jaeyoungs_lettuce

Storyline had potential, wasted on bad script and acting

This is my first review so please forgive any mistakes. I have been watching BL for about 8 years now and I was so sad to see this series wasted. It had so much potential.

The Good:
The beginning was good for the most part. It opened on the seven bodies tree murder, which was done very well. The realism of the bodies and the scariness and the horror were all there. The ghost makeup and acting was so good too. I had to close my eyes a few times throughout this show because it was that good. I liked the lore behind the killings (for the beginning at least), but at some point, it felt like they kept dragging it out.

The actor of Bom, the crazy killer son, did a wonderful job. His psychoticness, craziness, and his urge to kill were all acted out with great skill. HIs plot twist was one of the good surprises in this show. I never saw this twist coming and I was very surprised by how well he acted.

Now onto the Bad:
I’m sorry (not really), but Pooh cannot act, and for the life of me I can’t see their chemistry they used to have in Pitbabe 1. Whenever I see him on the screen and tries to act, it just cringes me out. He always has like this submissive soft voice thing going on and it just doesn’t hit right. He always plays a timid character who tries to act strong but really isn’t. This role felt similar to Charlie from Pitbabe, the damsel in distress, who can’t do anything without a protector. His acting comes off emotionless and flat. I do wish that Pavel had a better partner who can act alongside him (please don’t hate me). Pavel did get better after Pitbabe, but Pooh for some reason just got worse. I hate his character and how he portrayed him, but I do understand that part of it was the script.

If you watched this show or want to watch this show because of the police aspect, DO NOT, the police work in this show is horrendous. First off, when cops find someone, actually the only person at the crimes scene covered in blood, you should arrest them, not fall in love with them. I don’t like how the two main leads started their relationship, it was so unprofessional that I struggled to watch their romance. I wish this show focused more on the horror, police work, and the murders, but whenever something important happens: they catch the killer, find important info, they always have to kiss, hug, or be intimate in the wrong times, which leads to more problems. Also where are the handcuffs in this show???? Dozens of cops, no handcuffs for criminals in sight??? They don’t ask the basic questions, nor do they clarify what the characters are actually doing. Like when they first discovered the bodies, it was obvious it was a ritualistic killing so why didn’t they ask: What is the ritual? Why are seven bodies needed? Why are the eyes and mouth sown shut? How are the victims related? In what order were they killed? Why did that matter? Where were the bodies kept if they were each killed one day apart for a week? Like all of these questions would have gotten them to the killer if they just actually did the work. Like I get that they wanted some of these to be surprise factors later in the story, but they were such obvious questions anyone would be asking at first, not just dismissing everything.

I do not like how they introduced Pooh and Pavel’s character’s. I wished they made Pooh’s character become some sort of ghost hunter or something, then you could have them meet at the scene, both strong independent characters who both want the same thing, to catch the killer and solve the case, but each does it differently. Pooh’s character through his knowledge of folklore and the supernatural and Pavel’s character through police work, but nope, they did this weird unprofessional cop/witness/suspect thing.

The whole rivalry between King and Sing was stupid. Horribled explained and showed how unprofessionally both characters were. Foced more on hating each other and taking the other one down instead of solving the case. Like the second they got this case, they fought each other and King and his father just focused on planting evidence to close the case, with like zero investigation or time put into the case. Like WTF??? seriously, like I get the corrupt police aspect they tried to do, but it was entirely missed. It would have made more sense if the killer was King’s father who was trying to save himself and King from the curse and that is the reason why King’s father needed to plant evidence and close the case fast, but nope, they dropped the ball on that one too.

This series had the potential to be one of the best, but sadly, Change failed. The weak non-existent police work, Pooh’s ‘acting’, the unnecessary rivalry, and the bad execution of the story and ending. All the horror and extremely good makeup lost.

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Comedic Trash: TayNew Deserve better

I watched this for TayNew, but it just wasn’t enough
The beginning was so strong and promising, but it fell off around ep 4, then it just became almost unbearable to watch and uninteresting.

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The Story: the plot follows a flight attendant, Kanit (New) and a rescuer / EMT/ Paramedic Toto (Tay). They repeated bump into each other and at first find each other annoying. Then one day, by chance, they both fly to the same place and their luggage gets swapped, and Toto ends up in trouble for starting a fight and ruining Kanit’s expensive belongings. Kanit agrees to pay for the damages and Toto can work it off. Toto becomes a “sort-of servant” and does tasks for Kanit to work off the debt. Toto discovers that Kanit’s pilot boyfriend of 4 years, Lion is cheating on Kanit with another flight attendant Veha. Toto works to prove that Lion is cheating and exposes him, but develops feelings along the way. Kanit, heartbroken has to relearn what love means to him and if he wants to risk it again for Toto. The two eventually confess to each other and become a couple, only to face issues with money and family, testing their love and willingness to fight for and be with each other. Overall, the main couple started off interesting, but quickly became lackluster and no longer interesting, following the same rich/poor dividing mindset between the characters and need to live up to parental expectations. In my opinion (coming from an Asian person), parent’s opinion are given more weight than they deserve to. There cat and mouse / dog and cat game also became boring, don’t really know what the direction of their relationship was meant to be.

Now onto the side couple. Honestly, they were completely uncessary to this series. This is in no way hate to the actors. There visuals and chemistry are good together, but the characters they played weren’t necessary. I hated how this couple started. The story follows Toto’s friend and coworker Akki and Veha, same side piece as before. Akki hates cheaters because his ex girlfriend cheats on him, but he ends up with a side piece / cheater. Although Veha himself isn’t the cheater, he is cheater adjacent. They somehow develop feelings for each other after learning they went to high school or college together (forgot which one). Once Lion was exposed, Veha all of a sudden felt sorry and sad huh??? Like you were with a taken person hoping that they would break up, but now that it’s exposed now you no longer want Lion and are sad at the situation. Akki helps Veha get past Lion and they get together.
Honestly their story was confusing and not needed at all. Their ending was even more confusing??? Don’t know why they made Akki go to military and split them up, but whatever.

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The good: the only decent thing about this series was TayNew’s chemistry. Despite the weak and ridiculous plot, their chemistry shown through and was always a pleasure to see them together. Their acting was as good as can be given the script / plot.

The bad: As I mentioned before. basically (unfortunely), the storyline of the side couple. I didn’t like it and it wasn’t necessary. (already talked about this)

Toto’s job location made no sense to me. This might be because I live in the US and accustomed to our first responder system. But what exactly is Toto’s job? Is he a first responder? Is he a rescuer? Ambulance driver? Paramedic? Whatever it is, why does it always seem like him and his team is always lying around doing nothing, no incoming emgency responses, and the only ones they respond to in the show are the ones where basically they start happening by coincidence in front of them. Like if Toto is a first responder or something adjacent he should be just as busy or if not busier than Kanit, but he always seems to have time on his hands to pursue Kanit and work his hand full of odd side jobs.
***this could be entirely my misunderstanding of his job and what he does***

Next, while I understand that Kanit is a flight attendant and Toto is whatever he is, why do they have to include ‘emergency scenes’ (not really tho) to bring them together. Like I don’t understand why they had to deliver a woman’s child in the backseat of a car, why Kanit dealt with a fainting or whatever situation in the sky or whatever that incident was at the end during their I wanna say wedding (honestly don’t know because I sort of blanked out during the last ep). For me, if they wanted to include those scenes, I was hoping they would do a better job and made it seem realistic, but alas it’s GMMTV, so you know, we got whatever. No urgency, no idea what they are really doing, and not really the appropriate response. :(
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As you can see from the good v. bad paragraphs, my overall rating is a 5.5/10. ………don’t really know what could have have this show better, but it just wasn’t good.

Honestly I wouldn’t recommend this series or rewatch this series ever. I feel so bad for TayNew, but they definitely deserved a better series given their chemistry and acting skills.

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ABOSULTE MASTERPIECE..a must watch

This has to be one of the best BLs of this year. Once again China has outdone itself and is reigning over this years bls.

Deep in consists of two plots both were extremely well written and put together, connecting both “dramas” storylines wonderfully. The main plot is of two actors, one star and a rising stunt double who star is a gay film together. Realizing their feelings go beyond their characters they fall in love and fight to see if their love is real and is more than just lust, desire, or character mindsets.

The good: everything… literally everything. There was nothing bad about this show it it deserves its 10/10. The acting, script, plots, and directing were all impeccable. The chemistry between the leads and the storylines of both “dramas” were so intriguing that I wish there was a drama made of the one they made in this series.

I have never cried so much in a BL before. This has the emotional roller coaster, where you just want to cry when they are happy and when they are sad.

Ollie and Shu Yuan did an amazing job in this series. Their acting, the emotions, the expressions, and pain was all there and they delivered. The entire cast are all extremely talented and the director did an amazing job filming and creating this masterpiece.

I will miss watching this show and I wish it didn’t have to end.
P.s. watch each episode to the very very end, so you don’t miss the end scenes.

Overall rating: 10/10

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Another School JBL TW: MINORS!!! Grooming!!!

Headsup: this reveiw may be all over the place
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This was another school JBL with nothing really special or outstanding about it. SPOILERS AHEAD
(Wasn’t good part had the TW)

The story: (Overal gist)
Follows an ex-soccer player, Kanata, stil struggling mentally over his past injury, who is learning to continue playing and a honors student, Akira, who has struggled with being gay since middle school. They’ve seen each other around school and curiosity eventually got Kanata to go see the lonely Akira during lunch, they start talking and find similar interests. They start hanging out more together and fall in love, but with obstacles. (Kanata’s soccer journey is a side plot about his character development, not really related to their love story). Akira’s past brings himself major doubts about him being gay, from his previous middle school crush who was disgusted and hated him after finding out Akira’s sexuality. (Although that friend was EXTREMELY touchy and intimately “friendly”) Akira had found comfort, emotionally and sexually, in his older brother’s friend, who also struggles with being gay and liking Akira’s brother. Akira would stop that relationship when he met Kanata, who is always unapologetically himself. The two finally confess their love and end up together. The end.

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What the show did well:
They did stray away from the normal cutesy bubbly type of BLs that we see from school JBLs. The did address some real life issues: Akira’s struggle with accepting his sexually, Kanata’s struggle with taking up soccer again, despite fears of failing again, and both their sort-of brother inferiority complexes. This gave the show a definite maturity that isn’t really found in other school JBLs. Both main leads and the supporting actors did well in this project and the main leads chemistry is there.

****I like how they included and highlighted these issues, didn’t agree 100% with how they dealt with / addressed them****

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What wasn’t good:
We’ll start off small. This show followed the same basic structure as every other JBL out there (was hoping for something different given the mature setting). Two guys, one popular and the other a loner, meet up, hang out, like each other, problems arise, realize they like each other, then chase each other, then happily ever after. AND we can’t forget the flashback memory at the end of how they already met each other in the past (like are you kidding me, so overdone, so boring).

Now onto the SCREAMING issue with this show. TW:
THEY ARE MINORS. First off, what is with Japan and their minors in school trope. It’s fine for the cute ones, but this one has ADULT/MINOR SEX involved, we CANNOT be having that. IDK if school in Japan is similar to the US, but they are MINORS or barely legal 18 year olds. The story of Akira and Kanata is fine, as they are both senior in high school and they only kiss, but this show did some disturbing grooming and sexual relationship between Akira and Kanda Yoichi (Akira’s brother’s friend). Firsly, they met when Akira was in MIDDLE SCHOOL, he is like 14-15 and Kanda is a working adult post college or at the end of college. ( what were they thinking with this ). Kanda “teaches” Akira (grooms him) on how he keeps emotionally and mentally balanced with liking Akira’s older brother, who is straight, through sex. They start an intimate and sexual relationship between a grown ass adult man and a middle schooler for “balance” like WTF???!!!?!? (**** the show DID NOT have any intimate sex scenes between them, but it doesn’t matter, in the story it still happens and this is fucked up and disgusting ****). And on top of the grooming and sex, Kanda only makes Akira feel worse about being gay. Kanda doesn’t want to be strong and admit his feelings towards the brother, nor will he get over it, so he has sex with his crush’s younger MINOR brother???? Kanda basically shows Akira to always hide the fact that he is gay and Kanata was the one who pulled him out of that mindset.

This show, while addressing other real life issues, MISSED this GIGANTIC one and didn’t even address it in the show and played it off as caring and helping each other stay mentally stable. If this plot was given to a drama outside of the high school genre, where all these events happened in adulthood for every character and they addressed the grooming part, that would have made for a potentially good drama that could highlight the struggles with accepting sexuality and learning that someone may seem to want to help us, but only wants to helps themselves while hurting them more (the grooming part). BUT instead this show made it between a minor and an adult. That is definitely where a line NEEDS TO BE DRAWN.

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This show gave screen time and most of the plot to the main leads, which was ok I guess. Overall this show was mediocre with major unresolved issues in the production team. I don’t understand how the rating is that high. I got bored about halfway through.

Overall Rating: 5.5-6/10

*** P.S. this reveiw is by no means hate to the actors, they did a fairly decent and good job, this is mainly about the plot, production team, and screenwriters ****

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SO Good, Lots of Ups and Downs and Tears

This show was so good, it had me crying, angry, happy, blushing, and frustrated. The chemistry of the two couples was absolutely amazing, and I wish we can see more of each pair in the future.

This series felt so real to me. No character was perfect, and everyone had their flaws (except Qin Lang). Every character had to make hard choices that they had to live with and suffere the consequences of them. Lu Feng and Xiao Chen had such a long, sad, and complicated story. it showed how no romantic love is perfect and the sometimes other types of love (familial, brotherly) can cause harm instead of being a caring support. Both of them had horrible parents who only saw themselves and basically shamed their children until their dying breath.

Each character had their wrongs. Yi Chen fought for his brother and against Lu Feng with the right intentions, but he didn’t always see was Xiao Chen wanted or how much Lu Fend changed and was sorry for what happened. Yi Chen loves his older brother so much that he did what he thought was best. Xiao Chen had to make impossible decisions that no one should have to make or be in the position to make. Having to chose between his family’s love and Lu Feng, have to choose to fulfill his mother’s dying demand. No matter how horrible she was, Xiao Chen loved her and wanted to make her happy. In that moment his love for his mother won against Lu Feng, but his love for Lu Feng would eventually prevail. Qin Lang’s love for Yi Chen made him compliant and submissive to Yi Chen’s anger and dislike towards Lu Feng, which only ended up hurting everyone more, but he also did what he thought was best, letting his love lead his way. Lu Feng, no matter how much of a black or red flag he was suffered as much or just as much as Xiao Chen. Lu Feng loved Xiao Chen more than anything in the world, more than his career, his future, his father, his sister, and his family, and more than any obstacle that was in their way. Lu Feng always knew what he wanted, a whole life with the love of his life, but Xiao Chen, who did also want that, sometimes had to choose his love for something else over Lu Feng, making them both suffer. Xiao Chen wasn’t wrong for his choice, but they both lived with the consequences of their choices and eventually chose to forgive each other and get the help they needed to repair their trauma, love each other, and learn how to be in a relationship again, given their harsh and traumatic past.

NO character (of the main 4) was right or wrong in every decision they made, but they all did it because of love. Love made them all crazy for a decade, but love is also the reason they all healed in the end. This was a beautiful story, however traumatic and painful, it showed how love hurts, but prevails.

I wil miss watching them every Saturday :(

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