Blue Boys (2024)

SAD BOYS

When I saw the title it should have been a clear indication and warning that the characters are going to be really really blue.

From the onset it was clear that this is from a small production - with just a few sets and very limited movement - just 2 guys who are mostly sitting (oh of course that couple of scenes where they were supoosed to be making love) and verbalizing scenes about their college past and the frustrations they currently encounter in life. There wasnt any big reveal or event, just two guys finding love with each other.

The thing that I liked most is that even though the series is too short, the story itself can be a throve of a much richer, better told story - if or should they want to make a full blown series out of it. The fact that this is a youtube production with obviously a chump change for budget, it still didnt feel cheap like a vlogger making a skit for youtube or tiktok - it feels like an honest to goodness genuine series.

One thing I hated is the insistence of amateur BL writers to put a despicable female character as a villain to a boy-to-boy love story. That was so unnecessary and i am willing to give this series a solid 9 if they didnt include that character.

The ending which obviosuly angered a lot of watchers, is actually ok for me. The seesawing of their relationship is understandable given the fact that even though both are adult men, they are both experienceing this kind of love for the first time - and the harsh reality is that not everyone can and will be able to accept this kind of relationship. It felt like although JaeMin wanted things to work between them, the sad truth is there are other things that he has to prioritize given his current financial situation. When he asked Na Mi if he will take responsibility if he loses this potential job, i didnt know why he didnt just answer yes! Do i prefer a happy ending? Yes i do, but the sad reality is not everyone gets their happy ending - and if they are really meant to be together both are young enough to maybe cross path again in the future when they are both in a better position.

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great start, terrible ending

Overall: I was really impressed with the first episode and the first half of the second episode. Unfortunately, cliched writing really let it down. Aired cut on SUKFILM YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYfaogVGCvwTczUW4K1YELu_cWQfUQ21a&si=Wv8xKJkU1Fq2v-5t and uncut with channel Membership https://youtu.be/ync6RU2p-Mg?si=veM-TZOGJ6Q67cI5 (I have watched both the cut and uncut versions)
Update - since they are airing more episodes I have increased my rating to a 7

Content Warning: coercion

What I Liked
- tension/chemistry
- indirect way at first to say he didn't have money, used context clues instead of exposition dumps
- clear communication at the start of episode 2
- intimacy

Room For Improvement
- didn't love that they were doing something before what happened at the end of ep 1
- characters started doing "because the writer said so" stuff in episode 2, why would he write that right next to the other guy? why did all of a sudden feelings change and he ran out to meet him? he just left his phone screen visible on the table when he left, etc
- cliched female characters as potential/actual antagonists
- this is obviously an indie production, but I think they could have collaborated with a coffee shop to get a free location in exchange for naming them as a sponsor/publicity, also subtitle errors in episode 4 made the plot confusing (also had some missing subtitles)
- that ending was such a letdown, cliched and unsatisfying (update: they decided to release more episodes)

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Nam Yi and Jae Min's love and happiness can only be defeated by a single monster

Memorable performances, a perfect script and direction, a beautiful soundtrack, to which are added addictive kisses and a palpable chemistry that transcends the screen, are the main characteristics of the South Korean miniseries 'Blue Boys' (블루보이즈/Beulru Boijeu), also known as 'The Guy Inside Me', a demonstration that you don't need a big budget or long and numerous episodes to tell a moving story.
In just four chapters each lasting about 10 minutes on average, the miniseries, starring Lee Hoo Rim in the role of Kim Nam Yi, and Choi Seung in the role of Choi Jae Min, addresses topics such as the process of finding the true love, communication, understanding through experiences, homophobia, social class differences, friendship, job search, meeting friends, among others.
Lovers of LGBTIQ+ themed stories will feel at ease with the interactions of the two actors, who very well enhance the value of the entire story with their tender and captivating chemistry.
After a one-night stand, the outgoing and self-confident Nam Yi and the shy and insecure Jae Min, two former high school classmates who meet again three years after graduation, have developed feelings for each other and dream with a life together.
More open to demonstrations of affection and love in public, Nam Yi is not afraid to take Jae Min's hand and kiss him in the streets, but the latter boy will resist, as he fears the rejection of a conservative society, like that of Korea from the South, with strong patriarchal and heteronormative traditions, where homosexuals have difficulties fitting in.
After overcoming conflicts and misunderstandings, the love and happiness of Nam Yi and Jae Min can only be defeated by a single monster: the fear that South Koreans experience of being exposed as homosexuals, the fear of being excluded and discriminated against.
So Ri (Lee Soo Ha), a girl jealous of Jae Min for not having been able to conquer Nam Yi, will be in charge of inoculating Jae Min with the poison: "If a man dates another man and there are rumors about it, can you continue working in the company as if nothing had happened?" Nam Yi wouldn't have these problems because he comes from a wealthy family, but..."what would happen to you?", Ri will remind him.
In this way, the happy ending everyone expected does not come. Reality prevails.
And so the viewers will understand the true objective of 'Blue Boys', which is none other than to make a criticism, very intelligent, very subtle, of the discrimination that exists in South Korea against LGBTIQ+ people, since the members of said community face legal challenges and discrimination not experienced by the rest of South Koreans.
Gay sexual activity is legal as long as it takes place indoors, but Gay Marriage or Equal Marriage or other forms of legal partnership are not available to same-sex couples.
I allow myself spoilers to explain my point of view.

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Beautiful Short Series

This is a great series with a great storyline. I would have loved that it was longer and gave more depth. The chemistry was great between the male leads and I hope they do more together. Sadly the ending was a bust for me and I hate the way it leaves you hanging and the lack of communication in the end looks off from when they talk about everything through the series. He really need to tell him about his evil friend and the threat she made. They need to be honest with each other as you can see they shine together. This was a great series with all that it gave you of the story amazing job over all, but we need the ending that they truly deserve, this is clearly unfinished and needs more. I loved this series and its storyline all the issues are very real and i loved how they handled each issue and fixed it together with communication but they deserve a better ending.

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What a bad ending...

While I can understand that it can be hard to accept a gay relationsship, I don't understand why the finale needed a female antagonist with the most cliché story imagable. Instead of fighting for the relationsship and a more in depth talk, the antagonist took all the screentime so there was only a "bad" ending left.
The story was quite good thus far, regardless of some hick-ups and unnecessary scenes. The chemestry and acting was very good for new actors in such a genre. So the ending did disappoint even more. Overall better than expected, there is much room for improvement for the writing, but the MLs were the highlight of this short show.

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A Wonderful Story of Loneliness

What I am astonished is how others see series. As of late, South Korean BLs can be a ‘hit or miss’. Some are profoundly impactful while others are full of trite and mundane storylines. I found this to be simply brilliant while others found its ending cliché. For me, that was the most endearing part of this series. I have lived a long time and as trite as that behavior was portrayed, I have seen and witnessed this behavior in my life more times than I can count to many of my gay friends. It is called ‘jealousy’ and it is indeed a very ugly emotions that makes both males and females do awful, damaging and destructive things to others. And unfortunately, I do not think that emotion will ever diminish. This is a wonderful story, really. It is a story of loneliness but told with such compassion and tenderness.

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Blue boys, you make me a mad girl

Now, first off, it was almost perfect for most of the runtime. I watched the compiled version of the first four episodes, and by my calculation, it was almost perfect until what would be the last episode in part 1.

They set up the connection between the leads very quickly and very well, and the conflicts they introduced were new and played very nicely into the set up. Even until the ‘last’ episode, the story building was incredible, I'm just angry with the way they handled one aspect of the conflict.

For a short series, they managed to stuff in conflicts about work, economic disparity, sexual experiences and unwarranted jealousy, but of course the one that caused the most damage was the oldest page in the book, the love rival.
The character is of course completely unreasonable and coming off borderline stalker - ish, but they're just doing it because they like one of the leads! Ugh-
In a matter of a few minutes, they managed to overshadow the good chemistry and connection the leads built over the past few episodes. All that hard fought connection, down the drain.

Finally coming to the second point, I'm not going to reduce my rating since I know there's a part 2, but I get how frustrating it must have been to watch a series end like THAT. Come on, you don't do that.

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In short: beauty in power saving mode.

I didn't find a mistake there, everything fit as it should. In the beginning, two actors in their twenties who look even younger and lo and behold, one is 27 and the other is 32. I enjoy the intimate intimate concept if done well and the sing-along Korean and all enhanced by the soft background music and slow non-violent processing, even though you iced teas, which no character ever even touched ... and when the fourth character - the handsome prince - came in the second half, it was swept away, however it might have ended. I guess I'm different (yes, I am), I just have a different opinion than most on IMDb and MDL.

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