Busted my Ass Laughing

A Man Who Defies the World of BL is such a gem, I almost want to punish myself for waiting so long to watch it. It takes you out of the stereotypical way of watching a BL and dives you into the depth of specific tropes and cliches while Mob looks with disgust on his face. I didn't think I was going to enjoy this nearly as much as I did. I'm only sad I'm just now seeing it.

Let's Dive In.

The concept is what really piqued my interest. A dude is stuck in a BL world and he tries to fight off falling for any cliche tropes or the pretty men in order to continue only being the "mob" aka background character. With this, our main character avoids every little thing at any cost, and it's just by far one of the funniest BLs I've ever seen.

What I didn't like: This kiss between Ayato and Toujou burnt my soul. I would've rather they had just faded to black after their hug. Cause honestly, what the f**K was that..?

What I liked. I loved pretty much everything else. I loved Mob's voice-over, and even when we switched to hear the others narrate their story. It really added a lot more richness to the story, and just made it 10x more hilarious than it would've been without it. I loved when the attractive love interest had roses or flowers behind them and the way it was over-exaggeratingly bright. There were just so many gems to its series, it's too much to explain.

Ratings:

Story: 9.5 - A great story. Just watching Mob being a crazy person for the way he tried to avoid the men, and trying to help his brother stay out of it. Everything flowed perfectly, even the comedy part of the series never faltered, it was all great.

Acting: 8.5 - Superb acting. Some hiccups here and there, but everyone really did a fair job.

Music: 9 - You saw the title sequence too right? While it's not something I would listen to on the regular, it was hilarious and indeed increased my usual music rating.

Rewatch Value: 3 - It was really funny and I will take anything funny to always rewatch.

In the end, I highly recommend this series. I watched in parts, so it didn't feel like I was watching for very long. However, a 2-hour movie sounds a bit tough to sit through, so I'd say watch it in parts. Believe me, you will leave with your cheeks burning. This shit was hilarious.

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This is Easily Forgetable

I won't spend too much time talking about this one since I feel like it was more just on while I was doing other things, and not 100% watching with a clear focus. Oh Boarding House started off very rocky. I was so tempted to just drop this one and move on, but the literal saving grace was the beauty of the actors. Eventually, I got into it a bit more, but not enough where I think this will be memorable in the next few months (hell, the next few days), let alone, a year from now. With so many K-BLs being produced and now getting the hype that it so well deserved, there's no more room for filler K-BLs, which is the best way I can explain what this series was.

Let's Dive In.

Oh! Boarding House is a K-BL about a son who has to become the new landlord of his mother's boarding house for college students after she goes on a long-term vacation. There's nothing more to the story than that, They're just a bunch of tenants that get into some trouble and all have their own stories to tell. As I stated before, the first episode was super rocky. I usually don't enjoy the first episodes, but this one was just bad. If the actor's looks don't do it for you, then there's no point in watching. like, at all. It was a neat concept and something not done before but for the most part, it was super cliche and extremely predictable. I didn't read the manhwa, so I have no clue how true to the origin they stayed, but in my opinion, with some of the plots shown, they could've done without adapting this into live-action.

What I didn't like to end with some positives: Again, I've read some Manhwa that just need to stay manhwas for the reason being they can be highly problematic and have some very toxic characters, but it's fine for the reason being that it is a fictional story. This too, but it's unenjoyable to watch when you see these characters doing just the craziest things ever that would catch their asses in jail or with restraining orders in real life. Seol Won's actions in the beginning were just creepy and over-intruding. But the series never goes over how wrong what he was doing was, or for the fact that Cheol Soo still falls for him, even with his disturbing actions. There's also just no character development whatsoever. Everyone is still their pitiful selves from the beginning to the end. With no character development, what are we left with? Sure, their run time wasn't long at all, but I've seen shorter ones do better. The plot itself isn't very entertaining, and again, the actors are the saving grace for literally everything in this BL.

Most of the main characters aren't very likable. Seol Won does too much at the beginning and just some real left-field things. Cheol Soo isn't the best, but his looks make up for that, Seol Won's cousin is aggravating, the other tenant that wants everyone to be quiet and yells with every opportunity he gets is worrisome. The only seemingly likable character were the dude who had feelings for Seol Won and Hee Soo.

The secondary couple could've been fun if they weren't left on a cliffhanger. The main pairing don't do very much. Their chemistry is pleating, and, as I continuously repeat, their looks make up for their lack of connection, Their kisses were at least on-point.

There's a part where the grape juice guy is sitting on the toilet and you can see the reflection of the crew on the toilet paper holder. I hate seeing mistakes like this. It's not me saying it's unprofessional, but it does hurt to see something that could've been taken out to save them from such a silly mistake in post-production. Me being nit-picky, but whatever.

What I liked: I love the dude that couldn't eat spicy food (I have already forgotten most of their names). Of course, he was treated like garbage, and just eventually gets over it, but he was cute, and genuinely had the biggest crush on Seol Won. he even made cakes, while not very appealing, he at least tried. I'll miss him for sure.

There's not much I can say I just loved about this series, but it was a cute little watch, it lasted me a few hours and I got to see handsome men, so I'm not too salty.

Ratings:

Story: 5 - 3 stars for just being able to watch these beautiful men prance around and sometimes be shirtless. Other than that, there was nothing fun about the plot, where I was getting confused half the time. I'll give one star to the secondary couple that I appreciated until I didn't and another star cause I just feel bad for giving it a 4.

Acting: 8.5 - Decent. I think they did the best they could with a weak script. They all definitely have potential. I wouldn't mind seeing them again at all.

Music: 3 - Didn't pay attention to it at all. Oops.

Rewatch Value: 1 - I'd give it less than zero if I could.

We are getting a mass production of K-BLs where there isn't any space for these ones that leave no honorable impressions. It's not even good enough for me to remember all the characters' names. I don't recommend this unless you want to watch some pretty men, which is the only satisfaction I received.

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"I Am Destined to Fall In Love With You.."

After trying to find a way to watch this movie forever and a day, it's finally happened. I got to see Kokoy and Elijah once again, put on an amazing performance, and give us the movie we deserved. Gameboys: The Movie was an incredible watch with endearing significance and harsh reality. If anything, this movie made me 10x times more excited for season 2 coming in May!

Let's Dive In.

Gameboys The Movie is the continuation story of Gav and Cai from the original tv series, Gameboys. Here, we get to see them be boyfriends in a domestic sense, giving us some really cute and tropey goodness. Their friends eventually come along for the ride, and the movie goes on exploring their different options while executing the good and the struggles of Gav and Cai.

Starting off with what needed some work: I'm going to expect we got a somewhat open-ended circumstance because we'll get an actual conclusion in season 2. I'm not sure if the series will continue right where we left off, or will time have passed, and that's where we begin their story? I know that season 2 is supposed to showcase some parts (if not all) of the movie, including some things we didn't see, but I for sure hope that it won't just be the movie cut up in parts (the reverse version of the K-BL industry) and we actually get a lot of new content. I didn't necessarily mind the open-ending, but I'm curious if Gav does end up going to New York, or if Cai goes with or stays behind. I'd rather have a conclusion altogether (even if sad) than an ambiguous ending (however, this is just me being nit-picky, and until season 2 comes out, I'll suspect we do get our conclusion if the series is more than just the movie).

I was never a big fan of Wesely and Terrence in the series, and that didn't change in the movie. There was too much back and forth that the story didn't develop well enough for me to care. Now granted, I didn't watch their side series (again, cause I wasn't interested), but I don't think I needed to watch to understand what was happening. It's was weird for him to be upset in then in the blink of an eye, holding Wesley up against the wall, about to pounce on him. Sure, the actors are cute, and their characters have a brief engaging moment, but their chemistry is very lacking. While Achilles felt artificial, I think I would've rather him and Terrence end up together, otherwise, he added nothing more to the plot for me.

Another knit-picky moment. As much as I love when Gav and Cai call each other baby, they over-exerted the word in this movie. Every sentence ended or started with baby. Sometimes Gav just needed to drag the word on for longer than needed, or Cai would repeat it several times in a row. At a certain point, you start to roll your eyes at how incredibly ridiculous it was. Not the biggest problem, but one of the more annoying ones.

Moving on to what I love: A lot of the time, what BL tends to do (which isn't bad, but it's not always realistic) is skip over the homophobia that the main leads' family, friends, or outsiders could, and some of the times, do have. I appreciate that the series makes it one of the more important topics. It doesn't end the way we would've liked it too, but sadly, not everyone in a gay person's life is off-the-bat accepting or understanding. The approach this movie takes is one I rarely see in BL, with being gay being compared to religion. Tita Susan weighs religion heavily on sexuality, and we can see that fear in Gav's eyes when she does. It doesn't end well, We don't see Tita Susan again after Gav comes out to her, we don't see her respecting or accepting Gav's reality, and we probably never will. It's a sad circumstance for sure, but I can always appreciate an honest movie.

Kokoy and Eljiah have no problem in the chemisty department. I loved watching them be all domestic together. We got to see some really nice scenes with them, not all good moments, but by them just being together, you can see how much they care. I loved how they didn't rush into sex and took their time. Pearl teases a bit, and it becomes awkward, but Gav shows that he wants to wait until Cai was a hundred percent ready. After some very sappy singing, they roam off to their room and make love. I say make love cause it was executed just as that, and brilliantly. We get to see how soft and gentle Gav was being, and just them being in ecstasy and in love. we also see them switch which was a nice surprise. Another good thing about them is that there aren't those distinct top/bottom tropes or traits and they are just who they are. The actors always do an excellent job in this category, and I'm never left disappointed.

Pearl was the best side-woman a gay man could have. She looked as beautiful as ever, and I can't help but fall in love with her bubbly personality.

The production was really nice, the set was so beautiful with the water fountain. I was obsessed with the music here, just cause it added that little oomph to make the series magical. I never really rewatch, but I've already seen this movie twice, so I'll definitely come back.

Ratings:

Story: 9 - For the most part, I loved the story. I'll take a star off for the poor execution of Terrence and Wesley, but other than them I loved it.

Acting: 8.5 - Everyone did a really good job, especially our main leads. The only person I wasn't much of a fan of was probably Wesley's actor. It was flat at times, and he didn't make many expressions. Terrence is okay, and Achilles is decent.

Music: 7 - Loved the OST, and can't help but be obsessed with the "Iyong Iyo" song by Zack Tabudio. It's so beautiful, please go take a listen if you haven't.

Rewatch Value: 2.5 - I wouldn't be surprised if I did go back to watch this after some time. I'm definitely going back occasionally to see Gav and Cai be domestic boyfriends.

I highly recommend this movie if you can find it, but it's worthwhile. I promise you, if you've waited this long to see it, don't give up on trying to find it. It was so magical, and I want everyone who wants to watch it to do so.

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Was Not Expecting to Like This As Much As I Do

Yeah, I'm surprised too, but I genuinely loved this series. For it to be a mediocre production, it gave what it needed to give. Was it perfect? No, very far from it, but it had a very impressive plot, with surprising turnouts that I rarely ever see in BL. The Cupid Coach demonstrated that little production can do it too.

Let's Dive In.

The Cupid Coach is a fantasy setting of a dude named Latte (or Tae) that has a crush on his college senior and with the help of his friend (sister? Aunt? Cousin? Relative? I honestly don't know who she is to him, so we'll call her his friend), Namwhan, he gets a lucky stone, wishes upon it, and a cupid appears to help with finding his love. Of course, the rest of the plot is pretty evident, except in some cases, it's actually quite unexpected how things turn out. But I love that this series does that, gives us something so unanticipated that by then, we're hooked cause the plot isn't what we were thinking it would be. Now was it because of COVID? Perhaps, since they did film during the beginning of it all, but it luckily led to a really pleasurable ending.

What I liked: Again, the plot. While seemingly basic at the beginning, it gets a lot better a few episodes on. You watch and think you know how things are going to turn out, but then get whiplash when you see that it's not like anything you were expecting. In the midst of the series, Nite (cupid) ends up disappearing after sharing a kiss with Tae. While Tae is in desperation to get him back, he takes time for himself and goes on a trip (the one that he and Nite were supposed to go on together) While there, he meets another guy named Nite, who has all the same attributes as the original, expect, he's human. While their one-nightstand wasn't the best way to go, they end up getting closer due to Nite 2.0's charisma and Tae slowly getting over Nite #1. You're thinking the entire time, "okay when is the original NIte coming back?" but he doesn't! And in a BL, it's very rare that the original love interest for the main lead doesn't end up being his LI in the end. So for me, it was a game-changer, especially since I liked Pak (Kaitoon in Love Area) a lot better as Nite rather than Peace who's acting was very bleak, and the only thing going for him was his smile and biceps. Granted, most of the cast was brand new, and their acting wasn't much better than moderately sufferable, but Pak came in and definitely gave the acting skills needed. I loved his overall personality and his charm. He really opened Tae's eyes into understanding that he was the realistic love he's been looking for. The ending was the best part of the entire series. Tae's too scared to kiss Nite 2.0 cause he's scared he'll disappear like the first one. But NIte 2.0 shows that he's there to stay as long as Tae needed him, and I loved that. The only things that weren't my favorite were 1, the drunk one-night stand, (I was kind of hoping NIte 2.0 would be like "no I didn't do anything, you took off your clothes in the middle of the night" but oh well), 2, their intimate scenes afterward weren't as bad as some others I've seen, but they were just so aggressive that it was a bit cringey to watch. and 3, they did fall in love with each other in a span of a few days, with Nite 2.0 giving off love-at-first-sight vibes. But who doesn't want a cute little vacation sweetheart?

More on the plot, I liked the fantasy aspect. While the CGI of the magic, and whatever godly world Nite went to were absolute trash, it still doesn't take away the excitement of it all. I just wish they actually would've done more with it. They utilize it so much at the beginning, but in the midst of the series, they stop entirely. I would've liked to see Nite causing more catastrophe with the use of his magic, more predictions, more transportation, maybe even others finding ut about who he is.

I liked that Tae was an already out and proud gay man. There wasn't that typical aspect of the BL story in which we have to see the realization of the main lead, the coming out, and all the extra that comes with it. Don't get me wrong, that part of a BL is one of my favorites, but here, it was nice to see that the main lead knew what he liked and wasn't ashamed of it.

Onto what needed some for-sure improving: Production was as mediocre as it gets, but the last few episodes, It gets way better, like weirdly better, as if they updated the crew and cameras and everything. Even them being at a very luxurious hotel was a bit off-putting (no bad, obviously, but weird) since their budget beforehand was noticeable from the sets they used. Anyways, before those last few episodes, the production was rough. The camera would be still, then all of a sudden there would be a jolt like someone accidentally hit it, or when they did move with the camera, it was super unstable. The subtitles were on drugs. If I were someone who needed perfect subtitles, I would've dropped by episode 3, and they sadly just get worse going on. Again, I'm not the target audience, but damn, they were just really bad, like have to pause to read again and try to understand what they're trying to say bad. There were some other nit-picky things, but this was obviously not top-tier work, so no use complaining. I did like the title sequence and the music though.

I know Nite was supposed to be a cupid (or god?) and so he didn't know all the mannerisms and things about modern humans, but he was still just too flat. Yes, play a quiet and reserved cupid, but still, there is a role there that needs decent acting. I won't blame it all on Peace since the script didn't give him much to work with either. I think the chemistry between Tae and Nite 1.0 wasn't very convincing. Besides Nite being cute and dainty, he didn't do much else. Sure, they had some cute moments, but the chemistry fell flat in most places. I think a better connection between the actors would've been a stronger point, but oh well. I believe they were supposed to be endgame, but because of COVID (even though we see Nite 1.0 at the end but whatever) something went haywire, and we ended up with what we got.

The fan-girls were aggravating. I skipped most of the scenes with them in it since I knew they wouldn't play an important role or move the plot along in any way. They are a nuisance and just annoying. Who wants a bunch of screaming and hollering and touching all the time? Which is a sad thing that they use these feminine men or trans women to even do this. They can also play main leads! Important roles! Not just be a group of obsessive and screaming fans.

One nit-picky thing. When the barista asked for a picture with Nite, we can't see him in the photo (which was a terrible technique they used, but that's a different story), but then later, when he, Tae, and Namwhan go to a field of flowers, she takes a picture with NIte with seemingly no problems, even looking at the photo and smiling. Again, nit-picky, but it's a consistency issue that bothered me just a bit.

Rating:

Story: 7.5 - Enjoyable at the least. I liked it way more towards the ending, which is where most of this score comes from. I don't really speak on Bhu and Que, but their relationship was just okay. Bhu got on my nerves half the time with wanting Tae to gain weight. Weird.

Acting: 5 - not the show's strongest aspect. Probably it's weakest. Pak added 2 stars automatically from just being the best out of all the cast. The weakest was Peace and Seua. At times Tee and Noey weren't all that great either. Everyone else was mediocre. The other 3 stars come from mostly me just feeling bad, and having hope that the cast will have more chances to grow and really showcase their acting abilities.

Music: 6 - I actually quite liked the OST. The rest of the music was the usual soundtracks we always hear.

Rewatch Value: 1 - Probably less than one if it could be. No chance I'm coming back.


I know I kind of go off, but, really, this series was decent. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would, and I think there are others out there that can agree with me. I recommend this, just 'cause it's pretty sweet, and only took me a day to finish.

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Sequels Failure....?

This was nothing near perfection, however, this sequel dangled severely close over the failure edge. What saved this series for me was the acting, where it loses its touch is how they handle mental health and admitted suicide. Call It Want You Want 2 is the sequel to the story that was to bring down the brutal BL industry, except it does nothing merely more than make a fool of itself.

Let's Dive In.

The story of CIWYW2 starts where it ended, with all leads entirely in the same situation that we've seen them in already. Through some trials and tribulations, all their situations are neatly wrapped in a hideous bow, with a happily ever after that I wasn't satisfied with at all. This series could've been IT. It had all the material there, it had everything that it wanted to be, except, instead of "exposing" anything, they sadly crumble under the terrible writing and corrupted plot.

Getting into what wasn't good: Let's start off with some of the bullshit that was James and Ait. Their entire relationship in season one was something that I came to terms with liking, after a few forgiven plot devices and tropes -- but this season, they serve to be an even bigger nuisance. They must've hired a middle schooler to write the script, cause that's what James and ait's situation was giving. Ait getting upset -- no, change that -- fuming because he finds out that Marco has a crush on James is irritably laughable. And why get mad at James? How was James supposed to know that? Or why even for a chance get mad at him for a lousy crush? They try to make it a moment, but it can't be, because any real person would've slapped Ait silly for getting as mad as he did for something so frivolous. Apart from that, there was just no build-up of their relationship or chemistry. It felt stale, it felt dormant, it felt like it was going nowhere, even though they were trying to convince us that they were in love, to have this huge moment during their press conference (which lasted WAY too long), and instead, I found myself zoned out, having to go back and rewatch. it's sad to see this, especially knowing that these actors have so much potential, it's just they have nothing to show for it.

Another huge problem with CIWYW2 is that they do such a good job at showcasing Bas' trauma. His trauma with the assaults from the director, the trauma with his unsupportive family, the trauma of his eating disorder, and literally everything else he had going on. A great setup, a great performance from the actor, perfect emotional punctuation and act, so then why was its execution so bad? Mental health is not solved with the words "I love you", mental health is not solved with a quick hook up. Mental health is something that takes longer than a few hours to get over, and this show implemented all of that. Bas, after only maybe a few hours, is cleared of all of his worries and problems by Marco speaking sweet nothings, and sex. It was so inappropriate to do that, it was so invalid to show that within a few hours of trying to commit suicide, it would be a-okay if you can find somebody to say "I love You". No matter how mad I wanted Bas and Marco to get together, I don't think their relationship will ever be justifiable for me, ever. It's sad, really, cause I loved the dynamic they had, I loved that Marco was there for Bas, he was the one that found Bas -- and in the matter, he only needed to be there to take care of him, not to take advantage of his vulnerability. I wish so badly that something different could've happened.

Another small problem I had was with Bas' brother. Seconds after his brother is being SA'ed in the living room, he's telling him to "man up", "Stop crying", are you serious? It's the toxic masculinity that for real got me. I skipped the rest of his scenes, I just couldn't do it.

What I liked: Not much. I liked that the man running the show got called out for the things he's done. I enjoyed watching Kaprao and Bas teaming together to get back at him. But, most of all, I did really like the acting. These people have talent, and some really good ones too. Sadly, this show just didn't do them justice. I can't wait to see them in other projects,

Ratings:

Story: 7 - Sad really. I can say that I enjoyed some of it. Most of Bas's scenes because the actor did a phenomenal job.

Acting: 9 - Again, the acting was brilliant. They did a fantastic job, and I can't wait to see them in other things.

Music: 4 - I don't remember it, so that's good and bad. Their singing was atrocious, which gets an extra three stars off of the already 7 stars I was going to give them originally.

Rewatch Value: 1 - no way I'm going to watch this again. One, cause it's pretty heavy and sad -- two, cause it's just not handled well.

Overall, this just shows that some series are better off ending than trying to do sequels or season 2s. Was I in love with the first CIWYWW? No, but I liked it much more than I did this one. I don't recommend this unless you want to see some really talented actors.

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Sweet Domestic Love Story

I can't get enough of this sweet web series Gameplay and jeff have my complete heart, and I'm so sad that this ongoing series that felt like it had been on for a lifetime has finally ended. A beautiful friendship turns to romance, with some incredible-looking food, and you have yourself a hella good BL.

Let's Dive In.

Let's start off with Jeff and how amazing his voice is. I don't like listening to people sing, mostly because it's super cringey or off-key, but I can't tell you how many times I went back to replay the parts of his singing. I would pay real money to go see him in concert. Onto Gameplay. Now, I don't know if he really coos, but the food in this was immaculate. I think my favorite parts were him cooking, and putting together the meals he made. It just all looked so delicious, and I'm glad that this show continued to follow the concept of ingredients and cooking.

For the most part, this is a very, very, very slow-burning relationship. I don't think we get to see them actually together until the last few episodes. For the rest, it's these cute moments that build up to them starting to develop feelings for one another. The beautiful domestic dynamic that they had was something I can only dream to have. I think the only problem that I had with this show is the duration of the episodes. ost episodes weren't longer than 15 minutes if that. I would've rather a longer duration and shorter episodes if anything. I don't believe they're making a second season, but if they do, I can't wait to see more of Gameplay and Jeff, and the amazing onscreen chemistry they have. A definite recommendation, it's the best thing ever.

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Sad Truth

This BL is another one that draws on the sad truth of society. I couldn't handle how sad I was during the watch. I wish it didn't end the way it did, but sadly, sometimes that can happen and it does. Ken and Shake brought about a really cute love story that ends pretty tragically.

Let's Dive In.

This series only has 8 episodes that are no longer than about 25 minutes, so I wish that we could've seen more of them and their story, while also possibly seeing more of the supporting characters. The acting wasn't the best, but it's not the worst I've seen, and it gets a bit better by the end. Key and Shake had really nice chemistry from the very beginning. I definitely recommend a watch, but it is pretty heavy, so be aware of that.

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A Waste

There was so much potential with this spin-off with Safiah and Zon, but it's lacking in the story department. In the short 3 episodes, we got, not much happens, and for the most part I'm trying to figure out where in the original Why R U this spin-off is supposed to take place.

Let's Dive In.

For the majority of my watch, I was confused. I loved Safiah and Zon, they were my favorite couple out of that series, but I could've done without this spin-off since it just made things more confusing. Does this take place before their trip to the beach, or after? For sure, I would've liked to actually enjoy this series rather than being hella confused.

Safiah and Zon did some cute fluffy moments, but that was it. This story felt like it didn't have a proper plot or conflict. If I can remember correctly, the conflict was that Zon didn't like that his sister's story was coming true, so he tries to stop things with Safiah. Correct? Except, Safiah pretends to forget Zon so that he'll want him back, but it's so unbelievable, and I can tell from the getgo that he's pretending. Nothing exciting about the plot, everything was pretty basic.

We get to see Zon's sister in this for a few scenes, hopefully, she's learned her lesson about writing love stories about her brother. I also wish we could've seen Fighter and Tutor, or maybe this could've even been a longer series to help build up the couples that didn't get a proper ending. For example, I would've loved to see Japan's story and to see who Blue decided between.

Overall, this series was pretty much wasted. There was so much potential to add some exciting things, but oh well. I guess I would recommend this to someone wanting to see more of Safiah and Zon, but I feel like we got a proper ending with them in the original story.

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WTF

So, technically, I saw this probably about two months or so ago, so my knowledge is a little shaky. This was my very first Chinese BL, which from the looks of the Chinese government, will be my last. (lol). I remember it being about these two dudes that go from hater to lovers, and then they realized that they’re stepbrothers. Initially, I gave this series a 9/10, but after going back and watching it wasn’t all that good, and highly problematic. Gu Hai literally kidnaps Bai Luo Yin and then states how much he’s in love with the dude. Ummm, no? Don’t do that? Then when Bai tells Gu Hai that he might have an STD (or HIV/AIDS, I really can’t remember) He just like, “whatever, it’s fine I’ll have it too cause I love you” Ummm, yeah, still no! Then of course the whole rape thing happens and it’s just super upsetting. Even when we see the after moments, Gu Hai is just beaming and the other dude looks uncomfortable.

Along with all that chaotic mess, they’re going to be stepbrothers. Again with the incest, we gotta love it! (that was sarcasm, please don’t support incest). The only reason I can remember liking this was because of Yang Meng. He was so lovely and such a supportive friend, and I wish we would’ve gotten to see more of him and his (i think) love interest. I think I liked the main couple a lot better in the first few episodes when they would do stuff to annoy each other. Like cutting up their jackets (can we just talk about the fact that they have to wear tracksuits to school?), and sewing the sleeves together, that was cute. Anything else with this series was a fail, I wouldn't recommend this series at all.

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What a joyride.

Love By Chance serves as the third BL I had ever seen, right behind Tharntype and History 3: Trapped. When those are the only BLs you've ever watched, for sure Love By chance would be in my corner. Having had seen this BL many many months ago before finding actual masterpieces, I would tell you that I had fallen in LOVE with this show... not so much now. But, I want to stay true to my original rating in which I gave it a 9 out of 10, but if I were to do back and watch, (which I NEVER do) I would give this a PHAT 6.

Let's dive in.

Production: 5/10 - I will always and forever be bothered by the way BLs (Thailand productions in general ig) think we need 85 different camera angels when we only need ONE. We seriously don't need them showing us a kiss and then changing angles and show us them re-kissing and then do another angle and have them re-re-kissing again. Other than that, everything else looked normal.

Story: 6/10 - Not too much to say about this one, this was really just another very generic Uni BL. this was only my second BL that had been set in Uni, so I wasn’t too bothered, but looking back now, it wasn’t all that special like it had felt when I first watched.

Acting: 6/10 - Nothing too amazing, but nothing too poor either. I loved Perth's acting and Plan has always had me in awe about how good he is. Everyone else did their part of giving us "good enough".

Other: I had watched this series well after the situation that happened with Saint and Perth, and honestly, it was quite saddening, especially since I heard about there being a second season that Saint wouldn't be in. Tragic. But, from what I heard, I'm glad he left when he had the chance. Also on top of that, I have seen the situation in which the actors would make fun of and pick at Earth who is the only openly gay actor on LBC. Really turned me off to this series VERY quickly. I can't tolerate bullies, especially bullies that work in an industry that put their names on the map. dis-cuss-teng!

C-O-U-P-L-E-S

Ae and Pete: 9/10

Their story arc was pretty precious. From even the beginning, I honestly liked the connection that Ae and Pete had. The way that Ae helped him feel comfortable with his sexuality, Ae saving Pete, Them giving each other bracelets and the extra lovey-dovey shit on top of that. Overall, their dynamics were just really fun to watch. I will always shout this from the rooftop; I LOVE me some friends to lovers trope. Even with the good shit, there was undoubtedly the bad too. Ae at times overshadowed Pete and wouldn't let the dude make decisions for himself. On top of that, Ae's weird reasoning for throwing himself at Pete was very problematic and NOT okay. "You talked to another human being??? guess I'll have to punish you for it" *smirk emoji here*. Yeah, it was weird and them being a couple is not an excuse, especially since Pete was noticeably uncomfortable.

FIRST KISS: Okay, accidental kisses aren't everything to me, but, you know what, I'm not mad. Their kiss was so fresh and so innocent, I could really feel the anxiousness and the excitement of it happening, and Ae announcing that it was his first kiss added the cherry on top.

FIRST TIME: Yes, bye. Yes. This was everything, I LOVED that Pete was the one that explained that he wanted to have sex. Especially when he's the one negotiating and he opening up about what he wants. We love consent AND communication !!

Can and Tin: 8/10

Even though I’m not a huge fan of enemies to lovers, I give them a pass cause I enjoyed this one. The date episode was when I had gotten sold with this couple, and on top of Plan's amazing acting, it all really worked well. I really like how they ended things with this couple, it wasn't happy ever after, it was heartbreaking and sorrowful. Tin just needed someone and was taken aback when Can didn't feel like he could be that person. Although I liked this couple, I hated their development. There were many ways Tin could’ve gotten Can to like him back, there was no need for the whole “I’m going to force you to kiss me” thingy going on. very weird and very awkward,

FIRST KISS: No, Is there anything more I need to add to this? Just no. I wish to say that literally all other kisses were better, but all of them were just BAD. Not only bad but the worse I’ve ever seen in a BL. Like I don’t even know if I would call it kissing, I would more call it, Lip Touching. I truly believe the director said to them, “alright, you put your lip on the side of his mouth and then just pretend that you’re kissing.”

TW: R*PE

Techno and Kengkla: -2/10

There are plenty of reviews that speak on this topic, so I'll keep it brief. NO. Like No. Instead of formulating a whole ass heist, maybe next time we can try just, idk, having a freaking conversation? Maybe some flirting? Something along the lines of consensual perhaps? I feel bad for the actors though, they both seem decent, but this series shine a really bright and negative light for them both. Hope to see them in something better next time.

Not rating their "intimate" moments. It's all below hell.

TW: R*PE and IN*EST
Tum and Tar: 3/10

Someone's going to have to explain to me BL's obsession with In*est, cause from here on out, it's like nonstop. Although I adore Earth (He's right behind Fluke as one of my favorite BL actors), I still can't get behind this couple. Also, Tar tells Tum about something so traumatic that he's been through, and Tum was like "cool idc" and s*xually assaults him???? and it's not talked about ever again and is instead ignored and moved past????????? um, no?????? The only thing I truly enjoyed about these characters was their brotherly dynamic, (you know; when it didn't turn illegal). Also, Earth takes like two points out of the three, absolutely adore him.

RECOMMEND? If someone were to ask me what to watch as their first Bl, Love By Chance would be the 48th suggestion. Does that answer the question?

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Wayyyy Better Than I was Expecting it To Be

I still remember when I first heard about this series, and I thought this was going to be complete garbage. So I set my expectations VERY low. At max, I thought I would give this series a 7, and now I'm sitting here writing this review knowing that throughout my watch, I was highly entertained, highly interested, highly appreciative of the characters, and absolutely loved the story and relationship. And because of that, this series is getting a 10.

Let's Dive In.

Now, I might be reaching with a 10, cause there were some downfalls, but overall, I had so much fun watching that it overpowers any instinctive problems I have with this series.

For one, the wardrobe was fantastic. I was heavily getting 'West Side Story' (cause of the gang and the fighting) vibes and only realized that it wasn't set in the 80s or 90s until I saw a phone. The hairstyles were perfect, even the color schemes, and the retro-realistic vibes from Noey and his gang. *chef's kiss*

The cinematography was also very different than what I'm used to seeing in Thai series. We get to see the character's real skin colors -- some pretty tans and goldens and browns -- and I fell in love immediately with the grain and the color schemes. This has to be one of the most 'down-to-earth' series that really goes for showing what all different types of Thai people look like (without putting any of them in a negative light). Even going so far as to show what the rural side of Thai looks like. No fancy houses and no railing stairs, just temples, and eating on the ground and everything else that made this setting feel so natural. I loved it.

Now, onto Noey and Thi. I loved the way they dramatized their characters. Thi was somewhat of a confident coward, who was fragile and anxious, while Noey was a tough and badass student who was the leader of a gang and everyone followed what he said. It was the perfect dynamic. The age gap is pretty lengthy, but they make up for this because nothing ever goes any further than a measly kiss on the cheek. We don't even get a kiss until the last episode. So that's why I'm convinced that I loved this pairing because they were able to make me fall for them without it being physical. Now, the chemistry is only decent, it's not spectacular or anything, but it gets by with the perfect amount of looks and stares (albeit, sometimes too long). To sum up this paring, they made it durable enough to get through this series without being bored. Their dynamic is very spot-on, and the character development within both of them is some of the best I've seen this year.

Which leads me to my next point, the time jump meant everything to me. Time jumps in Thai series are usually "4 years later" without any context on what those four years actually looked like, but this series did it all to the T. We see a time-lapse of their time spent together, them talking on the phone, doing cutesy things, missing each other -- even meeting up once. So we aren't in the dark about what has happened in the last four years -- we know exactly what was going on. So the ending feels literally perfect. We see what they've been up to, we know how far they've progressed in time -- with their education and relationship, so the time jump is the cherry on top of this already spectacular series.

I would love to get a spinoff for Thiw's character. I'm in love with his voice, his acting, his stature. Ohm did a great job. Phayu is also the most attractive man I've ever seen, I will need to be seeing more of him and more of him soon.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10 - It's entertaining from start to finish. They do such a good job at telling the story and telling it well that it's so much fun to sit through and watch. It's the perfect mix of real, funny, and romantic.

Acting: 9/10 - Really good. I think there are some moments that are a bit hard to see what emotions they're trying to convey, but for the most part, it's stellar. Ohm was the stand out for me, including Tar.

Music: 7/10 - I remember that one song Noey liked playing, but other than that, I didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 8/10 - HIGHLY recommend. I've said it multiple times already, but this series is seriously very entertaining. I think it might've been because I went into this with little to no expectations which is why it completely exceeded anything I thought it was going to be, and turned out to be an amazing little gem.

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Not Interested

This is one of those series where you have to be interested in the concept of student/teacher, and that, I am not. I can't really get behind people with jobs, and lives, and most likely a family that goes and somewhat ruins it all for a student. Not that these two ruined it or anything, but it just felt wrong the entire time.

Let's Dive In

I really like the two main leads, just in general. I loved how caring Shi Yi Jie is to his daughter, and I liked the charm that Fei Sheng Zhe had. I don't usually enjoy the first episode of a new series, but I was really impressed with this one. I liked how it drew us in, and we got to see their lives, and how it's been for them. I did really like how close Fei Sheng Zhe got to Yo-Yo, and how easy it was for them to build a healthy relationship. By far, the best scene was them at the park. Even though I don't enjoy the relationship that builds between the leads, I did like that Shi Ye Jie was willing to wait for Fei Sheng Zhe when it came to sex. There was consent, and that is truly all I ask for in BL.

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A Nice Binge-Worthy Series

This series continuously kept me entertained. I found myself so excited to continue watching this series each episode that came. Even though it wasn't the best story plot-wise, it was still fun to watch.

The relationships in this series were a little strange. Fuse and Tee were a complicated pair, I wanted to love them, but there were just so many different aspects of the pair that I hated. For one, Fuse treated Tee like trash. he wouldn't break up with his girlfriend to save his life. In the end, it ruined how I felt about them because Fuse always felt fake to Tee. I don't know how to feel about the drunken hook-up. While it was somewhat consensual, Fuse was still drunk, and it was just uncomfortable. As much as I love Ohm, his character was NOT it this series. *Sighes*, another case of romanticizing r*pe. Yes, Book and Frame have been texting back in forth about having sex and positions and all that, but when it finally came down to it, Book wasn't interested anymore, which is so completely valid! The actions Frame makes are disgusting, but what made me even more upset was the fact that the next day, they completely wiped out the part of Book not have wanted to have sex. If Book changed his mind about wanting to do it, then they should’ve shown that instead of pretending it didn’t exist. What would have been even better is if they would’ve just had Book and Frame talk it out, and then maybe that heat of the moment comes up again and they both consent-fully do it. The way they approached the aftermath was even worse and volatile. I can't get behind this couple at all.

What was the point of Rodtang's character? Was he here to add even more confusion to the plot? Cause that's all he was helpful for. The writers must've had mixed decisions on what to do with him because he starts out liking Fuse, and then turns around and starts liking Nine, but his character was inconsistently shown and had temperamental screen time. I also didn't love Beam's (rodtang) acting all that much, it felt very stiff in a lot of parts, and it felt like he didn't understand his character at all.

Right off the bat, I'm in love with Lukmo. He was hilarious, and he made this series such a joy to watch. I really fell for Yok's character. He was openly gay, and we got to see his situation with his mom and his home life. He finally thought he had found love only to be let down. I liked that this series didn't make the feminine gay a joke, and instead gave him a fully fleshed-out story.

It's strange how censored this show is. This was one of the earlier BLs, so maybe two guys kissing on screen wasn't the norm back then, but what makes it weird is how explicit this show was on sex and porn. This has to be one of the dirtiest shows I have seen so far, but all the kisses were censored or left to look like they happened. I'd rather a couple just never kiss than fake a kiss. It's always just so noticeable that they didn't kiss and makes it so awkward, at least for me. This series was overall a good watch. I didn't love some of the production choices made and some of the acting wasn't all too great either, but overall, it was a fun watch.

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Another Typical GMMTV series

This series was hard for me to get into only because it had aired right after one of GMMTVs greatest BL series ever, so going from a dramatic and serious tone to this comedic and crazy setting was a bit difficult for some reason. Sadly, this series didn't leave anything impressive for me to remember it months down the road, and it will surely be forgotten about after another handful of series are watched. It was another typical BL series with a boring plot, an even boring-ier setting, and one-dimensional characters plus a stalker.

Let's Dive In.

let's start with production and plot. As for settings and whatnot, nothing new, but, I really did like the OST. The plot was pretty simplistic and something we've seen played out many times before. There is nothing ugly about wearing glasses or braces, but I knew they needed something to drive the plot, so I was willing to look past that. One thing that I really enjoyed about this series was the way they changed the proportions of Duean and Meen's screens when they were on. It felt like I was watching another series but in a good way. I liked also how they had their own title to each episode, and really appreciated how much work was put into their screen time. A big pat on the back for that part. The craze-BL- fans' side plot ruined this series. I literally am begging GMMTV to stop these ridiculous crazy-BL-fans plots in literally every BL they make (TOTS is an exception cause it was a MASTERPIECE). The other side plots were not important and were just like any other series we've seen before. I was hoping there would be this big moral at the end of the series about loving oneself just the way they are, which we sort of got, but not in the way I was hoping for. It was more of, as long as you change the way you look than past you was okay.

Moving onto characters. this is unusual for me to start with the parents, but that's where I'm starting. I was absolutely in love with Pi's parents. They themselves had such a good relationship and I loved how flirty the dad was with the mom. I like how they were both super accepting of Pi's older brother's boyfriend, and the relationship with Pi and his mom. Moving onto Pi, I loved Phuwin's acting in this. He did a fantastic job at playing with the comedic side of this series. I think I liked him best when he did have braces and glasses more than when he was "fixed". Although Pi was a good character, he was still pretty typical and was far from my favorite. Moving of Duean, Neo's acting in this is 1000x times better than in Tonhon Chonlatee. Neo played this character almost perfectly. His actions, the tone of his voice, his emotions. I'm very proud of how much he has improved. Duean was one of my favorite characters. He was a little mean and hot-headed at times, but I just loved the choices that Neo made with this character, and how soft he was around Meen. Onto Meen, by far my favorite character. He was so pure and lighthearted that it was hard for me not to like him. This was my first time seeing Louis and I am a huge fan. The emotions of Meen, the actions of Meen, and literally anything else were so precious that I was just too excited for him and Duean. I loved his little water bottle around his neck and the way he held his bag when he walked, urgh, literally just everything. Moving on the Kitty gang I believe they're called, nothing spectacular or anything, but I got to see one of the twins, so I'm pleased with what we got there. Bam was an excellent friend in the beginning until she just wasn't by the end. I wish they wouldn't have had her sabotage Pi and Mork's relationship and just had her really be a supportive friend. Mueang Nan was amazing, but I might but a little bias just because I love Mix so much. We didn't get to see much of him after the first few episodes, but what we did get was really good. All in all, these characters didn't have much of a personality outside of being someone's love interest or a side plot. I would've loved to see them being anything else other than what they were.

Moving onto Mork who gets his own paragraph because he was the worst person ever. I see everyone praising Mork and thinking that he was the best boyfriend ever and how they wanted someone like him, but if this were real life, I promise you that Mork would've been sent a restraining order. There was nothing good about Mork at all. Sure he liked Pi and he was a decent boyfriend, but the excessive stalking made me completely lose any love that I had for this couple. For example, Pi minding his business in the cafe just casually drinking his coffee until he spills it and then leaves for two seconds just to go clean up, which was perfect enough time for Mr. creeper to swoop in and buy him another coffee. How did he know he was there? How come Mork would just randomly be wherever Pi was? This turned me off for real. And it didn't help at all that Pond's acting was stiff as a board. Being pretty can only get you so far. He had one factual expression and that was it. I would give him the benefit of the doubt because he's a rookie actor, but Mix is just as new as he is and Mix is fantastic. Besides Mork being a stalker, he was still not the overall perfect boyfriend that everyone was praising him for being.

Since the beginning, I wanted Nan and Pi together, and that just never changed. I really could care less for Pi and Mork. Their entire relationship was just boring and I felt no chemistry between them. The fact that their entire relationship was being broadcasted everywhere for these crazy obsessive fans was also a huge factor in my dislike for them. Nan just seemed like the better choice for Pi in my opinion, and I was kind of hoping those series would surprise us and have them end up together, but nope, no hope there. Meen and Duean were the cutest. They didn't end up together until the very end, but I still loved their dynamic. I loved Duean and how caring he was for Meen, and I liked how Meen cared for him too. I don't know why they made him out to be this super annoying person in episode one, cause after that, we don't see him act like that again.

Some other nit-picky stuff. All the kisses between the couples were super stiff and cringey. If there is to be a season two, then I hope these actors learn how to kiss or they'll be in trouble. The long stares hurt my soul so much, it added such awkwardness into the atmosphere that was super hard to get rid of.


Overall, this series will probably end up being forgotten about. I would recommend this to a person trying to get into BL, cause at the end of the day, it was still super lighthearted and an easy watch.

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Almost Perfect

Kinnporsche has surprised me in so many aspects. I'm so glad that after 2 years, it's finally out, and of course, it only took me like a week to finish. It had everything going for it and more, I was worried about the production change and the switching of cast members, but it all turned out to be perfect -- well, almost. Kinnporsche is a dark and angsty mafia series, including humor and spice which made this series worthwhile and entertaining.

Let's Dive In.

Kinnporsche is the story of a mafia boss and a bartender who incidentally meet. Kinn hires Porche as his bodyguard and thing take off from there. We also have Pete and Vegas, the mafia's son and the Main family's bodyguard, as well as Kim and Porschay, the son of Korn and brother of Porche, whose stories add to the intensity of the series.

The one thing that pulls this series to be a top-notch watch is the action and the adventure. There's so much plot in this perfectly planned out series that it's impeccable. Everything falls at a steady tempo, and everything is revealed in a perfectly timed manner. I can't believe how much fun I had just on the story alone. The revelations, the impacts, the fighting sequences, the intensity, the anger, the hurt, the formulating of plans and pulling them through -- it was all just absolutely faultless.

Now, moving on to our main duo, Kinn and Porsche, I think I have a hate/love relationship with them. Outside of them being a couple, I enjoyed these two individually. Porsche was humorous and charismatic and a charm, while Kinn was serious and suave and brilliant. In the beginning, I wasn't really feeling the tension between these two. At best, they formed a nice friendly relationship, but I have a hard time understanding how and why Kinn is so quick to fall for Porsche, and him being attractive doesn't count cause so was Ken and Big and Pete and Pol and Arm. But as the story progresses, it gets better. I really started feeling it towards the end. But I do wish their chemistry between one another didn't ratio between platonic and romantic, and only held the latter. I do appreciate that both of the actors are so comfortable with one another during their sex scenes, which have to be one of the most erotic and sensual heat scenes I've ever seen, while also being filmed so intimately and with very steady care. It was so nice to watch a couple on-screen have genuine sex, with the groping and grinding and thrusting and kissing and moaning and even at some points, revealing their climaxes. Big applause for that. I'll give them a 7/10.

Moving on to Pete and Vegas, I'm probably the anomaly here when I say I didn't enjoy these two at all. However, individually, I loved them. I loved Vegas as the villain, who was demeaning and manipulative and scary, practically pulling me in overload at how sexy and evil he was. And the same goes for Pete, who I enjoyed his very quirky and corny side, as well as being serious and endearing. But together, these two don't work for me. And this is a mafia series, so I won't go into how toxic and terrible their relationship is. However, I cannot fathom how and why Pete would fall for someone who physically, emotionally, mentally, and sexually abused him, kidnapped him, and tortured him. There's just nothing that will change my mind on how sickening it is to watch someone that has done so much harm to you in every which way becoming your lover. Yes, they've spent a lot of alone time together, but it still just doesn't make any rational sense. I found the scenes where they were both being vulnerable to one another great, but it still doesn't justify Vegas' actions. By the end, I pretty much just skipped their scenes. Vegas was obviously a man who was hurting and hurting pretty bad, and I think once he gets better, I would enjoy seeing him grow into a better person and then try to pursue Pete. I hope if there is to be a season two, that they focus on the emotions Pete will have afterwards, and maybe even find him another love interest to start a love triangle (Which I was kind of hoping would be Ken, but whatever). I'll give them a 4/10.

Moving onto the couple that made me stay, Kim and Porschay. The minute I wandered onto these two lovely humans, I was so excited. Chay is this bubbly and giddy dude who has this very novice crush on the brooding and stoic Kim. But the series did the two of them so dirty. With very little screen time together, comically rushed chemistry and a terrible ending. This show is all about lust and romance, and they had neither. I found Chay's crush on him to be cute, but it grows a little weary when the "I love you's" come into play. It's all too rushed and too quick. And then their ending is heartbreaking and sad, but still not enough. We don't even get a kiss between these two, and yet they're built up to have so much angst against one another without any leverage to pull from. Their story felt so incomplete that I feel the writers had something in store for Kim and Chay, but because of the change in actors, they had to go the less spicier route. But again, this series is full of exoticness and sex, so having not even a kiss is ridiculous. This still doesn't stop me from loving these two, and even them being my favorite couple out of the three. If they can manage to pull this couple from the ground and turn them into the best watch of season 2, then I'm all for it. I'll give them an 8/10 (High score specifically because of episode 9 when Chay announces to Kim he likes him and he's just so nervous and giddy and shy, followed by the cutest kiss on the cheek and a tentative hand on the waist.)

There were a lot of side characters, but they all play into the story quite well. I couldn't remember everybody's name, like Kinn's close friends, and the same with Porsche's, but I still liked them. Khun was by far the most endearing character out of them all. He is wild and expressional and silly and weird, but he also knew when to be serious and take his flamboyant traits and use them for his own good. Ken was an excellent secret traitor, although, I am sad they killed him off. I loved Big's expressions and I really enjoyed watching him. The rest were decent and did their job good too.

The story of the Main and Minor family is so freaking good that it blows my mind. Where we now leave off is so upsetting cause if a second season is to happen, I fear it might be a while. I can't wait to find out why the mom looks so pathetically unenthusiastic as her children whom she hasn't communicated with in years are hugging her.

Ratings:

Story: 9.5 - As perfect as it could've been. It's so enthralling that if the romance for this series doesn't do it for you then the plot will. I'm only taking off half a star cause I don't like just how many people they killed off. Although I loved Ken, his was understandable, but I feel like some of the others were just unnecessary. Other than that, it was brilliant.

Acting: 8 - Really good! Tong, Apo, Mile, and Bible stand out the most, with the others following close behind. Barcode is good, but I think he could be better. Jeff at times feels a bit too stiff. Some of the scenes that needed those emotions also weren't a hundred percent there. But it doesn't take away from the story, so an 8 feels suffice enough.

Music - 6.5: Didn't really pay much attention to it, but I know I didn't like the theme song. Felt like a completely different mood than the series.

Rewatch Value - 3: I don't really ever rewatch, but I could see myself going back to watch certain parts, maybe like a compilation of all of Kim and Chay's scenes on YT.


I'm nervous about the thought of a season 2, but there's so much more to see with these characters that I'm ready! I recommend this to a mature audience, obviously. There is some serious no-no's that a lot of people can't handle, so I say be mentally okay enough to get threw this (more so Pete and Vegas' story).

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