asianblreviews
The uncomfortable question of why we can't love our brother
“What else can we be, if not brothers?” Unknown is a deeply affecting story about the intersections between family and romance.Based on the novel “大哥“, which simply translates to “older brother” in Chinese, the series unearths some unsettling questions about why it’s wrong to have romantic feelings for someone we call “family”. But what if the family member is not blood-related?
The show is self-aware.
This taboo is the major obstacle standing in the way of the protagonists’ romance, and is also the biggest reason why Qian experiences so much confusion regarding his affections for Yuan. Does he care for him so much because he single-handedly raised this boy, or does he love him like a life partner?
By the 12th episode, was I fully persuaded by Qian and Yuan’s relationship? I'm not sure, but they were so sweet I couldn’t help but find myself rooting for them.
Perhaps the actual question Unknown explores is what it means to belong to a family. In all its varied forms.
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Second chances come with baggage
The show speaks to anyone who have loved someone, lost that same someone, and now occasionally harbours thoughts of “what if?”What this series does is to capture perfectly the anticipation of meeting an old flame for the second time. As attraction increases between them, so does the emotional vulnerability.
Takashi and Miyata have to confront the uncomfortable reality of why their relationship failed to work out before and whether there is hope for a second attempt.
After all, second chances come with baggage.
With just six episodes, the character growth of the characters could not be fleshed out fully. But I suspect that this BL is so popular because it mirrors real life to a large extent, revolving around the fragility of relationships and the importance of timing.
Sometimes, saying goodbye doesn’t mean losing someone forever. It means see you next time at another point in our lives.
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Reinventing Thai mythology for a modern romance
It’s quite hard to pinpoint the genre of this series because it combines so many – historical fantasy, true crime, comedy and BL — and rolls it into one jam packed series.What I liked about The Sign is that it’s a uniquely Thai production and showcases the potential for Thai soft power.
The show is a real cultural treat as it weaves in the battle between the Naga and Garuda, spinning a rich tale of Thai mythology reimagined for modern times. At the heart of The Sign is a trope that we are not unfamiliar with; a Romeo and Juliet-esque tragedy, the forbidden romance that spans generations.
The Sign hasn’t gotten much publicity but it’s probably one of the more underrated BLs so far this year.
There’s nothing to hate about it. BUT save for the mythological element, which is unique to The Sign, there was also nothing particularly memorable about the storyline.
The story is well-paced but the ending proved to be on the weaker side. The resolution came a little too easily, and was rather abrupt and anticlimactic.
Overall, though, the show is still highly enjoyable because of Billy and Babe’s good onscreen chemistry – one of Billy’s many talents is having chemistry with anyone, even a plastic chair.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2024/04/07/the-sign-2023-bl-review/
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Someone to remind us that a dull life can be worth living
Perfect Propose is a short Japanese BL with just six episodes – it neither feels too short nor does it try to cram too much into its storyline, making it a perfect light-hearted watch.For Kai, taking care of the person he loves is enough — he doesn’t expect anything in return. When Hiro promises to take him to a festival but ends up being late due to work, Kai doesn’t get angry. He doesn’t even get disappointed.
It is for this reason — the fact that Kai’s presence is a quiet comfort without imposing any undue pressure — that Hiro finds himself increasingly attached to Kai.
Until Hiro met Kai, his life was nothing short of dull and meaningless. Bogged down by a heavy workload and a nasty boss who makes his life as a salaryman downright unebarable, Hiro only understands what it means to have a life worth living when he would much rather go home to Kai than spend another minute tapping away at his work computer.
What used to be the sole purpose for his life has slowly shifted its centre as the importance of work begins to slink away.
Perfect Propose is a short, sweet story about the little things that make life lovely – having a meal with someone at the end of a long day, looking forward to hearing their voice, and sharing the little things in life with another person.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2024/04/03/perfect-propose-2024-bl-review/
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I wish this was a series instead
Tell The World I Love You tells a story about the latchkey youth of Bangkok, featuring a narrative littered with drugs, violence and endless cycles of revenge.The film has no intimacy scenes. But somehow, it still manages to be rather romantic. It tells a story of various characters, each coping with their own loneliness and finding a reason to live (and die) because of other people.
I love that much of the film is drenched in a moody aesthetic, serving as a constant visual reminder of the characters’ loneliness. I wish this was a series instead so that they could spend more time fleshing out the story and the difficult/ambiguous life choices made by individuals.
Although expressed in different ways, “escape” is a recurring theme for these teenagers.
When Keng realises he’s eligible to apply for a scholarship to go to China, life is imbued with new meaning as another life path opens up for him.
The irony of Tai's love is that as he helps Keng escape his current circumstances, he finds himself trapped instead.
And for Boang, whose only family member is his grandmother, he has lived an aimlessly bleak life until Keng showed up. Keng might just be his way out.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2024/04/15/tell-the-world-i-love-you-2022-movie/
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i'm sorry but what the hell was that?
The wildly popular Korean BL is a cross between fluffy high school BL and psychological drama, and ends up middling on both fronts. There, I said it.When Myungha goes along with (and even returns) Yeowoon’s affections towards him, his behaviour can come across as stiff, insincere and slightly paternalistic. As he falls deeper into a confusing relationship that borders on friendly concern and something more, the relationship gets messy and uncomfortable.
Now recall that Myungha is, in fact, 29 in real life. In the game, he falls in love with a high schooler who is more than 10 years younger than him. This age gap, unfortunately, amplifies the disconnect between the two.
Right until the very end, Love For Love’s Sake is a disjointed sequence of scenes, which are almost-dreamlike, and it never fully explains itself. There are some hypotheses on what this is all about, but there are still some plot points which remain unexplained by the end.
Good try for a fantasy/thriller type of BL but the execution was not there.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2024/03/19/love-for-loves-sake-2024-bl-review/
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Overall a good, imaginative BL, but ending a little sloppy
Taken at face value, Pit Babe appears to be yet another BL fuelled by s3x and pretty boys. But it’s not as formulaic as one would expect for a BL involving racing.What I like about Pit Babe is that nothing is ever as it seems. The story is permeated with a constant sense of danger and uncertainty, given the many unknowns at play.
As a rival racing club gains ground and Babe’s testy relationship with his adoptive father worsens, the story takes fun twists and turns around various characters, whose special powers are slowly revealed.
The Pit Babe universe is imaginative and original, but it is unfortunate that the ending was sloppy and rushed. The conflict was resolved a little too easily, and the scene in the final episode between Way and Babe certainly did their relationship a disservice.
The sizzling relationship between Babe and Charlie was what I stayed for. While there was a side couple, I'm sure most would agree that the BL was hard carried by Pavel (what a glow-up!!!) and Pooh.
Babe and Charlie, played by Pavel and Pooh respectively, have great chemistry. The casting was on point for the characters, they seemed genuinely comfortable with each other. This is peak Pavel!!!
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2024/02/17/pit-babe-2023-review/
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Unexpectedly extraordinary
JimmySea have not gotten any exceptional roles so far – ViceVersa fell a little flat and felt like unfulfilled potential – but their effort has paid off in Last Twilight. Every detail in the show demonstrates how they have paid attention to the little things.And then there’s Mark Pakin. who has once again proven to be a versatile actor with range. The scene of him eating beef stew and exchanging a few (seemingly innocuous but profoundly meaningful) sentences with his mother and brother was probably one of the most skilfully-executed scenes.
The storyline isn't terribly original (unlikely caretaker becomes the caretaker of a privileged person with a disability) but it has superb execution: Exceptional chemistry, thoughtful writing, and spectacular acting.
Some fans took issue with the ending of episode 11 (the famed the episode 11 curse strikes back), and I thought there could have been a less abrupt way around it. But all in all, nothing too damaging that it completely wrecks the other merits of the show.
This one will go in the history books as a love story to rewatch.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2024/01/26/bl-last-twilight-2023-review/
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Too over-the-top for my liking
While this sounds like a run-of-the-mill office romance, Middleman’s Love is, in fact, the most over-the-top show I’ve seen recently. Typical of Mandee BLs, expect off-kilter humour, absolutely ridiculous visuals and wonky sound effects all around.I love Tutor and Yim’s cute dynamic (and great visuals!) but Mandee’s over-the-top scripting makes the story a little cringey. Some people see it as a way to evoke laughter, but this is just not really my thing.
The side couples, King and Uea (from Bed Friend) and Tong and Gus (new pairing) bring some variety but also predictability to the cadence of the show since Jade can get a little over-the-top as a character.
The censored YouTube cut, which is shorter, gives you the minimum info you would require to understand the story, but the quality of the story and the depth of the relationship development suffers quite a bit from the edit. Spicy scenes are left out (understandably so, since it’s a censored version) and some extended emotional scenes are truncated, which makes the show seem even more shallow than it actually is.
Speaking of which, the spicy scene between Mai and Jade was WACK. I wanted to bury my face in the ground from the secondhand embarrassment. Just, um, sorry, no.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2024/01/07/middlemans-love-2023-bl-review/
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Classic love story of childhood friends
The characters in Kimi ni wa Todokanai capture the delightful tension that comes with falling in love with a friend. A flick of the hair, a touch on the wrist, the way the sunlight falls on their cheeks. The slightest of gestures that make your heart feel like it’s about to beat out of its chest.The show takes the viewers through the whole process of discovery, denial, awakening and finally, happily ever after.
But as far as stories of childhood first loves go, it doesn't quite hit the perfect combination of sexual tension, jealousy and anticipation.
Nevertheless, it's a decently well-paced show with relatable characters and an easy-to-follow storyline. It's just that nothing stands out in particular... perhaps that’s my biggest criticism of the show – the fact that it’s rather forgettable.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/12/28/kimi-ni-wa-todokanai-bl-review/
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Ending could have been better but this show gave me serious butterflies
It’s not often that a BL gives me butterflies in my belly – after all, I’ve watched so many and they tend to be more of the same these days – BUT THIS DEFINITELY DID THE TRICK.The romance is great and will be well-worth your time. As the two men wrestle with their desires for each other, the episodes get progressively more intense, culminating in mounting sexual tension and explosive passion! Energy! And footwork!
The show dances around themes of destiny and fate, making the suggestion that everything runs in cycles. Jom and Yai are destined to meet, even when they are hundreds of years apart. But the show is also about change and resistance in hope of a better tomorrow. It touches on reforming antiquated master-servant relations, rejecting blind adherence to traditions, and the struggle against the patriarchy.
For the most part, I Feel You Linger In The Air has great story progression and complex characters. But as the show slips from the past back into the present, the ending feels a little sloppy and audiences are left wondering wtf is actually going on.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/12/13/i-feel-you-linger-in-the-air-2023-review/
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A little illogical and unrealistic but I still enjoyed it
If you’re looking for a show that you can binge-watch within a couple of days, this one will do the trick.As a pouty but highly sensible and emotionally sensitive teenager, Zongyi can be a little cringey at times. There is no shred of subtlety in this man. Remember when you were young and dumb and felt the need to proclaim your love as loudly as quickly as possible? That’s Bai Zongyi.
The love story between Chenyi and Aidi was slightly more interesting because of their backstory – both were orphans who grew up in a life of crime after being adopted by a gang leader – and had potential for some real emotional depth. They had good visuals but their acting was a little weak during the emotionally-charged scenes.
An interesting point that the show brings up: “Is this love or is this admiration?”
But overall, the storyline is a little cliched, there are some gaps in the storytelling, and the story is rather illogical and unrealistic. But is it still worth giving it a try? Yes, absolutely.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/11/30/kiseki-dear-to-me-2023-bl-review/
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A little unusual & confusing, but worth the watch
There are so many stunning shots of the two men going about their daily routines, sitting in baths, eating meals together and laying on each other’s lap. It hurts my eyes because the both of them look so ridiculously beautiful from every angle.But beautiful men aside, My Personal Weatherman is perhaps one of the most unusual and confusing Japanese BLs I’ve watched recently.
The relationship between Mizuki and Yoh is insanely ambiguous and yet, painfully unambiguous at the same time.
When Yoh ties his self worth to books he has sold, it’s only because he wants to be good enough for the wildly successful Mizuki, who has made a name for himself in his field.
When Mizuki is quiet around Yoh, it’s because he has dropped his mask – he is finally free to be his exhausted, introverted self around a person he trusts the most. Not Mizuki the talented meteorologist, not Mizuki the popular weatherman, not Mizuki the handsome idol.
Just Mizuki. A man who has found a place to rest his weary soul.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/11/24/personal-weatherman-2023-taikan-yoho/
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Weak resolution & ending but the rest of the show works
The initial worry was that this would turn out to be another F4 Thailand-esque bully-redemption-arc type of story, but in the BL universe. If you’re reluctant to watch this because you think Kanghan’s character is going to be horribly problematic, well, I’d have to tell you that you’re kinda right. But it gets better real quick.The first episodes are a hard(er) watch precisely because Kanghan’s character is downright insufferable and cringey. It’s nothing to do with Perth’s acting, mind you, but rather, demonstrating how Kanghan is in an awkward phase of his teenage life where he’s still processing his identity and self-worth.
Some commenters are quick to point out that Chimon doesn’t look like he’s too whipped for Perth, but I wouldn’t worry about this. The romance develops organically and has its sweet moments – more importantly, the actors are decent enough to carry the narrative.
It also has some pretty awesome side couples featuring Marc and Pawin. I’ve been following them since My Gear And Your Gown and I think they make a pretty good second couple.
In my opinion, though, the show also wasted a perfectly good opportunity to showcase more of Saifah and Name’s relationship, which had a completely different dynamic from Sailom and Kanghan.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/11/16/dangerous-romance-2023-bl-review/
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Wonky execution with lots of strange scenes
The story is all over the place at times and I’m not sure what I’m really supposed to be focusing on. The undying love and bond between Yi and Diao? Their backstory? Or Yi’s quietly handsome assistant who seems to be their biggest shipper?BUT there were also some wildly ridiculous (but honestly fking funny) moments – a terrible CGI of a tiger, some peculiar scenes fuelling the ZeeMax fantasies, and a parent (like an actual daddy) hitting on Kondiao??? Ahh I’m dying, stop it.
All in all, MaxNat is not my favourite BL pairing. And Naughty Babe has definitely not changed my mind. This spinoff had good potential but the execution was wonky.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/11/09/naughty-babe-2023-bl-review-max-nat-still-not-delivering/
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