Love Senior (2023)

First half was enjoyable but they lost it at the end

Really enjoyed the first 5 episodes and quite enjoyed the next two, despite the misunderstandings starting to get a little annoying. Unfortunately for me the last two episodes are a complete trainwreck with the blackmail and amnesia storylines (especially the amnesia once the former had JUST been resolved). I still quite enjoyed this series overall and I would say that my rating for the first 5 episodes would probably be around 8. I've chosen to make this my actual rating becuase i refuse to rate a GL lower than the average while we have so few (sorry...). Hopefully this is just the GL genre finding it's feet, a phase early BLs apparently went through, and I am looking forward to future GLs featuring Cosmos 11 members.

Best thing about the last couple episodes was the relationship between Prang and Warang. Warang's character arc in general was great actually, I think she's the only character that was improved by the second half of the series. Nao and Gyo were also very sweet overall, and I enjoyed seeing them together when the plot wasn't throwing crazy stuff at them lol. Honestly I'll probably rewatch some of this eventually becuase I liked their couple.

Only other thing is that the OST is a love song aimed at a boy? I found that really weird lol like couldn't they have made something more appropriate?

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Sotus next gen

This is not the gl version of a legendary bl that kicked off the mainstream popularity of the queer romance dramas, but it does feel like a spiritual successor showing how the sentiments have changed regarding university student bonding activities. It's nice to see ladies in STEM get some representation also to have lots of women in main roles as well. There were a couple supporting roles that should have been played by women as well, such as Manaeow's bestie and P'Pure. I liked the flashbacks revealing Gyoza's journey with the Engineering program's SOTUS orientation exercises, she worked hard rallied to change it to something less traumatizing her incoming underclassmen. I also liked the use of the Engineering program's distinctive shirt jackets to indicate the passage of time. Gyoza and Manaow are lovely together and acted well. The couple gets into fights, but I can understand them snapping from being strained like an over twisted guitar string from being ridiculously busy with a full university workload and also having to tutor so many people including highschoolers, organizing events, etc. The two instances of the homophobic cars hitting Gyoza and Warang out of nowhere were quite silly as was the selective memory loss, but the later plays out okay. The second couple is cute, I'm glad Warang got over herself because her entitlement over Gyoza was not. Thida is the emotionally mature queen and best friend vip. I like that while the characters are sexual, they are not sexualized. I think it probably makes a big difference that the director is a woman and from the queer community as well. All in all, I hope that this drama is a sign of more fully funded, full length gl/queer storylines lead by women to come.

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Enjoyable but repetitive

I started to watch 23.5 a few days ago and when I caught of up yesterday's episode, I thought I would give a Love Senior a try.

Basically the plot is Manaow is a first year student in the Engineering Department and she is tasked with getting signatures of her seniors. In order to achieve getting Gyoza to sign, she must compete in a festival with another student.

By the third part of the first episode, I felt like I had missed something. How did Manaow and Gyoza become so close, so quickly? But I had not missed anything, there relationship and interactions just changed, more than likely because Manaow would say flirty and witty things, it was cute. Their relationship or progression of a relationship was not smooth sailing. From Gyoza's friend Warang having feelings for her, her first love Pyo , whose twin brother Pure also has romantic feelings for her (will talk about him later), to younger students Luktan and Belle, having feelings for Manaow, eventually this was not a love triangle, but a love hexagon or octagon.

By the time I got to episode 5, I really did not care about Manaow and Gyoza relationship anymore. I started skipping some parts because I wanted to know how the drama starts. I was angry at Manaow for kissing Luktan, during the time that she felt that Gyoza did not return her feelings. I knew Luktan was going to try to break them up, but I wanted Noaw to inform Gyoza herself after they finally get together. WHY ARE YOU KEEPING THIS FROM HER? WHY CAN'T YOU ALL JUST TALK?

The whole setup between Manoaw and Belle was really cruel. Manoaw was drunk and not only did Luktan take advantage of that, but she also drugged Belle, in order to stage them sleeping together on the couple's anniversary. Gyoza spending time with Warang, who at this point has started a relationship with Prang so her former feelings Gyoza are just genuine friendship. Manoaw doesnt believe it, so she is jealous. Gyoza becomes jealous of Belle and Luktan because she knows they have feelings for Noaw. The way Luktan tells her what happened between her and Noaw, Gyoza should not have found out that way. When Gyoza disclosed her relationship with Poy and how she was her first love, I feel like that that was when should have told her about Luktan. Or anytime. She should know.

Episode 9 pissed me off and broke my heart at the same time. There was a comment on Youtube that stated Gyoza has a support system so when she is upset, she has people to ask for advice and give her comfort. Noaw doesn't have that. She only has herself. So she copes with things, her own way, usually by drinking.

When Gyoza states to Noaw 'never show your face to me again', she leaves, but she continues to look after Gyo by bringing her snacks and drinks. that she leaves either on her door knob or her motorbike. Luktan and Belle think they may have a chance with Moaw but she continues to love Gyo from afar. Even when Noaw finds out the truth of what happened that night, she does not run to tell Gyo, she just keeps her self, continuing to abide by Gyo wish, to never see her face again, which broke my heart.

And when Gyo finally finds out the truth from Belle, she runs into Luktan, who initially pretends like she does not now what she is talking about, before confessing her hatred of her, because Maow still continues to love only Gyoza.

Gyo getting hit by a car after her confrontation with Luktan. I was pissed when she was bit by the car and she was bleeding from her head, because I knew in what direction this was going to go. She was going to get amnesia and not remember Moaw. What also pissed me off is Pure, pretending to be her boyfriend, taking advantage of her amnesia to his benefit. Like who the fuck does that?

I did enjoy the reconciliation. Where Gyo starts to remember Manoaw, like flashes of her hearing her voice, or dreams. When she graduates, she sees a bunny costume which sparks a memory. I was glad when she left Pure after he asked her to his girlfriend, which in a way doesn't make sense. If she is already his girlfriend, why did he have to ask? Now that I care or think it is important. She apologies before running up to find the person in the bunny costume.

I loved the scene where Gyo hugs Moaw from behind, asking where she has been. Moaw struggles emotionally as she moves Gyo arms from around her waist, stating she must have mistaken her for someone else and starts to walk away. The balloon pops and Moaw instinctively covers her senior's head and Gyo moves closer to Noaw. Slowly the two pull apart where Moaw apologies again before turning away and Gyo stops her by grabbing her wrist. Now more sure than ever, who this girl is to her.

I lost count of how many times I watched that scene. Maybe five times before my fiance called me where I began telling him about this show I just finished.

This show is a rollercoaster of emotions. Neither Luktan nor Pure had any repercussions for their actions. Pure took advantage of Gyo’s memory loss to state that he is her boyfriend, and Luktan drugged and blackmailed Belle. She violated people for her owngain, but what’s to tell Moaw that she went too far during their confrontation in the gym. Excuse you! YOU went too far. You should have gone to jail! It is like Lhong from Tharntype all over again.

I read online that this was supposed to have 12 episodes instead of the 10, which I feel would have been better to finish telling the story. I know some fans stated it was rushed, but I was happy at the end with them getting back together. Maybe that is why there are a few loose ends, and why Luktan didn’t have repercussions, if it had 12 episodes we probably would have saw that, maybe the ending would have been different. I do want to try to find out, if the ending in the book is the same as the show.

I don’t see myself rewatching this entire series, but I will watch certain scenes again. This series gives me Sotus vibes because of the engineering backdrop, and the senior/junior relationship. If Manaow and Gyoz would have communicated, a lot of the miscommunication would have been avoided. Luktad would not have been able to stage that, because Manaoaw would not have gone out drinking on their anniversary.

I understand it is needed for drama, but I hope somewhere along the line, we get a healthy relationship in a GL, where the couple talk about things that bother them.

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I'm sooo confused

so I just finished 23.5, and I thought I could give this a try cause it didn't sound bad. But just after a few mins in the first episode I got sooo confused cause I felt like everything is getting thrown at you directly, without any explanation. I had the feeling like the story doesn't start at the beginning but in the middle. So many things had happened without any context. I'm only at episode 2 and so many has already happened. They getting there badges from other classmates and they have to promise something??? I don't know I'm really confused. Then there is a random ad in it I think. The acting is really good in my opinion, but the plot is.... confusing. I loved it when they get punished and the first year took also the punishment with the head senior (when I'm right Max is Manaow's brother) I think he was really proud of her in that moment that she stood up and got all the others one to do it too. But I also lover the owner of the bar, he was just great and soo funny. I'm probably not gonna finish it...

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Fans of this show are not going to like this

I really anticipated a new gl after watching gap. However, I was ultimately disappointed with love senior. I really started off the show all enthusiastic despite it's trailer already making me sceptical and worry about how I'm probably not going to enjoy this one. Nevertheless, I gave it a go and I really couldn't..... I've ultimately dropped it after episode one. It was way too cringey for my liking, the cinematography and the camera works were also a let down. I usually would still go on if the previous aspects aren't up to my expectations. The deal-breaker for this show was the story though. Despite all it's shortcomings, the main reason why I had to drop it is because I couldn't overlook the poorly paced storyline that I couldn't find myself getting attached to or even find any sort of entertainment in. It was rushed, poorly developed and all over the place which led it to be messy and boring for the most part in the first episode itself. However, I may or may not pick it back up as others have said in their reviews that it gets better later on and we'll see if my opinions will change

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