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  • Location: Brest, France
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  • Join Date: May 4, 2022

Cyril-H

Brest, France

Cyril-H

Brest, France
Completed
Wedding Impossible
14 people found this review helpful
Apr 2, 2024
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 4.0
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 4.0
This review may contain spoilers

Why a gay lead character when he has no story or him?

I knew from the start that Kim Do Wan (Lee Do Han) will not really be a lead, but a side character. I had hope that they will make a real BL story-line for him too, but the director wasn't into it. So why a gay character? Why not just a normal straight best friend who's not into her and vice versa? Just a comic relief? If they wanted the BL community to be into it, it wasn't working.
And the rest o the story? Seen millions of times the contract marriage for rich families fortune. I can''t say more as it was a huge disappointment.
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Completed
My Strawberry Film
9 people found this review helpful
28 days ago
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Have you really watched it to judged it not BL/GL ???

The GL : Mizuki, Murasaki Minami's mother, was in love with her best friend, now teacher Takahashi Kaoru (now married Matsuoka Kaoru). Murasaki Minami came to the school after the video of her mother was posted online by the group who found the original video. She first thought her mother's first love would have been a man, but, it wasn't. She find in herself many similarities with her mother. She showed her interest in Chika. She care a lot for her in a very short time whitch is the first clue, but knows about Chika's interest in Ryo yet not the full story. Chika on the other hand doesn't share the same feeling.

The BL : That is what really upset me the most about some comments. So I will make it clearer to some! Introvert Ichikawa Ryo has been in love for a long time with his classmate extrovert Toyama Hikaru. However, because of the strict Japanese society they live in about gays, he keep his feelings for himself not to bother Hikaru. During the 6 first episodes, Ryo support Hikaru's attraction to Minami. He keep his distance while watching or afar. He tries to let go of him in that way. Everything became more complicated after Chika saw him watching Hikaru sleep. But even knowing that Ryo's heart was taken, she later confess thinking Ryo was letting go of Hikaru during the double "date". But he was only there to show some "support" to his friend and rejected her. After talking to Minami, he thought that he should have tried harder to move on by going out with Chika. She wasn't happy when he asked her and told him that she couldn't be the second place in his heart. On the other hand, Minami rejected Hikaru, telling him she only saw him as a friend. He first thought she was attracted to Ryo, but confirmed she wasn't. His words about how he sees Ryo clearly showed his interest in him. "If I was a girl" clearly showed he wasn't insensitive to Ryo's charm. The story started to become clearer when they met in the playground he asked Ryo if he has feelings for him. Ryo took some time to answer and Hikaru's heart stopped. Ryo just said he likes him.... as a friend, when he saw the fear on Hikaru's eyes. But episode 7 explained us why. Hikaru was attracted by Ryo for a long time. He didn't really understand this feeling, and never saw it as love. But he likes the closeness they share. When he saw Mizuki's video, he was captivated by the look she had looking at the camera. She was clearly in love with the person holding it. It's what attracted him to Minami. He projected her mother's look into her, and wanted to be looked at like that. But Minami never did. The only person who does is Ryo, but he doesn't know Ryo's feelings towards him and that's why he's so confuse. After Minami rejected him and learned the truth about her mother's first love, he realised that the look Mizuki had was for a person of the same sex. But 25 years ago, the view on LGBT was even worse than today, and both woman had to get married with a man and have children, even if they loved each other. At the end of episode 8, Hikaru tells his struggles to Ryo because he realised that Ryo was looking at him the same way Mizuki looked at Kaoru. The confession of love was settle but clear, and they ended up holding each other's hand.

The cinematography was amazing and the way it was written was clearly done by an artist. No kisses, like she did in Zenra Meshi last year (2023) and everything is very settle, like many Japanese BL. April 19, 2024 we'll see what she does with "25 Ji, Akasaka de".

This drama is more cinematographic than other BL. It reminds me of "His" (part 1 in 2019 especially, when they're young) or a movie like "Taiikukan Baby" or "Asymmetry" (Both from 16 years ago in 2008). We can clearly see that it was done by someone who wanted to express feeling through words and pictures instead of skinship. Something that has always been the most difficult thing to do for anyone, gay or straight. Especially deep feelings.

So, my wander is why people said it's not BL and only a one way love for everyone?
If you don"t understand the story, may I suggest you watch it in one go WITHOUT skipping what you would consider "boring scenes". Every words are important !!!

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Completed
Jazz for Two
16 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2024
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 4.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

Nothing like the webtoon

Loved the webtoon. I already showed my concerned about doing 8 episodes for this and gosh... I was right.
First, the webtoon is quiet explicit but here, kisses are forced. Only the last kiss on episode 8 felt real, the others were either bad or faked by hiding behind lighting or objects, it feels like neither the actors or the director was into BL to begin with.

The actors, well...
First Ji Ho Geun, a new actor who is the only one who look and act like the character in the webtoon. But his partner Kim Jin Kwon (Newkids) was only here to attract fans. First he doesn't even feel like a jazz player as he really look like an idole. But he also look nothing like the character, who is strong, opinionated, and can face Han Tae Yi easily. But Jin Kwon look like he may cry.
Second, the other main couple. Kim Jung Ha playing Song Joo Ha is a strong bad boy with a big heart. In the drama, they made him a bully. All the back story is changed and make the relationship completely unbelievable. Seo Do Yoon "kissing" him out of nowhere seems that the director had to come up with something to introduce them as a couple. It would have been better that he didn't. The focus could have been made on only the main couple id needed. Song Han Gyeom (Omega X) is cute in it, but he certainly doesn't look like a student.

The story is the other thing that completely changed. Yoon Se Heons father, very nice person in the webtoon, is more pushy in the drama and completely desapeared after. With only 8 episodes, it is only making things worse for the characters development. And the brother was not even in the webtoon, they created a back story for the reason of Tae Yi's brother suicide, but why make every single characters BL, even in a BL story, some characters could have been straight too. Song Joo Hee and Song Joo Ha's story is so nice but taken off the drama.

Let's not forget that Han Tae Yi is supposed to know a lot about jazz, like Yoon Se Heon because of his lost brother, yet he doesn't play, but sing. But Ji Ho Geun is not an idole, they made him a trompettiste and they create a jazz group (Jazz for two became the name of a song written by the brothers of the main couple). He faked sing the last song on episode 8, and was poorly hidden. And lets not forget the whole relationship between the main couple, who become close because of the unpredictable suicide of Han Tae Yi's brother. The story here is unpolished, rushed and incomplete. We barely fly over the whole thing.

If you never read the webtoon, you may like it. But it felt forced because they cut too much important things to fit into 8 episodes. It could have been done differently, cut things that were not needed and focus only on the main couple would have made the 8 episodes cleaner. Of course, it's not a complete disaster, and its still watchable, but I wouldn't run to watch it again!!!

It's very rare that I am that hard with a drama, but it's now 2024. We expect that Korea starts being more open to LGBTQI+ in their drama. Not only they can make full length drama with at least 12 episodes of 45 minutes. Especially if they take it from a well loved and popular webtoon. It starts to show that they neither respect the audience, nor the author and only try to make money out of popularity from either the webtoon or the actors playing in it.

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Completed
Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka
3 people found this review helpful
Mar 15, 2024
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 5.5
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

I am disappointed by the drama. I've seen it, and I won't watch it again!

Some people said "it's so cute", but I cant even feel them as a couple. Soga Hisashi, a divorce employee who is supposed to be very cute with beautiful eyes. That how he was in the manga. But here, we have Nishiyama Jun not only doesn't look like the character. Matsumoto Sakae is also supposed to be nearly 26, but Kan Hideyoshi is just 21 and look very young. But out of the two, he was the best to fit the character.

And we can also see how much they've cut to fit the number of episodes. They've changed the story a bit, but the didn't even finish the side stories. The exes stories could have been more dramatic. Or, at least, with more feelings. But even that I couldn't feel it. It's more like you don't like the character because he's the one who did wrong, but the complexity of their relationship could have been clearer from the start, showing the flows of Matsumoto.

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Completed
HIStory: Obsessed
3 people found this review helpful
Jan 4, 2023
4 of 4 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

I am also obsessed by it.

Yes, it is not a favourite for many of you, but I loved it for some reason. It deserved to be longer, and made into a proper drama. With only 4 episodes, every stories were cut short. But the story was there, and the obsession was very much out there. Of course many things could have been better, but it's one of the first HIStory. The have done better since 2017 (6 years ago already), and Taiwan is the first, and still only Asian country with gay marriage in 2019. So, to me, it is a drama that help change the country. After this, HIStory made more sophisticated dramas, and this year the new drama HIStory5: Love in the Future with 20 episodes, is already a hit. But it wouldn't have happened without this drama.
After this drama, those two actors haven't done much.
Just a quick thing to watch out. In the opening scene, look at the blanket, and watch the blanket in the last episode when the are in bed and have nightmare. Did he go back in time or did he dream it all???
Insta: bernardsenjun and teddy_jen

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Completed
7 Days Before Valentine
3 people found this review helpful
Feb 17, 2024
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Need to be watched in one go!!

I tell you what, this drama has to be watched in one go. Why? because you need to feel the characters in this very difficult story-line. I loved it!

First, the story of Kyu (or Q): He call himself the cupid reaper, 7 wishes to make people dessaper from the earth like they never existed. He call himself a demon but was in fact a human who made bad choices to save his dad from death. The back story of this character comes in small parts, but episode 11 reveal more about him. Loving someone, a lover or a family member, is often push back from living your own life and you only realize your love when you are going to loose them. That is the story that everyone can relate to.

Second, the story of Sunshine: He is not a very good person, or at least it's what you think after only a few episodes. He blame everyone but himself for his boyfriend, Rain, braking up with him. When he met Q, he decided to agree to the contract with him to erase people that are going against his lover and him. Each day, he choose someone. But, by making those decisions, he doesn't only affect his life, but the whole world. Rain's new lover disappearance didn't change the fact that he broke up with Sunshine. The politician disappearance changed the policy against gays. The ex-lover disappearance made Rain forget Sunshine. Then, Rain 's best friend disappearance made Rain kill himself. All those actions made Sunshine question himself about who he is, still not accepting the fact that Rain disappeared because of his choices and blaming Q. When he finally made the wish to make everyone who was against their love, Rain didn't come back. Sunshine realised that maybe Rain never really loved him. He still wondered why HE didn't disappeared instead as he was the real problem. So, he wished to disappear himself. When he did, everything came back, and so did he, apparently because "someone" wished him to come back. BUT, still no trace of Rain and Sunshine started to forget everything about him and his love for him. When Sunshine learned Q's full story, he also realised that it was his selfishness that made the choices of people disappearance, not his love for Rain, because he forgot his love yet kept on making wishes. He realised that he was, in fact, in love with the only person who understood him and helped him : Q. Unfortunately, to make the world as it was, he wished for Q to disappear.

The story is mainly focus on those two, Sunshine and Q. Everyone else are background characters. Even Rain, who is a main character in the drama, yet we mainly see him in flashbacks or quick view of the present. We learn about Rain's story through the episodes. He make us like him very much and put light on Sunshine's selfishness. I loved how you feel empathy for the guy who cheated on Sunshine. It also shows that the had nothing in commun and that their love was never going to work. In the last episode, when Sunshine asked for forgiveness to Rain and his new boyfriend after Q's disappearance, Rain saw how Sunshine had changed in 7 days. Even if they broke up, they left as friend and it was nice to see.

What was expected happened of course. Sunshine met "Q" on the plane and they both recognise each other, BUT, what was strange, is that they called each other "Q". You can suspect that those wishes was in fact a travel through various universe (Sunshine suggested that in one episode) and they are each other's Cupid Reaper??? We'll never really know. The ending was neither good or bad. The "dialogue" between the two in the background suggest they will re-discover each other.

The story was fantastic. No s.x, not much kissing. A bit of very sexy shirtless men, but it is for all ages. (you can also often be frustrated by the s.xual tension between S and Q). The acting was amazing too. Atom and Jet are new actors, but their performance was fantastic. I mean, most dialogues, often very longue, are between the two of them. For people who knows about acting, doing long dialogues while staying in characters is very difficult. Who doesn't remember Ponlawit Ketprapakorn (Pond) in 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us back in 2022 and those longue dialogues? That is what this drama reminded me off.

Those who gave a low score didn't really watch it with their heart. Even if it's a drama for everyone, it is not an upbeat story about love. It is about looking back into yourself when bad things happen into your life and how to move on without blaming anyone.

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Completed
The Shipper
2 people found this review helpful
Jun 26, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Many people watched it because of the BL storyline, not for the story!

Many people judged this drama very low because they didn't like the ending. I actually liked the fact it was unexpected. All those BL with happy ending, or things that fit into fans fantasy is exactly the point of this story. We made up an ending and the story behind the two BL characters. We fallow the story and discover with the main character who he really was. The good AND the bad. We learn how he loved his best friend, and at the same time we see growth in all characters. So yes, he die. Well, we learn he was dead from the beginning. All the people shared their stories but you realise that it was already too late. So, they all waited the accident to share their feeling to someone who was not here anymore. You see, there is more to the story than just the superficial stuff. "Dont wait to say that you love someone", "make peace with family members before it's too late", "don't dream about the life of others and try to live your own"...
First was, very goo and that is why he's so popular today. He just started in BL, and already nailed it! (I am biased because I "love" him). So watch it, and be more aware to see the story for what it is!!!

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Ongoing 10/12
2 Moons: The Ambassador
6 people found this review helpful
Oct 9, 2022
10 of 12 episodes seen
Ongoing 3
Overall 6.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

Is this new season worth watching after constant recast each season???

It's a good series BUT, they keep changing everyone and they don't even look alike. So, season 1 (2017) is good but incomplete, season 2 (2019) is better but with a new cast, so episodes 1-5 are a restart of season 1, and its continuation. The problem is that it's the producers who ask for those recasting.

I loved the first one and the cast are now well-known actor, in BL and otherwise. Same for season 2. The cast has done a bit of work during lockdown, so that is why I don't understand the recast.

Season 3 is, again, recast by actors who don't look like the previous 2 seasons. Even so it's a good series, the casting change and the episodes reboots make it not easy to keep watching.

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Completed
More than Words
2 people found this review helpful
Sep 26, 2022
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

A realistic japanese BL Drama

I have read many reviews in here. As much as I agree with some point of view, I think people need to remember that it is in Japan, not Amercica or an european country. Japan is a coutry with very high discrimination against LGBTQ. No laws are provided to protect them, and families are very much patriarcal. So, children are pushed by their family to be married, even quiet young as your considered old past 30.

Characters:
Eiji (Eichan): Openly gay, extrovert, cook in a restaurant. Come from a rich family with patriarcal values.
Mieko (Takagi): A girl looking for love, friend with Makio at school
Makio (Makki): Extrovert and friendly. Popular with girls at school. He is discovering his sexuality with Eiji.

Why do I talk about that in here? Well, this drama is realistic to a T. Mieko, Makio and Eiji became friends wile working in a restaurant part time.

Mieko wasn't really loved by anyone, neglected by her mother and beaten by her boyfriend, she quickly got attached to Makki. He was, at the beggining, really secretive about his sexuality. We discover than Eiji is gay when Mieko and Makki talked about him (Ep01). Eiji was slowly falling in love with Makki, But Makio's sexiality wasn't clear. So, even if Eiji told Mieko he had feelings for him, she tried to push Makki with a girl from school called Sakaki. At the end of ep02, she predicted that Makki will be the one leaving her because he is so popular.

Mieko started to get closer to Eiji (Ep03), and Makki started to notice. And we discover that Eiji is quiet insecure by comparing himself to his sister. Makki became more protective of Eiji about it and Mieko saw the changes in Makki towards Eiji. Eiji is also not out to his family. Mieko gets close to Eiji's sister Chisa but cracks started to appear as Makki and Mieko started to get jealous of each other. While arguying, the conversation about Eiji turned out into a coming out to his sister and him telling Makki he likes him. However, Makki, still trying to understand his feeling, tells him that he doesn't have the relashionship with Mieko that Eiji has. He also tells him that he's not interested by any girls, but that going out with Eiji is more appealing to him.

In ep04, Makki tells Mieko he decided to go out with Eiji. But, we are quickly introduced to Eiji's family. However, Eiji doesn't really say anything to his parents, making them think that he has a relationship with Mieko, while Mieko watched those two falling for each other. She stay close to them as she could find a way to protect them both taward Eiji's family. In the other hand, Sakaki admit to Mieko that she will be dating someone else, because she deserve to be happy with someone who likes her as much as she likes him. In Eiji appartment, Eiji and Makki kissed for the first time. The started to spend more time together and got closer and closer. Mieko soon discovered that her friends were to a new level in their relationship (condom in the bin). She realised that she wasn't part of their world anymore because she couldn't be at their level in the relationship. During Christmas, Eiji's parents started to push him to bring Mieko. at the end of ep04, Eiji decide to come out and tell his parent he's dating Makki. In Eiji's apartment, Mieko and Makki are preparing the flat for christmas as a surprise for Eiji.

In ep 05, we soon discover that Eiji's mum is not really surprised. However, Eiji's father doesn'tt approve of his sexuality and say that it is fine for a while but nobody can know about it. Few years have passed and soon Mieko and Makki will graduate. Eiji's dad saw Makki at the apartment while Eiji was away. He became curious about their relationship. He explain to Makki that even if he understand their relashionship, he is a father who want to protect his son against the society explaining how violent people can be towards gays. After that, we see that Eiji has changed. Not only he is getting less "gay", first changing his hair colour to natural, and than telling Makki that he will be joining his dad's company that he never wanted at the beggining. Makki started to drft apart from Eiji and Mieko. The conversation with the dad and Eiji started to make him rethink about his future with him. When he came back to the apartment, he played like nothing happened. He casualy asked Eiji if he has ever been interested in girls, and Eiji told him the he was his first love.

In ep 06, after leaving his apprentiship in Kimono making, Eiji join his father's company. After ofering them the kimono he has made for them, he tells both Miako and Makki that his dad want to see all of them. But the lunch wasn't what they expected as his dad told them to break-up as having grand-children his the most important. He doesn't understand how a man can choose to love another man. With that, we understant that he still believe it's a choice. Seing Eiji's cry for help to keep his father happy Mieko offered to be a surrogate mother for them and tried to convince Makki.But, Makki is not convince that will stop Eiji's father. She remind them she never was really interested in men, or even wanted to be married. Time passes, and they all working hard in their jobs. Eiji is growing into realising that both Eiji and Mieko are doing something to make each other happy. Lieko will have a child wouthout the love of a man, and Eiji will have a child for his dad to be happy. But were does that make Makki happy. He was happy just by beeing with Eiji, but it wasn't enaught. They all went to the seaside in an hotel and she has sex both Eiji and Makki. We soon discover that she's pregnant.

In ep07. Miako tell her mother she's pregnant. Her mum congratulate her. She didn't expect this reaction. She became interested by her daughter, and wanted to be closer. During the pregnancy, Makki drift apart.While talking to Miako, he asked a lot of question she had no answer to. It shows that they made the decision without thinking about him at all. The baby wasn't his, and never will be. Even if she lied that she's not sure who the father is, it will not include him. His love for Eiji changed as he didn't feel he was needed and wasn't happy anymore. Makki decided that it was time for him to leave them. He went to his own apartment. We see that Miako and Eiji start to have a normal married life, and Eiji put the kimonos and memories of Makki away.

In ep 8, Eiji is started to feel that he miss Makki, even if he has a wife an a kid on the way. He's happy, but someone is missing. His family came after the birth of their grand-daughter. They cried of joy. Miako and Eiji talked at the appartment about their feeling toward Makki. She never wanted to loose him, and the lies she told about the child being his was only to keep him close. Eiji tells her that she's loved by many people, so she shouldn't have regrets. In the other hand, Makki meet his neighbour and old classmate Asato. He's an assistant hairdresser. They quickly get close. Asato is really responsible and mature compare to Makki. Makki finaly tells him about Miako and Eiji.

Ep9 start straight from end of ep 08 when Makki talks about them. But he didn't tell the whole story. Asato ask him if he wanted to eat with him every evening, revealing a bit more about Asato's loneliness seen in the previous episode. Asato is not really into his job. Makki tries to be close to Asato, and makes a move on him. He tells Asato that he doesn't really understand the deal with who you love. Loving guy or loving girls is the same to him. We can see that Makki is a person who do what he like without care of anyone's opinion. He tells Asato to do what he wants. Asato open up about his family, and we realise that he acted the oposite way to Eiji. Makki pushes Asato to open his heart to him. They became very close and feelings grows between them but they don't want to be tied-up. Also, Asato is hot and cold in the relationship, not really knowing what he wants. Later at night, while going through picture from work, Makki sees a picture of Miako. The wound that he thought was closed reopened.

Ep10 (final), After a few days without news from Makki, Asato looked for him. Makki tels the whole story about them. We see a bit more of Asato by his big brother, and understand a bit more about him. One day, while a the salon, Asato saw Miako. He asked her if she knew Makki. She jump at him asking him where he lives and promise to contact her if he knows. He didn't say anything to her. In the evening, Asato tells Makki about it. Asato tell him that he needs closure, but he is scared. He blame himself for all this, and he also can't forgive them for putting him in this situation. Asato feels ready to let him in and promise to do his best to be there for him. So, few days later, Asato bring him to a restaurant to see Mieko and Eiji. We can see the pain in their eyes and how much Makki was hurt, even if he was trying to hide it. He tries to reassures them by saying that the two of them seems right. Back in Eiji's appartment, they look happy to have seen him again but its just a facade. When alone, they both felt the heartbrake. But the whorse was for Eiji. who, despide everything, is still gay. While playing dad, he didn't realised how much he missed Eiji (flashbacks of their relationship) and cried for the love he will never be able to get back. He only has pictures of his daughter in the appartment were he shared his first kiss with Makki. but nothing about his relationship. Eiji will now just be a memory to him. In the other hand, Asato confort Makki to help him move forward and tell him that he loves him (but not to heavely). Also Asato tries to be closer to his grandfather before it's too late. Some times later, Makkii and Mieko talk again to each other. We see their complicity as it was at the begining, before all the love story. But at the same time, they both going to different direction.

Asano Taeko is very much an activist on the position of a woman in Japan. Here, you can see how Mieko is treated. She wasn't loved by her family until she was pregnant, and used as a procreator. Her role is second to everyone else. Of course, the drama is about relationships and not only focused on sexuality, but you have to remember that the woman, as important as she is, is pushed aside. where is her hapiness? In her daughter. That is important in the political point of view in a patriarcal society. If people were able to love who they love, she wouldn't be in that situation, and may have found real love. But pushed by the society, she pushed hapiness aside in the name of duty.

Of course, this is only my understanding, and I may have missed something (I am not fluent in japanese, so I may have misunderstood something). But it can give you an overall view of the drama. It's more complicated than some reviews said, and the context needs to be considered while watching it. It is important as it's also a political point of view on relationship in Japan. J-Drama are very realistic in they interpretation of BL. In 2022, from Minato Shouji Coin Laundry to Takara-kun to Amagi-kun, we can see that the take in BL is beautiful with real emotion.

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Completed
Playboyy
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 15, 2024
14 of 14 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

Is that an ending???

Yes, if you like to watch s3x, you'll be happy. BUT, the acting was terrible.

Not only it was missing a line into the story. It went everywhere with no really any answers at the end.
The casting was ok, but they're all newbies and they should have had someone to be there to help as everything sounded fake.
The tears, the love stories, the actions... Everything felt like watching something from the 50s.
I really don't get those who put a 10. Obviously, they judged the actors by their body and the story by the number of s3x scenes, because other than that, I would not even re-watch it.

So this his my opinion as a big BL watcher.

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Completed
Let Me Hear It Barefoot
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 13, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

A very easy movie to watch

I don't really understand the fuss about the ending of the movie. So lets go back to the movie itself :

Yanase Maki is gay, he has a sick and blind grandmother Midori who wish for him to travel to America. To make his mother happy, he makes ASMR audios for her to relax and make her "see" his various journeys. During his struggles, he meets Ari Naomi. His father Tamotsu is a selfish man who gamble money and ask his own son for money. He will be the reason of his son's unhappiness. Naomi has a girl who is in love with him. But he struggle to have any relationship with her due to his father's dangerous behavior. While Naomi gets closer to Maki while doing ASMR together, he slowly open his heart to him. Maki fall in love with him, but Naomi is still not really completely open to him, for the same reason he can't be with the girl. But Noami decide to leave his father as he has some money on the side to be independent and be with Maki.
Maki, wanting to make his grandmother happy, pretend to have left to America, and with the help of Naomi, give her ASMR to make her believe the story. She died happy, yet Maki think he let her down.

One day, people beat them up because of his father's gambling. Then, when he tried to get his money at the bank, he realised his own father stole everything from him. After facing his father, he has Makino options or he may get killed because of his father, and need money quickly. He decide to steal for a rich woman he knows. But he get caught and go to prison.
Maki came to visit, but Naomi break up with him as he see himself as a failure and want Maki to be happy with someone who can give him the love he deserve.
The conversation is not obvious, but the intension while knowing the story behind his words can't be missed to those who can see more than just the lines said by the actor.

When Naomi left prison, he got closer to the girl he know and they get together as a couple. From my point of view, he just want a quiet, trouble free, life. He already has a record, so working can be a problem, and being with a man (in japan) can be even more difficult. So he has chosen his head instead of his hart (like many people do).
The final scene is the same as the opening, when they see each other in opposite cars. Maki seems relax, yet Naomi will always linger for the one he can never have.

The ending reminded me of More Than Words (2022), when parents have their hands on their children's happiness. Even if japan is not a dangerous country for gays, they are not yet fully accepted. Especially for parents with gay children. But here it's not homophobia, it's the dominion of parenthood over their children's life. It's all about pretending :
Maki fakes his own life to his blind grandmother for her to be happy, hiding behind a picture perfect he made up for her.
Naomi fakes his own love to become normal and escape his father. He also escape his own "prison" made by his dad by listening and playing with Maki.

I get that many people would have loved a love story with happy ending. However, many Japanese BL are close to the French dark movies. Very close to real life, were people are facing the society and the culture of their country while struggling with their own love life. The movie is good. No violent ending and no real homophobia. So it's easier to watch than some other movies. It's a movie to watch at least once.

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Completed
My Happy Ending
1 people found this review helpful
Feb 25, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

It's a drama you need to watch... once !!!

I don't really know where to start.

Jang Na Ra who played Seo Jae Won had a very difficult role. Playing someone with a illness of the mind is not easy. Even if SJW has various phobias, playing the role where she has to play with her own fears is courageous. And she played it well!
Her cheating husband Heo Soon Young was played by Son Ho Jun. He wasn't the good guy of the story, but he wasn't the villain either. He made a mistake by falling for his wife best friend Kwon Yoon Jin played by So Yi Hyun. Jealous of her friend, she enjoyed the fact that SJW was sick, and wanted to steal everything from her. She charmed her husband and got close to their daughter. HSY regretted the fact he cheated when he learned about his wife illness by her father, especially the reason why she became that way. Both roles were difficult. Not only to play, but also to watch for the viewer. We learn that HSY died after kneeling in front of KYJ asking to spear his family. Because of that, we knew she was the one who killed him. But the whole story is later revealed in the drama.

Like SJW, we get informations in pieces. We are placed in the same situation that her mind. Characters are seen by us, but we discover later that it was only in her mind. At the end, if you don't watch everything in one go, you can be completely lost. That's certainly the reason of the low ratings. They are also some underdeveloped characters like Theo Harris played by Lee Ki Taek. He is the "love interest" if we can call him that. He knew SJW when they were young, but she didn't remember him. But we barely know anything about him. Even if he's the second role, too many pieces are missing. The detective Oh Soo Jin was also lacking the development story. She's important, yet, we barely know anything. So, it's difficult for the viewer to trust anyone around SJW. But I guess it was the wanted effect to be in SJW's mindset.

In a more general point of view, Park Sun Hee wrote a difficult screenplay. Not only it had a huge cast with difficult and various characters, but the story was written in a way that could have confused many people. So it's not a bad drama in general, but it's not a drama I would love to watch again. When you know the ending and the whole mind thing, you will loose the surprise that made the story interesting. The interest then is lost.

People who gave it between 1 to 5 star clearly didn't watch it carefully and can't be reliable in their judgement.

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Completed
Jun & Jun
1 people found this review helpful
Sep 8, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 6.5
This review may contain spoilers

You watch the whole series because of only one actor.

I rarely make a review that low. I usually don't comment what I don't like. Yes, Yang Joon Mo is the only reason to watch the drama. He is the cutest guy, and also an excellent actor. His cuteness reminded me of Cho Byeong Kyu in Uncanny counter part 1.
The story is... well, inexistant. Two friends separated when they were young, reunited as young adults and fall in love. So nothing in term of originality. The only "drama" was the two other men running after him and that was "flat".
They could have done so much more, and the ending wouldn't fell like an after thought.
The "fiancé" has not role in it. With or without her, the story would have been the same because there is No Drama there either. So, I wonder. Is it just a way for Korea to introduce the new actor Yang Joon Mo or they really just wanted to make a BL?

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Completed
The Sign
2 people found this review helpful
Feb 17, 2024
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

A SECOND SEASON ANNONCED AT THE END CREDIT !!!

This series is fantastic. Not only its a mix of everything you love in action and fantasy series, but make it BL is even better.
The chemistry between the two is amazing. The s.x scenes (mostly in their head at the beginning of the series) are not "shocking" for regular public. It's more romantic.
The story is also fantastic. Well written to the end, you can not be disappointed.
What exited me is that after watching the last episode (12), they had a preview of a second season with a new bad guy, this time related to Phaya.

The other thing I have to say is how amazing Saint Suppapong is. As an actor, who didn't have a little crush on him in the drama Why R U? But here, he's the Executive Producer for this drama with A Natthaphong as Director. Saint is not really an BL actor of producer, and you can see the "straight touch" on this drama. Even if its a BL, the element of action and sci-fi are really taken seriously, so it doesn't look kitch. The only thing I didn't like is the "cross dressing" of Tharn as a woman (he was a woman in his previous life) like we wouldn't have understood. I think that was a mistake. They could have show the link, and then tell the story in his woman form.

Other thing that suggest a second season is all the other powerful people that appeared but we don't know who they really are like the mysterious woman at the restaurant, or the man at the end of ep12. Also, we want to know more about the stories of those legendary beasts. It's not official yet, but if the show is popular, I guess a second season may be possible by 2025 or 2026...

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Completed
After Sundown
1 people found this review helpful
Jan 12, 2024
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

A story who was badly written.

So, you put two BL actors who are a couple in real lie. You expect chemistry... Well, it never showed. I didn't feel any love between the characters, and even after they slept together, still no emotions.
The story was ... blah. Revenge of a ghost who married a rich man, who himself was in love with another man... Not the story of a lifetime. He could have been scarier, with much more drama. Another woman who is living the same life as the ghost, or a revenge of someone reborn... So many things could have made it much better. But they focused too much on the two main characters and forgot what the movie is about. I very rarely judge a BL that low, but I expected so much from this movie. I hope the production will do a better job with their next film "The Next Prince" !!!

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