10/10 Breathtaking in the literal sense of the word
When I compiled the list of my 15 favourite BL series of 2022, I was astonished that only one Japanese show had made it into that list (Eien no kinou / Eternal Yesterday").So when I wrote my review of the fantastic season 2 of
"Utsukushii Kare / My Beautiful Man" a few weeks ago, ! didn't expect there would soon come another Japanese BL series that could compete with it, but I was wrong. Today is the last day of the first quarter of 2023, and there have already been two more great Japanese series, "The End of the World with You", and now "Jack O'Frost" which in my subjective opinion may be the best BL series I have seen so far.
I won't spoil too much of the plot here, because for those who have already watched it, that won't be necessary, and to all those who haven't watched it, I would advise them to find out themselves, and I promise you that you won't be disappointed.
This is basically an "amnesia story", and by mere coincidence there are two series revolving around this topic airing at the same time - "Jack O'Frost" and the Thai series
"Love Syndrome III". Whereas the Thai series has bad writing, directing, and acting, and the only thing everybody is waiting for is Lee Long Shi taking off his shirt, the only thing I have to complain about when it comes to "Jack O'Frost" is the fact that we had to wait two long weeks for the final episode to air.
"Jack O'Frost" is the love story of two attracting opposite characters, creative and talented artist Ritsu (Honda Kyoya) and salesman Fumiya (Suzuki Kosuke). When Fumiya feels left behind in his relationship with Ritsu, he breaks up with him, and Ritsu has an accident the very same day which makes him lose his memory of Fumiya. Fumiya tries to help Ritsu regain his memory by taking him to familiar places, but he doesn't tell him about their relationship and break-up. So when they fall for each other again, their new love is based upon a lie which of course must go wrong. I'll only reveal one more thing about the plot here - there's a hanpy ending, but the way to
When I said that this may be the best BL series I've ever watched, it must be perfection or at least near perfection in any respect, and I think it really is. The writing is brilliant, because it cautiously displays the way these two very different characters become lovers. I usually don't like flashbacks, because all too often they are just there to fill some more minutes of screentime without taking the story ahead, but here it is different. There are many flashbacks which show the viewer bit by bit how Ritsu and Fumiya's relationship developed, and as the series is about Ritsu trying to regain his memory, it's logical not to tell the story chronologically, but showing glimpses of the past that finally make up the complete story.
The next perfect element is the acting which is closely connected to the directing of the show. I have rarely seen two actors who are able to express their characters' deep love of each other so naturally - sometimes there is so much love in Honda's eyes that they could make the arctic ice melt. But their quarrels appear equally realistic, actually so realistic that it hurts watching them. The scene that leads up to Fumiya's breaking up with Ritsu is maybe the most natural lovers' argument ever shown in a BL series.
There were scenes where I found myself holding my breath because I felt it would reveal to Ritsu and Fumiya that someone was watching them, and it would disturb them if I did breathe. Honda and Suzuki (I know this sounds funny, but, sorry, these are their names) succeeded in drawing the viewer into their story, so it felt like I was being part of what was going on on the screen.
Then there is the cinematography that makes this series a masterpiece. Many scenes are set in semi-darkness, or the vision even seems to be blurred, mirroring Ritsu's limited memory of the past. The most beautiful and at the same time most expressive scene comes towards the end of the final episode, when Ritsu is sitting in their favourite café after he has moved out of Fumiya's flat, and the window is iced over. Then the ice slowly melts, and we see Fumiya standing outside the café looking at Ritsu.
Even the title of this show is a brilliant choice. Jack O'Frost (or simply Jack Frost) is a personification of cold weather in ancient Scandinavian mythology, and is often seen as a bad character whose negative influence disappears in Spring when the weather gets warmer. The main plot of this show is set in winter, and the scene with the frost on the café's window mentioned above symbolizes the end of the cold period, and thus the new beginning of Ritsu and Fumiya's love.
The background music completes the perfection of this series, because it sensitively accompanies the action without ever being obtrusive.
All in all, Japan has given us another beautiful series which is proof once again that it doesn't need 13 episodes of 60 minutes to tell a complex story and make the viewer impatiently wait 7 long days for another short episode of 25 minutes to air.
Country: Japan
Episodes: 7 (à 25 mins.)
Directors: Yasukawa Yuka, Takahashi Natsuki Cast: Honda Kyoya, Suzuki Kosuke et al.
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10/10 BEST BL DRAMA EVER
The Eighth Sense is probably the best bl series I've seen so far. How Jihyun and Jaewon won me over, how the directors were able to get us into story doesn't happen much these days. The story, the dialogues, the lights, the music, the cinematography, everything was perfectly portrayed. The series has both happy and cute moments and of course bad and sad moments, but that's what I love about the series. I hope we will see a sequel, because both the main actors Ji-sub and Juntaek, the directors, but the whole team of people around the series deserve it! We need more Jaewon and Jihyun as couple!!Was this review helpful to you?
Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss!
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9/10 So00000 cute! Love love love!
This drama was absolutely adorable. It's hard for me to watch Japanese BL's and rate them so high mainly because Japanese BL's can be. dragged out a lot. But this drama was so cute. There was great character development and it didn't feel dragged out at all. Although I do have the say the last episode didn't make any sense to me but I let it slide because the couple is so cute. I liked the whole idea of the bad luck thing. The honesty and love it all. And the way Naoya looked at (I forgot his name..) was so adoring to watch. I loved it so much. The look of love is what it was really about. Overall great drama. Loved it a lot.Was this review helpful to you?
10/10 | laugh and crying in every episode
I read the manga first, then I watch this.. It is look similarly with it's manga.. The casts are doing great acting. I watching this till episode 9, and till I wrote this, I dont know how much episode do they have. But I hope it should be long story series.But unfortunately, the duration is arround 25-30 mins only per episode. But so far, it is quitely touching.. They don't showing any nudity or even sensual activity.. Literally love story between 2 boys, where they complement each other.
The boys are super kawaiiii, and their acting seems so natural. Not only romantic, also the comedy is good.. I hope it can be shown in netflx.
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10/10 What a great piece of cinema! Lovely series!
Every frame on the series feels like a photography, all details at scenes are very well planned, it's so beautiful to watch.The plot around two young men with relationship issues, lack of communication but mainly lack of sex. The needs to explore their own sexuality is very intense, the protagonists need to talk about that even if all starts like anonymous emails between two co-workers.
We all can get in complicated relationships, and keep on going even if there is huge an visible problems on sight. This series explore that, our attaching to things that are hurting us and hurting the couple as a whole. Another Japanese series reminding us about the assertive communication inside a couple, in this case replaced with no censorship communication with a coworker.
The two young men drives the series with their inner emotional problems, letting go their loved ones to start something new, maybe more healthy, more communicative and lots of more sex. The end was happy ending, and includes everything I was expecting to happen, no need for any more chapter like other reviews said.
"When it rain, it pours" is worth watching it one more time, it's beautiful.
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8/10 Touchingly real, you will feel their pain
This series had me hooked with its first episode that showed a different side of cinema-a side that recognises sexual abuse, social stigmatisation, and discrimination.We see a lot of (mainly emotional pain, especially in Ice and Saint as they look back on their shared past, the highs they experienced together and the lows they had to get through alone.
Within the first half of the series, there are lots of flashbacks to give us an increasingly clearer idea of just how much pain both protagonists went through after they were forcefully broken up. We also see misunderstandings of the past being resolved through hard, honest conversations.
The second half of the series is dedicated to the challenges they face after resolving those misunderstandings. They question whether to give their love a second chance and whether they can defend their love against the world this time around. This is also emphasised by Ice's best friend's student short film the protagonists star in, that is set in the 90s, with a story that is quite similar to their own im regards to the hardships they face.
While there are many sweet moments in-between, this series explicitly revolves around serious topics, such as suicide, hate crimes, rape/sexual harassment and assault, rejection, and forced prostitution. Those topics are handled with care and insight-they might show you a side you never considered before.
However, if these topics are triggers for you, refrain from watching this series no matter how good it is-put your mental well-being first!
To lighten the mood, there are two side-couples with quite a good amount of screen time as well: Two of their male costars who have difficulties about their transition from friends to lovers and their director and producer (both female students) who becomes a really sweet, affectionate couple.
All in all, lam quite impressed by the story as it is a very realistic one as well. The cinematography is great most of the time and so is the acting. I will definitely watch it again in the future.
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10/10 Highly underrated Must watch PS.Misleading tag
First of all it has a melodrama tag so most people like me will skip this drama. But just because of namgoong min I gave it a try. As expected first 2 episodes were kind of melodrama.But I still continued for another 2 episodes. That's when things started to go south. Episode 4 I was crying like hell. I was invested in this. This is not just melodrama. It was action, gore, thriller. Now I realised why namgoong min accepted a period drama.
It's nothing like romantic period drama where main characters love each other and will get a happy ending and all. This is serious every character is well written. It's a must watch.
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10/10 A Masterpiece of Suspense, Sisterhood, and Social Commentary
As a fan of Korean television, I can confidently say that Little Women is a prime example of why this industry continues to produce some of the most compelling and high-quality shows in the world. With no prior expectations, this series captivated me from start to finish, earning a flawless 10/10 rating. It is a stunning, modern reinvention that transtorms a classic story into a gripping thriller.At its core, the show is anchored by the phenomenal performances of the three sisters. Each sister's portrayal was absolutely incredible, with special praise reserved for the magnetic presence of Kim Go-eun, the chilling subtlety of Uhm Ji-Won, and the captivating charisma of Wi Ha-Joon.
However, it's a testament to the show's casting that the entire ensemble was brilliant, creating a rich and believable world. The sisters' relationship-their love, loyalty, and shared trauma-felt deeply rooted in realism, providing a powerful emotional anchor amidst the high-stakes drama.
Their bond felt genuine and was the true heart of the series.
The plot is a masterclass in suspense. It is relentlessly engaging, filled with plenty of unknowns and secrecy that made it impossible to stop watching. The narrative momentum was so strong that it was a constant cycle of "l can't believe that just happened... I have to click 'next episode'!" The series introduces a formidable set of villains who were great, a credit to their well-cast and chilling performances. Despite their actions being at times ridiculous in their scale, their motivations were always understandable, making them all the more terrifying and effective.
Beyond the family unit, the relationship between Oh In-ju and Jin Hwa-young was a standout. Their bond, initially shrouded in mystery, was beautifully developed and surprisingly relatable, adding another layer of emotional depth to the story.
Ultimately, Little Women is more than just a thrilling mystery.
It offers a powerful and insightful commentary on poverty and class dynamics within society, brilliantly showcasing the everyday struggles and triumphs of trauma. It's a show that not only entertains with its twists and turns but also resonates with a profound emotional and social weight. For its impeccable acting, flawless pacing, and masterful storytelling, this series is an absolute must-watch.
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10/10 Semantic Error Is Best
10/10 Semantic Error is bestOne of the best remarkable adaption from manhwa... Good production with charismatic actors and their presentable acting make this series more magnificent... I won't add any single spoiler here.. If you read the manhwa then it's absolute necessary to watch this series... This series worth every of your single time and you won't feel bore for 1 second..
I wish South Korea will make this type of remarkable series in future also and with more time and more episodes...
Because we viewers becoming more hungry for this type of series....
Thank you.
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9/10 Cute and Sweet
9/10 Cute and SweetNice plot, the boys look great and organically in new roles, Pete is just a real aristocrat, and Fort is a good guy, simple and loyal, like a dog. Beautiful filming on the island, the actors are a pleasure to watch. In my opinion, a huge disadvantage is the storyline of the secretary and the actress, it's just terribly infuriating. The actress is overacting, can she even talk normally? And why shove a lesbian theme (which in fact is weard) into BL, and such an implausible one at that? A hysterical secretary who always whines, ruins everything, guys, no offense to the actress, I'm just rewinding them. Would be better to see one more boys couple, well, honestly, there is no chemistry between the girls, it's boring and annoying. Episode 4 is almost complete I rewound because of them, a completely empty episode! Let's see further, I hope the series doesn't slide even lower. Fort and Pete are cute and talented actors and the chemistry between them is amazing! From me 9 so far.
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Emotional college love, incl. some serious topics
"[.] I've never had anything important." "I think it's more like you just never let anything be important to you."Team and Win have an interesting story where both have issues and concerns to overcome ("You can be afraid of anything in this world. [...] But you can't be afraid of me; especially my feelings for you.") as it is a long way to being on the same page.
Win's youngest brother is really adorable. The brotherly solidarity and love among them and their older brother Waan is truly beautiful to witness.
Also, Manow and Phruek are wonderful people, lovely friends, and an amazing couple.
Bee and Prince make a nice side-couple as well.
Team's parents having him and Win all figured out upon their first meeting is really cool, especially because they leave it to Team to become ready to tell them in his own time.
I waited so long for this series - ever since I have adoringly watched "Until We Meet Again" - and I am really happy to have gotten the chance to watch yet another emotional, well-made drama series. Especially cool about this sequel is the way the tropes were changed quite much: It is still quite dramatic, however the type of love presented here is different which I really like as it gives this couple its own personality.
Re-watching this for the x-th time, I still fall in love with it over and over again.
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10/10 Romance at its finest
It really makes you feel feelings. I cant count how many times it made me cry, whether it was sad or happy tears. It has angst but its all worth it. Its not just a typical love story, its actually a "smart" movie, it combines an interesting storyline and the inclusion of other movies makes it feel a bit nostalgic. I highly recommend for those who wanna dive in a ocean of romance and i guarantee you will love it.10/10 A series where everything can happen
The series is closely based on the novel, Theory of Love. The plot surrounding a boy who habors feelings for his best friend for 3 years. Each episode is based on one romantic film, which is very amusing to me. I love the fact that the crew even creates parody of those films' posters. Althoug...
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10/10 KUDOS TO THE BEST BL SERIES EVER!!!
This is my first time creating an imb account and writing a review because I can't stay silent without recommending this beautiful masterpiece to everyone out there. I've watched several BL series/movies of different genres and different languages before watching TharnType. I just finished this series last month and I still can't move on. I even cried for about 5 days because of the emptiness I feel after finishing it. TharnType has set the bar too high that I'm having a hard time starting a new series o Actually, l've heard of MewGulf but I had no idea why they were so popular back then. But after binge watching the series and clips on youtube, I realize that NO ONE EVER DOES IT LIKE MEWGULF. Their chemistry as TharnType is so amazing.They don't have any sex scenes but their hot steamy kisses did everything. Also the sweet scenes are surely gonna make you feel like a professional third-wheeler. You can literally feel love in their eyes. Needless to say, their chemistry as MewGulf in real life is so real and adorable. I don't feel any awkwardness between them.
Another thing I love about this series is the soundtrack. "Be Mine" is the best Thai song I've ever heard and I started learning Thai just because I want to learn this song byheart.
So overall, I'd give 100 stars if I can but 10 stars is the maximum so there it is. If you haven't watched TharnType the series, please do watch it. I highly recommend this to you. Hope to see Mew (Tharn) and Gulf (Type) in more projects together.
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An ideal and equal love to be normalized
Emphasizing on a social issue of sexual harassment against the mute and powerless, this series has proven to be a samaritan. Storyline very subtly conveys the injustice towards certain genders. Plot is simple and drives you through a satiating ending.I personally loved the locations, drone shots and frames of emotional scenes, coloring, consistent tone of the story, styling and art direction, elements of the advertising workspace. An episode stole my heart resembling a painting. Background score by P' Tommy is melodious. Net-James chemistry was good. James is an alluring man without doubt. P' Passin is a terrific actor with a skill to perfectly camouflage into character.
As the title suggests, the episodes contain a lot of clever sensuality. Every romantic scene has a distinct flavor. In concord with every body else, the trailer got me excited.
Despite all the above lines pointing at the reason I watched this series, it does not qualify for a re watch. Also the one objectionable quality of the scenes is the time lapse to react and respond. Editing team should have worked better.
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An ideal and equal love to be normalized
Emphasizing on a social issue of sexual harassment against the mute and powerless, this series has proven to be a samaritan. Storyline very subtly conveys the injustice towards certain genders. Plot is simple and drives you through a satiating ending.I personally loved the locations, drone shots and frames of emotional scenes, coloring, consistent tone of the story, styling and art direction, elements of the advertising workspace. An episode stole my heart resembling a painting. Background score by P' Tommy is melodious. Net-James chemistry was good. James is an alluring man without doubt. P' Passin is a terrific actor with a skill to perfectly camouflage into character.
As the title suggests, the episodes contain a lot of clever sensuality. Every romantic scene has a distinct flavor. In concord with every body else, the trailer got me excited.
Despite all the above lines pointing at the reason I watched this series, it does not qualify for a re watch. Also the one objectionable quality of the scenes is the time lapse to react and respond. Editing team should have worked better.
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