Stefania

Perfect Chemistry

Our Skyy 2: Star in My Mind is an interesting case of the special episodes being way better than the series itself. The plot, while simple, managed to correct some of the series' mistakes. For instance, the supporting characters now have their own stories and relationships -- Typhoon got his happy ending, and the other friends had things to care about aside from Dao and Kluen's relationship.

Another highlight of the episodes was the important message about jealousy. In many BL series, jealousy is presented as hot, but it is not -- being jealous of your partner means that you are insecure in your relationship with them. It was so great to see Dao underscore this.

Most importantly, Joong and Dunk have more chemistry than a Chemistry textbook. If in Star in My Mind they had good chemistry, here it is through the roof. They are one of the few on-screen pairings -- not only in BL, but in movies and series in general -- whose characters I can genuinely believe love each other, are in a relationship, and have slept together.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by these two episodes. Even those of you who did not enjoy the series much might like them.

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Wasted Potential

This series had almost every ingredient that it needed to become a hit: a unique, intriguing premise, handsome actors, sweet romance, great OSTs, and beautiful cinematography. I am still in disbelief that the production team messed up the recipe so badly that what should have been one of the best BLs of 2022 turned into a dull, plotless product placement fest. It is beyond my comprehension how other reviewers are so generous. I started this series with no expectations, aware of all the criticism that it was getting, and it still managed to disappoint me. Let me tell you why.

1. Plot, or rather the lack of such.

As you will know from the summary, the story revolves around newbie colorist Talay and famous actor Puen, who are transported to a parallel universe and into the bodies of Tess, the heir of an entertainment corporation, and Tun, or Pakorn, a wannabe scriptwriter, who meanwhile are sent to Talay and Puen's universe. Overcoming their differences in personality, the two boys team up to help each other navigate their new lives and find their way back to their world.

Sounds great. Except that this is what the story should have been about, not what it is actually about. After episode two, it strays far away from the plotline and does not come near it until episode ten. For eight episodes, the viewers are treated to a mundane, cliché college story about a group of guys trying to make it as scriptwriters in the movie industry. I felt like I was watching a badly written remake of Theory of Love – which is probably precisely what it is – and in each next episode, I skipped more scenes than in the previous one because I was bored by the predictability of it all.

Furthermore, the unimaginative scriptwriters of this series have decided to rely on annoying, overused tropes, such as love triangles and female characters' coming between the main couple, to spice things up, while the main characters are, illogically, left to live ordinary lives. This makes no sense. To lose your whole life and be forced to live someone else's is stressful, even scary, but after the initial confusion, Talay and Puen seem to have forgotten that they have family, friends, and careers back home. In episode one, Talay was shown with a tight-knit group of friends to whom he was clearly attached. Not once throughout the episodes does he mention that he misses them or his family. Puen is similarly indifferent. It is true that the reason for his being so is explained, but this revelation comes much later than it should have – as does any other substantial information abut him as a character – and this makes him difficult to sympathize with through the bulk of the series.

Worst of all, there was a timeskip of one year that was introduced out of nowhere. What did the characters do for a whole year? We do not know. The story just continues, as if five, not 365, days have passed since the characters' last interaction.

2. Flawed pacing and endless product placements.

The more useless a scene is to the story, the more it drags. Too many scenes are included only for comedy. In the initial episodes, I, surprisingly, laughed many times – I usually do not buy the humor in BL series – but then the fun fizzled out, and the humor became forced.
Product placements – do not even get me started on them. At first, they were not as glaring as I feared they would be, but by episode seven they had become intolerable and were spoiling the mood of almost every scene that had the potential of being meaningful. Shame on the production team for prioritizing commercials over everything else.

3. Romance, or rather bromance.

On one hand, I am impressed by how healthy the dynamic between the two leads is. I forgot the specific instances, but I was surprised by their dialogue several times because instead of the cliché replies that I was expecting came kind, mature replies. Talay and Puen are both willing to express their thoughts and feelings and work on finding the best solution, which is essential in a healthy relationship. They also have moments of tenderness that made my heart flutter.

On the other hand, most of the time, they act more like friends who care for each other than as young men who are in love with each other. Their interactions are sweet and intimate until they have to kiss or initiate any other physical contact that is not a hug. Then they become forced and awkward. They did not manage to convince me that they are actually crushing on each other.
They also do not act like they have already known each other for a whole year. Their friendship, while genuine, seems like it has not moved past its initial stages – which is understandable, considering Puen's illogical decision to not reveal his indentity to Talay. I understand why he might have not wanted Talay to know in the beginning. However, by episode five, it had already become clear that they had grown really close and were not afraid of opening up to each other. Puen was ready to tell Talay who he is a long time ago. The production team wanted to have an illogical twist in episode ten, though, and this twist could happen only if Puen did not tell Talay, so they did not let the character do what would be natural for him to do.

4. Acting.

Jimmy is not as bad as some viewers complain that he is. Compared to Bad Buddy, in which he did not deliver a good performance, he has improved. There is even something charismatic about him, and his gentle, slightly hoarse voice is pleasant to listen to. However, neither he nor Sea handle negative emotions and intense scenes well. Their acting becomes lackluster. They should both work on their facial expressions.
Edit: Episodes eleven and twelve were a notable exception. Although they had inconsistencies and unnecessary drama, they were breath-takingly romantic. The emotional scenes had depth because Jimmy and Sea's acting suddenly improved a lot. I do not know what caused this improvement, but kudos to them. If they had been on that level throughout the other episodes, this series might have been a success. They, and the ending, which awakened the hopeless romantic in me, made me raise my rating.

Overall, the production team of this series bit off more than they could chew. Vice Versa would have been much better received by the viewers if it was just a sweet college romance with a body-swap trope, without the alternate-universe plot. It would have also been great if all the time that was wasted on unfunny comedy, unnecessary conversations, and product placements was used to show how Tess and Tun are doing in Talay and Puen's bodies.

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So Much Potential, All of It Wasted

Project Wolf Hunting had the cast that it needed to become a hit, but the scriptwriters squandered its potential.

A group of despicable Korean criminals – rapists, mass murderers etc. – are being expatriated to South Korea from the Philippines by cargo ship. When one of these notorious convicts, Park Jong Du, sets his plan to escape into motion, all hell breaks loose on board.

This premise, while not unique to the genre, is solid. Had it been well executed, this movie would have been enjoyable, especially if action is your cup of tea. The scriptwriters made a mess of the story, though. The script is all over the place. It can be used as a guide to how not to write action:

1. Do not complicate the story too much.

In action movies, the bulk of the screen time is devoted to action scenes. This means that if your movie is two hours long, you have an hour or less for plot, so your approach has to be realistic and economical. You should not attempt to cram the story with a zombie-like monster, sci-fi tropes, and dystopian world-building. This is enough material to base a whole series on. You should not try to fit it into a movie about notorious convicts escaping captivity because the result will be absurd, disjointed, confusing, and boring.

2. Do not kill the most interesting character in the first half of the movie.

Nothing adds as much flavor and thrill to an action movie as a charismatic main character. What would Pirates of the Caribbean be without Jack Sparrow? It would be what this movie becomes without Park Jong Du. Evil, creepy, and completely crazy, he catches your attention immediately and does not let go of it. You are torn between hating him and being entertained by his murderous flamboyance. Most importantly, you become invested in his fate. Whether he will manage to escape is the question that keeps you watching. When he clashes with another convict, Lee Do Il, sparks fly, and you are promised a great dynamic: chaotic vs. lawful evil. Then, Park Jong Du is suddenly killed.
Scriptwriters, why did you make such a poor choice? If you wanted him dead, you should have killed him in the end. Instead, you made us viewers lose interest by answering the question way too early. Furthermore, you tricked us into thinking that a character is important only to kill him off like an extra, not even halfway through the movie. The only difference between his death and those of the extras is that sad music plays when he dies. Underwhelming.

3. Do not introduce two-dimensional characters only to utilize them as one-dimensional extras.

It is nothing new, of course, that in action movies many people are shown just to be killed. However, there is no reason to waste screen time on lines and scenes for these characters if they will not contribute anything to the plot. You do not make the viewers sympathize with them. You make them wonder why these characters were introduced if they die quickly.

Overall, this movie is not worth watching unless you are into plotless, extremely graphic gore – Squid Game level gore, if not worse. It does not deserve the rating that I am giving it. I would have rated it lower, but the actors all delivered brilliant performances. Seo In Guk is phenomenal as Park Jong Du. The unhinged look in his eyes alone deserves praise. Such great acting should not have been wasted on this mess.

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If your favorite character is Ayan, do not watch this

The scriptwriters of The Eclipse are consistent in their efforts to bend characters until they fit into clichéd tropes. They did it in the last four or five episodes of the series, and they are doing it here again.

In just two episodes, they managed to completely destroy Ayan's character, presenting him as extremely self-centered. What? Ayan, who spent all of The Eclipse trying to protect people from the curse, who understood Akk and did everything he could to help him, who supported Thua like a great friend, is self-centered? Give me a break.

Furthermore, Akk is now a person who cares too much about others. Really, scriptwriters? Akk, who almost killed his schoolmates to prove that he is a good student prefect and get a scholarship, cares too much about others? I think you are a little confused. Did you forget which one of your characters is Ayan and which one is Akk?

The destruction of the main characters aside, these two episodes were not bad. The great acting and FirstKhao's amazing chemistry made them an enjoyable watch. Khan, Thua, their friends, and Teacher Sani are all here to make fans of The Eclipse happy.

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A Promising Mystery Turned Into a Clichéd Melodrama

The Eclipse set high expectations in the initial episodes only not to deliver on them afterwards. It lost me somewhere along the way, probably after episode six.

The biggest flaw of this series is its inconsistency. It begins by making it clear that it will break the clichés of BL series, but it eventually gets mired in them. It fleshes out the characters so well, but then makes them do things that are completely out of character. It promises a slow-burn romance, but rushes all character development in two episodes. It has an intriguing mystery at its core, but it drags this mystery so much that it is easy to lose interest in it. There also was only one plot twist that I did not see coming.

The curse subplot – do not even get me started on it. Although the initial incidents could be taken seriously if one suspends a little disbelief, the ones afterwards were not threatening in the slightest, so the characters' panicked reactions seemed stupid to me. Furthermore, there were so many people involved with the curse that the whodunnit turned into a mess of plot holes in the end. When the final revelation happened, and I realized that I am happy that an allegedly good character just did something bad because at least he put an end to the dramatics, I knew that the script was sloppily written.

As if this was not enough, the romance between Akk and Ayan was handled poorly. I liked their dynamic so much because they were not a stereotypical BL couple. They intrigued me, and I thought that I had finally found an enemies to lovers queer love story done right. This turned out not to be the case, though. Instead of letting their romance develop naturally, the scriptwriters started forcing it into overused tropes for no reason, which resulted in unnecessary drama and a lot of predictability. At some point, the main couple lost me completely. I could not understand what drew Ayan to Akk. Although the chemistry between the two actors was hot, I stopped rooting for their characters' relationship.
Notably, the opposite happened with the second couple. Although I did not care about them initially, they eventually won me over. I think that the development of their relationship was smoother and more interesting than that of the main couple.

Overall, aside from the brilliant acting, which kept the sinking plot afloat, this series is not much different from other high-school BL romances. The mystery seems to have been introduced just to disguise the fact that this story is a cliché.

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Good Idea, Bad Delivery

Since this series was neither touching nor memorable for me, all I have to say is that it suffers greatly from the stiff, draggy, sometimes unnecessary, dialogues between the characters, mostly between the main ones. Dear scriptwriters, when we people speak, we do not make long pauses in every sentence. No one would have patience to listen to others if we did.

I do not know where the chemistry between Kawin and Pluem, which viewers on YouTube are talking about, is. All I saw is a lot of awkwardness. Sad, angry, or happy, they express each emotion so half-heartedly that I did not care about their feelings. I skipped through scenes, hoping that the main plot twist of the story would be that Kawin and Pluem are ghosts too. Then, their lifelessness would have been understandable at least.

I would have dropped Ghost Host, Ghost House if not for the ghost family, who were likeable, funny, and interesting, and Kawin's look. Tod's stylist for this series deserves a raise. Not only is the actor himself an eye candy, but also his outfits are beautiful. Kudos to the styling team.

In general, this story could have been way better than it is. It had the premise that it needed to be entertaining. However, the production team chose to turn it into another boring, forgettable series with high-quality cinematography.

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Strong Representation, Weak Plot

Watching this series felt to me like looking at abstract art. I wondered, "Am I not sophisticated enough to understand what a masterpiece this is, or is this not as much of a masterpiece as others say?" Now that I have seen eight episodes, I think that Last Twilight is not that good. Let me tell you why.

1. It is weak on plot.
Remember how JimmySea's previous project, Vice Versa, had an interesting pilot episode, but then forgot about the story and gave us ten episodes of plotless fluff with product placements and unnecessary drama? Last Twilight does almost the same. The first episode introduced some interesting conflicts only to show us two guys just hanging out from episode two to episode six. There is a lot of walking around, a lot of cooking, and a lot of fluff, but a whole lotta nothin' in terms of plot. Then, episode six had a plot, but after the more or less cliched love triangle was resolved, the story went back to fluff. Many viewers will probably disagree with me, but I was bored. From episode four on, I watched at 1.75x speed, and some scenes still felt slow.

2. The character development happened too fast.
Last Twilight seems to be one of these stories that flesh out their characters well, but then forget that their personalities determine their behavior and the development of the plot.
In episode one, Mhok is introduced as an impulsive, blunt, street-smart person, freshly out of jail. Day is a spoiled and stubborn rich kid who hides his pain behind a bratty attitude. Their first meeting was so entertaining to watch -- great banter and sparks of playful chemistry. Then, in episode two, impulsive Mhok quickly turned into a perfect caretaker with endless patience, and Day's brattiness disappeared almost completely. Their character development would be way more impactful if Mhok had slowly learned to be gentle and patient and to take care of another person, and it had taken Day longer to open up to him.

3. The chemistry is one-sided.
Jimmy carries every romantic scene on his back. Sea is stiff. I don't feel any passion from his side. I didn't believe that Day had feelings for his crush, and I don't believe that he has feelings for Mhok now. In Vice Versa, both Jimmy and Sea were stiff in the romantic scenes, so it looked like bromance. Now, only Sea is stiff, so it looks like Mhok has a one-sided love for Day.

Last Twilight deserves praise for representation. It is great to see a good depiction of disabled people. Day is not defined by his disability.
Jimmy and Sea have both improved their acting. Sea's portrayal of a blind person struggling to adapt to a life without eyesight is convincing and sympathetic, and Jimmy seems to enjoy playing a more rugged character a lot -- he becomes Mhok.
The story is free from endless product placements, jealous exes, girls throwing themselves on a guy who is clearly not into them, and stupid misunderstandings. However, none of this is ground-breaking anymore. Other BL series have also moved past the negative portrayal of women and the other toxic tropes that were part of older BLs. The challenge now is to have a plot that can hold the viewers' attention until the end.

Last Twilight shows that the actors and producers have learned something from the criticism that JimmySea's last project got. I am happy that it is received well by viewers. As someone who was expecting more plot than I saw in Vice Versa, though, I lost interest quickly.

Edit: I watched the rest of the series. It had plot development and some good emotional moments, but the last two episodes were as bad as other viewers have written.

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Red Flags and Clichés ft. Sexiness

Love in the Air had me at attractive street racers, but it took me only two episodes to figure out everything that I needed to know about this series: it is a plotless, sometimes nonsensical string of overused clichés with some spicy non-consensual stuff on the side. What makes it more watchable than its counterparts is that its shallow essence is concealed by a shiny wrapper of high-quality cinematography, smoking hot guys, and sexy bed scenes.

PayuRain's story proves that, unlike Hollywood and the K-drama industry, the Thai BL industry has a long way to go before it gets out of its Twilight phase. A rich, cold, handsome, dangerous, smart, and well-spoken older guy falls for an awkward, naive, clumsy, unremarkable younger guy, who is – for reasons unknown – "different" from all the other people who would like to be with the hot, rich guy. Sounds familiar? I am sure that it does to everyone who has read romance bestsellers.
My thirteen-year-old self would have probably gone crazy over this story just as it went crazy over Edward Cullen and Bella Swan's, but I am not thirteen anymore, and romances like this one have become a dime a dozen since Twilight achieved its success in the 2010s. This dynamic has got old. It is high time scriptwriters realized that.

If you, like me, have noted that Edward's behavior is kind of creepy and stalkish, let me tell you: the vampire has nothing on Payu, whose actions and logic in episode one bordered on that of a rapist. Yes, I understand that the relationship between Rain and him involves dom/sub undertones, but forcing yourself on someone and excusing your actions with classical rapist phrases, such as "you approached me first" and "what you did is throw yourself on me," is a different matter. Imagine how this would have looked if Rain was a girl. I was so disturbed that from that scene on I could not see Payu as a positive character despite the fact that he got nice and romantic afterwards. If someone oversteps your boundaries once, he might do it again. Payu is a walking red flag.
I dropped his and Rain's story at episode four because, the rapeish scene aside, I also found their interactions really cringy. I felt like the only objective was to show what a hot alpha Payu is. Instead of being attracted to him, I was uncomfortable. Furthermore, I knew precisely where the story is going. It is too predictable.

I decided to give the second couple a chance because Sky is not as much of a Gary Stu as Rain. His character is actually the only likeable one. He is a kind person, a supportive friend, and he stands up for himself. This is why I believe that his story will be more interesting. However, his love interest, Prapai, is even worse than his friend Payu – at least Payu did not extort sexual favors from Rain. Episode eight, the first one dedicated to PrapaiSky, introduced a sex scene of dubious consent. You might disagree, but I do not think that there can be anything romantic about a relationship that starts with something that borders on sexual assault.
I will give the next episodes a chance, but romanticized rape is an idea that should not be made popular. If you have heard of the Overton Window, you will know why.

Edit: To call PrapaiSky's story a fanfic is to insult the well-written fanfics that I have read, so I will have to call it an unsuccessful attempt to use fanfic tropes in a "romance" full of red flags. There is no scenario in which obtaining a spare key to your crush's room without telling him and entering when you want is acceptable and romantic. Mame, if you thought that I would buy controlling stalker Prapai as a sweet, caring guy, you thought wrong.

Overall, I would say that this series is something like the college version of KinnPorsche. The actors are attractive and deliver either good or mediocre performances. The OSTs are great, but they do not always fit the mood. The bed scenes are hot. The plot is nonexistent. You might like this series a lot. You might dislike it like I did.


On a side note, I have to say that Boss deserves all the praise that he is getting and some more. It is his charisma that saves his character’s clichéd lines on many occasions. I hope that he will get to work with better scripts in the future.

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This is how you promote your series

After I watched the pilot trailer of Hidden Agenda months ago, I became pretty hyped for this series. My excitement -- and that of many other viewers it seems -- waned after the release of the official trailer, which is in all aspects inferior to the pilot one, and I began to worry that JoongDunk will again get the short end of the stick with this project.

However, now that I have seen the special episode, I am happy to say that it eased my worries. Listening to the cast and the director talk about the series with so much love and excitement was a joy. The atmosphere on set feels amazing -- from the actors to the staff, everyone seems really happy to be there. Joong and Dunk's chemistry is even more charming, romantic, and natural, and Aou and Boom are a great pairing too. It was interesting to hear what the actors have to say about their characters and each other. There is also a funny behind the scenes story with Boom and his unplanned method acting.

Overall, whether you remain excited about Hidden Agenda or have lost enthusiasm after the underwhelming official trailer, you will most likely enjoy this special episode. There are snippets of the OSTs too.

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A Star of Hope

In a world in which movies and series have come to revolve around sex and toxic relationships, there still are precious gems glistening in the dirt for you to pick up. One such gem is 6 from High&Low The Worst – a beautiful, thought-provoking story of friendship and love, and their power to heal and uplift even the most desolate of us.

If I could give this series eleven stars, I would have done so because it deserves way more recognition than it has got. Most importantly, it deserves to be watched not only by fans of the action-packed High&Low franchize. Taking a step away from the fighting that the franchize is famous for, it explores the human nature and the transformative effect that the kindness of others has on it.


If you are a newcomer to the world of High&Low, you can enjoy this story as a stand-alone, although my advice is to skim through the movie High&Low The Worst first to learn helpful background information about the characters, especially about Arata. This will give you insight into their personalities and make you like and understand them more. You might also stop reading my review because it contains spoilers from the previous instalments.

For established fans of the franchize, this series will be a joy to watch.
High&Low The Worst left me craving for more information about the six childhood friends. Their tight-knit group endeared itself to me immediately, and their readiness to go through hell and back for each other made me admire them even more by the end of the movie. This series traces their lives in the aftermath of the Hope Hill massacre that brought Arata back home and fleshes them out as characters while again testing their love and loyalty for each other. Individually and together, they are good-hearted people with relatable dreams and struggles, and it is almost impossible not to root for them.

A tasty omelette leads Arata, who works as a welder and is slowly but steadily getting his life back on track, to a surprising discovery about his family that inspires him to pursue his childhood dream and maybe even help another youngster gone astray find a purpose in life.

Seiji, "a star of hope for a desperate community," still excels at his studies and is on his way toward a bright future – or at least he was on his way. Amidst the joy of reuniting with his closest friends, tragedy strikes, threatening to take away the life that he has known until now from him.

Strong girl Madoka is preparing for a clarinet competition that means more to her than her friends know, while cheerful Masaya and quiet Shinya deal with the challenges that love throws their way.

Finally, good-natured but hot-headed Fujio, the narrator of this story and the heart of the group, who brings everyone together, fights against the waves of life with both fists and heart, learning and maturing in the process.

If the principled delinquents of Oya High are the ones who have charmed you, do not worry: cool Tsukasa, jittery Jamuo, and their friends Shibaman and Tsuji are also here, and although they do not have much screen time, their story is memorable. As an old friend suffering from loneliness and poverty returns to town, it is up to them to open their hearts to forgiveness and save him.


There are so many things that 6 from High&Low The Worst deserves praise for that it will be difficult for me to mention all of them, so I will underscore those that left the biggest impression on me.

The representation of women in this series is laudable. Madoka with her fearlessness and kindness is not the only one who shines. Maho, Zumi, and Fujio's mother, while being physically weaker than the guys, are more than a match for them in spirit. As a girl who grew up with boys for friends and lost her father, I relate to their struggles and feel inspired by their inner strength way more than by the "strong, independent woman" archetype that Hollywood has been promoting in its movies.

The two budding romances are cute and healthy. Tough guys Masaya and Shinya's becoming shy and mumbling in front of their crushes is funny and delivers an important message: a real man is not someone who abuses the weak or refuses to show vulnerability, but someone who is reliable, gentle, and strong when the situation requires it.

As is typical for this franchize, the bromance is both subtle and obvious.
Tsukasa and Fujio are going strong despite their limited screen time together. The more cool-headed Tsukasa steps in as a voice of reason when quick-tempered Fujio is about to do something stupid without thinking it through. They are a great duo, whose respect for and devotion to each other is admirable.
The sweet bromance between Seiji and Arata, which was hinted at in High&Low The Worst, was suggested in this series too. I hope that it will be developed more in the subsequent installments because they have great chemistry.


Overall, I think that this series is more than worth the watch. Heart-breaking, healing, and uplifting, it teaches that friendship, love, and forgiveness are the greatest force for good in life.

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Thrilling, Touching, Thought-provoking

Fans of Crows Zero and High&Low The Worst, assemble! South Korea is entering our favorite genre, "high school delinquents fighting and bromancing," to challenge Japan's supremacy in it, and let me tell you: the Koreans are starting with an absolute banger. Weak Hero Class 1 is action-packed, entertaining, thought-provoking, and will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. It gives the bromance, friendship, and fights that are the genre's hallmark and at the same time presents a unique twist on the familiar story of high school rivalry.

What distinguishes this series from its Japanese counterparts is that its setting is more realistic. We leave behind the Japanese high schools from hell and enter an average school, in which teachers, ordinary students, and, sadly, bullying exist. Notably, the guys throw punches not like anime fighters, but like real high school students, and this is why the main character, Yeon Shi Eun, is so memorable and likeable.
Unlike his equivalents from Japan, he is physically weak, but he compensates for his weakness with his strength of spirit, bravery, and intelligence. He is a person whom I grew to admire over the course of the series because he reminds the viewers that courage does not mean lack of fear – courage means doing the right thing despite your fear – and this is precisely what Shi Eun does from the first episode to the last. Even when he and those dear to him suffer from the cruelty and injustice of others, he does not lose the kindness of his heart. In general, if I had to point out just one thing that the production team of this series did right, I would say that they gave us a main character who knows right from wrong and acts on his principles.

It is worth mentioning that the plot is heavier than those of the Japanese movies. While the delinquents of Japan fight to establish dominance, uphold the honor of their school, punish criminals, have fun etc., the focus of this series is definitely the exceptionally severe bullying. There are bad gangsters to be defeated too, of course, but they are present only in the first half of the story – keep this in mind.

Surprisingly for Korea, another hallmark of the genre, "bromance with no heterosexual explanation," is as recognizable here as it is in Crows Zero and High&Low The Worst. From finger hearts to calling your bro "cutie" and putting on your helmet on his head, to jealousy, to staring that makes the viewers exclaim "I want someone to look at me the way Shi Eun looks at Ahn Soo Ho," to sacrificing yourself to protect or take revenge for your bro, the familiar signs are all here. Who is open-minded enough to see it will see it.

This review will be incomplete if I do not praise the actors. They were all brilliant. It was Park Ji Hoon who stole the show with his great performance, though. I have been following his career since his days as a member of Wanna One, and I like him as an idol, but I had not thought highly of his acting until I saw him as Shi Eun. I believe that here he finally showed what he is actually capable of.

Overall, if you are looking for something that both is action-packed and has an interesting, well-developed plot without melodramatic romance, annoying characters, and unfunny humor, which seem to spoil many Korean series, this series is definitely worth the watch. I have not been so invested in a story in a while. Kudos to the production team.

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A Surprisingly Enjoyable Mess

Objectively speaking, this series does not deserve the high rating that I am giving it at all. Most of the criticism that other reviewers have leveled at it is completely valid. The plot is a disaster, and the acting ranges from mediocre to bad. If you are looking for a well-written story, Never Let Me Go should not be on your list.

That being said, I enjoyed this series a lot. I am surprised myself -- I usually have no patience for poor acting, plot holes, and characters making obviously stupid decisions. What is it that made this mess so fun to watch for me? Let's see.

1. Good kissing scenes.
If you are tired of the classic "lips barely touching and not moving" kisses that plague BL series, Never Let Me Go will delight you. Palm and Nueng's kisses are intense and leave no doubt that the two of them actually want each other. Hot, hungry, passionate -- this is how I would depict PondPhuwin's romantic scenes. Unlike other reviewers, I believe that they have great chemistry together and that their acting was most believable during the romantic moments.

2. Striking visuals.
GMMTV knew what it was doing when it paired Pond and Phuwin. These two are maybe the most visually pleasing BL couple not only in their company, but in general. Their looks compliment each other so well. Pond gives off a bad-boy vibe, while Phuwin is classy and expensive, like a prince. Turning off your brain and watching beautiful people flirt with each other can be entertaining too. If you, like me, happen to be in the mood for that, Never Let Me Go is a good choice.

3. Rich bottom, poor top.
Now, this is a self-indulgent reason to like this series, but I am really into this trope. A prince and a servant, a billionaire heir and a bodyguard -- these are my kind of romances, and PalmNueng delivered what I was hoping for. Other reviewers point out that Pond looked like a kicked puppy the whole time, but I think that he did a good job conveying the inner conflict of someone in love with a person way out of their league. If you like the "spoiled, rich, and pretty bottom and smitten top" trope, you will have a great time watching Nueng and Palm.

This is all that I can praise Never Let Me Go for. Its drawbacks are many and glaring, and for me, they almost outweighed the good things about it. Had I not been as into the "rich, pretty boy and his bodyguard" trope as I am, I would have probably not finished this series. You should either turn your brain off and watch for the visuals and the hot romantic scenes, or do not watch at all.

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Addictively Homoerotic

The Devil Judge shoved a middle finger right into the face of heteronormativity – a middle finger with a diamond ring on it, mind you – and it did so with a devilish smirk and a wink. Sexy, twisty, and unapologetically gay, it told one hell of a story, with one hell of a passionate, epic queer romance at its center.

Aside from the inspirations that scriptwriter Moon Yoo Seok mentioned, such as Beauty and the Beast, Jane Eyre, and a Swedish queercoded movie, this series has also drawn on, or evoked, Batman, Lucifer, Goethe's Faust, which is known for its homosexual subtext, the dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451, Sherlock Holmes, and even Romeo and Juliet. This seemingly outrageous blend of different influences worked spectacularly well, delivering a mind-blowing tale that will keep you on the edge of your sit from start to finish. Love triangles, seduction, obsession, jealousy, sexual tension – they all join forces to serve a romance so deliciously addictive.

But how is this a queer love story if Yo Han and Ga On neither kiss not profess their love for each other? The answer to this question depends on your definition of love. If you prefer to be told, not shown, that two people are in love, then kisses, dates, and confessions are what you need, and you will not find them here. However, if you, like me, want to see and feel with your whole being that two characters have fallen deeply for each other, if love to you means to protect, to sacrifice, and to desire, if you believe that it heals and transforms, then Yo Han and Ga On's story will captivate you, shake you, break you, and then uplift you. It is to South Korea what The Untamed and Word of Honor are to China. It is extraordinary, bold, and beautiful.

The Devil Judge, Kang Yo Han, is the heart of this series. Ji Sung has done a magnificent job portraying his complex character, who will keep you craving for more. What impressed me even more than Yo Han, though, is the fact that the rest of the characters were a match for him. Not one of them was flat or boring. Although they did things that were evil, annoyingly stupid, or reckless, I understood their motivations and objectives. From Ga On, to Sun Ah, to Elijah, to everyone else, the characters are masterfully drawn and brilliantly played by the actors. Ji Sung and Park Jinyoung's chemistry is through the roof. Kudos to the production team and the cast.

My only complaint is that the script introduced a heteronormative romance into the story out of nowhere. You cannot make Yo Han and Ga On so obviously gay and their relationship so obviously more than just a bromance – I have seen enough bromances to know the difference – and expect the viewers to buy your heterosexual romance. If the production team did it to disguise the clear homosexual subtext, they should know that it did not work: by forcing Ga On and Soo Hyun out of their friendship and into a romantic relationship that had no chemistry, they only underscored the fact that this story is queer.

Overall, do not be discouraged by the heavy topics that this series deals with. It is more than worthy of your attention. The last two episodes are brilliant and more than compensate for the underwhelming episodes thirteen and fourteen. Please, Mr. Moon Yoo Seok, give us a second season. I would watch Yo Han and Ga On be gay and solve/do crime for as many seasons as possible.

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Underwhelming

Love and Leashes is not for everyone. It is not for me at least.

The premise is intriguing, but the execution is frustratingly underwhelming. This is one of those stories that spends a lot of time building momentum and then ends without having realized that momentum. While watching, I felt like something significant should happen any moment, but it never did.
Furthermore, the humor did not appeal to me – and you have to like the humor in a comedy to enjoy it.

The characters are likeable and easy to sympathize with. However, Lee Jun Young's acting is subpar, so I did not have fun watching him.

Overall, I consider this movie neither really bad, nor good. It is simply forgettable. If I were you, I would not waste my time on it, but who knows? You might enjoy it as the other reviewers did. To each his own.

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Action Done Right

Hollywood producers can definitely learn a thing or two about how action should be done from High&Low The Worst. This movie is an absolute gem in its genre – the best that I have seen since Crows Zero. Whether you are looking for a well-written plot, realistic fight scenes, or fun, likeable characters, you will find all of these and more. Now let me tell you in detail what makes this movie so great.

1. Top-notch Action.

The highlight of this movie are the long fight scenes. What distinguishes them from those in most action movies that I have seen is that they do not rely too much on slow motion. The viewer is exposed to the full chaos of a battle between two large groups of violent delinquents. The changing camera angles and the fact that the lead character does not miraculously emerge unscathed from every fight adds realism to the scenes, while the witty banter between opponents and the absence of excessive gore makes them satisfyingly entertaining. Although I usually skip the fighting in movies because it bores me, this time I was glued to the screen.

2. Gorgeous Guys.

The visuals in this movie are jaw-dropping – and I do not mean only the lead actors. The number of Oya High and Housen Academy students that can become top models is really high. Almost every scene left me wondering at whom I should stare. They all look like they have stepped out of an anime! Whoever was in charge of the casting deserves a raise. My only complaint is that the majority of extras looked too old to be high school students.

3. Well-developed Plot with Likeable Characters.

This movie is a great reminder that action does not have to be plotless. It has an interesting and well-written storyline that drew me in almost immediately. Although I am a newcomer to this franchize, I did not have any difficulties understanding what is happening.
I also appreciated the fact that the main characters are all fleshed-out well. Each one of them has his own problems and motivations that make him easy to sympathize with. The eccentric Murayama became a favorite of mine by the end, but I rooted for everyone else just as much.
The spin that this movie does on the power of friendship and found family tropes also works really well and does not seem clichéd. Despite all the fighting and screaming, there are many heart-warming moments of genuine friendship – something that is difficult to find in movies nowadays.
Most importantly, the ending ties everything together, leaving no plot holes.

4. Bromance.

The bromance is the second highlight of this movie. I do not know if the production team chose to underscore the chemistry between Fujio and Sachio on purpose, but more sparks flew between those two than between most onscreen romantic couples that I have seen.

Overall, if you have two hours to spare and you are in the mood for action, watch this movie.

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