Close Friend (2021)

Too rushed and unable to meet its full potential

Episode 1: 7/10 (Pretend To Love)
—Story- When I saw episode one would be OhmFluke I was very excited as I already knew they have great chemistry together. Unfortunately the fast paced plot meant their relationship didn’t go anywhere, and they were hardly in any scenes together despite the whole first episode being about them. I appreciate 20 minutes isn’t a lot of time for a full story to take place, but they could have done so much better than that. It was a huge mess with no real closure to the jealousy and misunderstandings, and the ending felt so incomplete. As a start to the series it really fell short for me and while I love OhmFluke so much, and we got to see Fluke’s award winning tears again, they didn’t have their chance to shine which was severely disappointing.
—Acting/Cast- Ohm as Pierce: Ohm is a pretty good actor, but unfortunately this series didn’t showcase his talents as he played a character with little emotion, meaning we couldn’t see a full range from him. His facial expressions were lacking and even when faced with a potential breakup his face was just quite blank and expressionless. I am a little disappointed with his character and was sad that Pierce didn’t have the time to properly apologise for when he did, but at least we got something.
Fluke as Typhoon: Fluke is back at it again with the top notch acting and the famous crying scenes he really excels in. While I feel like Ohm didn’t have the chance to shine that well, Fluke really showcased how a powerhouse actor can steal a scene with less than 5 minutes of screen time the entire episode. Fluke is honestly one of my favourite actors and this just goes to show why. His acting in the final scene was the best part of that episode and is the main reason I ranked this episode as high as I did. I really hope to keep seeing more of Fluke in the future!
—Overall, I’ll give this episode a 7/10 which I believe is quite generous in the circumstances. It could have been so much better with a better director and more time, but they really took over in the limited time they had and gave the best performance they could.

Episode 2: 5.5/10 (Just Friend)
—Story- Well, I wasn’t expecting any bestiality in a drama but first time for everything I suppose. Everything about this episode was just strange and confusing. Although I liked JaFirst ever since I saw them in TharnType 2, I just don’t understand why First had to be a cat that only we could see as a human, it was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen. Other than the confusion at this part, the rest of it was pretty good. Although it was fast paced, it didn’t feel rushed or incomplete like episode 1 did, although it left me with several unanswered questions (like seriously, who sends a potential partner home just to cuddle with your cat, maybe it’s because I’m not a huge animal lover but I just don’t understand.)
Acting/Cast- First as Moojoom: Well, he played a pretty good cat even if it was the weirdest thing to watch a human meow and swipe at the air like that. He looked very sweet and defenceless in the box which I suppose a human version of a cat may look like, and First is very good at acting sad and depressed which made him rather pitiful when he was locked in the bathroom. As I said before, it was such a weird episode that I’m still questioning what I just watched and because of this I don’t think I can rate his acting very well.
Ja as Xin: Ja is a pretty good actor and although he’s still a relatively new actor, he’s very good and I’ve enjoyed his other works such as TharnType and UWMA. As I mentioned in First’s review, it was such a weird episode that I don’t think I can rate his acting very well, but he did a very good job playing with Moojoom (his human cat lol).
—Overall- I’ll give this episode a 5.5/10. The storyline was a little better because it didn’t have the same incomplete feeling that episode 1 left me with, but the fact that it’s a romance between an animal and a human meant that any enjoyment I got out of the episode was replaced with an abnormal feeling of bewilderment.

Episode 3: 9.5/10 (Willing Or Not)
—Story- This was one of my favourite episodes so far and I actually enjoyed it a lot (mainly because I love judo). After the first 2 episodes I was getting a bit sceptical as to the quality of this series, but MaxNat really saved this for me. As the storyline wasn’t in as much depth, it didn’t feel fast-paced or rushed at all, and honestly 15 minutes felt like much longer. Despite having no particularly romantic scenes (other than the piggyback at the end) Max and Nat had great chemistry, which combined with a more interesting plot, meant they did a really good job with this episode.
—Acting/Cast- Nat as Mini: Nat is actually a really good actor despite his age (ironic as he’s a few months older than me) and he always does such a good job. I first watched him in his debut role as Blue in WhyRU and have watched all the other projects he’s been in which was why I was so excited to see him here. Although now I play quite a few different sports, a few years ago I hated any type of sports or athletics, which is why I found Nat acting exhausted and tired really relatable for me. I loved his little commentaries when he looked at the camera and started complaining about something Titan did.
Max as Titan: I still can’t believe Nat (who is short) is called Mini and Max (who is really tall) was called Titan, but when I first heard his name I had to pause the episode and laugh at the hilarity of it. Max actually reminds me of my old Volleyball coach, incredibly determined and won’t let you take a break until you can barely move. I always think coaches and instructors like that are the best because you can guarantee you will learn some important lessons from them, which is why I really loved Titan in this series. Like Nat, I’ve also been watching all of Max’s projects since the beginning and I really enjoyed this episode with him in as well.
—Overall- I would have to give this a solid 9.5/10, it would be a full 10 if we actually got some romance like a sweet hug or even a kiss. I’ll settle on the piggyback at the end, but as this is supposed to be a BL series, it would have been nice to see some kind of romance. Other than that I honestly enjoyed everything about this episode.

Episode 4: 9/10 (Just One Life)
—Story- I’m so glad that episodes 3 and 4 have started to get better as I absolutely loved this episode. Although some people preferred this episode over MaxNat’s, I personally don’t think it was as good, only because I was quite confused about the plot. It did feel very rushed, one minute Peam is crying over his ex, the next he’s fallen in love with XiaoPing. Although it made more sense after rewatching it, when I first saw this episode I was quite confused by the beginning with Peam crying and wanting to throw himself off a bridge then XiaoPing appearing out of nowhere and cheering him up. Those were the only complaints I really had about this episode, everything else was so good. Yoon and Talay have such great chemistry from recording YYY the series and they definitely carried it on here, which has got me very excited for their episode on Y-Destiny. It was just a cute, fluffy episode without any drama and a breath of fresh air.
—Acting/Cast- Yoon as Peam: Although Yoon has done quite a few projects, he hasn’t had very many main roles which is quite surprising considering the high quality of his acting abilities. I first saw him in his main role in YYY where he flawlessly acted in such a funny, comedic series. It’s clear from this episode he has a certain charm that reveals itself when he plays a funny character which really draws you in. He’s so talented and I look forward to seeing his future projects.
Talay as XiaoPing: Although I knew Talay has done quite a lot of acting before, I never realised he’s a member of a boyband until I looked at his profile. He’s such a natural actor and I’ve enjoyed every project he’s been in with special emphasis on My Engineer and YYY. His expression management is no joke and the way he can manipulate audiences emotions just from a slight change in expression is incredible. He’s honestly so beautiful and his eyes are stunning, it’s so visually pleasing when he smiles that I keep falling more in love with him.
—Overall- I’m going to give this episode a 9/10. While this may be a rather unpopular view, I really did enjoy this episode, but I honestly think the slightly rushed place and simplistic plot set it a little lower than episode 3. However, it was still an amazing episode and I really liked it.

Episode 5: 10/10 (Dear My Star)
—Story- Okay, now it seems I have a new favourite episode. This was about a long distance relationship that connected through the 2 characters being “pen-pals” (thats what I would refer to it as but basically just talking through letters to someone in another city/country). This is the first time I’ve seen something like this as, while there have been dramas with online relationships forming, this episode was completely different from that. As this episode was set during the 90’s I was worried it would look tacky and obviously fake, but that wasn’t the case at all. It was such a natural setting and layout that if the camera hadn’t have had such high-quality definition and I didn’t already know Jimmy and Tommy, I would have honestly thought this was filmed in the 90’s.
—Acting/Cast- Jimmy as Night: Jimmy is such a great actor and I honestly keep forgetting he only started acting very recently when I watched him in a main role in WhyRU the series. His expression management is insane and I constantly find myself falling in love with how sweet and innocent he is. Although the episode lengths are quite short, due to the plot we were able to really meet the character of Night in depth and learn about him. I love Jimmy’s facial expressions when talking and writing to Mekhin, and when they met you could practically see the stars in their eyes. Jimmy and Tommy have such great chemistry and they definitely showcased that in this episode.
Tommy as Mekhin: Tommy is another actor I love to watch and I first saw him when he played a couple with Jimmy in WhyRU the series. Although that was the first time I saw him in a drama, he has been in the industry for 6 years so has had more experience than his costar. Tommy is such a great actor also for the ways he can manipulate the audience just from a simple change in expression. Although he’s played a couple with other actors than just Jimmy, he definitely has the best chemistry with Jimmy and it came across so well in this episode, making it my favourite one.
—Overall- This is definitely a full 10/10, I absolutely loved everything about this episode. The storyline was something unique and refreshing to watch, and Jimmy and Tommy’s chemistry made it even better. I honestly hope they will make an extended version of this episode some day!

Episode 6: 8/10 (Imagine You)
—Story- I’m still very confused about this episode due to the elements of Sci-fi that didn’t really make sense to me. KimCop are one of my favourite BL couples in the industry so I was so excited and happy to see them here, but I think the plot they were given was too confusing for only a 15 minute episode. I thought the VR concept was great and a really interesting idea, but it should have been a series within itself instead of a single episode which made it all quite rushed and complicated. I have quite a few questions about the ending, particularly whether Jedi actually carries the memories from his VR counterpart or if he has no idea who he is, but why was he nice to Ray one minute, then cold to him the next? Although the confusing storyline ruined the episode for me a little, as this could have had the potential to be my next favourite episode, KimCop have such great chemistry that I enjoyed the episode regardless.
—Acting/Cast- Copter as Ray: (recently edited this review to change Copters pronouns, they are non binary and use they/them pronouns <3) Copter is another actor I discovered right from the beginning of their career after their debut in 2 Moons, and I’ve followed them for almost every project they’ve taken on. I have so much respect for Copter as an incredible artist. They’re such a great actor and they definitely showcase their remarkable acting abilities in this episode. Ray was incredibly anxious and clumsy in front of Jedi which is very relatable as many people struggle to face their crushes head on, especially when you’re basically in love with a celebrity. Copter did a great job with Ray and I’m so excited to see them in many more of their upcoming projects.
Kimmon as Jedi: Kimmon, like Copter, I have been watching since his acting debut. Although I never realised he was in Love Sick 2 as well, I’ve watched nearly every series he’s been apart of and I’m constantly keeping an eye out for any new projects he takes on. Jedi was such an interesting character, both his physical self and VR persona, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about him. As I said before, if the episode was longer and we had the time to learn more about him and have some more questions answered then I would have loved him even more. Despite this he was such a cool character and, like Copter, I can’t wait to see more of Kimmon in the future.
—Overall- I’m going to have to give this episode an 8/10 because of the short, confusing plot. This is one of those episodes where the perfect phrase comes to mind “The idea was better than the execution”, which sums up this final episode perfectly.

Final Thoughts:
My final ranking of these 6 episodes is as followed:
1. Episode 5 (Jimmy and Tommy)
2. Episode 3 (Max and Nat)
3. Episode 4 (Yoon and Talay)
4. Episode 6 (Kimmon and Copter)
5. Episode 1 (Ohm and Fluke)
6. Episode 2 (Ja and First)

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Popular couples who were given mediocre plots.

(Ep. 1) Pierce & Typhoon:

Why? This was just sad. I can't say that the ending was happy because of what Typhoon said. "Can you act like we're still in love?" What does that even mean? Pierce didn't even answer. They just kissed, and then it was over. Just seconds before that, Pierce suggested that they should break up. Keep in mind that he said that on their anniversary. He didn't even apologize for diminishing Typhoon because of his age. Also, I didn't expect Ohm and Fluke to have such a lackluster and sort of bad kiss. They kissed just fine in Until We Meet Again. I thought Marc was going to like Pierce, but I'm pretty sure he didn't. Honestly, I just found the whole episode confusing. They really didn't seem like they were equally in love with each other, and I thought both characters were kind of annoying. They were quite childish and said hurtful things to each other. Pierce also called Typhoon his brother, so that sucked. The part at the end where Typhoon showed up at Pierce's workplace felt odd. The dialogue was just off. Typhoon said, "You said you don't like to drink. Is this what grown-ups do at work? Is this Marc?" Marc answered, "That's right.", then Typhoon said, "I'm your fan." These were all sentences that came right after each other with almost no intervals. Then afterward, he just left. It was so awkwardly written. I physically cringed. The acting was still fine, though. It wasn't really Fluke's fault. In conclusion, I really don't understand why this was made.

(Ep. 2) Moo Joom & Xin:

I don't know what to say. We're really out here romanticizing bestiality, huh? Moo Joom was a cat throughout the whole thing. Xin didn't see him as a human at any point. Therefore I'm not really sure what this qualifies as. It definitely wasn't BL, though. Who made this? Why would anyone ever think this was a good idea? It was just weird. None of it made sense. Most of the things Moo Joom did when he was shown as a human, a cat wouldn't be able to do. Nor would a cat do those things even if it could. Cat's don't fall in love with their owners. I'm just discombobulated. I also felt kind of bad for Vee. She seemed nice. I didn't think I'd ever want a BL to end with one of the characters ending with a girl, but I'd prefer it here. For sure. It was simply a waste of potential. First and Ja could be such a cute BL couple. Instead, they gave us this. I'm starting to doubt they'll ever have an on-screen kiss with each other. They also won't ever play as a normal behaving couple, I guess.

(Ep. 3) Mini & Titan:

This was way better than the first two episodes. It was cute and not super uncomfortable. Max and Nat have great chemistry. Mini and Titan were definitely into each other, but we didn't get to see them as more than friends crushing on each other in this. They might have ended up together. We don't know. The plot was fine. What can you really do with fifteen minutes, though? I don't know what else to say, which in this instance, is a good thing.

(Ep. 4) XiaoPing & Peam:

When it comes to Yoon and Talay, I really haven't been able to see the chemistry between them yet. Romantically that is. Of course, that is just how I feel. But because of that, the overall experience wasn't that great. To me, it was too unrealistic that Peam would be into XiaoPing after just breaking up with his girlfriend. It made no sense. I did think certain parts of the story were cute, though. Like their t-shirts, XiaoPing's confession, Talay, Talay, and well, Talay. He never fails to make me smile whenever he is on screen. Anyway, it definitely wasn't the most interesting plot. It was just okay.

(Ep. 5) Night & Mehkin:

I don't really have much to say about this. It was the best one in my opinion. It was so wholesome and cute. I might be a little biased because I love Tommy and Jimmy as a pairing. The nineties thing was a sweet excuse for them to have to interact through letters. I enjoyed it and wanted more. If only we knew whether they became more than friends. This one definitely had the potential to be a full-length series.

(Ep. 6) Ray & Jedi:

How do I explain this one? Copter and Kimmon are great together, and it was nice to see Copter's character be the pursuer for once. He was a cutie as always. The actual story was not for me, though. The VR thing was, to put it mildly, odd. How were we supposed to know if any of it was true? I also can't help but cringe when it's about a fan and a celebrity. It's usually bound to get sad. The kiss was also out of place. In conclusion, this wasn't a great episode to end with.

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