This review may contain spoilers
The plot is mysterious. As to what sense it all has:-) An average author accidentally creates BL sensation by inserting some hot gay scenes in one of his novels (he actually loves to write fantasy or horror) so his publisher is now pushing him to write such stuff. He is a lonely gay guy of average looks who lives alone so all his dreams and fantasies come alive when this perfectly handsome guy starts living with him and seducing him. Only problem: Why??One thing is the author is actually invited on the shooting set, when they make a BL drama out of his book. He's not even that interested, only lets himself being dragged into it... Kinda makes no sense as we all know on every set, there is a director who wants to direct his vision and there are actors who keep asking him "what is my motivation in this scene?" daily and there is a producer who wants to see return of his money and then there is a scriptwriter who wants to see his script done right and that already is enough annoyance for the director. NO ONE wishes to see the book author on the set, unless it's J.K. Rowling and that is the exception which CONFIRMS the rule.
But our "lovely writer" gets included in the whole production process for some reason (no reason, really) since the casting. Many "pretty boys" come to that casting. One looks girly (perfect cast), one looks "hot" (main cast) and one is actually attractive (side-cast). Now, the "hot main guy" makes a move on the shy book author and tries to impress him since day one. He even moves in with him under some ridiculous excuse. Kisses him after 1 day or so. He keeps smirking when "no one is looking". Only thing left mysterious is what's supposed to be the reason he's trying to seduce the writer so hard. Should't he be rather sucking up to the director?
So much for the unrealistic plot, but what is real... is the kissing!:-) So BL fans, attention. First kiss comes in episode 2 and it's a long, good REAL KISS. Yeah, rare, right? Why this like never happens in any series where would it be REALLY exciting? Here, we are watching the guys snogging before we really know them, and 10 more episodes remain. Will there be some explanation for all this in there somewhere?
Next episode continues with the actor being all over the book author (actually overdoing it quite a bit). It's starting to get boring. The author is really not a looker. The actor behaves like his life or death depends upon seducing him... Then the author gets drunk and goes for it with him but even that doesn't satisfy the actor. Obviously his goal is to really get to him. I would prefer watching the fictional BL drama side-guy getting on with the girly one than these two, but never mind.
I got to smile... 'Coz next epi my wish got fullfilled:-) I mean there was a kiss scene of the two secondary guys in question:-) First it was awkward, the girly guy was really girly, I mean he was carrying a totally girl's handbag, LOL. But I gotta say I did enjoy it because by then I was already tired of the main couple, I didn't really like neither the author nor the actor, so I switched my attention to this couple. Theirs was a hot kiss, preceded by a nasty family scene (turns out this secondary couple actually had way more interesting backstory all along). Emotions were hightened and kissing real. Very well. Even straight dramas (which tend to have way more build up) should be like this. Not just the gay ones in episode 5.
Then episode 6 the connection between the author & actor gets revealed, for their plot to finally have at least slightest sense. Well, better late than later:-) Also it was time for them to beat the drama of the secondary couple (like, the scene of Aey crying on the friend's lap was kinda stealing thunder of any other character in this drama). Episode 7 features author & actor getting all mushy, I completely zoned out and ended up looking outside the screen. My eyes returned when there was a kiss on the bed, but I don't really ship these two.
Anyways then there comes the premiere of the fictional BL (it's called 'Bad Engineer'... my, what can THAT be a referrence to, lol). It's a funny look from the other side where we can see that all it takes is to take a few moderately handsome guys, put them in school uniforms, make them shoot a couple over the top "drama" scenes featuring some kissing and a crowd of screaming fans appears. The book author is present even at this event (I'm no longer commenting on how that's absurd) and sits directly next to the drama "stars". They make those play one scene "live" on stage. It features a few ostentatiously stupid dialogue lines and, of course, a kiss. But that they don't do.
Episode 9... The main couple is fun again:-) And their bed scene is georgeous. Skinship is incomparable with any thai BL I have seen, it's more comparable with us/uk production. Interesting that the series mocking the BL genre would have such good BL scenes itself. If such scenes would happen within stories I really enjoyed, or couples I really shipped, I would have fainted. This is how it should look like. Also family scenes with members disapproving of gay relationships are good here for both couples.
Episode 11 it starts getting dumb. Actor & author's relationship gets revealed to public. Aey is crying in front of his fans on a livestream (makes little sense, there is nothing in between Aey and the actor, at least THIS actor:) and the publisher scolds the author that their sales have dropped. Which is even less believable, we all know any publicity is a publicity, and if not love triangles, then what are all dramas about?:-) Aey keeps crying. Unlike episode 5, for completely unknown reason. Actor & author's relationship is in crisis, which clearly has the "last episode crisis" purpose only. We know it's gonna get solved in the last epi, followed by happy end (just like in any other show this series partially mocked). During final episode I was seriously bored, I nearly fell asleep. Then they tried some goofying towards the very end, I would appreciated it more if they reversed Aey back from playing the silly "nang'rai" and we'd see some continuation on what we watched in episode 5, but never mind.
Now, how to rate series that was so good and so bad? Then, perfect average has to be given.
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Lacking
This series was boring, I’ll say it right now. After the first couple episodes, my interest just dropped. I had ceased watching it for a bit because it didn’t catch my attention. The characters are cute but they can’t make up for the bad plot. I had to speed up the episodes because the show dragged on. There are funny bits but they get replaced by the lack of true substance.The music was all over the place ; when a character was crying in one scene, the main theme started playing out of nowhere... like, what a great way to ruin a emotional scene! The sound effects also felt cartoonish and OTT.
Speaking of OTT, can we talk about these characters? Almost all of the characters are over the top. This is supposed to be a realistic take and a glimpse into the BL industry, but it’s so unrealistic.
I sadly don’t recommend this show... I hope to see these actors in better projects.
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This review may contain spoilers
I forgot why I even want to watch this in the first place... But for sure just another drama to be added to my list...Let's begin...
This drama told a story of Gene, the writer. He wanted to write story about mystery, but instead his publisher gave him task to write BL novel & it exploded with success. This drama started with Gene book choose to be adapt into series. And there where's he met Nubsib, the main actor of his drama. When the story started to run, we learn that admiration Nubsib had for Gene is nothing light & he really loves him with all the jealousy... How will the story run from here forward...?
Ok. What now let's discuss what I like and don't like. First as usual, what I like. Cause I gonna write a little bit spoiler in the part of what I don't like
What I like:
+ The harsh reality of the industry. Both publishing and entertainment industry. We see how much Gene get pressure from his editor, even to put the things he didn’t want to write in the book. And later we also see how harsh the entertainment industry…
+ Nubsib, Gene & Aoey all have good manager that thinks for them not only for the industry.
+ The cute story of Gene & Nubsib past relationship.
+ What a supported Gene & Nubsib family…
Overall this just another title to added to my list...
Below I'll write what I don’t like. But that's also mean a little SPOILER ALERT!!! So read it with ur own risk!!!
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SPOILER ALERT!!!
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Now what I don’t like:
- Nubsib is one stubborn kind. The stubborn not always in good side. Like how he insisted his relationship with Gene, he even talked about break the contract. Some people maybe find it romantic, but for me that just scream irresponsible…
- I don’t understand why Gene angry with Nubsib, when he learned that they actually know each other from childhood. Nubsib never really mention he didn’t know Gene in the first place, why Gene must feel Nubsib lied to him & angry about it…
- Until the last I still don’t really get a grip of how Aoey character really is. Is he one cunning man? One man that looked for attention? Or what his character really is? I just know for sure he is one lonely man. Unfortunately, we also don’t get much of history of Aoey. There’s a little bit about him & I hope to see a little bit more of it.
- The ending… UGH!!! Feel like anticlimactic after what happen with Gene & Nubsib family.
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One of the best BL's out there
I went into this series very late in the game. But I'm so glad I watched it. This series made me cry. It made me laugh. It broke my heart and then mended it back together again. The acting is phenomenal from Kao and Up. Kao does such a great job portraying his care for Gene. Up's portrayal of Gene's hesitance toward Nubsib is just fantastic. Not to mention Bruce; I felt for Aoey so much and I understood where he was coming from because of Bruce's acting. The finale alone makes watching the entire series a must. I have never seen such a good final episode from a Thai BL. It had me sobbing out of sadness and then sobbing out of pure joy. Overall, if you have any hesitation about watching it: don't. It's so worth it. I would recommend this series to anyone, literally anyone, who wants a good binge show or just a casual thing to enjoy. Easily top five favorite series.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
U N I Q U E
You know it’s good when it has the power of telling you what it’s about from just the title but still surprising you every step of the way. This is BL was really well written, the writer should be really proud themself. The casting was almost perfect (in my opinion) and soundtrack is beautiful. The story progressed so nicely and the actors did major justice to their character. Everyone character in the series is likeable all the way down to the villain. This BL has a uniqueness about it that will be really hard to replicate it’s lovely refresher from all the cliche titles we often watch.Was this review helpful to you?
Lovely show
This was cute and I enjoyed it overall. I struggled through the first half and almost dropped it twice by episode 9 because it was just so slow at some parts!Some episodes were an hour and a half and so much silence and nothingness happened. It drove me crazy. But when the plot was plotting it was really good. Perhaps it would've been better if it were a shorter series and filler was cut down.
Other thoughts:
-Aeoy was so frustrating, I couldn't believe he romantically liked anyone tbh. He had no chemistry with anyone.
-Gene's freakout over the past history was a little dramatic.
-The coming out (ep 9) was emotional, and important to this show. Very well done!
This is the epitome of slow burn, but it is worth the watch for the sweet romance story.
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Strong Start, Weak Progress
This show had its potential, it was a good story and it could’ve been executed a bit better. The beginning of the show was good, I was actually contemplating continuing the show based on first few minutes of episode 1 because it didn’t necessarily catch my attention enough to want to continue but I still did regardless. I liked, somewhat, how the story was developing but as each episode went by my interest in the show declined as well as the storyline itself. I feel like this show would’ve been better if it was shorter in the episodes, like maybe each episode being 40-50 min max but 1 hour and 17 or 20 minutes it’s just too long. Some scenes felt too long and boring and I just couldn’t continue after episode 8. After seeing a preview of episode 8 I realized that they were just gonna keep adding random drama to this show to make it “interesting” but it didn’t play well. Usually by episode 8 I slow down and maybe watch another show or something and then continue where I left off but this one didn’t give me any motivation to continue, so dropping it is. I gave this a 7, because it wasn’t necessarily extremely bad, it kept me somewhat entertained for 8 episodes and that says a lot, but it also made me feel bored at times and for that a 7 is a perfect score.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Interesting Story with A Great Premise
**Brief Synopsis**B (Writer): Gene
T (Actor): Nubsib
Beginning: B is a BL write whose series is getting a TV series. During the casting for this series, B meets T, a new actor interested in acting one of the male leads. From the start, T shows a lot of interest towards B and even asks the help of B’s friend, who just happens to be his manager, to convince B to let him stay at his loft. Because T says he has no place to live, B agreed. As they start living together, T tries numerous ways to flirt with B, including asking him for help rehearsing lines and then kissing him in the name of practice. Slowly but surely, B starts to feel other feelings for T as well.
Middle: While their relationship develops, T continues to act in the drama he had auditioned for, the one based on B’s book.
End: Before they could have their happy ending, there are three obstacles. First while on a trip to his family home, B realizes that T has lied about everything, that he was actually his childhood friend and that he actually had a place to stay. Devastated, he tells T to get out, but T doesn’t. In the morning, T explains to him the reason he lied was to get B to stop looking at him as a kid. Although B ends up forgiving him, he still asks T to move out so they could start afresh. Apart from this problem, the couple also dealt with letting their parents know about their relationship. Finally, on a trip to the beach, videos of them being intimate on the beach is uploaded, making fans of the upcoming series furious that he wasn’t single. In order to save this show B and T are ordered to stay apart for a while until it dies down. B knows its for the best so despite how sad it was making him, they stopped meeting up for some time. The series end with them getting back together.
**My Opinion**
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT
- I like how they showed how a BL show is produced from casting to final marketing. I like how the ensemble cast isn’t too cringey or awkward.
- I like the plot a lot, because it’s new and not everything is focused on the relationship. Apart from the relationship, the whole series production thing is also very interesting to watch.
- I really like how the main characters looked together. They are a cute couple and the way B shows affection, careful and sweet, is just heart melting. Sure B is gloomy most of the time but when he smiles, normally because of T, it’s extremely sweet.
- The editing was nice and the pace was nice. It’s not too fast or too slow and their relationship feels well developed and not rushed.
- I like how B isn’t thinking T is cheating on him.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT
- I didn’t like they spent a lot of time developing a het relationship.
- B can get a little gloomy but that is part of his personality.
- I didn’t like how many characters they tried to develop.
- There is a lack of intimate scenes, and kissing scenes are weird because they give a detail look of the kiss and its obvious it’s fake kissing, I would have preferred if they only showed it from afar.
- Acting can get a little too much, especially when it comes to side characters. They tend to exaggerate their moments, making certain characters rather cringey.
- This is really slow burn as they officially get together in the last episode (they get together earlier then that but there were always things threatening to split them up but now with everything resolved, they are together).
**Conclusion**
This is an adorable show with an interesting plot that should be given a chance.
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Overall I Love This Series
Please read to the end becayse i have good stuff to say then. I'm going to be brutally honest...I skipped through a lot of this show. There are a lot, and I mean a lot, of scenes that are way too long...and I'm talking 2 minutes too long. Making me watch Aey cry for 2 minutes, at least 3 times in the series, is not going to make me like him or feel sympathy for him. His character sucks and has 0 redeeming qualities...but he is crucial to the story and I appreciate that. Besides having to skip all the crying or staring at a wall for 2 minutes...this show is actually great. It's so well produced and the acting is really good. Despite all the negative stuff I had to say...this show is still in my top favorites of the BLs I've seen. Mostly, because of how unique and engaging the story line is.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Good leads with irritating side cast.
How should I start? I delayed watching this series because I wasn't too sure about it. I finally decided to go ahead and well, it was pretty good except for some confusing parts.Why didn't Gene remember Nubsib? Wouldn't his name look familiar to him in the audition form?
Nubsib is a sweetie. I love his persistency. He knows what he wants. He wants Gene to understand the love he has for him but didn't rush or pressure Gene to accept it. I like also the fact that Nubsib didn't take advantage of Gene when he was drunk.
Gene...he can be rather annoying at times. I was pretty pissed with him when he didn't stop Aey for trying to kiss him. It almost happened if not for...well...watch the series to find out.
Arghhh...Aey!!! What an irritating character! In fact, his acting gets on my nerves. The crying, the crunching of his face, etc all looked so fake. Aey thinks the world revolves around him. Everything should be about him. I was kind of glad when Tiffy told him that she was resigning as his manager and when Aey offered a salary increment, she said if was not about money and he should know the reason. Adding insult to injury, Mhok was given his own series whereas Aey was not. Yeah man!
Mhok...he likes Aey...yucks! Unfortunately, I watched The Tuxedo before this series. Chap and Green were the main leads. Maybe I am bias but I just cannot visualize Chap liking anyone else except Green. Green had a minor role in Lovely Writer. If you have not watched The Tuxedo, go for it. If you are still not sure about it, read my review.
I adored the parents. Despite the initial objections, they gave Gene and Nubsib their full support.
I don't know if it is just me but I didn't get the ending of the series. Gene was shown throughout the series writing a new novel entitled, Lovely Writer (which was changed from Lovely Actor). However, the ending featured a female writer receiving a call from her publisher informing her that her novel, Lovely Writer, was going to be made into a series. That part didn't make sense to me.
The OST is cute and light-hearted.
All in all, it was a good series...worth a watch.
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lento, più lento, lentissimo
Avrebbe potuto essere veramente qualcosa di splendido. Gli attori principali, e specialmente quello che interpreta lo scrittore, sono stati molto bravi. Sono state molto brave anche le spalle, e l'unico che veramente non mi è piaciuto è l'attore che ha fatto il terzo incomodo: non mi è piaciuto di viso e soprattutto non mi è piaciuto alla sua recitazione. La musica non ha brillato ma costumi e ambientazione hanno fatto il loro dovere.il problema vero di questo drama deriva dal fatto che si tratta di 12 lunghissimi episodi, che sono stati spesso riempiti da gran minuti di niente. La musica scorre e il personaggio di turno guarda sconsolato o pensieroso o innamorato nel vuoto. Mai come qui mi è capitato spesso di mandare avanti di 10 secondi e poi di altri 10 e poi di 10 ancora e la scena non era ancora cambiata... Non so perché abbiano voluto rendere le cose così lunghe e noiose, quando 10 episodi sarebbero stati forse la lunghezza ideale. Alla fine sono stata tentata di abbandonare tutto e sono riuscita ad arrivare alla fine solo mandando avanti le scene senza pietà.
il pre finale è decisamente fuori di testa, ma apprezzabile, il finale vero e proprio molto carino e simpatico.
un titolo su cui difficilmente ritornerò perché bisognerebbe guardarlo in versione riassunto.
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This review may contain spoilers
Fiction ≠ real life, and Lovely Writer did an amazing job in delivering that message.
This is one of, if not the best series I’ve watched. I thought it was gonna be a series with unnecessary drama and an unhealthy relationship between the couple. Happy to say it wan’t. Love the way Nubsib and Gene talk things through instead of leaving their problems unfinished. Props to the actors, writer(s), director, staff, and all the people involved in the production.‼️ SPOILER ‼️
I applaud the ending. Even after the final episode, they reminded us viewers again that the characters are all FICTIONAL, and to separate reality from imagination. It’s so cute and creative to include the actual writer into the ending.
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