Something different compared to your average Asian drama. "Long time no see" is a Korean gay version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, in which two hitmen fall for each other, and then have to face their competing bosses. Woo Suk Tak and Seung Ho Yeon acting performance is decent (contrary to the secondary characters, unfortunately). The story is rather simple, and although it follows a cliche, it is a nice change that this not the typical Asian melodramatic plot, but rather an action packed (well sort of), mafia plot with an unexpected brutality (although not too much compared to today's Hollywood standards).

In summary: A little bit of romance, a little bit of action, and some skin make up a pleasant evening with a Hollywood-like happy end. No real plot surprises, decent acting and cute faces. Who needs more?

Read More

A fresh, original story: Humanity combined with love, but not overthrown by it.

I wasn't really expecting too much from this series, and boy was I in for a surprise! It turned out to be one of the best I've watched in a long time. The story is original (of course there is the typical drama ingredient backbone), but the plot unfolds in a natural way, covering most of the open questions, while the lead characters evolve, mature, and find out what makes the world spin. All in all very well done!

The chemistry between the actors is pretty good. It is not as intense as other BL series, but then again this one does not concentrate on the "spicy" bits (there is just one light kiss at the and, that's) and just three or four times holding hands. Period. If you are looking for a romantic relationship-centered story, this is not the place. Here the characters have to come to terms with the world as is, and struggle with the boundary conditions it imposes. It is by no means fatalistic (people have free choice and they also make use of it, however not without considering restrictions and consequences). Also, what makes this story so unique and brilliant, is that it also convincingly conveys a humanistic aspect, so kudos to the creators!

The only thing that annoyed me, was the rather abrupt ending. It isn't that the story makes no sense, it's just that the time leap was too much for a series (I guess this works perfectly in a book or a story, with the final chapter titled "some years later"), but it kinda felt awkward here. Or it might be that the last episode was an addition to the original story (which I have not read) thus feeling unconnected (especially since the characters' behavior sort of changed drastically to accomodate the expected happy ending). Nonetheless, this is a beautiful story about humanity, dressed up as a quasi-BL-romantic story, shot with excellent cinematography.

Would I watch it again? Hard to say. It is one of these series, which, once you know the plot, you do not get butterflies in your stomach, like typical BL series containing more romantic/teasing scenes. Is this bad? Well for me not at all, in fact this is one of the reasons I enjoyed this so much. Love was there, but not overcasting life itself. This is fulfilling both emotionally and morally (well at least in my eyes...)

Read More

Almost emotionally abusive relationship in the shallowest of stories

I started watching this series after having read many positive reviews and thus had high expectations. At this point I should say that although I enjoy watching BL dramas, I am not a "fan", in the sense that I do not watch them for the thrill of seeing two cute guys kissing (although this is definitely a plus) but for the story, the development of the characters and the coherence of the plot. Unfortunately none of this seems to be the case here. A (partially) abusive high-schooler falls for the class's most bullied guy, who actually stalks him, but does not tell him and only treats him with superiority. No person in his right mind would fall for him, unless one suffering from some kind of Stockholm syndrome. The fact that he is the "most beautiful person" is psychologically not enough. So in a few words, the story sucks greatly. There is no evolution of the characters whatsoever, the main leads are either self-indulging or continuously self-pitying, and all six episodes spend a great amount of time in blurry reminiscence of past events (not serving the purpose of realization of present ones). The acting is mediocre (the crying is OK, but apart from this nothing more).

I was really disappointed, because I thought that today'sBL dramas had moved forward (in fact they have, there are many modern mature stories, the authors of which know how to write captivating stories with real content).

Just a final remark. If I consider this as a low-budget BL story intended for secretly admiring all-male romance, then it's OK.

Perhaps one more remark as after all. I realize that the dating culture in Asia is different, but having lived there and having been in a relationship with an Asian for quite a few years now, I can assure you, things are not so extreme there. At least not anymore (might have been decades ago), so this is also no excuse for poor plot.

Read More

Early BL series, with all the flaws of a starting industry and a cult status today.

I am very torn about this one, and I cannot really make up my mind.

First let me give you some background about me (in order to present you with some context). When this came out I watched it and I liked it very much, since (believe it or not) this was my first asian BL series. In reality I became infatuated, probably because I had just broken up with my Chinese bf. I got so hooked up, that I read the book in Chinese (which, given my language level at the time, was quite a struggle). In fact, I even started reading the second book (yes there is a continuation), but the story was so ridiculous that I gave up halfway through. The bottom line is that for personal reasons I somehow relayed more than expected to the characters, probably trying to make sense of my life at the time. This led to my adoring the series, and I suppose that a series or film that can succeed in connecting to its viewers can be regarded as successful. However, it is not always straightforward to cleanly separate successful and good.

After rewatching it (mostly in fast forward this time) a few years later, I realized that if I have to be honest the series is amateurish, the actors have little to no chemistry (at least not compared with modern series), and that the plot sucks (to put it mildly). The episodes are often logically disconnected and without the knowledge of the book plot (which per se is already wanting), the viewer is left confused.

Does this suffice for a bad rating? Well yes and no. Yes, since (at least for today's standards) this is a badly made series, but then again no, because when it was made it was quite revolutionary (especially it being a Chinese production). And everyone involved did their best (for that time). Obviously, same as with every type of art, judging old movies today is completely unfair. A Buster Keaton or the SanMao movie would be complete flops today... Furthermore, the series made quite a stir, to the point that people legally suffered because of it (google to see what happened to the main leads), which gives many plus points in my eyes.

Be it as it may, the series has definitely acquired a cult value among Asian-BL lovers like myself. If you want to watch a modern high-level production of a BL series, then this is probably not the best choice. If you want to understand what the early steps of the industry were, then this is definitely a must.

Read More

Semi-interesting story but with poor chemistry and bad directing

I started watching this after having seen a summary on YouTube which caught my interest.

The story per se is not bad, although a bit cliché. The department manager and heir of a big company and an employee fall for each other - misunderstandings ensue, drama emerges and generally K-drama proceeds as expected. So far so good.

First let me start with the positive things: all characters evolve in a manner which is not usual in such dramas. The plot has all the necessary ingredients to make a great drama.

However, and now come the negative things: the said elements simply do not work. They seem like random scenes thrown together in a way that they are completely disjoint. There is no read threat in the plot. Certain scenes do not fit, while others would fit if there weren't so large logical gaps between them. The lead characters (Pat and Jeng) come from completely different worlds. So different, that all their interactions seem dissociated from the story told. There is not enough going on to justify what is being told. One minute cry-baby Pat rejects his Boss because he still needs to find out his feelings (while he himself effectively plays around with his ex), and the next minute they divulge each other in the car. Mr. Perfect (Jeng) changes from a stern, hated by his employees manager into a respected team leader. Super rich, successful, handsome (like spending 3 hours in the gym on a daily basis), living in a super maisonette with his totally immature little brother (who undulates between subversiveness and independence, himself an innocent boy and at the same time a game player), excellent cook, who spends time to develop a recipe that suits Pat's taste buds, when he sees him saying he does not like celery. The gap is too large, and the causality of his actions simply is unbelievable. One detail that kept confusing me is also the time intervals between scenes. Sometimes something takes place the day after and sometimes a month or two later, and this is not made clear enough.

One last negative thing is the chemistry between the two main leads. I am anything but convinced that they develop feelings for each other. I guess, after having watched countless Bl dramas (I probably should find another hobby LOL) with actors who couldn't be better suited for each other, this one falls rather short. It is also their total incompatibility, mature vs. young, tall, full of muscles and totally manly vs. rather boyish, super rich vs. middle class, super clever and talented vs. more normal, good cook with his own restaurant vs bad cook (although son of a cook), I can go on for ever. The gap is really unbridgeable, and their initial encounter (when they still do not know who the other is) simply to short to develop such feelings. Everything seems forced and unrealistic.

I am not sure where to attribute all these flaws... Don't get me wrong, the series does not suck or anything, it simply is produced at a rather amateurish level.

Read More

Mafia-like politician against lewd lawyer and his naive martial arts BF

It is a good thing that modern BL movies have escaped the pure boys love landscape, in the sense that we get to watch adults engaging in adult situations and not just teenies whining about their first love. In this respect laws of attraction is great.

I watched with mixed expectations, and some of them were fulfilled while others did not.
First things first: The plot is a combination of crime mystery, with all the clichéd characters one expects. The lewd layer, the naive martial arts master, the corrupt politician etc. So far so good. Some of the characters do have some development, such as the senators son, who started out as a spoiled little brat and become a more kind hearted person (having been abused by his psychotic father), and the lawyer who became more humane. Others, like the senator, on the other hand remain one-dimensional throughout, who is simply portrayed as the personification of evil without any justification, back story, or development. The criminal story has several loopholes but it generally makes sense (at least to an extent), but of course one should always keep in mind that this is a BL series and not a Hollywood movie, so please judge accordingly.

The acting is rather problematic. I think that the chemistry between both the main and the secondary couples is lacking (to put it mildly). In the first half of the series there is quite some tension in the air, which, alas, culminates in a melodramatic bubbly Barbie-ish atmosphere in very unsatisfactory way. Tin is supposed to has just lost his niece to a murder, is a virgin (I suppose this regards same-sex relationships?) and yet falls head-over-heels for the (untrustworthy at first) lawyer. Everyone is accepting (what a perfect society we live in), and Grandma (who runs a traditional restaurant in a poor neighborhood and has lost her granddaughter AND her parents previously, happily wants to pursue a singing career in a bar run by an (adorable) lesbian couple. On the whole little makes sense in this direction....

The senator behaves like the worst mafia boss, kills, tortures and threats indiscriminately (even his own son, whom he uses to cover up his own crimes) and this happens perfectly hidden from public scrutiny. Even if one was to say that Thailand is not the most democratic country, it is definitely so corrupt (well at least not according to several international rankings).

In general there was little emotional development. The quantity of blood and killings did not correlate with the couples' relationships, which should have been more mature/adult (not necessarily more skin, but definitely more down-to-earth and less pink-lady-like). Everything feels like a random mixture of movie elements, that have not been cooked together long enough. Quite a lot of interesting ideas, but not pursued enough.

Do not get me wrong. The series is not trash, in fact it is better than many other series out there. However, it does not reach the hight of emotional dramas with amazing chemistry like some HIStory seasons, mood indigo, gray rainbow, a tale of thousand stars (just to name a few), or the action packed genre, like advance bravely, or the sign.

Read More

Nice inter-time love story, heavily influenced by Goethe and Genki Kawamura

I recently started watching this series, and was immediately captivated. The storyline pretty straightforward: Sunshine makes a pact with a supernatural being, who grants him 7 wishes in order to bring his boyfriend back (very much like Dr. Faustus did with the devil in the classic novel by Goethe, however to a different end), and for this has a price to pay. The price for every wish is to make someone disappear from the world (an idea very similar to the exceptional novel "If Cats Disappeared From The World" by the Japanese author Genki Kawamura, which cost me two sleepless nights). Each wish predictably leads to unanticipated results, which gradually teach Sunshine a lesson about life and complexity. The story is based on the book by Patrick Rangsimant, but (at least the few pages that I read) there are differences, especially with respect to the overall atmosphere. In fact I like the adaptation more. I cannot tell about the actual plot and its ending, since the series is ongoing.

The acting is quite good, and the two main lead characters have great chemistry (according to some research I did, which I am not sure is correct, this reflects their relationship in real life). Despite the reason for it, they definitely are very convincing.

Technically the series is good, the sound background very nice, cut and angles are very good.

Having said that, I do have some criticism as well. I am not a huge fan of overall dramatized stories (you know the one that make you cry all the time). I like emotions to come in finite portions, while here (especially in the last episodes), the drama simply grows and grows. It is not a perpetual whining yet, but I feel that the series would gain more with a touch of down-to-earth objectivity. But this is a matter of personal taste perhaps. The second (rather technical?) thing that bothers me are the countless flash-backs, which not always serve a purpose. I would go for shorter episodes, since rewatching so many scenes again and again in most cases brings no new information.

As a whole, I am really enjoying this series, which gratefully is not another high-school puppy-love BL drama, but explores more aspects of the human nature, and clearly comes from the pen of an author with certain life experience and maturity. We certainly need of those.

Read More

Amazing love story, packed with action, cuteness, and perfect chemistry

I am not an ease one to please. If fact, I rarely get excited by BL movies and dramas (although I keep watching them for some reason....), but this one was a completely different league.

The story is mature (not your average boyish, coming-out plot). Everything revolves around a cat-and-mouse game between police and mafia. The main leads are simply perfect: cute, handsome (OK, I know they all are, but I had to mention it), with realistic characters, feelings and actions. Their characters evolve over time in a convincing way (one can understand why they change and what their thoughts are - this does not mean necessarily that one has to agree, but it's believable). The balance between romance and action is good, and the portion of intimacy just right. Everything is sprinkled with a dose of humor (but not too much to spoil the mixture), mainly arising from the side characters. The main characters gradually fall for each other (oh well it is a BL drama after all), but they do not question their feelings, rather they question their life choices and how they led them to today's situation. And this is what I expect from adults living in a modern society. There are the occasional ticklish scenes (such as provoking jealousy or fear), but not too much. Relationships are critically looked at, but not overdramatized. And people actually work, they do not just sit around discussing their heart's adventures, although the latter ones naturally emerge from the plot.

I consider this series a rare gem, which I personally rewatched twice (I can barely remember doing that for any other BL series). It is hard to tell if I am being objective, or it just hit the right nerve, but in my defence I am neither a cop nor a mafia member, so I wish to believe it is the first... :-)

Read More

Not for the faint hearted

I discovered BL at a relatively late point in life (one of the reasons being probably that the genre did not even exist when I was younger). What fascinates me is that the stories generally revolve around emotions and not just the clichéd Hollywood coming-out stories, which I find boring. To my delight, in the past few years, the genre has evolved to not just puppy love, but also includes adults going through everyday life. Probably, herein lies the charm of all HIStory seasons. Additionally, being european, romantically involved with an Asian for many years now, I feel like I am gaining some more insight into how Asians feel and act (clearly over-romanticized, but still), which I obviously couldn't not understand (at least not to this extent).

Having said this, let me come to the actual review. As is typical for HIStory, two stories are being told in parallel, the one of two colleagues and one of two stepbrothers. I really enjoyed the one, in which two grown up men realize for the first time their feelings for each other, and, although confident about themselves, they have to deal with them in an unprecedented for them manner. It is not a coming-out story, it has nothing to do with opening up to parents - it is the struggle to categorize one's own feelings and decide what to do with them. The acting from both characters is very convincing, and as a viewer I was taken along their journey (even reminding me of some instants of my own past). So far so good, for this half I would easily give out a 9/10.

The second story, however, left me angry, dissatisfied, and worst of all, quite disturbed. I have watched stepbrother affairs, but usually, it is about youngsters, who when they become stepbrothers they start to fall for each other. This I can accept (although it is probably a very difficult situation). However, when two stepbrothers grow up together, they call the other's parent mom and dad, respectively, for years, the situation changes. Even thought they are not biologically related, they still have lived for years as a family, which in my eyes makes them real brothers, hence I see their affair as truly incestuous, which I admit disturbs me a lot. Furthermore, several details of their story becomes both unbelievable and weird (for instance how they interact with their parents, and how their affair is finally accepted, since this is the only way presumably for the couple to live together). Last but not least, I find their acting not en par with the first story (I may of course be biased by the story too).

So, mostly I watched only one part, fast-forwarding the other one. Perhaps due to my age, I am still to conservative for it.

Read More