Wolf substitutes
Don't get me wrong - I understand the concept. I've never read or watched an omegaverse story and I'm not sure I will watch one again.The acting was mainly good, but there were chunks of the story that I just didn't get. I understand the hypermasculinity of the Alphas (although sometimes it just came across as being an insecure idiot) and the submission of the Omegas, but what's the purpose of the Beta? What is their role in this universe? Do they represent balance? Were the secretaries all Betas?
The unfolding of the relationship between the two MLs was interesting to watch. The back stories of some characters made sense but I couldn't see the motivation behind the behaviour of others. I know it's entertainment and not a psychological case study, but I'd still like to understand.
The actor who played the character of Hua Yong was so good and portrayed all the characteristics well. He was devious, manipulative and determined. I felt like I was watching a psychopath in action (which, I'm guessing, was the point).
What I liked: Huang (Eliot) Xing is a great actor. The portrayal of his character (Hua Yong) was so good and the duality was spot on. Li Pei En (Gao Tu) portrayed, really well, the nervousness and anxiety of a person in his position. He was my favourite character.
What I didn't like: the pacing was wrong - such a slow middle section and then a rushed ending. I have no idea what happened to the second couple - how did that story end?
I feel like I've missed something, but don't care enough to go back and work out parts of the story.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I watched this show while it was airing and decided to give it a rewatch to see if I liked it. Honestly my rewatch made me realize how unbalanced the story is.
There are a lot of plot holes, and skipped scenes that somewhat seem necessary. The omega verse story is good and new and different from current BL stories that have been airing but its disappointing. This show was aired and promoted as 2 main couples. EXCEPT there is 1 main couple and a secondary couple. The main couple yes is the main part of the story but with how they promoted the show the second couple should have had more. There are more behind the scene videos of the couple then in the actual show.
The ending tho...
Whole different story. It caught me off guard that i thought i missed it. The ending was trash legit disappointing because it felt rushed and unfinished. My first thought was "thats how it ends". What happened to the second couple, are they together? what happened to the kids.
I would watch this to see what an omega verse show looks like but you might not be satisfied with the ending especially if you are a fan of the second couple.
I hope in future projects the second couple is given more, as there is a huge following behind them.
Was this review helpful to you?
Confusing
I knew nothing about the Omegaverse, and I can’t say it ever really appealed to me. When I saw that this series flipped the roles — the prey actually being the hunter — I thought, “Let’s give it a try!” While that aspect is interesting, it’s not enough to hide the discomfort I feel toward the genre itself: violence in intimate relationships, dominance, animalistic behavior, and so on. I can definitely say it’s not for me.As for the series itself: terrible direction, ultra-cheap special effects, and average acting. And to top it all off, it doesn’t even have an ending — literally. I’ve never seen a show just stop in the middle of nowhere like that!
Honestly, ABO Desire won't stay in my memory.
Was this review helpful to you?
Fun but not in the way I expected
While I am no expert, I am a pretty big consumer of danmei novels. When these books are turned into dramas, my fancy is tickled. While I never read the source novel for ABO Desire, in a moment of boredom, I turned the drama on.Less than 24 hours later, I completed this…..not masterpiece, not shlock, not….well, let me explain.
ABO Desire is a LGBTQ+ story set in the omegaverse. If you are not familiar with that type of genre, please google it. Just know ABO stories are typically the most toxic excuses for fiction out there.
Yes, I watched anyway.
Yes, it did have ABO toxic elements.
So why did I complete it in a day?
It may have something to do with having the time off of work to binge. Perhaps it was the long cold almost-winter’s night. This story had me laughing at all the wrong parts and hating every single character that graced the screen.
If a show can make me hate everyone on the screen while finding the characters sympathetic, it is worth watching at least once.
Characters:
Truth be told, if I say too much about the characters, it will be a spoiler. Just know that Hua Yong is probably one of the topmost memorable characters I have ever watched on the screen. Played beautifully by Huang Xing, Hua Yong sucks me in from the first moment I see him and I…..just……can’t……look…..away.
Watch this show just to see all the very interesting things Hua Yong manifests in all sixteen episodes.
Please know that if you are a human with a moral compass, all four leads will make you uncomfortable with their less than righteous choices…….very uncomfortable.
The main couple’s story was the most interesting where the second couple was borderline silly.
That said, if you’re looking for romantic chemistry, I did not find it anywhere in ABO Desire. If you desire (pun intended) stomach-fluttering-passion, watch Revenged Love not this show.
The one character that I will give detail on is Shen Wen Lang played by Jiang Heng. This was basically Jiang Cheng (notice the name is almost the same) from The Untamed. The actor looks like Wang Zho Cheng, he sounds like Wang Zho Cheng and he plays Shen Wen Lang if it were Jiang Cheng. The very essence of this character is Jiang Cheng played by Wang Zhuo Cheng, but not. It is UNCANNY!
I noticed other viewers commented the same thing.
Story:
I won’t go deep into the story because I’ll be honest, if I get too deep, it will spoil it. Just know it is about corporate China with an ABO story line that contains EVERY ABO and cold-CEO cliché known to Chinese dramas……yet, turned on it’s head.
And I laughed.
I laughed so hard at all the dramatic moments, I really do hope the screen writer meant for everything to come off as satire, otherwise, this is some really bad writing. I am grateful for the humor. It made this ABO mess just shine as something a little bit different or outside of the norm.
MUSIC:
The music was more than forgettable. This series is very low budget. Most of the money was spent on the clothes and cars. Everything else was passable.
OVERALL:
If you are looking for ABO on the screen, here’s your chance. If you long for clichés galore, turn it on. If you need a good laugh, I recommend binging the night away. Truly, Hua Yong’s character is the only one where I think the acting was spectacular, unless you consider the Jiang Cheng-impersonator.
Classic story, top notch writing…….not so much, but it sure was entertaining.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Long-Awaited Omegaverse Adaptation That Almost Gets It Right
As an avid omegaverse consumer, I was genuinely happy to finally see those elements portrayed in a TV series. The casting was excellent, the actors did a great job and the overall production quality was solid as well.The script could have been stronger, though. I understand the limitations caused by Chinese censorship, but my main issue was the pacing. It started off slow and then suddenly sped up. I think the story either needed better pacing or more episodes to fully develop everything the way it deserved.
It was a shame we didn’t get to see more of the second couple, their storyline ended up unfinished.
I really enjoyed the characters, especially because I love complex personalities that aren’t simply black and white. Huayong was fascinating to watch; he’s easily one of my favorite characters so far.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Not bad, but Not good
Not bad, but not good.I have mixed feelings. For the first time in my life, I wanted the main couple not to get together. Hua, this is a BLACK FLAG!
There was real potential for this series, but all these situations where Hua, who is an enigma, made Alfie pregnant... For me, it's too much.
Plus, that jump forward in time three years later, where we don't get a happy ending for Shen Wen Lang and Gao Tu... Damn, that was so disappointing!
So.. I enjoyed watching it, but I watched it out of curiosity to see what would happen next and how the story would unfold, rather than for pleasure.
Was this review helpful to you?
~ never ending passion & desire ~
ABO LIVING UP TO IT'S NAME JUST WATCHING FILLS UP MY DESIRE GAUGE , definitely one of those shows most would probably need to read up on the whole alpha , beta & omega verse to get a better understanding but even so once you start watching & get into it I feel it becomes easier to understand anyway as you start to get the whole concept better. I was interested from the beginning but definitely the more episodes I watched the harder it was to put my phone down for sure , I really fell for the characters & their stories routing for them all the way. Eliots acting & how attractive he is has me on the floor , worth the watch ! please give it a try if you haven't🔥🩷Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Hua Yong - My brilliant maniac
To be extremely honest, the only thing that made me finish this series was Eliot's character - Hua Yong. I don't know why, but for me he was the most complex character. Eliot played him brilliantly. And I think his visuals helped a lot too.Mr. Sheng was just Mr. Sheng. A perfect S Class Alpha and beautiful enough to be Hua Yong's nymph.
I liked him a lot in the last few episodes. He accepted Hua's nature very well and I really liked him when he was getting all worked up under his partner's attention.
Unfortunately, I wasn't one of the people who went crazy for the second couple. Yes, I think it was unfair that they didn't get more screen time in the final episode, but I can't say I was heartbroken over it.
I couldn't stand Shen Wenlang. In the novel, he was okay. In the series? I wanted him as far away from Guo Tu as possible.
I don't care that he had feelings for GT and did nice things for him in secret, that mouth of his brought up some incredible traumas in me. I know exactly what it's like to live with someone like Wenlang, and believe me when I tell you he's a narcissist. I don't care about your trauma as long as you're an adult and you do absolutely nothing to heal.
What does it matter that you have feelings for me and that you want the best for me when you do everything you can to make me feel miserable around you? Okay, he didn't know GT was an omega, so he didn't know he was repeatedly insulting him, but let's not forget how many times he related it to GT being poor. I don't think a friend would do that. We're no longer in kindergarten when adults told us, "Yes, he's pulling your hair because he likes you." It's bullying, Shen Wenlang.
I skipped his scenes of suffering in the last episode. They were pathetic and poorly acted. I'm sorry. I found no satisfaction in his regrets.
And Gao Tu, well, another miserable character like all miserable characters. I can understand why he stole everyone's hearts. But...
He chose to stand next to a man who hated his race, his smell, who constantly insulted him, who never showed any signs of having romantic feelings for him. He chose to torment himself emotionally and physically for a man who insulted him every time he opened his mouth. Good job, GT.
I can't say I felt sorry for him. Maybe at first. But he did it with his own hand. Until the end.
He should have shut SW up a long time ago and told him to his face that he was an omega. He would have had nothing to lose. Only years of torment.
And to be completely honest, I skipped through first few episodes, because the story bored me terribly. Too many unnecessary details, too many repetitive scenes. It only started to get interesting when Mr. Shen found out that Hua Yong is not a defenseless omega.
Well, well, well, that was it.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Story and black flag main character pulled me in
By how much I enjoyed following the show: 10/10Objective genre based rating: 7/10
I write this review from a certain perspective: started the show without knowing the book, after ep5 I read the book and so I can't help but mourn the missed out potential, even though the book wasn't the greatest ever piece of literature.
Positive aspects of the drama:
Hua Yong character and the actor for this one, story and couple dynamic of main couple, acting of 3 of 4 main characters, some songs of the ost, world building and the strangely also the business talks (very subjective)
Negative points:
Directing
Editing (abysmal)
Pacing and order of scenes and therefore storytelling negatively impacted
Lighting (so damn bright every time, unprofessional and cheap)
Production design partly bad, although they got the expensive high class setting but too many indoor scenes and too few locations so it felt repetitive
Laughable action scenes
Changes from book IP which caused much hate:
SSYs character being less of an asshole than in the book so many viewers couldn't understand why HY was pulling all his manipulative shitty moves up to ep 9
Also changes which reduced enjoyment for me:
Making HY less violent (to himself, to others and to SSY in assault scene ep 9)
Omitting 3 years of Gao Tu's life and his struggles and his new found friends/family
Overall this is an acquired taste, if you're hooked than it's worth watching to the end and very enjoyable.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
personally don't recommend
This was so bad. As an avid BL watcher, the story made no sense, even though it had a lot of potential. The world-building and actual designations, as well as the plot, were interesting, but the acting was terrible and turned into an SA fantasy. They also have powers that made sense to me. That was so random and they never should have had them. The best part of the entire show was the side couple whose reunion made me want to kms. Cause what do you mean they're reunited after years of not seeing each other, with a child that one of them never even met until that moment, and then they hug and the show ends? This show also contains a novel, which I also read in hopes of finding a different ending, but it is unfortunately the same. The main couple was so boring. I just wanted to skip the scenes where they appeared. They also kept using the same soundtrack that made me not be able to actually focus on the show because the music was distracting me. It was kinda fire though 🔥🔥. Hours of my life that I'll never get back and have been wasted on this show. I'd rate this show in the negatives if I could, but will give a star on acting and story for the fact that we saw an omega in heat and a 10/10 for the crappy fire music.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
First PROPER Omegaverse show
As someone who has watched PitBabe and was thoroughly disappointed, I expected a show like this to emerge sheerly out of distaste. The fact they were able to complete a whole show involving very accurate extended lore is invigorating. As a watcher who knows the basics of ABO presentation, Enigma entering the fray (cue Smash Ult. track) and introduce it to the world audience is cool to witness. I had a great fascination going in.That being said, this show is engaging in developing an understanding and living in this world that is also new to the concept. It is inviting to a serious plot and hooks you every episode, making you wonder will happen next. And that is a good start for a concept with such notoriety and potential...but would have faired better with more time, particularly for pregnancy arcs and Gao Tu and Shen Wenlang. I enjoyed getting to witness all of Sheng Shaoyou and Hua Yong's in their twisted and lighthearted(?) glory onscreen, however, I really would have loved more emphasis on the toll pregnancy took on Shaoyou AND Gao Tu. I'm not crazed about MPreg, but for intriguing me as a viewer with a complication in the last episode makes it feel not as important as it should be. Especially with how quickly they time jumped to "yay kids" and show ended.
Speaking of, I feel more a loss at the lack of Gao Tu and Shen Wenlang. On some days, I found a desire to read the novel and see how it ended for them, only to find they were less in the main story than in the show amd covered more in bonus content. Which is unfortunate and somewhat infuriating, as their storyline is very compelling to work with. Whether you know the genre or not, you can’t tell me an omega hiding his identity and a pregnancy for the love of a dumbass alpha isn't a draw to come back every week. But it didn't seem so to the writers, sadly, and somewhat ignores this to fuel how crazy Hua Yong is for Sheng Shaoyou. (Not that there is anything wrong witu that.)
Did I dislike this show overall? NO.
I enjoyed the story of Hua Yong and his crazed obsession with Sheng Shaoyou. Eliot Huang did fantastic with playing both omega and enigma, adding to his range and character. Though he is potentially the most exciting character of the cast in question, he made fan out of me with his performance alone. The plot dancing around Hua Yong trying to "woo" Sheng Shaoyou did keep my attention and it was fun to see the two stretch the dynamic of two high class individuals (in more ways than one) pursue each other.
In short, come for the concept, stay in hopes Gao Tu gets respect (always), and live for the crazy that is Hua Yong. A decent start to the future of this genre and many more shows to come.
I rate it a 7.5/10 overall.
Was this review helpful to you?
