Kiseki: Dear to Me (2023)

As Far As BL Goes This Is A Solid One

This sure is an interesting one. The premise is nothing new, although it's presented in a way that still feels fresh and not overdone. The acting is spot-on and the chemistry between the characters is great.

I'll start with the things I liked about the series first.

The main couple, Bai Zong Yi and Fan Ze Rui do have great chemistry together, and it was (for the most part) interesting to see them develop. I do wish the age gap was smaller, and while I do understand why Zong Yi had to be a minor I feel like that part could've been handled better. The premise of their meeting and subsequent getting to know each other was frankly ridiculous but you get to watch them become more and more healthy as they get to know each other.

The second couple is by miles more interesting in comparison by the sheer amount of history between the two. Ai Di's actor stole the entire show, and felt in a different league from his fellow actors I won't lie. At moments I felt like he was the only one who understood the assignment, be that gang related stuff, or his feelings for Chen Yi. Their storyline is complicated and painful and, in my eyes, a lot better thought out.

Now, for the things I find not so compelling.

The plot was rushed in places it should have taken its time and dragged in places that really didn't need it. The split between the past and the present is uneven and it leaves a bunch of questions open, and a lot of narratives that would have been compelling just hanging. Maybe this is due to production costs, but I was feeling both underwhelmed and rushed during the second part. I feel like the show would have benefited from a scene or two taking place during the time skip to give us an idea of what the life inside prison was and what Ze Rui or Chen Yi was up to in the meantime. It's obvious that Ai Di has some sort of ptsd after serving time but it's almost used as a throwaway, and Zong Yi's injury is, aside from about two scenes, used as a plot device and nothing that really affects his life too much.

It also felt like a mafia series written by someone who knows nothing about gangs apart from they have cool cars and hang out in dingy looking bars. The fight scenes and the whole villain plot is basically nonsensical and the fighting itself was reminiscent of a Gokusen one, and I still don't fully understand what Zhang Teng's deal was. Ze Rui's involvement with the 'gang' felt even more bizzare the more we get to know him, and even the explanation for it just... Felt off. Especially given how we're introduced to him in the first place. The series also gives off the impression that Zong Yi's family didn't visit him in prison which just baffles.

Overall, it's a cute series that you will enjoy if you don't think too much about the plot details. It has plenty of sweet moments for those who just care for that and the chemistry, which is fair. Analyzing it on a deeper level leaves you with quite a few questions that, sadly, remain unanswered.

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Best Taiwanese BL in 2023

As we all know, some of the most coveted BLs of all time are hailed from Taiwan. And so, when you see a new one dropping the expectation is usually through the roof. All that said, the BLs dropping in 2023 from them have really fallen short in terms of their predecessors.

But Kiseki: Dear to Me walked through our doors and offered us a breath of fresh air. For me, it's really rare to be engaged and interested in both pairings of a show. But I was invested in both Zerui / Zongyi and Ai Di / Chen Yi. The chemistry between both pairings was dripping from the screen and their stories pulled at my heart strings so wonderfully. I honestly couldn't get enough of them.

I am dinging a few points on the story however, because the background plot outside of the couples is not really told well and can be kind of confusing. And also, the finale (overall) felt really underwhelming and frustrating by including unnecessary plot speed bumps for no reason.

Outside of that though, this is still worth a watch. Plus!!! There's so many cameos from beloved BLs of the past and it was nice to see them all again on the screen.

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Aesthetically Pleasing Poster but disappointing plot

I started watching this because I thought that the poster was very aesthetically pleasing but was greatly disappointed by the end.
Story:
I think the mafia genre is pretty standard for a bl, but it feels like it's a mafia story just to be a mafia story. I was confused by all of the mafia scenes until the very end and it all seemed like teens playing mafia rather than the real deal.
-very rant heavy-
Cons
The fact that Bai Zongyi was also 17 throughout a majority of the story is very baffling- like it's not THAT instrumental to the plot. In the very beginning Fan Zerui is all like "he is a kid I can't be with him" but changes his mind about that pretty quickly...
Like the biggest plot-point is that all of this happening made him lose his scholarship and in the end not be able to go to college. It would've been so easy to change that for the book and make him 18/19 and a college freshman. He could still lose his scholarship and be forced to drop out of college and it would've fixed all of the ickiness that came with watching them. I was only able to keep going because Bai Zongyi's actor does not look that young. Like I think he was 20(?) when this was recorded but he still didn't look like a teen. If they purposely made him look younger than it would've been over for me.
I know Ai Di and Chen Yi had an age gap, even though it was only three years, and it was definitely hinted that Ai Di had feelings for Chen Yi even as a minor, but nothing was ever acted on literally until the start of this story.
Also I feel that Bai Zongyi had much more to lose- the power dynamic was never in his favor so it felt much worse.

Sadly the worst part of it all was him being bribed to go to jail for a crime he didn't even commit. Genuinely a jaw dropping moment. I don't think many of us are versed on Taiwanese law, but I would assume that would be a pretty clear self-defense case. I can't help but feel pity for him and his entire family. I know his dad was able to get cured because of the deal but that is probably gut-wrenching to learn that your son will never be able to become a doctor- which up until then was his dream. Though those scenes with his family were the best- acting-wise - in the entire show, actually tear-worthy.

The fake amnesia plot... at that point it felt like we were just checking off tropes. Then we turned into a business, inheritance plotline and it felt like we went of the deep-end.

Pro
BUT the thing I like the most about this story is how when Bai Zongyi got out of prison he realized he didn't want to be a doctor and started up a cafe. Maybe I am reading into this too much, but it is pretty common for people in lower class families to want to be a doctor or a lawyer so they could escape poverty. While that is all commendable, it is sad that many of them have to put their real dreams aside. (Now maybe i really am reading into this too much and Bai Zongyi starting his cafe was just because Fan Zerui liked desserts.) But I like the idea that maybe after he loses literally everything (his scholarship, his way to college, in the end his friends) he realized he should pursue his own dreams.
Also I really liked Ai Di's and Bai Zongyi's friendship. They are really different in almost everything- upbringing, personality, style, etc. but seemed to be natural friends.

I don't know maybe I should've dropped it earlier on, but there was something that I really liked about it. Probably the casting and chemistry and family dynamic.
If you read all of this thank you,,, but I really just wanted to rant.

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This series has a lot of cameos

Someone said this BL is out here collecting BL couples like Pokémon cards. It’s true. Every memorable Taiwanese BL couple who had free time pop up in this series.

Go into this series with no expectations and you’ll enjoy it a lot more. I made the mistake of reading the comment section and was expecting the second couple to steal this series. Luckily I put off watching it fro a couple of weeks before I binged it. This saved me from having high expectations of this series. The story of Zongyi and Zherui are so well developed despite the episodes being less than 30 mins each. We didn’t have to suffer through fillers like you do with Thai series. This relationship gives the same vibe as Stand By Me but without the censorship and ambiguity. If China didn’t have censorship of BL we could’ve had Addicted and Stand By Me like Ban ZongYi and Fan ZheRui

Perhaps for some people they like the second couple because the story was good. I won’t say they stole the series by any means. Perhaps it’s because I didn’t like Chen Yi being so dense for a crime boss with his own crew. He is so soft that without Ai Di, he would be dead.

Given the short time of each episode, there wasn’t any plot holes. There were some suspenseful cliffhangers and the acting was very good. It’s on Par with the HIStory franchise.

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The secondary couple stole this BL series <3 Bonker but also entertaining drama !

This BL drama is centred around the story of a high school student and a gangster meeting in dire circumstances. I found the scenario really entertaining (especially the first part of the series with the second arc being a bit less good). The script is quite flawed with some bonkers plotlines, more particularly with all the gang stuff being totally crazy and making very little sense.

The lack of logic, the overwhelming and sometimes idiotic decisions are more than compensated by the fun and exciting aspects of the series as well as the sizzling chemistry of the main couple and the secondary one. The scenario is revisiting a lot of dramatic tropes and ressorts: despite some narrative choices that I found odd, I truly enjoyed that it subverted some of them in a very exciting and sometimes unexpected way.

The 4 main characters are very well built and I found myself super invested in the romances (especially in the secondary couple story which is not that frequent for me). The 4 actors are beautiful and their scenes together are ultra pretty, sweet, hot as well as dramatic on some aspects. The main actors really gave it their all and were very convincing (even when the story and the editing was not helping them), the really managed to bring all the feels and the angst on screen. Unfortunately, the antagonists roles are much more lacking (both in acting but foremost in their storylines, it got pretty caricatural).

The soundtrack is very good with some pop as well rock aspects fitting well with the romance in this gangsta universe. I never skipped listening to the opening and ending of the show because it was beautiful... However, I would strongly advise to not look at the generics (and rather just listen to it) to avoid being spoiled on major scenes and events. The show was a bit cringy in terms of production value (the blood make-up, the fighting scenes,...), a lot could have been better and it felt quite cheap.

I would recommend this to people looking for a BL story with sizzling hot chemistry as well as a lot of dramatic elements. If you do not mind bonker plot and low budget production, I would strongly advice to give this a shot. The story of the secondary couple stole the show, even if you decide to not watch this drama, do yourself a favor and go watch some compilation video about the story of Chen Yi and Ai Di <3 !!!!

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Gorgeous gangsters

There isn't a love triangle but there's definitely some sort of geometrical shape where person A is clearly interested in person B but person B only has eyes for person C but then loops back to person A.

The acting is great, the looks of love are heartfelt and the fierceness feels so real. It also has some funny moments. I like all the main characters. The story isn't just a love story (or two) but there are themes of sacrifice, loyalty and family. Each episode is around 30 minutes and they are packing it all in.

I loved it and I had my fingers crossed that it would all work out.

What I liked: Bai Zong Yi's family especially the way his dad accepted reality. Ai Di's feistiness!
What I didn't like: the violence (one episode in particular) was too much for me sometimes. There were a few caricatures of baddies (I know that it happens a lot) and of those wanting revenge.

Cake looked good too!

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Probably the best BL Ive seen, except...

I wanna be buried with this series. I wanna marry it. It's so ADVANCED. I'm a writer and aspiring director and during the entire time I was watching this series all I could think was of how advanced it is. The story/plot is mind-blowing...it explores uncharted territory--PARTICULARLY the background/childhood for BOTH of the leads. It's unique and honestly, a breath of fresh air. It easily breaks stereotypes, things omitted by past dramas. The plot is so up and down that even straight Kdramas fear it. It challenges basic character structure. NOT MANY ASIAN BL DRAMAS TODAY CAN DO THAT. And by not many, I mean like, two or three. The main pairing, both characters surprised me. It's almost a learned trait of a sort now. I can see an actor and automatically know how they're going to act, and it's TERRIBLE. It's refreshing to see such interesting characters.

There's only one thing stopping this from being a 10/10 and that is, as usual, the Taiwanese drama curse. I have never seen a Taiwanese drama that didn't have at least ONE controversial thing. And that thing ALWAYS has the power to ruin the entire series. I hate to say it but Keseki: Dear To Me didn't dodge it. Also the soundtrack didn't stick out to me, never really does. Music is really important, even in series such as these, and there was a severe lack.

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One night can ruin everything.

All the negative things I'm about to write are lies. This show is amazing, Yo. I am writing this in chemistry class, so let's break it down. We are going to average, go by each episode, and then yeah. This is a banger; watch it. The average is 8.23 stars out of 10, and for once, I rounded up. Because this show is so good, bro.

I was very confused. I did not know what was even happening. It started off with a flashback, and I know that now, but at the time, I didnt know. its some ganster crime thing. and I was too confused to write a longer review; love me for that.

I think Fan Ze Rui and Bai Zhongyi kissed, and I was confused. And all of the actors for our two couples were gorgeous. Oh my god, the visuals were out of this world with this cast. Their beauty was really underappreciated in this. I knew from the start that there was going to be a lot of back and forth and running circles around each other because it was an awkward 13 episodes.

Around the third episode, Fan Ze Rui and Bai Zhongyi were already in love, and I was like, What? But then they went back on it, and I was grateful that they were going to drag this show out. I thought that Chen Yi and the boss he liked were son and father at first. I was like, no way, he has a crush on his dad. Ai Di's crush was very present in the first episodes, and I respect her.

then they were doing absolutely nothing. They were sitting there doing nothing, and nothing happened. They were making bad moves at each other, and everything felt very awkward and foreboding at first. Bai Zhongyi and Ai Di were the only ones I liked. They were both chill, and I like how Ai Di didn't make a huge deal about the mafia clan sh*t. But there was a lot of just sitting there, bro.

We started to uncover more and more about both of our couples, and I was happy about that. I was on my junior trip when an episode aired, so I had to catch up. That girl who was all up on Bai Zhongyi was getting on my nerves; she probably won't and somehow blame him for the drug stuff, and then they have to deal with that. So that's fun, I guess.

If they don’t leave Bai Zhongyi alone, Please, holy sh*t. Leave this boy alone. And bro is 17; let’s talk about it, bro. Thank God he is backing off because this bitch is a literal child. Ai Di joining the school was the biggest jumpscare ever. Like, what the fuck were they even doing with this shit? I swear that kiss happened in the last episode, but you know, I don’t really fucking know. I don’t know what is happening between either of our couples right now, but we are running in circles with these four. I was losing my mind in this dumbass show, bro. Oh, my god. i take that back This show is amazing

Finally, our main couple is together. I love them. They have such good chemistry. Their sex scene was surprising but a fucking banger. Thats not ai di that edison, bro. I couldn't stop laughing; that scene had no reason to be that funny. Ai di in the wig just had me laughing so much I can't stop right now. I needed this lighthearted humor. I have been watching too many sad, depressing shows. This show made me really happy when the characters were happy because the acting was really good.

No one can catch a break in this show. I don't even know what is going to happen next, nor do I know what to say. I was surprised he made the decision to save his dad and his boyfriends. But at the cost of his freedom. I don't know why he fell at the end, but damn. I just really don't know. A lot is going on, and there were a lot of big decisions made in such a short amount of time. I don't know. Its crazy. The acting is getting really good, and I am happy about that. I was trying to put myself in Bai Zhongyi's shoes, but it was hard. I don't know if he made the right decisions or not.

The fight ruined both of our main couples. Oh my god, two birds with one stone-type beat. Thats actually really sad, holy sh*t. Brain damage stinks. I have nothing to say besides wanting to finish the whole show right now, but I can't. It got me hooked. I hate the memory loss drop because I think it is lousy and usually poorly made because they don't have anything else to do, but let's see how this turns out. I think that they did the memory stuff poorly; it wasn't that good, because those are never done well.

These climbers are getting to me. I can't believe they ruined both couples in one night and one episode, bro. I am so angry. I love Bai Zho Yi and Ai Di's friendship; it is so fucking cute, and I love them together as like venting besties. Ai Di, he likes you, bro. You made a villain out of him, and he's been training for four years. He's been coming to terms with this for four years; expect it. i am glad bleach blonde is back I don't know what I would have done without bleach blonde. I cannot believe this show. They should not have both of our couples fall apart at the same time.

Its been a few hours since I wrote this. I was very confused, and I did not even know what was happening with the show. I was really thinking that this was some wasted potential because they were finally getting everything together, but at the same time, many random, inconsistent things were happening, and it was getting on my nerves.

This show can do no wrong. They have to bring all our couples home. Ai Di and Homeboy are so fucking cute and our main couple. I lowkey take all the negative things I said about this show back. Because I love it. I love it so much.

It would have been a ten if we got more closure with our other couple. I love Ai Di; he is my favorite fucking character with his goofy ass personality. This show was a banger, and all the negative things I was about to write are lies because this show is amazing and I loved it. They could have wrapped up the show better for both of the couples, but it was still a good ending, and I liked it. A banger show with some bad episodes tows the end, but the last two wrap up the show really well. I will definitely rewatch some of these because I am obsessed. I would recommend this. Okay bye!

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Age gap romance

When I started watching this I didn't realize that initially this kid is 17 (obviously the actor is probably in his 20s) but I found it super strange that the older of the pair actively kisses (and gropes?) this kid and then all of the sudden he has a problem with their age gap (writers trying to make it seem like they're paying attention to the potential criticism they might receive because of said age gap?). The kisses are fine, I guess, but I don't really feel much of the tension because the actor who plays the younger of the pair just doesn't have a whole lot of range when it comes to expressions. He looks like he's acting while he's half asleep. I think that they're in a rush to get through so much plot that the initial build up of the romance goes by very fast, and it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I don't mind age-gap romance, but I do mind it when one of the people in the relationship isn't even 18 yet. And this guy knows that he's about to get this kid into trouble. The second couple is a little more interesting, but not by much. I think a lot of the problem with this drama is framing, is it a rom-com, or is it a gritty gangster story? Who knows.

I'll probably finish it out of boredom, but it isn't for me.

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