2, which was used again by Tarn to get Teh's attention in ep4. The contrast of red and purple hibuscus flower and what it symbolizes even the drawing that Tarn gave to Teh where Tarn still drew the purple hibiscus symbolizing that she's still hoping... these small details which made the series so perfect.
- But my most favorite parts are the underwater scene, bra scene of Oh Aew and the "play with my toy" scene of Teh and what these scenes symbolize (1) the underwater scene is so meaningful. The way they kiss all out under the water gave the meaning that their relationship needs to be hidden in order for them to fully express their feelings. Somewhere hidden, quiet and no one will see. But once they go back to land, everything goes back to normal where Teh is still not accepting their relationship. (2) the bra scene is so powerful on what the struggles of gay people. It's so emotional and PP did an excellent job on this scene (3) playing with the toy (sorry for the term). when was the last time you saw this kind of scene? P'Boss is so gutsy to include this scene but it was not done to make the scene arousing but to show Teh's struggle with his sexuality. If you remember, before he started "doing it" the last photo he saw was Oh Aew's in red bra. Then he started doing it and looked at the poster of the male actor and eventually cried. (is he imagining Oh Aew as the one in the poster? knowing that Oh Aew portrayed also this character when they were kids?) Teh really struggled and was confused on what's happening. It started with just sniffing Oh Aew's hair, then coconut, then coconut pen in paper, more sniffing of Teh and touching of Oh Aew's chest in ep 3 and finally kiss Oh Aew underwater ... Teh's sexual desires to Oh Aew has been growing and growing up to the point where he can't stop anymore..... and all he can do was cry after.
DIRECTION- Now let's talk about P'Boss. I have not watched "My Ambulance" yet but i love his previous work Project S: Side by Side. Watching the documentaries and how he explained the importance of the scenes, i have nothing but high respect to P'Boss. Much respect on reshooting many scenes because he's not satisfied with the post production. The way he motivated and get Billkin and PP into their characters were so spot on.
BILLKIN and PP: And for the last part, let's talk about my new favorite BL tandem: BKPP.... WOW! just WOW! did BKPP just elevated how BL actors should act? i mean, come on... both of them sacrificed so much and gave their all in this drama and we all can feel it. Both of them were so consistent in their characters from episode 1 up to the end.
The way Billkin showed his acting range in this series is crazy. We can feel all of his emotions from being confused, happy, jealous, sad, depressed... everything! he's that good! But we cannot disregard PP's acting chops. He portrayed Oh Aew's character flawlessly too. His best scenes are the bra scene, his lines whenever he talks to Teh especially on the last scene... that was really moving.
- the chemistry of this 2 is out of this world. We are not just talking about physical chemistry, but most especially their chemistry on acting.... They really help each other in showing their best emotions. I don't think this series won't be as good as it is if either of them are not casted on their roles. THEY ARE SO PERFECT TOGETHER! Let's claim it. Billkin and PP are Nadao's BL KINGS!
ITSAY just raised the bar on how BL series should be done. Having good script is not enough. Having good actors are not enough. Having good director is not enough. Having good cinematography and editing are not enough..... ALL of these components in making a Masterpiece should be in synced and this is what ITSAY did. It has everything we can ask for.
It may not be the cup of tea of others, but it's definitely not just a cup of tea, but also coffee, soda, soju and all other drinks to MANY! I have watched so many reaction videos and read many reviews and almost every one has all praises to this show.
Truly a Masterpiece, definitely a perfection. That's "I Told Sunset about You."
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THATS MORE LIKE IT!
A definite upgrade over the short series - I loved every minute of it!Finally, a full length series for Yin and War. The chemistry is undeniable and there is significant improvement in acting .
Although the plot and story has a very controversial beginning, (if you read the book and watched the En of Love: Love Mechanics) it felt like the new showrunners listened to what the fans hated on the first show, and improved/removed them - 1) I liked that they removed the role of the social media from the first show; 2) i loved that they improved the moping brokenhearted Vee; and 3) they showed the soft side of Mark during his time apart with Vee (he was just too angry in the short series).
Although i felt bad that they have to change some of the support cast, the new cast did a good job, and i specially loved the addition of the parents. Make no mistake, this is a YinWar show and the maximum exposure they got is just what the show needed.
Is it just me or is War giving a very similar Singto vibe? I loved it!
Overall, i give it a 9, its probably one of the best BL shows of 2022.
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