salmmmaaa4

I feel like if I had watched this BL even five years ago, I would've immediately considered it peak because... FirstKhaotung...!! But I have to be realistic here, because as breathtaking as their performances were, the story itself made me sigh more times than I can count.

So I'm going to start with what I really liked.

The first few episodes were soooo good. We had a real rivalry between Aye and Akk, and watching them hate each other while being irresistibly drawn to one another was incredibly addictive. Although we can definitely question Akk's sudden fixation on Aye, because... weird. Let's just say Aye caught his eye.

The chemistry between the protagonists is captivating and, most importantly, undeniably sincere. The looks they exchange, their hands slowly reaching for each other, the dialogue between them (especially Aye's, let's be honest) was genuinely well written.

I honestly think that if this drama had simply focused on learning to fully accept yourself and learning how to love yourself through the eyes of the person who loves you, it could have been an undeniable banger !

But that's not what happened. Because the story eventually turned into one giant collection of absurdities that we're somehow expected to swallow one after another.

I just don't have the words to explain how much the story lost me. I watched these people cry over things that made absolutely no sense, and at some point I started wondering whether I had no humanity whatsoever or whether the director was simply expecting us to buy into all this nonsense.

So, if I understood correctly, the biggest problem in the holy land of Suppalo is... wearing the uniform and using a phone?

They're willing to launch investigations and recruit students into some kind of secret operation over three sis standing at the bottom of a building holding cardboard signs. THIS is the biggest threat to Suppalo's reputation? WTF.

Now, can someone explain to me why Aye was immediately thrown into the middle of everything the second he arrived? The guy wears a jacket, looks a little suspicious, and apparently that's enough to accuse him of being the spiritual leader behind the three sis and their puppet.

So OBVIOUSLY, everyone has to interrogate him, follow him around and immediately put him in a box because this guy "doesn't belong." Meanwhile, the actual self-proclaimed revolutionaries are apparently not the subject of any investigation.

But wait, because things get even more serioooous and spooooky when we're introduced to the Suppalo curse.

You can see from a mile away that this curse is being used to scare the three protesters into stopping whatever the hell they're protesting about, because once again, I genuinely didn't understand what the actual matter was anymore.

At first it's about the uniform. Then suddenly it's about freedom of speech, freedom of opinion and the right to express yourself.

OOOkaaay. We went from something extremely concrete to something completely abstract in about five seconds.

Anyway, apparently everyone is terrified of this curse.

Even the teachers.

Even the principal.

We're clearly supposed to believe that Suppalo is some kind of authoritarian, oppressive dictatorship. And sure, okay, if you say so. I mean, the prefects patrolling the school are more or less the political police 🗿.

Then Aye starts reading 1984 by George Orwell, and I thought:

"No way. They're not actually going there. They're not going to make metaphors. It's not that deep."

Well...IT IS THAT DEEP.

And apparently that's what the entire drama is about. Everything is given this enormous amount of gravity that I simply cannot take seriously.

And I'm not even going to get started on the teacher's assistant, who might be the biggest chameleon this planet has ever seen. She arrives with actual principles and values, apparently. And I thought:

"Oh, great! She's probably going to play an important role in dismantling this system that apparently dehumanizes students. Yayyyy!"

NOPE.

The woman dropped those values in her locker the second she arrived and proceeded to do absolutely everything Teacher Chadok told her without using even the tiniest bit of common sense.

Then, after several episodes whose content is honestly a blur because I was so skeptical but desperately trying to keep an open mind because FirstKhaotung ٩(>ᴗ<)و !!!! we finally get the GREAT SHIFT !

Suddenly... Enemies become lovers!! YAYAY!!

Okay, it wasn't on that boat with that gorgeous sunshine filling the air, but whatever. They're adorable, so I'll take it. Except Akk still doesn't accept himself. I guess that's okay. Obviously it must be difficult for him, especially when the school seems pretty damn homophobic and he's been completely shaped by the system he's grown up in.

>Next episode

Aye: Do you want to be my boyfriend?

Akk: Yes.

...

WHAT ? ',:/ Okay, sure. It's just a little fast for a guy who still hasn't accepted himself and who seems to be struggling pretty badly with the whole curse situation and everything surrounding it. But they love each other, so... we're good, right?

I was skeptical, but hey, we'll take what we can get.

And then there's the Khan-Thua couple.

To be fair, their progression makes a little more sense. But I don't know why, from the very beginning, I just couldn't get myself to like this couple. Maybe it's just straight-up facial prejudice. But I genuinely couldn't do it.

You have one guy who's as bland as plain pasta dating someone who, if you squint reeeaaally hard and someone hands you an audiovisual guide, vaguely looks like a bad boy.

And seriously... Bruce Wayne?

This man must have grown up in Plato's cave. He talks to Batman and then proudly announces, like the village idiot, that he's genuinely developing feelings for him.

And Khan doesn't laugh. Not once.

Thua: "I'm talking to Bruce Wayne right now, and I LOVE HIM."

Khan: "Bruce Wayne? Doesn't ring a bell. Well, good for you, I guess."

And then let's talk about the plot twist, because this time I was sincerely twisted. Twisted by my own confusion.

So, if I understood correctly, Akk originally had motivations that were pretty unclear for this curse situation (although to me it was obvious he was doing everything for Teacher Chadok), and then suddenly he's blamed for perpetuating the curse.

And at no point does he actually explain himself. He just completely spirals into a state of "depression"

Then Chadok, who has been an absolute asshole from the beginning, suddenly becomes a good guy because...he was in love with Aye's uncle.

I'm sorry, but shouldn't Aye have at least a little resentment here?

This man pushed your boyfriend to his breaking point and put an insane amount of pressure on Akk's shoulders, but apparently everything is fine now because Chadok wanted to marry the uncle?!

What?!

And then, without warning, Thua starts acting like the biggest bi*ch in the entire drama. (I told you I didn't trust this guy.) Suddenly he has no loyalty, no friends, no sense of shame, apparently.

First he accuses Akk of perpetuating the curse. Then he OUTS HIS OWN FRIENDS PUBLICLY. Dude. You're literally part of the community yourself. As far as I'm concerned, that's the ultimate betrayal !!

And then he accuses Akk of perpetuating a curse that HE VERY CLEARLY ALSO HELPED PERPETUATE.

Why?!

So now they're both blamed for everything, and apart from saying "I'm sorry," neither of them actually has much to say about it.

And then...That's it.

Suddenly the school is super LGBTQ-friendly. Five minutes ago, being gay was apparently one of the greatest abominations in the holy land of Suppalo, and now everyone loves everyone.

And Chadok... The one person who had a perfect opportunity to redeem himself, to actually make the school a safer and more welcoming place after everything he'd done... decides to commit the bravest act of his entire career:

HE RESIGNS?! WTF.

Then they start making a little movie together. And I was actually open to it. I thought this could be a really nice opportunity to explain the title of the drama, The Eclipse.

You know, the idea that there were dark moments in our relationship, but the sun always comes back. Something like that.

NOPE.

We got basically nothing.

I'm going to keep my own interpretation of the title to myself because at least it will give this whole thing a semblance of depth.

Then we get Akk's coming-out scene, which, to be fair, I genuinely found really sweet.

I'm not even going to lie, the actors did an incredible job with what they were given. You could really see in Akk's eyes the complexity of accepting a part of himself that he'd spent so long rejecting.

And then who shows up? His friends.

And Thua.

You know, the guy who betrayed them. And apparently... It's fine!

Welcome back, Thua and your absolutely atrocious fisherman jacket.

And then the teacher's assistant spawns in.

Welcome to you too, I guess.

Because apparently, now that she's outside the school, she suddenly remembered that she has principles and values.

And that's it.

THAT'S THE END.

I was so frustrated.

Because there was potential in every single idea this drama introduced, but every single one of them was paired with some completely insane plot development.

They try to talk about mental health, but the context doesn't feel believable. Why does this curse that Akk was dragged into have such a huge impact on him? Why is he the only one suffering from it when the entire system helped perpetuate it?

They try to talk about acceptance, but the entire Suppalo situation makes it impossible to take seriously.

We go from homophobic slurs to: "˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀ What a blessing to be a homosexual ˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀." In about five minutes.

They try to talk about oppression, authoritarianism and the desire for freedom, but the thing supposedly motivating all of this is a group of three people at the bottom of a building, presented as some kind of national threat.

All of this... over a uniform and a phone.

Honestly, by the end of it, I think the only people who remained completely consistent throughout the entire story were the three sis at the bottom of the building. They always accepted themselves exactly as they were. They always protested for the things that actually mattered to them. And, as far as I remember, they never even faced any consequences for it.

First and Khaotung were absolutely majestic. But if I hear the word Suppalo one more time, I might actually lose my mind.

Thank you for making it this far.

And I guess, just like Chadok, it's time for me to leave... for absolutely no apparent reason.

<3