blackphillip

Smells like a masterpiece

The first few episodes are a bit confusing and you don't quite understand what story is being told, but when the series finally finds its rhythm and begins to build Mishima and Makoto's story of friendship, acceptance and discovery, it's simply impeccable.

It's refreshing to see a series set in the 90s that talks so openly and beautifully about its characters' sexuality.

It's a light-hearted series, with excellent acting, competent production and a script full of rich and profound scenes and dialogues.

It's funny and exaggerated, but it's also subtle and conveys this feeling of discovery in adolescence. The scene of each of these characters talking to their mothers and accepting (or repressing) their sexuality is full of beauty and impact.

The construction of Makoto, her transsexuality and the dreams she abandoned to please her mother is so painful and constructed in such an exquisite way.

I really wish the series had two more episodes to explore these characters' adult lives. An impeccable series with a story that is so human, so real and so painfully beautiful.

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Gostosinha de assistir, mas esquecível

Com uma trama simples e já apresentada inúmeras vezes em outras histórias BL, To Be Continued é uma série fácil e gostosa de assistir.

O problema, entretanto, é a forma como essa narrativa é conduzida. Eu confesso que a história do passado entre o Ji e o Achi é absurdamente mais interessante e emotiva do que o arco deles no presente. O maior problema que eu tive aqui é a forma como esses personagens continuam agindo e se comportando como adolescentes mesmo sendo adultos.

Eu sinto que há quase uma infantilização (leve, mas existente) dos personagens aqui para apelar para o público mais jovem que assiste a série. Diferente de Love is Better The Second Time Around que terminou recentemente, aqui você não sente que esses personagens são homens adultos em cargos importantes. O uso frequente de fantoches e pelúcias é um dos aspectos que me incomoda profundamente.

Mas para além disso, na trama presente, Ji e Achi não são exatamente personagens lá muito interessantes. O luto do Ji pela morte da mãe ou suas preocupações em ser um bom médico não me convencem e o Achi está ali. Ele é engraçado e carismático, mas não há muito sendo explorado no personagem.

Toda a falta de comunicação entre eles no presente é algo que realmente atrapalha a narrativa e deixa a trama cansativa. A série poderia ter explorado melhor a vida deles (principalmente o fato de ambos terem trabalhos que consomem muito tempo) ou a dificuldade em estar em um relacionamento com um idol e o preconceito da indústria ou ter que esconder o namoro e lidar com as fãs. Havia inúmeras possibilidades a serem exploradas ali e eu sinto que nada realmente ganha destaque.

O casal secundário e o casal de médicos recebem uma introdução, mas nunca realmente acontecem, o que me faz questionar o porquê a produção decidiu perder tempo mostrando algo que não tem um desenvolvido ou resolução no final.

De forma geral, a série tem momentos muito interessantes e cenas lindas e o passado deles carrega uma trama muito emotiva, mas eles falham em entregar uma trama divertida e apaixonante na história presente. Atores com ótima química e uma produção competente, certamente um ótimo BL para assistir sem grandes pretensões.

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Um BL apaixonante, mas cheio de furos

Desde o primeiro episódio eu simplesmente amei Jazz for Two. É uma série super bem produzida, com uma fotografia bonita, uma trilha sonora deliciosa e um elenco extremamente talentoso. A história era muito promissora e trazia personagens complexos e uma trama bem densa, mas apaixonante.

A personalidade indiferente e fria do Taeyi, a inocência do Seheon e o carisma de milhões do Doyoon (um dos melhores personagens que eu já vi) conseguiram carregar essa história com maestria e muita química.

Porém, apesar de ter amado essa série, é triste perceber o quanto o roteiro sofreu muito com falta de tempo ou talvez uma narrativa mais objetiva na hora de adaptar a história. Muitos dos arcos da série são completamente abandonados ou ignorados como: a briga e a cobrança do pai do Seheon, o casal secundário que não recebe qualquer tempo de tela, a reação super violenta do Taeyi quando é beijado (e principalmente a facilidade com a qual ele é perdoado), a "rendenção do Jooha (que é um personagem muito mal desenvolvido) e o maior e mais grave de todos, o plot twist no final sobre Taejoon e Sejin.

E o problema que eu tenho aqui é que essa revelação é completamente desnecessária para a história. É uma trama repetitiva (porque a mesma coisa acontece com o Taeyi e o Seheon), em momento algum da série há qualquer indicio sobre isso (então a relevação acontece do nada) e não tem impacto nenhum na narrativa. A falta de reação do Taeyi ao descobrir sobre só prova que não havia a menor necessidade de inserir esse arco na trama.

Eu também sinto falta de ter uma cena do Taeyi falando sobre o seu irmão e o que aconteceu com ele. Eu fiquei esperando pelo momento em que ele iria se abrir com o Seheon e o Doyoon, mas isso nunca acontece. Inclusive toda a mudança dele sendo frio e distante para sorridente e apaixonado soa muito abrupta.

Apesar de tudo, ainda acho que é uma série incrível, extremamente sensível e com uma produção acima da média. Falha em querer abordar muita coisa em poucos episódios e acaba atropelando a trama, deixando inúmeros furos no roteiro. O elenco incrível, entretanto, consegue entregar um BL divertido e apaixonante.

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Great physical comedy but terrible characters choices

It's a breath of fresh air in the midst of a year of weak releases with obvious stories, childish characters and mediocre productions by gmm-tv.

Is the series a masterpiece? No, and it has many flaws, but it still manages to deliver a slice of life series with excellent physical comedy and hilarious timing that is elevated by the exquisite editing work.

It's impressive how everything that was wrong with My Love Mix-Up works here. The refined coloring, the intelligent cuts that only add more humor to the scene, the extremely catchy soundtrack, the very well-used sound effects and, of course, the cinematography also deserves to be highlighted with beautiful takes, frames full of references and style and a direction that knew how to develop and use each of the characters very well.

Is it a BL series? I would say no. It's more of a series about five interns trying to survive their internship and prove themselves worthy of their fields while facing life's problems than it is about a romance between a clumsy intern and a cold assistant director.

And honestly, that's not a problem for me. The series is fun, the characters are captivating and the crazy things they get up to in each episode are engaging enough to give the series a dynamic and interesting pace.

But if there's one thing the series failed at, it was in the development of the protagonists. Ryan is by far one of the most boring characters in this series. I like the development that all the characters have and the series really highlights this growth in them, but Ryan was created in such a way that it's simply hard to connect with the character.

He has no attitude, his whole sweet and innocent personality is a bit too cartoonish, he never stands up for himself, he has no charisma, he acts like a child who doesn't know anything about life or even how to perform basic functions at the beginning of the series and this really sinks the character and makes the main couple end up disappearing in the middle of the series.

And that's the problem. The main couple doesn't stand out at all and they simply disappear in the series, especially when all the drama with Bah-mee, Tae and Judy happens.

And this is another point that bothers me about the series. I particularly hated Bah-mae in the beginning and she was indeed annoying, spoiled and immature. The character has a very interesting growth and I love her chemistry with Judy.

I don't mind the betrayal plot because I like characters who are flawed and make mistakes, but it was a shot in the foot to put her in this plot only to have her get back together with Tae and act in the same annoying way as before.

They simply destroyed the character and made viewers hate her for nothing. It's a plot that takes up too much screen time and has such a weak and lukewarm resolution.

The friendship between them is the strong point of the plot because the romance is completely overshadowed by the narrative. The theft of the music video and the time jump of 5 years apart are two decisions that I can't understand why they were included in the series.

And this is another point that needs to end in GMM-TV's BLs. The time jumps with the characters separated because apparently they go back to the Ice Age when they move countries so they can't send a message or make a video call.

It's not the best, but certainly the most interesting BL they released in this weak year.

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A mesmerizing and electrifying thriller

The romance ends up being left aside but on the other hand, we have one of the best Thai BLs of 2024. The intensity, the suspense, the character development and above all, the production of this series is impeccable.

The actors deliver memorable performances, the story is bold and is not afraid to explore the characters' mistakes and dilemmas, the photography is super stylish and the editing manages to maintain the suspense and create an electrifying climate of suspicion.

Some decisions that the characters make in the series are a bit stupid. Like the Boss killing everyone even with the police after him or him killing Somsak to exonerate Kan and then immediately killing again.

I think other points are poorly developed. Somsak and the forensic doctor knowing that Kan killed Phirot doesn't make much sense and the series never explores how they found out. Did Somsak simply see a photo and assume it was Kan?!!!

But there's no denying that Spare Me Your Mercy is the best Thai BL of 2024. The romance between the protagonists is weak and doesn't get much attention, but the actors deliver incredible chemistry and the script manages to overcome this problem.

The confrontation between Dr. and Thiu at the end is a bit rushed and I think it could have happened earlier. But nothing beats the beauty, subtlety and symbolism of the final scene where Thiu leaves a flower in Kan's handcuffed hand. A flower that symbolizes forgiveness.

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Cute but a waste of potential

I really didn't expect anything from this series and after the first episode I was ready to drop it, but Only Boo was a pleasant surprise.

The series is not a masterpiece and unfortunately, I feel like it's one of those series that you forget exists a few weeks after watching it.

But for a series composed almost entirely of new actors and being clearly a low-budget project, Only Boo manages to deliver a solid and very likeable plot.

Technically speaking, there's nothing very interesting here. The photography is too bright, the blur and brightness filter is exaggerated, the performances are very limited and the script is very safe, but the actors have enough charisma to hold the narrative together.

If the series had focused more on Moo's transition to becoming an idol and used his time at school and the beginning of his relationship with Kang as flashbacks, the story would have been much more interesting.

It's in the final episodes that the series really grows and has a very interesting plot, but it ends up being a bit rushed due to the lack of time to develop this part of the story. The script lacks balance, which makes the beginning weak and the ending rushed.

Kang is a character that I feel is very poorly explored here. His relationship with his father and his studies could be better developed and there was room to explore the character better. The secondary couple has excellent chemistry, but also suffers from the same simplistic and shallow development.

It's a series that's a bit too silly for my taste, the chemistry between the actors isn't the best and the series misses a great opportunity to tell the story of an idol's impossible love and ends up focusing more on a somewhat boring narrative but even so it's still a cute, light-hearted BL that's very enjoyable to watch.

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Great drama, terrible horror

It took me forever to start this series simply because I couldn't get past the first episode.

The problem with Dead Friend Forever is that the horror element here is extremely poorly constructed and executed. At times it felt like the series was going down a path like Nightmare on Elm Street, at other times it felt like Scream and Halloween and sometimes it felt like Bodies Bodies Bodies.

But the reality is that the horror here is from a low-budget school project. The deaths, the makeup, the killer and the mask are all so weak, so silly.

The drama present in episodes 5 to 8 and in episode 11 is simply the best part of the series. And I really wish they had explored this side more and really built a more elaborate suspense and worked the horror in a more psychological way.

Because all the scenes in the country house are terrible and weaken the plot a lot. These scenes can be summed up by the characters screaming and crying and screaming some more (which is done in excess here and is totally annoying). The construction of tension, fear and distrust is poorly executed and is based on the conveniences of the script and a "magic drug" that makes everyone hallucinate about Non.

The two-year time jump is something that cools the plot and I hate it. It makes no sense for Por, Top and Fluke to keep apologizing for hurting Non while they are hallucinating. At no point do they feel any sympathy for him and no drug can force that.

If Phee and Tan had discovered the truth about what happened and revealed it to the group, it would create a much more interesting dynamic.

Because the essential thing in a slasher horror is the suspicion of who the killer is. And that doesn't happen here.

If developed, they would all have motivations. Jin because of the guilt of what he did and because his friends' lie made Non get to that point. Por because Top broke his camera and made him be reprimanded by his father and end up in this mess. Fluke because his friends' lie risked tarnishing his reputation as a future doctor. Phee and Tan for the obvious reasons.

And in the end, all of them in the cabin being hunted by a killer would be amazing. But the deaths are weak (especially Por and Top), the confrontation is simply the characters screaming a lot and there is no tension. The series relies on the drug that Tan created and everything becomes too fantastical.

There really is something very interesting here. I love the middle of the series and Barcode simply shines in an impeccable performance. But it lacks nuance and the foundations of a good horror, it lacks a sharper direction that knew how to develop the plot instead of having the characters yelling all the time and it lacked a cleaner script that really removed all the unnecessary parts and created a bloody revenge drama.

Because that's what this story is. A revenge drama.

But the series mixes countless elements here - slasher horror, psychological horror, supernatural horror and syfy horror and ends up delivering anything. The last episode is a mess and the open end is a big no.

Great performances and an impeccable drama, but it needs a more elegant and precise editing, direction and script to be a good horror series.

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Confusa, mas apaixonante

Boys Be Brave tem todos os elementos de um bom BL. Uma direção competente, uma história caótica e apaixonante e personagens cheios de química e carisma. Eu gosto muito da proposta da série, apesar da execução ser um tanto corrida e confusa.

O casal principal funciona muito bem e eles tem uma dinâmica completamente caótica e de personalidade opostas que eu adorei acompanhar. Entretanto, eu sinto que o desenvolvimento entre eles é um tanto confuso. Toda a "amizade" que eles tiveram no passado e a forma como o Jung Ki Sub decide se mudar para a casa do Kim Jin Woo são pontos que realmente forçam a credibilidade da narrativa.

Outro ponto que acabou me decepcionando é o casal secundário. Eles tem uma narrativa bem picotada e mal recebem tempo de tela. O final entre eles é incompleto e eu realmente espero que eles lancem uma segunda temporada que desenvolva melhor o casal (já que a trama entre eles é de longe a melhor coisa da série).

No geral, é uma série divertida, com boas atuações, cenas engraçadas e uma boa química do elenco. A história não avança tanto e eu sinto que é um pouco comum e segura demais, mas o carisma dos atores e os momentos entre eles compensa. Uma excelente série para assistir sem muitas pretensões e outro excelente BL da Coreia lançado esse ano.

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Excelentes atores, mas uma trama carregada.

Não é uma série ruim e a curta duração de episódios ajuda bastante a não tornar a série cansativa, mas apesar dos excelentes atores aqui, o roteiro ainda falha em apresentar os mesmos problemas e as mesmas narrativas que vemos em todo BL.

Poderia ser facilmente uma série leve, romantica e focada na construção do relacionamento entre o Shin e o Peach, mas a série insiste em colocar personagens, dramas e intrigas que realmente não acrescentam nada e só tornam a história cansativa.

Ohm, o ator que faz Shin, é provavelmente quem tem o pior desempenho aqui. Mais uma vez ele interpreta o mesmo personagem calado, apático e frio. Os erros e o comportamento do personagem são tão agressivos que chega ao ponto de você sequer torcer para que eles terminem juntos no final da série.

Se focasse menos em brigas e intrigas e colocasse esse esforço em criar um drama leve sobre o Peach conquistando seu sonho de ser um confeiteiro certamente a série seria muito melhor.

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This is how you do a perfect BL

Without a doubt, the second best BL series of 2024 (behind only Happy of the End) and one of the BL series with the best cinematography I've ever seen.

The story grabs you from the first episode and builds a captivating, painful, melancholic but hopeful narrative. I found myself hooked on each episode, completely immersed in Minase and Hirukawa's story.

They give an amazing performance here and it's captivating to follow Hirukawa's transformation and the way he finds love and security in Minase, who at the same time breaks down his barriers and opens up to explore new perspectives with Haruki.

It's a simple series but with an impeccable execution. The subtlety, the violence, the construction of their love, the adversities, everything is done masterfully.

The direction is assertive and the cinematography delivers a beautiful work that manages to express the pain, love and nuances of each character brilliantly.

I confess that I missed them coming out to their friends and families at the end but the criticism about the ban on same-sex marriage in Japan is courageous and absolutely necessary.

Without a doubt a captivating story, a talented cast, a sharp production and an exceptional script. The perfect recipe for one of the best BLs of 2024.

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The most cowardly and pathetic character of all time

Double Helix achieved a feat I haven't seen in a long time: creating a boring protagonist with a "poor me" syndrome who spends the entire series lamenting, crying, and moping around.

It becomes truly impossible to root for the main couple when Yi Chen spends the whole plot making one stupid decision after another.

The story has potential and is captivating, but the problem is a lack of editing and a lack of vision from the series' writer and director in condensing the story into an engaging narrative, cutting the excesses, and better balancing the emotions conveyed in the scenes.

The series has countless time jumps at key moments that could have been used to develop the characters, and this takes a tremendous amount of weight away from the series.

The number of times they break up, fight or have someone or something appear to separate them becomes boring and anticlimactic.

At times, the series becomes so rigid and dense that the plot drags. It’s 40 minutes of screaming, characters crying, musical sequences with someone making a pitiful face in the rain, and so on.

I understand that the series tried to adapt their entire story but it was unnecessary. At a certain point, it feels like they are just inventing tragedies and problems so the series can have a few more episodes.

And that makes the ending unbearable. The entire plotline regarding Lu Feng's bipolar disorder is excellent, had it been better developed rather than shoved into the final episode.

There are great points in the series: the secondary couple is excellent—but they are sidelined and don't get the spotlight or the development they need—, the acting are great, the cinematography is beautiful, and the chemistry between the actors is undeniable.

But it lacked direction, editing, and the ability to balance the series with more interesting characters and a more dynamic plot that treated mental health issues with greater seriousness.

A good BL that gets lost within its own plot.

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It was difficult to get to the end

I confess that I wasn't expecting much from this series because coming from Star Hunter we know that nothing good is going to happen.

But it amazes me how a series that apparently has a high budget, decent actors and a fairly competent production is capable of delivering such a dull and lifeless story.

It's not a bad series and it's not the worst BL of the year, but it's hard to find anything to praise here. It's all so cliché, so mediocre, so boring.

Mos and Bank honestly aren't good in this BL. I don't think either of them really fit the role. Sun is a character who doesn't have much to offer and is nothing more than a rich man in expensive suits. Salin kinda has a story, but it's completely disconnected from the narrative. The plot involving Naga and his soul is a blatant copy of The Sign that seems like an afterthought. They try to make him a cute but sexy character at the same time and this creates a conflict.

But overall the plot between them is so boring. They speak softly, have shallow conversations and the whole romance between them doesn't have a hint of excitement. The NC scenes are good because they really give it their all there, but they're so cheesy that it's painful to watch.

The series has 4 couples, but honestly it wouldn't make the slightest difference if they weren't in the plot. Sam and Yotha have good chemistry, but they practically have crumbs of screen time and end up being completely wasted.

Pim and Prim happen towards the end and they have zero chemistry. It's a relationship that comes out of nowhere and has no relevance whatsoever. Chan and Juldis are the comic relief and nothing more.

Overall it's a beautiful series, with excellent locations, but it wastes everything on a story that doesn't know what it wants to be and tries to be a little bit of everything. And nothing works.

The characters are shallow and at no point do you care about them. The costumes are exaggerated and completely disconnected from the characters (which has been a problem in Thai BLs, this habit of putting the characters dressed as idols on a red carpet). The fantasy elements are poorly constructed and lead nowhere.

It could easily have been an 8-episode series and focused more on the jewelry and built a more interesting plot. If Salin had infiltrated the company to steal a jewel that belonged to his family and in the process he fell in love with Sun, something simple but fun like that, the story would have been great.

But what we have are great NC scenes and 12 episodes of questionable acting, shallow dialogue, poorly directed scenes and a plot that goes from zero to nothing.

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Queer excellence

More than just a BL series, Marahuyo Project is queer excellence in its purest form.

For a low-budget series, the level of quality delivered here is astonishing. The cinematography is beautiful, the performances are impactful and full of nuance and emotion and the script delivers a story full of depth and realism despite the limitations and short length of the episodes.

It's a short series, but it manages to develop and introduce each of its characters and their stories. And what fantastic stories they are.

The representation here is not forced or unnatural, the series knows how to beautifully present and introduce each of its characters and their dreams and fears.

A much-needed series, full of symbolism and that addresses important issues for the LGBTQIA+ community. It's a series that has heart, that delivers moving scenes and dialogues, that shows the anxieties and fears of queer people, that explores love, friendship, respect and even prejudice and pain.

Congratulations to the creators of the series and the Philippines for once again delivering an exciting series, very well directed and that is not afraid to show its colors and positions.

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A hidden gem

Amidst a wave of BLs that feel increasingly repetitive and obvious, The Boy and I surprises with a mature narrative that deviates from expectations.

Japanese series have an incredible ability to turn everyday themes into sensitive works with an impressive script.

I love the device they use in the first episode; the documentary style works really well and creates a unique edge compared to what we usually see. And then, the series surprises us, breaking the narrative into a construction that is sometimes slow, sometimes surprising, and sometimes melancholic.
The characters are very well-developed, and right up to the final scene, the series has something to say. The ending might disappoint, and honestly, at times we really root for them to end up together.

But the message here is more realistic, rawer, and yet, it manages to be beautiful and full of subtleties.

I wouldn't complain about a second season showing them together again. Without a doubt, it leaves you wanting more.

Definitely deserves more recognition.

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Should be a psychological thriller

It’s a fun series, the actors have excellent chemistry, and the story flows well enough, despite the first few episodes being a bit stiff.

The problem is that the narrative becomes somewhat repetitive and even forgettable, which is a shame because episode 7 is incredible.

And this shows that the series would be amazing if it were a suspense BL. The entire plotline of the obsessed fan who wants to destroy their relationship at all costs is simply perfect.

It would be a much more interesting and unique story within the BL universe. The series desperately needed a more original plot that actually explored these points better.

Because unfortunately, Gi Haneul's amnesia isn't strong enough to drive the narrative, and the series tries to fill that gap with excellent kiss scenes and a Yeo Sae Byeok desperate to win him back.

But something is missing, and that something is the madness, the mystery, and the flavor of a psychological thriller.

It's a good series to pass the time, but the script is shaky, the characters are a bit shallow, the motivations are poorly presented, and the technical aspects—direction, cinematography, and acting—though decent, aren't surprising.

A little more courage would have made this series catch fire.

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