J-atty

Sigh

You will wonder why this was made:
1. Ambitious project for the short form genre
2. Unique for the format
3. Actors with fair skills
4. Ep 1 and 8.

Then there are the reasons why it should have cooked a little longer before being served:
1. Limited budget showed.
2. Sang Min/Minu's only two facial expressions. He did much better in Why R U, Please Teach Me and Love In Protocol.
3. Whatever the 'kissing' was.
4. Minu and Lucifer romance felt contrived.
5. Never felt the gravity of the situation. Came across as something to be viewed for the unintentional humor, cringe, audacity.
6. The knife in ep 8. This one is personal: felt out of place for a urban killing. Probably in the woods with a bear somewhere but for a vampire, hmmm.
7. The script wasn’t bad per se but very very generic.
8. The fight scene.... double sigh

I do think that for the moments it worked, it should be watched.

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A Love That Wouldn't Die

I can not let go of the hold this series has on me. In 12 ep, they managed to break me over and over again. Perfectly paired they have delivered the best yet. The desire, the angst, harsh decisions, resolute convictions and in the end, a love that didn't die.

Caught between two kingdoms, political plots and selfish ambitions, Zi Ang and Shu He, fought to be but in the end, on opposing sides, they fought each other. Finally, left with no other option, Shu He takes revenge but ultimately creates the only world they can live happily in. Free to be as they were meant to be, they greet each other with a smile. I will not go indepth with every detail as this entire series is worth viewing with fresh minds.

I easily bypass how small the production was Zhang Zhe Xu and Min Jin performances blotted out what was lacking. Central to the plot that delivered, was their meeting and the intense love borne of it. One raging and rash and the other sure and serene. Yet, both were bonded forever

The supporting cast is worthy of a mention. All of their parts were handled believably. This is a series I can fully recommend as its execution was effectively painful as it was beautiful. A period piece that will never age. It's worth watching time and time again.

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Who doesn't love good Honey

Jin and Akin have taken us on a roller-coaster ride, and I liked it but...... The true story was lost in the overdramatic acting at times. From their first meeting, Jin has had an agenda, and his purpose never shifted. How to bag Akin? How to be the one who can make Akin the happiest? I will say that after the first nc scene, he had nothing to worry about. Akin was giggling like a teen with his first crush. Racing heart beats, shy hesitant looks, and my man Jin made full use of the kryptonite, honey. I'm sure the demand for honey must have skyrocketed after that episode. We were served and, I must say, served very well. Jin's members (tongue, fingers and.......) should be framed and held in high esteem for eternity. The award winning honey should be glass encased. Viewed but never touched. A population surge, we do not need.

Jin gave new meaning to the term green flag. He came in every sense, he saw and he conquered. He knew that getting through to Akin would take loads of patience, perseverance, flexibility, and vision. He walked beside him, holding his hand every step of their journey. He gently drew him out of his shell and understood him. He allowed him to express himself, validate his feelings, and made him feel safe. His dreams always included Akin at the center. He teased the inner freak out of Akin and was up for the challenge. He was that good.

From being an high strung pampered introvert, Akin matured over time to be a strong, thoughtful decisive lover. Yes, he was a handful, but good actors usually are. Once the reality of his position in the acting world hit, he changed his agenda from ego to lover. Jin had quietly entered his world and gave his life the much needed assurance he craved. He was loved and would be truly loved for himself and not the adoration he had known as an actor. Akin's strength was bringing each actor he worked with to a higher level. It worked well with Jin as Jin loved him. Johnny, on the other hand, should have been left alone. Though, being a perfectionist brought him unwanted pain. He doesn't know how to do mediocre.

Two times Akin let me down. The night after the 'rape' scene and when he was going to be blackmailed with the picture. Firstly, the night after the 'rape'. Unless his anatomy was acting a role and disconnected from his body, he must have known if he was violated from recent activity. Drugged or not, a quick clench would let him know. Either way, confront Johnny instead of running away and continuing to act with him. I didn't like Jin saving him. A good kick to the groin by Akin was needed here. Secondly, why did he feel that taking on the blackmailer by himself was the best way to go? There are different levels of dumb. He chose the highest level. If he wanted to protect Jin, discuss with him what is the best option. But it did make for an anguished nc, which is good tv.

Best lines of the script:
"Did I mean so little to you?"
"You were never supposed to mean anything at all."

Johnny, being a royal pain, should have understood his role from the beginning. A clown will always be a clown, whether he wore fancy clothes or not. I did like his unknowing confession. He knew what he was and the lengths he would take to reach his dreams. Still, don't overreach your position.

What was a big plus for me in this series other than the chemistry and the benefits of honey, was the different difficulties being presented over the course of years. They were together but with the core nemesis still trying to break them as an ongoing thread. It could have become a hindrance if it became too convoluted. It gave the series a realistic passing of time. The secondary actors all did well enough to make it credible. I would have preferred that the series surrounded the battle of an aging actor vs a new actor replacing him. A neurotic Akin would have made must-see moments. Their interractions at this point was electric. Jin winning the award caused the best friction between them. Everything else felt lackluster.

Adding the multiple stories that were solved within an episode or two kind of made it less engaging. We would have still got the honey scene at the end when they got together and would end with a bang. In the other nc scenes, it felt like a decline. Didn't they know that you always save the best for last? Their character growth would be double and not more one-sided as it happened. Jin came in strong and stayed that way throughout. His sole purpose was to be at Akin's side. They way to do it was to become an actor to catch his attention and once that was achieved, follow Akins instructions. Akin is the only one shown to evolve.

The nc scenes aided a lot in the popularity and were done for adults. Boom's go-to crying for sympathy was becoming a little tedious. His baby girl antics, though cute but unrealistic, for a grown man. The ending unbelievable as the entire script felt like a soft breath leaving your lungs. No impact whatsoever. Smart has grown as an actor and adapted well to the script. Smart and Boom made good. This was enjoyable, a little too sweet and not enthralling enough. Should you go watch? Yes, if only for the sweet taste of honey.

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Where is the warmth?

This was good but I'm not too sure if this was good enough. The similarities between this and Love is Poison stops at: they are both eccentric successful lawyers with private investigators partners. Don't look for anything beyond that. Which I was grateful for. I enjoyed the format of one continuous story running concurrently with a new short story every two episodes. The differing reasons behind every divorce or separation were varied, thought provoking and harsh. The brutality of their resolve was not sugar coated and Hajime ensured his clients needs were met.

Then there was his sister. She was dying and enthrusted her daughter to his and his partner's care. The usually stoic and closed off Hajime began to thaw and let others in. Two of the most heart wrenching moments were because of her death. The daughter being present when it happened and his release in his solitude. The battle to gain custody of his niece began.

I can not find fault but still I felt something was missing. The acting was great. The stories interesting. The mannerisms suited to every character, tho the secretary can be a bit irritating. The ending as it should be. I think I didn't quite get Hajime and Kai's real connection. It was there but felt matter of fact. He felt more to be a helper than a helpmate. The focal point of the series was how and why divorces happen. I felt while watching them for the entiety that they interacted as already divorced but cohabitating. The lack of intimacy that would make their conversations precious. I'm not speaking of nc, but moments where they felt right together.

As I said, it was interesting. If you get your hands on a properly subbed version, go for it.

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Wake me up, plz

This has got to be THE most placid, sleep inducing, undramatic drama ever. Like why? Were the producers afraid we'd be schocked by the turn of events? Are we yo believe that he picked up the guitar and became proficient in less than a year? Were we supposed to believe that he was sad, grieving or sleepy? IT WAS HIS PERMANENT EXPRESSION. Were we to manually adjust the volume when he was supposed to be angry or hurt? He spoke like a mannequin on prozac. In fact, both of them. Only the aunt seem to have a pulse.

I didn't hate the aunt. She wanted him to be self sufficient so that when he is left without her, his last relative, he wouldn't feel as lost as she did with every one gone. She too was grieving. Her approach was as smooth as a nail file but understandable.

The only reason I kept watching was because of Chin. He loved him first, but when he realised Yi was hooked on the next constipated one, Ho, he stepped back. So when Ho died, I kept watching to see where it would go.

This has to be a pbs special on grief, friendship and how to live on. A little emotion would have made it so much better. What we got was a quiet, mouse like lecture on how to grieve. Miss me with that boring mess next time. Why the 6? I liked the opening song and that Ho died. They actually took a gamble on exiting a ml that most would like. The series was simply too soft in every way to have any impact.

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Maturing beyond the moment

I love the maturity of the plot, how it was handled and the bravery of the actors to portray a different perspective.

Akira and Kanata bond over their ability to connect though polar opposites in every aspect. Their only similarity is that they are both great at deflecting. One with a smile and the other with cold silence. The glue holding them together is honesty, really listening and no judgment. Though Kanata says he doesn't understand what Kanata says most of the time, he usually gets it right. He sees beyond.

Both in pain, they react differently to past hurts. Kanata pushes the thought of playing football away out of fear. He has a supportive family, but jealousy and comparing himself to his brother, he pushes them away. Akira, retreats further inward from the fear of being ostracized for his sexuality and no one at home gives him the attention and reassurance he needs.

Akira being a loner doesn't speak about his situation to his family. His brother, busy with his life, doesn't connect with him. The only one who takes the time is the tutor.

From the onset my perception of the tutor was never a predator but someone who was lost as much as Akira was. At the beginning when their relationship developed, Akira was bullied and lost to his sexuality. The tutor changed that and made him accept himself. In ep 4 or 5, he asks Akira, what does he want. Akira chose to continue. Ep 6, he willingly steps back. Here he pushes the brother to act as one, admits his immaturity but Akira accepts the role he played because that is what held him together when he needed someone. Even at the end, he asks Akira if their meeting is okay for him.

The age of consent in Japan is 16. Senior high school age is between 15 - 18. Akira is moving into his final year. I'm supposing there is a 3-5 yr difference between them. I would have preferred that the actor used would have appeared closer in age physically rather than older. In his work attire he looks closer to 25-28.

The reality is that there are situations where this type of situation is not favorable and there are predators waiting to take advantage. Is this acceptable? No. The caregivers, parents, 'friends' who alienate the person to seek solace elsewhere should also bear the burden.

I was happy when Kanata took charge and steered their relationship differently. Kanata's acceptance of his football prospects, he comes to terms with his brother's superior abilities and chooses what's best.

The pacing a bit slow and the dialogue was mature even for their age group. Kanata's friends a truly supportive band. Their ending landing perfectly though a bit predictable.

It's a very rewarding watch.

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When you think it couldn't get worse.

I think what was shocking for me was how mind numbing this was for a Korean bl. The mls could not save what could be described as the most horrible script ever. They also needed to feel comfortable in the roles which was apparent they weren't. Loud smacking kisses are supposed to convey passion? The direction, pacing, dialogue, body language needs serious work. BDSM? More like a cringy take on the subject. The whipping scene. Why? What? I have seen Jae Hun / Jung act much better than this. Hae Jun / Kim is on par with what he previously did, so I wasn't expecting any better. Why was this stretched to 10 ep when clearly there wasn't enough material? Just poses and voice overs and staged acting. No real flow or rhythm. Truly disappointed.

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The Prince, The Princess and The Dreamer

I loved it! Melodramatic to its core and that's exactly its charm. Every episode either ended climatic or had drawn a strong emotion whether good or bad. One could never call LITM boring. The story was well thought out and acted. To say that the ml were the stars alone would be a bit far from the truth. The majority of the cast were engaging to the point that some were very entertaining. Inthra and his wife brought the humor which gave the series the right balance for it to be enjoyable.

The build up to the finale was so well executed that I did not miss more of Saenkaew and Sasin's cute moments. Every character was given ample time to develop and push the story along in the right direction. Pin, through all she endured, proved that ultimately love would win in the end. There were a few moments that one would wonder if she was a distant relative of Dhevi's. Those she cherished did her dirty. She was allowed. By refusing to continue being a pawn in everyone's game, she found her voice and finally understood what true love was. I believe her character was the most evolved.

I refuse to believe that Prince Kamfa was Saenkaew's father. He was throwing hands and feet whenever and whomever he felt needed it. Khamsu, proved to be a very strong and agile right hand man. Oh, a chuckle or two did escape me. Kamfa definitely acted like he was from the streets. His intentions were understandable though most times not warranted. How does a parent give their child over to the world to ravage. I will not say that this was his only motivation but from a position of royalty, as I said, understandable.

Grandma, I loved her, but she could have kept those lips shut at times. Again, here we could see how her character was used to escalate the rising anxiety. She did what every grandmother would do. Love their grandchild unconditionally. Homthip deserves her place in their family. A worthy confidante for the lovebirds.

Sasin and Saenkaew love story evolved. It took its time to grow, be recognized and embraced. This was so good that it bordered on great. The revelation in Sasin's eyes, beautiful. He himself didn't know until it was too late. He was drawn to be in his presence for the smallest of reasons and Saenkaew half way through became his willing partner. The director deserves an award for creating one of the most beautiful scenes. Sasin smilingly eats out of Saenkaew's palm and the look of dawning wonder on Saenkaew's face. There was only one way for their story to end. The drama between their meeting and forever after, brought enough excitement to make the 12 episodes worth it. Sasin forgiving being shot for the sake of love, is one for the books.

I readily admit, the last episode was rewarding but too sweet. Then again most melodramas are. I would have preferred that karma return to all, but hey, Sasin and Saenkaew's hands weren't clean either. So, the ending was acceptable. The scenery, wardrobe and direction: no complaints. In true melodrama style, copious amounts of tears flowed; Saenkaew's, Pin's and mine. This is worth the watch.

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Only reason to watch.

Let's see:
Episode 9 - 32:54 to 36:01

That's it. No need to watch anything else.

Tutor and Yim have a connection. It is apparent. What is not apparent is why why why do they do shows that do not bring out the best in them. I'm reminded of Mos and Bank, but I digress. It's like they put a large amount of actors names in a bag and chose randomly.
Then in another bag they put a few mixed scripts and did they same thing. What is unfortunate is that TutorYim keep getting either the bad scripts or bad directors. I like them. I like them together. In and out of the fantasy world, they click. What doesn't click is the lackluster crap that eventually comes out.

A series such as this had too many couples to keep track of in and out of the fantasy world. I must admit after seeing Jack and Chat here, I lowered my expectations. Playboyy kinda left a wtf taste in my mouth. The only reason I watched was for the both of them but I was real about it. That was just to see how far they would go for shock value. Again, I digress. The erratic jumping between 3 worlds, coupled with the different relationships in each and writing alter egos proved to be too much. After episode 5, I found myself using this on a Monday to go to sleep.

If you like convoluted fantasy stories with a slightly erotic but more dramatic bed scene, refer again to episode 9, this is for you. The way Tutor looks at Yim alone will help get you through the episodes. Focus, Mark and Gems were decent enough. I was hoping for so much better, at least a better storyline, but that's just me. Others seem to love it. I will give them one more chance if they do another series.... because I do like them together.

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Double The Stress!!

No matter what universe the answer will still be no.

No to Yi Chen's mother. Should have died sooner. Yes, I said it.
No to his brother. In fact, add a slap to that. Blocked his brother's happiness and then went on to have his happy life and felt he was in a position to criticize. One leg didn't seem appropriate.
No to the blame Lu Feng had to endure for his honesty and insinuating that he corrupted Yi Chen, when the brother was getting his rocks off on the down low. But let's all blame Lu Feng.
No to Lu Feng's sister and family. Another set of happy campers forcibly imposing their rules and exacerbating his mental illness while having a beautiful successful life. Again, another set of parents that lived too long.
No to shooting Yi Chen and blaming everything on Lu Feng. Yes she came to help but bring authorities not a gun. It is okay to kill Lu Feng but not the jellyfish.
No to Yi Chen taking so long to grow a spine that I thought he was a jelly fish. His escapism was just as ill as Lu Feng's bipolar behavior, just quieter. Had the audacity to show up for an interview and took of his glasses to get back in. Diabloical. He knew the power he held.
No to Yi Chen trying to protect his mother at the same time discarding Lu Feng.
No to Yi Chen not appreciating what Lu Feng did by severing his relationship with his family for him.
No to the pain and suffering Lu Feng put Yi Chen through, especially with the psychiatrist, when he knew he had a problem.
No to Lu Feng taking Yi Chen forcefully.
No to Lu Feng not accommodating Yi Chen's desire to top him. He had to assume the bottom role by default. Would once every 10 years be so bad? No. Relationship still not intune.

For 12 ep I was stressed out of my mind with these two.

Yes to the writers, production team and actors.
I would have preferred not seeing the brother in the last ep but hey, they didn’t ask me. The only good thing on seeing him is when Lang basically told him he could've sent him crazy too with his attitude. Yet he was so judgemental of Lu Feng. I hated Yi Chen's expression in the later eps. His mouth looked like a guppy when he was clueless. I loved the commitment they felt for each other. I loved when Yi Chen said "We'll go crazy together."

Overall, decent.

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Badly Burnt

Let's get into it.
The visuals beautiful. Dew's smile - dream worthy. Dew, Gun and Off's acting, in that order - believable for the most part. Gun crying - nice to see but became less effective with the copious amounts seen. Chemistry between DewGun - blazing. Chemistry between OffGun - pedestrian. The artwork, at first - esthetically pleasing. With every painting, the phallus being the focal point, begs the viewer to wonder, did Jira have penis envy? When did he see Pheem's? Overdone. Oversexual. Pain and freedom can be depicted differently and effectively. Thankfully, his last was different. Gun's wardrobe - great taste, impeccable. Pheem's pain and frustration - resonating, palpable, undeniable. Koh strutting around bare chested - underwhelming. This did nothing to create the illusion of his anxiety and oddity. It just screamed too much money to care about anyone but himself. Everyone was disposable. When he did wear clothes, I'm guessing the subliminal messages on his tees were to shape the scenes.

Now to the storyline. Script was on the original side. Dark. Emotional. Self realization. Fear of authenticity being replaced by a machine. What I didn't like about the script - when characters flip flop and then the last couple of episodes suddenly know what they want. From the jump, Jira reiterated repeatedly that he hated Koh. Now we all know the end game. It's expected. Nine out of ten episodes of hate, insert one vengeful kiss, one fantasy encouraged kiss and a crotch fondle, and there he was, back pressed to the bed with feet pointed to the ceiling. Lying to the other characters is one thing, lying to himself was tedious. From their first meeting Koh had Jira tethered and he yanked it at will. So who were they fooling? My only rewards for watching that nonsense were the rage room and PheemJira infront of the camera in Mawin's audition. Beautiful art.

Since money and their differing views on AI's effect on authentic art were the chasm between them, this could have easily captured at least three episodes of fiery entertainment. We got nine episodes of petulance from all the characters with a few pockets of sparkles. Collectively, the characters were not that likeable.

I started this expecting the emotional tug of war between them. Truthfully after episode two I was over it. In Thai series it is very rare that one of the ml are allowed to be seen kissing anyone but their partner. Pheem's attempts were painful. Artistically and realistically. If Jira said that he liked Pheem and they were in the room. Why was his response lackluster from the start? What was his goal? BOC delivers great content. Honest work. Gmmtv is sadly trailing behind. It's like a well decorated cake but flavorless.

My consensus: this could have been wrapped in eight episodes. Four for the PheemJira nonsense and four for KohJira nonsense. Side note: I especially didn't like the butler coercing Jira to wait for him to procure a taxi or he would be in trouble with Koh and Jira giving in. A grown arse man cowering and Jira's spineless petulance. Nope.

A lot was dealt with in the last episode and then nothing really. Jira got a spine - I can live without you. Pheem being the bigger man and bridging the space between them. Koh stopped yanking the chain and held boundaries. I did like the spots of humor between Pheem and Mawin , it gave a lightness to the absurdity and their friendship. AJ and Emi were perfect.

A story such as this would have been more effective with the audience viewing the dynamics rather than every moment being explained. Faults an all, it's still watchable and as I said there were moments that were good.

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Times and Places

1. ArthitDao - Had the most depth and bluntness which worked in their favor.
2. JoNorth - Best strangers to lovers. Funniest.
3. FahPhoon - Pure innocence with a deep love.
4. SueaNao - I believe their story could have been much better had it happened entirely on the same level as the others and not high school. It lacked the sweetness that the others intrinsically held.
5. HillTer - Hill needed a hot Ter not a juvenile Ter. Tepid.

Overall it was a nice compilation and each different. Actors were good, some stories could have been better directed and the dialogue at times was repetitive and banal. Still worthy of a view.

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Why I Stayed

Honestly, it wasn't epic but it flowed, trickled at times but ultimately I wanted to see what would trigger the switch at the end. Who knew like all fairytales, it would take falling in love and the kiss. Specifically at twilight for those who want to try.

Yes, it was humorous especially, their attempt with the hairdryer. Desperate times, desperate measures. I enjoyed the flat dead pan delivery and harsh responses of Yun . Cha's wide eyed responses were so innocent, he was no match for Yun's mother. What sealed it for me was when the switches in personalities being instantaneous and they both felt comfortable to deliver in each role. The push ups were hilarious.

It lacked a little something, possibility the sweet moments we normally associate with a light bl like this but it was nice enough. Perfect ending. Homestay appears to have some magical matchmaking capabilities.

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Their Magic Together

I missed them. The ease and flow between them is unmistakable. Like a warm blanket late at night, I held them close. Their previous work proved why I showed up every week to see them. Beautiful actors who can take me on a journey and leave me satisfied. I will miss them again as this is complete.

I was missing the old style where stories are told and acted well. Their immediate bond stood true again. Their eyes meet and all I want is just them, on a bike, smiling going anywhere. Their story unique to them. Not a simple one, but cute, funny and interesting to the end. Their kisses as it should be. Appearing at the right time without much preamble. I am happy they chose to give us another project together.

Ji Han's woeful eyes and Jeong You steady stare enrich stories without having to say anything more.

The things that I would change are the fillers. Too many. More plot, more activity needed. U Jin's last run around the bend when the car strikes goes unexplained. The ending too slow and drawn out.

Saying that and still wanting more seems contrary. It's just their magic together makes it all worthwhile. This was a nice nod back to the olden days when the characters were interesting, the acting good and the story left you with a warm feeling at the end.

Just like A Breeze of Love, I will watch this again.

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What the hell?

There is no amount of Me and Thee, Sangmin Dinneaw and Jack and Joker lunacy could have prepared me for this. It's good that it was done with the most outlandish plot cuz nothing else would have worked. You want to but you can't look away cuz you have this need to know what else could they possibly do. Turns out, a lot. Pockets of entertainment.

Overall, there were humerous moments throughout with a heavy dose of melodrama. The father was a trip. Loved his performances. He had the uncanny ability to show up just at the right moment. I liked the craziness of it all. It was light, fast moving and ultimately entertaining tho a bit redundant. Too many unnecessary clashes.

Donut's voice is something I cannot get used to. Even with a lowered volume and 2x, it felt like a drill into my brain. Didn't like it in TBNW and here. I will say he has potential as an actor. Forth is effortlessly natural. They're good for each other.

Is this format a plus for them? Who knows. I'm reminded that TleFirstOne began with a 2 min vertical series and their popularity has grown enormously. So here's hoping they get to that level also, tho I consider this a step down from TBNW. Probably they haven't found their niche.

Brain activity needed - none. Watchable - yes.

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