didn't work for me

Overall: the creators tried to be edgy, sexy, funny, sweet and mysterious but managed not to do any of those things well (I did laugh a few times but some of that was not supposed to make people laugh). 14 episodes about 1 hour each. Aired on GagaOOLala (note there is a very important scene after the initial end credits in episode 14). The production company Copy A Bangkok has also produced: War of Y, Y Destiny, YYY and Make It Right

Watch Notes: I'm not even sure what to write here. There is an exposition dump at the beginning of episode 14 so you could watch that and then the final episode (through to the very end because there is a scene after the end credits), which won't make a ton of sense but neither did the series

Content Warnings: (pretty much all content warnings) murders, death, rape, sexual assault, abuse, suicide (it's complicated), grooming, manipulation, kidnapping, torture, coercion, blackmail, kink shaming, homophobia, drug addiction, non con video recording/sharing/outing, beaten up/violence

What I Liked
- a person can definitely be horny as a virgin and a person can be more comfortable giving pleasure rather than receiving it
- saying that wanting it rough was fine (though I didn't see any rough play until later...)
- a mystery
- appreciate that they tried something different from what we normally see (i.e. fluffy romcoms)
- that sports guy was upset about non con recording/sharing
- at least safe words were mentioned and after care was shown
- realistic friendship between the rich guys and the not rich guys

Room For Improvement
- the two false statements right at the beginning annoyed me
1. not everyone enjoys sex and that is totally okay
2. research does not prove that people think about sex 388 times a day https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140617-how-often-do-men-think-about-sex (the average for a college-aged man was 19 times a day which was less than thinking about food and sleep) and that study suffered from the "white bear problem" ie telling someone not to think about something makes them want to think about it
- negative and stereotypical portrayal of sex workers
- the NSFW scenes were at times tossed in (especially in the beginning) and definitely felt they were there for a shock factor rather than an integral part of the story
- NSFW were painful to watch because they felt simulated, everyone was always wearing underwear and they didn't use clever camera angles to leave the viewers' minds to fill in the rest, overall the scenes didn't make me feel anything at all, perhaps because I hadn't connected with the characters yet which leads into...
- there were a bunch of characters and I didn't get a good sense of who they were/didn't connect with them, I finally figured a few out and they tossed in more characters
- there was some nonsense stuff that veered into camp and I think it was intentional but it wasn't enough so just felt awkward
- the Japanese voice overs (think ended after ep 2) and randomly speaking in English which made an unfortunate comeback at the end
- exposition dumps in episode 2, 11 and 14
- super disappointed about talking about a safe word but then forgetting it
- cliche poor communication and not clearing it up right away also "let me explain" and doesn't explain
- styling
- characters shared 1 brain cell, characters just believed someone because they said something
- characters had poorly done redemption arcs/personality transplants
- not clearly explaining a very confusing plot and hinting at a season 2 to explain things

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when hurt people hurt and love each other (we need a season 2)

Overall: an angsty series with good tension, but a few too many unanswered questions for my taste. 5 episodes about 20 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI, first episode link https://www.iq.com/play/gray-shelter-episode-1-1yzhwhotbkc?lang=en_us

Note: see a comment with spoiler for my thoughts on the ending

Content Warnings: parental abuse

Timeline Notes (the flashbacks weren't very clear)
- episode 1 starts in the present and then at 6:05 the rest is flash back
- episode 2 starts in flashback, goes to present at 10:30, flash back 19:25-20 and then returns to the present (the package is from his bio dad at the beginning, not step dad)

What I Liked
- a more serious vibe
- tension
- good for the girlfriend for not putting up with that
- acting
- production value

Room For Improvement
- there were 2 main issues that were alluded to but never directly explained that I wanted the answers
- that friend was a huge a**hole for ratting him out to his dad, can't believe the main character apologized to him
- could have shown things a bit more directly, I thought that beep was his phone going off, didn't realize someone was leaving the apartment which gave important context and showed 1 character was slightly less of a jerk than I thought he was
- they needed to make the flashbacks/present differ more, it made things needlessly confusing in the beginning
- pacing was slow at times and then the end felt rushed/incomplete

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slice of life with three friends and a newcomer

Overall: a more realistic/angsty vibe. Think of this as a slice of life/coming of age rather than a BL series (because it is not a BL series, see my spoiler comment). 8 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala.

Content Warning: manipulation

What I Liked
- a few central characters
- glad the guy was interrupted as the other guy was sleeping
- mystery element
- production value (color scheme in particular)

Room For Improvement
- was disappointed because a character knew it was no use but had really high expectations and then had a public breakdown when things went exactly as they knew it would go
- a bit too slow without the mutual tension needed to sustain it
- where did they get that key from, random ropes hanging with a sign which anyone can ignore
- there were opportunities for some clever plot twists but there was nothing
- should not have had this as (especially the last) in the BL time slot

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a first love high school romance

Overall: this gave off Heartstopper vibes with its animations and tone but I wish they had chosen something less serious (I'll put more information in the spoiler). Aired on 2 episodes per week on Regal Entertainment Inc YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7SneaZWMW0otehz3rmR_7xVEaoW8yNVA

Content Warnings: bullying, transphobia mentioned, mental health struggles and a major one in a spoiler comment

What I Liked
- cute moments
- funny moments
- acting/chemistry
- how the nerdy character defied stereotypes/character cliches, he stood up for himself, had visible tattoos and the character talked about his tattoos as well
- production value
- (neutral) the animations add a sense of whimsy but it's odd because I don't think this script is based off a webtoon/graphic novel so it feels more like copying Heartstopper rather than it making sense based on its source material

Room For Improvement
- the love triangle
- some parts were a bit choppy, at the end it took me a minute to figure out where they were
- I reeeaaallly wish they had chosen something not as serious, of like all the things to choose they chose...that, ugh

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a quirky comedy that will make you smile

Overall: this should put a smile on your face, make sure to watch the entire final episode and watch the ending credits as they change. Aired on GagaOOLala and AIS Play's YouTube Channel (for members)

Content Warnings: fights/violence, manipulation, stalking, non con touching, highschooler starts as a sophomore 15/16 and university student who starts as a junior 20/21 (didn't bother me*)

What I Liked
- Noey's aesthetic, it's unique
- Noey's vain/forthright/quirky character
- several funny moments, especially subverted tropes that made me laugh
- sweet moments
- Thiw was such a supportive friend
- Noey's family dynamics were very realistic, they bicker, they laugh, they cry
- hints of GL
- that they changed the ending credits to match what was happening
- good production value
- the music

Room For Improvement
- it dragged a bit in the first half but then sped up at the end and they didn't fully explain or resolve plot points (Noey's dad???)
- the drama at the end of ep 11 and beginning of 12 was cliche (but I was really happy with Thi being honest in episode 11)
- very unrealistic that that was the first time they did that at the end of ep 12
- Thi's laugh/tense shoulders/scaredy cat vibe was a little too much for me and I wanted him to have more character growth sooner
- I think some of the jokes didn't quite translate well like the thing with the charm towards the end, also Thi's dream in episode 5 was a bit too grim
- not a fan of an aggressive pursuit after that woman, also not a fan of bullying
- *this was a very PG rated series so the age gap/under 18 aspect didn't bother me

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KinnPorsche, close but not quite

Overall: I rated the first episode a 9.5. Unfortunately the series kind of fell apart for me, but there were some really good aspects. Although there's crack comedy (and some stupid comedy) parts, I would label KP as a mature series with major content warnings. Make sure to watch past the credits for the final episode. Watched on iQIYI (watched the uncut La Forte and also several episodes of the cut TV version)

Content Warnings: murders/deaths, attempted murder, suicide, threatened suicide, non con kissing and sex (drugged), dub/non con kiss (drunk), torture, manipulation, violence, fight scenes, blood and gore, kidnapping, pet death, breaking & entering, trauma/past trauma, physical abuse, self harm, drunk driving? 17/18 year old with 22? year old (this personally didn't bother me the way it was presented)

What I Liked
- intro song and the music fit the scenes well
- acting, especially Apo and his microexpressions
- some of the funny moments like that light shining on Porsche in the bar as if he's sent from heaven in ep 1
- really lovely cinematography such as the bathroom scene in episode 7
- beautiful and well thought out lighting
- Porsche and Porschay brother relationship was super sweet
- that Kinn and Porsche were realistically horny after they got together
- a more unique premise (we don't have many BL mafia series)
- fun product placements like that bread in the bed
- the free, shorter TV versions are cut really well and it doesn't ruin the series, they toned down/cut some of the violence and sex/nudity in the shorter versions as well as other parts (like cutting the toilet humor from ep 1 which I appreciated)

Room For Improvement
- disappointed with Porsche's character. In the first episode he's shown as a good fighter and intelligent but then it all goes downhill. He does some of the stupidest things, speaking of...
- really stupid decisions from multiple characters (somehow Tankhun is the smartest brother...), Kinn saying he forgot something - really???
- back to Porsche. It's so odd how the character felt about the mafia in episode 1 to where he ends up in the finale with apparently no internal struggle.
- lack of character growth with KinnPorsche, they are terrible at communicating and trusting one another. I wanted to see them work thru this and grow together. Kinn continued to seek his father's approval and I wanted him to start breaking away.
- stark tonal changes. At the end of episode 10 there was no time to grieve, just farting in the bed. I think humor can go well with a darker tone (like Our Flag Means Death) but going from torture to silly scenes did not work for me.
- non logic: owning an expensive motorcycle and having no money, going clubbing with only 3 bodyguards when someone wants you dead, knowing how to spearfish but not that a small knife won't cut through bone, clean shaven after 3 days in the wilderness, lack of police, no one wears bullet proof vests ever
- the dub/non con with KinnPorsche although I appreciate that it wasn't immediately glossed over, there was apologizing and some selfless acts
- Vegas and Pete needed more screen time. I really wish we had seen Pete have a wet dream with Vegas and Pete as a masochist earlier. Also that he purposefully got caught because he was attracted to Vegas. Their relationship felt Stockholm Syndromey and was very rushed. The sex scene needed less music and more actual sounds from them, a steadier camera and some research on BDSM.
- Kim/Porschay, they needed more screentime as well. I was confused by Porschay's intensity as it seemed they were together for a short time but in a later episode Kim looks back at a bunch of pictures of them together and it made me think they dated for longer than I thought.
- camerawork was a little too shaky during action scenes
- replacing swear words with things like "fudge" WTF? We see multiple murders but using swear words is too much (I didn't take off points for this though as maybe the production couldn't control the subs)
- it felt like maybe too many twists at the end, definitely felt like a set up for season 2

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Great visuals with a choppy plot

Overall: So don't read the summary on gagaoolala as it gives away what is supposed to be a plot twist in this short film. I've noticed very similar weaknesses with m/m romance from Taiwan (i.e. Because Of You, Light, Innocence, Papa & Daddy) which try to cover too much plot and often have flashbacks/forwards that add to the choppiness. I wish Taiwanese writers/directors would learn from Strongberry in South Korea on how to put a cohesive/realistic story into a short run time (i.e. Some More, Step For You).

Content Warnings: none

What I Liked
- acting
- production value
- the scenes of physical intimacy

Room For Improvement
- choppiness, starts with them yelling at one another, then a guy is in bed, then motorcycle riding, then basketball playing...like what is going on???
- for the basketball playing scene, how did they meet? The story should have started here and given some footing for the rest of the story.
- unrealistic responses/conversations, who doesn't ask what a person does for a job, it's one of the first things you ask someone. Also, if someone tells you not to do something don't they normally give a reason or wouldn't you ask what their reason is?
- how much time has passed, there isn't a sense of how long they've know each other, a few days, a few weeks?
- I didn't like the ending and think there could have been an honest conversation about the challenge/s of their relationship and how they want to proceed.

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enjoyable romcom

Overall: it was a fun watch and I hope we get a sequel/see these actors in more series. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI and YouTube (not in the U.S.) here is the first episode link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s27LxcQeg_0

Content Warnings: kidnapping/held against will, manipulation, coercion

What I Liked
- the supporting characters
- I did laugh several times, the comedy sound effects weren't excessive (I loved that security guard just watching them go at it like that wasn't part of his job lol), though the comedy did give way to angst at some points
- sweet and supportive moments (though Yang should have apologized verbally in episode 3)
- Tammy wasn't a cliche female character
- ep 6 NSFW scene was very well done

Room For Improvement
- plot holes/continuity errors/nonsense stuff (i.e. pretty sure that isn't how you find investors/partners, why didn't he just ask his wealthy parents???)
- Phojai's plan/timeline made no sense and that was a weak apology
- they lived in the same building, but this was not shown/explained and then sometimes Phumjai was at a different bedroom/house (his parents?)
- cliche plot point in ep 5 and other cliches (sick after being in the rain, accidental fall/catch, etc)
- ending was rushed, too much of the debt stuff (could have cut that whole plot out)
- several interrupted kisses in the final episode
- I didn't deduct points for the blatant product placement because it funded the series

Note: I am blown away that Offroad's character here is so different from Saint in Our Days, I have to keep looking to make sure it's the same actor

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too slow but with some good NSFW scenes, start at episode 6 or 8

Overall: I initially dropped this after 3 episodes but sped thru the rest and my advice is to watch ep 1 around 12 minutes and then skip to episode 6 (and watch on a faster speed). 10 episodes about 1hr each. Aired on iQIYI. Re-aired on 9NAA YouTube channel. 9NAA also produced Check Out and I Am Your King series.

Content Warnings: manhandling, harassment, kick

What I Liked
- established couples
- NSFW was well done
- sibling relationship
- the title was hilarious
- production value (which makes sense because there was a lot of product placement)

Room For Improvement
- as a viewer I need to want the two leads to be together in a romance series, however, I didn't want these leads to be together, I didn't understand what changed Sky's mind and I think Venus was too harsh towards Sky for way too long, they could have had a five minute conversation but the viewer had to slog thru hours and hours of nothing to get to a mutual understanding
- most of the scenes could have been cut or shortened, watched it on 3x speed, as an example you could start episode 9 after 12 minutes and miss absolutely nothing
- when the beginning scene took place was unclear for awhile, flashbacks/forwards without clear transitions
- who interrupts like that and then continues to have a conversation, get out of the room! (episode 1)

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aggressive pursuer/reluctant pursuee

Overall: although the writers tried to make the aggressive pursuer/reluctant pursuee a comedy, it did not work for me.. Aired 2 episodes per week on GagaOOLala and Viki. Same production company as Our Dating Sim and My Sweet Dear (you can see a poster of the series in the office).

Content Warnings: harassment, non con picture taking, kick, non con touching, punch, manhandling

What I Liked
- laughed a few times ("my love for you isn't unconditional, I care about your looks" great line/writing!)
- there are tropes but they are done well
- sweet moments
- the last restaurant scene in episode 8
- some good kissing/actual mouth movement
- turning bedroom lights on and off at appropriate times
- Lee Jun was able to separate his work life from his personal feelings
- Lee Jun did end up having some agency instead of just an object others fight over

Room For Improvement
- dislike this type of dynamic where someone won't take no for an answer, the harassment lasted way too long and was too much
- this couple's relationship is doomed, where is the trust, where is the communication, where is the respect?
- never any explanation for why Ha Ram was so aggressive/smitten
- a scene was during the day and then suddenly it was night time
- the ignoring thing was stupid
- what Ha Ram told to their coworker in episode 7 without first consulting Lee Jun
- I don't mind people who are just looking for the short term but that should be clearly stated before going on a date (that guy needs a spin off series)
- voiceovers

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Cute short movie featuring spicy chicken obsession

Overall: a 15 minute short movie about two friends who start living together. Bought/watched on Vimeo.

Content Warnings: none

What I Liked
- the obsession with eating chicken was kind of funny
- the sweet moments including the subverted wipe mouth trope
- I appreciated the good continuity, a character said it was late and the clock was 10:10pm

Room For Improvement
- this really needed another minute or two at the end, it ended so abruptly. If the one guy had just passed out, but then they had a conversation in the morning when non-drunk, that would have been great.

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a masterpiece with multidimensional/flawed characters (please give it a try)

Overall: I think some people won't start or finish this series due to the premise and Ritsu's character in the beginning. I would highly encourage people to watch the entire series because it is 100% worth it. Aired on GagaOOLala and Viki.

Content Warnings: there are several some of which might be extremely triggering, I will put them in a comment with a spoiler

What I Liked
- flawed/multidimensional characters (I could write an essay on Ritsu)
- realistic and very well done NSFW scenes (including talking during and not overpowering music)
- relationships between characters (enjoyed the found family theme with the four of them)
- how Meguru was not a cliche/stereotype and the actor (used as a gender neutral term) is non-binary so that's pretty awesome
- production value/cinematography (you can tell it's the same director from The Novelist & Mood Indigo)

Room For Improvement
- the flashbacks kind of took me out a bit from the story in the present
- not a fan of some of the one lipped kissing
- the special effects near the end were low budget/cringey
- definitely could have used a longer run time to more fully develop characters
- I wish they'd go with something that could actually happen like a deadly virus, nuclear war or a large natural disaster but I realize they had source material

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gave me a headache every time

Overall: the plot did not plot. Watched uncut on GagaOOLala. Also aired cut/uncut on WeTV and cut on YouTube (they cut the NSFW scenes). 10 episodes about 40 minutes each. MFlow Entertainment also produced: Beyond the Star, Ai Long Nhai, Coffee Melody, Second Chance and With Love.

Watch Suggestion: instead of watching the series, watch the Behind The NC Scenes (note the thumbnails have nothing to do with the scenes) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3965/time-the-series-behind-the-nc-scenes-2024-e01 These are actually fully edited with music though they occasionally have someone giving directions.

Content Warnings: murder, sexual assault/attempted rape, dub/non con? (not sure what exactly that was around 30 minutes in episode 1), sexual harassment, beaten up, drugging, manipulation, slaps/fight, blood, mental health struggles, non con that turns consensual, breaking & entering, kidnapping, non con video recording/sharing

What I Liked
- the intro didn't make much sense but it did set up high stakes
- at least the manager eventually followed him to his room in episode 1
- the kissing/NSFW were decent (but felt directed instead of organic at times)

Room For Improvement
- not sure what the plot was supposed to be, we had fast jumps to characters that are not introduced well/I didn't really know who they were (especially bad in episode 5), it was also boring ie 7 minutes of guys flirting with women in episode 3
- everything felt odd, the dialogues, the lack of realistic reactions to things, no one acted like a human
- the timeline became especially choppy in episode 7, was not sure how much time passed between scenes
- way too much screen time in episode 1 with the stereotypical/cliche fighting/yelling trans women and evil wannabe girlfriend (reminded me of Be Mine Superstar, not in a good way), luckily the yelling went away
- the set up for the NSFW in episode 1 was awful
- the two leads needed to be styled differently, they looked kind of like brothers
- comedy sound effects that weren't funny
- episode 2 had a very long/odd flashback/dream
- nonsense stuff, that jump drive map in episode 5 being just one of a ton of examples
- cliche evil women
- cliche drunk trope (very fictional mouth says no but body says yes), cliche saw someone talking with a woman and then refused to communicate
- the twist at the end

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too many characters/couples and an unfinished finale (watch the 1 couple cut)

Overall: there were 9 actors listed as main roles and 14 listed as support roles, they needed to cut the characters by half and then focus on the fewer characters/couples. I took a full point off for that finale which was one of the worst finales I have ever seen in anything, they dropped several plot threads/had no resolution for several characters/couples. 8 episodes about 40 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI and MFlow Entertainment's YouTube Channel (not in the U.S.). Produced by MFlow Entertainment which also made Tin Tem Jai, Ai Long Nhai, Coffee Melody Second Chance and With Love.

After airing they made a special cut of just the established couple which I'd suggest watching instead of the series https://www.iq.com/play/beyond-the-star-nnkh0lxm1c?lang=en_us Just wish they would have had a better ending for them than a pinky promise promising not to cheat...

What Suggestions if you watch the whole thing (prioritizing the established couple and intimate scenes)
episode 1 - 14 minutes established couple sniff kisses
episode 2 - 32 minutes established couple in a window seat having fun
episode 3 - 5 minutes established couple in a tub having fun
episode 4 - 4 minutes glasses & friend dream kissing, 22 minutes established couple flirting & 33 minutes shopping
episode 5 - 16 minutes established couple on a couch having fun, 33 minutes established couple brief kisses
episode 6 - 36 minutes foot injured couple confession, sniff kiss and bed scene
episode 7 - 24 minutes (NSFW with foot injured couple) to 33 minutes and just pretend that's the end (episode 8 does have a meh NSFW scene with that guy wearing glasses 31-37 minutes)

Content Warnings: non con video recording/sharing, slap, manhandling, attempted suicide

What I Liked
- an established couple, they had some nice kisses/scenes
- cafe worker's dimples (though not sure why he lied about his part time job when the other character specifically said he didn't have to lie about it???)
- some decently done NSFW scenes (the established couple)
- (neutral) there were a few comedy sound effects, they weren't overwhelming

Room For Improvement
- there were a ton of characters introduced in episode 1 and I didn't care about any of them, I did eventually figure most of them out but then characters would vanish for an episode or more
- nonsense writing, a character said that they were waiting for another character to practice when we clearly saw them all practicing...
- slow pacing, I watched at 3x speed, didn't care about the rival company stuff or dance practices
- slap was not needed and not funny
- kind of hinted at a love triangle was annoying
- that final episode was absolutely terrible, barely anything was resolved, they also threw in a very serious thing in episode 8 with no discussion of counseling/medication/help

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Needed two seasons for the amount of plot it covered (minor spoilers)

Overall: enjoyable but they needed 1 season for high school and a 2nd season for college. I read the beginning of the manhwa but don't remember it well. Watched on Viki.

Content Warnings: non-biological brothers raised as brothers from ages 7-17, bullying, punches, slap (not between m/m ship), manhandling, attempted non con kiss

What I Liked
- sweet moments like that jump hug/kiss
- good production value (except shaky camerawork)
- Hae Bom is a cinnamon roll who has character growth by the end (more confident/takes initiative)
- Tae Sung did apologize for something he did in episode 5 that was bad
- that Tae Sung respected Hae Bom's boundary at the cafe in episode 7

Room For Improvement
- my major complaint is it was too choppy/not fleshed out enough. For example, they say they are going grocery shopping and then the next scene 1 guy is in a shower...
- in episode 5 I really didn't like Tae Sung pushing Hae Bom against a wall and putting his hand around Hae Bom's throat, especially since Hae Bom has been bullied and then the mom's pretty calm about it...
- in episode 5 there is a dream but it looks like Hae Bom is actually remembering something and that would be non con because he's so drunk (but it was a dream)
- cliche evil wannabe girlfriend
- unknown time jump at the end
- the intro was too long/gave away too many future scenes

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