This review may contain spoilers
i see a lot of people didn't enjoy this series that much, and even though i can understand their point of view, i'd say reconsider your opinion! this drama was so cute! i agree with other users: this show is a mess. but that doesn't necessarily mean the show is bad! the main reason why i think this show is so good is because of the cast: this show probably has the best cast i've ever seen!! i'll share my thoughts on why r u by dividing them into negatives and positives. negatives:
1. plot? what plot? the story starts of pretty strong, but after a few episodes all of the difficulties the characters faced have been solved. tutor had money problems, yet he lives in a nice and fancy appartment! what?
2. i wish they showed a bit more of the hate between tutor and fighter plus zon and saifah. in the first 3 or 4 episodes or so they all couldn't stand each other, but then suddenly that's all gone. especially between zon and saifah, they hated each other in the first 2 episodes and after that they were super close friends. it didn't really make sense. i'd say the pacing in this series was a bit off - it moved too fast.
3. i started watching this show after i saw cute gifsets of zon and saifah on tumblr, but i ended up being more invested in the tutor and fighter storyline. heck, sometimes i think i even preferred japan and tanthai's dynamics. maybe it's because the final episodes are mostly focussed on tutor and fighter rather than zon and saifah. i also felt like zon and saifah's storyline lacked something. maybe their scenes were too repetitive? zon freaking out + being shy when saifah teases him, it was cute in the beginning but got a bit boring in later episodes.
4. zee's dad being disapproving of his son's homosexual relationship for like 5 minutes and then facetiming tutor and fighter to say he supports them. i'm not sure if this had to do with the restrictions the production faced due to the covid pandemic but this storyline lacked proper writing! this also had to do with bad pacing.
5. i wish there had been 2 more episodes so we could've seen just a liiitle more of the side characters. i loved japan and tanthai plus blue and dew, yet there were such few scenes with them! also, if there were a few more episodes, point 4 ^ could've been executed more properly and they could've worked out the enemies-to-lovers dynamics a bit more.
(6. i don't want to say this but dfjghgjf jimmy's acting skills... they weren't bad! but they definitely need some polishing. considering this was his first job he did pretty well though.)
positives:
1. all of the relationships! we got 5 of them!! we got 2 main relationships and 3 side ones (don't forget about hwahwa and day ahaha) and i enjoyed all of them! as i explained in point 5 above ^ i wish they showed us a bit more of the side relationships, but the scenes they did show were super nice and cute! love is in the air!!
2. the osts!!! i can't stress this enough but why r u has the best soundtracks i've ever heard and i've been watching asian dramas for almost 9 years now. i even put some of them in my music library, i can't stop listening to them! (please check out the osts by pantherist and saint, they're my favourites!) i usually skip the intro when i watch dramas but i enjoyed the why r u theme song so much, i never skipped it! the music video to this song is also adorable, definitely check it out! it features all of the actors in why r u.
3. the chemistry between saint and see is incredible. this is probably the main reason why i enjoyed this series so much. their acting seemed so real, it felt as if i was third-wheeling the entire time lol. their kiss scenes were some of the best i've ever seen, zee is such a good kisser, my god. zee is really living the life: going from saint's fanboy to making out with him. i also couldn't believe when i read that this was his first major role. his acting is very good!
4. i haven't seen anyone talking about this but the cinematography was super pretty. the colours were beautiful and the beach scenes!! wow!!!
5. the cast! this cast is the best i've ever seen, they're all so good-looking and most of their acting is outstanding!
i know i wrote more negatives than positives but hear me out! this entire show was so romantic and light-hearted, i definitely enjoyed watching this more than shows with a straight-forward plot. the main issue with this show is the pacing. even though it did bother me every now and then, it didn't take away any of my joy watching it. there were so many good kiss scenes and i'm a sucker for kiss scenes lol. i just finished watching why r u but i can't wait to rewatch it again! i definitely recommend this series if you're looking for something easy, romantic and fluffy!!
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While the story aspect of this show the actors and the characters that are in this world truly shine. I don't even want to go into how many plot treads are just dropped (being a novel) or just change without any rhyme or reason (blue and Dew's relationship) but the actors just portray these characters in such a way that I go along with all the bs that the story tries to throw in. Honestly, The only thing that was a true negative for me was how much more of the plot was dedicated to Tutor and Fighter compared to Zon and Saifah. While a lot of that is due to situations beyond the control of production I still think it could have maybe been more even since I feel like we don't see them of episodes on end. Other then that this show was lovely and I really enjoyed it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Astounding two main couples
April 21, 2021Damn, I must say given the reviews of other users for this series. I was expecting it to be really bad. But this drama is not. I understand that the plot can do a bit more work but if I am being honest I did not mind its imperfection. Maybe it's the casts that saved the show. But this is pretty good!!
Fighter and Tutor's dynamic as a couple is superb and as much as the typical BL misunderstanding that happens between them. I was not agitated as other users. I believe that they have a pretty healthy relationship. Moreover, I just wanna say in that one particular scene. The trust on them towels though. How did it not fall????? HMMM Also, Fighter do you have foot fetish or smt?? Cause this man do be eating Tutor's feet at the damn time...
SAI FAH IS MY MAN SORRY ZON. BUT HOW IS THIS MAN SO CHARMING LIKE THE WHOLE TIME IN THIS SERIES. SAI FAH KEPT STEALING MY ATTENTION. LOWKEY I GOT JEALOUS OF ZON LIKE GET ME A MAN LIKE SAI FAH PLEASE. HE IS SO FINE, FUNNY, AND CARING.
Anyway, on to their relationship, I feel like Zol really was the catalyst to Zon and Sai Fah's relationship. Their relationship did not show NSFW scenes like Fighter and Tutor but those kisses were bomb as hell. Still mad the directors cut the nsfw like they already slept together. UGh /hj
My friends better step up their game cause these four are squad goals I ain't kidding. Also, that last episode gave me diabetes like literally.
I feel like this is one of the few series where both main couples are strong. NO ONE OVERSHADOWED EACH OTHER!!
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2nd Favorite BL
Okay. Why R U? Is absolutely phenomenal! I LOVE this series. Saint and Zee have the best chemistry I’ve seen so far in a BL. Every scene they’re in is magic!! Also, I love Saint. Love love love Saint! The way his expressions go from innocent “baby boi”, to DADDY in a split second is one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen! I love the way Tutor (Saint) let’s Fighter (Zee) tease him, and play with him to a certain extent, and then switches to take control of the situation. It’s like Tutor knows EXACTLY what Fighter is doing/ trying to do, and plays along for a bit, but then puts Fighter in check! I loved the story, I love the acting, and again, NO SHAME!, this series is HOT! Like, seriously hot! Tutor and Fighter’s make-out scenes/sex scenes should come with a warning! I almost died about 15 times watching this series! Saint and Zee are SO hot, and I love their characters in this series! As you all know, I like the steamy BL’s, and if that’s what you’re looking for, too.... You HAVE to watch this series! You won’t regret it! It’s hot dude. For real. I also loved the Saifah and Zon storyline! It’s so cute! This series is just all around phenomenal! Go! Watch it! Right now!!!Was this review helpful to you?
Romantic and Sensuous
One other thing this series has going for it is its ROMANCE. They were NOT afraid to show it and it is quite beautiful, honestly. It is hot and steamy. The screen play and directing for the most part is well done. The story flowed well. (With some of the BL series filmed during the pandemic, this is not always the case). There is no question that this quiet series is one of the finest out there not only for its great romantic story and intense love scenes but for its superb acting. And this is the irony. I am so sorry, but I did not ‘feel’ the connection between Tutor and Fighter. They beautifully showed the emotions, but I never quite felt the connection between them. If you would like to read my full review of this series, please go to ppbongi.medium.com. It is free and you can leave comments.Was this review helpful to you?
Was not one i enjoyed at first...
When I first started it, I was so excited but I dropped it after 3 episodes due to the scrambled storyline and plot holes. I was kind of disappointed with the concept at first but I came back to it, mainly because of Saint and boy am I glad that I tried to watch it again. Tutor and Fighter had me gripped. I just wish the filming and the storyline had more to it but overall it was an enjoyable series. Saifah and Zon (Tommy and Jimmy), at first their acting kind of irritated me and I felt like their was no chemistry between them but as you go deeper into the series, their characters and their relationship develop beautifully but I wish that their relationship got more screen time.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This show had sooo much potential when it first began for me. I loved everything about it! The actors, the animatin, the OST, the acting- everything! Yet, somehow, as the series progressed, the zeal and joy that I had watching this series, began to dwindle for me.Story-8/10
It started off different and cute, with the introduction of not one, but two main couples. They were both sweet and representing different sides of love. Fighter and Tutor offering the sexy and Zon and Saifah offering the cute and funny. And besides these two main couples, we were also introduced to side couples as well, who I also feel in love with!
However, as the story progressed, it can be clearly seen that the side couple's stories would not get enough airtime for their story to be told. Things happened and I just got confused (like Blue and Dew- what the heck happened there and when did that happen!). They did bring me joy when they did appear, though.
Zon and Saifah were, unfortunately affected by COVID-19 as the actors were not able to finish shooting all of their scenes. Due to this, their story was just jumping all over the place (bad editing on the production teams part) and they got less aired time compared to that of Tutor and Fighter. The director, however, did promise a special episode of just this couple- so that is a good thing!
Tutor and Fighter dominated this series. Their acting was good- not gonna lie- but I kind of got tired of their storyline, especially in episode ten, which was a continuation of episode nine of them on a vacation. Yeah, some of their scenes were steamy. But, to me, it just felt like a filler episode as basically nothing happened in that series, except for them saying they were officially boyfriends. Then we kind of fell in the same old story with breaking up cause your family member don't like me (this time it was the dad), something to bring the boys back together (Tutor falling ill), Fighter finding out about his dad and the boys getting back together. I, honestly, didn't feel emotional during the scene when the boys broke up- I don't know why.
And then the final episode, for me, kind of felt rushed and just wraps up everything easy peasy that the boys were facing.
Acting/Casting- 9/10
I have said it before! I love everyone's acting in this series. I even felt that some of the minor characters shined brighter than the main characters (looking at Tutor's boss!) They worked with what they have and it shows!
Music-8/10
I like the beginning of the OST and the song that Zon and Saifah sang. It was truly cute!
Rewatch Value- 6/10
Because of the bad editing and some unfinished stories for some of the characters, I gave this a 6/10. I will watch it (or at least some parts of it) but I am not that eager to watch it
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I find the initial plot of Why R U really interesting. But I realized it was more than that. It was amazing. Some of my expectations were subverted since it avoided some bl tropes. The development of and between the main characters were great, although I myself had to "fill in the gaps" for Zon and Saifah' development because of the lack of scenes due to COVID-19. Also, once I tried to analyze Zon's character, I find that what he felt were realistic and his actions in the series were justified, especially in the last episode, and that really made his and Saifah' moments there special. Tutor and Fighter had more scenes, especially Tutor, which made me really sympathize with his character, which frankly also made his relationship with Fighter more heartwarming(and heartbreaking at some points). However, I do find some stuff to be rushed like Fighter and his dad, Day and Hwahwa(I am happy for that story arc though), and the relationships in the football club.
Acting/Cast:
Saint, Zee, Tommy, and Jimmy were all amazing. There wasn't much about Jimmy's character though, which was a bummer. Saifah was just there as part of Tutor and Day's friend group and Zon's significant other. However, Jimmy as Saifah delivered what the story needs him to. His respect for Zon's feelings were really expressed as well as his feelings. Tommy as Zon was great. He and Jimmy were really cute together. Tommy's smiles and shocked/confused faces really expressed a lot of his feelings in the series, which he really brought in. I hope to see more of the both of them. I find Zee's acting great. His emotional scenes were heartbreaking to watch. However, his facial expressions during mature scenes were honestly my favorite part of his acting lmao. That aside, he played the character of Fighter really well. The happiness he feels with Tutor, his feelings about his dad, and his love for Tutor and how he wants to live his life. Saint was my favorite here. Hands down, Tutor's struggles throughout the series, I really felt them. I cried with him when he comforted himself. The optimism he tries to present, his feelings for Fighter, the way he found his own happiness is also important, his struggle while working and trying to pay off their debt, really all were presented by Saint flawlessly. The other actors satisfactorily played their own roles.
Music:
I loved the music in Why R U. Some were catchy, some are more for the feels. The songs picked were great, I could listen to them a lot especially Mean's Why R U. The meanings of the songs were appropriate for the series as well.
Rewatch Value:
It is worth rewatching, especially if you didn't catch the side couples quite well like me. It also is worth rewatching to understand Zon's character more, (I had to write an essay to come up to a conclusion lol). And I think it would be fun to watch again to relive some of the plot points.
Other Opinions:
I'd like them to make more scenes about Zon and Saifah, to show their development and give Saifah depth as a character. The side characters too, and scenes like how Fighter reconciled with his dad and vice versa.
Overall:
It was great and worth watching, for both the feels and the emotional rollercoaster that is Tutor and Fighter. (and for jimmy my baby he's so CUTE)
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This review may contain spoilers
I would give this drama a rating of 9/10. Why? Because I went into it for Fighter and Tutor and I got what I wanted. And more. If I was a fan of Saifah and Zon or of any of the side couples, I would’ve been disappointed, true - COVID-19 really did a number on this drama in that regard - but since I was not - harsh but true, what can I say ??♀️ - I was very happy with the end result that focused mainly on my favorite ship, I’m not going to pretend it wasn’t so.Saint and Zee really made this drama for me. What a revelation their chemistry was. Whoa! ? Fighter and Tutor’s teasing, their lovemaking scenes or simply their love scenes when they just gazed into each other’s eyes or held hands or just existed in each other’s presence! They made magic happen. Their scenes were as intimate as they could be, Saint and Zee became Tutor and Fighter, letting me completely forget that this was all make-believe.
Yes, even in their case it was obvious that some scenes were cut, especially in episodes 11 to 13, when it came to the clash with Fighter’s dad. It was obvious that the drama needed to take a huge shortcut there, that some scenes simply weren’t done filming before the finale had to be aired, so the solution to that big issue was disjointed and abrupt and made little sense in the light of the previous eps but, for me personally, that was a small glitch in an otherwise excellent story. Besides, such glitches make the bunnies breed and feed the creative juices!
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This review may contain spoilers
When this first aired, I really thought it was going to be one of my new favorite. It's so charming and funny. The fujoshi subplot kinda grossed me out at first, but Zol and Zon sibling relationship is so funny that I don't mind it (Zol's actress is amazing!) The main couples have great chemistry and a really entertaining enemies-to-friends-to-lovers arc! Tutor might be one of my favorite characters ever: he has such a fun duality between being polite and being sly and snarky. And I really liked how none of the characters got shoehorned into "top" or "bottom" roles (Tutor and Fighter said switch rights!). I always love BLs that go out of their way to establish characters connections outside their relationships (ex. Tutor and Hwahwas realtionship, Tutor and Zon's friendship, etc). But I think it tried to tackle too much at once. The background couples were boring and at the end a lot of the more interesting plot threads ended up with no resolution (Zon's love of writing, Zol as a character, Zon and Zol's weird psychic abilities, etc). Also while I like Tutor/Fighter, it disappointed me that Saifah and Zon weren't the main focus. I know it was because of production issues bc of COVID19, so I don't blame them, but it bears saying.
As for episode 12... all of that drama with Fighter's dad was so unnecessary and pointless to begin with, but capping it off with a sexual assault scene out of nowhere was uncalled for and upsetting! It was poorly handled and honestly feels super out of character. If you're watching it, seriously just skip it, nothing important happens anyway. Seriously though, I would rate this higher, but that scene soured Tutor/Fighter's romance and the series for me.
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Why R U
I read some really negatives views on this series and I really don’t know why? This is my absolute favourite BL out of the 100’s I’ve watched. The chemistry between Fighter and Tutor is INCREDIBLE. So if you like your BL’s hot and steamy then this is for you.The series got heavily affected by COVID and as a consequence wasn’t made how it was supposed to be but that isn’t the actors’ fault and the series should not be criticised because of it.
Saint and Zee are fabulous and play theirs respective roles brilliantly. The story isn’t a classic but I still enjoyed it. From the first time Fighter lays eyes on Tutor he is lost and the progression of him coming to terms with that is done really well. It does have the usual parents offering money to disappear routine but what do you expect!
Make your own opinion if this show by watching it. Don’t be swayed by comments about the cinematography or music because if that’s why you watch something then go watch Pride & Prejudice🤦🏽♀️
There is no “wifey hubby” nonsense, no, I’m not gay I just like you, no whose top and whose bottom....just two guys who fall in love and the consequences and acceptances that follow.
I’ve watched this over and over again - as I said if you like your BL’s to be sexy then this one is for you. Give it a go!
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