This review may contain spoilers
A series about teenagers, fluff, and platonic bonds in the ripening days of youth.
It is a lighthearted show that is going to stay with me for a long time. It has its oranges—those bright, small, yet important concepts that I have energetically enjoyed.
Ko Neung is such a playful leader. At first, it was easy to judge him as a bully—the one in the team who controls everything and has a say in everything. However, as the story proceeds, you see that he is just a young teen who thinks he is the leader and can say anything. He has a low-key leader mindset, yet in his actions, he is neither superiorly smart nor athletic. Unlike his friends—Augar, who is exceptionally active on the playground; Achi, who is a sweetheart and loves, or rather is disciplined, to study; and Ko Song, who is smart and has a goal to achieve—Ko Neung simply stands back and enjoys the present. You see that he does not particularly care for anything except oranges and his bored, chill, carefree childhood. That says a lot about him.
August is the same, but as they grow, his interest in comics grows with him, inspiring him to pursue the arts, which was endearing.
Should I call this a summer series? It has such a vast aesthetic of warm breezes and the basking energy of the sun. Though people said it is similar to Bad Buddy (likely due to the neighbors, enemies-to-friends trope, and the phone concept), I just do not see it. Each has its own distinct disparities, and calling them similar left me with an exclamation.
The era of no phones and a sprouting youth feels so soft and nostalgic. I do not think I will get enough of this series anytime soon. All of the relationships and friendships were woven in a very platonic way. The fact that they have all been friends for ages—growing up fighting, bickering, and supporting one another before becoming lovers—is so adorable.
I loved KenPaul from the Boys in Love series, and I was so happy they are getting so much appreciation. I was, and still am, a little skeptical about August and Tle; nonetheless, their young age covered it for me.
There is a very fine transition in Ko Neung’s character development. Even after he and Ko Song confessed and started dating, his character did not entirely shift to being mature and smart. He is still the same Ko Neung we met in the first episode—goofy, playful, and thinking he is the leader. Even during arguments (like when he and Ko Song fight after Ko Song gets his university seat), he does not show instant progression; he is still that same childish teenager. It was so reassuring how the script kept his character consistent and relatable. It portrayed the beauty of how young minds dislike the change they experience in their coming-of-age journey. It showed how teenagers crave a mindless, soft summer.
The fear and anxiety of choosing what you want to become and who you are becoming is palpable. It captures the heaviness of realizing that this day won't come tomorrow, and that your friends have their own lives. They cannot always choose you or choose to stay; sometimes they have to go. I think this series brought back that familiarity—the late afternoons spent worrying about nothing but what to play the next day, and the soft, blue evenings spent walking mindlessly through pleasant sights. These are days that can only be remembered, but never visited again.
I had a slight fear with Ko Neung as the exams neared and he had to choose a field. I wanted to pause the story and let it end right there. With him, I wanted no change—just summer and the childhood joy of savoring oranges. However, life is life and it has its own legs.
Watching Ko Neung get stuck choosing a field, feeling completely disinterested in whatever majors they presented, hit me in the gut. There is one scene where he explains how all fields feel boring, and he is asked whether the fields are boring or if he just has no interest in them. That moment highlighted the core concept of the high school theme for me. I have never felt more relatable to a character than Ko Neung—capturing that exact feeling of being unable to choose and unable to belong anywhere. I am grateful for such key themes to be represented in such a blissful way—one that can be revisited and felt again and again.
This series made me fall in love with the themes of childhood friendships, the importance of holding onto those bonds, and growing alongside them. Every ship is adorable and a favourite. I am totally in love with this series.
"The most beautiful thing about teenage love is finding someone who makes you feel lighter, happier, and a little more like yourself.”
Ko Neung is such a playful leader. At first, it was easy to judge him as a bully—the one in the team who controls everything and has a say in everything. However, as the story proceeds, you see that he is just a young teen who thinks he is the leader and can say anything. He has a low-key leader mindset, yet in his actions, he is neither superiorly smart nor athletic. Unlike his friends—Augar, who is exceptionally active on the playground; Achi, who is a sweetheart and loves, or rather is disciplined, to study; and Ko Song, who is smart and has a goal to achieve—Ko Neung simply stands back and enjoys the present. You see that he does not particularly care for anything except oranges and his bored, chill, carefree childhood. That says a lot about him.
August is the same, but as they grow, his interest in comics grows with him, inspiring him to pursue the arts, which was endearing.
Should I call this a summer series? It has such a vast aesthetic of warm breezes and the basking energy of the sun. Though people said it is similar to Bad Buddy (likely due to the neighbors, enemies-to-friends trope, and the phone concept), I just do not see it. Each has its own distinct disparities, and calling them similar left me with an exclamation.
The era of no phones and a sprouting youth feels so soft and nostalgic. I do not think I will get enough of this series anytime soon. All of the relationships and friendships were woven in a very platonic way. The fact that they have all been friends for ages—growing up fighting, bickering, and supporting one another before becoming lovers—is so adorable.
I loved KenPaul from the Boys in Love series, and I was so happy they are getting so much appreciation. I was, and still am, a little skeptical about August and Tle; nonetheless, their young age covered it for me.
There is a very fine transition in Ko Neung’s character development. Even after he and Ko Song confessed and started dating, his character did not entirely shift to being mature and smart. He is still the same Ko Neung we met in the first episode—goofy, playful, and thinking he is the leader. Even during arguments (like when he and Ko Song fight after Ko Song gets his university seat), he does not show instant progression; he is still that same childish teenager. It was so reassuring how the script kept his character consistent and relatable. It portrayed the beauty of how young minds dislike the change they experience in their coming-of-age journey. It showed how teenagers crave a mindless, soft summer.
The fear and anxiety of choosing what you want to become and who you are becoming is palpable. It captures the heaviness of realizing that this day won't come tomorrow, and that your friends have their own lives. They cannot always choose you or choose to stay; sometimes they have to go. I think this series brought back that familiarity—the late afternoons spent worrying about nothing but what to play the next day, and the soft, blue evenings spent walking mindlessly through pleasant sights. These are days that can only be remembered, but never visited again.
I had a slight fear with Ko Neung as the exams neared and he had to choose a field. I wanted to pause the story and let it end right there. With him, I wanted no change—just summer and the childhood joy of savoring oranges. However, life is life and it has its own legs.
Watching Ko Neung get stuck choosing a field, feeling completely disinterested in whatever majors they presented, hit me in the gut. There is one scene where he explains how all fields feel boring, and he is asked whether the fields are boring or if he just has no interest in them. That moment highlighted the core concept of the high school theme for me. I have never felt more relatable to a character than Ko Neung—capturing that exact feeling of being unable to choose and unable to belong anywhere. I am grateful for such key themes to be represented in such a blissful way—one that can be revisited and felt again and again.
This series made me fall in love with the themes of childhood friendships, the importance of holding onto those bonds, and growing alongside them. Every ship is adorable and a favourite. I am totally in love with this series.
"The most beautiful thing about teenage love is finding someone who makes you feel lighter, happier, and a little more like yourself.”
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