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This review may contain spoilers
Good chemistry and acting, but the plot was frustrating
This was a really mixed bag for me.
On the positive side the show was a high budget, high quality production with a good casting of actors. The actors in general in the show all did very well in their roles and you cannot deny that Tee and Heng created some intense chemistry and tension together as Big Jane and Little Jane. In a dark/toxic romance series especially maintaining the suspension between the main pair plays a very important part, and this couple delivered. You really are kept nervous and questioning if Big Jane really is looking after and actually loving Little Jane or if he is actually manipulating him for his own benefit. The truth probably ending up somewhere between manipulation and obsessive love.
Unfortunately the chemistry and acting alone does not get a series trough full 12 episodes. The plot is frustratingly repetitive and without the dramatic accident and kidnapping happening in the last three episodes, the shows whole plot is basically just Little Jane going from "I can't stand him to I cannot live without him." In a toxic romance series this card can be used a few times, but not to the extent it was used majority of the show.
Second big issue I had was the lack of character development with Little Jane (okay we get some in the last ep, but it's too little too late). Almost the whole show Little Jane cannot set boundaries with the people around him, making him constantly vulnerable for not only Big Jane's manipulation, but to other people's similar behavior he comes across during the series. He's constantly the underdog and for some reason (which the series doesn't give answers to) he doesn't seem to have a concept what a healthy dating relationship should look like. When Big Jane's stalking altar room is revealed any other person should be running for the hills, but Little Jane just accepts this as something completely normal way of showing affection. There is some attempt of Little Jane trying to set limits with Big Jane's shady business practices, but even at the end that limit does not hold, because apparently love really is not only color blind, but blind in general with this series.
In conclusion yes this is a very high quality production, with some of the best actors in the industry and we get to see great chemistry and acting. However the plot is just too repetitive for a 12 episode production. If you can look pass the rather repetitive plot + three event intensive episodes at the end this is alright toxic/dark BL. Though it should be noted that the super natural element that was teased in the trailer, it doesn't exist in the show. In the end everything has "a human" explanation, so no demonic powers here. Even if Big Jane could still be described as such for everything he does during the series.
On the positive side the show was a high budget, high quality production with a good casting of actors. The actors in general in the show all did very well in their roles and you cannot deny that Tee and Heng created some intense chemistry and tension together as Big Jane and Little Jane. In a dark/toxic romance series especially maintaining the suspension between the main pair plays a very important part, and this couple delivered. You really are kept nervous and questioning if Big Jane really is looking after and actually loving Little Jane or if he is actually manipulating him for his own benefit. The truth probably ending up somewhere between manipulation and obsessive love.
Unfortunately the chemistry and acting alone does not get a series trough full 12 episodes. The plot is frustratingly repetitive and without the dramatic accident and kidnapping happening in the last three episodes, the shows whole plot is basically just Little Jane going from "I can't stand him to I cannot live without him." In a toxic romance series this card can be used a few times, but not to the extent it was used majority of the show.
Second big issue I had was the lack of character development with Little Jane (okay we get some in the last ep, but it's too little too late). Almost the whole show Little Jane cannot set boundaries with the people around him, making him constantly vulnerable for not only Big Jane's manipulation, but to other people's similar behavior he comes across during the series. He's constantly the underdog and for some reason (which the series doesn't give answers to) he doesn't seem to have a concept what a healthy dating relationship should look like. When Big Jane's stalking altar room is revealed any other person should be running for the hills, but Little Jane just accepts this as something completely normal way of showing affection. There is some attempt of Little Jane trying to set limits with Big Jane's shady business practices, but even at the end that limit does not hold, because apparently love really is not only color blind, but blind in general with this series.
In conclusion yes this is a very high quality production, with some of the best actors in the industry and we get to see great chemistry and acting. However the plot is just too repetitive for a 12 episode production. If you can look pass the rather repetitive plot + three event intensive episodes at the end this is alright toxic/dark BL. Though it should be noted that the super natural element that was teased in the trailer, it doesn't exist in the show. In the end everything has "a human" explanation, so no demonic powers here. Even if Big Jane could still be described as such for everything he does during the series.
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