Kiseki: Dear to Me (2023)

Is there A REASON not TO WATCH IT????

First of all, talking about the story of this drama, it is nothing special, you might have already come across this kind of story trope - but what makes it so special is - we all know it is Lin Pei Yu's novel based drama. Her writings may not be unique(my opinion....no offense LOL) but the way she portrays the story makes it more interesting and gives you a feeling that this is the first time that you have come across something like this. Aslo, the character development.......oh! tell me about it......I can talk about it the whole day hahahaha. Each and every character is given its own importance. She defines every character to be so adorable.

So yeah, If you like Lin Pei Yu's previous works(We Best Love 1 & 2, My Tooth Your Love, Few of HIStory series) then have no second thoughts, watch it you will definitely love it!!!

Now, coming to the acting. I feel that the actors have done a good job but I felt like they can do even better. According to me, the actor who portrayed Ai Di's character slayed it!!! He stood out the most because his character is the most mature character I have come across even though he was just 18. OMG!! he understands when to make a move and when to not....so mature.

Also, at one point of time I thought the story is not progressing at all but at another point of time I felt that the story is just going fast paced. Yeah! The stability and the balance in the flow of the episodes is not well maintained(acc to me). If you are binge watching it you might not feel this way tho. But I have no complaints nevertheless.

I felt that the leads(main leads and the second leads) have great chemistry and the team tried their best to portray it. But my only concern is that the chemistry could have much more better. Still a big kudos to the team and actors for giving us this enjoyable show.

You can just understand the gist of the story if you watch the trailer. Maybe not the entire story but you can know the genre and the elements like what you can expect from this drama. Even if you think few elements are not your type like the Memory Loss stuff or the Time Skip stuff, I still suggest you watch this drama because this drama is more that what you think it is...So Give it a shot!!

PS - Have no Second Thoughts. It is worth your time. Go WATCH It!!!!

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I loved the second couple

Overall: I absolutely adored Ai Di and ended up enjoying their dynamic/story more. Aired 13 episodes about 25 minutes each on iQIYI, GagaOOLala (not in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, or SEA), Viki & WeTV. Later aired on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk2gvyPpHLRfpyBmdMhePR2ntRNk3GqGs&si=hjJj5M5ZwqmJN7Rm Watch the post credit scene in episode 13.

Content Warnings: murder, attempted murder, blood, violence, past parental abuse, trauma, non con kiss, dub con sex*, blackmail, manhandling, held against will, 17 year old/22-25? year old** (also teacher/student), stalking, manipulation

What I Liked
- more unique premise
- clear timeline (first scene starts in the present then the rest is 4 years before)
- sweet/caring moments
- styling, especially Ai Di
- secondary couple's dynamic
- cameos of HIStory actors, Be Loved In House actors and Plus & Minus actors
- Bai Zong Yi's family, and liked how they knew about most things regarding his decision/actions
- intimacy/nsfw

Room For Improvement
- overall it felt rushed, this covered a long time span but didn't feel that long, they could have removed some parts like the cliche wannabe girlfriend and spent that time explaining things more/showing time passing
- the ending felt especially rushed with cliche plot points tossed in and one plot point left open ended
- comedy sound effects in the beginning didn't fit with the very serious scenes/tone
- villain should have been smoking a cigarette not sucking on a lollipop (it's explained in episode 9 which was too late for me)
- evil wannabe girlfriend cliche
- I got pretty lost with the the gang plot stuff but I also fast forwarded a bit
- not a fan of manipulation/stupid "plan" between romantic partners
- *with the main couple, one was super drunk/on sleeping pills but it was the fictional scenario where he was an active participant and then seemed sober
- **I really wanted them to have aged up Bai Zong Yi but it actually was important to the plot that he was 17 and I do think 17 year olds can be mature enough to enter into relationships with those over the age of 18 so in this instance it didn't bother me and I didn't take off points, though they could have removed the teacher/student element

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gimme gimme more gimme gimme more

You should probably most definitely watch it. There’s something about this drama that just has me dangling on a hook. The chemistry between both couples give me life. Granted I’m a little skeptical about the age difference with one of the main couples with one of the main leads still in highschool presumptuously but the other male leads character doesn’t seem that old so but ANYWAYS I GOT OFF TRACK. As an avid BL watcher of all countries Taiwan has some of my favorites as in this one we get so many cameos of iconic bl duos so that also has me thrilled!
So I actually take back my starting sentence with probably most definitely watch and instead replace it with you absolutely most definitely should watch.

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Where there is love, there are miracles

The plot was interesting. It might not have been something completely new, but it had some interesting plot twists that I did not expect. The first 8-9 episodes are happening in the past, before we jump into the present for the remaining few episodes. I like the fact that the distinction between past and present is very clear. There is also a very clear reason why the jump happens, and it’s not just there.

The story did seem rushed at times. There were a lot of unrealistic scenes. I know a lot of it was done to add dramatics to the plot, but it just made me cringe. Like one of the first scenes is Fan Ze Rui blackmailing Bai Zong Yi to take care of him otherwise he will frame him for murder. No respecting court will convict someone by only what Fan Ze Rui had on Bai Zong Yi. Not to mention he could have easily gone to the police and told them about the crazy man who is blackmailing him.

The OST was nice and catchy. I think the cinematography was okay, but I was bothered by how bright some scenes were. They almost blurred details and edges of the faces with the brightness. Some cuts between the scenes were not the best either.

Fan Ze Rui & Bai Zong Yi: the two of them are an interesting pairing. Bai Zong Yi is very hardworking, a good student and brother, he is someone you can rely on. And Fan Ze Rui appears to be quite similar to him in those aspects as well. The two of them do come from very different backgrounds, but that doesn’t seem to cause any problems between the two. If anything, it almost seems like Fan Ze Rui is used to taking care of himself on his own. They truly loved each other. Bai Zong Yi lost a lot in order to be able to have a relationship with Fan Ze Rui. He lost it not even being certain that the relationship would ever be possible. And Fan Ze Rui got off too easy. After everything that has happened and knowing that he kept a certain lie up for who knows how long doesn’t sit right with me. Yes, Bai Zong Yi made the decision to sacrifice so much for Fan Ze Rui because he loved him. But I also think there was more Fan Ze Rui could have done once things improved. There should have been more begging once we get to the present. The actors had great chemistry and were very expressive with their eyes. And I really liked that.

To address the elephant in the room, Fan Ze Rui is five(?) years older that Bai Zong Yi. When the two first get involved with each other, the latter is 17 years old, still underaged. I am usually not a fan of such age gaps as such relationships are not something we should promote in real life. There is also often no reason why the younger person couldn’t be a few years older. However, there was a very good reason as to why Bai Zong Yi had to be underaged. It played a big role in the plot and in how things turned out. I still think there are certain thigs that should have been avoided, like Fan Ze Rui working as Bai Zong Yi’s teacher for some time. And I also didn’t like the few non-consensual scenes between the two. I liked even less the way those were handled. So it’s not the age gap that is bothering me, but how they went about it.

Chen Yi & Ai Di: Ai Di is a cutie with deadly intentions. He might be my favorite character. Whenever he was in the scene, all the attention was on him. And the blond looks so good on him. He is fierce, loyal and reliable, but also slightly guarded. He has loved Chen Yi for years. He has been hurt many times, pushed to the side by the man that was his everything. Chen Yi is someone who seems to be set in his ways and unwilling to change unless he really gets shaken up. At least that’s how I saw his obsession with being in love with the boss and seeing Ai Di only as a friend, even when he was acting like a jealous and possessive boyfriend. It wasn’t until certain things happened that he opened his eyes to what was right in front of him. The two actors had amazing chemistry. I also really liked their height difference. It made them look cuter together, especially with Ai Di being such a little spitfire and Chen Yi just putting up with it.

I liked some other side characters, but I don’t think we really got to see that much of them. Chen Yi’s helper was fun, I liked how he was trying to teach his boss how to win over his crush. Bai Zong Yi’s father and sister were nice too, I liked that they supported him no matter what.

I didn’t really like how cartoonish the villain was. If he’s some sort of gang leader, at least make him slightly scary and not kindergartener safe. The lollipops were just too ridiculous for me to take the man seriously.

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Captivating...An Emotional Journey

Based on the novel "Miracle" by the legendary Lin Pei Yu, this series is about a gangster and a high school student fighting for their impossible love.

What I liked about their relationship was that their obstacles were external. Once they admitted they liked each other, Bai Zong Yi and Fan Ze Rui were totally committed. They were unshakeable in their devotion, but they have to overcome threats from the outside.

The second CP have their own gut-wrenching plot line. Ai Di and Chen Yi were both raised by the mafia, and Ai Di has suffered from unrequited love for his friend. Watching Ai Di come into the realization that his love may not be as unrequited as he thought was a joy to witness. He deserves all the love!

The Big Boss of the gang has has his own romantic spark with another man but their backstory is not fully fleshed out in the show. I heard Lin Pei Yu suggest in an interview that the 3rd book in this trilogy is their story. I'd love to see their story on screen. Since Pei Yu is both a screenwriter and producer of this series, I'm hoping we can see this team film all three books in the trilogy.

Finally, I wanted to comment on the ages of the main cp. I've read the book. Bai Zong Yi is 17 and Fan Ze Rui is 22. Spoiler ahead: The fact Zong Yi is a minor is important to the story, because it means he gets a lighter sentence for the crime (which he doesn't actually commit). This point about his age is reiterated by the big boss in the series.

None of the characters have a problem with their age gap (because it isn't illegal in Taiwan) but I understand that many viewers may be uncomfortable with it. If this is you, I recommend not watching any further. It's a disservice to the series to dismiss it with a low rating just because of their ages.

Series Highlights: The acting and chemistry between the cast. The endless parade of cameos from BL actors. The OST. Ai Di's wardrobe. The rewatch value...I've already rewatched several times!

Tip: Make sure to watch the special episode called Kiseki+ on Youtube. It basically ep 8.5 and should be watched between eps 8 and 9.

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Far too many toxic elements in the story

Spoiler heavy. This could have been so much better. Cinematography and technical aspects were good. The mismatched friendship had promise at the beginning and could have been a good start but only to a completely different story. Ai Di's story could have been great if he'd been allowed to stay away and rebuild a better life.
Instead we start with someone barely above the legal age limit but very inexperienced in relationships and an older mafia underling (actors' age gap is 10 years and if the novel made the characters' less it wasn't mentioned in the series) who really should know better. He gives some token resistance on age - enough to show he understands that it is wrong - and then dives in. He doesn't even do that on the risks his criminal family will bring to the kid he repeatedly calls Kiddo.
Add in (fake) amnesia, (not fake) short term memory loss (which they keep saying is temporary but show no signs of that), time jump for prison cause the kid was coerced by the mafia to take the blame for a murder he didn't commit, another young man who gets free from the mafia but is carried back in literally kicking and screaming but it's all fantastic because the man who dicked him around for years finally decided to kiss him.
Seriously? All for an absolute kitchen sink mess of a plot which says EVERYTHING will be forgiven for a first love.
The fandom really will ignore any red flag situation or behaviour if there are cute boys kissing.

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Very good, stops short of great

There is lot to recommend this series - foremost the acting, which is uniformly excellent. I'm not sure I've ever seen couples behave more realistically and without reserve - you really felt like these were people with feelings for each other. The physical affection in this is natural and convincing, with lovers sleeping cuddled up and not wearing enough clothing to survive arctic exposure with a minimum of one meter between them at all times like is typical in BL.

There's clearly a lot of passion that went into this production, from direction, to wardrobe, to all aspects of the production, and it makes a huge difference.

The dialog is better than normal, and most of the characterization is steady and consistent.

There are a few issues, however. This is a classic enemies-to-lovers story, and it's at its best - as usual - in the enemies portion, with an interesting and fairly equal dynamic that's unusual and entertaining, with the enigmatic and non-maliciously manipulative Zherui showing up in bizarre and unexpected ways, and the frustrated and grumpy Zong Yi trying to get rid of him while missing him when he's gone. There is no particular seme-uke dynamic at first, which is refreshing, and when they do fall into those roles it's in an unexpected way.

The secondary couple is more clearly seme-uke, but the uke is not useless and without agency. He's crazy and mercurial, and would benefit from a steady-handed partner, but I liked that he's to be reckoned with, not a helpless damsel.

There are, however, a few issues which prevent this from reachingthe top tier. One is the convoluted plot with many holes in it and contrived relationships and coincidences, greatly exacerbated by numerous very large time jumps which plaster over organic resolution of dramatic tension, i.e. the important things tend to happen off-screen.

There is also a silly cliffhanger at the end of every episode and in the middle of them as well. For example. a character is shot, but it turns out with a rubber bullet as part of a life lesson someone was trying to teach which was totally ridiculous. Someone is stabbed, and in the next scene his friends are standing at a bridge with white flowers. To give to him because it was only a flesh wound (to the intestines) - never mind that white flowers are for the dead, and that was just cheap misdirection for 10 seconds of angst. The cliffhangers required a lot of time to be burned on backtracking to fill us in on what happened, and made it very difficult to follow the series if you watched it weekly - so I would recommend binge-watching. As it was, I usually had to review the previous episode because the beginning of each episode is unconnected to the end of the last.

Finally, the dynamic between the main pair descends into stereotypical BL roles, with the formerly grumpy and irritated Zong Yi transmogrifying into a sweet romantic lead, which is frankly boring and inconsistent with the character as originally drawn. He was bound to soften a bit, but he didn't need to become a different person. Clearly the writer wanted lovey-dovey interaction, but it could have been done with some of the edge left in. Due to what happens along the way, he suffers from a short-term memory problem - for about 5 minutes after a huge time jump, then it more or less goes away and has no further impact on anything.

There is a fake memory loss plot that is resolved so quickly that it's pointless and probably should have been left out. The story arc of the mafia boss was very well-acted, but had so little impact that it essentially wasted time. Too much was attempted for the run-time available, when it would have been better to just cut out elements that weren't necessary to the story.

Would I recommend this series? Definitely. Despite the criticisms above, it has so much going for it that the problems are overbalanced by it's good qualities, not least of which the unbelievable attractiveness of the cast - they are all smokin', and even better are all talented and skilled actors.

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"It's a miracle that the person you love also loves you."

This series has given so many lesson throughout, even with the gang stuff. Although I hope you don't get yourself into trouble like them, they also teach the values of putting care and trust into your relationship.

As said in the credits, "Where there's love, theres a miracle. " And that it shown itself in the series. The beautiful leads,the great storyline, and the outstanding acting all brought together creates this masterpiece. If I were to give a "BEST BL OF 2023" this one might just take the cake. (haha get it? Bai Zong Yi's shop. ok nvm..)

The love story between Fan Ze Rui & Bai Zong Yi is a long journey. There is love and there is heartbreak. Tears were shed, of joy and sadness. But I was more than satisfied with the outcome.

THE STORY (slight spoiler? skip this part if you don't want any!):

Bai Zong Yi is a regular student with dreams of becoming a doctor. Until one day, that all changes. When he meets Fan Ze Rui, his life gets twisted all around. Once getting to know each other, love is in the air! But that love comes crashing down when injury occurs leading to amnesia. Will they be able to pass this tragedy and rekindle their now broken relationship?

CHEMISTRY:
Taiwanese BLs always have great leads with great chemistry, and that's the case with both couples. The way they would gaze into each others eyes, the body language, and everything overall gave me BUTTERFLIES!!

You can't forget the CAMEOS!! My boys from Plus&Minus making an appearance made my day better. Seeing them on screen together was a delight, and I really wish to have another series with them as well, and not just a cameo. Along with other characters in the show, such as ones from HIStory and Be Loved in House:I Do. Although I haven't seen those series yet, it's lovely to see couples such as those on screen again, even for just a second.

When it comes to Taiwanese BL, I always have high hopes. Was that a bad idea when coming into this? NOT AT ALL! IT SERVED! Getting to spend the last 13 weeks with these 2 couples was everything, and I'd do anything to be able to watch it for the first time. Their love story made me cry. From laughter, and from quite literal sobs and I'll miss that.

It's a rare sight when liking both couples, but Kiseki did it for me. Chen Yi and Ai Do were ADORABLE! There was enough screen time for both couples, which is a win.

I hope to see more of both couples, and maybe even a series with Nat Chen (Chen Yi) and Louis Chiang (Ai Di) as the main leads👀. Would definitely recommend to others!!

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I have mixed feelings regarding this series and Taiwan BL in general. I remember when HISTory aired, the very first series was called "Obessed", and everyone was talking about it. I checked it out and thought the story makes zero sense, but the actors were committed and showed us great make-out scenes. Many years later, not much changed.
This series' author also wrote Trapped and MODC, and again, I have the same criticism. There is only one explanation for the author's success I can come up with (some even call her the "queen of Taiwan BL"): She puts so much stuff into her stories, that there is something for everyone. You like a couple where one guy is much older? Check. You like a couple with unexpected top/bottom roles? Check. You're into student-teacher stories? Check. You like the tsundere type and the cold/stoic type? Check. You like big height differences? Check. You like the one being manly, and the other being cute? Check. You like mafia guys? Check. So I assume whoever reads this found at least two points they like. So go watch it!
Seriously, the author talks about stuff she doesn't know anything about. In Trapped those police officers behaved like children playing detective, now in Kiseki the mafia guys behave like children running a car repair shop and doing some street fights. The older mafia guys are sitting in the hot tub, looking dangerous and talking in a way that it sounds important. It's low budget, I know, but don't go there, if you're not capable of making it believable. The whole plot is a mess. Two young guys going to prison for 4 years is a good example of the weak wattpad-style storytelling. You could write a whole series about their experience in jail, but they brush over it, and they even get out in the same episode. Not much changed, as if they had seen each other just months ago.
Back to the same criticism I had regarding Trapped and MODC: There is no balance regarding the mood of the story. Kisekei had some very touching and serious moments, but then it gets incredible cheesy and corny. It's funny, and in the next moment it's tragic. The author apparently wants to evoke as many emotions in the viewer as possible. The result? It's a mess.
But not only the plot is a mess, the acting is too. Ai Di (Louis Chiang) is the only good actor, I would even say, he is the only "real" actor. What do I mean by that? He embodies the character wholeheartedly. Even if the character develops or changes over time, you still feel it's the same character. I have no issue with Chen Yi (Nat Chen) acting. He is doing a good job, and it's not uncommon that an actor reaches a new level when paired with someone talented. But still, it's obvious he isn't as good as Louis. Unfortunately, everyone else, from the younger guys to the older guys, is just here for the paycheck.
My final thoughts and rating? I love the 2nd couple, they are my guilty pleasure for many reasons. I hope those two get a new series, because I love their chemistry and acting. Everything else was forgettable. The main couple was too cheesy, and Taro Lin should really work on his acting. For me this was second hand embarrassment.
7 stars for the effort (they did some things right, and some scenes were beautifully filmed), but since I'm madly in love with Ai Di and Chen Yi I will give 8 stars.

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Why writers why.. why every good drama have to be spoiled by the end

Very nice plot although they want mix every genre they could think offfff. I love the comedy side and don’t even doubt the chemistry. The chemistry is a huge plus and it’s nice to see other couples giving guest appearances. People who miss them would be delighted.

Spoiler alert*:
Although people are quirking about the age gap , I don’t mind it but bai zong yi being a minor taking a decision to love an adult that too a mafia one by risking everything in the drama doesn’t sit right with me though. Even though minors are not appreciated to watch this I don’t believe they want a minor to take those life changing decisions but still doesn’t want him to regret it. All he felt bad about his lover while sitting in the jail but not about his goal or career. Ok let’s leave that aside because he is a minor . What about Fan ze Rui he just forgive that sis and heroically said “live a good life in place of zhang teng.” He didn’t even think about the person who changed his whole life because of him. And what the writers want to say to the viewers , “even if someone tries to kill you or your loved one don’t try to defend yourself even if you did eventually someone will come to you to take revenge and kill you … Then what’s the most important thing to do is feel guilty for protecting your loved one instead of letting him die and stop defending to get yourself killed . Now icing on the cake is even if you are alive after the whole mishap by a Miracle (Kiseki) , you should forgive your killer and encourage them to be a murderer” . I gave a standing ovation 👏 to the last episode while watching it. Writers , what a plot. I take a bow for your logic.
So since I’m done with my venting , all I have to say is leave your brain in the suitcase and watch the drama and enjoy the chemistry and acting.

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I would reccomend not watching.

Okay, so you may want me to mark this a spoiler related review but I need an opening warning to anyone who will watch this show: the main character is a minor until the last 3-4 episodes. The story has him engaging in a romantic and sexual relationship with an adult. Do not argue with me that “he’s 17, he’s almost an adult” when your frontal lobe doesn’t finish developing until you are 25. I could not like either of them beyond the fact that the actors get along well and you can obviously tell that.

I was severely uncomfortable with the fact it was romanticizing that relationship even if initially they had the adult realize it was wrong. I think it’s disgusting and will fuck over a lot of kids who don’t understand that it’s not hot or cool to have sex with an adult when you are a kid. It’s setting up younger fans who find this show to be exploited. He could’ve been a university student and it wouldn’t’ve been less creepy bc he wouldn’t be a LITERAL child.

I think whoever likes this and looks beyond the fact that it’s an illegal age gap should reasses what they actually like about this show beyond “ooo it’s taboo” and the actors having good chemistry. An adult preying on a child that obviously has no support system or parent around is fucking disgusting, and if you say it’s not you don’t get how much that fucks up someone.

The only redeeming part of the show for me was Ai Di since his age gap with Chen Yi was THREE years instead of 5+. He was the only character that actually felt compelling to me especially with how Louis played him. He was the one who didn’t have his whole personality revolve around his romantic interest, he had other things going on at the same time as everything. You can say I’m biased but he didn’t get start his relationship with Chen Yi until he was in his 20s after he and Zongyi get out of prison (but was still an ADULT when they had sex before he left).

Like no hate to the actors, they’re just doing their job, but genuinely whoever wrote this is gross. Literally as a gay man, especially one who’s been the older person in the room for some of younger peers, I can’t suspend any disbelief for this storyline. I can’t think an adult having a sexual relationship with a child is hot or sexy or whatever you fucking call it. It’s literally what us queer men have been trying to fight, because the impression made by conservative media of gay and trans people is that we’re predators, and then you make a gay romance out of an incredibly predatory relationship? You don’t fight for us. You only care about your fetishes.

I don’t recomend watching this show. (I’m not saying boycott the actors though, they didn’t write the story. They just did a job.)

If this review offended you, if it make you angry because I said the truth of what this show really is and you don’t like that, reassess yourself. Liking queer romance isn’t a crime but when it’s including shit like this, it’s doing the opposite of what mainstream queer media is supposed to do. It’s not advocating, it’s showing an adult and child having sex. It’s setting up impressionable minds to getting hurt. I can’t accept that, especially when there are more well written actual queer stories to come out of Asia.

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