What a mess

Star Image did it again! Announced 8 episodes, started promising, finished it after 4 (or rather 3 and a quarter).

I usually don't write negative reviews, but this time it has to be, because I was looking forward to Kaleb displaying new facettes of his talent. Unfortunately, I was deeply disappointed (which isn't Kaleb's fault!). I will keep it short, though.

Basic idea: not bad. A story of some boys getting lost in the jungle of the city, unpolished, realistic.

Script: None. Just a sequence of scenes about boys getting drunk and fucking around.

Director: Probably just told the actors, 'Boys, get drunk and fuck around'.

Cinematography: Remained in the dark.

Actors: That's the tragedy about this 'series'. Despite everything said above, they are talented and cute, with Kaleb outstanding of course.

What to do? Well, maybe another production company should produce a remake of the basic idea, hiring the same actors, but a different, that is to say, a proper, screenwriter and director, and this may be a thrilling series.

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A most beautiful journey into the unknown

This review will be short, because I'm not going to spoil the plot here. Only this much about the story: It is mysterious, philosophical, confusing, absolutely unique, and it is not being told in a linear way, but even if you don't understand what's going on in the earlier episodes, it will glue you to your screen. At the end of every episode it felt like torture having to wait a whole week before getting more hints – this series is a masterpiece of suspense.

Like the three ”Once in memory” short films which were produced by the same production company, MindTrio, ”On Cloud Nine” is another example of what a small company can achieve with creativity and dedication.

What makes this series so outstanding is the fact that all elements are amazing. The cinematography is just great, the writing excellent, the directing very good, the editing with only very few flaws, the settings in Chiang Mai and the mountains of Northern Thailand are breathtaking sometimes, and the atmosphere which is created by images and music has made me indescribably happy like no other Bl series before.

And then there are the actors. Rossi Nonthakorn as Mon/Mork is simply brilliant – other actors won't be able to express with all their body and face what he can express with his eyes. Meen Nattakrit as Tiew comes across a little superficial in the beginning, but that is deliberate, because he shows his full acting skills in the later episodes. New Saharat as Wise, the angel-like character, plays his part so convincingly that he gave me goosebumps.

If you want to watch another BL series similar to the dozens or hundreds of high school or college drama you've watched before, this is not a series you'll enjoy. But if you are willing to open your mind, to be surprised, to wonder, to look for hints, and to let a completely unusual Bl series put a spell on you, you will experience a most beautiful journey into the unknown, and the happiest sad ending of all times.

Mind Trio have announced that there may be a season 2 if they find sponsors. I hope and pray they will.

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No BL, but a true gem

The last six months have seen some remarkable BL-highlights, like 'A tale of 1000 stars' or 'I told sunset about you', where a lot of money was spent to create beautiful series. Wayufilm once again proves that it's possible to compensate the lack of a huge budget and lucrative sponsorship with creativity, dedication, and a cast of highly talented and overwhelmingly cute actors. And – to make this clear from the start – although this is not BL, it is a true gem that BL fans will love, I promise.

The plot is simple on the surface: A student from Bangkok visits Chiang Mai to experience life in the countryside and therefore travels with three Chiang Mai friends to a remote rural 'hotel'. This simple plot is, however, used to address some of the problems Thailand (like many developing countries) is facing, not by making the actors elaborate at length on migration from land to cities, left-behind marginal rural areas, unequal distribution of wealth etc, but by seemingly incidentally displaying their consequences in the daily lives of the people.

Let me give two examples. When the country boy's mother tells her son she's afraid she will be left behind alone some day, after her daughter has already escaped to the city with a guest, we see like in a magnifying glass what internal migration means for the countryside. When a debt collector of a money shark threatens Kep his boss will take the 'homestay' away from the family who have run out of money due to the covid crisis, this little scene en passant makes it obvious that the pandemic hits poor people the hardest and makes the rich even richer.

Now this may sound as if 'Country Boy' was a depressing account of poor people's problems, but it is exactly the opposite, thanks to the carefully constructed storyline, which contrasts the big problems with little pleasures on the personal level. In part 2, the film offers a solution to overcome the divide between prospering cities and left behind countryside: the visitors decide to help Kep and his mother improve their 'hotel' and attract more paying guests, and donate their money so that the outstanding debt can be paid. It is a small example of how the problems of marginalized regions can be solved: by the transfer of money and skills, on a much larger scale, of course, supported by many more good-willed people like these four boys, and local people ready to adapt to the changes.

So we have to talk about the characters. Kep is the country boy who succeeds in smiling away all the obstacles of the hard life in the country. However, he isn't the one-dimensional naive optimist, he has his moments of fear and frustration, too, but he always finds the beauty in the little things of life. As his guests expect 'activities', and there are none, he invents some over night: watering the plants, for example, which seems weird to the visitors at first, but then they love it.

The Bangkok student and the three Chiang Mai boys, on the other hand, at first only see the quaint, romantic side of country life, but soon realize that things are not so romantic when you have to face the naked truth behind the pictoresque scenery. They do appreciate the clean air, the beautiful landscape, and the rural life, but they are soon confronted with the basic problem of poverty. Unlike many well-off city people, they don't close their eyes, but do the best they can to help their new friend Kep. At the same time, they learn that the local food that looks like 'dog's puke' to them, tastes wonderful.

Now you may ask, 'where is the BL-factor' in this? Well, there actually isn't much, no kissing, no sex like in previous OakMon movies, just a few secret glances in episode 1, and two hugging scenes in the final part. That may be disappointing to some viewers who have expected more, but honestly, more wouldn't have fit the characters of Kep and Nabdao. Not so soon. But maybe in a sequel? Somehow it feels like Nabdao and Kep will meet again.

Which takes us to the actors, and they are just brilliant. Oak has proven he is able to give depth to his roles at the age of 16 already (if you haven't seen 'Key Love' or 'Night Time', you should watch them, too). The way he expresses joy, fear, surprise, shyness, and love proves he is a natural. With Mon he has a congenital partner which makes these two young actors an iconic couple already (even if they don't become a couple in this movie), and all that without the fan service from a big production company.

But this movie doesn't only rely on the talent and chemistry of the two leads. The supporting actors are all very good. What makes the performance of these five young men so outstanding is their natural way of depicting their roles. In many scenes it feels like the camera is only there to accompany a group of boys for two days, so you get the impression they aren't acting at all.

In some of the big Bangkok productions the main criteria to put together the cast of a series is the cuteness factor; talent and acting skills come second and sometimes are lacking completely. In this movie we have one of the rare cases where all the actors are extremely cute, each in his own way (don't tell me Oak isn't cute. Gosh, this smile, and these eyebrows!), and they are talented and skilled at the same time.

The settings are also carefully chosen. When at the beginning the Chiang Mai boys proudly take their Bangkok visitor to the most popular coffee bar, he's bored because he knows all the coffee bars in Bangkok, and coffee bars aren't the reason for him to visit the North of Thailand (which reminds me, a country boy myself, of proudly inviting my city-friend to our newly opened pizzeria, and he was complaining pizzas are much better in the city. He rather wanted me to take him to the forest which I find boring because it's just full of trees and nothing else. Well, the other man's grass...).

Kep's Homestay feels like a haunted house, opening the opportunity to show that boys from the city are more frightened of ghosts than the country boy who finds it completely normal his late grandmother's spirit still inhabits the room he rents out to the visitors. I had to smile when he apologized to her she will have to spend the next few days in his mother's room. The environment of Kep's 'hotel' is used to show the rural people's love of nature, e.g. when Kep teaches his visitors to water the plants, which for him is an act of pleasure and respect.

The cinematography of this movie (I won't call it a series, it's more a movie released in two parts) is an improvement compared with previous Wayufilm productions. This isn't meant to say the older ones weren't good, but the surroundings of Kep's Homestay allow more attractive shots than a classroom, a small flat, or a dirty alley like in previous productions. It doesn't reach the quality of series like '1000 Stars', but it's still good.

Finally, I must mention the soundtrack. The song performed by Mon and Oak is so beautiful it makes me smile every time I hear it, just like the movie makes me smile every time I watch it. I rarely re-watch series or movies, but I have already re-watched the first part three times.

To sum it up, this movie is a true gem, and a real highlight of 2021, maybe not as BL as you would have wanted, but Oak's smile and the natural acting of all the boys easily make up for that. If you're in a sad mood, watch it (again), and I'm sure you'll feel better. If you're in a good mood, still watch it (again), because you'll have one more reason to feel good.

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A must for fans of PP Krit

I must admit that I was sad when it looked like PP Krit - after the sensational success of his collaboration with Billkin in ”My Ambulance”, ”I Told Sunset About You”, which is my favourite BL series of all times, and ”I Promised You the Moon” - was going to focus on his career as a singer. When I heard that he would be starring in the short film ”Rerun”, I was so happy, and I wasn't disappointed.

PP Krit plays Kit, the curator of arts exhibitions, who falls for Chou (Napat Siangsomboon), an artist. They find out that they have a lot in common, and Chou promises to have Kit curate his first solo exhibition. However, when he actually has his first exhibition, he has someone else curate it, and subsequently he breaks up with Kit. When they meet again, Kit pretends that he is okay, whereas Chou says that he isn't okay without Kit. This is where the movie ends, so we don't know whether the two of them get back together or not.

The entire movie breathes a mood of angst and sadness, and somehow the viewer senses that this relationship isn't going to last. The cinematography – semi-darkness in many scenes, with an indistinct sound - underlines the fragility of the leads' relationship. The production quality of this short film is very good, without even minor flaws. The movie was produced by PP Krit's company, "PP Krit Entertainment".

As a fan of PP Krit, who is my favourite BL actor, and who I would always want to protect, because he appears to be so vulnerable, I was tempted to hate Chou for dumping Kit, prioritizing his career over his love, but then Kit doesn't even try to fight for his love, and so it would seem unfair to blame everything on Chou.

Napat Siangsomboon is an experienced actor, and he displays Chou's attraction to Kit, but also his ambition as an artist, and finally his yearning for his ex-lover convincingly. PP Krit avoids being over-dramatic which the plot may have tempted a lesser talented actor to do. Whereas in the break-up scene Kit seems to be more hurt than Chou, PP Krit manages to convey in the final scene that Kit in fact is stronger than Chou. I always found it hard to imagine PP Krit being paired with another actor than Billkin, but he has obviously matured enough to move on.

This movie isn't a feelgood comedy – in fact, it's sad and angsty as I mentioned before, but it's a beautiful little piece of art that no one should miss, and of course it's a must for everyone who loves PP Krit as much as I do. The fact that the short film was watched on youtube by 200,000 viewers within 24 hours proves that it was not only me who was longing to see PP Krit again.

You find all my reviews, including those of series from countries not covered by mydramalist like Vietnam, Singapore, and Myanmar, here: https://www.wattpad.com/user/DominicKebre

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Good intention

Before I start nagging about the many flaws of this series, let me say I liked it, for more than one reason. I'll keep this short, because I think everybody have to make up their mind about the show themselves. I only want to give you some clues.

The message
This series, unlike most other Thai BL-series, addresses the social and political situation in the country, like corruption, killings of non-corrupt politicians, or the threat of gang crime. The message behind it is to encourage people to not accept these circumstances, to stand together and fight against crime and injustice. In this sense, the series can be called patriotic, especially in the last episodes. Given the overall situation in Thailand, it seems brave to produce a show like this. So the intention is good.

The plot
I won't spoil any details here. A young man returns to his home village in the North of Thailand where a local gang blackmails and kills residents. He teams up with some other young men to fight the gangsters.

The script
Here's the first big problem. Many scenes are unintentionally comic with a high level of ridiculousness. You get a rough idea what the writer intended, but the execution is often unrealistic if not illogical. One example among many others is the acceptance of boys' love by the villagers, with parents encouraging their son to have sex with his boyfriend. And in real life it would be nothing short of suicide, if a bunch of inexperienced, if not naive young men stand up against gangsters who have killed average citizens as well as politicians. Fortunately, the gangsters are mere caricatures who don't recognize their enemies although they have seen them several times before. They even don't wonder why a guy they think they have killed is suddenly alive again.

The cast / acting
This is the second problem. I have given 8 stars, but this is a compromise: a 10 for the cast, but a 6 for acting at best. There are some very attractive young men, like Kawaii (Din) or Andew (the teacher). But: after some of the boys showed their amazing physique in bathing scenes in the first few episodes, this promise is not fulfilled, as they stay completely dressed in the later episodes which is a pity. More importantly, and unfortunately, most of them have no acting skills at all, making dramatic scenes unintentionally comic.

The setting / cinematography / soundtrack
The story is set in a rural surrounding in Northern Thailand. Cinematography and production are surprisingly good, and the ost is beautiful.

Product placement
I understand you need a lot of money to produce a series like this, and most Thai BLs have more or less product placement. It's nice to have the boys praise a brand of soap while they are taking a shower, but I wonder if it has to be a bleaching soap. When it's about painkillers or sauce, just regard it as a comic intermezzo, and it doesn't hurt too much.

Rewatch value
Whether you will want to rewatch the series or not obviously depends on how much you liked (or hated) it. As I liked it, and as the title song keeps hanging in my ear all the time, I may rewatch it some day, when there's no other BL series to watch. I also guess one may discover some hidden messages at a second glance only.

There have been better series than this, but it's definitely not the worst. All in all, despite the flaws mentioned before, in my opinion watching this series is no waste of time.

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My favourite BL series of 2022

It is interesting, that some of the best BL series this year revolved around the topic of the life after death - ”On Cloud Nine”, ”Eternal Yesterday”, ”Something in my Room”, and of course the most beautiful series of 2022, ”Choco Milk Shake”. I was excited when Strongberry announced this series, because this South Korean production company has never disappointed the BL community with their short films, and the worst thing about CMS was that we had to wait for those magic 12 minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays when it aired.

The plot is a fairy tale: Choco and Milk, Jungwoo's dog and cat, want to reunite with him after they died (Choco in a car accident and Milk because of an illness), and they find a way to cross the rainbow bridge and meet him in human shape. The three of them spend a short, but beautiful time together, before Choco and Milk have to return to their place in heaven, from where they will watch Jongwoo for the rest of his life. For a moment, Choco is tempted to stay with Jungwoo, but Milk reminds him that he will be gone for good if he does.

This sounds very much like the plots of other animal-to-human series like ”Meow Ears Up”, but CMS is unique in that it is the cutest and most fluffy series of 2022, but at the same time has always an undertone of angst, because the viewer realises very soon that Choco and Milk won't stay with Jungwoo for long, and I know that many people around the world were scared like me thinking of the moment we would have to say goodbye to Choco and Milk.

When Choco and Milk actually leave in episode 10, this is one of the saddest moments in any BL series I've watched so far, but Strongberry wouldn't be Strongberry, if they didn't make Choco and Milk come back once again in episode 11 – ”this time not to make Jung Woo happy, but for their own happiness” - so that the ”magical love story” can go on for another 99 days or so.

But it isn't only the story that makes this series the most beautiful of 2022, it is also the acting. Lee Jae Bin as Choco and Kim Seong Hyuk as Milk must have spent a lot of time observing cats and dogs, because in every action, with every facial expression it is absolutely clear what kind of animal they used to be in their previous lives. Go Ho Jung as Jung Woo and Park Seung Bin as Jung Woo's uncle, and the owner of the bar where his nephew works, are good actors, too.

Cinematography, directing and editing are first class like in all Strongberry productions, so there is literally nothing to complain about. The live chats during the premieres of the episodes were a gathering of enthusiastic fans of the series from all continents, and all the episodes have been watched by more than a million viewers, the first episode even by more than 3 millions. This proves that Strongberry have hit the nail on the head once again.

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Breathtaking in the literal sense of the word

When I compiled the list of my 15 favourite BL series of 2022, I was astonished that only one Japanese show had made it into that list (”Eien no kinou / Eternal Yesterday”). So when I wrote my review of the fantastic season 2 of ”Utsukushii Kare / My Beautiful Man” a few weeks ago, I didn't expect there would soon come another Japanese BL series that could compete with it, but I was wrong. Today is the last day of the first quarter of 2023, and there have already been two more great Japanese series, ”The End of the World with You”, and now ”Jack O'Frost” which in my subjective opinion may be the best BL series I have seen so far.

I won't spoil too much of the plot here, because for those who have already watched it, that won't be necessary, and to all those who haven't watched it, I would advise them to find out themselves, and I promise you that you won't be disappointed.

This is basically an ”amnesia story”, and by mere coincidence there are two series revolving around this topic airing at the same time - ”Jack O'Frost” and the Thai series ”Love Syndrome III”. Whereas the Thai series has bad writing, directing, and acting, and the only thing everybody is waiting for is Lee Long Shi taking off his shirt, the only thing I have to complain about when it comes to ”Jack O'Frost” is the fact that we had to wait two long weeks for the final episode to air.

”Jack O'Frost” is the love story of two attracting opposite characters, creative and talented artist Ritsu (Honda Kyoya) and salesman Fumiya (Suzuki Kosuke). When Fumiya feels left behind in his relationship with Ritsu, he breaks up with him, and Ritsu has an accident the very same day which makes him lose his memory of Fumiya. Fumiya tries to help Ritsu regain his memory by taking him to familiar places, but he doesn't tell him about their relationship and break-up. So when they fall for each other again, their new love is based upon a lie which of course must go wrong. I'll only reveal one more thing about the plot here – there's a happy ending, but the way to that point is rocky and full of pain.

When I said that this may be the best BL series I've ever watched, it must be perfection or at least near perfection in any respect, and I think it really is. The writing is brilliant, because it cautiously displays the way these two very different characters become lovers. I usually don't like flashbacks, because all too often they are just there to fill some more minutes of screentime without taking the story ahead, but here it is different. There are many flashbacks which show the viewer bit by bit how Ritsu and Fumiya's relationship developed, and as the series is about Ritsu trying to regain his memory, it's logical not to tell the story chronologically, but showing glimpses of the past that finally make up the complete story.

The next perfect element is the acting which is closely connected to the directing of the show. I have rarely seen two actors who are able to express their characters' deep love of each other so naturally – sometimes there is so much love in Honda's eyes that they could make the arctic ice melt. But their quarrels appear equally realistic, actually so realistic that it hurts watching them. The scene that leads up to Fumiya's breaking up with Ritsu is maybe the most natural lovers' argument ever shown in a BL series.

There were scenes where I found myself holding my breath because I felt it would reveal to Ritsu and Fumiya that someone was watching them, and it would disturb them if I did breathe. Honda and Suzuki (I know this sounds funny, but, sorry, these are their names) succeeded in drawing the viewer into their story, so it felt like I was being part of what was going on on the screen.

Then there is the cinematography that makes this series a masterpiece. Many scenes are set in semi-darkness, or the vision even seems to be blurred, mirroring Ritsu's limited memory of the past. The most beautiful and at the same time most expressive scene comes towards the end of the final episode, when Ritsu is sitting in their favourite café after he has moved out of Fumiya's flat, and the window is iced over. Then the ice slowly melts, and we see Fumiya standing outside the café looking at Ritsu.

Even the title of this show is a brilliant choice. Jack O'Frost (or simply Jack Frost) is a personification of cold weather in ancient Scandinavian mythology, and is often seen as a bad character whose negative influence disappears in Spring when the weather gets warmer. The main plot of this show is set in winter, and the scene with the frost on the café's window mentioned above symbolizes the end of the cold period, and thus the new beginning of Ritsu and Fumiya's love.

The background music completes the perfection of this series, because it sensitively accompanies the action without ever being obtrusive.

All in all, Japan has given us another beautiful series which is proof once again that it doesn't need 13 episodes of 60 minutes to tell a complex story and make the viewer impatiently wait 7 long days for another short episode of 25 minutes to air.

You will find the list of my favourite BL series of 2022 and more reviews of BL series and short films, including some from countries not covered by mydramalist.com, such as Myanmar, Vietnam, or Singapore, here : https://www.wattpad.com/user/DominicKebre

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Out of nowhere, a gem !

It's been quite some time since the Philippines gave the world of BL ground-breaking series like ”Gameboys” or ”Gaya sa pelikula”. There were actually some good series like ”Daddy Love”, ”Love at the End of the World,” and ”Papa, What is Love?”, although I wouldn't call these ”BL”, but rather ”gay” series. And now, all of a sudden, out of nowhere comes a BL gem entitled ”The Day I Loved You”.

What seems to be quite a conventional enemy-to-lovers and love-triangle high school BL series in the first episodes, suddenly turns into a heartbreaking drama, so viewers should be warned not to start watching this with false expectations.

The main characters are Nikko (Tommy Alejandrino), a nerdy boy, president of the school's book and bible clubs as well as the dance troupe, his best friend Justine (Rabin Angeles), who's had a crush on Nikko for a long time, and troublemaker Eli (Raynold Tan), who is being adored by all the girls and who bullies Nikko at first. When Eli is caught breaking into the school, the director punishes him by forcing him to join the dance troupe, with Nikko teaching him to dance.

Step by step, Eli gets closer to Nikko, with Justine enviously trying to obstruct their evolving relationship. Shortly before the school's prom, both Eli and Justine ask Nikko to be their partner at the prom, and at that very moment, Nikko breaks down whose health deteriorates rapidly. He suffers from ALS and knows that he won't have much time left to enjoy a ”normal” life, but he stays positive.

Nikko falls for Eli, the ”bad guy”, and under his influence Eli drops his bad behaviour, and finally even reconciles with his mum who lives abroad and had sent him back to the Philippines because of his permanent shenanigans. Eli tries his best to make Nikko happy by fulfilling some of the wishes on his bucket list. Justine finally accepts that he won't be Nikko's lover, and he gives up in a heartbreaking scene. He proves that he is Nikko's best friend when he teams up with Eli trying to support Nikko.

Things become even more dramatic when shortly before the prom Nikko can't move his legs any more. He is desperate and about to give up, and it is Eli who persuades him to return to his joyful, positive self. I don't want to spoil too much about the final episode here, but what I can say is that it's an emotional rollercoaster like the entire second half of the series, and although the ending is more bittersweet than happy, there is even a slight chance that there may be a season 2.

The story is well written (by Easy Ferrer), with a good blend of comedic, joyful, sad, tragic, and emotional scenes. Some viewers were obviously not prepared for the serious story in the second half of the series as they expected a lighthearted rom com, but life isn't a bed of roses for everybody, so this series is more true-to-life than most high school BL series which only revolve around the love affairs of guys trying to find out whether they're straight, gay, or whatever. Integrating a character with a disease as serious as ALS into a BL series is courageous and requires sensitive writing, but it works in this show.

Apart from the unique plot, it is the actors who make this series worth watching. Tommy Alejandrino, who was awarded ”best actor” for his main role in the 2022 movie ”The Baseball Player”, is a very good actor who brilliantly manages to bear the main burden of this show. Raynold Tan has been reduced to his good looks by some viewers, and he may have some room for improvement as an actor, but he does a good job as does Rabin Angeles, who is a newbie like Raynold. I would love to see these three in a season 2 or in a completely new series together again. Most of the side characters are good in their respective roles, too. As a dedicated fan of Kaleb Ong, I would have wished to see more of him in this series, but you can't always get what you want...

The directing (Easy Ferrer) is good and the production is technically better than many Filipino series, which doesn't come as a surprise as it was made by Regal Entertainment who have given us (among many other, non-BL productions) the Ben X Jim and B X J Forever series which were harshly criticised by some viewers, but I'm probably one of the few who actually liked those series very much for their colourful stories, very good acting, and the inclusion of all the colours of the rainbow, and clear political statements about the pending SOGIE bill.

All in all, ”The Day I Loved You” is a beautiful BL series with a unique plot and good actors who I am sure we'll see more often in the future. Viewers should be warned, however, that the series' second half is dramatic, if not sad, so if you expect nothing but shallow entertainment, this isn't a series for you. But if you're keen to watch good entertainment with a serious message, you'll love it.

You will find all my reviews of BL series and movies, including those on productions from countries not covered by mydramalist, like Myanmar, Singapore, or Vietnam, here:
https://www.wattpad.com/user/DominicKebre

Country: Philippines (2023)

Episodes: 10 à 20 mins.

Director: Easy Ferrer

Cast: Tommy Alejandrino, Raynold Tan, Rabin Angeles, Kaleb Ong et al.

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3 reasons to watch this series

I have one principle when I start watching a series: I don't expect anything, so at least I won't be disappointed. Then I give it three or four episodes to decide whether to watch it to the end or not, which usually takes at least an hour or so. This time it didn't even take ten minutes, because the total runtime is 70 minutes for 30 episodes. Was I disappointed? No, I was surprised.

There are three reasons to watch this series: 1. Junior, 2. Kad, and 3. it's fun. It's fun because many of the things that make 'normal', i.e. longer, Thai series so hard to watch sometimes are simply not possible when there's less than 3 minutes per episode: no staring at each other for 10 minutes, no endless crying scenes (there are actually none at all!), no distracting side couples, no shrieking bl-fans, even the ex-girlfriend isn't toxic, and she doesn't get more than 2 minutes of screentime.

I won't spoil the plot, there isn't much to spoil anyway. The episodes display short scenes about two roommates who are different from each other, but there isn't the worn-out hater to lover trope. There are just 30 glimpses of two boys getting closer, and I find it surprising how well they are being characterized. Junior and Kad have a fantastic chemistry, and they obviously enjoy the opportunity to show their talent as comedians.

Cinematography is also surprisingly good for a tiktok series, as is the soundtrack.

The series is now available at youtube with English subtitles, all episodes put together without any commercial breaks, and if you have 70 minutes to spare, and if you want good, light entertainment, and if you like Junior and Kad, then this is exactly right for you.

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The definition of cuteness

This won't be an ordinary review, because ”Our Winter” is no ordinary series – no need to summarize the plot, because there is none, no need to analyze character development either. I'll rather define some terms that are frequently used when it comes to BL series, and which do have some relevance here.

First of all, you may have heard about the ”second couple syndrome”, or the SCS, as experts call it, and you may even have had it. The SCS occurs when you and all the other BL series addicts like the second couple of a series more than the first couple. Some examples: ”Until we meet again” - everybody more or less liked Ohm and Fluke, but everybody loved Boun and Prem who became a BL dream couple. ”Oh! My Sunshine Night” involves Ohm and Fluke as the first couple again, and again people loved Noh and Peterpan more.

Then there is also a TCS, or ”third couple syndrome”, which is less frequent than SCS, simply because there aren't too many series with three couples. The most prominent example of TCS is the ”Cutie Pie” series – again, people liked Zee Pruk and Nunew, the first couple, and Max and Nat, the second couple, but everybody was talking about how cute the third couple were, Yim and Tutor.

I cannot count the comments any more that asked for Yim and Tutor to have their own series as lead actors, and they will actually get it. It's called ”Middleman's Love” and will air some time later this 2023. But the gods of BL were merciful enough to give us another series while we're all waiting for ”Middleman's Love” - ”Our Winter”, which brings us to the third defintion of this review – the definition of ”cuteness”.

Because that is what ”Our Winter” is – the definition of cuteness. This series, which was aired on tiktok and youtube, consists of 14 episodes of 1 minute each, and – apart from some product placement for a Korean water brand – it is just 14 minutes of Yim and Tutor being cute in the snow of the Korean winter.

What really surprised me is the fact that I was patiently waiting 5 or 2 days respectively for that single minute every Friday and Sunday at 12 o'clock noon (which was when ”Our Winter” was airing on tiktok where I live), and I wasn't disappointed even once, because, as I said, Yim and Tutor gave the BL world 14 minutes of pure cuteness. My only complaint is this: I wished the final episode had been a little longer – you'll know what I mean when you watch it.

So if you still don't know what cuteness is, I would advise you to watch ”Our Winter”. Binge-watching won't take longer than 14 minutes, and even if you miss intellectual depth or a sophisticated plot (although there are some unexpected twists that will make you smile), you'll only have wasted 14 minutes of your precious lifetime.

You will find more reviews of BL series and short films, including some from countries not covered by MDL, such as Myanmar, Vietnam, or Singapore, here : https://www.wattpad.com/user/DominicKebre

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Another Wayufilm masterpiece

The history of BL series is a history of iconic BL couples – from Off and Gun over Max and Tul, Boun and Prem, Elijah and Kokoy, Ian and Paolo to Ohm and Nanon - names that make BL fans send their ships sailing. For me, Mon and Oak belong in the same category, although they are so different from all the others. They have been playing together in short films and series for more than three years, growing up together as actors and personalities, carefully guided by Director Nicchi. Their movies like ”Key Love”, ”My Friendship”, and of course ”Country Boy” are among the best the genre has to offer. Even a music video (”Just Like That”) proves how talented these two actors are, and that they are a perfect match.

I was sad when Oak announced the end of his acting career in a tearful video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zobLJdV2DHk). Fortunately, fans kept asking director Nicchi to produce a sequel to ”Country Boy”, and luckily two fans, John Piccone and Solipsism5, who actually met here at mydramalist, offered to finance ”Country Boy 2”. Many other fans donated smaller amounts of money, too, and Nicchi succeeded in persuading Oak to return to the screen, which made this movie possible.

The plot is simple. Keptawan, the Country Boy (Oak Puwanart) leaves his homestay, which is his comfort zone, and goes to Chiang Mai for a month as a trainee in his uncle's café. He has problems to adapt to working in the café and to life in the city, he is bullied by his uncle when he keeps making mistakes, and he feels lonely because Nubdao (Mon Hatsawatchon) doesn't have time for him because he is preparing for his final exams.

It takes four weeks until the two boys, who shyly hugged when Nubdao and his friends went to stay at Keptawan's homestay for some days in ”Country Boy”, finally spend a day together, and this time it is Keptawan who helps Nubdao overcome his crisis with the simple truths that a country boy knows. When Keptawan returns home, Nubdao is already waiting for him. The boys confess their love to each other, and their shy kiss (or should I say peck?) feels more emotional than many kisses at the end of 13 episodes of high end series.

A word about the actors. Mon is very experienced in the meantime, and it shows in this movie. Oak feels a little OTT sometimes, but he plays the simple, clumsy, yet somehow wise boy from the countryside very authentically. There are only a few supporting characters: Keptawan's mum, who doesn't come across as grumpy as in the prequel, her brother, the owner of the café, the ”villain” of the movie, and Ju, whose name, which sounds similar to the Thai word for 'dick', is a running gag, are all very natural and contribute to the authenticity of the movie.

I was a little skeptical when it was announced that a major part of the movie would be set in the city, because the landscape around Keptawan's homestay was a beautiful setting for the first episode. But we do get the rural setting again, and the places in Chiang Mai (the café, Nubdao's room, some street scenes) are well selected. Cinematography, sound and OST are very good for a budget production.

I admit I am not objective when I write about a Wayufilm production, and especially a movie starring Oak and Mon. I love those boys, and I appreciate Director Nicchi's work very much, so all in all I can only say that in my opinion, this is another masterpiece that takes you on an emotional journey.

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Uncut versions add spices to an already delicious dish

This series isn't your typical fairy tale BL-series, with all the usual tropes and college students driving around in their expensive cars, living in fancy houses, not being gay, but only being able to love the one and only guy, who was an enemy first and became a lover towards the end of the series. This is a story of real people, with a past that wasn't a bed of roses. There is love, jealousy, cheat, and regret, like in real life relationships.

The first episode led viewers up the garden path, because it looked like the beginning of a shallow OTT comedy. Richard (Arnold Reyes), a widower in his 40s, is urged by his son Greg (Anthony Flores) to hire a helper to look after him and the household. After a series of absurd interviews, the last applicant, Tupe (Rex Lantano), enters the stage with a winning smile, presenting Richard a bunch of flowers picked from the neighbours' garden, and he gets the job which is generously paid so that he can support his mother who is taken seriously ill.

The plot of episodes 2 through 6, however, isn't pure comedy. Richard, who only came out to his son after his wife's death, because he didn't want to hurt his wife's feelings, falls for Tupe, and they end up in bed together. They are caught in the act by Greg, who is embarrassed to witness his father having sex with a guy who is about his own age. At first he suspects Tupe of being after his dad's money, but the two young men slowly get closer. When Richard goes on a business trip, they spend a day together, have a drunk talk about their childhood and traumas, and end up having sex.

The next day, both Greg and Tupe are crying – Tupe obviously because he regrets cheating on Richard, and Greg maybe because of trying to steal his dad's boyfriend, or maybe because he has seriously fallen for Tupe.

The final episode is a real rollercoaster. When Tupe is about to leave because he won't dare face Richard, Greg accuses him of leaving him. They quarrel, but finally Greg confesses his love to Tupe, and vice versa. Of course Richard witnesses their reconciliation kiss, and after a lot of tears, he finally ”gives” Tupe to Greg. Although Richard seems to be the loser of this love triangle, in the end everybody seems to be happy. Tupe and Greg leave for a holiday together, and Richard hires another ”helper with abs”, played by Nick John Tuppil, who is serious eye candy indeed.

Some members of the BL fan community were put off by the unusual constellation of the main characters, especially by their age gap. Others complained about Tupe's ungratefulness and Greg's betrayal of his dad. But as we all know, the life of couples – be they straight, gay or whatever – is rarely without problems, disappointments, break-ups and reconciliations. That can be exhausting, but IMO it makes life colourful, and it makes this series colourful and exciting, too. In opposition to real life,where a story like this would probably end in bitterness, we get a happy ending here, which is something I like in a BL series, I must admit.

The cast is an exciting blend of experienced actors like Arnold Reyes and Rex Lantano and newbies like Anthony Flores and Nick John Tuppil, who are not just very handsome, but also prove that they are talented. They were led sensitively by director Shandii Bacolod, who also directed the amazing series ”Love at the end of the world”, and who tragically passed away when the series was airing.

It is surprising that although the series is relatively short, writer and director Shandii Bacolod manages not only to tell the story of the love triangle step by step and in detail, but also finds time to characterise the three protagonists and to display their backstories.

Most of the series is set in Richard's house, but in contrast to many Pinoy low budget series, the production is professional. Cinematography, editing, and sound are good. The title song 'Papa, what is love?' and the beautiful ballad 'Bakit naman iyong akin pa?' by Malvin Drake are another proof that most Pinoy series have amazing OSTs.

Rex Lantano took the risk of producing the series himself, and it appears to have paid out, because his channel gained quite a number of paying subscribers who are rewarded with uncut versions of episodes 3 – 6 which add some spices to a dish that is already delicious in the regular version.

It's a little sad that there are only 6 relatively short episodes, but that can be an advantage, because a series of an accumulated 2 hours runtime is easier to rewatch than a full-fledged 12-hours series. I don't often rewatch series, but I am quite sure that I will rewatch this one, probably shortly before season 2 starts airing.

Because this is the good news at the end of this review: Rex Lantano has announced a season 2 to be produced soon, and I can only hope that they will be able to keep up the good quality of script, acting, directing, and production in general.

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Save the best for last

2023 has given us a huge number of BL series and movies – Thailand alone has produced over 50 series. Unfortunately, quantity doesn't necessarily mean quality, although there have been some outstanding series (see the list of my 15 favourites, with synopses, short reviews, and links here: https://www.wattpad.com/1408052397-my-bl-lists-favourite-series-favourite-movies).

But as they saying goes, (one of) the best has been saved for the last. MindTrio, the Thai company that always produces high quality series like ”On Cloud Nine” and the wonderful ”Once in Memory” movies, have waited until the last two days of the year to give us a precious little gem of a short film entitled ”You And My Stars”.

The short film, which aired in two parts on Dec 30 and 31, tells the story of three boys – Win (Poom Jittipat Suwannaluck) has a secret crush on Time (BM Chanatip Aumpu), who has fallen for Win's best friend Hunter (Photo Patawee Klamudom). Win has low self-esteem and thus doesn't dare to confess his love to Time, whereas Time asks Win to help him confess to Hunter by giving him 999 paper stars he has folded. Win does help Time, and he is heartbroken as he sees Time and Hunter together.

Hunter, however, later rejects Time in a brutal way, because he knows about Win's secret crush, and he doesn't want to hurt him. The way Hunter speaks of Time earns him a beating from Win. As Win and Hunter reconcile later, Hunter offers Win his support for his flirt with Time. Finally, Win gives Time 999 paper stars, and the two boys have a very frank conversation about their feelings. Time not only accepts Win's proposal, but tells him that he wants him to be next to him forever.

The plot of this movie doesn't sound too unique – after all, it's just the story most young people experience when they fall in love for the first time. There are, however, several elements that make this short film so heartwarming and lovely.

First and foremost, it is the sensitive way the author makes us see what's going on through Win's eyes. His inner monologues, but also his shy actions make the viewer feel his fears and inhibitions, and his comparisons of himself and his two friends with the stars are pure poetry. And the movie does without any of the annoying BL tropes like accidental kisses, artificial drama based on misunderstanding, or evil exes, to name just a few. So kudos to the scriptwriter!

The next element is the focus on the three main characters. There are no unnecessary side couples or yaoi fangirls. This allows for a profound characterization of the three boys which some long series don't accomplish. For example, Hunter appears as a superficial casanova at first, but turns out to be a thoughtful and selfless best friend. Time comes across quite dominant and disrespectful at first, but then is a nice guy who is shy, too, when he sends Win to Hunter for his confession.

And then there are the actors! MindTrio has once again succeeded in casting three boys who aren't only very handsome, but at the same time have huge acting talent. Whereas Poom has already had a main role in the beautiful ”Move to Heaven” movie, BM (who I find breathtakingly beautiful) and Photo are obviously rookies, but I bet we'll see all the three of them more often in future.

As we have seen time and again in BL series, actors can only act as good as the director makes them act, and Keereeboon Siridol, who also directed ”Move to Heaven”, appears to know how to make young actors shine.

The cinematography is nice, especially the scenes with the night sky and at the pier, and the background music is never intrusive and matches the story. There are some minor flaws of the sound, especially toward the end of part two, but they aren't so bad that they disturb the overall wonderful atmosphere of the movie.

What I love about MindTrio's short films is that they are able to tell a story and make the characters come to life in half an hour. So I say thank you to cast and crew of this wonderful movie for saving (almost) the best of this BL year for the last.


You find all my BL reviews, including those of series from countries not covered by mydramalist like Vietnam, Singapur, Myanmar, and Cambodia, here:
https://www.wattpad.com/user/DominicKebre

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Why the heck did I love this series?

I finished my review of 'One Day Pag-Ibig', the first series by director/screenwriter Ranz Gonzales, saying 'It seems there is going to be a season two, and if so, I only hope that the script will be more consistent, actors better trained, technical issues resolved, and screenwriter/director Ranz Gonzales gains more experience. As I am an unshakeable optimist, I'm looking forward to it.'

'Paano Kaya Kung Tayo' isn't the season 2, but the writer/director and main cast are the same. Unfortunately, my hopes have been disappointed, because this series suffers from similar flaws as the former.

But why the heck did I love it then? And why does it attract the same or even larger numbers of viewers, an estimated third of them international, than series like 'Worth the Wait' or 'Why Love Why 2' that have bigger budgets and more promotion? I guess there are two reasons: the cuteness factor of the lead actors, and the passion and dedication that the director, cast, and crew have invested in making this series happen.

The plot is not very original: A boy from a rich family (Sef, played by Allen Caguioa) falls for a poor boy (Andrei, Ivo Rosimo). First he teases him, then he tries to get closer to him, he is desperate when Andrei doesn't seem to feel the same way, but doesn't give up. His methods of getting close to Andrei are more than questionable, though, as is Andrei's response.

Andrei is a loving son, an ambitious and successful student, and a friendly guy all the time (except towards Sef). On the other hand, he accepts all kinds of expensive presents from Sef, instead of rejecting them and telling Sef frankly he does not want to be his boyfriend. This makes him appear greedy and selfish. It isn't even clear if he isn't lying to Sef when he claims he has broken up with his long distance girlfriend Trisha, because when Sef and Andrei meet again after Sef has been abroad for two years, he is obviously in a relationship with Trisha.

Sef's character shows some facettes and disruptions, too. He's a bully in the first episodes, then starts awkwardly hitting on Andrei, moves into his apartment, sleeps in the same bed, and gives him presents, although Andrei rejects him. This may come across quite infringing, and it is, especially when he even kidnaps Andrei. It is his somewhat helpless way of crying out for the attention of the boy he loves. Sef doesn't feel at home in his own family, his relation to his stepbrother Ivan (Bert Calara) is bad, and he feels misunderstood by his parents. It looks like he chooses Andrei and his father (John Rudolf) as a substitute for his own family.

There is another boy who has a secret crush on Andrei: Kian (Clark Blancaflor), who sits around with his guitar and a sad face throughout the series. He is a much nicer person than Sef, and Andrei likes him, but Kian is always too shy. When he overcomes his shyness for once, he's just a minute too late. Unrequited love is the most bitter form of love, and there are heartbreaking scenes when I wanted to hug poor Kian (especially in the ”rain scene” in ep. 8). On the other hand, he compensates his sadness by writing a beautiful song, so there's something good about it, at least for the viewers, because for him it doesn't pay out.

There are loads of side characters, who are necessary as the story is set in a school. Some of them side with Sef, others with Andrei, but they do not contribute anything essential to the story. Only the love story of Ivan and Gelay (Alexa France) is a nice little subplot, although its outcome isn't clear in the end. Like in many Pinoy Bls, there are some trans characters, and I'm glad that Ranz Gonzales, unlike other writers, doesn't make them mere caricatures or even ridicules them. I also appreciate that Sef's ex-girldfriend is not simply presented as the evil ex as in other series.

The setting isn't very unique for a BL-series: it's a school. What is unique, though, is the school uniform these poor lads have to wear! The waistcoats are just as terrible as Kian's makeup in the first episodes. The teacher and his methods ('Now hug your partner for five minutes' – Gosh, I would have loved being in that school) are also very unique.

The script has many empty spaces, repetitions, disruptions, and flaws. Just a few examples: Why does Andrei leave his father and rent an apartment? He just says 'We talked about it'. Okay, good you did, but why don't you tell the interested audience? How does Andrei pay his rent? He says once that he gets money for papers he writes for other students. Why not show him getting money and handing over papers now and then? Why does Sef hate Ivan? What is their background story? How sick is Andrei, what exactly is his illness, and how does he recover so fast? The ending, however, is the worst and least plausible ending of any BL-series that I have watched.

I guess one major problem of this series is that Ranz Gonzales has to do too many jobs at the same time: writing, casting, directing, and while shooting this series, already drafting the next one which is probably coming soon ('He's mine').

Acting is another issue. I love Allen, Ivo, Clark, Bert, and some of the rest, which is the main reason why I enjoyed this series. When I gave 7 stars for acting/cast, it is 10 for cast, but only 4 for acting. All the actors need to take acting lessons if they want to become real actors, or Direk Ranz should at least hire a proper acting coach. They all have a large fan base, due to their tiktok activities, and this may tempt them to think they don't need to invest their time in learning how to act. If they don't work hard to improve their skills, the early success could put an end to their careers sooner than they want, which would be a pity, because I would like to see much more from them.

Unfortunately, directing and filming in general are not good throughout the series. There is only little progress in all these things, compared with 'One Day Pag-Ibig'. Editing and sound quality are still poor. The low budget may serve as an excuse for some time, but it won't do so forever.

Finally, I must talk about the soundtrack. It was Clark Blancaflor's 'Kung Pwede lang' that kept hanging in my ear for a long time after 'One Day Pag-Ibig' had been aired, and it even made me rewatch the series. The same is happening with Clark's title song 'Paano Kaya Kung Tayo'. So when I said at the beginning that I, like many thousands of viewers, like this series because of the main actors, and because of the passion and dedication of everyone involved in the production, I should have added that Clark's composition is the third point that has made me a fan of this series. So if I give 6.5 stars for rewatch value only, that doesn't mean I won't rewatch it. I know I will.

Because that's what I am: a fan of the series, especially of the main actors and Direk Ranz (otherwise I wouldn't have written this long review), although the final episode was a big disappointment. I must admit that my optimism with regard to improvement in the aspects mentioned above is limited, but I am still looking forward to the next series by Ranz Gonzales and his bunch of cuties.

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Terrifyingly realistic, with some glimpses of hope

Let me start with what I hate about this series: 10 days after it's finished there are still no English subtitles for the final episode, and I don't understand Filipino. I have decided to write this review – my first at MDL – anyway, because imo this series is a lot better than the overall rating suggests.

Some of the best and most successful BL-series of 2020 have come from the Philippines. To name two of my favourites: 'Gameboys' is a huge international success, mostly due to its main actors, Elijah Canlas, who has won international prizes for his outstanding acting as an AIDS-infected boy in the movie 'Kalel, 15', and Kokoy de Santos, who also starred in a full movie ('Fuccbois') before. 'Gaya sa pelikula' is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful BL-series, due to the great chemistry of the two leads, Ian and Paolo Pangilinan, convincing script, outstanding OST and cinematography.

The commercial success of those series (and some more, like 'Hello Stranger' or 'Quaranthings') has triggered a boom of web-series, some of which started promising, like 'Amore' or 'Lakan', but ended in a mess. Dozens of others the titles of which I'd rather not mention suffered from a low budget, poor acting, terrible filming, unbearable sound, and a non-existing script.

'Stranger's Kiss' seemed to fall into this category, I thought, after watching the first episode, and so I skipped it. After five episodes had been released, I was surprised to see that the series gained up to a quarter million viewers, many of them international, which is quite a lot for a series like that. So I got curious and gave it a second chance, and honestly, the script has some flaws, the sound is sometimes awful, cinematography poor at times.

But: in contrast to all those Thai 'student coming out' stories focusing on the internal troubles of sons from well-off families, this series displays the struggle of lgbt people at the lowest end of the social scale. Although it doesn't by any means reach the quality of the 'Kalel, 15' movie, it conveys the same dark atmosphere, relieved only by some glimpses of hope and happiness.

Without spoiling too much, let me give a few hints at the plot. The lives of the protagonists move from one catastrophe to another. Nico, for example, after his parents' death has to leave his little brother Arjay behind in the province when he moves to Manila to earn some money. His departure is a heartbreaking scene, and things don't get better for him. He is robbed and beaten up for being gay, he is yearning for a meal of rice, and he has to take the humiliation of his evil boss when he finally does get a job. Meanwhile, Arjay is being sold to a pimp.

Miray and Nora hope to make some money by winning a gay beauty contest, but their gowns are torn to pieces by a competitor, and Vergel, who is running to bring them another gown, is beaten up in the street and gets to the venue too late, so they again end up hungry. Vergel himself is so desperate because of unpaid bills that he tries to commit suicide. He is rescued by Miray, another heartbreaking scene and superb acting.

This series is ugly, dirty, disturbing sometimes. But life of lgbt people in this social setting is exactly this way, and so 'Stranger's Kiss' often comes across more like a docudrama than a fictional story. It is terrifyingly realistic in places, and this is to a large part due to a) the fact that all of the characters are not one-dimensional which is surprising for a miniseries of 8 x 20 minutes, and b) the talented actors. It seems unfair to mention one of them in particular, but I want to mention three of them: Lj Russell as Prince, who lives up to his character's name, Xerxes Damuggo as Nico, who credibly depicts the role of the caring brother as well as the desperate province boy in the jungle of the megacity, and most of all Edz Bonggastar as Miray, who shows so many facets of hope and despair (and must have gotten badly injured because it seems extremely realistic when she is beaten up by her drunken father time and again).

I must admit I was deeply moved by this series, although (or because?) it is really hard to watch sometimes. Even some of the small glimpses of hope I mentioned before bear some irony: Nico goes to pray in a church for his little brother, and even Miray prays to the Virgin Mary, and one wonders why they seek consolation from an institution that does all it can to make life of lgbt people even harder.

There is one more positive thing I must mention, and that is the OST. The sound of this series mirrors the messy sound of the megacitry Manila (street noise, quarreling people etc), but the beautiful song 'Magkasama' by Justine Cabiso, a low budget production like the series itself, is a kind of counterbalance that helps you recover from all the ugliness, dirt, and hopelessness.

So if you are willing to be confronted with the tragic life of socially disadvantaged lgbt persons in a poor, conservative country, if you are willing to let your heart be broken by real-life tragedy, if you are willing to feel with the protagonists who are literally struggling to survive and at the same time struggling to remain good persons, if you are willing to face a reality that is brutal through and through, and if you thought that 'Kalel, 15' was one of the best movies of 2019, then this is the series you should watch.

There is a quote from Prince in episode 3 that characterizes this series quite perfectly: 'Sometimes in life you think you are a loser because you are alone in this world, but the truth is that we live so as not to give up to fight and learn, and I am Prince who will continue to fight with people who are willing to sacrifice and love.'

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