HiStory but... a Taiwanese version?

*outline*
It really did give me HiStory vibes in the sense it seemed a little fantastical yet it also had a touch of reality in it.


*analysis*
STORY : The production was well-planned, and it really grew as the story progressed. There was also a good pace and buildup of emotions. And the thing I liked most about Because of You was the fact I was able to watch it all in one sitting as it was easy to watch with it only bein 15 mins per episode. This also kept the story interesting with only required scenes being included rather than the story being elongated annoyingly like some dramas (especially BL's) tend to be. The confessions were some of the cutest I've ever seen, and the kiss scenes didn't help in keeping me from cooing. The first kiss scene that I personally found best was Jundao's, with Juncheng's relationship being the funniest. Because it was so short and I was easily able to watch it all in one sitting, it also felt like a movie rather than a drama. But, the ending felt a little cut off as in I didn't get to see whether the brother's got what they truly wanted after all. The main purpose of the drama was to see if any brother would succeed in what he wanted, and instead the romance took all the attention of the viewers (which I have nothing against because I loved every bi of it) so I'm glad we are getting a Because of You 2. We honestly needed a second season.

ACTING / CAST : The most important thing I have to mention is nothing felt fake, even for a single second. Everyone (even background actors) stuck to their roles so well that it felt like I was watching Jundao's biography (except it was obviously much more interesting than the usual biography). Juncheng, though, played his role so well as a drunk... yeah, sure, it was a little typical but it definitely was more than amusing to watch. The characters were also very interesting in the sense they had quite typical goal as heirs but the twist was it seemed they made the whole show theirs when it was their screen time. One thing the director or scriptwriter must've be very passionate about, though, was the fact opposites attract. Sure every brother found their partner, but all the partners were like... literal opposites from them. But the roles were quite cute and the couples suited each other way too well so I have nothing against it. AND- the CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?? Boi, I literally forgot to mention this in my draft review. And how could I?? The brothers came such a long way in such a short period of time. The character development was real.

MUSIC : The intro was super catchy, especially the last two lines. There was also a nice contrast between the featuring of Korean and Taiwanese music. One thing that made me laugh a little to myself whenever an OST came up, though, was the fact the songs sounded like OSTs you'd find in straight korean dramas, especially the OSTs played during the love scenes.

REWATCH VALUE : Apart from the cut-off ending, the story was really interesting throughout. I don't see myself missing the character because although they were legends, there wasn't much to remember them for. They weren't too special. But if I went through my "COMPLETED" list and re-read this review, I do see myself rewatching this for the sake of the sweetness, cuteness and the subtle coos an laughter.



Visit my Asian BLs Custom List to see some more of my watches and ratings !! ^.^ Including: Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai !
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Sweet, but not very memorable

*outline*
I really don't know why this drama was hyped up on a few of the YouTube channels I follow, there was honestly nothing much to it and the roles just weren't very convincing... maybe the drama could've been successful if some of the actors changed. However, this is a good drama to watch if you're coming back from a very dramatic plotline (from another drama/movie, I mean).


*analysis*
STORY : One thing I definitely liked from the very beginning was the fact we could jump into the story quickly. There weren't any unnecessary scenes; this immediately caught my interest. This is also what drove me to watch it straight away. The different moods throughout the drama (funny, cute, jealous moments) were evenly proportionate and there weren't any unnecessary scenes or characters either. On the other hand the script was very boring. Yan Ke and Yifan's chemistry was good, I'll give the scriptwriter that... but their lines were very dry. It seemed there was awkward tension between the two rather than a feeling of love? Though, the best scripted scenes were between each family. The parent-child relationships were very realistic in the sense we could see the difference in how different family dynamics are. There are different forms of love for the same relationship, if that makes any sense. The worst part of the script was the denseness of some of the characters. Yifan says somewhere "you can't hide it if you like someone" and here Yan Ke was trying his hardest to hint to her that he doesn't only like her... but even love her maybe. This is the most annoying thing I come across in some asian dramas, they're just so dense (especially the women); it's like a character's denseness has become a genre in itself. Because of this, the confession wasn't exactly amazing either. I'd actually felt grateful that it finally happened because it was just getting lengthy and tiring to keep watching both the main characters hesitating. I do have to admit, the character development after the main couple finally got together was a really nice watch. You could see their affection and love for each other grow consistently. I expected a more awkward relationship, but that wasn't the case. I just ended up shipping them more. And finally, the ending - this is one of very few dramas that actually has a complete and sweet ending.

ACTING / CAST : Hands down, my favourite character was Qi Xiaosong. He wasn't all that special until the end of Episode 12; I only realised 'damn, he's so precious' halfway through the drama. In terms of acting too, love scenes did look quite awkward too (more so before they actually got together). Riley Wang was one of the very few (continuous appearance) characters who continued to stick to his role very well. (Doesn't he sort of look like Eric Nam though? :')) Wan Peng actually came out of her character a few times... And other times her acting just felt either too dramatic/passive. Background characters actually did a little bad. There were a few times I noticed they kept watching the main & supporting characters act when they obviously weren't supposed to; this made them look like the audience rather than actors. One last note: Qi Xiaosong deserved more screen time.

MUSIC : Loud. Very loud. Most of the time I couldn't even hear the lines... It was just so disruptive, and the dynamics continued to change, it's like the editors didn't even cross reference between the scenes to make sure the volume was continuous throughout and low enough so we could actually hear what the actors were saying. This ruined the mood and gave me a bad impression of the music so badly that I ended up not enjoying it at all (even when it finally improved around the end). It doesn't matter if it's good or not, I just didn't bother trying to listen to the music as I tried to concentrate on the scene a little more.

REWATCH VALUE : It's very low, to be honest. No matter how sweet the story was, there wasn't actually much to it. And the characters weren't very memorable either. Though, I may miss Qi Xiaosong despite his very little screen time.


*extra*
1. First thing's first, I have to admit I couldn't stop shipping Qi Xiaosong with Yan Ke continuously, throughout every screentime of theirs (despite Xiong Yifan being there a few times too).
2. Guys, please recommend some dramas where the characters aren't so dense? I've been wanting a good watch since ages...

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More music than character development...

*outline*
Considering the drama was so short, it was a given there wouldn't be much to the story. I was actually surprised at how the plot turned out to be like when I actually watched the drama. I was expecting something more lowkey and dry but I still went ahead and just watched the whole thing at 3am on a school morning because of sheer boredom. Compared to my usual reviews, I don't have much to say.


*analysis*
STORY : My eyes were genuinely closing after around episode 3, but that was just because I was tired. However, I still continued to watch it since the ending seemed unclear to me. It was interesting in the aspect I didn't know how the ending would come to be a happy ending (because web dramas always have a happy ending). The confession only caused content for me, I was satisfied with the way things turned out but it didn't cause a large reaction from me. The kiss scene didn't cause anything inside me either. I sort of ended up watching it just for the sake of it. On the other hand, there was quite a good pace to the drama and I clearly saw good build up of emotions.

ACTING / CAST : There was lack of character development; I think the only character that had even slightly evolved was Sul Yoo Sang. One thing I didn't like from the very beginning was the fact I noticed Lee A Ra was wearing makeup. Usually I don't see children wear any/too much makeup in any drama, so I was quite disappointed. This is the reason society has beauty standards we can't keep up with anymore. I'm glad the makeup artist used less makeup after the first 2 episodes but from the beginning I got a bad impression of where I assumed the crew's importance lied. Lee A Ra almost wore more makeup than Lee Hyun Joo. However, despite the whole drama about the makeup, the acting was on point. Every character stuck to their roles and it never felt like a 'drama'. In fact, it felt like something realistic despite having a little bit of a fantasy feel to it. I mean... 'a chaebol becomes a dad, and then turns into a boyfriend within the span of only a couple weeks'. Then again, it's a web drama so fantasy was sort of a given.

MUSIC : I felt like there was too much focus on the music, that the story was entirely forgotten. I heard more tracks in the span of 11 minutes than I did in any other. This is probably why the story ended up being a little dry. The music displayed the change of emotions really well, however. I could feel how emotions were being built up throughout the drama.

REWATCH VALUE : Medium. True, I didn't like the drama a huge amount but it's actually an easy watch. There were only 6 episodes and 11 minutes per episode, it actually felt like a movie. And I didn't get bored of it either. However, I think I won't miss any of the character especially; maybe only Kim Dan Bi's mischievousness and Sul Yoo Sang's giving nature.

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Fanfiction >> to Life

*outline*
Honestly, there was nothing much to the story. The idea was probably developed through fanfictions - assuming the screenwriter wanted to turn fanfiction into reality and this was probably a dream come true for EXO-L's (well, when the drama came out).


*analysis*
STORY : It was a simple drama, with a deep backstory (although not too dark, like the one's in other kdramas). There were reasons for the way the story was played out, which I actually like considering the drama wasn't made just to please fans, but also brought a sense of life into it too. There was also no toxicity, therefore becoming a good light drama instead of a heavy one with overly dramatic feelings, antagonists, etc. However, I'm sure no one expected anything heavy anyways considering it's an idol drama, and - in the nicest way possible - any defamation to EXO would practically be illegal in the industry. Back to the story, there was some good pace (to the story in general and the buildup of emotions) - however it would be easy to lose track of how the actors felt in terms of relationships due to the distraction of Chan's backstory. The focus had to shift. There also nice transitions between moods throughout the drama; sometimes you'll laugh, sometimes you'll frown, and sometimes you'll just start jumping around (whether you're a fan or not). In fact, I even remember at one point I couldn't stop laughing for around 3 episodes in a row (maybe even more). Although laughter is a given majority of the drama. The confessions and ending were so beautiful, and there's literally no other way to describe it. The ending made me reminisce over the beginning of the drama again, and even made me wanna replay some scenes.

ACTING / CAST : I didn't feel like I was watching a drama with actual stars as actors; everyone played their role really well. In fact, it felt like I was watching a drama where a celebrity fell in love with a commoner or something (to the point it even reminded me of My Lovely Girl with L and Crystal). I have nothing much to say about Moon Ga Young because she always ends up with interesting personas anyways. I just hope, one day, she'll actually get a normal role because she never has a chance to actually explore other areas/genres. We only got to see Chanyeol in a deeper light, so we got to see real character development. I actually think it was only his role that had any character development (or maybe D.O. a little bit too?). However, what I personally felt was most interesting was whatever was happening between Sehun and and Kwang Soo ()Jang Yoo Sang). Both of them acted so beautiful, I could `chef's kiss` it forever. Their acting was just "mwah". The cutest role was D.O.'s, he was so sweet, caring and down-to-earth I almost wanted him to be a little more selfish but I'm glad his role was played out the way it was. The two times I heard his cute laugh throughout the drama just made me laugh in turn.

MUSIC : Well, I'm not sure if all the music heard in this drama was EXO's but it didn't sound like it. However, I'm not confident in saying so. But, yes, the music was quite nice... I just don't see myself listening to half the tracks though.

REWATCH VALUE : I mean... high, considering this was my second time watching it. I wouldn't consider it very high because [1] I've only rewatched the drama once and [2] I rewatched it after quite a long time. I only wanted to revisit the EXO members. (I'm not an EXO-L, I just missed them as singers and maybe a little as actors too.) Since it's not a chaotic drama, this is perfect to rewatch when you've just finished something heavy.

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Oddly gets cuter and more real by each minute

*outline*
Actually, when I first found out the ages I was quite shocked because in my mind I was thinking "woah, they're generations apart". One's 31, one's 19, and the other's 8. And unlike HIStory1, where everything was simply considered to be in one ear and out the other, this was actually taken into concern by the actors. Of course, there were real issues that came up, but I'm glad that HIStory2 actually became a little more realistic in that context.


*analysis*
STORY : I was putting this off for a while, thinking every HIStory2 story looked boring, but it surpassed my expectations. I assumed that HIStory2 was the most dull, but don't be fooled like me. The production has clearly improved. I mentioned that it gets cuter, and it does when we get to episode 3. That has probably gotta be the best episode out of them all. I really didn't expect the cuteness but it was something I hadn't really seen much of HIStory1 and I'm glad I could see it here. There was also some more comedy in episode 3, which I realize now was calm before the storm. There was some extra drama added, which I first felt was unnecessary, until the very ending. The extra climax just made the ending of the series much more sweeter, more official, and more finalized. Therefore, the pacing was well done and the confessions were at the perfect time. Thank goodness the heartbreaks were for the perfect reasons and they didn't last too long. It didn't make the story toxic, and this is very rare in these sorts of plots. I hope screenwriters who even write straight series/movies can learn from this drama.

ACTING/CAST : There's obviously been a huge change from HIStory1 to 2. The actors also partake in the change. They were more open with their feelings, and also more real. HIStory1 always makes me feel a little cut off when I watch it because it looks like they're lacking something and it was this. Skinship, love, and affection. The actors made it feel so real I didn't feel like I was watching a drama anymore. Which is weird now that I say it out loud (or type it out) because now I feel like a stalker and that's just disturbing. However, Steven Jiang, and Hang Zhang did a good job in relaying the emotions I didn't know I needed after HIStory1. In real life, the two are actually 10 years apart, so, looks-wise, the relationship had a more realistic feel to it too. I feel I have to give the casters a credit for that.

MUSIC : The music was the best, again, in episode 3. It added to the funny moments which made me laugh a little more. I liked the variation of music in the light scenes and the dark scenes. It was perfect and also had a part in making this series feel more complete than HIStory.

REWATCH VALUE : I would definitely rewatch this if I decided to rewatch the whole HIStory series again, which I definitely see myself doing and I'm probably not the only one. Watching HIStory1 to 2 to 3 will probably be the most calming remedy of all time. It feels like I'm watching my baby grow. (I need to stop being a creep.) Anyways ! Yes, definitely worth the rewatch.


*recommendations*
Literally, the rest of the HIStory dramas. You have to watch them. Especially 'Crossing the Line' and 'Trapped'. They've been rated the best ones out of the whole lot too and it's really no surprise why.

And :
Visit my Asian BLs Custom List to see some more of my watches and ratings !! ^.^ Including: Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai !
Also, please vote to show your view on other dramas :)

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Tragedy to fate

*outline*
I actually expected a lot less from this particular chapter from HIStory1. But it definitely exceeded my expectations. It also gave off the same vibes as 'My Hero' - also in HIStory1. If you haven't watched that, then definitely do so. Every HIStory chapter is unique to each role and character and we really need to applaud the scriptwriters for coming up with such interesting plots.


*analysis*
STORY : As I mentioned, the story is indeed unique. It's something that I've never seen from Taiwan, however I do have to admit I don't watch many Taiwan BLs. Which, now that I mention it, I really should. Although there was a little fantasy involved where Yi Chen went back 9 years, it also gives us a reality check of LGBTQ today and how they are treated, even by their own loved ones. The title really fit the story, and I didn't realize how perfect the title for the story was until I reached the last episode. The pacing was perfect, not too slow nor too fast - even though there was a time skip. We were also given more insight to the characters and their emotions because of the focus on each character. No scene was left to make me think they were useless or the detail was too little. The empathy I felt was clear as day because of this. The confessions were so good and definitely very different from the other HIStory1 chapters.

ACTING/CAST : I actually think Bernard He throughout some, if not all, parts of the story. But I eventually understood why his acting was such, and this is another thing I realized in the last episode. Teddy Ren did exceptionally well as Shao Yi Chen. His character was so reasonable that there was nothing to doubt in saying anything good about him as an actor or his role. I have to admit though, my favorite character were all the side characters. If not for them, the ending wouldn't have been the way it was.

MUSIC : Well, I heard the same track being played from My Hero so- welp. Other than that, I didn't actually mind the music. It sounded decent enough. It wasn't anything to make me go crazy about it or anything of the sort.

REWATCH VALUE : Yes. I definitely see myself coming back to this drama. It's really worth the first watch so why not the second? In fact, I'd probably rewatch the whole HIStory series during a movie marathon one night.


*recommendations*
Literally, the rest of the HIStory dramas. You have to watch them. Especially 'Crossing the Line' and 'Trapped'. They've been rated the best ones out of the whole lot too and it's really no surprise why.

And :
Visit my Asian BLs Custom List to see some more of my watches and ratings !! ^.^ Including: Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai !
Also, please vote to show your view on other dramas :)

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Tragic love

*outline*
"some people enter your life in order to create wonderful memories before they leave"


*analysis*
STORY : The most beautiful part of this movie was the heartbreaks - which, mind you, we got loads of. Tons and tons. The leads never really got a break from the climax which lasted months. The confession was heartwarming too, I really didn't see the ending coming. Especially Bank's total change in looks. Honestly, watch the film. You won't regret it. The pacing was organised well, no scene seemed useless in anyway. I do wish we got a little more of the side ships, but I totally understand why we didn't. If we did it would probably turn into a drama or there'd be so many useless scenes. The movie had a clear goal in mind in the making. I just wish there was a better ending. The continuous heartbreak shouldn't have resulted in a sad ending, it only depressed me. All-in-all, it was still an amazing movie.

ACTING/CAST : No favoritism intended but... Fluke's (Bank - in the movie) acting was amazing like always. He hasn't changed at all since 2014, clearly. The only reason this caught my eye is because I noticed a familiar face and I'm so glad I did watch it. I feel like Fluke (Golf - in the movie) sort of added a little more drama than needed to some of his scenes but it was occasional so I still managed to cry. Something I really shouldn't be proud over.

MUSIC : I actually didn't hear much music so I put the rating a little down for this. Otherwise, the rating would probably be at, at least, a 9.

REWATCH VALUE : To be honest, I don't really see myself watching this again despite the fact I quite liked it. It just didn't make a great impact on me for me to miss the characters like I do for some other Thai BLs.


*recommendations*
'Until We Meet Again' for some more Fluke Natouch Siripongthon. He's just such a good actor. He plays the male lead in this BL too, his character is very similar to his role as Bank in 'My Bromance', and his acting hasn't changed a bit.
And :
Visit my Asian BLs Custom List to see some more of my watches and ratings !! ^.^ Including: Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai !
Also, please vote to show your view on other dramas :)

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Sweet and simple

*outline*
These cliches usually follow the same pattern. The one that's more cold and closed off would take more time to like someone than the one who's more open and friendly. There was nothing cliche about this. And that's probably why it'll live in my memories for a while.


*analysis*
STORY : Exactly how I mentioned in 'outline'. Although the beginning was a little cliche, the continuing was not. The pacing was well thought out and the confession was the best. The rejections not so much though. I felt empathetic through each confession and before I knew it, every sweet moment/scene I started a whole monologue about what I hoped would happen. Yes, out loud.

ACTING/CAST : Shun didn't look like he had feelings, which is one thing I'm wondering whether it was done on purpose. But even till the end, I still didn't feel any emotions of love or even like. Maybe there were moments but I can't think of any. Nagisa's role was played excellently. It was as though he spoke more with his eyes rather than verbally or physically. So hats off to Kura Yuki for playing his role so well.

MUSIC : Honestly the music fit perfectly. It gave off anime feels too. Almost like 'Love is War' so I had fun jamming to it at the end of each episode. It wasn't played too much either. Only at the end of the episodes, but I still think the song did well in relaying the relationship through the music.

REWATCH VALUE : Because there aren't many episodes and they're actually quite short, I managed to complete the drama in one sitting. This made it feel more like a movie. I also think I'm going to miss the characters, probably Nagisa's character the most.


Visit my Custom List "Asian BLs" which includes Korean, Thai, and Taiwanese BLs to see some of my watches. I don't actually give very low ratings because I believe every love has its own story. Check them out if you'd like some recommendations !! ^.^

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Hilariously Unique with an (Un)finished Ending

*outline*
Honestly, out of all the Korean BLs I've watched, there's never been a cliche plot that directors go for. There's been a celebrityxbarista BL I've watched, an assassinator BL, a highschool BL, etc. And majority of these are low budget, short dramas without a fixed ending. I guess this was one of those. The ending is left to the audience's imagination. The focus wasn't solely on the romance, per se, it was a little more on the comedy and the gay hints but it's still amazing.


*analysis*
STORY : Since I watched the movie version of the drama, I watched it all in one go and it really felt like a movie for me. The story line was unique and different from the other Korean BLs out there. This added the comedy factor to the romance and this is probably the reason the character development was quite fast. There was no confession or rejection as such, but it's a good thing in a sense because the ending - as I mentioned earlier - could be left to our imagination. Usually when I watch a drama and the couple get together, I always want to know the continuation of the story to see what else happens. Although, I know that the whole story's purpose is over so even a season 2 would be unreasonable. However, this time I'm quite satisfied with the ending. It wasn't too abrupt either; it was left on a positive note. And the pacing was okay, in my perspective.

ACTING/CAST : Yeah, the actors had to be in weird positions with each other but because they didn't have to actually act out extravagantly, it was also profitable to the actors. If they're straight, I mean. I think it might've made them become a little more comfortable with each other to some extent. If you watch the bloopers you'll know what I'm talking about. BTS of the series was quite sweet to watch too. Every actor did amazing. I'm surprised with how well the drama came out to be and there weren't many awkward scenes which made me feel like "oh my god, what was the director thinking".

MUSIC : I liked every track played throughout the whole drama, including the small themes that were played to set the mood. Some Guys by Choi Woo Sik and Jang Ki Yong is my favorite track out of them all. If you're looking for a particular OST, this one might be the one. It's the most popular OST out of the whole album.

REWATCH VALUE : I definitely see myself revisiting this, even with a friend. The gay jokes aren't so bad despite the mature theme to it so it wouldn't be uncomfortable to watch with a friend either.


*recommendations*
I would recommend this to everyone, even people who only watch straight dramas. The comedy in this drama would totally distract them from the not-so-straightness of the drama.
'Wish You: Your Melody In My Heart' and 'Mr. Heart' have a similar take on the relationship development, except in these dramas the main couple's actually end up together.

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Totally topped the past HIStory's

*outline*
Honestly, I didn't know what I was expecting when I first began the drama. I felt like it was going to be way too concentrated on crime, yeah, but I didn't expect THAT kind of crime. It was just stories within stories and it was all so confusing that I had to keep bullet-pointing the story at whatever faces they were linked to. But I regret nothing. That was actually the most interesting part - after the ships.


*analysis*
STORY : Every HIStory drama has a moral it teaches us and is most definitely unique. You don't expect what's coming for you, and this one definitely kept up to the mark. This particular one explored the feeling of love and belonging. The pacing was brilliant. I feel no scene got wasted throughout the whole series, maybe a few here and there but those just explained emotions and backstories a little more to get the gist of what was happening and why. The episode length fed to my needs. I always try to look for shorter episodes so that I can finish off the drama to my own pace. Usually longer episodes bore me easily because I feel the director is just trying to long out the drama for no reason. And I mean this generally. The love scenes were the best; whether they were confessions or rejections. I loved all the ships and this is probably the first drama I've ever watched where I felt the ships were perfect and I was excited for every couple moment.

STORY / ACTING : Jake Hsu's acting in the beginning just seemed a little too far-stretched, like an amateur's would be. Every movement, every line, everything would just be over-exaggerated. But his acting got way better after the first, maybe, 3 episodes so that's why I didn't rate it too low. Chris Wu had his moments too but- actually, it was only one moment... But all the secondary actors performed exceptionally well. I never came across any secondary character where I thought "oof calm down" or "okay no, that would never happen and we both know that". It was a real boomer I had to feel this way with one of the male leads honestly, but it really does stop after the first few episodes.

MUSIC : Okay, so I watched this drama on YouTube by BL Everywhere. And there were around three long intervals of unrelated music so there were moments I couldn't hear the genuine track in the drama. But overall I found that all the tracks were decent; not exactly the type of music I'd listen to, however. Despite all that, the reason I rated it so high is because the tracks were played beautifully and at the perfect moments throughout the whole drama.

REWATCH VALUE : To be honest, I do see myself coming back to it because it's an easy watch that I could complete in a day if I ever felt like binge-watching a BL. This has to be one of few I'd put at the top as priority. I even binge-watched it last night and got no sleep, knowing fully well I had school to attend to today. Major oof because now my eyes keep closing.


*recommendations*
I would definitely recommend this to a friend, especially if they want a little bit of everything - genre wise. There's crime, action, mystery, and it also gives off a few thrill vibes here and there because of the dark aura of crime the drama is practically drenched in.
If you'd already watched this, then I'd recommend watching the rest of the HIStory dramas, especially 'Crossing the Line'. These two are now my favourite HIStory's.

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Slow but nice, I guess

*outline*
This is perfect for you if you like a more slow take in a relationship, or even if you thirst for drama, drama, and drama. Honestly, I don't find myself ever coming back to this series and I also doubt I'd ever recommend it to a friend or anything. As I mentioned, the story was quite slow and it also made me feel like it was going nowhere half the time. However, I do feel the ending sort of made up for the very dry episodes. I might've liked this drama if I were a K-drama enthusiast beginner, so that may be the reason I felt it wasn't quite up to the bar for me.


*thorough*
STORY : It had a very cliche touch to it, one of those 'quite girl, loud boy' sort of relationships, and even the climax and all were quite cliche. I sort of expected what was going to happen next. I mentioned it was quite slow, and I wasn't joking. I asked myself a few times throughout 'what am I doing here? why are the characters so dense and annoying'. And getting these thoughts aren't a good sign when watching a drama. I also took a few breaks in between the drama for weeks at a time. I feel like 16 episodes were way too much, and the episodes were unnecessarily long too. Making the drama a lot more shorter would've made the story much more interesting for me. But otherwise, I felt nothing... I didn't get into the story a lot of the time either.

ACTING/CAST : But I have to say, the actors did pretty well in playing out their roles. There wasn't much to the story line, but every character definitely had a story to tell. That part made the drama a little more interesting, and it motivated me to keep going half the time. I do wish that some of the characters had a better ending though.

MUSIC : The music did absolutely nothing for me. I didn't vibe with it and it didn't even suit the drama. It was way too upbeat and the repetitiveness almost became a little bit annoying, but that's just my take on it. There was hardly any chance to the music, it was the same/similar throughout. But I almost felt empathetic at times during the drama, so the themes behind some scenes must've been decent enough.

REWATCH VALUE : I've already mentioned I doubt I'd ever come back to this drama. It's very difficult for me to see myself ever missing it either. I wouldn't recommend it either. However, I might to a friend who wants to explore different cliches or more depth to the story. It isn't boring, it's just very slow.


*p.s.*
This is my personal take on things, but I would say the same thing even if someone asked me about the drama a few months or even years later. It might be because I'm used to this kind of plot already, but it just wasn't a drama I could vibe with. Again; it wasn't boring, it was just very slow.


*recommendations*
Park Shin Hye: 'The Heirs', 'Pinocchio', 'You're Beautiful'
She's an amazing actress, definitely go check out her other works :)

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Short, Sweet, Subtle

*outline*
Because the series is so short, you can easily watch it in one go and not even feel guilty about watching the whole thing. Or at least I felt that way. The pacing was a little off, however. My interest in the story also rose because of how short it was, it meant the story was moving more quickly than it would if this were like a normal series. However, I really liked the fact the drama was quite plain (or subtle, in other words) because it let me take a break from the other dramatic dramas.


*thorough*
STORY : The starting of the story was quite cliche, as suggested by the title of the drama. However, it really doesn't continue on as I expected. There weren't many twists to the plot, which I found a good thing because it made the drama more natural and neutral. It is exactly as my headline says. Short, sweet, and subtle. There aren't any antagonists, no drama to the story, just natural love. It's a good drama to watch if you wanna take a break from the usual overly dramatic plots in other dramas. It felt quite refreshing to watch, actually. However, I do have to say the pacing was quite off for me. It just felt unnatural how slow the starting was and how fast the ending was. The time skip in the middle of the drama didn't help either. The protagonists should've taken more time to get into a relationship, or should've been closer. If only we could see a little more of what happened during the time skip.

ACTING/CAST : They aren't your stereotypical roommates who start fighting straightaway, and you'll only find out what I mean when you actually watch the drama. This also added quite a refreshing feeling to the characters and the story, in general. But throughout the story, as I watched the protagonists individually, it almost felt like there weren't actually feelings there after all. It may be because the actors aren't actually experienced, but there was lack of exploration for their roles. They stuck to one feeling throughout and that didn't feel right with me, because it was almost robotic. Like they were told how they were meant to feel and they portrayed it as part of their job, not like they actually felt what their character was meant to be feeling. Though, I do hope this drama helped their teething with the whole drama industry thing.

MUSIC : Well, there was only one song anyways. But I don't blame them because the drama does look like a very low budget drama. I was expecting a little more to the drama, but that's okay because I was satisfied with what I got in the end anyways. The music really helped me settle with the drama, too. There's nothing much to the song, but it did get slightly catchy because of the numerous times I heard it. I wasn't disappointed in the end, which I'm slightly surprised about, still, because I get irritated very easily when listening to one song only throughout a whole drama.

REWATCH VALUE : I don't really know if I would ever watch this drama again, but I might miss it and try find FMV's for it. I might.


*p.s.*
I would definitely recommend this to a friend, whether they're a new or old Thai BL enthusiast. The fact it's very age appropriate also helps. I didn't feel the need to hide my phone from my parents or anything while watching it and I felt quite comforting with it.


*recommendations*
'TharnType' but there's a completely different take on things in this drama ;) you'll enjoy it, don't worry

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Basically another 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty'

^ EXCEPT only Cha Eun Woo plays a role in both dramas (also the male lead in MIIGB)

*outline*
This is probably the first time I've watched a long drama and accepted it that all the scenes were worth the wait till the end. I'll admit though, the ending was sweet but I didn't like it. I feel like not all the characters got the ending they deserved. The pacing was perfect now that I've watched the entire thing, but otherwise it was a bit slow during the last few episodes. Despite it all, the last few episodes are the best episodes; they're hilarious, sweet, and you don't realize you've finished the drama until you have. ()


*thorough*
STORY : I haven't read True Beauty yet, but I'm pretty sure the story told through the webtoon would be equally as amazing as the drama. Usually, dramas based off of webtoons don't live up to our expectations, or at least mine. I'm not a harsh critic, per se, I just want the mood to be reflected? I don't know if that makes any sense :0. As I mentioned, the pacing was brilliant until the last few episodes, but I was distracted by all the funny scenes anyways so it made up for the slow ending. The confession scenes and the dates in this drama are one of the best you'll see. I had high hopes for the second male lead which didn't come true though :( so I'm a little down about that but I'll probably distract myself somehow. This drama also has the perfect amount of everything; a little bit of action, love, comedy, fantasy, music, etc

ACTING/CAST : I loved all of the characters, even Kang Soo Jin's despite what she did. She had her reasons and I totally understand that. I feel like she had it worse than any other character throughout the entire story. I didn't like Lim Ju Kyung's though. I just feel her character was unnecessarily selfish at times and kept running away from all the problems. Although she did make up for this right after by acknowledging herself. I felt really sorry for Lee Soo Ho throughout her run-aways though. Poor guy had to deal with it and she didn't even bother to talk to him.

MUSIC : I appreciated all the tracks that were played throughout the whole story. Whoever wrote the music really made me feel like they delved into the drama as though it was their own story they were trying to relay. Also, in these dramas, usually the ost track is played repeatedly and it gets to a point where it can either be annoying or you can just tell when the track is gonna be played. However, that wasn't the case here. There were many tracks that were played according to the scene. I like how they didn't just focus on one.

REWATCH VALUE : I personally wouldn't come back to this drama, it's like a one-timer for me. It's way too long, and it didn't really make a great impact on me. I didn't feel like the drama played around a little with my emotions after maybe 10 episodes in so it became a little dry until the funny scenes started again.


*recommendations*
Yes, I would definitely recommend this to a friend, whether an old or new K-drama enthusiast. Especially if they're an AROHA. Cha Eun Woo played an amazing role and it has to be called out upon.

'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' is a really good drama to watch next if you're into a similar story line. Cha Eun Woo also plays the male lead in that drama and overall, True Beauty and My ID is Gangnam Beauty are no different from each other. At all. Kinda.

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Good amount of everything for a bromance

*outline*
Honestly, since I've already watched this before, I can tell you one thing and it is that the story isn't remembered but the characters definitely are.


*analysis*
STORY : To be honest, it's not as dramatic as explained through the description. It's rather subtle and sweet, actually. You'd probably think the series would be equally as problematic as you'd assume what the description is about but that really isn't the case. Especially between brothers- I mean, step-brothers. It's probably on of the weakest of the stories actually, and the production wasn't done all that well either. However, I didn't wanna rate it too low because this would be a perfect binge-watch right after a sensitive drama you may have watched, or even to watch at 3 am. The heartbreak was the only climax throughout the story (and you may probably be able to guess what it was about). So the ending, in turn, felt satisfactory despite leaving me thinking it did feel a little unfinished. Another episode would've been a good idea to explain the change around them (watch the drama, you'll know what I mean). It was mildly entertaining but I feel HIStory2 and HIStory3 are much better.

ACTING/CAST : Despite the bad production, I feel like the actors were very entertaining. They managed to keep me on my toes for some time and totally distracted me from anything else. Every role was useful for the end result and I have to thank Meng Meng especially for it. She was a great help to the story and really played her role well as a supporting actor. Another reason why I needed another episode is so I can see Meng Meng's reaction to the end result too.

MUSIC : It was decent. But I wouldn't add it to any playlist of mine. The whole album was played beautifully and suited the theme of the drama, and the personality of the characters. I don't know taiwanese but the music sounded quite sweet to the ears while it was being played in the background during the confessions and the heartbreaks.

REWATCH VALUE : Because this is my second time watching, I can assure you the rewatch value is indeed high. Watching the drama again just made me like the characters and their acting a lot more than last time. It's probably because before this drama I was watching way too many climactic dramas and I needed a real break. This drama is clearly perfect for that.


*recommendations*
Literally, the rest of the HIStory dramas. You have to watch them. Especially 'Crossing the Line' and 'Trapped'. They've been rated the best ones out of the whole lot too and it's really no surprise why.

And :
Visit my Asian BLs Custom List to see some more of my watches and ratings !! ^.^ Including: Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai !
Also, please vote to show your view on other dramas :)

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Quality of acting = 10.0

*outline*
What could've been a simple love story was successfully turned into something much more interesting. Rather than making the cliche rich x poor, smart x dumb, popular x i-don't-even-know-what, much more fantasy was given to a basic plot. Plus, the level of imagination this must've required...


*analysis*
STORY : The story continuously remained unique from the beginning to the end. Because it's not one of those stereotypical takes playwrights usually take, I never knew what was going to happen next. HIStory have really done well for themselves; be it the actors, the director(s), the playwright(s), etc. The whole team clearly worked really hard on this drama so I'm proud to be able to say I finally got around to watching it. I pre-judged the drama because it was an old HIStory but I was so wrong. The pacing was amazing, we never fell off track from the original goal in the drama. The confession and kiss was just timed so perfectly, my heart was practically in my throat by trying to keep my BL-lover screams down from excitement at like... 5 am. The visual fx and production were also done very well, so credits to editors too. Because there's also some straight-ness to this drama, it's a family friendly watch too. (Except for maybe the kiss, but of course that depends on you.) I really don't understand what's so confusing to understand about this drama but I saw another review that said they couldn't keep up with the story. How? It's so simple... but oh well. Everyone has different opinions and takes on each story.

ACTING/CAST : More than anything, as soon as Lan Xi possessed Gu Si Ren's body, I fell in love with Yun Lin Jiang's acting. Imagine how difficult it must've been to act like you've been possessed by someone of the opposite sex, especially as a male (no sexism intended). Yun Lin Jiang was truly the highlight of the entire drama for me. Aaron Lai's character was a little ambiguous which sort of drew me to him. I don't know if ambiguity is his general persona or it was part of his role but either way I liked it. Funny thing actually, Yun Lin Jiang had more focus throughout the whole story so I ended up forgetting Aaron Lai has a main role in this drama, not a supporting role.

MUSIC : There was one track that was played here and there that I didn't see fit in some of the scenes, but other than that, the rest of the tracks were quite nice to listen to and suited the themes of the scenes. Especially the theme song.

REWATCH VALUE : I don't know if I'd personally come back to this drama so I gave it a 9.5 but I assure you there are other people who definitely will. A lot of people, actually. Especially because this doesn't only focus on BL, but also a straight couple so it's a drama that is open for everyone to watch. Weird but yeah. If you don't follow too well with the story, which somehow some people don't, then you should probably rewatch it. It just means that the possession stuff hasn't sunk in so you need to rewatch it to fully understand, or you were distracted but I think it was probably the latter.


*recommendations*
Literally, the rest of the HIStory dramas. You have to watch them. Especially 'Crossing the Line' and 'Trapped'. They've been rated the best ones out of the whole lot too and it's really no surprise why.

And :
Visit my Asian BLs Custom List to see some more of my watches and ratings !! ^.^ Including: Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai !
Also, please vote to show your view on other dramas :)

Read More