What a nice surprise. I started the drama with zero knowledge and expectations. I knew the acting would be top notch with a cast like that, but truth to be told, the story did not sound like something I might enjoy. Well... I was wrong.

I fell for each and every character presented. This is how everyone should write interesting, fresh, original and flawed ones. I hated so many of the choices they made and actions they took, but I could understand why they did them. All the bad behaviors were never excused, but always explained. And I found it extremely refreshing.

The story slowly presents to you that whatever happens is almost never just one person's fault. At the end of the day, it is your choice to stay in a bad situation and turn a blind eye to what happens in your surroundings.

The drama has a lot of really meaningful and deep messages, including: consent in a relationship, understanding your worth, impact the past struggles have on your current self, fear of happiness and losing it. You learn as you watch it. More than once I read a line a character has said and just simply nodded my head in agreement.

Any flaws? The ending was too good. I was quite honestly hoping for some twist by the end. I was sad with how Maru and Soo Kyung's story was dealt with. There clearly were hints left, but they never followed with any conclusion. It's worth mentioning the painfully unnecessary Dong Goo's story line. From the beginning till the end, I was not even slightly interested in his character and the romantic subplot he's got.

Overall, I believe it's an extremely underrated drama and I wish more people would give it a shot. The first two episodes might leave you speechless and it's hard to understand the characters and their motivation, but as we get to know them better, they start to feel like old friends. The familiar feeling just calls you in.

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Simplistic symbolism and how being a teenager is actually hard.

A rare case when my brain sees all the flaws, but my heart says: I don’t care. The whole show has a great juvenile charm to it, and the sloppy storytelling and in your face symbolism just adds to it. Sure, I strongly believe that with a few different directing choices this could easily become one of the best BL shows up to date, but even as it is right now, it’s truly enjoyable.

Yes, the setup on the surface is painfully stupid. We are sold the story of this abusive authoritarian school and students fighting for their rights, but what is presented is 3 students not wanting to wear uniforms. Is it that simple? No. It was never about uniforms, it was about self expression and more accurately sexuality.

The uniforms and the rules were supposed to represent the norm in terms of sexuality. Following the rules in school meant following social norms. Suppressing your sexuality to fit with what was established and deemed as "normal". The whole show is a commentary on the conservative and outdated ideas and how they harm the youth. It’s a great subject with a idea on how to present it, but not as good of an execution.

The storytelling was not detailed enough. We are presented with a wall of rules that were established, yet we actually know about only two. What are the others? No idea. What consequences are the students facing if they break the rules? No idea. There is the curse, but that’s it. Where are the parents? The whole adult side of the show is ridiculously unbelievable.

On the other hand, it made perfect sense why the teens were being “overdramatic” - they are teens. Suppression of individuality at the time when it's most crucial to figure yourself out is not really a small thing. The Eclipse did a great job to make me sympathize with the issues these kids were facing and how big of an impact it has on them. From the point of view of an adult, my initial reaction was: why are they so dramatic? Just be patient for the next few months, graduate and move on. But that type of thinking is the issue - if they are told to follow the rules and not question anything now, how will they learn to fight for their rights later? Their actions as teens will shape their behavior, motivations, personalities later on. Nothing really changes as you grow up. First you are told to do what your teachers say, later you are told to listen to your professors. Then you need to follow your bosses instructions. That’s why it’s so important for the youth to ask questions, debate, reflect on the problems and issues and not just do what adults tell them.

For the characters, the leads were phenomenal - both in the writing and portrayal. Seeking validation and purpose. Sticking to the role one obsesses over, because it feels like it's the only thing that defines who we are. The fear of being seen as disappointment. The drama also touches on the subjects of depression and suicide. How we should not judge one’s struggles based on our own standards. How we should be patient with others, because we cannot know and truly understand what they are going through.

What I appreciated the most was the takes on coming out and accepting your sexuality. It’s not the “I don’t like guys, I only like you”. It’s not “everyone is either gay or loves gay”. None of the unrealistic scenarios here. It often takes time to figure yourself out, it takes time to accept what you find, it takes time to then admit it to others. In that aspect I could not like the relationship between Akk and Ayan more. Not to mention one of the best on screen chemistry I have seen in ages.

For the acting, I've been a fan of Khaotung for some time. Realistically speaking, he is one of the best that Thai BLs can offer. I rewatched some scenes simply because of his performance. Thank god First was cast as his co-star, also delivering a solid portrayal.

Production wise I don’t really have complaints. I think some of the setup and directing ideas were too big for the production team, which led to a few questionable and ridiculous takes, but damn the show was pretty.

Overall, I liked it a lot. Yes, the setup and the way they decided to present some serious issues was questionable, but I still believe it was better than the majority of BLs out there. The biggest problem was the transition from rules at school being the issues, to how they relate to the overall social norms and homophobia - it was too jarring. You get the idea behind it all, but you still feel like it’s a bit too disconnected from each other.

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Cat and dog dynamics done in the best way possible.

For the main couple, this is close to perfection. Simple story that presents both enemies to lovers and friends to lovers trope, depending on the perspective taken.

The relationship progression between Shu Yi and Shi De was really well paced. It didn't feel rushed, the milestone moments were happening at the right times, and never felt out of place. The dynamics between them sold the show. Both Shi De and Shu Yi have this trickster quality to their actions, which makes We Best Love that much more entertaining. The plot could be simply described as: two main leads getting closer to each other, one step at a time.

Speaking of the cat and dog dynamics, Shi De reminded me of a Golden Retriever with his warm and patient demeanor, and Shu Yi was like a small cat - playful and curious. Seeing them interact with each other just brings happiness to my heart and a smile on my face.

Shou Yi was one of the characters I was the most curious about. Sadly, if his story gets any more depth, it will happen in season two. That said, him being the relationship MVP for Shu Yi and Shi De was one of the funniest aspects of the show. I never enjoyed someone being such a busybody as I did with his character.

Being perfectly honest, some side characters were unnecessary, or rather, they got unnecessary side plots. Some of the scenes and developments came out of nowhere since there was not enough screen time to dive deep into the side plot progression.

The production value was amazing. I especially appreciated the transition scenes, which are usually extremely generic, but here they became either pretty or fun screenshots (shout-out to best supporting character - Mr Skeleton). Music wise, I cannot remember one song. On one hand, it means OST was not that memorable for me, but on the other, it also means they were fitting for the scenes they were used for, since I was not bothered by them.

Overall, amazing chemistry that, at times, almost set my laptop on fire. On point acting, especially from Sam Lin - boy shocked me in one scene (good acting always gets me overexcited). One of the nicest and well paced BLs that tells a simple yet extremely engaging love story.

See you in season two!

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Slice of life with touch of investigation and grim undertones.

Technically The Silence of the Monster had all the typical slice of life elements - a group of characters creating a bond with each other, learning many useful and meaningful life lessons and learning how to overcome their struggles and traumas. It was cute and fun to watch. And yet, the drama managed to add the darker twist to it all, making it seem like the happiness was diluted, and the bubble could burst any time.

It was all possible thanks to the characters and how they were portrayed - especially for Luo Bin and He Chu Feng. The events of their past were still haunting them in the present, and even though they tried to move on, sometimes you need to face the tragedy, before you can build your happiness.

Luo Bin and Chu Feng had a great dynamic going on - one more reserved, the other not being able to stay still and quiet for more than a few minutes. What the show did well was giving small tweaks to who we thought the characters were. Chu Feng was not really this cold and quiet type, and Lou Bin was not as happy and carefree as it seemed.

On the other hand, while I enjoyed Sui Yi a lot, her character had nowhere near as much depth and complexity as the two male leads. For me, she represented the normality in the show - pretty, smart, hardworking, good natured. She brought the sunlight and warmth to Monster Vintage.

But then, we have Xiao An, whom I would not even consider one of the main characters. She showed up really late, she had little to no personality and presence on the screen. The development of her relationship with other characters was poorly paced and she never truly seemed like a part of the team for me.

The plot of The Silence of the Monster might seem like an investigation focused story, but for me, playing Sherlock Holme was more of a means to deliver the messages. It never felt like the focus was on the cases themselves, but rather on the people involved, especially the victims. Through the investigation, the drama presented many important social and personal messages. It tackles subjects like stalking and cyber crime, prejudice, animal cruelty, divorce/remarriage and the impact it might have on the child, mental health issues, trauma, the consequences of the white lies, and many more.

Sadly, plot wise, around episode 20 it all slowed down and I started to lose interest. The cases were nowhere near as interesting as the ones at the beginnings, the transition from the case by case scenario, to linking them to create a bigger picture was questionable. And the big bad guys were simply laughable.

The performances in most cases were great. I especially liked the raw emotions Annie Sun showed in the last few episodes. Both Bi Wen Jun and Zhu Zheng Ting had a strong delivery throughout the whole show. Ye Peng was capable of portraying Gu Nam in a way I had moments when I did empathize with him, even though I completely disagreed with his actions. The only performance that did not convince me at all was Baby Zhang, but it’s hard for me to judge how much was it the actress's fault, and how much I should blame the writing of the character.

The thing that stood out the most in a positive way were the costumes, styling, set designs, sceneries and the soundtrack. The whole show seemed like a piece of art, proven by 468 screenshots I took. I loved the vintage vibes they used, that felt stylish and not outdated. I liked a lot of the wide shots with the focus point not being in the center, but rather on one of the sides.

Soundtrack wise, I think Clare Duan - Tao Hao was my favorite song, but honestly speaking, literally every song was perfect and a gem worth adding to the playlist. Well fitting the drama, the scenes and the atmosphere created by the visual means.

Overall, it was a great watch, but the few complaints I had, had quite an impact on the overall quality of the show. It’s still worth watching and diving into the mysterious, but somehow welcoming and warm world of Monster Vintage.

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Strong beginning, mediocre middle, lackluster ending.

Not gonna lie, I thought it’s going to be more comedy based with focus on Kaneda being a massive fanboy and trying to deal with working alongside, and later dating his idol. It was not. While it still had some scenes here and there focusing on that aspect, it was mostly just an office romance, with not that much romance.

It worked so well at first. Kaneda was sweet and in the constant panic mode because of any most basic interaction with Yanase. Yanase was a nice and helpful mentor, who slowly started to see how adorable Kaneda is. And then they moved to the most basic rom-com stuff one has seen and all the spark was gone - still enjoyable, but ain’t special.

Sadly, they apparently wanted to finish with something more emotionally charged? The artificial, overexaggerated identity crisis Yanse has at some point just seemed so not fitting and out of place, I wish it was never included.

That said, the most frustrating aspect must have been the last two episodes - the fillers. This is the stuff writers add in their 16 episodes dramas when they run out of ideas. It was a completely unnecessary new chapter added at the end of the show. If they truly wanted to dive into the change of dynamics and unsureness in their current situation, it could have been quite a nice short second season - why add it at the end of this one?

Still, I did enjoy the characters a lot. Yanse was such a sweetheart and such a good boy, it was hard not to love him. He was smart, caring, trusting and hardworking. Kaneda gave me some good comedy bits that made me laugh. Sadly… the side characters were extremely forgetful. There were two female co-workers with questionable hobbies. That one guy who complained how he is not valued at work, while also not doing his work well. There was that white/half-white dude who showed up just to cause some emotional trouble. They filled the space, but that’s it.

Production wise, it was really nice. Good camera work, good set design and smooth editing. The transition between the scenes was decent and it never felt like they were completely jumping from topic to topic without caring for cohesiveness.

What was great? The outro. Expanding it after each episode was a great idea, so - to people who are about to watch - don’t skip it, watch till the end.

No complaints about the acting. I was honestly quite impressed with Seto Toshiki - he delivered both the over the top, and more subtle performance, and they both felt natural.

Overall, it’s a nice show with some fun scenes and good chemistry. Better as a binge watch.
Random side note: it had quite a few questionable falls with questionable physics.

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Was it a perfect show? No. Did it have some flaws? Yes. But holy hell it was amazingly entertaining. Rarely ever I don't skip any scenes while watching a drama, but I truly did not even once think about smashing that right arrow. So what exactly worked for me, what could have been better, and what was so bad I actually loved it?

THE GOOD

Dare I say this had one of the best set of supporting characters I have ever seen? They all were competent in their areas of expertise, but flawed in other departments, which made them more realistic and relatable. They had their own side stories that were simple enough not to overshadow the main plot, but engaging enough for me not to skip any scenes. The number of badass ladies this drama has is also amazing. I would be confident in saying this show was run by the girls.

The romance. I know a lot of people complain it was not this epic love story, but that's exactly what I loved about it. The romance felt natural and slow paced. The characters had so many important issues to deal with, the fact we didn't spend too much time on them being lovey dovey made sense. It made me appreciate the small moments between them more, as they all felt special.

The main characters and cast. Good stuff guys. I want to compliment Angela Yuen especially, seeing as it was her first main role in a drama. She made me hate Ming He so much, but also enjoy each and every scene with her. All the actors and actresses did a phenomenal job portraying their characters. Few Crystal Yuan scenes felt slightly off, but not to the point it made me annoyed or frustrated. Her performance was still quite solid.

The storytelling. Exactly my type. We had the main plot slowly unfold as we followed the main characters dealing with side plots. And these side plots were quite entertaining. With each story we were introduced to a new side character, that later on had an impact on the main plot. Nice! Not to mention the progression from revenge to justice leading to the well being of others that main characters wanted to achieve. The moral dilemmas they had to face and the choices they had to make were interesting to watch.

The fighting scenes and aesthetics. This show is simply beautiful. The fight in the rain between Yi Qing and Ah Jing was probably the most beautiful scene I have ever seen. The set design, camera angles, editing - it all contributed to this visual feast.

My boi Bi Luo.

THE BAD

The last episode felt... flat? Especially with how intense the few leading to it were. Quite anticlimactic. They were building up to something epic, but they did not deliver. It wasn't bad, not even that disappointing. I was just expecting something more.

Qing Lan reasoning in the last few episodes. Maybe I am dumb, but the lack of logic behind his actions was amazing. I think they have wasted a little bit of potential this character had.

Slight lack of consistency with the skill sets of few characters by the end of the show. For the sake of the plot progression, some characters that were known to be amazing fighters suddenly weren't that strong anymore. It wasn't that easily noticeable, but since I paid a lot of attention to them, it did make me sigh with a bit of frustration.

Too much poisoning, not enough death caused by it.

THE "SO BAD IT'S GOOD"

GLORIOUS UNDERWATER SCENES! The thing is, in all shows I hate bad CGI, but somehow in wuxia, I love it. The whole show is amazing and beautiful and set perfection, but then the underwater scenes and CGI used there was so bad I loved it. Had the same experience with The Untamed - the bad CGI was one of the reasons I loved the show so much.

Yi Qing's coughing... slowly... I started laughing about it and appreciated it more.

Overall, if you want a show that focuses heavily on romance, this is not for you. While the romance is ever present, it's not slammed into your face every second. For me it was a perfect combination of nicely done characters, interesting plot lines, great production value and pure entertainment.

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Missed opportunity

I am sad. This show had such an amazing opportunity to mix crime investigation with supernatural elements, and they decided to ruin it by adding tons of boring plotlines that had less than satisfying conclusions.

Imagine this, the show focuses on Lee Hwa Sun, as she tries to catch the serial killer that murdered her husband while the “end of the world” is happening. Instead of giving us paralel plotlines, make it more procedural - her meeting different types of survivors in different places while investigating. Keeping it rather simple is the way to go with a short format like that.

What we actually got were boring characters with typical stories, and literally no valid resolution for any plotline. Props for the writers to be willing to kill the characters, but even that was not satisfying at all, since I was not attached to any of them.

The whole mutants/zombie/alien deal: don’t waste screen time on plots trying to figure out what it is, if you won’t deliver any answers. How about redistributing that time to develop the characters more so I can actually give a shit about what is going on?

Conflicts resolution? Let’s just find a cheap way to either write it off, or deal with it in one clean way, no matter if it’s just lazy writing. ALL the conflicts (and I truly mean ALL) were resolved in the EXACTLY same way.

What was the purpose of Yoo Tae Han even existing in this show? No idea. He had no personality, no clear motivation, no goals, no nothing. He just showed up whenever convenient to help the “good guys”.

It’s hard to even comment on the acting, when the majority of the characters had little personality or were the typical stereotypical assholes. Song Sang Eun did the best and had the most diversity of the emotional performances from the whole cast.

Overall: Honestly speaking, it’s not a bad show, but it’s just amazingly frustrating because it could have been so much better. We do not get fresh and fun new concepts that often, so for it to be wasted like that does not sit well with me. I watched it being mildly entertained, but I kept thinking how every scene and plot line could have been easily improved.

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Beautiful moments surrounded by nothing.

Here’s the thing - I liked the show when it started airing. I knew few people thought this type of plot might not work out with a drama format, but I was still full of hope. At some point, though, I had to admit they were right and I was wrong.

This show should be 12 episodes long at best. Preferable 6 to 10. It should focus on exactly 3 plotlines: Da Jung and Dae Young, Dae Young and his kids, and Da Jung’s job/dream. They should fill the episodes with school drama, as a lot of interactions were happening there. You can even keep the bullying and teen romance. But why, oh why do we need a love triangle? Why do we need a 2nd couple/romance? Why do we need all the scenes and interactions between Deok Jin and Ae Rin? Why do we need that Il Kwon mess? Or what was the point of this mystery photographer guy? There is so much going on in this show, and yet it feels like nothing is happening. All the most memorable moments that were truly meaningful were the family interactions. We do not need that many filler plots.

The last two episodes were some whole new level of cliche and stereotypes. When you have 2 cars of doom for the price of one, you know you've hit the jackpot. The back story about Ji Hoon's brother being connected to Dae Young was unnecessary and presented in the worst possible way. Such an emotional scene and yet, I could not stop laughing when the 2nd car came out of nowhere.

I don't even want to talk about the last minute "I'm breaking up with you for your own good" plot, because that trope just needs to die, or at least take a few years break from appearing on screen.

The highlights? All the scenes between Dae Young and his kids, both in the past and present. The slow realization he had about mistakes he made, the gradual learning that Dae Young actually cared a lot for Shi Ah and Shi Woo. These are the scenes I will remember after the show ends, and these are the ones that moved my heart the most. These were the gems that made me cry so many times, and if the show focused more on the actually important parts (relationships between main characters), chances are it might have gotten a 10 out of me.

For the acting, Lee Do Hyun aced the role. There are quite a few shows with the “younger actor playing an older character after body switch”, but none of the actors were as believable as Do Hyun. I trust this guy with my life. What do I see? Bright future ahead of him. His talent will lead him to some great roles and amazing projects.

Overall, the acting was on point. The emotional scenes were emotional, happy and funny scenes were just that: happy and funny. No areas of complaint here. Some people might dislike a few overacting moments from Lee Mi Do, Kim Kang Hyun and Kim Yoo Ri, but it was clearly a stylistic choice that has nothing to do with the acting skills of the actors themselves.

Usually I don’t pay that much attention to the soundtrack, unless it’s truly outstanding. Here, I liked quite a few songs, especially Sohyang’s Hello, which truly elevated the emotional scenes to a new level. Not to mention Sondia, who became one of my favorite ost singers, with an amazingly sweet and warm voice.

Overall, nice show, but skippable. I stayed for the parents and kids relationship and Lee Do Hyun’s acting. Even though I am massively disappointed by the obvious ending and last two episodes, the scenes between the family still made me tear up a bit and it shows how amazing this drama could have been if it was not for the unnecessary sub-plots.

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Downhill we roll, as the quality drops with each episode.

Here’s the thing - I was extremely vocal on feeds and while talking to my friends about how this will be my favorite adaptation of the story and how much they improved with making it more realistic and less over the top toxic. And then, slowly, with every episode my enthusiasm started to drop. A show I started with genuine love, I finished as a hate watch. I cried watching the last episode, cried from laughing so bad.

Rich guy with family issues falls for a poor girl with financial issues - we all know the stories like that, most of us watched at least one adaptation of F4. Was this a fresh and groundbreaking take on this cliche plot? No. It started really well with a more realistic approach to the characters - Gorya was less in your face superhero bully fighter and Thyme, while still rude and cruel, had some type of limits to how far he is willing to go. I truly enjoyed how it was more grounded in reality - they managed to make me like the female lead more, and hate the male lead less. Then it lost that spark as it played into all the toxic over the top semi-makjang ideas.

Honestly speaking, the biggest issue was Thyme. To people saying he got amazing character development, where? There was one episode left for the drama to end and he still needed his friends to tell him what is good and moral and what is not. Dude literally threw a chair in Gorya’s direction when he was angry. How was I supposed to root for him, when I saw close to zero improvement in his behavior - every time things got tough or he got angry, he went back to his old abusive and impulsive ways.

Saying it’s realistic that he did not change so easily would make sense if the drama was realistic as a whole - it was not. They clearly did not care about realism, so why try to excuse the character with that logic?

Gorya was fine during all scenes, except the ones with Thyme. They both used violence against each other and sometimes it was played as a fun little comedy bit. On the other hand, she strived for better and grew as a person when she was with Ren.

And here we face the biggest issue - they made Ren too good to be true. Yes, he made one mistake and acted rather toxic towards Gorya with the misguided actions based on his good intentions, but he learned from that and never did that again. He was so fine. That’s that.

Then we have that completely useless and not developed romance between Kavin and Kaning. I am not going to lie, the side couple was my favorite part of the Korean version - the story was interesting, the conflicts were well built, the resolution was satisfying. Here, we’ve got none of that. They made zero effort to convince me why Kavin was hesitant to start things with her. They were just in the background, occasionally being cute.

I don’t even want to talk about M.J. getting his plot thanks for KFC commercials at the end.

I did enjoy the friendship of F4 a lot. Their scenes, excluding the bullying ones, were fun to watch. They always had each other’s back and tried to solve issues as a team - well, the 3 of them tried to solve Thyme’s issues while he acted like a moody toddler either turning them down or running away.

Putting characters aside, the show did attempt and made some good remarks about the social differences, the responsibilities and struggles people might have depending on their social status. I appreciated how it was not all black and white - rich people have all the privileges and no real issues, and poor people are the only ones struggling.

Acting wise I don’t really have complaints. I’m not the biggest fan of Bright’s acting, but he was truly born to play this role. Thyme was rather dumb of a character, and the faces this guy was making just elevated it, making me crack a smile quite a few times. Tu did an amazing job as Gorya - I bought everything she was selling on screen. I would say, the only performance that was questionable was Win as Kavin - his delivery was a bit on one note and the lines just did not sound natural at times.

Production wise though, probably one of the best quality we have seen from Thailand for some time. The show was simply beautiful. It was impossible to watch even one episode without taking countless screenshots. They played with angles, depth and light and I appreciated that alot.

Music was fine? I honestly cannot remember one song from it. They were not that memorable, but if they were bad, I would for sure remember them not fitting the scenes.

Overall, what a journey it was. By the end I was rooting for Thyme’s mother to keep them apart. What a badass she was. Might be evil, but with a class. The most terrifying mother of all the adaptations.

I don’t regret watching, I enjoyed it a lot during the first half, and had fun making fun of it during the second half. It’s like, slightly better than Boys Over Flowers? In some aspects… but not all.

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Overly dramatic considering the actual content.

I sadly have to say, the only things I enjoyed about this short BL were Kim Yoo Hwan’s performance and the set design for the café.

From the strong jealousy that can mess up a friendship that lasted 15 years, through the magical speed of learning how to cook, to uncomfortable skinship Ji Soo was doing, I am just confused. The overreaction on the character’s parts did not correspond well with what was truly happening on screen too.

Even though Cha Woo Min's acting was lacking, the chemistry between Hae Won and Eun Gyu was quite nice - the problem was the lack of development. They presented it as quite a strong connection and love, while they barely knew each other. Considering they are all adults, the scale of the problems that Hae Won’s pretty face brought to the café was ridiculous.

This whole “lost dad” story came out of nowhere, and felt like an afterthought. Even the dynamics between Ji Soo and Eun Gyu were simply confusing.

Truly felt blessed by Kim Yoo Hwan - he delivered the internal struggle so well, it was easily visible on the screen even without any dialogues.

Overall, I don’t really have thoughts. It’s just one of the shows that happened, I saw and then moved on. I feel like it could have been a really nice short BL if they toned down the dramatic aspects - it was not that deep.
Will be paying attention to Yoo Hwan’s future projects since he impressed me a lot.

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Great moments rather than a great story.

This could have been a perfect warm, cheerful, positive and destressing show with some fun and quality characters and great messages and dialogues, if it only had a solid direction of the plot. But it turned out to be a bit of a mess, with few gems here and there and a lot of unresolved frustration for me.

At first, they set the stage perfectly. We know who the main characters are and what their goals are. Who they need to fight against and what are the stakes. And then it all gets sidetracked and everything loses focus as we get more and more not well established side conflicts that are resolved in a half-assed manner.

Instead of truly diving deep into these underdogs trying to survive and strive in the company, keeping their webtoon team on board, we got a lot of random side stories and problems that were loosely related to the overall plot. Honestly, it’s the first time when the villain did not have to do anything, because the issues kept showing up even without his involvement. Things started moving forward in that aspect only in the last few episodes. Quite a weird and not engaging plot progression, if you ask me. Overall, there were just too many side plots and characters, so nothing felt truly developed and all conclusions anticlimactic.

The good point in how some messages were delivered was the fact the viewers get the "lecturing" and life lessons WITH the main character, and not delivered BY main character. Thanks to that, it never came across as preachy.

Onto the characters, On Ma Eum was amazing, until she wasn’t. Extremely optimistic and hardworking. What's important - she did not think things would just go well, she believed she could work hard to make them go well. She bet on her work, not luck. While she is a bit stuck in her "positive" world and attitude and fails to instinctually see how other people might have different approaches, once confronted, she tries to understand other people and act according to the new information.
Where her character failed was any and all interactions with Shin Dae Ryuk. Calling her approach as “ignorant” would be a compliment to how it truly went. On the surface it was all cute, nice and uplifting, but by the end, I just wanted this girl away from this child.

Seok Ji Hyung and Jang Man Cheol were amazing seniors and great mentors. I appreciated how I got no romantic vibes from Ji Hyung and Ma Eum. I loved to see their mentor-mentee dynamics. They tried to stir the pot with previews, but I learned not to trust them early on. I think we as viewers are conditioned to see romance everywhere, so even deep, platonic relationships seem to hint at romance for us.

Goo Jun Yeong might have seemed like this asshole cold main lead, but he was actually quite cute and harmless. He was straightforward with what he said, reacted well to people guiding him and took suggestions and advice to heart. He was far more open to new things than I thought he would be. It’s true that he had his ups and downs, but that’s what made him an interesting character.

All that said, with the great cast of the main characters, the one that truly stole my heart was Shin Dae Ryuk. It’s literally a crime how such an interesting character with such a complex background was not more of a prominent figure in the show. That wasted potential just makes me sad, and the conclusion to his story - mad. I don’t say it a lot when thinking about dramas, but this was truly offensive. It was so bad, I cannot even simply dismiss it as an ignorant take.

I don't have that much to say about the acting - everyone did a great job. Kim Se Jeong's existence is just unfair to us all. Not only is her singing just phenomenal, but she is also an amazing actress. She is so natural, no matter what role she takes. Also, the scene stealer, show stealer and hearts stealer - Im Chul Soo.

Production wise - typical kdrama. It was not breathtakingly beautiful, but it had some great moments screenshot worthy. Can’t remember one song, so that sums up the OST quiet well.

Overall, it was a nice watch. You know how there are some books with amazing quotes, but when you have to talk about the plot, you have barely anything to say? This drama is similar.

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I would like to start by saying: this is not really a school drama in the sense we usually understand it. While the plot takes place in the school, it’s more about the politics that go into being a teacher and how the school is running as an institution. We don’t get that many cute and lovable interactions between students and teachers, and it’s more focused on the power struggle between different departments, permanent and temporary teachers and other institutions involved in the education and internal struggles between doing what you find right and fitting into the environment.

That said, it’s not all rules and cold politics. We get to know an amazing variety of characters, with different motivations, behaviors and ways of dealing with problems, and as we watch, we learn that at times there is no good nor bad decision, but rather a variety of different choices and all of them have some pros and cons to them. The few interactions between teachers and students are truly meaningful and add to the emotional depth this drama presents.

I assume many people may not like Go Ha Neul since she at times acts really cute, unsure and innocent, but in my eyes she is actually a really strong character. With everyone saying she should not get involved or rebel against the system, she fights her battles and proves everyone wrong countless times. There is nothing wrong with being cute and strong at the same time. She wants to stay true to her beliefs, do what’s best for students and survive in a new environment. She makes mistakes but is quick to admit to them and learn from them.

The whole drama revolves around the daily struggles of realistic and complex characters with many flaws but even more good qualities. There are no really bad characters, just different people dealing with problems in different ways. While we might agree with some more than others, it's not hard to see the logic behind them all.

This was truly an emotional ride, which made me laugh and cry many times. By the end, I loved so many characters I disliked at the beginning, and it was all possible because of the amazing writing. We either got fantastic character development or a deep dive into their perspective, which helped us understand their reasoning. While the plot was not the most complex and thrilling, the relationships built between the characters were all we needed to fall for this drama's charm.

For whom: people who like complex and realistic characters, slow paced dramas that truly show problems from different perspectives, character driven dramas, beautiful cinematography.

Who may not enjoy it: people enjoying a lot of action, overdramatic style of filming and dealing with problems, high school dramas that center around students and not teachers, people that get bored with politics and behind the scenes of a workplace, romance driven dramas.

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The mundane pain that just makes sense.

Realistically speaking, I would not say it was as charming as season 1, yet the story itself was for sure more compelling. Yes, the delivery of the characters’ struggles had some misses, but I appreciate the realism of this season.

One thing I appreciated about it was the fact, it in fact had a plot. While many people wanted more fluff and the pair being all cute, I truly dislike the empty fanservice type of sequels. This was rather raw and I loved it. Seeing these characters struggle as individuals was great. A couple is not just a pair, they are also individuals. Some issues are personal, and while they might affect the dynamics between two people, the source of them is found somewhere else.

I also believe it was a smart choice to start the plot after the break up, without actually showing all the details of when it happened. Yes, seeing the in depth portrayal of how it affected Seo Joon would be great, it would also mean less time to see Ji Woo’s side of the story - and we truly got barely anything here anyway (more on that later).

Strangely, I liked the reasoning behind the break up too. I can imagine many people were disappointed. I know many people were disappointed, I was reading the comments as the drama aired. For me though, it all made sense. That's kind of how life goes. You don't always end a relationship because you have no feelings for the other person - sometimes it's one or a few bullshit reasons that at that specific moment of your life make sense, even though it does not for anyone else.

On the characters - Kang Seo Joon was as much of a loyal puppy as he was in season 1. It’s impossible not to love him. At the same time, I found his character miserably helpless and it was so amazingly human of him. The way he could not move on after a year, how he desperately tried to find any reason and opportunity to still make the relationship work, to be close to Ji Woo. How he did not take a “no” as an answer, how he came back after each emotional kick. It was obviously not a healthy approach, but being weak when faced with someone or something you love and care about is extremely relatable.

On the other hand, I agree with many that Ji Woo was not a likable character in most of the episodes. I hated his actions, but I also understood where he was coming from and how he ended up in such an emotionally exhausting and empty state. Being scared of being happy. Running away, because it’s easier to handle. Hiding your feelings and not knowing how to express your insecurities. He tried to be strong, but at some point it just all crumbled down and he decided to run away instead of facing the issues he had. I found his selfish behavior quite realistic and relatable.

That said, I wish some hints of his inner struggles were introduced as the show progressed, instead of dropping it all closer to the end. The show focused so much on Seo Joon’s pain in the first half, it was hard to relate and root for Ji Woo. I’m not surprised some viewers even wished the couple would not end up together by the end. We’ve got the answers for his behavior too late for some people to find the strength to care for his happiness. At some point, some viewers got tired of waiting and just gave up on him.

As for the other characters, I know the show faced a lot of criticism because of the inclusion of “useless female characters”, but I couldn't agree less with that. Not keeping your characters in a social bubble, where they only interact with each other is a good thing. People have other people in their lives than just their romantic partners. For me, adding more characters, be it female or male, is a good thing. It adds depth and layers to the main ones. They interact differently with different people, we learn more about them thanks to these conversations. They say things they would not say to each other, that are important to understand their inner struggles and thoughts.

If I had to complain about any characters, I would say Ho Min’s trainee/idol aspect came a bit out of nowhere and was not necessary - adding nothing to the plot. Seemed more like an afterthought than a planned plot point.

Now, to talk about one of my favorite aspects of the show - the shots. The scenery was just so beautiful and well placed as the transition scenes, it made the flow of the scene so much better than just faded to black. Production wise, it’s an obvious improvement compared to season 1, which itself was already really good for a smaller production like that.

The OST, ladies and gentlemen - what calming bops we've got. How perfectly they fitted the whole mood of the show. Not to mention, having the lead actors sing one of the songs was a perfect choice to make the delivery of the message and emotions even more hard hitting.

Acting wise - it was good. By now I’m a big fan of Son Woo Hyun. Can’t wait to see where his career will lead him. Kim Kang Min has improved a lot since the previous season. His delivery was more expressive and natural. Yes, we still got “crying with no tears, trying to squeeze a few drops like a lemon” scene, but overall, the performance was quite stable and good.

Overall, while I do prefer season 1 as a whole, I like the story of season 2 more. If I’ve got a bit more steady pacing for the characters and a few more hints about their motivations earlier on, I could possibly like it more than the previous installment.

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The campus love story of psycho and weirdo.

One of the sweetest things I have seen in quite some time. Keeping it simple was the blessing we all deserved. Extremely likable characters, where even their stubbornness could be viewed as cute and adorable.

The plot did an amazing job at setting up the dynamics between Jae Young‬ and Sang Woo, but also introducing them as separate characters with unique personalities. The introduction of the leads was done in such an effective way in episode one, I did not question their reactions and motivations in later episodes - I accepted that’s who they are and their actions made sense.

The plot that links Jae Young and Sang Woo is also believable, bringing up many funny interactions and ways of testing the leads' communication and patience. Enough screen time was used for it, so it never felt like a plot device that could be easily replaced, but rather an integral part of the story telling.

The gradual change in Jae Young and Sang Woo relationship was simply delightful to watch. We could see what moments were the turning points, what led to them, how they influenced the main characters. It was a well written and presented progression, and while the characters were falling in love with each other, I was falling in love with the show itself.

The thing that I appreciated a lot was how Semantic Error showed changing for people you are about is a normal thing, and sometimes you have to get out of your safe zone, but at the same time, they did highlight the importance of respecting and trying to understand the differences in personalities people might have. Mutual respect and mutual effort are the key to any relationship - be it romantic, platonic or professional.

The pacing was perfect, if we take into consideration the length of the show. They truly did their best not to waste the precious screen time on useless side plots that bring nothing to the table. Sure, Ryu Ji Hye’s character was not exactly needed, at least not in the way she was incorporated into the story, but it’s more of my personal view. I’m sure many viewers loved her the way she was and the role she played in the story.

Jang Jae Young‬ is probably one of my favorite male leads in any BL. Yes, he might be a bit of an asshole at first glance, but even his childish behavior was more entertaining and adorable, and less frustrating and annoying. It’s truly impossible not to fall for his charm. The guy shines the brightest when he tries to be patient and understand others. Him being so good looking is truly just a bonus, a cherry on top of his awesomeness.

Think of a completely opposite character of the social butterfly who goes with the flow - that’s Chu Sang Woo‬. His asocial personality was somehow endearing - he had his ways of dealing with problems, and was always straightforward about his expectations and rules. More often than not, I actually thought he was right in his approach - with freeloaders during university work, or setting boundaries with lecturers.

That said, I do think they went a little bit too far with his “robotic” characteristics. We get it, the boy has issues with dealing with his emotions. He needs time to understand them, he is flustered and sometimes scared. While all of this gave us many funny moments, sometimes I just went “okay, chill with the googling body malfunction”. Still love this child.

The supporting characters had enough screen time for me to believe they are more than just one dimensional fillers. Choi Yu Na was extremely cool, but also a caring friend, and Go Hyeong Taek was a ray of sunshine and cuteness that brought some fresh atmosphere on the screen.

I would not say this was an Oscar worthy performance from the cast, but it was on par with a lot of mainstream romance shows, not just BLs. Park Seo Ham truly aced the role of Jang Jae Young‬ - a lot of it was in his eyes. I replayed some of his reactions and scenes simply because I appreciated his performance in them.

Production wise, for sure the best we have seen so far from k-BLs. From the opening shot, the intro, the use of angles, light and shadows, to the set design - nothing I could possibly complain about.

I admit to adding the OST to my playlist. The songs are that good. Even if I have not seen the show and was not emotionally influenced and biased because of that, I would like them a lot.

Overall, this is a perfect sweet de-stresser. What adds to it are all the interviews and behind the scene videos that show the good atmosphere on set and great chemistry between the cast. You can see they enjoyed the filming and liked the story they were presenting on screen. Nothing better than people involved in the production actually believing in what they are creating.

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Ambitious project, maybe too ambitious.

This is exactly the type of a story that requires a longer format. It's not even about complexity, but rather the type of a storytelling - building it on the small hints about the connections and past events, the lasting feeling of familiarity between the characters that the audience cannot grasp at first. Slow buildup is not something you can achieve with less than 115 minutes or runtime.

I can clearly see the production team did their best, but some things cannot be overcome just by trying hard. Here’s the thing, I am not sure I would truly understand the whole plot if I was not checking out comments from people who read the webtoon. Especially Denis’ part of it, which also seemed to be made far more simple and passive? There was simply not enough time to present his side of the story and explain his feelings and motivations.

That’s about Denis, what about the other mains?
Dong Baek is such a stock character, the best of the NPCs. Rarely speaks when others argue about him right next to him, mostly interacting with people if they interact with him first. He acted the way the plot needed him to act, no matter if it made sense or not.

Yu Dam could have had far more depth and I wish we could see more… desperation and sadness? Taking into consideration his story, dude was way too chill about everything. Again, I do believe it was caused by the short runtime.

It does not mean I disliked everything about the show. I enjoyed the chemistry between the leads, I actually enjoyed how annoying Denis was and strangely he was my favorite character. I liked the production quality and the soundtrack. I loved the ending - truly. The conclusion and last few scenes were probably my favorite part.

Overall, a great concept that should have been kept on the shelf till the BL industry got bigger and more profitable, so they could do the story justice with enough support.

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