Sequel topping S1. Superb!

I re-watched S1 before watching S2, just to see if my original rating (7,5) would stand. It did. I liked the cuteness and sweet interactions. I was expecting something similar for S2 (I try to avoid spoilers as much as I can). But I was in for a surprise. The bittersweet heartache starts in the first minute and hardly lets up until the forelast episode. Where I loved Ji Woo and loathed Seo Joon's railroading him in S1, it was the reversed in S2. Ji Woo is being a closed up a**hole and Seo Joon is trying with all his might to save their relationship and show his love. His honesty and candor are heartmelting and I could not understand how Ji Woo could resist. The slow meltingf of the ice wall Ji Woo has around his heart is shown with great subtlety and the hardening of Seo Joons heart made very clear. In the end I could not see how they would ever get back together and feared for a BL-style weird plot-twist, but I'm happy to say that the way they ultimately find each other is so raw and emotional, it simultaneously broke and healed my heart. I loved it.

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Made with Love

I was sceptical when I started this series, mostly because its another college student BL, of which we have PLENTY and of which only a few are really good. I started watching because Saint was involved in creating this BL and since I'm an admirer I could not leave it. I watched all episodes on IdolFactory's YT channel, bc apparently other sources have missing scenes.

Boy did I make a good choice! The first few episodes actually had me thinking I made a mistake watching this and I was afraid I might have to drop it. I'm glad I didn't, because after ep. 3 it redeemed itself and then some.

The acting is very good. It was very carefully directed and there was enough space for believable character development. You see the characters growing in their relationships and in their self-evaluation. This is delivered in a very natural way. The nerdy, insecure Toh starts believing he is actually not so bad after all, and grows stronger en empowered. The handsom jock Nuea is suprisingly caring and insecure about Toh. They both grow to appreciate each others insecurities, take each other seriously and help each other.

The love radiates from the screen. Fortunately there is plenty of age-appropriate skinship. These are guys in their early twenties. They will do more than just pecks and hugs. The love-scenes are endearing and hot at the same time. They made my heart flutter and in some cases even tear up a little.

What I liked: No-one wants to change the other person. There is a lot of respect and kindness. Toh is not a " pretty boy" (although he has absolute flawless skin). There is a low-key lesbian couple, a trans character, very accepting and loving parents, great love-scenes.

What I didn't like: The first 2/3 eps are very cringy. The storyline of Toh keeping everything even remotely to do with Nuea, even crabshells really grossed me out. The childish behaviour of both Toh and Jao annoyed the hell out of me. This does get better further along, but keeps creeping up on the characters and I just don't like it. As said, these are not children but young adults, there is no reason whatsoever to behave this way. The secondary couples could have used more screentime. There were pieces missing in that area. HOW did DaisyTouch, SomTor and KhwanFon get together??

All in all you can see that this was made with a lot of love and care and because of that I can forgive a lot of the bad. I really enjoyed (binge)watching.

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Stuck it out. Get me a t-shirt.

Well.... It finished. And I still have mixed feelings. Mostly I feel bad for the timing of this series. Had it been aired a few months earlier, it would have been seen as quite revolutionary. Right now, after KinnPorsche, it is all coming up short. Blame the timing, blame the hype, it is what it is and that's just not very good and not up to standard. (I reviewed eps 1-8 earlier, see below.)
The concept was pretty good. The visual outstanding. Great sets, beautiful lighting, very nice. The acting was spotty. Sometimes very good. Especially from Ton we get plenty of appropriate emotion. But sometimes really bad. Yoon and mafia is not a great match. In one scene he really nails it, in another he is bland as raw noodles or overacting so much it's cringe. Were Khom and Baiboon doing great, suddenly their story all but disappeared and they were left being props or set filling. I hated the Danil character. I would've happily punched him. The way he made a 180 after the kidnapping was very out of character. Kim is just too good of a person. I would not be so generous towards him. The whole suit thing has me puzzled. When and where did they change? In the car?? That would be some houdini stuff. Not in the house, since they are walking towards it... I just don't know. And what kind of celebration was this? What are they congratulated with? Most likely the retirement, but it's not mentioned once!

All in all this was just a feast of missed opportunities and bad choices, wrapped in a beautiful and sweet layer of fondant.

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Review ep. 1-8
This series was hyped, and that is a dangerous thing. As we are seeing with KinnPorsche vs Check Out, it can go either way. So far this Mafia BL is somewhere in between those two. Not really worth the hype, but also not bad. There are many elements that make me come back every Wednesday to watch KamolKim. The developing feelings from Kim are natural an logical, even though they could stem from a sort of Stockholm Syndrome. In the beginning the chemistry was spotty, but it seems to be getting better, just as the relationship progresses. There does seem to be a whole story beneath the surface though, and I hope that we will get to see some of that. The way KhomBaiboon is being portrayed so far is *chefs kiss*. Respectful of the age (difference) but with so much feeling and passion in the glances and (near) touches. As said, there is enough here to keep watching, but they better deliver on what is being promised!

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Who are the real monsters really?

Ok, I get the bad reviews. Really, I do. BUT!!! On a deeper level, this drama (and especially the ending) is genius level and to be fair, has been building up since the previous season. Ever since the CSAT's were cancelled, we have seen this guy spiral. The madness in his eyes grew ever larger and his paranoia was truly outrageous. I was surprised nobody noticed or looked after him. Goes to show how much of an outcast he really was. The focus from the monsters in/from the sky (who were sort of manageable in the end) shifted to the monster on the ground. When you think of the fact that these monsters are very real and appear just about daily, should we not actually focus on this irl? I'm not saying that the drama is a social complaint piece, but I do feel this is what is supposed to be the message: Monsters Are Real, They Are Everywhere, They Are Human.

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Please never ruin a good sitcom like this again

A BL as a sitcom... that could be interesting. And it really is! BUT BUT BUT there are also some serious flaws and bad choices in this. It's like the creators had a checklist of what makes a sitcom a sitcom and tried to check all of the boxes without checking if it would be beneficial as a viewing experience. I imagine the checklist looked like this:

- Decor. Should look like cardboard, obviously studio-filmed. Bright colors. Not more than 2 or 3 locations.
- Cast. Not too well known actors. They need to be good looking. no other specific requirements. Chemistry is a plus.
- Comedy. No need for actually funny jokes. Use noises to emphasize.
- Audience. Since no actual comedy is provided, a live audience would not know when to laugh. Use canned laughter. Every other sentence will do just fine.
- Situations. Since it's a romance, we can focus all situations on that. Take the enemy to lovers trope and stretch the enemy part as far as possible. Then a jealousy-bit and finally the lovers part should take up no more than 2 seconds,

As bad as this may look, it was actually quite nice. It really had that 80's/90's sitcom feel. If only they had not over used the laughter-button it would maybe even be funny. The actors (who both made their debut in this) actually did a decent job and had amazing chemistry that really built up towards the end. But that chemistry also made for a huge disappointment when there was NO real kiss. Just lips touching. Twice, of which once by accident. Such a shame!!

I would like to see this genre explored in BL. Give me more sitcoms, with better checklists!

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Masterclass in modern fantasy C-drama!

Basd on the very high rating, I expected a good drama, but I didn't expect it to be actually worth the high rating. Modern C-drama's don't usually excite me that much, but this one is really different.

The first 3 episodes are setting the scene. The problem, an explosion where everyone dies, is served and the main characters are introduced. The thrill and events really pick up from ep 4 and onwards. Every new episode, new problems and situations are presented and the issues get more and more complicated. Our 2 protagonists are dealing with getting everyone out alive, not dying in the process and not getting arrested and questioned because nobody will (and does) believe them.

Despite the many repeating situations (since they are in a time loop), the fact that there are some days they stay in the bus and others they try and succeed to venture outside makes it so it does not get boring. We are being fed clues and information to keep us engaged in the whodunnit part of the story, but we also get glimpses of the characters and lives of the people involved. Nobody is who they seemed to be in the beginning.

There is amazing pace, just enough action, plenty of suspense and even a little romance. This is a master class in how to make a modern fantasy/sci-fi drama.

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Great chemistry and creepy villain

I really liked this lakorn a lot and not only because of Luke Ishikawa Plowden (although that is who I came for initially). The chemistry between the 2 leads is great. The respect Dino has for the much more traditionally brought up Pam is very sweet. Grandma is a lovely woman and I have no idea what made Grandpa hate foreigners so much (even one so well integrated is Dino!) but he got over it way too late. Poor Luke must feel so bullied with gramps talking about him and his parents. The dialogues and events were interesting enough to not let me be distracted by Luke Ishikawas beautifull features and voice. His voice is really worth mentioning apart this time, as he uses it amazingly. Soft and sensual, humorous and high-pitched, he does it all. I loved it. I would have liked Pam to be a bit more fierce, and Aood a bit less demure, but we cant have everything. Leaves just the music. Aside from the horrible theme song that irritated me from the 1st episode on, to the Never Ending Story theme/score (I looked it up, it is ACTUALLY from Never Ending Story!) this was really, really bad for an ost. Like really bad. The leads and the villain saved the drama and made me score it a 7. Would have been way worse without them

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Not up-to-standard

As a long-time Lee Joon Gi stan this drama was of course a must for me. I was a bit disappointed at how it turned out. The concept and cast are amazing. Solid performances from everyone. If this is your first drama or even your first prosecutor-trope drama or maybe even your first LJK drama, you will probably come out of it enthousiastic. For me, it was just standard. I felt like the main cast was mostly going on auto pilot and not giving us their top-game. Same gous for the story. Quite predictable, the surprises did not really chock and a lot of repetition, Again the hitman, again the rootop, again the corrupt politician... The ending was unnecessarily open, probably meant to show that corruption and the work of a just prosecutor never ends. Well ok, we got that. I skipped through the last 3 episodes and that is a baaaaddd sign for a drama w my fave! Still scored it 7,5 because LJK and the OST.

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Unnecessary addition

As other reviewers have mentioned, this was a S2 that did not need to be made. Its not as bad as that it shouldnt have been made at all, and I liked the acting, the realness and parts of the story. However, it did not add anything to the og story. They could have just let that ending stand w/o this whole 8 ep. S2. Such a waste. There is hardly any character development, the side couples are weird, there's hardly any skinship, let alone fluff. No chemistry like in S1 (what happened?) It's almost like there was a contract that had to be fulfilled, but nobodies heart was really in it.

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Advanced BL-creation!

This is advanced BL-creation!
Not only is there top-notch acting across the board, the cinematography and production quality are amazing and don't get me started on the OST!! The songs are beautiful and actual part of the story, adding layers to the whole.
Butterfly level was through the roof, with sizzling chemistry with all 3 cp, which is, as you may know, extremely rare. The love and fluff scenes are beautifully filmed, with exactly the right musical score, all to achieve the highest level of romance. And the kisses... oh.. the kisses.... And it all works! It made me feel all the feels, I LOL-ed a lot, I teared up when I should tear up, I -awwwww-ed when I should awwww. The fact that there was also a clear message of equality, anti-misogyny and pro-lgbtq+ rights in it that did not in any way take anything away from the story is prize-worthy. Very smooth, very well done. The reason it does not get a 10/10 is that there remains some inequality in the relationships. There is a boss and a subordinate. This to me gets old quite fast, even if so well executed as was done here.

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Compelling but... Ep-By-Ep full review

Review ep 1-3: Considering this is a MAME BL, I am pleasantly surprised on the lack of unconsentual scenes and inappropriate language. There is clearly immediate attraction between Rain and Payu and not from one side. The chemistry sizzles like lightning (pun intended) and builds up every time they meet. Although Rain vows to win Payu over in some stupid bet, we soon learn that Payu had his eye on Rain for some time already and is actually the one who fell first. He is clearly thrilled that Rain is slowly but surely swayed by the caring and charismatic Payu. I felt the tension building between them and in ep. 3 they have a very hot and spicy bed scene. Although the build up to this was almost perfect, I felt the shift from outside in the rain to inside the bathtub was a bit sudden. I am very excited to see the next episodes!!
Ep. 4 and I'm invested in seeing this through. Although an actual plot is nowhere in sight, the interactions between Payu and Rain are everything. From (threatening to) putting in a suppository (yes, really...) to singing a beautiful lovesong up close... It's all so so good. The chemistry is off the charts and the atmosphere as a whole is just... I have no words. The lighting is a story on its own in every scene, looks and kisses, playfulness and sincerity, it's all put to frame exquisitely. One thing though... I'm kinda tired of waiting for the impactful first meeting of Sky and Prapai... Can we have it soon? Na? Na? Na ?
Ep.5/6 These guys.... They're bold and sensual and wholesome at the same time. From raw lust to cute baby in an instant and it does not annoy or bother. The dosing of moods is just so good! The annoying dangerous guy who thinks he's all that was annoying, but that's his job. Let's see what happens when Payu finds out about them taking his darling...
Ep7: who else took Rain than the asshole from earlier? He's a speciall kind of stupid pulling this stunt and it won't stand. Payu and Rain are a literal force of nature, no-one gets in their way. I love how fierce Payu gets cute over Rain and how Cute Rain fiercely defends Payu. It's so wholesome I could cry. Rain even gets the courage to confess he's with Payu to his friends and his proud expression is amazing. We get a little preview of what's to come starting next week. The story of Prapai and Sky will take off. Can't wait!!
Ep. 8: The PrapaiSky arc has been launched. It was and was not what I expected at the same time. Sky must have been seriously hurt to offer himself to Pai so easily. The sex looked like what it was: just sex. It then takes Pai 2 months to make up his mind and start pursuing Sky. 2 months?? Seems a bit lengthy... Then, the way he decides to woo Sky is a little on the creepy stalky side ngl. I would have called the cops on him. All it takes is a bouquet and a cheesy line to sway Sky. I would've thought he would be less easily charmed. I hope he will give Pai a very hard time before he lets him touch again.
Ep. 9. Omg, PrapaiSky could be even better than PayuRain! Poor Sky is dealing with traumatic experience(s), which seem to be related to his ex. He's having nightmares and these seem to get worse the more Pai is pursuing him. He is obviously affected by Pai's attention, but he wants none of it.
The interactions between Pai and Sky are intense. Every word, look, move meaningful.. The chemistry is -again- off the charts. How did they get these guys to fit so well together? It's almost match made in heaven so far. Even with an all but unconscious Sky it radiates from the screen. The torture of waiting a whole week for next episodes is real.
Ep 10-13. There is a lot to be said, some scenes are under a lot of discussion, but it all fits so well. Sky's ex is (of course) making a creepy rapey come back and Pai rescues Sky but not before serious damage was done and it takes a lot to get Sky to realize it is not his fault. It even takes Pai to hurt Sky by violating his privacy to make him come to his senses. That scene made me cry, It was so painful for both of them. In the end, both PaiSky and PayuRain are happy couples. But 13 ep bl's have a 14th ep. I hope to be able to see that one too since it will be a paid one.

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Surprising and engaged

As a BL watcher, I went into this thinking it might be a BL. It is not. But I was never disappointed about that. Singto and Fluke prove that they are capable of more than romantic drama and this thriller is so good, it kept me on the edge of my seat.

Thrillers have the tendency to give away the climax way to soon usually, and I'm hardly ever surprised by turn of events or endings. Here I was. The story is solid, no obvious plotholes, no annoying repetitions, great dialogue. What's more, this thriller contains social engagement. It tackles multiple issues that are current in Thai society, like domestic violence, LGBTQ issues, school bullying and - and that is really a big deal- the Red October massacre. All this combined with some awesomely worked out supernatural stuff is a recipe for greatness.

The only thing that could be improved is budget. With more money, this could have been the hitseries of the year. Now it stays underrated bc we want more fx probably. A shame, because this is nothing short of a masterpiece.

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Cute. That's it.

This is a typical formula series. Main CP is m/f and 2 others m/m. We have a group of friends (a band), there's a goofy character (who must be based off of Tong's character in KinnPorsche, he even looks like him) a capable responsible one, a closeted gay and an out gay, a doesntknowhelikesmen one and a villain. It's mostly a straight forward simple story, but quite well put together without obvious plot holes. Great scenery, some surprisingly funny scenes and a bit of emotional dialogue makes for a good watch. One big flaw, however, only 1 of the cp have good chemistry and all kisses are hugs. Or shot at an awkward angle. That's a big nope. So, overall cute, but nothing more.

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Philosophical and original epic tale

This drama does not deserve the current rating (7.1/10). I can't help but think if the main leads were played by more well known actors, the rating would've gone through the roof! They might not have done as good a job as the actual main leads, though. These men put on the show of their lives. Atom especially absolutely floored me with his performance, he is truly an amazing actor.

The overall feel of the drama is somewhat melancholy, very much in line with the story, which is an epic tale about life and death, love and regret. The dialogue is riddled with poetic and philosphical lines. With this theres a danger of cringe, but that never happens thanks to the immaculate delivery. Except for the audition scene, where Sunshines agony poors out. I felt there was a bit of overacting going on here.

There is no NC scene, but the chemistry is absolutely there. Not the raw sensual kind, but the slowly falling in love and getting to know eachother kind. There are a few (near) kisses and these are actually enough.

The story is reminiscent of supernatural Kdramas, with the twists of fate, the agonizing dilemma's and letting go of your love . The feel is Epic, with a capital E.
The music deserves an honorary mention. No typical BL tunes here. Jazzy, indie tunes kiss your ears like a smooth summer breeze.

So if you're in for a drama about love, philosophy, referencing Faust and MacBeth, with amazing acting and a melancholy feel, watch this and be amazed.

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