AMAZING NSFW scene in ep 10

Overall: although I struggled with parts of this series, there were things that I really liked specifically the intimacy was fantastic. Wish it had a wider release. Aired on WeTV, likely need a vpn to Thailand and WeTV subscription to watch officially.

Content Warnings: beginning sexual assault, non con kiss, kidnapping, violence/fight, vomiting, non con picture taking, unwanted outing

What I Liked
- the NSFW scenes/kissing looked like people who actually wanted to kiss (starts in ep 6), also the communication during/after was good, that ep 10 (around 5min) scene was mind-blowingly good, props to the actors and whoever staged that scene
- ongoing physical affection
- cute/sweet/caring moments
- supportive friendships, supportive mom
- at the very end of the last episode, that was adorable and rarely seen, I know it's difficult to have that in some countries but it is possible and happy to see it represented
- calling out drunk driving (eventually)

Room For Improvement
- what in the world was that weird frat hazing mixed in with dorm/sorting hat stuff? They could have just had 2 dorms that had a long history of rivalry and spent that screen time elsewhere
- several stupid "plans", why spend 5 minutes talking to someone when you can do nothing/have a "plan" for 3 years #sarcasm
- multiple couples and the side couples could have used more time/development
- confused with the relationships between all the characters
- should have removed the comedy sound effects and silly music, I did not find most things funny
- overused tropes like getting a fever from being out in the rain, gay for you trope
- I was bored with the school parts though it's good they show students actually doing schoolwork
- can we please be done with the non con kisses, kiss someone when you are sure they are awake

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The Best M/M Reality Dating Series So Far

Overall: This is my favorite "reality"dating series I've seen, understanding that "reality" can include producers telling the guys what to do/say and that editing can be extremely misleading (not showing things, change the order, etc). My goals were that the guys have some fun and being on the show helps (or at least doesn't hurt them) in their personal and professional lives. Note to Eun Chan and Chan Kyu - don't change yourselves, you are amazing as you are! Series aired on both Gagaoolala & iQIYI.

Content Warnings: discussion of homophobia

What I Liked
- the interviews and them discussing more serious things in episode 7 was excellent
- I like how they actually started with a date. The 30 second phone thing/letter writing was a good idea but only once.
- mix of choice vs no choice things
- smart decision to not let them say their age or occupation right away. I think people get fixated on those things when in reality personality, values and goals are much more important compatibility-wise.
- production value such as nice music, set design, editing, etc

Room For Improvement
- they needed more group dates or getting to know you games (Never Have I Ever would have been fun)
- the second phone call was repetitive and boring, it took almost all of episode 5
- the varying lengths of episodes (37 minutes to over an hour) was bad because then viewers thought some episodes were being censored. In the future they should keep episodes a consistent length.
- either there was a rule for no skinship or they edited it out, because 8 guys lived together for 1 week...
- the illegible subs on Gagaoolala because Korean subs were hardcoded on the video

Comparison to other m/m dating shows
1. Bromance (Thailand) is also on Gagaoolala. This is the typical Bachelor/Bachelorette set up with a bunch of people competing against one another to be with the 1 bachelor. I didn't like this because they could have all been hitting on each other and we have multiple couples! I got kind of bored and skipped a bunch.
2. Love House seasons 1 & 2 (Vietnam) on YouTube (most have English subs, this is ep 1 of season 2 no subs though https://youtu.be/TKzT_nHfVTA ). I liked this set up more than Bromance because the guys could all pursue one another. I didn't like the "secret couple" aspect and dividing them up based on sexual position seemed odd (can't they discuss that in private???) Season 1 was also the most brutal "rose ceremony" I've ever seen in any dating reality show. Season 2 was better.

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A rarely told relationship story

Overall: Though I would have preferred they went about it another way, I was so happy with the way this ended (and it's practically never seen) hence the 8.5 rating. And if you like kissing with tongue, then you will be in heaven. Watched on gagaoolala.

Content warnings: there are four very sexually explicit scenes - they are all consensual, 1 non con choking

What I Liked
- features an established m/m couple
- when Otoya's dad says Otoya is not a normal man because he's gay, Otoya tells his dad to not say discriminatory things like that
- the bartender's wisdom/lines towards the end
- a sequel to this would be amazing

Room For Improvement
- it's only 1 hour long so things are a bit choppy/jumpy/fast moving. I think they could have maybe removed a character/s and focused more on the central three.
- didn't like the physical violence

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coming of age/slow burn

Overall: this could have been a 10/10 except for a fatal flaw. It is adapted from the book "Mou Mou" by Mu Su Li; however, I reviewed the series based on its own merits. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each, 2 episodes per week. There is an extra scene after the initial end credits in some episodes. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4661/the-on1y-one-2024-e01 ; Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/40680c-the-on1y-one ; iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/the-on1y-one-2024-2ge4shuunbp?lang=en_us ; WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/album/3om6e76t014bzqy and Netflix https://www.netflix.com/mo-en/title/81907297

Content Warnings: non con kiss, fight, past child abuse, past death, kidnapping, threatened violence

What I Liked
- the lead characters and their dynamic (the tension, chemistry, micro expressions)
- sweet/protect moments
- many familiar faces (Zach Lu from HIStory 2: Crossing The Line (teacher), JN Yu from Be Loved In House I Do (quirky friend), Jed Chung from Light (classmate), Stan Huang from VIP Only (PE teacher)
- family interactions felt realistic
- symbolism with the closet
- color symbolism orange and blue
- multiple platform international release

Room For Improvement
- what stopped me from giving this a 9.5 or 10/10 was the fact that the director/writer made a very risky bet on a season 2, in order to do this they made the story drag with side plots/characters I didn't care about (like the female teacher and that random kidnapping???) and ended it in an unsatisfactory way, there has only be 1 Taiwanese series to get a season 2 (We Best Love), because it was a China/Taiwan collaboration a sequel feels even less likely given censorship and how even censored BL has been mostly shelved for the past few years
- ep 1 voice over with incorrect statistics (we don't meet 1,000 different people every day)
- actors who viewers have seen play adult characters played high school characters
- too many flashbacks
- the NSFW scene was odd compared to an earlier dead fish lip press
- the animated intro didn't match the overall vibe

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it was a fun ride

Overall: I enjoyed this series, though I watched most scenes at a faster speed. 13 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI uncut & YouTube cut which reduced NSFW scenes. Note: this was based on an omegaverse novel which I read but reviewed the series on its own.

Content Warnings: murders, sexual assault, blood, kidnapping, parental abuse, punch/slap, beaten up, stalking, manipulation, stalking, non con recording/sharing, violence, child trafficking

What I Liked
- supportive friends
- sweet moments
- Jeff & Alan
- excellent truth about how family isn't always the best
- pretty good NSFW scenes
- visuals

Room For Improvement
- quite a few characters were introduced at once and it took awhile to figure out who was who, there ended up being too many characters and not enough time to fully develop the relationships
- I realized they wanted mystery but it made it difficult to really support the Charlie/Babe relationship and the fact that they changed that plan from Jeff's idea to Charlie's was a mistake
- total nonsense/huge plot holes, many characters shared 1 brain cell
- cliche ghosting trope, Babe also shoved Charlie a bit too much/frequently
- the NSFW needed to be a longer (even in the uncut version) and were choppy at times
- cartoonish villains (and stupid)
- I wish they had either leaned into the omegaverse and explained it more or just omitted it entirely
- not sure how I feel about a certain character's redemption arc

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beachy vibe with lackluster plot

Overall: reminds me of Even Sun with a weak plot, attractive guys and a nice beach location. Something to just watch and shut your brain off. Aired on WeTV.

Content Warnings: manipulation, attempted drugging, non con touching, non con kiss (sleeping), threatened violence

What I Liked
- I smiled at a few parts
- realistic that there was a room at the same place they were staying and then an actual logical reason for there only being one bed in that room
- a character actually washed his hands (and Yoshi is cute)
- some sweet moments
- that a character actually noticed the suspicious guy and they had a plan in episode 6
- Tonliew did a good job and hope to see him in another series

Room For Improvement
- maybe it was mistranslated, Putter is supposed to be a super famous celebrity, but he travels without anyone? Some random dude becomes his manager?
- not a fan of the power imbalance/manipulation
- poor communication between the m/m leads
- lack of chemistry
- yet another terrible "plan" (from Putter)
- the effeminate guy is positioned to be a villain
- low budget/experience production, an example is during the bridal carry there were only close up shots instead of a much needed full body shot
- the wound of the foot changed location
- the lack of consequences and cliche 'they learned their lesson' nonsense

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slice of life mini series

Overall: this is a 20 minute short movie that was originally released in 2022 and was broken up into 3 mini episodes (first episode was 5 minutes without the credits). Aired on Strongberry's YouTube channel over 3 weeks (1 episode per week)

What I Liked
- fighting over the diary
- realistic vibe
- production value

Room For Improvement
- beginning didn't hook me, and how I couldn't see the main character's face
- released such short episodes at 1 episode per week instead of all together
- the ending was open to interpretation with contradictory clues/evidence for each ending
- the title (just do an internet search on "happy ending slang" if you don't know what it means) but I didn't take off points
- the subtitles needed to stay a little longer on the screen as people read slower than when they are just listening (didn't take off points)

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how a painful past affects relationships

Overall: I was very impressed with the first two episodes that had a slice of life/serious vibe; however, many plot elements, the shifting characterization and editing has brought my initial 9.5 rating down. 8 episodes about 35 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala for Southeast Asia and most of Europe (not UK or Spain) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4854/let-free-the-curse-of-taekwondo-2024 and iQIYI for I'd assume the countries not covered by GagaOOLala https://www.iq.com/play/1713h09ez2k?lang=en_us&sh_pltf=4 Watch after the initial credits of episode 1 for an extra scene.

Content Warnings: child abuse, violence, beaten up, death, trauma, dub con kiss, fraud

Watch Suggestions (to get rid of angst between the leads and the love rival)
- watch episodes 1 & 2
- watch episode 3 up to 25 min
- skip episode 4
- watch episode 5 21-23
- watch episode 6 11-14:35 and 32:45-end
- watch episode 7 beginning to 4:45 and 27 to the end
- watch episode 8 6:12-8:10, 19-19:45 and 21-36:45

What I Liked
- chemistry
- caring/sweet moments especially in episode 3
- realistic nervousness/awkwardness
- good kissing
- production value (except the confusing editing)

Room For Improvement
- ominous voice overs
- wish they had established the year in episode 1 (was established as 2004 at the beginning of episode 2)
- the cut to black after a certain moment/not showing the reaction
- plot elements were not well explained, there would be a brief flash or 1 sentence about major events that the viewers didn't get to see
- the plot element at the end of ep 3/beg of 4 was too long and not seeing something very important was cliche
- flashbacks/flash forwards made things unnecessarily confusing
- love rival and other side plots (student, drawing) instead of fully developing the main storyline
- I didn't ship the 2 characters romantically, felt like the cliche 'love heals all trauma'
- the very ending of episode 8 was anticlimactic

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Thai romcom with a ton of product placement

Overall: it's a fairly standard Thai romcom except it lost me around the halfway mark. I have not read the manga this is based on and I tried to review this adaptation on its own merits instead of comparing it to the Japanese live action adaptation of the same name. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GMMTV's YouTube channel.

Content Warning: slap

What I Liked
- clear premise
- lighthearted romcom
- sweet moments
- the bike riding scene
- that Kongthap gave it serious thought in ep 1
- made something clear at the end of episode 2 instead of dragging it out
- My School President Easter egg in episode 3
- good established m/m couple
- a character wanted physical affection
- the Chinzilla band cameo in ep 11

Room For Improvement
- the intro scene and then the voice over that re-told what we already knew
- the overused comedy sound effects detracted from the comedy
- felt draggy
- camera blocked kisses (I realize the towel was from the manga but they didn't have to follow the manga exactly and then even the het couple had a camera blocked kiss)
- nonsense stuff, they didn't even show the props that they decorated
- I still hated the slap but at least there was an apology
- a teacher asking a student about their love life
- running after a car was not cute
- this might have the most product placements that I've ever seen, but I didn't really take off points because series like this allow GMMTV to make series like Not Me

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adorable adaptation

Overall: the first episodes really wowed me with honoring the source material/Japanese series but putting its own Thai touch on it. There were a few items I wish had been done differently but a solid romcom that I enjoyed. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Airing on VIU with English subtitles (you need a VPN first set to Thailand and then click on the link) https://www.viu.com/ott/th/en/vod/2281332/Cherry-Magic-30-ยังซิง

Content Warnings: harassment, manhandling, body shaming, non con recording, vomiting, homophobia

What I Liked
- good reference to the manga
- sweet/cute moments
- funny parts
- good kissing/intimacy
- Achi and Karan had some solid communication and cleared up misunderstandings relatively quickly
- Achi's parents
- Karan's sister talking to their parents
- production value

Room For Improvement
- though I looked forward to the increased runtime, it ended up dragging a little at certain points
- happy they avoided the episode 11 curse but that was a stupid "plan"
- similar to the manga (but dissimilar to the Japanese live action) Karan was too grabby a few times with Achi
- space sound they sometimes had when Achi heard inner thoughts
- cat looked very well fed/taken care of for a stray cat
- did the dancer's hair change color at times? (continuity error?)
- disappointed with Pai's character, she gave an awesome empowerment speech towards the beginning of the series and then they had her go a very familiar route
- the m/m couple needed more screentime/development shown
- overt product placement is a negative as compared to the Japanese series but I didn't take off points for product placements as it funds series
- GMMTV should have released that statement right when they removed the first 2 episodes from YouTube at the end of December instead of 3 months later admitting that it was their fault for the lack of international release (did not take off points from my review)

(updated April 6th 2024 after GMMTV's official statement) https://twitter.com/GMMTV/status/1776414522393391494
International Release: on December 20th 2023 after 2 episodes aired on YouTube internationally, GMMTV stated that it could no longer air Cherry Magic internationally. It then aired on VIU to those in Thailand (had English subtitles). Finally 3 months later GMMTV release an official statement saying that due to their mistake with the contract they cannot air the series outside of Thailand and are working on copyright and licensing for every country. Let this be a lesson to all production companies to clearly state in your contract international streaming rights.

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a travel ad with very explicit scenes (watch suggestions)

Overall: this had very slow pacing and then some of the most explicit NSFW scenes that I have ever seen from Thailand. Note that this has nothing to do with the Taiwanese BL Kiseki Dear To Me, also there isn't a chapter 1 (there was supposed to be but an actor left the company). There will apparently be a special episode with 1 of the couples. Aired on Viu (need to VPN to Thailand) and GagaOOLala. Later re-aired on 9NAA's YouTube channel (cut free to watch, uncut for channel members). The production company 9NAA also made: Venus In The Sky, Check Out, Skinship and I Am Your King.

Watch Suggestions (unless you like a lot of eating, drinking, taking pictures and singing/guitar playing)
- read the synopsis
- skip episode 1
- episode 2 watch 8-12, 16-24, 28-31 and 33:30 to the end
- episode 3 watch 19-25, 40:25-45:40, 50 minutes to the end
- skip episode 4 (unless you want to learn about Japanese bathhouses which is in the 2nd half)
- episode 5 watch 22-24:30 (very NSFW) and 27:50-31 (very NSFW)
- episode 6 watch 22-24 and 27-30:30, could also watch the last few minutes

What I Liked
- centered on 4 characters with an easy to understand premise
- twins as lead characters
- the scene where a character splashed water on his face and pretended to be happy/smile
- the actors did a good job with their explicit scenes, they used some tongue which was realistic

Room For Improvement
- slow pacing, a lot of time spent hugging trees, singing, drinking, eating and taking pictures
- an actor said that they were totally naked in their NSFW scenes which made me worry about how comfortable they were (and apparently the director said he'd go naked to make them comfortable but that sounded more like a threat than being helpful), however, we saw a cord around 1 actor's waist, I'd rather they let the actors wear underwear and use creative angles/shots because the viewer's imagination could fill in the rest; update, the cord might be something religious (let me know if anyone knows more about this)
- wanted them to move from the stairs to a bedroom and I wanted to know what the character was going to say
- toilet humor/scenes
- in episode 3 I wish they hadn't shown a character as extremely drunk before what happened
- they didn't take out the chapter 2 from the title when chapter 1 might never air or if it does it would air after chapter 2

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historical masterpiece

Overall: I applaud the writers for giving us this series. I read the book but reviewed the series on its own merits. The cut version is 45 minutes and uncut episodes were over an hour. Aired on YouKu app, GagaOOLala (uncut), YYDS YT channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoqdmwJPCU35AqHWHKLdr5RWqQhBiVl61 (depending on your country) Check out these 2 official movie cuts which center on Yai & Jom
Part 1 of Jom & Yai’s Epic Love Story https://youtu.be/Tt5-Wa5z3RE
Part 2 of Jom & Yai’s Epic Love Story https://youtu.be/vT-HG57Nt7w

Content Warnings: (there were major content warnings that I put under a spoiler)

What I Liked
- sweet moments and excellent chemistry
- finally we had well written female characters instead of cliche stereotypes, these women acted/felt/reacted how real women would
- strong messages without being corny, they showed the unfairness of wealth disparities, they addressed something that happened in episode 3 as traumatic and not romantic, we almost never see this between a married couple in fiction though it sadly happens in real life and then they showed the trauma of what can result from that circumstance
- unique premise
- that Jom had agency
- intimate scenes were done extremely well
- production value

Room For Improvement
- Jom was a bit frustrating in the first half though he really went thru a lot, I blame the editing for unnecessary long pauses
- the ending was extremely rushed and not really clear of what exactly happened, they could have condensed some of the side plots/scenes in the first half of the series to more fully show the ending
- that mustache was awful and not needed in ep 1
- Jom should have said quietly what the year was when he learned who that ruler was as international fans don't know the date (but it's in the series summary)

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My new favorite Korean BL

Overall: I read part of the manhwa and novel that the series is based on and I think they did a really wonderful adaptation. This is a good example of narrowing the focus to fewer characters/romantic relationships to fit it in a shorter runtime. Watched on Viki, also aired on Gagaoolala in some regions. (minor spoilers)

Content Warnings: bullying/harassment, non con/dub con kiss (sleeping)

What I Liked
- the character aesthetics/styling
- good side characters like Yu Na (also that reference to her being bi was awesome), we avoided the evil woman cliche
- I really liked that Jae Young‬ actually left Sang Woo‬ alone a couple of times instead of the aggressive pursuit/stalking that is frequently romanticized
- the music fit well
- the whimsical editing in the beginning linked it to the manhwa
- funny parts like all the plaid shirts and some sassy responses
- the color symbology (going to have to re-watch again and pay attention)
- good production value (and English subs were added quickly)

Room For Improvement
- more lip ring was needed
- it felt a bit choppy in areas like we ended at once place and then the next scene is a different location/time, also not sure how much time has passed in between certain scenes and it would have been nice to know
- I wish Jae Young had actually followed Sang Woo's physical touch boundaries for more than 1 episode or they had had a discussion to adjust the boundaries in a later episode

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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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had me until episode 4

(potential trigger warnings in my review, talking about abuse and intimate partner violence)

Overall: with a few tweaks this could have been a 9.5 series but I actively did not want the main leads together especially when 3 years later one of them was still a narcissist. It's sad but not surprising that people were victim blaming and calling Joe stupid. He wasn't stupid, he was an abuse victim (more below). Very similar aesthetics to KinnPorsche which made sense because it shared a director and screenwriter. It was adapted from the novel "Professional Body Double" by Shui Qiang Cheng which I didn't read and I based the series on its own merits. 12 episodes about an hour each. Aired uncut on iQIYI. First episode link: https://www.iq.com/play/my-stand-in-uncut-episode-1-1iwuiu9rlww?lang=en_us The production company also produced I Feel You Linger In The Air.

Content Warnings: death, grief, non con kissing, punch/violence, intimate partner abuse, held against will, gaslighting, manipulation, coercion, past suicide?, manhandling, vomiting, parental abuse, kidnapped, homophobia

What I Liked
- the premise
- showed a condom and discussed sexual position preferences
- had a good conversation at the beginning of episode 2
- wanting/ongoing physical affection in the beginning episodes
- sweet moments in the beginning episodes
- supportive sister
- production value (some really nice camera shots, use of mirrors, switching focus on foreground to background etc.)

Room For Improvement
- I can't root for their relationship as explained below
- Ming was stupid, he could have easily shown his dad evidence first before telling him the other part, he could have shored up his financial situation first as well
- Joe's lack of agency, he had a bunch of awful things and felt cornered into doing things instead of it being his choice
- multiple failed redemption arcs
- trash characters have no consequences, just instant forgiveness for terrible things they did
- multiple romances introduced in the last 30 minutes of the last episode
- voice overs with exposition dumps
- some of the music didn't fit the tone (that fight in episode 4 was made comical instead of dramatic)
- wish a character hadn't been shown as extremely drunk at the end of episode 1
- love triangle, Sol overstepped and took away agency from Joe especially in episode 9
- nonsense stuff i.e. Ming just happened to have something at his house in episode 4??? Joe didn't have any bruises/blood on his face/head in episode 4, Joe happened to overhear key conversations, 1 person being extremely drunk and a stunt person not being able to get away

Thoughts on Grey Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I think about:
1. was there a realistic reason why the character/s acted the way they did in the past (sort of, but not to the level that Ming was at)
2. how bad was/is the treatment (extremely abusive and violent, Ming could have accidentally killed Joe in episode 4, 3 years later and Ming stays a narcissist he says "I always get what I want" and he actively ignores what would make Joe happy)
3. were both characters grey or was one squeaky clean (Joe was mostly squeaky clean but unbelievably dense in not believing that Ming wanted him and Ming was abusive and a narcissist and stayed a narcissist/manipulative and also stupid to not know why Joe didn't tell him something)
4. was there some kind of apology/amend making (verbal apologies, promised to treat him better/give him job opportunities, was sweet with him but to me it was just the make up phase of an abuse cycle)
5. was there character growth (no, 3 years later and Ming was still a narcissist which was reinforced in episode 9, he made decisions involving Joe without asking what Joe wanted because Ming did whatever Ming wanted)
6. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (no, because for Ming it was about power/control and not love)
final verdict: I didn't want them in a romantic relationship together

Joe wasn't stupid, he was the victim of intimate partner violence
- Joe was the victim of physical, financial, emotional/mental and sexual abuse
- Ming didn't love Joe, he wanted to control him to get what he wanted
- abuse survivors can have a very difficult time escaping the abuse because abusers can be extremely excellent manipulators "if you hadn't done abc then I wouldn't have had to say/do xyz", also there are periods of nice times that trick the survivor into thinking the abuser does love them (the make up phase in the cycle of abuse), in the real world intimate partner violence is deadly and widespread, it is estimated that 10-40% of law enforcement officers are abusers and they are frequently the first people to respond, it's all very terrible and not at all romantic

If you or someone you love needs help, here is a resource in the U.S. https://www.rainn.org/

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