aesoo_ya

I actually don't hate it, it's a step up from the original

The Thai version was... I'm sorry it was just pure fanservice, less plot, less character growth and VERY leaning into tropes. It's a tough situation the Japanese crew had to handle, but I think they did a good job at fixing some of the issues:
PROS:
- It's cute you could say. The whole "fake date to escape intimidating senior" is so silly but it works? The plotline was harder to work with but you can see improvement to the actual story. I feel this time the leads learned something from falling in love. It does have a first love vibe, even if the events that happen are ludicrous.
- Hinata seems bubbly but like you can actually tell he's maturing. I don't think he's infantilized, he's just being himself. I admit, the "can't say no" trope threw me off but he visibly GREW though, like he said no to that guy who kept following him around and he finally faced that girl he kept misleading. It seems small but it's impactful in its own way. He's not a baby, nor a pushover. He learns having boundaries is important. I don't see the fetish trope Domundi gave the Thai series. I see someone who could be a real-life person with a complete personality.
- Sora was kinda forced into the "Young rich business owner" archetype but he feels normal and more natural than the original to be honest. He's just reserved, blunt and emotionally dry, and for some reason others saw him as a "Tyrant Prince" which is ridiculous. However, I like how he's not flirting every 5 seconds, or putting on the fake smile the Thai ML did for 90% of the series. He leans into the "cold hearted persona". He's not toxic at all, he's just not that expressive. He does seem to change, and while this was severely underdeveloped, we know he's emotionally invested and now brightened by true love.
- I like this style of production a lot, it's giving university short melodrama vibes. The budget seems low but you can't actually feel the quality is less. Music was also nice, it actually got stuck in my head for a long time
- Thank god they got rid of that female friend from the original adaption who kept going "Omg guys I'm in BL land" like EXCUSE ME, THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE IN YOUR STORYLINE HONEY.

CONS: (brutal)
- There's not that much emotional tension between the characters. Normally you'll know acting quality is good when the stares between the leads make you feel something. Sora's a lot harder to read than Hinata, we don't actually know in what way Hinata actually changed his life or what he meant to him. We understood he fell for him but what about him? His cute side? His caring, uplifting side? Give us a corny internal monologue if you wanna, at least that improves the emotional tone. The actors played their parts but that's the thing, they just played their parts. I don't see the hurt on their faces, or the realisation, or the concern.
- Umm... what is that thing between Sora's friends, that was just irrelevant. What I think would've been better is Makoto gives those glances of affection every now and then, then at the end he realises he could ask the other guy out and leaves the story on an open note. Underdeveloped yes, but it does reinforce pure love themes. Instead I see hard to read actions, random kiss scenes and a lack of clear intent. The show could've been rated above an 8/10 if we did this. I can't even blame the Japanese crew though, they had to respect the original and they did something to improve it.
- Once again, poor plot the Jteam was forced to deal with. Even though I feel the series evolved from the "fake dating" mess of a scenario, it needed better starting plot to boost it further. The bar thing was weird but I get that we don't want a "seen before" story of pursuit and all. They could've added more onto the plot but I guess it's a missed opportunity. I don't get why tf Sora even had to have a business when he's still in college, I'm convinced the whole drama is just vibes.

I was gonna rate this a 7 but it actually left an impression on me compared to the Thai one. I saw this more like a well-done school project that could win awards rather than a genuine J-drama. Enjoyable but severely neglected in plot events, emotional resonance and organisation. Kudos to the team, they actually gave it a decent go.

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"What's so good about Hioki?" "Everything"

Is it cliche? Yes! Is it addicting anyways? Also yes. It's straight up butterflies and fluff, once you start there's no going back.

- MC: Hioki Asahi
- ML: Watarai Tsukasa
- Friends: Morisaki, Hotta, Nakasato

What it does well:
- Cute scenes, not overdoing it but still never boring
- Friendships like the friend group was actually the sweetest. I think it was a cool move to make them look super scary to the MC at first bc they're popular but then reveal their soft sides. They're not scary at all.
- Theme of wanting to be seen as your own person. The ML deffo struggled with that (very cliche move) but you don't see this in BL much. It's the kind of drama you could give to younger audiences (especially queer teens who need this to feel less isolated) bc it does give fairytale vibes. DEFINITELY SKIP THE EXTRA EPISODES THO IF THE AUDIENCES ARE VERY YOUNG. Otherwise it's great for normalising queer in the world.

Js some critique
- I didn't like that line about "I'd like you whether you're a guy or a girl" it's not exactly wrong but felt... off-putting. Might need to avoid that next time
- Those girls were WAY too nosy, like I get it your eye candy (Watarai) found someone and it's not someone you'd think be a match, but like YOU'RE STILL IRRELEVANT TO THEIR LIVES. I guess the attention they were getting was... uhh cute-ish? Still could be better if they made it more subtle.

Overall, it's kind of reminds me of When I Fly Towards You (different plots, same warmth). I will gladly watch again!

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I could watch this over and over without getting sick of it

It's very realistic and the personalities aren't exaggerated but rather a proper representation of people and their flaws IRL. Both leads struggle with communication, but you can actually see their character development over time. Yamato is such a flirt, but I think the way he becomes less reserved as a person as he explores these feelings articulates the extent of harboring romantic feelings. Kakeru had a very relatable crisis, where you panic when things change and you just hope it can reverse eventually. I liked how he ended up giving the other a chance (though Yamato needs to work on CONSENT OMG 😭but he at least apologised). Plenty of scenes always give me butterflies, like I might genuinely explode bc I can't handle these two. Youth romance hits different, and this drama portrays it artfully. I wish more ppl can watch this series too 🙏🥹

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DO NOT SKIP THIS DRAMA! High production quality + storyline, no awkward/boring scenes.

This kind of drama is one all producers (BL, GL, het dramas, idc ALL PRODUCERS) should be taking notes for. Words cannot express how sensation the watch was. This kind of quality is hard to find and is the type to keep me interested in romance. Not only does it articulate the importance of consent and communication, but it also showcases what a good vs toxic relationship looks like. I am certainly rewatching this because I have never seen such perfect presentation of a love square EVER.

Even with just 8 episodes you can really develop empathy for Da-on. He's not submissive but tends to passively push through pain and mistreatment which does break audiences' hearts. It's a nice detail that with Seonghyeon, he's seen for who he is and doesn't feel the need to pretend he's doing alright. In fact, the level of kindness received was unlike any he received in the past, and because he doesn't know how to accept kindness, he pushes Seonghyeon away time after time after time. It may be frustrating but it's realistic and it characterises both leads.

I freaking hate Jaemin, and Soohyun isn't on the "nice list" either. I do wish we could've seen more of Soohyun's affectionate side, like with his niece and all. Jaemin, however, has the personality that can make one send waves of anger through the screen. It actually represents mental health quite well, and while his attempt to take Da-on and himself into the afterlife was... random it accentuates the seriousness of his controlling, cruel nature.

I do commend that how well Seonghyeon remained authentic and thoughtful, almost too thoughtful throughout the series. He's what you call the epitome of selflessess, and what love can do to someone. It's a direct contrast to the toxic energy of the other pursuers which pinpoints the clear issues Jaemin and Soohyun have as partners.

Finally, the climax of the last episode felt quite meaningful. Jaemin's aggression definitely reflected a worldview where he could possess Da-on like a puppet and keep him like a treasure nobody could touch. Soohyun may have feelings for Da-on but it's also partially warped by trauma and poor communication skills. I do think how he stood still was helpless though, because it only shows how minimally his actions appear, and how he doesn't have the capacity to respond in real time. Seonghyeon taking the knife wound made me scream on the inside, but honestly I think it was perfect because it connotates to how much he loved Da-on. He's proved over and over again why he deserves him, and I honestly could not have seen a better pairing.

Recommending this drama to literally anyone (even if you hate toxic relationships, you should root for Joo Seonghyeon because he's the pure soul you'll love).

Props to directors, the team, the cast and everyone who made this possible (I am SO GONNA STAN ALD1 now because of this)

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