"Perhaps I became a magic user so I can touch his heart"

Cherry Magic has to be the biggest surprise for me this 2020. When I first learned that a manga about a guy who gets magic powers when he turns 30 because he is still a virgin would get a drama adaptation, I felt extremely skeptical and wary about it. The title itself and the summary of the plot instantly raised so many red flags in my head; I couldn't help but think that the story was going to be very sexualized and would have a lot of the problematic and toxic tropes usually seen in BL dramas. Because of this, I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch it, however, after taking a look at the preview of the first episode and seeing that it seemed quite funny, I decided to give Cherry Magic a try. Though I was still a little worried about what would happen, as soon as I finished the first episode, I was surprised with how funny, adorable, and light hearted Cherry Magic was. This gave me the hope that maybe this drama was going to be the complete opposite of what I originally thought... and thank god that was the case.

Cherry Magic is one of the most relatable, fluffiest, and heartwarming (BL) dramas I've ever watched. Every episode is less than 30 minutes long but despite that it is able to tell the story it wants without wasting any second. Though there is a "supernatural" element added to this drama, the story itself is very realistic because of types of problems that the characters face on their daily lives, such as the fear of following their dreams, the fear of disappointing others, and the struggle of loving themselves. That plus the fact that the characters are so well-written, to the point where you are able to sympathize with them even if you don't agree with all their decisions, makes you feel that they are real people.

Adachi and Kurosawa's relationship is one of the healthiest, most wholesome, and sweetest among all the (BL) couples that exist. Even if their personalities are somewhat different, they have things in common. They also support, respect, and admire each other so much that even when they are in the same place without doing anything in particular, you can notice how much they enjoy each other's company. And thanks to the unconditional love they feel for each other, both Adachi and Kurosawa are able to grow as individuals and slowly overcome their own personal struggles and the fears regarding their relationship.

Besides the main couple, there is also a secondary couple: Tsuge & Minato. The development of this couple is much more faster and chaotic but still endearing. Some fans are not that fond of this couple since they find Tsuge's behavior too over the top and, to some extent, cringey, but in my opinion, the way he act falls within the normal range of craziness that Japanese dramas (especially those adapted from manga and anime) have when it comes to comedy. So for me, this secondary couple is also very sweet and cute and I wish they had a little bit more of screen time.

Besides having great characters and dynamics between the characters, another thing that makes Cherry magic so special is the amount of care and thought was put into this drama. Even the smallest details are very important and can serve as symbolism, as representation of one of the characters (and their feelings), or as foreshadowing. The acting is also phenomenal and I cannot imagine anyone else playing these roles. Machida Keita was born to play Kurosawa, and Akaso Eiji was born to play Adachi. They truly understood their characters and even their micro expressions were on point. I'm very glad that Cherry Magic has become so successful and that because of it, both Akaso's and Machida's talent and skills as actors are getting more recognition.

As a final note, I just want to say that Cherry Magic is, in my opinion, the best BL of 2020 and my personal favorite of all time. I literally have no complaints and I know that I'll be re-watching it countless times because of how good it is.

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One of the silliest but most relatable dramas you'll ever watch!

This is my first review, so I'm sorry if it is all over the place.
This drama was everything I didn't think I needed. First of all, I was so close of not watching it because I couldn't find subs for the first episode for a whole week after its release. I was desperate to watch it because its plot seemed fun and silly. So, when I was finally able to find the first episode with English subs, I watched it immediately and fell in love. It was x10 funnier and sillier than I expected but so good. Oji was so relatable because, since he was considered a cool and respected guy at his job, he worried so much that his coworkers would find out that he liked cute things. When he met Kenta and became friends with him I felt so happy for both of them because they had found a person they could trust and share their interests with. Both of them were fantastic and their chemistry was off the charts to the point I actually thought they liked each other more than friends. I squealed, smiled, and laughed so many times during each episode. The ending was perfect for me and tied up, in my opinion, everything that needed to be tied up. This drama was absolutely fantastic and so relatable because many people are scared of sharing what they like with others. They are scared of being made fun of, so when they find someone they can trust, it is the best feeling ever. I wish this drama was longer because I really need moreeeeeee, that's why I didn't give it a 10/10. This is definitely one of the dramas that I'll re-watch over and over because it's short but so good and entertaining. I seriously recommend it!

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"Do you know what a confidant is? I know... I've been listening"

From the moment I watched the trailer of Winter Begonia, I had the feeling that this drama was going to be amazing... and I'm so glad I wasn't wrong.

The plot is kind of simple: Mainly the story of Shang Xirui, a very carefree but passionate Peking Opera performer, and Cheng Fengtai, a charismatic and rich businessman, who are brought together by Peking Opera. Both main characters are so layered and well-written that despite their flaws, it is almost impossible not to care about them. Also, almost every single secondary character is three-dimensional, so they don't feel like fillers, but actual real people. Their character developments also add more to their complexity and uniqueness. The acting is fantastic; every actor and actress was born to play their characters. Yin Zheng (Shang Xirui) and Huang Xiao Ming (Cheng Fengtai) truly shined in this drama.

Since this drama was based on a BL novel, they had to tone down the relationship between the main characters because of China's censorship laws. Despite that, the chemistry between Shang Xirui and Cheng Fengtai is off the charts, so it's almost impossible not to feel how much they care about and love each other. Their relationship is so genuine, pure, and strong that the only word that can describe them is "soulmates." Plus, there are many scenes and dialogues that, in my opinion, have no heterosexual explanation, so I often found myself wondering how this drama passed censorship. I still hope that one day they are able to release all the deleted scenes and extended versions of some scenes that they couldn't include because of censorship.

The parts related to Peking Opera are so well done that despite never being interested in this form of art before, it made me become excited every time they showed a new performance. All operas are carefully chosen so that they are related to the plot, enriching the beauty of not only the main story of the drama, but also, the story of the characters that are performing them. However, I have to admit it took me a couple of episodes to get used to this singing style since it is very high-pitched. So I understand if some people don't like this aspect of the drama.

The opening and ending songs are so beautiful that I want to cry every time I listen to them; and the lyrics represents perfectly Cheng Fengtai and Shang Xirui's relationship. The cinematography is out of this world. You can literally take screenshots of every episode and use them as wallpapers. Furthermore, the costumes are gorgeous and full of details; every time they showed Shang Xirui wearing makeup and a new outfit for his performances, I lost my breath. The amount of detail that was put into this drama in every aspect makes it worth watching.

This drama has a lot of symbolism, parallels, and background story about Peking Opera, that make the story (between the main characters) even more beautiful. The sad and happy scenes are very well-balanced and the pacing is not too slow nor too fast, so it made the viewing experience more enjoyable. The ending is not sad nor happy; it is ambiguous. You can interpret it however you want. For me, it was a hopeful ending. If you decide to re-watch this drama, you will notice a lot of foreshadowing, and the character development will not only be more obvious, it will also help you interpret the ending in a different way.

Winter Begonia truly is, in my opinion, a masterpiece that deserves more recognition. It exceeded all the (high) expectations I had for it and has become my favorite drama of 2020 and my favorite drama of all time (for now).

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