This is The Sign: TO WATCH

2023 and 2024 have shown to be such swoon-worthy years of LGBTQ+ Dramas from South East Asia. Episode by episode, series by series, they leave me baffled. Especially "The Sign" has been playing a big role in this immensely well-written and successful plotting.

Sometimes I’ve been just sitting there, pausing the drama and contemplating about my life and how a series can fuse all aspects and tropes I’d love to see displayed. I know that there are generally a lot of different and individual affinities, but this series has BLOWN MY MIND.

I am fond of this show, however, the trigger warnings are too soft. "The Sign" has brutal elements, therefore it should not be watched carelessly and it should also be less accessible for underage humans.

STORY/ PLOT 9.5:
The story has started strong but didn’t give away what this series by IdolFactory would be about just that easily. The portrayed story is a well-fused mixture of action, suspense, fantasy (mythology, paranormal activity) and, of course, a very gentle kiss of romance.

ACTING / CAST 9.0
We’ve come such a long way in micro-acting that I have hardly anything or anyone to criticize fiercely. I would say at most, it would be some of the supporting cast, some "over-expressive" ‘antagonists’ and Tack’s comic relief character Khem. But that’s just something that I thought of after a while, and over-expression is also a nice tool to carry the plot.

I was so invested in the story that my nerves were on a string, many characters came alive and their behaviour started to enlighten and annoy me. As a viewer, you often have a better insight into what’s happening, so it’s so nerve-wracking when characters seem to be so ignorant and oblivious to it. I mainly had my issues with Tharn when it came to the described obliviousness. EDIT: Everyone, not just Tharn, E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E ...

My all-time favourite cinematographic scene is the transition of Tharn´s grandmother in episode 11. That was next-level pleasing to the eye of a drama-obsessed viewer. I could argue that this is one of the most terrifically beautiful implementations of breathtaking cinematography I have seen in this genre for a long time.

Read More

Sweet Awaited Home: Depth That Makes The Heart Ache

Are we monster-like humans or are the monsters human-like? In this series, this gap becomes narrow, as fighting for survival brings out the worst and most deadly primal parts of us.

Finally, Lee Eung Bok and his team of staff, outstanding actors, and editors have provided us with the long-awaited second season of "Sweet Home". Needless to say, I was one of those waiting for a continuation. I´m glad the day has eventually come. The sadness and tragedy of the first season have found their revival in the second season. This time, however, the location isn´t as limited anymore as before, which results in even a less predictable outcome. If you wanted a lowkey introduction to the second season, Netflix has a surprise for you: An immediate invitation to watch full of excitement, as they lead you into a world of horror and chaos. No time to spare brutalities when humanity is facing its last trial.

The only mentionable "minutiae" would be that the plot gets a little confusing because there are many characters introduced and it´s not easy to decipher their importance. The more information one has to consider, and the more demanding this series is to remember a lot of details, the more it could lead to a wave of confusion. However, I do see that the screenwriters were trying to deliver and portray various sides of this hell of a dystopian world and needed various characters to do so.

"Surprisingly hopeful and at times heartwarming tone for a show full of monsters and death" (Kate´s words in her review of the first Season - recommended read if you haven´t done so yet); watch for yourself if these words are still the case in Season 2, as the circumstances have taken on a dramatic extent. What I love about this series is that the monsters also get a personality and "humanlike" attributes. There is no good or bad, we humans are always on a spectrum of both trades, which is prone to quick and at times unexpected shifts. The implementation of this makes "Sweet Home" more than just any other series with monsters.

The acting is disturbingly good, and I am speaking of almost all longtime on-screen performances. Song Kang´s portrayal of Cha Hyun So is still an eye candy. The same goes for the entire main lead, including Lee Jin Wook as the unpredictable Pyeon Sang Wook and Lee Si Young as the unyielding firefighterSeo Yi Kyung who tries to not become as inhuman as all the others. Honestly, I could spend hours and hours naming all these actors, as each one of them gave me goosebumps at one point or another.

Read More

Last Doubts Vanished: One of THE most meaningful LGBTQIA+ series

A mindful spirit, braveness, and an open mind are what it takes to possess the power to produce something meaningful. GMMTV has again gifted us with another meaningful, heart-wrenching, and impressive series called "Last Twilight".

The story, which evolves around the disability to see efficiently, dealing with heavy burdens like the suicide of a loved one and being reliant on others, is well-written and paced. Both Mohk and Day are realistically flawed characters and are also portrayed as such. I´m convinced this is one of the best series in the genre of LGBTQ+ in Southeast Asia to be released in 2023 and 2024.

STORY 9.0 >> 9.5
As I have already mentioned at the beginning of this review, the innovation and braveness to portray a story that evolves around disability - which shouldn´t be left out of the film industry as it is part of our world and nothing to be ashamed of or shushed about - has pleasingly surprised me. The issues that come with disabled eyesight are not coming too short and it doesn´t feel like the disability is only a tool for more views and attention, but honestly more as if GMMTV wants to raise awareness for and normalize the thematizing of disability in our lives, as well as showing what those affected by the suicide of a loved one go through. This series offers the possibility to reflect on our world and the entertainment industry, by raising awareness for both these crucial topics and also offering to witness a romance forming despite all the burdens faced by the main characters. Truly beautiful. Truly insightful. Truly inspiring.

I have never changed my opinion on the rating of the STORY to a better rating, UNTIL now. "Last Twilight" has convinced me to be one of the most time-worthy series out there to watch. I feel so blessed to be a witness to this tragic but beautifully written story between two young men trying to overcome this world's difficulties.

ACTING / CAST 8.5 >> 9.0
The chemistry between Jimmy and Sea is probably already well known among GMMTV viewers, but this series raises their bar even higher and makes me feel really happy and warm inside. I wonder what they´re doing in their workshops etc. to create such a natural tension. In "Last Twilight" they have gone over and beyond many bars I have ever imagined to see in the next few years. I am so happy they came this far and immensely pleased by the performance.

What I also like about "Last Twilight" is that the side characters have also become more meaningful for the main story and are not separately dragged along. Especoaööy since they don´t have "that side couple", but it´s focused on Day and Mhok. I´m very pleased to witness that this again proves that most series of GMMTV have improved their screenwriting, especially since I have been part of the journey for more than 6 or 7 years now.

MUSIC 7.0 >> 7.5
The music is usually what provides room for comic relief. With heavy topics as portrayed in this series, it´s unavoidable to provide uplift, as it can also help deliver a more meaningful picture of what it is like to live with a disability where life will most likely also have a shift of positive and negative events and feelings, as we are all are feeling humans after all.

OVERALL 8.5
Masterpiece. Over n´ out!

Read More

YOU MATTER - An Oportuniy to Reflect on Oneself and the World

I highly recommend watching this series, especially if you have been struggling with mental health or don´t know much about the daily lives of those struggling. However, I´d also make sure that you have someone to talk to while watching this series, as the topics are really heavy and serious and may trigger you.

I have already acknowledged many of the reviews for "Daily Dose of Sunshine" and I think that most writers share the same opinion: This series offers more than just entertainment. It opens the door to a world that is usually (purposely) hidden from most. A door that shouldn´t be forced shut, but unfortunately is in many areas of the world. Mental Health is a topic that necessarily has to be brought up in schools and any faculties. Educating about how important self-care and empathy are in a world like this seems about time to be implemented in every section of life.

This is also one of the reasons that made me like "Daily Dose of Sunshine" so much. They have portrayed several serious and not so uncommon occuring mental illnesses from both the professional outside, as well as the personal inside. I´m sure the writers and the entire set of people have done their best to give an insight on several topics of high importance, while also offering a slight bit of comic relief with the lore of Dr. Dong. As someone struggling with mental health for more than half of my life, this series made me feel more certain in continuously upgrading and adapting my self-care routines.

I´m truly thankful for everyone who made "Daily Dose of Sunshine" happen. Especially airing it at a time when the temperatures usually drop and the weather shifts, which results in unstable/ affected persons feeling more drained and down, this series is a major gift in entertainment, education, and AWARENESS.

Read More

Somebody: "You mind saying that to me again?"

This Netflix series is definitely not easy to swallow but can become very intimidating if you pay attention to how it unfolds. So basically, I will say this series is a really nice piece of cake for those who love observing how good, complex, and CONSISTENT vicious characters can be written, without getting boring. The consistency in character is what I really liked about this series. This is what makes "Somebody" quite an interesting show for me, who loves dedicating their free time to analyzing the beauty in human grim. You don´t have this evil scumbag who suddenly changes for the Female Lead. You don´t need a detailed background to show that sometimes evil scumbags are just evil scumbags with no remorse. Sometimes there is nothing that anybody can do to prevent these "natural killers" from being born. They exist like hunters in the wild. Yuno´s life consisted of this side of him that just felt alive from hunting and IT. STAYED. CONSTANT. UNTIL. THE. ALMOST. VERY. END.

For those who are not invested in villainous characters like Yuno, 6.9 stars is a solid average. I can totally understand that a majority will not like or enjoy this piece of art. Even for me, a hunter for series like this, it´s hard to explain. On whatever thread I am on, I always try to analyze behavior that is seen as vicious, grim, weird, and unlogical. The point is, humans are led by emotions, these, however, are often perceived as irrational, while often they aren't. They are a direct response to a certain trigger, for a reason!! What makes arguments f.e. irrational, is when the base facts are not able to be proven right. And Yuno was most certainly led by his uncontrollable impulses, which would not stop, even if he met Kim Sum. Even if he "loved" her. He didn´t manage to control these impulses before, maybe never wanted to. So I don´t think that the series necessarily lacked logic in the world they created, but maybe it lacked context and depth.

I also really want to highlight the variety of this series in terms of characters: A disabled police officer, a shaman, and a main character with Asperger Syndrome. In a thriller/horror/suspense series! Really loved to see this. LGBTQ+ representation in K-dramas, especially in suspense dramas, is not common.

YUNO (Yun O/ Yun-O)
He doesn´t really change throughout the entire series, however, Kim Sum does have an impact on his behavior. As she was not harmed in their first meeting because he might have either grown interested or thought of a better way to torture her before death by using her vulnerability, always being excluded because of Aspergers, against her. Or BOTH? He is not the most strategic killer you´ll see in a drama, but one of the most active and creative ones. Using the app, pretending to be nice, doing background research (not shown), trying hard to set the right fake Ambiente, and killing depending on the situation. He always adapted his torture to the victim, sometimes didn´t even kill at all - aiming for the highest of emotional damage. So, to point this out, his killing itself is not the consistent part, as he not always kills his victims (right away?).

And this consistency made the ending so interesting. The viewer could not tell what he was planning on. Did he really want to live with her? Did he really love her, like how he said when he was choking on his own blood? Even if he did, did he still plan to kill her (and him?)? Building such an architecture for her, was the clue that he did indeed like her the most. I think that all this emotional insecurity makes the ending so intense to watch. I had to fight this weird urge to feel bad for him because his situation and ending were so pathetic. And kind of sad... and kind of righteous. The crew and editors really dedicated themselves to showing us a twisted scene where they confront the viewers with a serial-killers last vulnerability, his mortality, and exceptionally and almost unexpected fast death. (What I mean is, he had no unrealistic luck in surviving, he just died) LIKE ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING. No exception.

KIM SUM
She definitely took her part as the main character and also stayed somewhat consistent. The interest in murder was in her, from the start. She also did not become more vicious. She just behaved and stayed consistent. JUST that she initiated the kill was something that we could not get a hold of entirely. It made sense, it matched the series. But not quite predictable, as she really liked him. Just her outsmarting him was somewhat predictable. I loved how they managed to include SOME ONE :) in the dynamic, without making it awkward or weird to watch.

What I really found the most interesting, is that she was aroused by his behavior. Because these dark fantasies had built up inside of her and he was the personalization of what she always wanted to do to the people who treated her like a monster? This series has really overwhelmed me in some points, like no other. It also made me self-reflect about why I like what I like.

IM MOK WON
She/ They were a bit of a confusing variable. I really liked her character, just that I could not quite understand her role in this scenario. Was she like a medium between evil and good? Or a medium between chaotic evil and chaotic neutral? Or just the messenger between all the characters? Then she was basically just being used for communication. Her romance faded into nothingness. Her character depth was a bit unfulfilling.

YEONG GI EUN
She is a cop, but still managed to get into deadly situations in the same pattern. One time not knowing she will meet somebody with ill intentions and one time EXACTLY knowing what evil person she is dealing with. Both times she gets outplayed in a similar and cruel way. But why would she do it in the first place? Curiosity is not worth your death. She could have gone back once she noticed her wheelchair was not made for the place she was at. He was revealed as a killer by then. So she basically reached nothing but to risk her life and, which to be fair IS important, revealed the location of another victim of his.

Overall I really had an intense watching. It made me think and reflect and even shed a few tears. But I agree and acknowledge that this series is a special case and surely confusing and unenjoyable for people not obsessed with twisted characters and villains on a daily basis. They made the best they could and shared the story of a colorful trio in a small series consisting of only 8 episodes. "SOMEBODY" doesn´t have much left to offer but observation of a FOR ONCE almost entirely consistent serial killer in a K-Drama. Also, his visions, fast adaption, and grim creativity made YUNO an interesting persona to watch.

Read More

Let´s Appreciate Dong-Eun´s Glory

This has been a hell of a ride, but that did not disappoint me. I had desperately waited for the release of the second part, and I have found myself satisfied with how the story went on. An incredibly difficult story to portray and produce by the director and their crew, but also for the actors and actresses. Their performance was overwhelming and splendid. I loved how deep the glimpse into the rotten souls of the antagonists was. I wish that shows with topics like this could always go viral, so that the range of attention for this cruelty can be spread nationally and internationally - keeping bullies more under control and maybe even reaching their conscience. The smallest effect of a show about bullying on society is already something treasurable. That is exactly why I´m glad The Glory went viral. I couldn´t be happier with Dong-Eun´s Glory. What about you?

Read More

Lost In The Future

The HIStory franchise has grown again; this time with a series about a clumsy time traveler. Out of the last three HIStory series, this one couldn´t quite catch me but I still somehow enjoyed watching it nonetheless. Sometimes when stories get out of control there is a charm to the chaos of it. "HIStory 5" isn´t one of their best works but definitely is not one of their worst either.

STORY 5.5
Time traveling is the fundamental trope of this series. However, despite this being the extraordinary basement, they didn´t quite play around with this special situation and the various options coming with it. Having a theme that is so difficult to portray, they of course made the best out of it. However, it just felt a little rushed and incomplete to me when it came to the "time-traveling" aspect. I also had some difficulties with how the romances evolved and how some of their problematic behaviors were not criticized by the people around them.

ACTING / CAST 8.0
The acting was not disappointing, I just felt that I was watching an older series in terms of exaggerated expressions and behavior, which could have been, of course, a mindful choice by the director because the series leaned towards comedy. It just felt a little out of place and awkward sometimes. All in all, I enjoyed their playfulness in testing the given space for brave and expressive acting.

MUSIC 7.5
I grew fond of the OST and I liked the general choice of music in this series.

REWATCH VALUE 3.0 >> OVERALL 6.5
I just doubt that I will come back to watch it as one of my priorities in the future BUT I can still recommend giving it a try. It has some very sweet and heartfelt moments and it got me hooked on watching for further development. My disappointments might not be your disappointments. So, give it a go :)

Read More

Is There A Justification For Revenge

Watching this title, a viewer has not only the responsibility to look after themselves and their mental strength to cope with what seems to be fiction but is pretty close to reality, but also to reflect on this show and prohibit something like this from ever happening again. Usually, we don´t get this structured and thoroughly planned type of behavior from a victim of bullying. Most of us don´t even act on what was done to us at all. So watching this show actually portraying someone who devoted their life to take revenge is something weirdly fulfilling but warning at the same time. What is portrayed in "The Glory" shouldn´t be happening at all, there is no justification for ruining someone´s life for reasons such as boredom and the feeling of entitlement over others. Ignorance doesn´t protect a bully. Many don´t even know what long-term, lifetime wounds they have inflicted. The Glory is a rather radical and enlightening series revolving around what fury can cause and what bullying can destroy that the viewer can take as a lesson to learn from.

STORY / PLOT 9.0
The screenwriting is amazingly done. Compared to other Korean dramas, I even got the feeling that they found the perfect pacing here. Not too fast and not too slow most of the time. However, in some moments I personally desired that they dragged the moment a little further, then I would have totally bragged about this production. Moving from screenwriting and storytelling to how the characters are actually written also intrigued me, even though I wished there was a little bit more depth in one, or two characters (but that might be happening in the second part). All in all, I think the story is very well written and to my surprise makes a lot of sense and is not that unrealistic.

What really satisfied me was the cinematography in this series. I just wished that it would never end so I could watch these beautiful shots forever. The lighting in the most vulnerable and dynamic scenes inflamed my interest in those areas again.

ACTING / CAST 9.0
The story left aside, the acting is superb and I´m loving the tip-toeing in theatrical facial expressions, Sa-Ra (Kim Hi Eo Ra) taken as an example: The actress portrays a lot of histrionic reactions, most work done with her widely opened eyes. It undermines the traits of her character's personality, who has issues when it comes to identity and solid life. Her crazy facial expressions in her unstable and chaotic lifestyle just fit very well, without making things uncomfortable for me to watch acting-wise.

Song Hye Kyo´s (Moon Dong Eun) acting did not disappoint, she´s got the skills and talent to portray such a conflicted and deepest sorrowful, and from agony suffering woman. I don´t have to mention that her acting carries the series. On one hand, she is, of course, the main character but on the other hand, her acting is on-point. Every emotion she portrays is shown just in the right amount, making it even more stirring to watch.

The acting overall is very satisfying and pleasing to watch. There are a few exaggerations here and there, especially when it comes to Jae Joon. Despite his aggressive outbursts matching his choleric and inhumane nature and those exaggerations probably being a conscious choice of the director/ screenwriter to get its image stuck in the memories of the viewer, it felt a bit unnatural to me. (e.g.: when he met Ye Sol at the crosswalk)

MUSIC 8.0
I´m a fan of the intro, as well as the OSTs and songs that were chosen for this series. Most soundtracks set and fit the vibe of the series and I have no complaints about those.

REWATCH VALUE 7.0
Despite being a well-produced and written series, the triggers are very strong. It´s not an easy show to watch, especially when you know that Moon Dong Eun is one of many victims of bullying and the images and acts of inhumane violence against a schoolmate shown were hardly exaggerated.

Read More

The Post-Truth Review

FOR anyone who is a FAN OF SUSPENSE and has an eye for incredible cinematography, this movie is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Not a usual ending. "The Post-Truth World" is one of the best suspense movies I have watched in terms of production and screenwriting. I was hooked by the incredible shots that were taken and I wish I knew more about the production crew - I´d love to see more works of the same cinematographer - and it felt a bit like they were partly inspired by suspense Korean productions. The choice of music was more than pleasing and had me hooked even more on this tragic and unpredictable unfolding of events.

STORY / PLOT 7.5 >> 8.0
Honestly, there is nothing about this story that is boring to me. It was indeed quite unpredictable. During this review, I have actually come to terms to rate it higher because of this aspect of unpredictability. However, even though implemented well, some parts were a bit confusing. All in all, I think it contains great plot twists and the movie has a unique ending. Quite unconventional and it leaves you dumbfounded. Lovely.

ACTING / CAST 9.0
I have almost nothing to criticize here, rather I want to undermine the fact that Edward Chen and Joseph Chang deserve more popularity here on MDL as well as in the film industry. Their chemistry was dynamic and full of tension. They played the biggest part in delivering a nail-biting plot. Edward Chen´s performance was quite superb actually, he delivered all the pain and agony and left an impression on me. I also hope to see more of Caitlin Fang in the future, she´s got some skills and talent in acting.

OVERALL 7.5 >> 8.0
Again, there is no reason not to watch it. It is definitely anything but a waste of time if you´re fond of the suspense genre. Just rewatching something of which I already know the outcome is rarely on my To-Do List so I had to be a little realistic here. However, the chance I might rewatch "The Post-Truth World" in the future is not 0.

Read More

CONTRARY: Between Reality and Fiction

Let me start with a quick rant over some of the reviews:
First off, I´m all aware that reviews are very subjective, and so are opinions and tastes. Honestly, I don´t get any of the lower ratings. (4 and lower) Even if the story is somewhat critical, how could you let their acting and the production/ cinematography drop into a negative light as well? If you review something, you sort of have a 'responsibility' to consider all aspects of a show. A show is not only about the story. Despite being the main aspect, the story can´t portray all the functions of a series alone. How many good stories have failed in their execution because of bad acting or bad production? Taking this into consideration and then watching "Between Us", how is it a 3.5-star series? I just don´t get it. Is it because you were hoping for something less troublesome and simple, or were you hoping for more tension? What is it exactly that made you drag a solid show down to this level?

I´m just sad that people tend to be so impulsive in judging a show just because they had high hopes and huge expectations. It could not meet what a 3.5-star rater had in mind?`Okay. Does it mean the show is necessarily one of the worst and most unpleasing shows to watch out there? No. Can they still rate it that bad? Yes. Why? Everyone is allowed to have their opinion. Can I still feel offended by this harsh rating? Yes. Why? Read below.

STORY / PLOT 5.5
Having said that, I had my issues with the screenwriting as well. There were some aspects that could have been executed better if they had paid more consideration to it. However, considering that this is a Spin-Off of "Until We Meet Again", one of the most famous Thai LGBTQIA+ shows, I think they offered us a solid series with deep emotional insights into the vulnerabilities of people that one might not see at first glance.

The story is everything but light. There are a lot of mature topics and struggles that the characters have to deal with. Dealing with Trauma is suffocatingly exhausting and therefore does not contribute to a hoped-for "Coming Of Age" story. Also, I think Win´s struggles were very much justified and realistic. There are people with avoidant attachment styles on this earth that have a hard time opening up to the idea of being in love and dependent on another person. Saying that this is cliche and a bad plot extra leaves me irritated. Criticizing his behavior is, of course, not wrong at all. After all, you can not be okay with characters/people's behavior. However, there is a big difference between criticizing behavior and criticizing a show for PORTRAYING that behavior. One should not confuse these two aspects.

I think that the dialogues were top-notch and the discussions they stirred. Watching this, I feel like other viewers could also step into adopting more consent and consideration for others in their daily lives. Not everything is visible on the surface.

ACTING / CAST 8.5
I´m really surprised by the few people who criticized the acting. I wish I could be more considerate and understanding of this view because to me their - main couple - performance was very satisfying to watch. They executed EXTREMLYdifficult scenes and touched my heart. Of course, there is room for improvement for the supporting cast but Boun and Prem did NOT disappoint! Don´t confuse acting skills with an unpleasing plot. A bad plot doesn´t necessarily make the acting bad.

REVIEW VALUE 5.0
I was not disappointed with "Between Us", however, the story was quite heavy, and even though I tend to prefer watching darker, heavier more mature content in series, I rarely rewatch them. So I am just being realistic here.

Read More

Unrushed & Well-Paced Highschool Romance

GMMTV did not disappoint with this heartwarming high school romance. I think what the GMMTV/ Thai LGBTQIA+ audience can agree on is that "My School President" is one of the most respectful and unrushed series that was produced in the last few years. I feel like they are really taking our critiques to heart and trying to improve the delivery of these sorts of stories without including UNNECESSARY toxicity - let me clarify that some level of toxicity is always needed for a show to be realistic because that is what our lives look like. The extent and amount are what´s important and of course the circumstances. (e.g. The story of Kinnporsche was built up in an already toxicity-thriven environment and therefore there was a higher level of toxicity)


PRODUCTION / MUSIC 8.5
Let´s start with the production and filming/ writing of the scenes. Throughout the entire series, there were a lot of detailed and heartwarming scenes. The screenwriting was overall extremely satisfying, nothing felt rushed. Maybe sometimes I felt like the pace got a little slow, but they managed to not make it uncomfortably slow. One thing is certain, professionals are at work. Both the filming and editing, but also the individual usage and choice of (self-made) music are very unique. I am fond of the OSTs and the MV - GMMTV really thrived to surprise us here.


STORY / PLOT 7.5
As I said before, besides a few slow-paced moments, the story is entertaining and heartwarming. I have rarely come across a series that thrived on so much positive talking-phase energy. It felt not rushed at all and the respect for boundaries was really something I have been waiting for a long time. They gave their love time to prosper, and neither Tinn nor Gun forced their tempo of opening up to each other. It made me happy (and a little bit proud in my cheap seat at home).

'My School President' is also one of the first series besides 'Bad Buddy' that had me mainly engaged in the main couple. Don´t get me wrong, the second couple did not disappoint me, I was just not as hooked with them as I was with Tinn and Gun.

ACTING / CAST 9.0
With incredible visual and performance chemistry, Gemini and Fourth really rocked their roles as Tinn and Gun. When I saw their age, despite having a quick existential crisis, I was so overwhelmed with my respect for them. Who would have thought that they would nail every interacting scene so professionally intense that my own heart began racing? Everything I was hoping for in an acting performance in the main lead was right there. Just some of the side cast slightly bothered me to give the actors and their performance 9.5 or higher.

REWATCH VALUE 6.5

OVERALL 8.0
In a nutshell, this show is everything and more the LGBTQ+ film community has ever wished for. The story is respectful and unrushed, the actors are outstanding and the edit is pleasing. The use of self-made music has been merged with the entire awesomeness of this show. Every expectation is being met and it´s honestly nothing you should miss.

Read More

Insight With Stimulus To New Perspectives On "BL" shows

Y this series surprised me: bravery in displaying what many want to be left unseen.

While the portrayal of real issues isn´t something I´d necessarily "enjoy" watching, because it stirs guilt and doubts in me, the entire show should be considered a gift of insight to us. By making me question the industries, I also focus more on what I want to support in my feature, which is definitely not this type of working environment, hence, I will inform myself more of what I support with my views as a consumer. It is also nothing that should be left unspoken that is why I give the ...
--------------------
Story >> 8.5
... however, I still have some trouble looking past some coincidences and plot twists. Do they make sense? Definitely. Are they too much sometimes? Yes, but just a little. Portraying fates, that are close to what must have been happening behind the scenes of some shows, is a real challenge and I´m honest with you when I say they did an outstanding job. The excellency would have been if they kept their feet of realism firmly on the ground but they slipped into a more melodramatic direction, which is perfectly fine because it's a drama and not a documentary, I am just being a bit picky about that.

New Ship >> 9.0
The tragedy and dilemma of this story are not easy to bear but it´s definitely worth watching. It gives different POVs into the controversy behind the scenes of some Thai "BL" shows. And the truth hurts. A LOT.

The War of Manager>> 8.0
Similar to the first story, obviously because of the same environment, but also different in the base of the main characters and their significant differences in personality and behaviour compared to "New Ship". At some point, I was in denial that those kinds of greedy people exist in our world, but unfortunately for some actors/humans, they do.
--------------------
Acting / Cast >> 9.0
I really hope that Seng gets the credits he deserves for his acting, which was one of the best performances I have ever seen in my time as an Asian drama geek. His portrayal of Pan really hit me on many levels and I really can´t think of anything to criticise. Billy´s performance was also praiseworthy and I won´t forget about those two for some time. It´s just that all actor's performances combined I found some things I found somewhat irritating, thus giving Acting a 9.0.
--------------------
Music >> 7.0
I´ll leave it like this for now, because I am not really tempted by the music yet but I also don't find it disturbing or incorrectly matched/selected.
--------------------
Rewatch Value >> 4.5
This may not be easy to follow up after I highlighted how good I find the actors and most parts of the plot but because it is tough, me rewatching it will be unlikely. HOWEVER, this doesn´t change the fact that it is an incredibly executed series that I didn´t expect from a Y series, to be very honest.
--------------------
Overall >> 8.0

Read More

Fresh and Bold New Concept - Room For Improvement

My first impression of this new Korean series was beyond expectations. "Once again" is one of the first LGBTQIA+ series from south Korea that can keep a little bit up with the quality of higher-budget Korean dramas or at least it seems like it’s getting closer to the potential behind their skills. I mean, I wasn´t so sure in the first few minutes but the way this series is cut, the colouring of each scene, the screenwriting, the acting and the visuals - it kinda surprised me.

Story >> 8.5 >> 8.0
This kind of basement for any kind of relationship is stirring. In my eyes, this plot had so much potential to blow up and leave not only me with goosebumps. I also liked that the pathing of each episode and the way they portray the story and also how both main characters stay loyal to their personality. Just felt like it missed a bit of their actual romance but with that storyline It’s obviously hard to display their love to the fullest.

Acting/Cast >> 8.5 >> 8.0 >> 7.5
Moon Ji Young (Shin Jae Woo) caught me off-guard in the first episode, I didn´t expect his performance to be so intense so early on but in the end his performance became a little to monotonous. I have a similar impression of Lee Hyun Jun, (Kang Ji Hoon) and the best friend, I think they all presented a solid performance!

Music >> 7.5 >> 8.0
The music was fitting the series mood. Actually, I even find it quite soothing.

"Once Again" is one of the Korean LGBTQIA+ series I´d recommend watching when wanting to see this industry evolve step by step and therefore it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Read More

180 Degree - Right In The Feelings

This LGBTQIA+ series is all I ever visually dreamed of, not in a "how handsome the actors are" or in a "the romance is so explicit" but rather the entire CINEMATOGRAPHY was ON POINT. So good, that I´d even forget my doubts about some part of the story. It´s a heavenly gift for everyone who not only watches the series for the plot but also for the techniques of filming and editing. It’s BREATHTAKING!
(TW: age gap, loss)

Story >> 8.0 >> 9.0
As I said before, I still have a few doubts about the plot. Nothing extremely bothersome tho. All in all, I loved the portrayal of this kind of “unspoken” story and all the time they took to emphasize on the characters conflicts and true, growing emotions.

Acting/ Cast >> 9.5
The relatability was archived by extremely good acting and an incredible production team. I hope I can expect more of this top-notch acting in the future because it felt unreal. Especially Nike´s performance was drawing my attention.

Music >> 8.5
I really hope that other thai LGBQTIA+ series could make use of soundtracks and background music like this series does. Not that there was any specific soundtrack that I liked, but they just all fit the mood well and did not bother me in the slightest, which is rare.

Rewatch Value >> 8.0 >> 7.5
It is so beautiful to watch, not even question if I´d rewatch this. I definitely will sooner or later!

100% RECOMMENDED if you are okay with the main characters' significant age gap.

Read More

Bumped Into This Series By Chance -

A flame ignites as two FLAWED men cross paths, leaving chaos behind them and many RED FLAGS.

Story >> 7.0 >> 5.0
Plotwise, it´s not that convincing for me yet but I think that there was a lot of potential to make their story more interesting and captivating, and by that I mean not with the number of sensual scenes but a deeper dive-in into the morals and flaws of each character. In the end, I hope that "Fahlanruk" will spread an example / be a lesson for the viewers.

Acting/ Cast >> 7.5 >> 6.5
I´m aware that most of the actors have little experience in acting and I am, personally, fine with watching it nonetheless. I also think that there were some admirable shots that took me by surprise. However, it was not totally convincing.

Music >> 6.5 >> 5.5 >> 4.5
I was not okay with the choice of background music because I didn´t find it catchy or captivating. Especially in more sensual scenes was the choice of music rather anti-climatic, felt more like a hassle. Like, who was in charge of the audio?! lmao

Rewatch Value >> 3.0 >> 2,0
Nothing intrigued me as much as I´d like it to for me to rewatch it.

Read More