Entertaining wild ride and one of the stronger short Republican era dramas

Two things to note about this drama:
1) This is Republican era drama, which usually means there will be a lot of deaths, angst, and tragedy. Why? The Republican Era was a very unstable time in China between 1910s-1940s. It was after the last dynasty and before the Cultural Revolution. There were a lot of corruption, a lot of warlords fighting for territories, and a lot of social issues. So, dramas set in this time period usually have a tragic tone.
2) Male lead is a walking red flag--which is also typical for Republican era dramas, but this male lead really does a lot of things that are irredeemable. So, if you don't like male leads who are super flawed and horrible, then you should probably skip this drama. (If you enjoyed "Goodbye My Princess," you will probably like this one!)

Now, with that out of the way, this drama is one of my favorite Republican era dramas! I think this drama does the best of its genre when compared to other ones like "Maid's Revenge." I think the characterization and story for "Circle of Love" were more compelling story-wise with more complex characters, which was well acted by the main cast, especially the two leads. Truly, the main leads' acting and their chemistry were a huge part of why I enjoyed this show. The actors were able to portray such conflicting, intense emotions of love and hate. Incredible performances from the two leads!

The premise: Gu Meng loses her entire family during her wedding night because of her husband Xiao Hongye. Turns out, he wanted revenge this whole time because the Gu Family destroyed his own family. In a rage, Gu Meng tries to kill him but falls into a river and disappears. That was the end of their "first" life together. When she reappears two years later, she tries to kill Xiao Hongye but is captured. In that moment, her head accidentally hits a pillar and she loses her memory. Xiao Hongye doesn't believe her and forces her to become a servant of his mansion so he can keep an eye on her. Thus, begin their "second" life, in a sense, and their lives become more entangled as they become emotionally attached to one another. Can a relationship based on lies and deceit survive?

One of my favorite things about this show is that the male lead is undoubtedly bad and the female lead doesn't forget that (well, she has amnesia, but once she remembers, she doesn't forgive him so easily). Usually, in Chinese dramas, they try to make the male lead redeemable at the last second so that you feel better about having the male lead be with the female lead. However, Xiao Hongye is very bad in this drama. He does a lot of stuff that can't be reversed or forgiven!

Essentially, this is "Goodbye My Princess" speedrun Republican era version, lol. It's tragic, it's kind of funny because of how many times she loses/gains her memories, but also really sad because she's in this horrible cycle of love and hate with the man that she wishes she could love, but could never.

Highly recommend for those interested in tragedies and knows how to enjoy a show like this. (I've seen way too many people complaining about the toxicity of the show. That's the point?! This is a fictional TV show exploring complex situations like blood feuds and karma and love and hate.)

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Solid story, acting, cinematography. More PG-rated than the poster indicates

From the director of other strong short dramas "A Familiar Stranger" and "The Killer is Also Romantic," here's another story that delivers incredible visual storytelling with the plot.

It is 20th century Shanghai, meaning this the Chinese Republican era, which is a transition period after the end of the monarchy but before the Cultural Revolution (so around 1910s-1940s). During this time is full of warlords fighting over territories and also the major issue of opium destroying a lot of people. This is the historical setting of the fictional story.

Jiang Ying is a local singer at a club who attempts to get close to Du Jingchuan for revenge. In her way is Jingchuan's son Du Xunyu, who is suspicious of her motives. However, Jiang Ying knows his secret: that the real Du Xunyu is already dead. So who is this man pretending to be Jingchuan's son and what is his end goal? Their entanglement unfolds...

The actors did an incredible job and the two leads have amazing chemistry. I've seen Zhao YiQin in older dramas that I didn't care too much for (I think he doesn't look that good in historical dramas) but he looks incredible here. Daisy Li is also the perfect female lead for this role, to be cunning but also able to play an innocent type. Overall, the whole cast did a great job.

The chemistry is sizzling, but it's definitely more tame than I hoped. Rather than going straight to sex and lust, there is a deep bond between the characters. I think the characters don't ever actually have a real kiss in this drama?? So as you can see, they are playing a deeper relationship than just physical.

About 2/3 of the way, I got a little bored once they knew who each other's true identities. However, I think it's still worth a watch!

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detective historical fantasy with strong start & cute chemistry but sizzles out

It has potential for so much more, but what it is right now is that it's enjoyable enough.

The main couple has the tropes of smart pure girl/smart (bad) boy with a bit of star-crossed lovers feeling because he's a prince, she's just a normal person, he's from a different race than she is. However, they can't help but come together since she needs him physically (literally) because something about him helps with her physical health whereas she's smart and clever enough to help him with his own investigation.

It's enjoyable enough thanks to the cuteness and chemistry of Li Yitong and Bi Wenjun. I think they really make this worth it. The storyline though starts to drag about midway to 2/3 of the way. I kept wondering when it'll come back to the main plot that got male lead investigating in the first place. It really feels like the cases don't even connect until the very end where the plot twist is, well, that. (I personally didn't care for the plot twist and was actually quite disappointed.) Also, there were cases to do about the two different races but I feel like it doesn't go quite deep enough...

Anyway, about 2/3 of the way, I ended up watching it on double-speed or fast-forwarding through scenes because it feels like none of it really matters. My score of this drama is also impacted by the fact that I got super attached to one of the characters that ended up, uh, not being what I wanted. I felt like it was badly written.

So I won't be returning to this drama anytime soon. Maybe for the cuteness of the couple and definitely Bi Wenjun since he's super good-looking. But this drama isn't memorable enough for me to return to it often.

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Romcom wrapped up in xianxia genre - Refreshing and unique

If you're a seasoned watcher of xianxia dramas, you probably expect complicated storylines, tons of supporting characters, and a lot of tragedy and angst.

The Starry Love, for a xianxia drama, is quite unique and refreshing because it doesn't have too much of that. A huge chunk of it feels like a romantic comedy (emphasis on the comedy! It's very cute and silly). There are a good amount of supporting characters but the main supporting characters who go on the journey with the main 4 leads are a very good ensemble, very likeable, and bring comedy and also move the plot along.

My favorite refreshing parts of this drama:
-sisters who truly love and care for each other!!! No envy, no jealousy, just pure love and support.
-male lead comes off as cold in the beginning and there's an actual reason for that, not just because he's an asshole.
-The 'second' life in the mortal/beast realm doesn't involve too much amnesia actually because female lead doesn't forget any of her memories. It's all on the male lead's side.

Also, you know it'll be a good watch if you got both Sa DingDing AND Mao Buyi singing songs for the OST.

Furthermore, Chen XingXu is absolutely fantastic. He takes the whole cake! I knew he was already fantastic from Goodbye My Princess, but wow, he plays like 4-5 different personalities for his character--and pulls it all off! They are also unique with their own speech and mannerisms--something that Chen XingXu put a lot of thought into. I'm so happy for him and that he got to play this kind of difficult role, showing off his talent and skills!

Why am I only rating it 9.5 instead of 10? There are definitely a couple small things that I think could've been better, so I'm knocking it by half a point, but those small things doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the show. Really recommend to those looking for a different style of a xianxia drama!

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Wholesome and brave: focuses on their future, which is SO important

I'm no expert, but I think this is a great addition to Asian queer cinema, especially when you think about how same-sex marriages isn't even legal in Japan (as of June of 2022). This movie gave a sincere and wholesome story to a gay relationship and, most importantly, let them have a future of happiness. I think it's a brave movie.

This review will have vague/brief comments and then will have more detailed-specific spoilers.

Vague spoilers:

From the trailers, it seemed like the entire plot of the movie was going to be about their separation due to work and how they were going to struggle with communication and not being together. Which, I think, would've been fine too but it would've been a lot of strain and angst for a new budding relationship. Instead, the movie pivots halfway and adds another layer: it's about them, after figuring out what they truly want, moving forward together. It's a coming out story to the people they love. And it is handled so carefully, so beautifully. And the supporting cast makes their appearances, which was a delight, but this story is really about Adachi and Kurosawa's future. And I cried, laughed, and my heart was full. I'm so so happy for them. There is a tiny thread about the second couple that I felt could've been better, but I still enjoyed seeing them again on my screen.

The pacing may not be to the liking of those who wants something more fast-paced and exciting. This movie (and this drama) has never been about that. It's always been a gradual reveal and gradual understanding. It's tender. The quietness of the film amplifies the importance of their expressions, actions, and words. Truly well done.

Please go watch this movie (after watching the drama). You won't regret it.

Now, here is where I gotta be more specific and spoil the movie because I need to address a main complaint that I keep seeing from viewers.

STOP HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT THE MOVIE.
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I'm just going to say it: we do not get an explicit, lip-to-lip kiss. There. So if you're here to see that, you won't get that. They do kiss but, with the camera angle, you are not shown the lips touching.

People complaining about not seeing a kiss in the movie is a valid opinion, but a lot of people seems to fetishized it more than anything. They just want to see two cute/hot men kiss. That's, well, problematic. Especially when it's coupled with wrong reasonings like claiming that the movie "queerbaited" the audience. Please, stop throwing that word around like that. Please, look up the definition of "queerbait." You are wrong if you think that this movie (or the drama) queerbaited. Oh my goodness. Also, please stop assuming the actors' sexualities and stop assuming that they have complete control over how the movie is made. They're actors. They're not the producers, directors, editors, or stakeholders. Unless the actors have said it themselves that they don't want to kiss same-sex actors, please stop claiming that it's the actors who are "too straight" to do a gay kiss. I beg you.

Personally, I think a kiss could've been cool but I have no issue either way. I think this movie could've championed LGBTQ rights even more than it already does by showing an explicit kiss, thus breaking the taboo of seeing same-sex people kiss. But it didn't do that. Fine. I can understand in some ways considering Japanese's current trend of BL dramas and how Japan literally still don't recognize same-sex marriages.

The movie still delivered a beautiful story that focused on the main characters' growth, especially Adachi, and focused on choosing to be together publicly. It's well done. Adachi in the drama and at the start of the movie has often relied on his power to understand people and to gather the courage to communicate to others. Sometimes, he relies on it TOO much and so the movie focuses on getting Adachi to move away from that. Once they truly settle into one another, they think about their future together--and they do want that: to be together for as long as they live. And they don't want to be hold back by laws and society. So the movie gently shows the anxiety and difficulty in coming out to the people you care about but the necessity in doing so and the importance of it.

I love this movie, this drama, and these characters. It never fails to make me feel a whirlwind of emotions. Also, the fact that they get married--when Japan again literally does not recognize same-sex marriages at this time--is SO important. The lack of explicit lip-to-lip kissing truly doesn't undermine anything in this movie.

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This drama proves how much mini cdramas are improving

I have so much to say but don't know if I'll be coherent enough. If you've been keeping an eye on the Chinese drama entertainment world, you'll know that they've been venturing a lot into the short series world. Just in the past couple of years, the short series have grown tremendously and have ranged from being 2min-14min long and varied in production quality.

Usually, the 2min-per-episode kind of dramas are low in plot and acting, but hit all the fun clichés and tropes. The dramas that are longer in length are typically better in all areas: soundtrack, acting, characters, plot, and production. I put the dramas "Queen of Attack," "The Killer is also Romantic," and "Night of Love with You" on the list of better short cdramas. Now, I am also adding this drama to the list.

This drama is directed by the same person who did "The Killer is also Romantic" and that can already tell you a lot about the cinematography and quality of directing and editing. This person does a fantastic job and I trust them wholeheartedly. They understand how to tell the story VISUALLY and there are many memorable moments in this drama that I adore. (Fireflies! Scene!)

I love the soundtrack and listen to it weekly.

The acting for these fairly unknown actors are prett good, but I especially have to applaud Cheng Lei. I was one of his first fans since his first drama in "Queen of Attack" and he also did great in this drama. I suspect that he'll make it big in the future. He has the charisma for these kind of roles: the stoic or cold male leads who have a vulnerability to him. But overall, I think all the actors did a good job. Their characters, too, were intriguing and there was nobody that I found annoying or unnecessary. (It's a short drama so the plot is tightly woven throughout.) Best of all, the main couple was SO good. (The tension!? The kisses!?) The male lead was such a good kind of male lead where he was trusting despite otherwise and was protective and loving. The female lead was smart and always tried to do the right thing by the male lead. I loved her.

The only reason why I didn't give it a full 10 was because of 1 plot choice that was done near the end of the drama. I thought it was a strange decision, but it didn't ruin my overall enjoyment of the show.

If you're looking for a good short Chinese drama, this is it. Tip: watch it on Viki. The channel mgtv on youtube generally sucks with subtitles so I wouldn't trust that. Happy watching!

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Will have you grinning!

For a short drama already, I felt like this drama was almost a slow burn? It really built well to them getting together later in the series and I enjoyed that a lot. This drama made me cackle and smile so hard, it was 85% romance and humor and cuteness with a dash of angst--which is a good balance for a short drama. There was one part where I felt like it was resolved a bit TOO easy but I'm ultimately fine with it.

The cliché tropes felt fun thanks to the chemistry of the two leads and it was just an overall good time. Definitely a fun one to watch if you're into the romcom genre!

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A great drama for the angst and hurt/comfort genre

This drama should come with a tiny warning: this drama is not for those seeking light-hearted romance and comedy. This drama is very angsty and occasionally we get the sweet romance between the FL and ML, but this drama overall has a heavy tone. After all, the main serious plot is about revenge and scheming. So, I warn you now: if you're not ready for angst and you don't like a lot of sadness, this is NOT for you.

This drama is for those who enjoyed dramas like "Goodbye My Princess" where there is a lot of tragedy and tragic moments. If you like tragedy, tragic characters, doomed fates, fighting against the inevitability, and plotting, I'd recommend this drama. If you enjoy irony, this drama delivers.

Summary: In the first life, Lu Anran falls in love with Mu Ze and have a sweet beginning--but a tragic end. When she gets the miraculous chance to start over, she is no longer the naive woman she was before. Knowing the true face of Mu Ze and how everything will turn out, Lu Anran begins her second life planning her revenge and protection of her family--while also learning who really loved her wholeheartedly this whole time.

I think this drama did well in making you care about all three leads and care about their relationships to each other. Watching this drama, I was really invested in all three of them: Lu Anran's sweet romance with Mu Chuan, Mu Chuan's brotherhood with Mu Ze, and Mu Ze's fucked up yet compelling relationship with Lu Anran. All three dynamics were interesting to watch, which made all the angst bearable.

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One of the better ones for short Chinese dramas and highly entertaining

In recent years, Chinese entertainment have really expanded their list of short dramas and you can start to see which ones are the better ones. This is one of the better ones on every level: production, soundtrack, acting, story, and directing. Compared to bad ones--where there are a lot of inner monologue to move forward the scenes and lack of cinematography (all meant for quick consumption)--this one is longer in episode length and so have more time to develop the relationship. I definitely put this on the higher tier, among other well known short dramas like "Queen of Attack" and "The Killer is also Romantic."

Premise: A manga character who typically plays the female villain role in stories gets a new assignment: she is to be the female villain character for the romance story of a domineering CEO & pure-hearted kind girl. However, after she entered the world, she somehow took over the role as the female lead! To survive against the female villain while the male lead is in a coma, she teams up with the male villain.

The chemistry between the characters is sizzling and the story is so fun as the character makes fun of typical cliches and tropes (while being stuck in it) and there's actually several twists that had me on my toes since I didn't expect it. At the same time, there is a bit of a fun tragic/angsty aspect: as characters in a story, you're stuck to follow the story--but what happens when you break from the story? I love these kinds of dramas.

Overall, a very entertaining drama with memorable scenes and several good songs and especially a breakout moment for the main leads: Liu Xiening and Guan Yue. They have great visuals and look really good together!

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Compared to the 1st season, lacking in some areas though still packs emotional punch

I loved season 1 because it was cliche but fun! It was a delight to see the great chemistry between LQ Wang (who plays Liang Weiwei ) and Ryan Cheng (who plays Jing Qing). They are such a power couple and I hope they do more dramas together. Anyway, combined with a strong OST, good humor, solid acting, memorable scenes and the right amount of angst to pull at heartstrings, the first season was perfect.

Season 2 unfortunately doesn't live up to the standard. It leans too much into the silliness and focuses too much on letting the actors/characters try to be funny in the first episode. It starts to pick up around 1/3 of the entire series and actually has an interesting and expanded storyline from the first season, but it lacks strong directing and so suffers by being forgettable, as in, the scenes are straightforward and doesn't have much aesthetics (other than the costumes). Furthermore, the lack of use and lack of new and memorable OSTs is unfortunate. (I think there's one song that came through at the end but not soon enough.) They reused the first season's OST for the ending theme but really, they should've created another version or a different song altogether to let season 2 stand on its own.

What still holds up: when there are emotional (or death) scenes, it is still angsty and beautifully painful. The cute and sweet scenes also still hold up because they both are so cute together. It is perfectly acted by LQ Wang and Ryan Cheng.

So, honestly, what holds this series together is LQ Wang and Ryan Cheng. You watch this series for them and for Liang Weiwei and Jing Qing. They are likeable characters with a love story that crosses dimensions and you want them to cross all obstacles and be together.

Overall, this is like a low budget version of Eternal Love. It keeps coming back by popularity (and MGTV"s cashgrab attempt) and it flips the script by letting the characters play different roles this time around. It's interesting, but not as fun as the first season.

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Strong directing and OST with not only a fun story but a compelling question about what's "real"

This is a solid drama for you if you enjoy VR romance or fake period setting dramas, such as "To Get Her" "Love & The Emperor" and "The Queen of Attack." I think I would rate it unbiasedly as a 9, but because of how much I liked this drama, the extra point is for enjoyment, so 10/10.

First, the summary on MyDramaList is confusing. Si Yan didn't mistakenly enter a VR game. Si Yan is a prideful social media beauty blogger influencer who got into a drunken car accident and became comatose. Her father, a CEO of a gaming company, built a VR game to help her awaken; if she completes the tasks, it can stimulate brain signals that may help her wake up. (On the science side, I don't know how accurate it is, but I like that they provide this information right at the beginning.) So, Si Yan has a lot of stakes right at the beginning. She needs to survive, complete the tasks, so that she can wake up in the real world. That's the basic premise and as she meets new (and one old) friends and fall in love, she'll have to make hard decisions.

I greatly enjoy this drama overall because it had everything that a romantic comedy drama should have:
-It has strong directing, allowing for many scenic and memorable moments.
-A first episode that's intriguing and compelling with perfect OST tracks and slow-motion scenes
-It has good OST that, with each listen, really adds to the emotions of the story.
-It has a well strung, serious plot that lasted throughout the entire series with clever callbacks to earlier episodes and information.
-It has solid acting; this is Snow Kong's first historical drama and although I had never seen her act in anything else, I thought she did fantastic. I never felt off about her or felt she was lacking. For the male lead, Yan Zi Dong, it's a hit and miss depending on if you like the actor's face. He doesn't have the most stoic and perfect face, which I think was necessary for his character as Qi Guan Yi, but some folks complained about how he didn't look good enough. I personally enjoyed his face and acting as I've seen him in his previous dramas and I thought he did well here. For Karen Kang as the second female lead, I also enjoyed her performance and the drama really showed off her dancing talent. For Deng Wei, he's perfect and has all the potential to be the main male lead; he's got a great face and he's a good actor. Overall, all the actors were good.

I think you'd enjoy this drama if you like these aspects:
-An imperfect, arrogant female lead who grows into a better person and grows to care about others
-The stoic and smart male lead with trauma that led him to be suspicious of others
-Cute male characters, almost like a reverse harem, lol
-A prejudice-at-first-interaction relationship between the female and male leads, so suspicion and dislike of each other at first
-A tragic second male lead who will break your heart
-A physically strong and scheming second female lead/antagonist who harbors her own secrets
-The third male character who has a sad upbringing that leads him to have a stutter when speaking to women
-Supporting characters getting their own romance (although it is deeply developed), such as between a prince and his maid. There is also heavily implied romantic notion regarding a prince and his bodyguard! So some BL vibes.
-The blurring idea of what's reality and what's real: how it may be virtual but what we experience like our feelings--love, hate, happiness--is real, and so, how does that matter in the VR world? What is really "true" to us?
-Ominous foreshadowing from the first episode! Creating high potential for future angst.

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Strong start, arcs, & endearing characters; satisfying ending even if some things are questionable

This was a drama that took unexpected hold on me. I wasn't specifically attached to any of the actors in this production but I gave this a shot and it was pretty enjoyable. It's pretty logical for the most part but toward the end, it starts to get a little questionable and leaves some aspects that I wished was answered or shown, but overall, I enjoyed the characters the most and their adorable relationships. Of course, you do have to suspend your disbelief for certain things to occur, like the main female lead joining Kaifeng office despite being a woman. Maybe realistically, it wouldn't happen, but I enjoyed that she joined and everyone was pretty chill about it.

I think what makes this a good drama is the characters. Like, the serious & political plot is okay, it had a strong first arc villain, it's good enough for a 24-episode romcom detective period drama, but the characters are what makes this show worth watching. I really liked that Mo Yan's weakness isn't forgotten after one time, but consistently shows up throughout the show and becomes a reason why a later plot point happens. I LOVE that the main couple consistently talks through their issues and rarely do anything stupid that endanger their loved ones. The side couples, I enjoyed greatly too. There weren't any characters that I thought was too annoying and I was empathetic toward characters who were going through a hard time--so I think the actors did well in this aspect. I am especially proud of the second male lead who has a lot of growth and becomes very competent and reliable.

Toward the end, it did feel like the drama was stretching some of the angst while not giving us enough scenes of some characters/couples, so the show felt like it was too long and too short at the same time. There was also a plot move that I questioned and didn't like. However, I think the ending was satisfying, so I had a good time. This show helped me like Caesar Wu a lot when I previously didn't care much about him. I wished the OST was a bit stronger with more memorable choruses, but in the moment of the scene, it worked. The best track for me is the instrumental track that plays during the detective or suspenseful scenes! There were also a lot of strong cinematic scenes--such as a continuous scene that moved with the characters throughout the office--that was cool.

Overall, a solid romantic comedy detective drama. Not the greatest of all time, not the worst, with good character growth and adorable characters.

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Beautiful sets & costumes w/ some enjoyable stories told, but also feels convoluted

As someone completely unaware of 红楼梦 aka Hongloumeng (Dream of the Red Chamber) while I was watching, I wondered why there were so many side characters' stories in this drama. It makes much more sense now, thanks to other reviewers explaining how this drama is somewhat based from that novel. To get some cultural context about the book and how it connects back to the drama, you can check out the other reviews.

Overall? It's enjoyable enough but not as great as it could've been. There are many things to love: the great costumes and overall production, the strong acting for the ensemble cast, and an aching soundtrack. Unfortunately, the plot can feel jarring because you can feel the distinct arcs and storylines--which, reading from other reviewers, is due to the influence of the novel.

Anyway, you can see how Sun Yulou and Lin Shaochun's relationship takes over the first like 1/5 of the drama (about 15 episodes or so...) and then it starts shifting into essentially to Lin Shaochun as the fixer within the Sun family, solving things like the relationship between the First Young Master & First Young Madam, the lack of relationship of Second Young Master & Second Young Madam, & the greedy Third Young Madam and her useless husband the Third Young Master.

Because I enjoyed their relationship a lot and liked both actors Wang Yizhe and Bai Lu, I was disappointed that as the drama went on, they would sometimes fade into the background as other supporting characters' storylines were prioritized. It wasn't all bad though. Some of the supporting characters and their relationships were also a lot of fun. I was just as emotional about their relationships as I was with Sun Yulou and Lin Shaochun. However, I really missed them.

Ultimately, this production did good overall with most aspects (I really liked the cinematography and directing too) but the part that lacked the most was the plot itself and how disconnected it felt in trying to tie the characters all together.

The ending of the drama itself was also...well. It was happy but not satisfactory. That's all I'll say about that.

I didn't regret watching this drama as I got to see so many beautiful faces in this drama and enjoyed the heartbreak and emotions of the relationships, but just wished it had a stronger plot to tie the characters better together.

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The journey of a first love, but most of all, the joy of loving and being loved

I can't believe I put this show off for so long. It's truly one of the greats among BL dramas but I think just in general with romance (Japanese) dramas, it's incredibly well done in such a short amount of time. This drama is only 10 episodes (with 2 extras) and about 23 minutes. The progression of their relationship still felt very natural.

I watched all the episodes in one go and it gave me the fullest enjoyment: I cried when there was heartbreak and fear, I laughed at Adachi's panics but also just the awkward but sincere attempts to meet each other halfway, and I smiled so much during all the sweet and cathartic moments.

Cherry Magic is about the fumbles to first love, in which Adachi Kiyoshi, a thirty-year-old virgin--who has never been in a relationship--gains the magical ability to hear people's thoughts through touch and tries to figure out himself and how he feels about his handsome and cool co-worker Kurosawa Yuichi--who is in love with him.

Adachi Kiyoshi's growth from his shell to becoming more confident & his consideration and gradual intimacy with Kurosawa Yuichi is so satisfying. Also, to see that Kurosawa Yuichi is such a wholesome and thoughtful man toward Adachi, wanting the best for Adachi--it's so wonderful to see.

There isn't angst as in a lot of bitter and angry fighting or dumb jealousies & misunderstands but more of a lot of internal struggles and overcoming one's own insecurities, especially on Adachi's part who hasn't been in a relationship before and thus feels insecure about the right thing to say or do.

This drama has everything and is so delightful. It's emotional and uplifting.

I really wish I could see these actors in another production again--with the same crew and director as well. I'm so grateful to the whole production: the great directing, the fantastic acting, and of course, much love to the creator of the manga and also the writers that adapted it to this live adaptation. This whole drama is perfect.

An additional note: BL dramas sometimes lean too heavily on their own tropes or feels a bit too cliché but this drama was able to feel very natural and, when it does have a cliché, it's still refreshing. Also, what I'm saying is that in BL drama world, sometimes there's an expectation that the couples will face backlash from the homophobic society. I get it. That's a realistic part of society. However, I also enjoy BL dramas that say "nah. we're not going to let homophobes have a chance in this story" and just doesn't put our characters through that. Good for them.

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Hilarious and cute with fun commentary on BL

It's a shame it's so short. I hope it will get a second season!

This is a short series about a man who realizes he's living in the world of Boys' Love (BL) and actively avoids typical tropes so that he doesn't in love with a man because, well, he's straight.

With this premise, you might think it's homophobic but trust me, it's not. Our main character "Mob" doesn't care if men are falling in love in front of him. Well, he thinks it's a bit dramatic, haha. Anyway, he's just frustrated by the tropes and criticizes how every little thing, like bumping into a stranger, can cause a chain reaction toward romance. Because he's self-aware, everything is just machinery; he can predict accurately how the world works and so he's trying to live quietly as a background character, maybe find a girlfriend, and just live his life without it turning into a romance.

This show pokes fun at BL tropes through "Mob" and it truly makes me laugh because, well, he's not wrong about some tropes being just ridiculous. It's just fun to see "Mob" work hard at not becoming a main character. It's important to note that "Mob" isn't against male/male romantic relationships. He's against the tropes and the mysterious world way that forces every interaction toward a romantic path.

The actor Inukai Atsuhiro was absolutely perfect as "Mob." His expressions were so fantastic and extra, I laughed so hard every time he panics about a situation.

Anyway, you'll enjoy this greatly if you like comedy, especially meta comedy, and if you enjoy dramatic visual acting.

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