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A disaster..
Being already a fan of the manga, it was my most anticipated series of the year only to be left really disappointed. For the most part, the show stays loyal to the original material with all the necessary changes for cultural reasons, but the execution failed miserably. The story was buried under product placements and mass merch endorsement, one that I've never seen in any other bl going that hard. Some scene additions were totally unnecessary as well, offering nothing other than dragging the pace, when there was so much material to adapt already. All that combined with very childish music choices on the background. In all honesty, after a point I watched the episodes fast forward just to get on with it, with the only exception being the intro and the outro song, which I loved very much.As for the cast, it couldn't have been more perfect. These four actors were excellent for the roles and did their best, but even with their skills I didn't manage to connect with the characters at all. And when the writing suffers there's so much an actor can do.
Despite all that, I do recommend this series to anyone who just wants to see a very fluffy and non dramatic story. It has its cute and fun moments here and there and if that's the type of series you enjoy you could give it a try.
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Toxicity at its finest
A controversial show you either love or hate.Toxic and emotionally draining, but that's the quality that makes it special. It doesn't feel like a fairytale, where everything is sprinkled with stardust. It's mature and focuses on the ugly and less attractive side of people, when they are at their worst and succumb to their lowest instincts. I enjoyed watching these six characters being humans. Petty and flawed. They will definitely frustrate you, you will love them, you'll hate them, you'll sympathise with them, but they are all multi dimensional they feel real.
Aside from the story itself the acting must be praised. Every actor gave it their best and the result was amazing. I will commend Khaotung a bit more for delivering --in a terrifyingly realistic way-- one of the best scenes I've ever ever watched on a bl so far.
As for the music, every song selected fitted each scene perfectly and amplified the emotions the characters conveyed.
Overall, it's a show I definitely recommend to anyone who is interested in a less perfect story.
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A Work of Art
A very well-made series, with a lot of care put in it and attention to detail. It stands out for its unique aesthetic and beautiful direction, surrounded by music pieces that make it feel earthy, yet so atmospherical — like it's otherworldly. The story itself is mature and complex, addressing the very fresh concept of the AI and its impact to art, through the lives and decisions of its characters, while cleverly drawing parallels to represent each side. Every scene and line has meaning and purpose to the story.Regarding the characters, they are neither pretty nor act the way they should. They are very flawed, with weaknesses and their own distinct way of thinking, which makes them frustrating, but also real. Their development was quite good overall, but at times I felt that pieces were missing, disrupting the natural flow of that development, particularly when it came to Off's character, Koh.
As for the acting, it was really good. Everyone gave their best, but the one who stood out for me the most in this series was Dew. It's the first time I saw him in such a challenging role, and it was a real pleasure to see him showcasing more range in his acting and doing such a good job.
Overall, this series is certainly not for everyone. It's one of a kind, it's different, but it's not made in a way to be pleasant or appealing and it doesn't attempt to do so either. It's a story that is meant to be viewed for what it is. It doesn't try to teach, to satisfy or embrace the idea of conventional beauty, but rather shows the beauty in imperfection.
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An Honest Effort
A lovely mini-series about self-reflection and personal growth through the scope of a breakup. The episodes blend the comedic and dramatic elements well, making it easy and fun to watch. The writing is not bad at all, but the plot developed in a more predictable way than I expected, adding elements that didn't really enhance the storyline, leaving me with a somewhat underwhelmed impression, personally.Visually, it was really beautiful and well-made, with a unique cinematography and the Japanese setting just added to its charm.
As for the acting, it was good. Seeing Dew in a more comedic role for a change was a nice and unexpected surprise. He was actually pretty good at it.
Overall, it was a nice story with good pacing and character development, and I do recommend it for a casual watch.
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Perfectly Imperfect
A really good follow-up to the first season, with the second season maintaining the series' core identity. The already complex situations become even more complicated, and new issues regarding gay relationships are explored, along with some queer matters in general. One of them being the HIV, which was addressed in the first season as well, but in the second, they focus a lot more on it to raise awareness to the audience, which I find really important and praise worthy.Regarding the addition of new characters, it feels very organic and necessary, as it actually helps to see the established characters in a new light and delve deeper into their lives and backgrounds. As for the acting, it's on point in this season as well, with the cast delivering very natural performances.
For those who watched the first season, I definitely recommend the second. It doesn't flop or become tiresome at all rather it complements the first season's elements in the best possible way.
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The brilliance in simplicity
A very substantial mini-series, under the category of queer media, that addresses many issues and concerns of gay relationships and dynamics with realism and depth. If feels very natural and down to earth from the writing and the acting to the cinematography. Despite that the episodes are short, each character is unique, multidimensional and properly fleshed out.Regarding the acting, it's very solid. Every performance feels authentic and genuine.
Overall, I definitely recommend this series to people who are looking for a more raw portrayal on queer matters. It's a show that embraces imperfection and flawed characters, which is what makes it noteworthy.
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Colour me Unimpressed
A typical thriller drama series, with a story that neither stands out for its premise nor for its execution as much. It's well-produced, overall, but writing-wise is not as interesting or complex. A lot of elements throughout the entire story, were used as plot devices, disregarding common sense on purpose, to advance the plot a certain way and prolong the mystery.As for the acting, the veteran actress Fresh Arisara, gave a spine-tingling performance, showcasing the difference in her years of experience in the business. Among the younger cast, no performance was lacking, but I can't help but praise Pat specifically. She was incredible once again and her character was undoubtedly the best written and portrayed.
Overall, I do recommend this series to anyone who enjoys this genre. It didn't make any real impact on me, but it certainly kept me interested till the end.
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Unpredictable in all the right ways
A very fun series full of sparkle and character. The premise is quite simple, but it's perfectly fitting to be developed in four episodes and is well executed. Comedy is the dominant genre, covering at least 90% of the series, minus a few more sentimental and heart-warming scenes—not anything dramatic, though. The humour is really good in my opinion, but since it leans more toward slapstick, it might not be everyone's cup of tea. As for the characters, they were all very distinctive figures with their own sense of style and unique personalities, adding charm to the series.Regarding the acting, Neo being a veteran of comedy and arguably the best in the genre out of all the GMMTV actors with a lot of experience, naturally nailed the role. But I was pleasantly surprised by how well the rest of the cast portrayed their eccentric personas as well. Their deliveries were excellent. I was also happy to see Marc for the first time break away from the pattern of his typecast roles and showcase a more interesting side of his acting in this role.
Overall, I do recommend this show to people who look for something completely unserious to watch and have a good time. It's a very solid mini series with the episodes being neither draggy nor tiresome.
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Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice
A very light-hearted series blending mostly comedy with romance, along with a few action elements that were more than decent considering its genre. The premise was interesting, but it could have benefited from fewer episodes. The build up in the first nine episodes, in particular, felt unnecessarily slow, while the humour and the situations depicted seemed better suited for the early teen audiences. After that point, however, it really picked up, and it became much more enjoyable to watch. The characters and the story itself, gained a more consistent identity and I enjoyed the humour much more than I expected—especially the goofy kind of humour that was portrayed mostly by the antagonists in the story.As for the romance, it was cute. The main leads had a fun dynamic and good chemistry overall and I really enjoyed their acting. I've watched Shahkrit act before, so I knew he'd nail his part, but it was my first time seeing Vill and she was pretty good as well. The same goes for the rest of the cast, too. Everyone gave solid performances.
The weakest parts of this series, for me, were the side couple, mainly due to age reasons, and the writing near the end, which tested my patience in all the wrong ways. Absurdity is fine, but even that has its limits.
Having said that, my experience was positive overall. It was a very fun series to watch and I do recommend it to anyone who looks for a show to spend their time pleasantly, without much drama or overcomplicated situations.
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A Category of Its Own
I highly do not recommend this series to anyone expecting a cute and happy romance set in the 60s. This show falls under the category of queer media and not BL. It's politically heavy, with the romance being a naturally integrated part of the story rather than its main focus. It preserves a serious and realistic tone for the most part, but also mixes in lighthearted moments and elements of idealism that sometimes fit and others feel a bit out of place.Watching this show requires attentiveness. It took me a while to warm up to it, because I felt a bit lost at the early episodes. Having at least a general idea of the political landscape of that period, might get you immersed to the plot much faster, without that of course being a necessity, since a lot of the themes addressed more or less transcend borders to other countries as well.
Regarding the acting, the series has a great collection of very capable people who portrayed the complexity of their characters in the best way possible. I have to point out how much I enjoyed Mile in the role of Tanwa, especially due to the striking contrast to his most known role of Kinn. He pulled off his part magnificently, showcasing his range as an actor.
Overall, it was a good show—deep, well made with beautiful cinematography. I do recognise its thematic significance and value, but at the same time it didn't leave me with a long lasting impression as a viewer. I found the premise interesting, but at times it felt like too many things were happening within just eight episodes, or that some dialogue was a bit stilted, just to create a dramatic or poetic impression. I liked the characters as well, but I didn't connect with them that much. Even so, they were properly fleshed out and the show still managed to resonate emotionally through some impactful scenes.
It has its own unique character as a story, and I do recommend it to anyone who looks for something different to watch.
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It was fine
One of the most visually pleasant GMMTV series I've watched so far. The cinematography was really beautiful and unique, accompanied by smooth transitions and proper music choices that complimented each scene in the best way possible to create a mystic atmosphere. The acting was pretty good and I was glad to see Win specifically in something so different.Regarding the story, I'd say it was well written overall and the premise was interesting enough and the series does a good job to keep you interested, but it didn't hold any significance for me. The attention to detail on the writing part, was mostly what this show lacked in, for me. Neither the fantastic element nor the characters were developed enough.
The series is slowly building up its story on layers, probably planning on getting deeper as the seasons go by, but as a stand alone, the first season felt like it briefly narrated the supernatural aspect of the story, instead of delving a little more into that incorporate part of the world building.
As for the characters, I didn't connect with them, and it had less to do with the number of the episodes and more with the fact that the story didn't invest time to really focus on any of them, but only on what was happening outside of them, which wasn't explored either. That significantly reduced the emotional impact a scene aimed for and could have accomplished.
Overall, this show is well crafted and definitely worth watching for the visual part alone, and I recommend it to people who are fans of the genre.
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Unfortunately Too Real
Among the most realistic and emotionally raw gmmtv shows. In only five episodes, the series dives deep into the detrimental consequences of comments, especially those that are made online, showcasing how social media, from a simple means of communication and expression, can also be weaponized to hurt people. The isolation, the peer pressure, the obsession of maintaining a fake image, the envy, the validation, the bullying, are common themes that naturally unfold in the course of the story to convey the simple message that people need to think twice before they speak. For me, I'd say it was hard to watch --even triggering at times-- because it doesn't shy away from exploring the ugly and very harsh side of people, but that alone makes it even greater of a show.The acting is amazing as well with all the actors giving the 100% and bringing out a gorgeous result.
I definitely recommend this show to everyone. Living in an era where social media is part of our everyday lives and harassment has become a second nature to many people who abuse the freedom of speech instead of using it productively, I feel this series is a good way to increase awareness of the problem.
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Good overall
It took me a while to warm up to this series. Plot wise, it's not something super unique to lose your mind over, but it does have its comedic moments and at the end I came to love each and every one of these eccentric characters and all the chaos that was happening around. But I have to point out that Pond as Judo won me over the most. His role is really hilarious and he does justice to his part.Overall, it's a fine mini series if you want to pass your time and if comedy is among the genres you enjoy, I recommend it.
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P.S. I loved it
A series that perfectly combines unpredictability and predictability at the same time. Its enticing plot sucks you in early in the series and doesn't let you go till the end. It does have its dark elements, but it's still very enjoyable to watch. By no means it's perfect and there are some exaggerated even unrealistic moments that don't align that much with the show's identity, but they don't overshadow the overall experience. I gave it such a high rewatch value, because in the second time I feel one will be able to piece better some of the info scattered into the episodes and also pay more attention to the characters and their mannerisms.I do recommend the series to anyone who loves messiness and a bit more heavy drama.
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Authentic and unpolished
In all honesty, it's not a bad bl at all. It actually feels very down to earth and real in comparison to the majority of the shows of this genre. It addresses some matters more realistically and successfully captures the struggles of teenagers. It may be overdramatic at some points, but it's the right amount of overdramatic if that makes any sense.The actual drawback for me, was the lack of care put in this show. The writting in some scenes was great and in others was scrappy, making you wonder if you missed something along the way.
Overall, it's a fine show and very unique, but if they had paid a little more attention and made a few adjustments, it could have been incredible. I do recommend it to people who look for an unconventional series or people who would like to see Frank and Drake as leads.
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