Eliot_Rulez

Much more mature than anyone could have expected...

In typical GMMTV manner, they neglected their own show, meaning they did not promote it. But Aston comes to the rescue and he promoted the shit of his series, some videos of him got viral. And in this case, every promotion would have been justified. It's the first series in a long time which is not stupid, not childish from the first second of the series.

While the new actors are young and can play highschool students (and I hope, they will not play in a highschool or university till they turn 30, which is a trait of being a GMMTV actor), they did so in a refreshing way. It's also the first time in a long time, that the script was actually very well written. Of course this is a light-hearted, fluffy show, but nevertheless the people in this show talked with each other - and I mean they had really useful conversation. The only shitty part was the principal in ep 11 where Tan gets his promotion. That was a serious downer for me. But besides that, all the couples talk out their problems and find a solution. Of course not everything is perfect, but for a GMMTV production it feels perfect.

So this show as a joy to watch and if you want see something fluffy but not stupid, this is the show for you!

Read More

When you don't have a clue about BDSM, don't include it in your story at all...

What could have been a nice production was a failure... If you don't have a vision of the story, don't tell it, when you include specific sexual practices then learn about it and don't include laughable scenes. And because they had no vision the series does not have flow, it's choppy mess from the beginning to the end.

I would not deny that the couple does have chemistry especially in the end, but the story is half assed and ruins this series. We know that you can tell a good stories in short episodes but they couldn't. Even when they kiss well, in this case sex does not sell.

So, this is a huge disappointment and should be skipped.

Read More

A thai production which is not bad at all...

When I hear Thailand., WeTV and BL I just asume it will be maybe an ok show but this time even a thai production can surprise me. With actors from Korea (and from a korean web novel and filmed in Korea) they did create something different this time around.

While a tropé of enemies to lovers or even amnesia is nothing new, the premise starts quite different and the title is misleading. They were never enemies, they just had a rocky road to be a couple. Some misunderstandings did prevail in their relationsship and the amnesia is an outlet to also solve them.

There are some inconsistencies with the amnesia story plot, because it seems the way from his rejection of his past and becoming a couple again happens to fast. Amnesia does not work like that. Also in the production I felt the café and the bar were lifeless which reminded me of Sukfilm/Truefilm productions when only two or three characters are in the scene at an made up location. It breaks the immersion and should have done better.

For their first main roles the MLs did a very good job, they had chemistry and worked very hard even when sometimes it felt a bit off. But compared to most other thai shows where characters are shallow, their characters had a story and personality. They both excelled at the silent moments and even with the kissing and NC-scenes.

So overall this was a good show. It's far from perfect but it's a pleasant departure from most of the other thai shows. While there is a high school part in it through flashbacks, it's a mature story. A story to grow together again and with some thriller elements (because it was not an accident). If you are tired of the same old, same old, this is a refreshing series to watch. One recommendation: You should binge-watch this series, watching one episode per week or even two epsisodes per week could make you confused because they have flashbacks through out the series to explain the past. For me it was not hard to follow but you will forget some things when you take a break for a longer time.

Read More

Weak start, getting better with every episode...

While we are flooded with short KBL mini-series, this is a serious TV production. And it shows. The main actors are already established and even the best friend is a character we have seen in other series as supporting role.

I like scifi and time travel always but I would lie if I would say the script does not have it's flaws. Sadly it has. Especially the color-blindness was not explained at all. Especially WHEN does he have it, is it just an after-effect due to his time travelling or did he had it all the time or did it develop gradually. It has such a prominent role in the story that I don't know WHY it was there. So it irks me still, why it wasn't explained at all. Also the fight between Woojin and his best friend was overly fast resolved without the proper appology. Teajun had the vibe of jealousy which was not done right. It gave me first the impression he is also interested in Woojin in a romantic way but that was just a fleeting moment and imho not necessary.

The cinematography was top notch giving the past and the "now" a different vibe - which it should. Also they did an amazing OST. The only gripe is the overly blurness of their first kiss in the beginning, this was a bit over the top. I disagree with some reviews here saying the did not have chemistry, I think they did. The glances and micro expressions did it for me, without the face to face aural confessions we are so used to. They don't need words to convey their feelings. In the finale Woojin said his smile had a sadness to it and yes, that's what was intended. This was a much more mature storyline compared to most school/university BLs we get to see nowadays which I appreciated.

Regardless of the flaws of the script, I enjoyed the series. It took almost a year after "Ball Boy Tactics" to get a proper KBL on the screen and I appreciated it. So while not perfect, it's worth the watch.

Read More

The first real omegaverse series, strong beginning, flat in the end...

While Pit Babe tried to be omegaverse it was without explaination and without a real omegaverse story. This series explained most of it in the beginning and you think you will get a typical storyline, but you won't. This is more a psycho-thriller with BL elements than a BL with psycho-thriller vibes.

I won't go too much in details, because there are many reviews out there which will depict the series. When "Sheng" said "you little maniac" to his partner, he is exactly that. A ruthless, manipulative tyrant in most cases but with Mr. Sheng he is the cutest omega-like being on the planet. Mr. Sheng is also not a "child of sadness". While having a soft core he did also questionable things considering all his ex-lovers he had, a wolf in sheeps clothes so to speak.

Then we have a second couple which had a good dynamic in the beginning but got less and less screentime as the story progressed. While Shen is an alpha, he has too much hate for omegas in him to see the true nature of Gao and it ends in a disappointing finale (for me). There is hope, we will get a special to have their story to be completed but now it's open ended. At least for me it felt unfinished.

There is the critics who say there was rape, but in the omegaverse there are just animal instincts taking over when in "heat". It's not a rape per se, because both partner have the same desire. And everyone else who said "but we could see it clearly", yes that was because the director choose to show us even when in the story the room was dark.

Production budget seemed huge and in typical BL manner there is a lot of subtle bluring going on especially in the more romantic scenes and close-ups. The lip sync is also not perfect, especially with the child, the acting felt sometimes a bit stiff (due to the lib sync) and it often sounded subdued for the scenes we were seeing. Because this was a chinese production for the foreign market I wonder why they had to do this, because everyone besides chinese people would not know of the different chinese dialects and it took away some of the intensity of the scenes. Other then that, production quality was top notch.

While it is a groundbreaking series, it is far from a 10 for me, because a) I'm sound sensitive b) Shen seemed a bit too two-dimensional without the growth I expected and c) the finale. It's a very good show overall when you like the psycho-thriller approach.

Read More

Very strong beginning, but the tension between the characters was lost...

While the main-couple was one of the most appealing we have seen this year, their tension and kissing was not appropriate to the story they told. You will remember "My Personal Weatherman" where the longing for each other where the central point of the story, so they did kiss with passion and at this time this JBL shocked many with their NC scenes. Again, they were necessary for the story. And here is the fundamental flaw in this series. The physical attraction to each other is one of the driving forces of the story and neither the script nor the actors could deliver on it.

In episode 3 they are in that booked hotel and in the manga there is of course a sex scene and here it was refused. I think in this case, that was a bad decision, because during the sex scene Shizuma confesses which makes Minato even more split, which increases tension between the characters.

The resolve of the "bet" was also over in a heartbeat. I think the second half of the series generally did not live up to expectations. While I understand why Minato is struggeling, the series can't keep the tension between the characters high enough and it's doing just ok.

It's not a bad show, it's just that the longing for each other could not be delivered and that's the central point of the story. It's irrelevant if the actors where shy or not, they all knew which material they put into a series. They should have had either a workshop and/or an kissing instructors (yes, they exist) and if they can't do it, then they should not have taken the roles. The side couple was dull most of the time, they acted like brothers not lovers.

The only highlight of this series was the production quality, which was top notch. So overall, this is an ok show which had higher expectations but could not deliver. And again, even the most handsome couple can't elevate a flawed delievery.

Read More

Strong beginning but nc-scenes alone don't tell a story...

While watching the first two episodes, I thought we get something different and interesting from Thailand for a change, but the script writers had no clear vision and in the middle of the series it felt just flat. We got our 2D awful father, of course the family of the other one was not better anyways and we got a side-couple to fill in the minutes.

The nc-scenes in the beginning were a story driver but that also collapsed in the middle of the show. At least they did try very hard to show us always different scenes, but that could not save the series. The endless explainations of the meaning of "peaches" was also getting on my nerves. It's ok to set it up once, but there is no need to repeat it every episode.

The side-couple could have been a balancing force with the sex-driven main couple but that also failed when in episode 4 they had sex quite quickly considering one of them was extremely reserved. After that the side-couple is just an afterthought with barely any screentime.

Production quality was ok, there where the occasional sound problems due to on body microphones, they used a lot of blur for no reason and an excessive amount of lipstick. The pacing was all over the place, especially in dialog scenes between the sentences they streched the time. This made some parts of this show quite boring. Instead of 60 minutes per episode, 40 would have been enough. Overall this is just an average show, started with a strong premise but it ended up in smoke and blur.

Read More

Too short...

A typical low budget production, at least they improved. They added background noise to the bar, even when we can see it's not a bar. And there is always a flashback of the last episodes evem when the episodes are only 8 minutes long (under 7 for the finale).

This is an unagitated series, with a chance meeting of two man in a laundromat. But of course one of them is not just there for reading a book or doing laundry... It tells the story of a university graduate hunting for a job and his uncertainties and struggles. Hyung supports him with tips and with a new suit, because he won't wear it anytime soon. In the end there is a little bit of drama but of course there is a happy end.

What I don't like especially with this series is how short it is. While it tells the story well, it misses some depth. I would like have seen this with 30 minute episodes or a lot more episodes... because the acting was good and the script was good. Not exceptional, but compared all the crap we get served, it's a a change of pace and a change of stupid, senseless stories. So, if you don't know what to watch, binge watch this series on Youtube for around 29 minutes and have a nice experience.

Read More

The most disgusting and despicable main lead in the history of BL...

This is hard to rate and I'm sure I will not find the right words (even in my native language).

What begins as cat and mouse game between the leads spirals out of control quite fast and is very hard to watch. It's hard because "the president" is really an awful human being for several reasons, but he does care for his love in a very twisted way also. His trauma to be left alone made him do unspeakable things in the name of love, so that his partner can't ever escape him.

But as also as in real life, most lies will come out and crash down on "the president". When he nearly lost everything including his love "the director" he aknowledges his faults, his errors and tries to redeem himself. Mr. director has his own baggage, an orphan who was taken in, an orphan who made himself as small as possible to not stand out because his early life served as lesson to survive. But his outward very calm demure is just a fassade and it breaks due to the actions of "the president".

In the end, they can't escape each other regardless of all the pain they endured, regardless of all the hurting things they did to each other.

Production quality is top notch, only the lip syncing could have been better, but besides that, there is nothing to complain about it. Both actors did an incredible job with such heavy roles. I can't recommand this series to anyone with mental heath issues at all, it's taxing to watch. They made it feel so real that it really hurts. This series is not fluffy to begin with and it's outside of the "norm" of most other BLs. It's not really toxic in the normal way, it's not cringe, it just feels awful most of the time. I would have liked if the finale episode would be 10 minutes or so longer to have some real nice moments, but we need to wait for the special episode. Overall a series which breaks the "law" of normal BL series, but still with a happy end.

Read More

kawaaiiiiiiii....

As expected from a JBL, it was a top notch production. The details they went into creating the costumes from the manga was astonishing. And of course the cuteness-factor was over 10. 🤣

They showed us two persons with each two personalitites. Extrovert AE turns into introvert Enaga because he want's to learn at a fashion school. He is a top model but he has to hide his normal appearance otherwise it would create trouble for him and the school. Chiaki is an introvert and shy whenever he is is not at home, but he turns into an extroverted energetic designer after he opens up to Enaga who he has to be partnered with for a fashion competition.

Chiaki turned to fashion after he had seen AE on a runway and he also turned to fashion to give him courage to be the person he wants to be. Both character struggle in their own way. But Chiaki struggles more when he develops feelings for Enaga still not knowing that this is his idol/bias AE. But as it is also in real life, the truth will come out.

Both actors portrayed their characters to perfection imho. Everything was done just right. The only thing not as perfect was maybe the kiss - but I can forgive that, because at least it was not a deadfish kiss . 🤣 For me it's a show to recommand and for most it will be a light breeze in the autumn when there is some cold but also a lot of sun and it will make you smile most of the time.

Read More

that was cute ... in 16:9 format ...

What's really sad is, that MDL has no structure with putting uncut and cut versions together or seperate it and in this case, the re-edit would warrant a new entry for sure because now this show now is a) like any other show and b) can reach a much wider audience. So I have to write the review here which suxx...

While the reel was not bad itself... it's a pain to watch. Thankfully GagaOOLala picked up the series with an horizontal re-edit, giving us 6 episodes of around 17 minutes each... And that changes the vibe of the show dramatically in my POV. Some cut's are still rough because such a reel has episodes of around 90 to 120 seconds, but most of the time you will not notice it.

Both leads did a very good job and the story progresses naturally and with the usual BL tropé of "should I do it or not". There is not much drama in it. It's just mostly smooth sailing which will bring a smile to your face. Of course it's also not an earth-shattering story but everything felt so in flow. This is a nice vibe show, you can forget your worries and just enjoy it. And that is, what I did. And so, if you have a chance, grab this show on GagaOOLala and forget the shitty world for around 100 minutes!

Read More

Till episode 10 it was quite fine, but then the script plummet...

The positive first: The special effect makeup was on point :) Even the acting was on point, even when we know that Pooh will never be a top actor because he does need a lot of speech training, but his facial expressions where also on point. When I watch a horror/mystical/crime series I expect the characters to act appropiate and we did not get that all the time. It makes no sense whatsoever when King enters the "Fridge" alone - no police officer would do that - also that Thup left the car, when his mom said he should not - there are more of such loopholes. As usual with a change2561 production the culminating finale is rushed and does not make much sense. The fighting in the end was also so off for me. So as usual the scriptwriters could not complete a very good story appropriately.

To contrast this type of show with poetic love scenes felt off and it seems they did cut the NC scenes, because the editing is quite rough in that places. I would have prefered when the main couple had lust and desire first and love after the solving of the case which would also have more impact. The side couple was done better, because there was love from Darin all the time, but Sey not recognizing it. King which was not liked by most disappeared and the father-son conflict was unresolved. Was there corruption at work because dad would like to bury the case? We will never know, because the scriptwriters made the choice to give us drama but not resolve it.

I personally don't like stupid acting characters and I don't like drama when it's not resolved. So while I had rated this show very high till episode 10, the end "ruined" it for me. It's not catastrophically bad, but it could have been so much better. And so this series is far from a 9.5 or 10 I see here in so many reviews. I will always be critical when I see bullshit and I really hate it when they do it. Maybe some of you are fangirling or fanboying over the couples, but I do not care about the couples or the actors, only the story and the performance count (and of course production quality - but I can't say anything negative about that). For me it's a disappointment that a very good show got ruined for no benefit at all.

Read More

A coming of age story for grown ups.

This season is the most unusual continuation of a series I have seen for a long time. One of the first scenes describes the series perfectly when the director of "Daydream" said: "A love story that continues after two people get together is, in my opinion, quite difficult to portray. Because the most exciting part of the drama is the moment they fall for each other. However, real love doesn't end the moment when they get together. After that, both of them will have many more important moments to come. [... this is] something I hope to portray with care and nuance." - And that's exactly what the series is about and what they did.

I know this is not the kind of series that will get most acclaim, because it's so outside of "normal" BL series. Yes they have their tropes, Shirasaki-kuns inferior complex and Asami-sans unpleasant past, but the care they put into the characters is not seen very often. This is not entertainment you watch just to escape your troubles, this is a story which confronts you with new troubles and which can't be watched alongside doing something else. I'm late with my review, because I binge-watched the entire series again, because to have the most impact, to wait for a week does this series not justice.

In the context of japanese culture, children are thougth to not show emotions and even surpress them for the sake of your career and/or family or to just "save face". This series does the opposite by showing the process of getting actors into a mindset of the character they are playing, where they have to show emotions. And both of them apply the learnings in doing so for their own persons, to reflect on themselves and to battle their inner "demons". And so they both grow as persons and they grow as a couple. And they feel and know when their partner is struggeling and they talk about it. And that just got me. That portrayal was so nuanced and so great to watch, if left me stunned for some time processing all the emotions they got into me.

While I understand that such a series will not click with many, for me it's a masterpiece. A series really focused on the characters and still having also the little things in it, the affection for each other and the longing for each other. Of course I have to recommand this series, but you need a clear head and you should not take a break watching it. I can't express how much I like this series, because it's so different and so mature and so well made.

Read More

The not a BL continues...

I have no clue why MDL says it's the "Side Story" when it clearly is not. This is chapter 2 of the series and it continues from the last series. https://mydramalist.com/profile/11366851/review/475568

The premise is different this time... There is a new young man seeking out the tutor, but he has an ulterior motive which gets revealed in the end, but the story is not finished when this series ends. So I hope there will be another three or six episodes to complete the whole story.

While it's not a a side story, this also turns it up a notch. More story, better NC scenes and much better chemistry between the two actors imho. It did not feel akward in the least and both actors did a great job. So, if you have not much experience, you should watch it regardless, because you may learn some things. Otherwise it may be too much for the fangirls, because it's pure and raw without fluff.

Read More

Better than expected, less cringe than expected and some fluff...

With WeTV it's always a gamble, either we get crap or we get medicore and only sometimes we get something good. In this case I would say it was "good". While the first two episodes did not catch me it got better with every episode after but of course the finale did disappoint me. Not because it was very bad, it was just lazy writing. Solving conflicts with drama and of course the bad guy had to die and lots of fanservice. This could have been resolved in a better way.

In this case I won't be too tough on them, because besides some cringe, they depicted the characters very well, all of them grow throughout the series and there were even subtle moments which I like the most. If facial expression and eye contact can tell a story without words, it's perfect for me. Compared to "Monster Next Door" this was lighyears ahead. Both actors excelled in their roles and they felt so much more into it too. The side-couple was the secret star of this show, because while they had not so much screentime, they did the best with it and the "cat and mouse game" was funny to watch.

Other reviews will depict all the ins and out, but I'm quite busy today so I will keep this short. Cinematography, music, settings, props and so on was top notch. I felt entertained and storywise they put some thought into it. The only shortcoming is the finale which felt rushed in the drama-department, because they needed time for the fanservice. But overall worth a watch.

Read More