A very soft teenage story about two boys about to graduate

STRONGBERRY is once again back with the good, good queer short films and I, for one, love to see it. This time, we meet two very sweet best friends in the moments just before graduation with all of the things left unsaid that they really want to say before they have to take their first steps in the adult world. The story is simple, perfect for the format and it did not feel like something was missing. It takes very universal topics and conversations (what will happen after we graduate, wanting to tell your best friend you love him and being afraid to say it) and uses its time very well to explore them. It felt very real and very earnest. Haven't we all wanted to say something, especially when it comes to love, and always thought "oh I have time", until you arrive at the fork in the road and you have to decide what to do because it is the last moment to say what you have to say to the other person before you each take your own path? This is a good exploration of just this and I would take a longer show of this, but I am also very appreciative of people who know how to pick the best format for stories and the best stories for the format. This short film made me say "aww, sweeties" aloud and also made me smile my biggest smile because cuties! Bless teenagers!

The actors did a really good job in portraying those two teenagers, they were very believable, and honestly gave me flashbacks.
The production, as for all of Strongberry's short films, is very strong with some nice shots, sound, and music. It really is a pleasure to watch.

If you are looking for the next video to watch during your break, I can only recommend that you watch Strongberry's Pride gift for this year, and check out the very soft and very good "Hold me". It delivers on its premise and promise and gives exactly what I want from a short film.

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A GL short (maybe too short) film with a lot of potential and nice fights

I am always looking for GL content in my life so when I saw this short film recommended on a rec list on tumblr, I knew I had to check it out. When I saw that it was wuxia as well, I was overjoyed because I do love wuxia.

This is a 15 min film and sadly like a lot of GL content out there (Especially wuxia GL content), it is really short. It is hard to have a full story that is developed when it is so short. I keep watching and yearning for more. This film knows its tropes and it manages to scratch the surface of a worldbuilding that could be very interesting had it been given a bit more space. We have the young heroine who is slightly naïve, but wants to fight and learn, but is being pushed down by the men in her family and sect, who decides to follow them and meets this mysterious badass lady who is secretly the demon cult leader and came to fight against the men and their sects at the martial arts conference, only to be followed everywhere by this young woman who won’t let go and admires her and wants to learn from her. It is a classics among classics and it could bring a different point of view, but it is so short. I want to know more about the characters, about what happened to Xiqao between the flashbacks and the present, I want more time for their relationship to develop (it is very light on the GL content because like the rest, it does not have time to be truly developed).
Still, it has some nice fights, it has a lot of potential, and some really nice shots at times. I am really curious about the rest of the director’s work.

I do not have a lot to say about the acting, it wasn’t amazing, but it also wasn’t distractingly bad. If you’ve watched Legend of Yuqian, I would put it at the same level.

I am not sure, I would necessarily rewatch it, but I am glad I did watch it and I would recommend it to everyone who wants more GL wuxia content in their life (I know I do). Let’s support the director and actors who give us those short films and let us hope for longer works soon!

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A very sweet and well shot short film

This is such a cute little film. There is not much in terms of story, but there is enough to make it a very good short film. Min Ah has a crush on Ji Yeong who is just graduating a year ahead of her. They meet in a park and she gives her gift. Will she manage to tell her she likes her and how will Ji Yeong react?

I have watched a fair few lesbian short films in the past few months (and reviewed a few of those), but I think this might be my favourite and the one that feels the most natural. It feels very real in its depiction of teenage girls and first love without being either over-the-top or underwhelming, and without being cringe either. I could see myself or some of my friends acting the same way at their age.

The music is simple and works well without being anything extraordinary and the acting works just well. Both actresses do a good job at making believable teenagers and I was thoroughly believing them as best friends and crushes.
Finally, the cinematography and editing was really nice. It was dynamic, it changed depending on the moment of the story and the way the characters were feeling and what they were trying to say. There were some nice and aesthetic shots too that added to the story rather than distracting from it.

All in all, a very nice and sweet short film that I would thoroughly recommend to anyone searching for their next short film and at only 7 min, it is a quick watch!

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A jubilating and a bit ridiculous lesbian story

I am continuing to make my way through lesbian short films and dramas and I have to say that this one is delightful. The story of this short film could really be held in pocket handkerchief as we say in French and can be summarised as two women meet in a restaurant, get disparaging and lesbophobic comments made about them, and decide to read the two men. It could also be summarised as "a metaphor for Youtube constantly blocking queer content and getting a strongly worded email from said creators".

The story is simple, but it fits really well within the limited time period available. It is straight to the point and makes it point well. There is something jubilating about two women dating deciding that actually they do have a place in the public space and that they do not need to hide and that anyone who disagrees can just go away. It is the strength of short films to be able to deliver this kind of content and I am glad to see it being produced.

The production value is quite high (as is to be expected of Korean productions) and the acting is good for the slightly over-the-top story.

In conclusion, it is a bit ridiculous and over-the-top, but it is also jubilating, it is unashamedly lesbian and I would definitely rewatch it to show it to other people. It is only 6 minutes long and you should definitely watch it.

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A beautiful short film full of truth about coming out and homophobia

This film was originally made by its creator Margo Manalo as a thesis project. It has been part of the official selection of several festivals (including 2 French ones which makes me very happy as a French queer person that this film is being recognised by my home country) and I can absolutely understand why.
I cannot speak for the full truth of it as I do not come from an Asian family, but if I am to believe the Youtube comments under the video and my own conversations with my Asian friends, it hits the nail right on the head and it is very true to life. And it does reflect some of my own experiences because casual homophobia is something that knows no border.

As the summary explain, this short film is about about Alee, a young woman still in the closet whose coming out plan does not go according to plan. The way that Margo Manalo manages to flesh all of the characters in the 14 minutes of the film is really well done. We can understand Alee's struggles, the way she has to hide herself and yet cannot completely do it, the way she wants to get out and show who she is to the world. We can understand her mum, a good teacher, a loving mum, but someone who is still homophobic in actions, words, and microagressions, in her relationship with her daughter and others. This film manages to touch upon the topic of homophobia, of gender expression, of wanting to be yourself, of the fear of not being accepted by your loved ones, of the way others look at us. It hits true. It reminds me of my own grandma's reaction and words, of her love and yet her fear of what others will say and think, of my own realisation that I know all of this, but I still want to live my truth regardless of the hardships because I am happier out than in. It is still rare to see stories that do not centre on romance and which do not necessarily end up in a completely happy ending. But this story is true. It is more reflective of the world even as it improves every day. It is not a sad ending, it is a bittersweet ending. It had me crying for the last few minutes and past the credits because of the accuracy of it all (I would use the word "justesse" which cannot be fully translated into English).

It is a quiet film with loud moments of Pride. The acting is very good and the production values are high. I am always impressed by the quality of short films made as thesis projects and this one definitely fits into that category.
I am very happy that this film exists. I am happy that it got recognised by festivals around the world. I do hope that many more people will watch it and I do hope that its creator will create more projects in the future.

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A very cute short film

Youtube has a lot of lesbian short films and I am absolutely here for it. It seems that quite a few of those also happen to be promotional content. I am enjoying the fact that that promotional content also gives me more f/f content. In this case, this short film seems to have been produced for a company that makes mattresses.
The film is very short and there is not so much story, but like the topper mattress that it is advertising, it is very soft and perfect to relax.

The story is very simple and is perfectly encapsulated in the summary. Nu tries to figure out if her friend who is always at her place has a crush on her. The story is very simple, but it is not aiming to do more than what it promised.
The production is quite good, whether the colouring, the camera work, or the music. Everything fits just right.

It is quite short, it has nothing extraordinary about it, but if you have 9 minutes in front of you and want to watch two cute girls interact in some very wholesome content, wait no more and watch this short film.

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A very cute and real queer web-drama

I am living for smaller indie production which have very limited budget, but a lot of heart. "Afraid of" is exactly that kind of production. With 3 episodes of between 5 and 8 minutes, it has the feeling of a three student short films with a coherence between them.

The music and sound design brings a peaceful feeling to the entire drama and watching it feels like the perfect moment to be with a cup of tea on a comfy armchair. The entire drama from the actors performance (nothing extraordinary, but they deliver on the expectation for a student short film/drama (note: I do not know if it is a student production, that is just my feeling with it, that of a production by students studying film in their last year or similar) to the story feels very cute. The directing and camera work, the production value in general is pretty good and makes for a very agreeable experience.

Assuredly the strength of this short web-drama is the story. It is very limited and self-contained, but done in a way appropriate for a series of a short films that gave me the information I needed without overwhelming me or leaving me wanting because I was confused.
It manages to talk about the vision of homosexuality in Korea, the experience of a closeted person, the wish to be yourself while living in fear with the red thread of a potential romantic experience that starts this whole drama. Will Hyunah get over her fear? Will anything happen with Minju?
It is a story about accepting yourself, about a 'baby lesbian' as one of the characters says (from a conversation in episode 2 that might be my favourite part of the whole drama, intergenerational queer solidarity (which is more about experience as a queer person than age) is the most important thing and any piece of fiction which includes it is sure to win my heart). It is a story that is full of heart and some of the moments made me squee. It manages to make us root for Hyunah very quickly and the end made me wish for everything good for her!

I do not know if I would watch it on repeat, but I would assuredly watch it one or a couple of more times if I were to show it to friends and it would be fine and agreeable to watch still even if I do not think I would catch many things I did not see on my first watch.

This film delivers on what it promises, it is cute, it is true, it is full of heart. If you want a queer short web-drama, I can only recommend "Afraid of". It is available on Youtube with English subtitles.

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A well produced short GL Wuxia that will make you want for more

This review is going to be quite short because I do not want for it to take longer to read than the story it talks about and when the tag says short film, it is not lying. This short film is 4 minutes long and is halfway between the music video, the trailer, and the short film.

It tells the story of those two women, their fights and love story in fragments. It is only showing us snippets of a larger story. It is quite effective at showing us this story in the 4 minutes they have even if we are left wanting for more (if anyone feels like writing fanfiction about this story, please do it and then come back here to tell me more). It follows a pretty standard story structure which makes it easier to follow.

The costumes are very pretty and the two actresses manage to sell the story quite well. The fact that they seem to be actually together in real life (the short film was posted on their youtube channel where they publish vlogs) does help with the believability of their attraction to each other (although it is not always the case).
The production values within the constraint of time are quite good and they also did a nice job with the music.
They left me wanting for more and there are things that I would have liked to know more about with the story or to do slightly better in terms of voice-overs and such, but given that it only lasts 4 minutes, it is pretty decent.
It does not seem likely that they would produce a full length story, but I do hope they try their hands at some other short film in the future.

If you have 4 minutes to spare and want to watch a well produced GL Wuxia short film, I can only recommend watching Red Devil and Heroine Su. Let's support the GL projects that are being produced, no matter how small and hope for more of them to come out in the future!

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A wonderful moving heartfelt queer coming-of-age story <3

Do you ever watch something that moves you, that shakes you, and leaves a mark? The appropriate word is “qui vous chamboule”, but there is no English translation for the word “chambouler”. There is no translation for this feeling of being deeply touched by something that stays with you and shakes you to your core. This is the feeling that I am left with after having watched I Told Sunset About You.

We had been recommended ITSAY many times before finally taking the plunge. We had been warned of its quality, we had been warned that it would emotionally devastate us, we had been warned that it would be worth it. All three things were correct. This show stands on its own among the best shows I have ever seen. It is so far beyond the traditional clichés of BL dramas that I am not even sure it should be qualified as one.

I have rarely seen such thoughts put into the directing and the cinematography in a tv show anywhere. They make use of negative space on screen, the colour choices are always meaningful, every single shot is well made. The accompanying documentary (which I highly recommend you watch after finishing the show and which brought my appreciation for the work done by the cast and crew to a whole new level and it was already very high) shows even more the quality of the craft. Some of the scenes are highly effective because of the way they are shot, and any other filming angle would not have worked as well. The director was not afraid to make us stay in a moment with the characters way longer than was comfortable specifically because this moment was meant to be uncomfortable. The end of episode 3 is a masterful example of that. The gorgeous final scene is another example of both the talent and skills of the cast and crew and the amazing luck that they seem to have had. I am simply in awe of the work that was done and could not keep myself from marvelling out loud at the cinematography and directing even as I was watching the show.

The acting was also absolutely stunning from the youngest members of the crew (Khun who plays Bas is only 17 and I will be following his career) to the two main actors, Billkin and PP, and the other side characters. I already appreciated Nat who plays Teh’s brother’s Hoon, but watching the documentary also added him to the list of people whose career I want to follow (a trend for pretty much every actor in this show) and Smile who plays Tarn and manages to give such a depth to a character that could have easily (and often is in other dramas) been vilified. I am in awe of all of them. PP and Billkin are both absolutely amazing as Oh-aew and Teh. They ooze chemistry and they play off each other so well. The depth of character they both bring to those characters, the turmoil that is present inside of both of them constantly, the micro expressions, the looks, the way they deliver lines, the everything! I could honestly go on forever about some of the choices they all made at different points in the story, but that would be going into way too much detail and spoil the entire thing, but boy, will I be going elsewhere to read analyses of these.

And the music! The music! The Music! Three songs were recorded for this show in different versions sang by the two main actors and those were then strategically placed at different moments of the drama to add even more layers to an already layered story. Some moments which had already brought me to tears made me shed even more tears because a particular version of one of the songs started playing. Even the general OST is very well done and appropriate for the different moments. They made very good use of the music (and of the silences) in this show and the music itself was just so good. I will be listening to the OST on its own in the future because it is just that good.

And finally, the story. I left the story for last because I am not sure I have the words to talk about it. Everything I mentioned before comes together to support the story and what a scenario it has. This drama essentially gives us 5 films by the duration of each episode. They pack so many emotions. The writers said in an interview that for the emotional scenes, they purposely chose the dialogues so that they would make us cry and boy, have they succeeded. I was crying from the first episode. They managed to get me attached to those characters from the first moment. The kids we first see, best friends about to become rival, and the teenagers we then meet, the rivals to friends to lovers and so much more in between. The themes explored in this show are explored throughout the entirety of the drama from the expectations that our parents have from us (and sometimes that we think our parents have for us, but which are almost entirely our own. I know that really resonated with me and special mention to all of the parents in this show whose actors did a great job) to the discovery of our feelings for others, the confusion surrounding it, the discovery of our sexuality, the internalised homophobia we can feel, the discovery of what we want from life, from others, the pressure to succeed, the stress associated with it, the fear of what others might think about our choices, about who we are, the fear that is so present that you do not even dare to think about it for fear of making it real, the hurt we cause others because we are lost, because we do not want to face our feelings and our fears, because we act without thinking because we think it is the only way.

When I reviewed “Gaya sa Pelikula”, I said that it was making me think about issues I still had surrounding my identity and who I am and what I want today. For “I Told Sunset About You”, I see myself as a teenager in high school at 16 or 17, I see myself in Teh, in his obliviousness, in his fear, in his repression, in so much. There is something about seeing a character being terrified of what he wants and the way the story uses the device of studying for the exam to explore feelings and how characters use it as an excuse too. I will not go into too many details about moments in the story, but the choices made to tell this story, the use of gazes, of colours, of silences, of things said and unsaid (especially unsaid for Teh and his path to being able to use his voice without repressing it because of fear), I would not have enough space to tell everything I want to say. As I said, I relate a lot to Teh, but the other characters also get space to have their stories told. Oh-aew is starting from a different point to Teh, but is no less afraid and stressed about his future. We get discussions on what he wants and his slow realisation of it, like that of Teh, but with significantly more emotional maturity (they all have way more emotional maturity than Teh), the contrast of his character, way more sure of himself and observant than Teh but still so vulnerable, so young.

Both Bas, Oh-aew’s friend, and Tarn, Teh’s friend and the girl he likes at the beginning of the show, who could have got the short end of the stick (as is usually the case for this type of characters) got so much depth from the script and the actors. They got a progression in the story, they grew, they made choices, they were not simply just tools for the main two characters (and it is even addressed in the show, we love to see it). They deserve the world and I sincerely hope they will get it. Hoon, Teh’s brother gets to play in several key scenes, but there is one scene in particular in the last episode that is one of my favourite scenes in the whole show that moved this character from one I quite liked to one I loved. They really exploited both brothers’ relationship and how it affected Teh throughout the show and it is refreshing to see such a well-done relationship.

I am in awe of so many things, of the dialogues, of the moments without dialogues when they let the actors use their eyes and their body to convey emotions and messages, the use of Chinese, of props, the reminders, the objects used once in one way and then reused in completely different way to geta completely different emotions out of us (something that the crew said they did on purpose). Special mention for the use of Instagram in the show which I never seen used so effectively and in a way that made sense for the characters and the stories, but also managed to tell us so much about them (episode 4, if you know, you know).

I could continue for pages and pages, but this has already started to become too long. I am honestly in awe of everything in this show. The actors are fantastic (and did I mention PP and Billkin’s chemistry because it is off the charts!). The story is so well crafted, making us laugh and cry, smile and scream, wonder and worry. The directing is stunning. The job by the crew is wonderful (I once again cannot recommend you enough to watch the documentary that accompanies the series (that underwater scene!!)). The music will make you cry and you will start listening to it on repeat. Everything in this show was wonderfully made. Everyone involved gave their best and it really, really shows! I want this show to make a mark. I want everyone to watch this show. I want it to win awards and be shared abroad. I want to buy posters to put on my wall and DVD to put on my shelf. I want to rewatch it again and again to see all of the things I have missed, all of the symbolism that is peppered throughout the show. I am not sure I would be able to do it straight away because this show is so much and some of the story arcs and scenes left me emotionally devastated, but oh how worth it it was. I cannot recommend you enough this show. Please watch and support it!

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A cheesy well produced GL historical drama, an hour well spent!

I am always searching for good GL shows to watch because as much as like BL shows, as a lesbian I want more content that caters to me. A lot of the dramas with lesbian/sapphic characters and relationships is awfully serious and/or tragic which is fine, but sometimes I just want something that is cheesy and ridiculous. Let me tell you that this was exactly that! And it feels really, really nice to find that content.
With a runtime of about 1h, this drama won't take too long to watch, but manages to create a story that got me emotional in the last few episodes because I had started to care about the characters.

The first few episodes of the show are quite humorous and full of clichés of the genre with a character (Xiaoqian), very excitable and decidedly cute, travelling to the past and meeting Muyun, the stern and serious character, and then said character travelling to the modern world and discovering said modern world with every moment that you would expect (special mention for her meeting Xiaoqian's cat). The story then starts to become stronger and denser with the introduction of the character of Hongyan. I don't want to reveal too much, but this arc which culminates in the last few episodes is what made the drama go from a cheesy romcom to a feeling of "dang, this is actually quite good".
They manage to pack enough backstory and background world information in an hour to make a somewhat coherent story and world that works within the limited time.

The actresses do a good job at portraying their characters and the archetype they each represent whether the peppy happy Xiaoqian, the serious Muyun whose shell was broken by Xiaoqian, or the broken Hongyan. They managed to sell me those characters which I wasn't convinced would happen when I first started watching the show. Wang Laoji (Muyun) and Peng Jingxian (Hongyan) in particular do a good job. Wang Xiaoyu manages to sell the character of Xiaoqian well enough, which can be hard (it's like being able to sell the character of the Prince in Cinderella without making it too cheesy or a caricature).

There is clearly 0 budget, but with that limited budget, they got some nice costumes, some nice music, and created a coherent whole in terms of photography and cinematography. It is very in line with this type of historical Chinese drama from what I am picking up from my watching (the slow motion in fights, the close-ups, the looks, etc.) and it works well. The editing isn't done really well, but the story flows well enough that it is not too much of a bother. If you don't have too high of expectations for it, you'll be fine.

I don't know that I would necessarily rewatch it on my own, but if a friend wanted to watch it and asked me to watch it with them, I would for sure rewatch it without an issue.

In conclusion, it delivers on what it promises and gives me exactly what I wanted. A cheesy and slightly ridiculous, but well produced within a limited budget show with a nice story and pretty girls who fall in love. What more could I ask? (A lot more, but for tonight, this is just right.)

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A very important, touching, and wonderfully made show

This review will start with a spoiler-free section before moving to a more spoiler-y section so you can read it even if you don't want spoilers.

You know when you start watching a show or reading a book that resonates with you on such a deep level that you keep thinking about it when you go to sleep, and it is still on your mind when you wake up the following day? This show is one of them and I did not expect it to be. I will go more into details as to why exactly in the spoiler-y section but suffice to say here that this show completely exceeded my expectations. We (myself and my viewing partner) went into it expecting a well-produced BL drama that we would enjoy. We got that, but we got so much more.

Firstly, the production values are quite high when compared to other dramas we've watched. This is my first foray into Filipino dramas, so I do not know whether it is standard or not, but the job is really well done. The director, JP Habac, who is starting to have an impressive CV and whose film work I will definitely check out, is doing a great job with a very limited setting. This was filmed during 2020 with everything that implies, and they've used their almost single location (everything mostly takes place in the main characters' flat and building with only a few scenes in other places and a lot of conversations happening over videocalls) and limited cast in a very effective way. I do not know whether the show would have looked the same in a different year (maybe it would have) but suffice to say that they've used the limitations in a very effective way regardless. It is only when reflecting on the show after having finished it that we started to think that this might have played a role. There is a very effective use of texts and videos on screen as we have come to expect it in shows nowadays. The only thing, and it is not a criticism more something I want to note just cause, is that Karl really need to think about getting glasses because every time his laptop screen is on screen, it is at 300%. In short it was very enjoyable to watch visually and in terms of sound.

And related to this, I want to give a special shout-out to the playlist for this show which is amazing. I am of the LiveJournal generation, when I would download fanmix curated to fit a fandom with the lyrics printed on the back cover for each song for maximum feels power and this show! This show! Just absolutely deliver with its song choices. Every single song is not only a bop, but the lyrics are there and translated on screen (with the subs) and they all fit SO well. It makes some of the heartbreaking scene even more heartbreaking. I do not know whether Juan Miguel Severo is the one who selected these songs, but whoever it was did a stunning job. I always pay particular attention to the music and it brings me such joy when there was clearly a lot of thoughts that was brought into it. You can find the official OST on Spotify if you search for “Gaya sa pelikula”.

Next, I am moving to the characters and actors. First things first, I loved them all. I am always a good audience and I really want to get attached to the characters that are presented to me and this was the perfect show for that. The two main characters, Karl and Vlad first, are played Paolo Pangilinan and Ian Pangilinan respectively. When looking for this review, I discovered that this was their first acting credit for the both of them and I am absolutely floored. Whoever is the casting director who discovered them should be thanked! Ian seemed to have done theatre extensively and this makes me love his interpretation even more (theatre <3). The both of them have amazing chemistry together and they just work in a way that feels completely natural and believable for their characters. Both characters are really touching, fragile in their own way as we get to know them more and more throughout the series. Judit, Vlad’s sister, is such a good character. The way she always wants to protect her little brother. She is larger than life, she wants to be an ally, she randomly says words and phrases in foreign languages for no reason. I feel like I have met her before. She is archetypal, but in a very real way. Anna, the neighbour, who becomes part of the trio and ships it so hard, who hasn’t as large a part to play, but still gets to have a story and an arc and is also so touching. We only see Sue, Vlad’s best friend, for a few videocalls, but she manages to steal the show for both of those. And finally, Karl’s uncle, who is introduced at the very beginning as “the gay uncle”. While he only appears at the end of the show, the couple of scenes he has with both main characters are some of the most moving and important scenes in the show. He is such an important character for someone who is only in the show very little. I will go into more details about the characters in the spoiler section but suffice to say that none of the characters felt like they were just cardboard cut-out there to only play a single role and deliver line. Even if they only had a part to play in our main couple’s story, they all felt like well-rounded characters with a life outside of this little bubble. I do love good sibling relationships and good friendships and this drama delivers on both of those points so well. Characters start as archetypes and gain very quickly and more and more as the drama goes a real depth.

And finally let us talk about the story. Without going into too much detail here, this story resonated with me in a way I did not expect when I started watching a “oh my god, they were roommates” fake dating story. I expected pining, I expected caught feelings, I expected teasing between them, and I got all of that. But I also got discussions on microaggression, reflections, discussions, and story arcs surrounding internalised homophobia, shame, coming out, expectations that are put on us by our parents. Even some of the ideas and storylines introduced that I would want to be developed more were just right for the 8-episodes of 25-35 min format they were going for. It has a bittersweet ending that works so well and fits the characters and the story arc perfectly. But I desperately want a season 2 because there is so much more I want from those characters. I will be happy with the story I got which gave me everything I wanted and more if this is all I get. But I will be overjoyed if I get a season 2.

/SPOILER SECTION/
Now I will not go into too much detail, but I do want to touch on some spoilers concerning the characters and the story as an addendum to the review above.

There is a tag for this show on this website called “Death of a Sibling” which I will be honest, I did not see coming. The whole scene around this particular topic and the ensuing conversation is a very powerful one and they add so much depth to both characters, outside of their own relationship with one another. I very much want a second season that explores some of the themes developed in that scene.

One of the true strengths of this drama and something I truly did not expect going in was the entire discussion surrounding homophobia, that of others, but especially the one inside of us. I do not always expect BL drama to have discussions about it, but even when I do expect some discussion, I never expect what I got here with one of the best representations of what it feels like to be gay and what one’s journey might look like whether we are talking about Vlad who has always felt like he was gay even if it took time for him to realise what those feelings were and who has been out and proud for a while and does not want to hide anymore, who patiently teaches and listens to Karl. Or whether we are talking about Karl who must face his parents, and especially his father’s expectations for his career and life, and who is deadly afraid of what they might say, who has such deep internalised homophobia, internalised shame, internalised fear that he cannot even be open to himself about what he feels. As someone who is both of these characters, who is out and proud in my daily life and still cannot use the word gay/lesbian to describe myself when talking about it with my mum, I was not expecting to see some of the same feelings and difficulties I feel. I do not think I’d ever seen this particular duality represented on screen so well before. It was a “sans faute”, a flawless performance and this is what we mean when we say we want people behind the camera who understand what it means. Who understand that the journey to accept yourself is a long and difficult one and that you sometimes are not at the same phase of your journey and that does not mean that you do not love each other. Gosh do I want a second season to explore this journey more.

I also want to mention the importance of Karl’s uncle, Santi, who presents the point of view of an older gay man and a support to both leads. His discussion on the differing journeys that different people have when it comes to their identity that I mentioned in the paragraph above is something that I have not seen in fiction before. The focus is always on coming out, on living your truth to the world, and this drama very much is about this also, but it is important that this happens on one’s own timeline and when one is ready to live their truth in the open and not as soon as possible to please allies. I could write pages and pages on what it means and how important it is, but I am so happy that a show for a teen/young adult audience is presenting such a true, beautiful story and I desperately want more of it.

In conclusion if you have made it this far, please watch this show! It is SO, SO worth it and it deserves to get the largest audience possible.

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If you like Frank, Drake, trope-y teenage shows, watch this. Otherwise, don't bother.

When we started watching this with my viewing buddy we did not have great expectations. We started watching it because we'd enjoyed Drake and Frank in 2gether. We thought they had great chemistry together and wanted to see something else they'd done together.
Before I start my review proper, I want to warn future watchers about a TW which might feel important to potential future watchers. There is a scene in one of the early-ish episodes which is essentially sexual assault. It is resolved in a way that is somewhat okay and made us feel like they'd at least realised what was wrong with it and that we could continue the show, but a friend told me they'd stop watching the show then.
Now to the review proper. There are some good things about this drama and there are some bad things about this drama. It isn't one I would recommend except if you fall in a few very specific categories for several reasons.

First about the bad things:
When I watch this kind of drama, I don't expect the same level of quality as I do for other types of drama or shows in general, but I do expect a minimum of quality. I don't think a single episode was colour corrected which left us with some scenes where every change of camera (with often back and forth) showed a different brightness with some shots overexposed and some under in the same scene which does distract from watching somewhat. But the most problematic technical thing for me was the sound issues. For some reason, the director decided to have a lot of scenes take place on a bridge at night, a bridge with a lot of cars going past, cars which made a lot of noise. Which would not have been as much of a problem if they'd had clip-on mics, but I'm hypothesising here that they did not. It sounds like they did try to solve the problem in post, but the result is quite a few scenes (including important scenes) when we can barely make out what they say, which is an issue even if we have subtitles.

Similarly, I don't expect the script to be the most amazing work ever written, but it felt really disjointed at times with really bad dialogue. The scenes and moments that felt the most natural and good felt like the improv moments. Once again, I don't expect greatness, but this felt like below the threshold of what I hope for, even in a cheesy, trope-y teen drama. (Plus you know, that one TW I mentioned earlier which I could have done without.)

Second about the good things:
We started watching for Frank and Drake and they were definitely one of the plus of this show. Drake's character's Mork especially is endearing even if he makes a lot of mistakes. Khaotung who plays Mork's best friend's Au and we had already seen in 2gether deserves a special mention and I particularly liked his arc. The two actors and characters who stole the show (especially at the beginning, I have more issues with their story arcs towards the end of the show) are Neo's Gord and Phuwin's Morn. They are very wholesome and if I am to believe the comments on Youtube, I am not the only one to think so.

This drama is very true to life and it truly felt like watching real life's teenagers which was refreshing.
There was also a whole discussion on homophobia which I felt was handle quite well. I definitely recognised patterns of thoughts and reactions I have encountered before. The whole arc with Tee's mum in particular hit really close to home.

This drama and the characters are endearing enough and manage to grab you in in caring about the characters just enough that you want to know what happens after and that is what made us continue watching despite the poor quality of about everything else.

In conclusion, we didn't regret watching this show, but wouldn't necessarily recommend it. If you have seen Frank and Drake in other shows and want to see them in something else, watch this. It truly reminded me of the French and American teen shows I would watch as a teenager in the 00s and 10s so if you liked those, this fits in the same category. If you enjoy really this type of cheesy and trope-y teen drama, feel free to watch this.
But otherwise, passez votre chemin as we say in French, go away and use your time in a more productive way by watching some better drama.

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