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labcat
This review may contain spoilers
A man who is getting over a breakup (Mok) stays in a hotel where he gets drunk and is helped by a bartender (Bay).
It's a pity that this series has only four short episodes because the story has a lot of potential for development. Many aspects of the production are rather polished, which is not often the case for series with unfamiliar faces in leading roles or those that may not be expected to be hits. The cinematography and the editing is good, and the actors have done a reasonably good job. In a way, the series seems like an extended MV or short film to publicize the theme song, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
For BL fans, the scenes between Bay and Mok are nice, but there is a lack of character development especially for Bay. We know very little about his background apart from the fact that he's a bartender. As for Mok, there is some development showing his breakup with his ex-girlfriend though the cause of their breakup and the tension between him and her current boyfriend are left largely unexplained. Then there's Boston, the boss of the hotel, who seems to be secretly in love with Bay but there's little shown about his personality or his feelings.
Despite the flaws, the series is watchable. This is BL but we are not looking at a pair who is already a couple. The hints of growing attraction are rather cliched at times (e.g. a drunk Mok falling on Bay), but the interactions between them are sweet, particularly in a scene where Bay takes Mok to a rabbit house to make him smile. Some might be disappointed that there isn't even a kissing scene, but I think this is fine given that the series ends at a point when they are just becoming a couple. In fact, I would say, kissing scenes would have been the easier way out to show attraction and intimacy. The director has instead opted for longing gazes and hand-holding. The hand-holding at the end is adorable as it turns into "pinky holding", reminiscent of a scene in the first episode where Bay extends his Pinky to Mok.
I don't find the ending ambiguous or "open" as some have commented. Mok realizes that Bay has misunderstood that he has made up with his ex-girlfriend and clears the air with Bay (which shows that he knows that Bay likes him and that he wants Bay to know that he has not made up with his ex). Although Mok leaves the hotel (hey, he has a life beyond staying at the hotel!), it's clear that the two main characters are becoming a couple. Bay's sweet smile upon receiving Mok's message when Mok is on his way home is telling.
The entire series is not much longer than one episode of many other BL series, and if they maintain the quality, I can only imagine how much more the production team can do with say 8 or 12 regular episodes of 45 minutes each. As it is, it fares way better than a series like I am Your King Season 2, which can be frustratingly confusing.
It's a pity that this series has only four short episodes because the story has a lot of potential for development. Many aspects of the production are rather polished, which is not often the case for series with unfamiliar faces in leading roles or those that may not be expected to be hits. The cinematography and the editing is good, and the actors have done a reasonably good job. In a way, the series seems like an extended MV or short film to publicize the theme song, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
For BL fans, the scenes between Bay and Mok are nice, but there is a lack of character development especially for Bay. We know very little about his background apart from the fact that he's a bartender. As for Mok, there is some development showing his breakup with his ex-girlfriend though the cause of their breakup and the tension between him and her current boyfriend are left largely unexplained. Then there's Boston, the boss of the hotel, who seems to be secretly in love with Bay but there's little shown about his personality or his feelings.
Despite the flaws, the series is watchable. This is BL but we are not looking at a pair who is already a couple. The hints of growing attraction are rather cliched at times (e.g. a drunk Mok falling on Bay), but the interactions between them are sweet, particularly in a scene where Bay takes Mok to a rabbit house to make him smile. Some might be disappointed that there isn't even a kissing scene, but I think this is fine given that the series ends at a point when they are just becoming a couple. In fact, I would say, kissing scenes would have been the easier way out to show attraction and intimacy. The director has instead opted for longing gazes and hand-holding. The hand-holding at the end is adorable as it turns into "pinky holding", reminiscent of a scene in the first episode where Bay extends his Pinky to Mok.
I don't find the ending ambiguous or "open" as some have commented. Mok realizes that Bay has misunderstood that he has made up with his ex-girlfriend and clears the air with Bay (which shows that he knows that Bay likes him and that he wants Bay to know that he has not made up with his ex). Although Mok leaves the hotel (hey, he has a life beyond staying at the hotel!), it's clear that the two main characters are becoming a couple. Bay's sweet smile upon receiving Mok's message when Mok is on his way home is telling.
The entire series is not much longer than one episode of many other BL series, and if they maintain the quality, I can only imagine how much more the production team can do with say 8 or 12 regular episodes of 45 minutes each. As it is, it fares way better than a series like I am Your King Season 2, which can be frustratingly confusing.
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