To have a BL series featuring characters who are older than the typical characters in BL may be a risk, but it also offers opportunities for something realistic and moving. The fact that the leads are colleagues, that the older one is 39, that there's a ten-year age gap between them, are not just glossed over but nicely used to highlight realistic concerns in a sweet love story.

The love story itself does take some time to develop. While the two leads are attractive men in the story, it is not really the main focus (unlike some series that spend too much time on how attractive one of the male leads is) or even necessarily the main cause of their attraction to each other. Some flashbacks effectively highlight the development of the feelings between the two men.

Despite the sweetness, the series also features genuine concerns like ageing (though neither of the leads is really old) and social isolation. The issue of masculinity and what society expects of men and of people at different ages is also brought up. When the two leads agree to pretend to be girls, it's more like they are pretending to pretend--I think they genuinely want to be expressive and share their emotions with someone rather than to behave the way society expects grown up men to.

The obstacles that are in the way of their relationship are also quite genuine. When the older guy thinks about their relationship, he thinks, "He's a man, and I'm a man". I don't think he's unable to come to terms with a same-sex relationship but is worried about people's reactions and how it may affect the both of them. Even when they are about to kiss at the end of the series, they stop upon hearing people nearby.

While we have a sweet love story in Old Fashion Cupcake, the realistic treatment of the problems that can come in the way of the romance enhance the story. An awareness of these problems makes one appreciate the love the two leads show each other more.