This review may contain spoilers
The Eight Sense really is such a masterpiece, especially in the genre of slice of life / Drama genre.I love how beautifully they actually portrayed a character with depression and trauma. As someone who has both of them, I love how they showed his struggles in his day-to-day interactions, rather than just showcasing him as a pill-popping sad character but they showed this depth to his character.
Even Ji Hyun I love the fact that he actually tries to understand the struggles Jaewon has and decides to let Jaewon take tiny steps towards him. I also love how Jae Won wasn't shown as an asshole for ignoring Ji Hyun after the incident like in other dramas instead he focuses on himself, works over his trauma, and doesn't use the stupid tricks shown in other dramas of going the extra mile to get the other lead to leave him alone.
I also love every side character yeah! Taehyung and Eun Ji do get on my nerves but EP 10... god! EP 10 just helped with their character development...and Aeri, YoonWoo, and JoonPyo ..some of the best side characters who actually help the main leads rather than create doubts.
Over and all it's such a beautiful watch...another plotline that proves for a good bl drama you don't need NC scenes but emotional intimacy even in this series, yes, the scenes were hot but what you can feel is the emotions of the characters rather than just hot makeout session ...
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This review may contain spoilers
Dramatic Getting Together Story
**Brief Synopsis**B (Student): Ji Hyun
T (Student): Jae Won
- Beginning: B and T meet at the beach when they join the same surfing club. They hit it off pretty quickly and soon an attraction develops between them. They end up kissing. When they return to school however, B sees T again but T pretends that nothing happened, making B confused and a little upset.
- Middle: As we see more of B’s and T’s daily life, we also see them spending more time together despite everything. Although it’s obvious T is interested in B and vice versa, something was holding T back. It is revealed that T has mental issues related to a trauma he had suffered some time ago. His mental issues make it difficult for him to form relationships or letting himself go. He sees a psychologist for his problems, but it is obvious he looks happier after spending some time with B. After B nearly ties in an accident that involves T, T decides to avoid B in the name of protecting him. In this moment of denial, he gets back with his ex girlfriend.
- End: But denying his feelings didn’t last long. Finally T realizes he wants to be with B, breaks it off with the girlfriend once more and end up dating B. The show ends with them happily dating.
**My Opinion**
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT:
- The actors playing B and T. Their chemistry was amazing and their interactions were cute and sweet. They also do a great job in portraying the affection between the characters.
- I like how T manages to overcome some of his trauma by series end thanks to B’s help.
- The writing is pretty nice despite the plot being predictable and cliche. The director do a good job depicting the challenges of daily someone with mental issues that can affect their day to day life and basic social skills.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT IT:
- Very tame intimate scenes which can be a disappointment.
- Angst comes from T constantly denying his own feelings which is an overused trope.
- T’s character is very complicated. Because of his trauma, he isn’t a very nice person, hurting B on more than 1 occasion and only thinking about himself and telling others he’s not. The fact that he dragged an innocent girl in to the mix is proof of that. He’s not a very likeable character.
- Slow burn, meaning they only got together in the last episode. I would have loved to see more of their daily interactions as a couple.
- The show is constantly playing with your emotions which means it can get a little tiring to watch.
**Conclusion**
An OK watch but won’t be revisiting again.
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Petition for season 2
One of the most beautiful and romantic bl till date from Asia....It has everything you want and the sexual tension and chemistry between the main lead just top notch .... I can't even describe in words ... every character play a important role in story development so be patient while watching and don't be judgemental from start .....you will never feel that they are rookie and it's their first project together.They have given their 100%.Many others bl of 2023 that gives hope and butterflies in stomach are-
Our dating sim (Korea)
Jack' o frost(Japan)
My School president (Thailand)
Just give a Chance to these bls and you will not regret it.
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A Masterpiece! Sheer Perfection!
I do not use these words lightly but this series is as close to perfection as one can get. and does show that you can have a good story, awesome acting and have a BL all under one umbrella. You do not need to compromise. This series is so much more than a BL or a love story. It is a story of sensing and knowing what is going on with the one you love and feeling them and knowing them as well. It is as if their ‘eighth senses’ are intertwined. Even in its darkest time, it never seemed lost or hopeless as their kas had once been touched and they were bound together - inexorably. This story could have been so maudlin and melancholic; yet was not. It was dark for sure, every broody. But it felt honest and promising.Unquestionably this is one of the finest Bls for the year 2023 and not to be missed.
You can read my full review of this brilliant production at BLBliss.com.
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Good enough
I have read so many people saying this is the best KBL of all time. It’s NOT.Although I say it’s not, it’s still pretty good. The best thing about this series is the dialogue, cinematography and music.
The acting was pretty good overall and the dialogue felt like how people communicate in real life. It touched mental health, I’m so over this new trend of mental health this mental health that because a lot of people have started using mental health as excuses for their weakness/shortcomings and it has taking away from people who are actually really suffering from serious mental illnesses/ health. And in the case of this series Jae Won was genuinely suffering from it in a bad way and I am glad that we got to see him work through it with a therapist.
The cinematography was top notch and most of the close up shots were so beautifully done. I loved the beach/water shots it was beautiful.
The music selection here was sooooo good. Hence the only 10/10 I gave.
Why then did I say this was not the best KBL. The series felt very choppy. The transition was way too horrible, It cuts from one scene to another, sometimes you don’t know if it’s a flashback or current or even a dream, and honestly sometimes the series was not making any sense. But the leads had mad chemistry and their relationship was cute and all, so there was that.
I personally won’t take someone like Jae Won back after everything he did even though I understood why he did so. I honestly get the trauma but what if something happens again, then you will shut down and shut me out again and what go back to your ex again. I watched on VIKI and someone in the comments said they would advice Ji Hyun to stay the hell away from Jae Won, I understand the sentiment but while I agree on not continuing the relationship I don’t agree with him staying away, I think he should just be only friends with him but that is my opinion. Plus I hate when a relationship feels like it’s only on one person’s terms and timeline which was the case in this relationship. Jae Won pursed him 1st, kissed him 1st and then ignored him afterwards. Then the Un-fateful beach trip was also on Jae Won’s timeline and even after the unfortunate incident, he alone decided to shut Ji Hyun down to “protect him”.
Their getting back together was also on Jae Won’s timeline.
The two best character was the boss lady and Ae Ri IMO.
The 2 ladies were awesome plus their acting was really good.
My best scene was the classroom scene in ep10 between Ji Hyun and Ae Ri, I tried to be fair to this drama in my rating. I was originally going to give this 6/10 because of the choppy and bad transitions of the scenes but I decided against it and was instead going to give it 8/10 but that Ji Hyun and Ae Ri ep10 classroom scene alone made me add .5 so my overall rating is 8.5/10.
I didn’t love this series and I liked it enough but not enough to rewatch.
So rewatch value is 5/10.
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Soooo good
The main characters' connections feel so effortlessly real and natural—it's exactly the kind of BL drama I've been searching for, something that feels genuine and is just beautiful to watch. Unlike some BLs where characters can be overly toxic, caught up in pointless love triangles, or pushed through ridiculously forced narratives, this one truly stands out. Sure, there were a few moments in the plot that kinda bugged me, but honestly, it's no big deal. I can see that this drama stands out from the rest, and it didn't spoil the whole experience for me at all. Super glad I stumbled upon itWas this review helpful to you?
BEST BL EVER!!!
Starting this drama was the best decision of my life. I have never seen a BL with this level of acting, storytelling, cinematography, and romance. This drama has an amazing feeling, it makes you feel like you yourself are falling in love while watching. The two leads are sooo charismatic and they compliment each other so well. I have never seen two leads with this much chemistry, especially for a BL. Lim Jisub was casted by the director through mutual friends and Oh Jun Taek was casted on the street which is crazy to me because they work so well together!!! The drama is about youth, mental health issues, friendships, family, and so much more. I would recommend this to experienced or new BL watchers but it's seriously so good. The kiss scenes are top notch for any kdrama I've ever watched so pleaseeee give it a watch and you won't regret!Was this review helpful to you?
Yes, this is the best KBL to date.
I'm an angst lover. I love painful series and dramas and I'm partial to sad and moody stories. All these considered, I also appreciate some light moments to keep me engaged. The Eighth Sense ticks all my boxes.First, the cinematography is great. It's not shot like a standard BL, if you know what I mean (yes, I watched Blueming. I prefer this). It's more reminiscent of queer indie cinema. I love how the colors are dark and muted, but also vivid at the same time. I also love the wide shots throughout the episodes. There are lots of beautiful, detailed close-up frames as well. I even love the very interesting opening sequence. The fonts and colors are so different.
Next, the OST. The songs are so perfectly utilized that they add so much to the scenes. Wetter's "You N Me Us" is now a staple in my playlist, as well as Ben Goldstein's "I Can't Lose it All". You can't help but feel ✨things✨.
Now the cast. I think this is an example of impeccable casting. The main actors fit their roles well. They also have immaculate chemistry. Just them looking at each other induces tons of butterflies. It's indescribable. It's amazing. The side characters are great as well. The ex girlfriend and Jaewon's friend really make your blood boil. They're so effective. And of course we love our angel Aeri.
But even with all of those excellent points, if the story is trash, it still wouldn't work. But thank goodness the story is great. It's interesting and complex. It tackles sensitive issues like loss and mental health. The writers did an great job in handling these delicate matters.
One of the cons I can think say about this series is that there are times when the editing was questionable. There were a few scenes where the cuts were so sharp and jarring. It may have been a stylistic choice but there were times when I just wasn't able to ignore it. It clearly needed work.
Also, not everyone needs to be forgiven. Endings don't need to be all sunshine and rainbows for all characters. Toxic people should be pulled out from the root. Jaewon's friend has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
He shouldn't have been forgiven.
The 10 episodes went by like a breeze. It was a roller coaster of emotions. We were kicking the air in glee at one point, and then screaming like banshees out of frustration the next. It was so, so good. Watch it. You won't regret it.
Jaewon and Jihyun, goodbye my lovelies. You both are now a part of me ♥️
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Victorian motivated struggles
A very profeddional made BL show, typical for Korean productions in general nowadays (hallyu). As they had been since long.The accident and the end of Ep.6 was disturbing. A cliffhanger and 1st peak from where the story develops further on. And what followed in Ep.7 + 8 revealed slowly what we had been hoping for ... BUT ...
Jae Won´s behavior reminds me of an on and off love affair I had being in a position like Ji Hyun. only not being a novice back then. The surfer scene is similar conservative and mirrors the same toxic masculinity like soccer ... but why is rugby but so different?
Another aspect in the show is portraied brilliantly, the old feudal born senior / older towards freshmen / younger members in Korean society and the demand for authority by seniors even if the don´t have any ... Too the fatefull antifeminism especially portrayed by Tae Hyung. Actually the Korean society is still thanks to Konfucianism and Evangicals a very conservative one. And they too have a president now who is a pronaounced antifeminist ...
Yoon Won as the "tomboy" and Ae Ri are well portrayed as the progressive part of the Korean society, while Eun Ji is the psychopathic like bitch queen.
Jae Won ladden with psychological problems and high parental expectations is well portrayed as the fast learning Ji Hyun, country bumpkin crash landed in a highly competive Seoul accademic society.
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THIS IS WHAT THE BL INDUSTRY NEEDS
i usually don't leave reviews under bl dramas cuz there's nothing much to write abt but this drama is different. firstly their chemistry is off the charts. they can act without dialogues and the message is conveyed. cinematography, dialogues just– the standard.the music suits the vibe of the drama so well. you can connect with the characters, even the friends esp jihyun's don't feel like a filler role but like a character who has some presence.
has been a long time since a bl matched the standards of ITSAY & TMS and prolly made new standards. overall well done, well made drama!!!
PS I WENT THRU 8 STAGES OF GRIEF WATCHING THIS BUT IT WAS WORTH IT 😭😭
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Love it
Just finished exam and not sure what to watched and happened to came across this by accident and boy was I in for a surprise. This series is reaaaally niiiice. The Storyline, The slow burn up. I love it. Am actually at episode 6 and I went back to rewatch all the others and come back to 6 🤣🤣. So far it have me hooked. First time watching these guys and they haven't disappointed . After an finished going to see what else they came down it . Take my little advice and go check it out for yourself, you won't be disappointed just my . opinion completed and a rewatch for me its that gooodWas this review helpful to you?
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