When the writers play favorites, you get this.

I don't even know if the production team knew what they wanted to do with this? It was a bit of a hodgepodge of comedic and serious acting, scenes that had no significance, a villain that had no motive, and action sequences that contained what should have been bloopers. I seriously watched one of the MLs headbutt his opponent in the armpit. Three times actually, because I was certain that that wouldn't have made the final cut... The official subtitles (via IQIYI) were rough and delayed, and regularly translated the characters' names into their meanings. And the story itself contained problems. Xiaotu was so poorly treated by the script as a character. What was the point of bringing up that they each had their own strengths, if you aren't going to show us what they are? It seemed like the writers were right there with the other characters valuing Xiaohu higher than Xiaotu.

The highlights were when Xiaohu was guiding his brother's actions. Or when they both inhabited Xiaotu's body to accomplish impossible tasks. Those were cool to watch. The two brothers had good on-screen chemistry and really carried when they were visible together. But I can't find anything else to praise. Sorry.

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I have written and rewritten this review countless times. It's not so much that I have mixed opinions about the story, but rather that they are quite hard to articulate. Ultimately, this is a story of Wan Ting/Ting Liu experiencing first love and gender dysmorphia. It seeks to provide insight into the ways that the MC's transition influences their perception of themselves, and their ability to feel a sense of belonging again amongst their friends and in the face of romance and intimacy.

I say "they" because it is made ABUNDENTLY clear that Wan Ting did not want to physically transition and has a hard time accepting the reality of it. But, at this particular segment of their story, we can't be sure if it's mere dysmorphia because of being back amongst people they interacted with while identifying as a female, or if they still internally feel as such (although, I personally lean towards the latter based on their behaviors).

I loved how the MC is not faced with bullying because of them being intersex (the bullying tag is quite unrelated, as well as brief/mild). I loved the friendship between all of the leads, especially after the MC's return. It's so supportive, even in the face of their own troubles and their own difficulty in seeing the MC's transition. And the moments when reality hit for each of them during various moments were really poignant. I could feel my heart drop.

I know some people are upset with the ending. But personally I saw it coming from a mile away. And while it did leave us with unanswered questions that I would love to have answered - that wasn't the focus of this story. This film is solely about the MC coming to terms with being intersex, having to transition, and finding their new place amongst those who have never left their heart. Everything that comes after that is a whole other story. I'm happy with how it ended - even if I do see it as unnecessary. Who knows, perhaps they were hoping to spur enough interest to expand on this idea either as a sequel of another adaptation.

The part that I particularly dislike is the beginning. There were so many components to the beginning part of the story that had no point and with little to no follow-through. Furthermore, I really disliked the MC's best friend for quite a bit. It set a really negative tone to the character - that was inconsistent with her character throughout the rest of the film. I was so close to dropping in the beginning. If they had only kept the parts that were relevant and consistent with the rest of the film, they could have had several minutes to either explore MC's actual transition/treatment period or (as others advocated) add to the ending more.

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The toxic ML destroys an otherwise emotional movie

I wish we could have gotten to see the growth of true Chinese BL screen adaptations so that this isn't the legacy they are left with. Look, even with the poor image quality of the version I found, you could tell these actors were doing a great job portraying their characters. You could hear everything in their voices. Glee. Reservation. Relief. And you can definitely feel bad for the plight they are in, but it's way too fast-paced to really connect with the characters and feel impacted by the story (without the associations and emotions lingering from other productions with similar plots that is, or without the personal experiences being attached to their plight). The pace very much feels like it belongs to a collection of short films, rather than one full-length one, or characteristic of multiple unannounced time skips.

Furthermore, it's just really really hard to root for Lu Feng. Their relationship is so incredibly toxic and harmful. He's headstrong, aggressive, authoritative, and immature. And grand gestures simply can't fix everything. And you'd think that, considering they know the plight they are in, that they would be more careful about their actions in public.

I absolutely adored the music though. And there were some really memorable scenes. Such as the custom couple rings done at the beginning of the movie - that I really wish we see more of in other productions. The surprisingly good amount of communication (not enough to even begin to contradict all that's wrong in their relationship, but it is there). And there were a couple of scenes that remind of my much beloved scenes from Skam and Semantic Error.

Honestly, it could have been a great movie (sequel events aside), if only Lu Feng wasn't so incredibly toxic. But alas, I do understand that it's probably MEANT to be toxic (from what I know about the sequel). I don't think we're supposed to think it's romantic.

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A Quiet Message Received Loud and Clear

This was a really beautifully executed short film that addresses in a subtextual manner the importance of equal marriage rights - something that is still not seen in South Korea even 4 years after this film. Our female lead is faced with the fact that she has no legal rights over her partner's medical treatment - compounded by the disapproval and homophobia of her would-be in-laws. It's not a happy film, but it's not supposed to be. Because this is a reality faced by numerous LGBTQ+ relationships. And it bears the answer to the oft quoted question "why do gay people need/want to get married?"

The music was understated but very fitting to the tale. The cinematography was also quite gorgeous and clear. And I liked how the film didn't shy away from intimacy like many others - even if it (and a few other scenes) felt poorly-acted. But these are new actresses, so I think that the scenes they did well are more of a testament to their ability.

There's not really much to be gained message, nuance, or enjoyment-wise from a rewatch though. The film is pretty "take it and leave it" in that regard. The only thing that really inspired deeper attention, in my opinion, was the ending. I believe that might stick with me for a while.

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Lesbian Fluff, Fancy Tea, and Gorgeous Aesthetics

Honestly, this might be my favorite lesbian story out right now.
It almost didn't feel like a mini-series because of how well it was constructed. And since the story took place within a span of 2-3 days, the pacing felt organic and natural. I didn't feel like I was missing something.

And the characters were really well-established. I really felt like I knew them. Tea Master Hong is stubborn and proud, but passionate. Marketer Cha is a knowledgeable professional, realistic in business but romantic at heart. And Lee Dan's teasing dramatics and straight-to-the-point approach to life made her my favorite character in the story. You could tell that the tea shop workers are really close with each other from their silent communication. And the two female leads had good chemistry (for the timeframe they had anyway).

It was well-constructed pure fluff. And a very effective advertisement if I do say so myself - I am definitely going to have to stop by Altdif if I ever wind up in South Korea. That is the most fanciest tea I've ever seen in my life.

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An Office Drama First, Food is Complementary.

First and foremost, I think you should know that this is not a food drama. It's an office drama, with the main protagonist being a big foodie and alcohol lover. Drinking is a massive part of Korean culture, especially office culture. So it's no wonder that in some episodes, the alcohol tends to take the stage during meal scenes (while in others, the food does). The alcohol is purely to go with and accentuate the meal though, as we rarely see her ordering more. And I think she only got tipsy/drunk a couple of times. What makes out FL stand out though, is that she often prefers to enjoy her meals (and thus, her alcohol) alone.

But this is pretty in-character for her. She doesn't understand what everyone's fixation is with social events and gossip. In fact, she probably knows the most about everyone, simply from observing, but never gets involved unless asked to or necessary. It's very refreshing.

Because of this, inter-character drama is a minimum. And there is no romance. Instead, this is a story about career success and how there is more to life than career success - through the revelations and experiences of our 30-year-old successful career woman main protagonist.

I will say though that sometimes the office scenarios kicked me out of the story. Some events seem to act as if the editors are the writers of the stories they are publishing. Or will otherwise conflate the different positions within the publishing industry. Nonetheless, it was a rare find to have a drama focus the editors, rather than the writers.

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A great idea, but something was missing.

It was a good short production with a great story. I absolutely loved the metaphor at the end. However, the show didn't feel as flushed out as I would have liked. Not because of the open ending (which I think had a good purpose and significance), but rather their relationship development. If it was a matter of time that kept the producers from making this a longer series, then they could have cut some of the basketball scene at the beginning and added a segment where we see them talking about themselves at a table or something. Because the majority of their scenes made them seem like they were a casual fling, but the seriousness at the end didn't match up.

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A fitting tribute to the reality of adult pressures, relationships, and dreams

I truly fell in love with this drama. It possessed a depth and quality that really felt true to life. Serious and emotional, I was swept away in the emotions of these characters. These people. I laughed when they laughed. I giggled when they blushed. I cried when they cried. You could tell it was written by an LGBTQ+ man, writing for the full array of his audience.

Through this story, we got a taste of what it means to be human. How we're all flawed, trying to navigate new and changing relationships in whatever way we think is best. And we're going to make mistakes. Because hindsight is 20/20. Love, whether it be between lovers, family, or friends, is messy. It's filled with joy and pain, all the best intentions that do more harm than good, and questions that may never get the desired closure. And this was a great tribute to that fact.

But the drama also drives home the power of potential. In love. In dreams. In life. That everyone is the same deep down, just trying to make it through life with what they have - both with privileges and burdens. But everyone's journey is inherently unique and independently decided.
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"I chose to sell chicken rice because it's a simple dish. It's consisted of four components: chicken, rice, broth, and sauce... It might only have 4 units, but yet everyone's definition of 'delicious' differs. That's what makes this simple dish stand out. I see people eat chicken rice every day and they all enjoy their chicken rice in their own way."
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On to more specific details, I really loved the commentary about disability and ableism when it came to Heart's storyline. Both in the large scale (being just as capable of living life as hearing individuals) and smaller scales (preferring international films because Thai films never come with subtitles).

Also, the portrayal of Thai culture was brilliantly done. Each episode takes place in a different month as we progress through the year and Thai festivities. By doing so, it presented viewers with a certain degree of Thai pride, showed the passage of time in the story, and in my opinion, really helped establish a fitting pacing for the story (something GMMTV tends to have trouble with).

The story also presented a fresh look at income disparity. Wen is not wealthy. He's still very much having to work his butt off to get by, finding ways to save money in his daily activities, and trying to work his way up the corporate ladder. But, we are still shown that his has more privilege than the residents and workers of the Moonlight Chicken diner. That there are things that he simply can't grasp to the full scale at which they experience. A scale at which he can't resolve, just watch and comfort. We got to see the disillusionment of society that comes with living so low-income, believing things are at a standstill and will never change. The fear associated with being the man at the bottom, easy to stomp out and take advantage of, perceivably without the power to change anything. Without the power to change anything or even to take up more space. The habits you take up in order to distract yourself, or to faintly indulge hope for change. The same habits that struck close to home.

So even while I'm learning about a culture away from home, the portrayal of life still managed to be so wide-reaching that it fed back into the above-mentioned messages. But unlike other GMMTV social commentary dramas, such as "Not Me" or "The Eclipse" (both of which I did love), these messages weren't as explicitly stated to audiences. They fell into the narrative organically with the right amount of emphasize (and quotability) that drove the message home, but without pushing you out of your immersion with the drama.


On a more non-story note, I loved the aesthetic quality of the series. It was full of screen-shot worthy moments and really set the tone. You knew immediately that this wasn't your standard Thai BL. I wasn't particularly fond of the opening theme song, but i loved the rest of the soundtrack. In fact, Ford Arun's "Tomorrow" is playing on a loop while I'm writing this. The PPL was very apparent, but as it was mostly centered around a cat, I found myself not minding it at all. In essence, the cuteness on the screen made up for the abruptness in my eyes.

The drama was immensely different than first presented to us in the pilot and final trailers. The main difference is perhaps the one that I can't mention here because of spoilers, but I ultimately liked this "deception" as it really calls the audience out on seeing everything in black-and-white before they have all the information. The other one, I didn't mind as well, but I know others definitely did: this drama is not spicy. It's just not. There's considerable tension, but it only really comes to a head in that first episode.

I found myself not into Earth's performance here. Not because of age, like so many others have pointed out (but yes, it seemed like the script kept mentioning Jim's age in order to keep reminding us since he did not have the look or give off the vibe that the character was apparently supposed to have), but rather because he didn't draw me in. There's reserved (like what the character is supposed to be), and then there's awkward. And Earth seemed to fluctuate between those two on a regular basis. I wasn't convinced that the character was feeling all the emotions he supposedly was. It wasn't there in his eyes, body language, or demeanor. I mean, the scenes still went off well, but I suspect it was in large part due to the more emotive actors on the screen with him. I was really hoping to see more from him in this drama, as he seemed to have been doing much better at emoting with his eyes and expressions in "Cupid's Last Wish."

Also, I find it rather ironic that, considering the message about Heart preferring international movies because of the lack of subtitles, we didn't have subtitles for the sign language. You can largely get it through context, especially as other characters will often respond verbally along with their sign. But in the latter episodes, as we get more prolonged use of sign language without spoken language, the absence of subtitles was extremely evident.

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The set-up:
The vast majority of the movie was very much told in a recap-video style manner by the two MLs over the events that occurred in "2gether" and "Still 2gether." The first half of "2gether" is told from Tine's narrative point of view, while the second half of "2gether" were told from Sarawat's POV. The events of "Still 2gether" (as well as all of the support couples) were more of a montage than a recap and I think Sarawat continued narrating into this segment. I say "I think" because it seemed like they either got different actors for the narration (which I couldn't find support of in the credits) or purposefully made them sound different. This entire narration is told while the leads are getting ready for their graduation ceremony - which we are reminded of by a handful of intermission scenes between recapped plot arcs, and at the end which is all new content.

The analysis:
Among the recap scenes, I think a handful of moments were either edited or used alternate takes in such a way to provide a slightly different emphasis that reflected the narrated inner monologues of the characters. Thankfully, this recapping also eliminated the more cringe-y scenes that I hated from the drama. But, Tine's inner monologue was even more narcissistic in nature than the drama had presented him at the beginning. Nor did some of these thoughts seem true to the longer scene versions and context from the drama. It made it seem like Tine was narrating the lies/excuses he was telling himself, making him a mildly unreliable narrator at times (from my reading of the character in the full drama). Also, for new viewers, the suddenness at which characters appeared at key moments in the recap may be confusing, as they would largely be missing beforehand.

Of course, it's not "2gether" without the Scrubb-centric soundtrack. And because of the recap-like glazing over the content, this felt more fluffy and nostalgic than the previous versions. And, like i said, the exclusion of the most cringe-y scenes was much appreciated as a viewer. However, "Still 2gether" being my favorite part of the franchise, I'm a little sad that they basically turned it into a montage. I also think that there would have been more value if we had Sarawat narrating over the beginning half of 2gether, since we know so little about his perspective in this portion of the story.

Overall, this is decent. Fans may like to compare scenes and have explicit intel into characters' thoughts. The overarching story surrounding the recapping was cute. Non-fans might appreciate being in-the-know without having to sit through the entire franchise (so long as they are okay with not knowing quite how everything and everyone fits).

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Straight-faced dramatics for a perfect mindless watch

It's a strange one. I contemplated dropping for a bit there. What kept me watching though was how likable all the characters are. Every single one. That's very rare to come by. From the little girl who watches too much John Wick, to the hired help with the perfect facial expression changes, to the little boy from Colombia giving the ML a run for his money, and yes, even to the ML who just wants to stack cups but keeps getting interrupted.

Eventually, the straight-faced dramatics and comedy grew on me. I found myself chuckling and shaking my head at the ridiculousness quite often. It's perfectly mindless.

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More of an outline than a full documentary

Put simply, it's an outline of a BL industry documentary. Lots of relevant points were brought up, but in such a brief and unspecific way that only really early newcomers might see as useful.

Topics included:
- History and rise of Yaoi, Y series, and BL
- Fan club opinions of the appeal of BL series
- Popularity in the novelty of the illegal
- Romanticized and normalized portrayal of sexual harassment and rape in BL
- Homophobia among BL crew members during film shootings (apparently some may have turned around and puked afterwards)
- The separation of actor and character when filming
- How controlling the industry is over the actors
- How some activism needs to stay backstage in order to avoid collateral damage to the actors
- Shipping culture and the tendency to see characters (and by extension, the actors/idols that play them) as their metaphoric children
- BL actors' activism and presence in society

I suppose this information could prompt curiosity in newcomers, but the trick would be to get it in front of them.
I did however enjoy seeing cameos and interviews from some familiar faces, as well as several clips and references to shows and headlines I remembered or missed.

I do think that another documentary should be done on this topic - to elaborate on the topics, give more testimony, and (no hate intended) find better fan club spokespersons (it's not that they particularly said anything wrong, it's just that they really didn't add much to the conversation - despite being in an excellent position to do so).

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I started watching the show because of a clip I saw on social media where the FL stands up to her demanding ex at their workplace. I loved that she wasn't shy and timid like the majority of Korean female characters I've seen when faced with a similar situation. And her arguing points in the scene showed how intelligent and professional she was - qualities that stuck with her through the entire show. In fact, my favorite part of this show is how great of a grasp the writers and actors had of their characters. They were consistent, multi-dimensional, and grew with the story. In fact, even the most grating of characters which I had a deep distaste for in the beginning, all showed excellent character growth by the end - even resulting in me rooting for some of their successes. Furthermore, the fact that of these characters, some had a sort of redemption arc without the forgiveness aspect (that so many stories feel is necessary for redemption) was refreshing. The presence of a lovers to enemies to friends dynamic was refreshing as well.

And the cinematography of the show was gorgeous - clean, bright, emotional, and fitting for every scene. The narrative style, in which a plot relevant quote was used to start and end each episode (often with a double meaning for weather and life), was really well executed. Honestly, despite the very different genres - it reminded me of the style used with the US show Criminal Minds. The music was also well chosen, and many songs were added to my own collection to listen to later.

Despite my high rating, I'm not gonna say the show is perfect. Some characters went way too far in my opinion to get the happy ending they did without the amount of work they should've done. And I would have loved it if the show went an even rarer route of keeping estranged family members estranged (they were estranged for a reason).

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A cute teen romance directed at teens, though the final stretch was rather clumsily handled.

There are a lot of things to enjoy about this short webdrama. The premise rather reminded me of some of my favorite movies and shows growing up (anyone remember "Good Witch" (US/CA)?). It made me feel nostalgic. I also really liked the supportive dynamic between the Female Lead and her mother. The Female Lead herself was interesting - a well-balanced combination of insightful, angry, and awkward.

Under it all, there's this message of being the kind of person that doesn't let hatred affect you. To be forgiving. To clap back with facts and proof. There's some merit in these messages, for sure. Especially for the teen/kid audience this was obviously geared to. And in the end, these messages paid off. But I feel like with the prejudice and harassment being as heavy-handed and center-stage as it was, that more action should've been taken. Especially prior to the end.

The romance had its cute moments too. It was definitely one of those awkward teen romances that I think many viewers could relate to. It also had this touch of maturity that comes with 2 teens that were forced to grow up too fast in single-parent households. My problem though came in at the end of episode 4, where the Male Lead acted completely out of character. And then, just as fast, was back to being his normal self immediately into episode 5. Not only did the fact that this was out-of-character bother me, but also the fact that it was introduced and disbanded so fast that it might as well not have been there at all. There were other ways to up the tension just that little bit more.

Also, just a petty complaint: I wanted magic. :'(

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Just watch the cheating scenes on social media. The creep factor is too high.

Here's the thing. I actually really enjoyed the plot and the plot scenes. It rather reminded of US films "Max Keeble's Big Move" and "Sydney White." "Sydney White" the most (and yes, I know Sydney White came later. I'm not claiming it's a remake or inspired by or anything like that). Instead of a stuck up sorority though, the leads in this movie are going against an immoral professor who sees a certain group of students as not only useless to society, but a thorn in his side in the way of getting what he wants. He sets an extremely high bar and promises that it's the ONLY way for the leads to be able to keep their dormitory and stay in school. That bar: all A's across all exams for all the students of that group. Even if they had been traditionally good students, this is a bar with too high of a fail rate. Their solution and perceivable only chance at success? All of them cheat on all the exams.

The cheating scenes are so enjoyable and humorous. I loved them and even replayed a few of them.

But that's the thing. That is all this movie has good to offer. And you can find all these scenes on social media without having to resort to sitting down for this.

Because the cheating scenes and the over the top villain are not the only comedic tools in this film's arsenal. No. In between all these plot scenes is creepy sexual humor. Every male character (you know, except the main male lead that pushes the plot forwards) is so creepily interested in the female lead. Teachers goggling her bare legs. A dormitory manager supposedly drugging her food in the hopes of her seeking him out that night. A whole group of guys getting into her bath water after she leaves to "taste" her. A predatory staff member making sexual advances on a student in order to get information from him about the cheating ring. The students being strip searched for cheating answers, and then getting peeped on and walked in on before they get dressed again.

In essence: the appeal is the plot (aka the cheating scheme), but everything in between just puts a very bad taste in my mouth that left me disgusted. Perhaps this was funny when the movie released, but it didn't age well at all.

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