What a Gem of a Show

With only 3 episodes, each about 45 minutes long, IBTLIABLD hits hard in all aspects, specifically making me laugh my ass off, but also hitting you in the heart where it hurts. Both funny and a little tragic, this series has hit the nail on what's to come this year from Japan, and I'm so freaking excited!

Let's Dive In.

Right off the bat, I knew something was up with Yuichiro when we're first introduced to his character. Very charming yet something slightly off, avoiding even looking at Hajime, the adorable other lead cast in his childhood shadow as always been known as the Orange Juice Boy. we find out later on that Yuichiro was actually a giant stan of his, having memorabilia on top of memorabilia, and leading to some fantastically hilarious moments between the two of them. Overall, their story was beautiful. You can see so easily how fond Yuichiro is of Hajime, and exactly when that switches to liking him. It took a lot longer for Hajime to realize it, but once he does, it's just a guessing game on when they'll eventually announce (not in secrecy) to each other on their feelings. This dynamic is so heartwarming to me. The perfect height difference, the perfect balance of cheeky and cute, portraying moments that made me pause so I could laugh, or moments when I had to pause so that I could regain my composure and not cry. A truly lovely pairing, played by some really fantastic actors.

The side romance was a surprise to me, but not a bad one. Both managers of the boys end up together, trying to be secretive about it until it's noticeable, and then on top of that, trying to keep their talents at bay with their antics and worries. All other side characters did a job well done too, being the driving force of our leads to get together while not having much of a story of their own, but I'm really not too mad at it.

A couple of negatives I had about this series: I absolutely hate that they threw in a misunderstanding in the very last episode, considering that we only had 3. And then Yuichiro not explaining that it was a misunderstanding to Hajime was even more aggravating. It's cheap writing for a moment that was resolved in like the next 5 minutes. Another would be that we don't get to see them kiss outside of their "characters". A lot of people complained that the kiss was super bland, and while it was, if you're considering that they were practicing for their roles, I doubt they would've gone all in, especially if it was their first kiss. I would've rather seen them kiss again once they were together; in fact, on the bridge would've been a perfect moment for it to happen. And then we get a cut-off kiss in the very last scene which is urgh, but overall, even with my negatives, this series really did it for me, and I loved it.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10 - super funny, super relatable, super good. Flowed well for the 3 episodes it got, and honestly, I don't really think it needed more time. If you know how to structure a plot perfectly, then you have a good story to tell, regardless of the time.

Acting: 9.5/10 - Fantastic! these actors really know how to play their characters. Alan (Yuirchiro) played his character to a T, with some fantastic moments portraying the usual over-the-top Japanese intricacy that I've come to love. Also, is it just me or does he look a lot like Johnny from NCT?!

Music: 6/10 - I don't remember any of the music, but it wasn't distracting so there's that.

Recommendation Value: 10/10 - very rare I give 10s out, but this was seriously so good. It's pretty short so it doesn't take forever to watch, and it keeps you entertained through it all. The romance is great, the characters are adoring, and you should definitely give this gem of a series a watch!

Read More

Umpteenth Review to Say...Yes, It was Good!

So, there are well over enough reviews on this to where I don't really need to write one but like for every series, I still will. Overall, I really liked this. Jimmy and Sea definitely showed how well they can act and act with one another. The plot is so authentic and new that it's hard not to enjoy where all these different paths will lead, with Day's sight, with Mhok's bad boy exterior, with Porjai's pregnancy, with Night's guilt, with August's angst, with Ramon's overprotectiveness, and just so much more. Even with my fondness, of course I still see a few faults in this series, but again, this was top-tier on GMMTV's BL list.

Let's Dive In.

Again, I'll reiterate how I'm much pickier with GMMTV BL since they have the funds, actors, crew, and sources to do so, so yes, this series sadly doesn't sit at a 10 with me, but it's very close. Judging solely on episodes 1-6, this series deserves well over a 10. The setup, them meeting, the continued build-up of Day trusting Mhok, them slowly realizing their feelings for one another, their moments together, the subtle why Mhok showed he was listening and he cared (pretending to be blind, wearing the bright pink shirt because that was a color that stood out to Day, buying him slippers so he wouldn't keep hitting his feet, etc.), Day slowly realizing he needed Mhok a lot more than he realized, them slowly falling until it's recognized in a passionate rooftop kiss (of course it had to be on a rooftop, Aof's signature touch), and so many more that I could list out, but you get the point. Those episodes were so freaking good, it kept me on the edge of my seat, I couldn't stop watching, I couldn't stop falling more and more for this couple. 7-9 are good too, settling their relationship and easing into being affectionate and learning more and more of each other. 10-12 is where it falls flat for me.

I pretty much watched with it sped once we got to episode 10 and just kept that pace onward until the end of the series. There's a lot of scenes that don't drive the plot along, lots of just skinship and being cute and blah blah blah, and as much as I like that, it got to be a bit draggy. Along with that, Aof follows a strategic structure when it comes to how he constructs his plots. All of his shows follow the exact same formula, and now it's getting to be way too noticeable and way too repetitive, especially the time jumps (he loves a good time jump). So while watching, I'm catching onto what feels familiar which is causing me to predict what's going to happen next (and it does), so this series is something fresh, yet something so tediously recurring that it almost bores you to death knowing what's always coming next.

Moving onto the chemistry between Jimmy and Sea... *mwah* perfection. I'll admit, I was a little worried about how their connection would play out this time around since I wasn't very pleased with it in Vice Versa, but here, wow, I can see how much their acting and comfortability with one another has grown. Especially for Jimmy, who unfortunately still starts off kissing with his mouth open, but that's nit-picky, so let's look past that. But really, I love it, such an excellent job, fell immediately in love with their connection, specifically after the fish bowl scene. They have so many great moments together, but my favorite is them on top of the rock looking out at the last twilight, and Day saying he wanted Mhok to be the last image he sees before he goes blind instead of the one thing he's been fighting to see since going blind. Urgh, heart-tugging ain't it? Kisses were great, NC scene was beautiful, and overall, I'm happy with what we got.

Their breakup felt forced though, I won't lie. Day broke up with him because he said no to going abroad because he felt that he needed to be there for Day, which made Day feel like he'd had nothing but pity for him this entire time. Understandable, and instead of a breakup and just a, "let's not see each other for at least a year", they could've talked it out and it would've been resolved with decent communicating, but okay. The time jump was aggravating, cause that leads to so much room for the characters to change and become better, except they feel the exact same as they always did. They eventually get back together, through way too much trial and error and Day not taking any of the fault, but this is BL, so whatever.

I actually loved August's character, I could also in some way, relate to him, feeling so much pity or so much urge to make someone feel better that you'll do anything you need to, even if it means not being authentic to yourself. of course, what he did was slimy and terrible, but in the end, he did it because he cared so much for Day. Great addition to the series, along with Night and Porjai, great moments between the two of them too.

Now, where I get to be nit-picky. And before I say this, I'll just say that overall, Sea did an excellent job portraying a blind character, and I mean above any of my expectations. It's probably severely hard to act blind and be seeing, trying not to react to certain things with your eyes, not moving them too much, etc. Even with that though, my two main problems were that one, why the hell didn't anyone get this man a walking stick, and two, perception is still something a blind person who hasn't been blind all their life understands. One, a walking stick, how come he wasn't given one? Did I miss a part where Day maybe didn't want one cause he wanted to be independent, or something? Either way, he could've saved himself and Mhok so much trouble had he had one, it's idiotic that he didn't. Two, Day has been seeing for all his life, so he understands perception. In some scenes when people were talking, or he was eating, or doing something with his hands, it bothers me that he wouldn't look to that exact spot, instead he would stare off at the sky or wall or nothing. Now, obviously, he's blind, but he could still see shapes and shadows and colors, especially in the earlier episodes, so why not take the time to look down at your plate of food to try and use your best knowledge of perception to eat without getting messy? Again, it's nit-picky, and definitely not really a problem, but it's just something I happened to notice.

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10: so, so, so good! it's such a fresh story that was given so many beautiful details and obviously given lots of insight from the blind community in terms of dealing with that aspect. It falls a little flat for me starting at episode 10, but I'm glad nonetheless with the way this series turned out, story-wise.

Acting: 9/10: Sea did incredible! Jimmy falling second behind in showing such good character development. All in all, the entire cast did a job well done, I have nothing in this aspect that needed fixing.

Music: 7.5/10 - You know what, I actually liked their singing, which in most cases I skip it.

Recommendation value: 8/10: I think this was such a beautiful production and some really good storytelling. I'd recommend this for anyone wanting something new and fresh to BL, and something that'll keep you on your toes cause this really did it for me.

Read More

Excellent Execution of a K-BL

Gosh, so many Korean BLs are surprising me this year with their quality, their production value, their longevity, and their importance. I won't say all of them have, but the majority of them that I've enjoyed have, and this one is not shy of it. The Eighth Sense is gorgeous, it's truly a beautiful piece of art from the bucket of K-BLs we've gotten this year, and I'm proud of the story it committed to telling and the clear and concise ending to a perfect drama.

Let's Dive In.

Now, because I saw that this series had so much hype and popularity around it, including that it's much more dense and intricate than others, I will be very nit-picky, just an FYI. But I'll start with what I really liked.

The setup of everything was just absolute perfection. What I love most is such a natural introduction of the characters in their natural habitat that doesn't feel awkward or forced. And the chemistry, urgh, the chemistry is breathtaking. I love slow burn, I love tension, I love strangers to friends to lovers. Now this was probably the fastest slow burn I've seen (and a complicated one), but nonetheless, I yearned for them to be together and I got that and that's all I wanted.

I can say without a doubt that all the side characters played an important role in this series and weren't just added-in characters to take up screen time. They helped move the story along, get our leads together, and did so also having their own personal character growth. Aeri, Joonpyo, Yoonwon, and even smaller characters like Bitna were so involved with the overall objective of the show that it all flowed smoothly.

Urgh, again, just so much good chemistry, so much good physical contact, so many beautiful moments. The writers did an incredible job showing the details of their relationship, but did an even better job at diving below surface levels to give our mains actual motives and objectives and obstacles and development. My favorite of them obviously being Jaewon who's so friendly yet facading all of it with hidden trauma that we see him actively working through with the therapist. I immediately loved his portrayal of being the shoulder his friends can lean on and that the surf club can trust, to seeing him in therapy and his eyes weaken and even his posture exhausted. Jihyun is the only one who's able to see through it when they get closer, and you can see Jaewon change and grow with the way he smiles as they interact or make eye contact. And I loved all of it. Down to the very end, actually, especially the end because I definitely needed power bottom Jiyun's energy and he gave just that. (the writers are HELL for giving us that "let's-put-on-our-surfing-suits" scene! the sensuality of it all, like I was literally biting my nails it was so fucking good)

Conan gray music?????? 1000000/10 already. And even besides that, I love the soundtrack in TES. It was hippy and happy-go-lucky and feel-good music, not the typical ballads I'm used to hearing in K-BLs and I loved it.

Okay, so moving on to what I'm choosing to be nit-picky about. Eunji. I get it. She was here to play the evil ex-girlfriend who wants her boyfriend back and will do anything to get him back no matter who she hurts. Okay cool. Except, I didn't hate her, I only felt sorry for her. But my problem with this character is not her actions, but that none of her actions had a genuine motive other than the repetitive ones I'm used to seeing. This K-BL is deep, it's complex, is complicated, and yet they only scrape the surface of her character and I hate it. Really? The only reason she's bitchy is because she wants Jaewon back? It's just too simple for me. I almost wish that Jaewon maybe did something to her, or maybe we see her backstory as to why she tried so hard to get him back, family matters maybe, or something deeper than that. It just looks lazy and tacky to me for her not to have some more complexity to her overall objective. And then try to throw a redemption arc on us? No, thank you.

While I love Jihyun and Jaewon, there is so much from their relationship that showcases it won't last very long and I mean communication. It all starts at the beginning when Jaewon kisses Jihyun on the beach, and then from there on we don't get an explanation as to why or Jihyun never asks, and it's aggravating. They move past it and go through a little conflict, then almost kiss, go through some more complicated feelings, then get intimate on a beach, some more deeper conflict, and boom , it's fixed with a kiss. I wish we heard more from Jaewon, cause we see so much of Jihyun trying, but for Jaweon it is up to him and it's his decision on whether or not to avoid Jihyun or just one day decide he wants Jihyun and runs to him. To me, that's not fair to Jihyun that communication is only gifted through Jaewon's decision. Then they get together and all of the conversations they desperately needed to have were pushed aside for lovey-dovey dialogue. Jihyun doesn't know that Jaewon suffers from depression, which I'm sure he gathered, but I would've loved a conversation with Jaewon explaining it to him. Just the little things that you can detect in a relationship and know that it'll potentially be the couple's downfall.

Something really nit-picky, but in episode 2 or 3, Jaewon and Yoonwon go to a bar and there's a non-Korean bartender who asks Yoonwon her order in English and she answers in Korean, and he looks confused and says, "Sorry?" in which Jaewon had to order for them in English (great English btw). But my problem is that if you're going to work in Korea, especially in a bar/restaurant, then knowing enough to get by seems important. I just hate how confused he looked at someone speaking Korean to him when he works in a Korean bar in Korea.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - Amazing. Truly. I was entertained episode by episode, and didn't want to miss a single line of dialogue. some nit-picky things that don't give the overall score of the series higher than an 8 for me, but nonetheless, really really good.

Acting: 9/10 - Really great acting. Some great character depth from Jisub (Jaewon). Jihyun was a tad lackluster going against Jaweon, but still really good.

Music: 10/10 - Conan freaking Gray!! nothing else to say!

Recommendation Value: 7.5/10 - the only reason the score is not high is that this series does have a sense of sadness to it even though it's not a tragedy, so I personally wouldn't recommend it to everybody unless they want something deep and complex and kind of sad. but it's highly recommended for anyone wanting something intricate as it is!

Read More

Boring's Definition

I don't know why I made myself sit through this. I think only cause it was a GMMTV series because on any other given day, I would've just given this one up. But because I adore Jimmy (the world's precious face) and I rather did enjoy the unique plot of it all, I kept up with it. More than once I just forgot to read the subtitles cause, who cared, and more than a hundred times did I skip past the bothersome talking and singing and disrespectful amount of product placements. If anything I'll remember Vice versa as the series that spent more time commercializing others' products than it did its own show.

Let's Dive In.

Is GMMTV not one of the most successful producers of BL content? Didn't they produce two of the most successful BLs known to date? Don't they have Thai celebrities throughout their facility, giving them the power and the recognition almost, if not, every single day? Why oh why oh why did they spend as much time as they did on ads in this series?? A cute little pan to the toothpaste as they're brushing their teeth is fine -- even the occasional I-just-got-randomly-thirsty-let-me-drink-this-perfectly-hydrating-drink is okay! But to have almost every part of the episode have a least one PP -- and not just subtle but some, "LOOK I HAVE THE BEST FACIAL MOISTURIZER EVER." screamed in my face for up to 3-5 minutes. It was so irritating, to the point that I was able to quickly analyze when product placement were coming, and I immediately just skipped that entire scene. Because what makes it worse is that the scene was going off what the product was and not, well -- vice versa. Someone teach GMMTV subtly, please.

I was also just incredibly bored. Outside of the universe-building, everything else was pretty plateau. They did an amazing job at building up the excitement for the cross-over, showing the difference in the universes, the reality of being stuck in someone else body living their life -- but everything else was extremely tedious. While I enjoyed Talay's and Puen's little friend group, it was very dull watching them make a movie and whatnot. The only time I was genuinely excited to look up from what I was multitasking with was when Puen made it back without Talay. Other than that, my head was down. And usually, I get extremely bothered if I don't read the subtitle word for word, but there were times entire scenes would go by without me watching 1/3 of the subtitles, and I just couldn't care. Nothing more to say, it was just -- boring. Although, the series does one of the best jobs at making it feel like Talay and Puen have been in the other universe for a while (2 years if I'm correct) it didn't feel rushed or unrealistic, it genuinely felt like they had been there for a while.

I wasn't really feeling Jimmy and Sea. I enjoyed them more than Joong and Dunk, so that's saying something, but I wasn't crazy about their chemistry. I think for what it's worth, it works, but something was missing. Like when they did anything physically, I was just not for it. Honestly, Talay could've forever been stuck in the other universe, and I think that would've made for a much more entertaining storyline. Also, Jimmy starts kissing with his mouth open, and it made me cringe to an ungodly extent.

I was really into Aou and Fuse and wouldn't have minded seeing an actual thorough love story from them.

The guest appearances were nice. Especially Mix, he is beautiful.

Most people were wanting to see more Ohm and Nanon, but I think out of everything, their time on screen was a perfect amount. They didn't take up too much space from the actual main actors, but they still played very important roles and satisfied whoever viewers that wanted to see more of them. I also was surprised to learn that Tess and Tun don't end up falling in love, which I was sure they were going to do.

Me being nitpicky, but did anyone else have to keep changing their subtitle for every part of an episode, 1-10, from Korean to English?? It was just annoying cause I set my preferences to English, but for whatever reason, the Korean subtitles would always come up, and I hated changing it when I just wanted to lay in bed and let the parts/episodes loop.

Ratings:

Story: 7/10 - Great universe-building, great time-passing, a few compelling sub-plots, Aou and Fuse. Everything else was tedious as hell to get through.

Acting - 8.5/10 - Sea was good. Jimmy was okay. Neo did incredible in this comedic role as always, and Aou was better here than in Enchante. Strangely was obsessed with Jeab too. Everyone else did decently.

Music - 6/10 - Skipped their singing cause *gag noises*. Everything else wasn't a distraction so cool.

Rewatch Value: 1/10 - no chance.


Jimmy did okay in this role, but I was hoping for better. Honestly, I shit on this series but it wasn't terrible. It was just boring. Oh well. Not recommended, but who am I to stop you?

Read More

Another Filler Thai BL Series

I think I've found a title for Thai BL Series that follows a very plain and ordinary plot with mediocre/bad acting and an appealing, yet idiotic romance: Filler Bls. Yep. It's yet another one to add to the collection of the "Did we really need this?" pile. But truthfully, what was this show's purpose in existence? Why did someone fill the need to tell this story? But I won't nag too much, because if it was so awful, then why not just drop it? And yet, I still can't find the answer, because, indeed, this is a filler BL, but indeed, I will still tune in to watch the clownery unfold. La Cuisine was a thriller ride that started off as, "I think I'm enjoying this" to wondering if I should've started it in the first place.

Let's Dive In.

La Cuisine is another food BL that stars Lukchub as this very shy and giddy chef who meets the rich and popular college student Ram. Basically, nothing happens in-between them getting together, and then all chaos ensues with a girl that brings about so much drama for absolutely zero reasons.

I won't lie, during the beginning of LC, I was intrigued. for a moment, I really did like LukChub's shyness and how Ram had to do the bare minimum to make him blush. I thought their build-up was okay, The date episode was where I think I finally caved in and thought they were pretty sweet. However, I couldn't really understand why or how Ram came about liking LukChub (outside of his food) because his personality is very unappealing. He hides his face anytime he can, he looks to the floor when speaking to him, was way too damn naive, and sometimes he has to have his friends talk for him to Ram. Maybe Ram is into submissive men? It was cute for a minute, and then after a while, it was disturbing that a grown man can't talk to his crush accordingly or without looking like he's going to crap himself. And it only gets worse when they get together. For one, they get no canon kiss outside of the last few minutes of the last episode that was more so a daydream-type scene. Yes, because two grown men who have been dating have zero desire to kiss..? I'm usually fine without kiss scenes, in most series I can understand the reason why not, but there was no reason here, and we got something or other in the end, so why not just put it in the series where a kiss would make sense? Like them becoming boyfriends? Or when they're out on the date? Anyways, the chemistry was very faint, half the time we got some awkward staring and uncomfortable silence. The height difference was pretty cute, the only thread holding me onto this series.

Now, onto the plot. We get some very annoying not-even-an-ex-girlfriend who tries to sabotage the main leads' relationship for, again, no real reason. She think Ram is cute? Cool, so does the entire school. They try to give us her sob story and even after seeing this, again, there are still zero reasons for her psychopathic actions. Even for Ram to keep up with her after all she did to him and LukChub is such a red flag in my eyes, as well as Lukchub just being extremely gullible and naive with not wanting to press charges or anything. I skipped most of her scene during the last few episodes, because who cares? In fact, after episode 8, I put this entire series into fast-forward mode because none of it was necessary. But what really took the cake was the damn fan page for Ram. Who walks around day and night trying to continuously let others know about his life? And how come Ram hasn't tried getting a restraining order or suing them? Thai series have got to drop this trope of having fan pages and crazy fan girls/boys. And while there at it, stop trying to put in a random jealous female character to add on conflict just because they're isn't any without her. It's so redundant and annoying.

The side characters were okay, but I more so liked Pang and Kitty. All the other characters were unnecessary or just there to be there. Paitong was a mess, either admit you like Luckchub or move on. Super was nuisance, and so were Ram's friends. They get everyone together in the last episode, which I could get around to if they gave these side characters the time of day. And the fact that Paitong and Sky made out before Ram and Lukchub? How does that make logical sense?

Rating:

Story: 6.5 - The beginning of the series was more enjoyable than the last, where they throw in some very out-of-the-blue drama. the crazy jealous girl plot is so fucking irritating, the romance of the main leads is just not there, and the plot is pretty much nonexistent without Namning.

Acting: 7.5 - Decent, and mediocre at best. Namning (although I hated her), Kitty, and Pang were the better ones. Someone should've rewritten the script so they could accommodate the fact that Mick can't cry, and it's embarrassing when it's implied he was supposed to be. Pop is more such just a cute face, but his acting is dead, and so was Boom's. The rest of them were just okay.

Music: 6 - Catchy. The only thing that wasn't off about this series.

Rewatch value: 1 - no

This series seriously had potential, especially in the beginning. But the acting, or more so the script, is really what puts this series off. I don't recommend it unless anyone is looking for something pretty light to watch (in some aspects). This will for sure be forgotten about soon.

Read More

Decent!

I loved it and I hated it, there is simply no in-between. I'm never one to be drawn in by only the first episode, but I genuinely enjoyed this one, with the simplistic set-up and the flow of the story moving steadily. That's how most of the series felt for me, with some things lacking, but overall, a steady plot flow. Love Class is a very short K-BL that stands out due to the cast's beauty and reused trope, except, for this series, it works out perfectly.

Let's Dive In.

Love Class uses an ordinary plot with an interesting touch on a literal love class; learning about relationships and connection while simultaneously pairing up with someone in the class to learn more closely about it. When there are no girls left for Jiwoo (who so badly wanted to pair with his in-class crush Yoona), he's stuck with the tall and brooding Ro-A. They interact more closely as a fake couple until throughout, they realize their feelings for one another. Oh, and also a weirdly thrown-in professor/student relationship. the end.

No, but seriously, the professor and student relationship doesn't work for me only because it's so dramatically irrelevant to the plot that it's comical. Yes, both actors are beautiful, but it was highly unnecessary.

The connection between Jiwoo and Ro-A lacked a lot in the beginning. It was more so me trying to figure out why Ro-A had an established crush on Jiwoo for no apparent reason. Only one measly conversation (one not even in their right mind) isn't enough for seomting like feelings to spark. At least in my opinion. So Ro-A flirts with Jiwoo, calling him adorable and cute and giving him longing stares. While it's never stated that Ro-A has a crush, it's evident through the actor's acting. Then the build-up starts to appear mid-series after a disturbing stalker plot and Ro-A fractures his arm. Then I feel their chemistry and their connection. However, with a short timeframe and only 6 episodes, it's inevitably rushed. Then Jiwoo loses feelings for the beautiful Yoona and even turns her down for Ro-A who then turns him down for the most inexplicable reason known to man. It was dumb and added in unnecessary conflict to a plot that didn't need it. However, they do meet again with a very chaste kiss and then the end. Their story needed more time to build stronger tension between them and also unadd some very underwhelming scenes. But we do get the best hug of 2022 cause Ro-A is 7 feet tall and Jiwoo is a small baby who cuddles perfectly into the body of him, and I rewatched that scene an unhealthy amount of times. If the romance didn't do it for me, then the height difference did.

Yoona's plot was a heavy one, and one I didn't see coming, She has a very hard time trusting men, which is never explained why, and yes, the stalker can be a reason, but she had the problem before then. It was quite disturbing to see someone so invasive of someone's privacy like that, but it happens, and it's very awful. Good thing she gets out of it, and at one point, I think I developed a liking for the thought of Yoona and Jiwoo since they built a closer connection than the leads had at some point.

Overall, a decently enjoyable series, though, it will be very easily forgotten as I move on to the next.

Ratings:

Story: 8.5 - steady and rhythmic. No repeated tropes or conflicts (although, some were irrelevant and unnecessary). Most characters are likable (oh yeah! I forgot about Ro-A's friend Namjun who had an unhealthy obsession with Ro-A and was abusive to Jiwoo for no reason! I don't feel bad for him in the slightest (although, the back rubs are very sensual and highly enjoyable to watch)). Some plots lacked coherence and others felt not needed.

Acting: 9 - Good, not too many problems. Hyunjin (Jiwoo) did as perfectly as he could, Taewhan (Ro-A) was a bit stale at times but decent. The others were okay, not anything bad, but nothing standout-ish other.

Music: 6 - decent.

Rewatch value: 3 - I will rewatch Ro-A hug Jiwoo to my heart's content. Other than that, probably not.

A doable cast and a decent plot. I'd recommend for anyone wanting another K-BL to add on their list. Wouldn't mind seeing these two paired again but in a stronger story (with a decent run time).

Read More

S-Saint? Is that you?

This is one of those series in which people chose sides when it came to who was the better couple. It was kind of like Edward vs Jacob but in the sense of their couples and not feral beasts. I had heard the tragic news about Saint not being in LBC season 2 (maybe that was a good choice cause season 2 was a hot mess) and after my watch, I wanted so badly to see him again. So, I turned on Why R U the next day and dropped it almost immediately after. It took me MONTHS before I could pick it up again.

I stopped this series at episode 3 once I started understanding the plot and realized that Zon's sister was writing erotic fan-fiction about her brother and his enemy. Who woke up one morning and thought that this was okay? Right off the bat I was uncomfortable and felt like I was being backed up into a wall and forced to enjoy their morally wrong reality. I loved Zon so much, and I was excited to see his relationship grow with Safiah, but it was already so chaotic with fangirls that their relationship was annoying. I was so confused because of the literal 30 characters in this show, all with their own plot, and relationships, and problems and I couldn't keep up WHATSOEVER.

Once I picked it back up again, I was shocked at how versatile Saint is in his acting. I loved Tutor so much, and I loved how confident Saint played this character. even though I loved him, I wasn't much of a fan of him and Fighter. The only thing I really cared for was the plot with Fighter's dad, and how well Saint executed Tutor in having to pretend to not like Fighter. They had lots of intimate moments that were excellent and didn't fall awkward or stiff. That's kind of the only thing this couple had going for them in my opinion. The sexual tension was real.

On the other hand, I absolutely adored Zon and Safiah. Once the fangirls somewhat calmed down, Zon and Safiah had time to really dial down and actually have some real chemistry. The guitar lessons, the dates, the sleepover, and really just everything with this couple were fun and comedic. When it came to their intimate moments, they played off perfect at being sentimental and romantic. I love Tommy and Jimmy and hope to see them in future dramas.

Other aspects I didn’t enjoy were how many side couples there were. There was Japan and Tanthai, and then Zon’s sister and Natee, Hwahwa and Day, and then those three guys on the soccer team. I actually enjoyed Japan a lot, except we didn't get to see much of him and Tanthai at all, so it left their story pointless and unfinished. The love triangle was exciting, I feel like we don't have very many love triangles in which both contestants have an actual chance, but it's obvious that these two did. Due to the pandemic, their plot was rushed and not organized at all. It was a mess, and confusing to keep up with.

This series was fluffy and comedic with the added sad parts, but overall, it was a good series. Zon's sister is still so in the wrong, and there were some other really off situations to happen, but for the most part, everything was just light and heartwarming. This is a good watch for anyone looking for something pretty unrealistic and fun.

Read More

2moons, AKA the Cursed Series

No doubt that this show has had some serious problems (on and off-screen), but I can't help but love how light this series was. Right off the bat, I was mesmerized by how stunningly adorable Wayo was. He was cute and smol, and so precious, and I loved him so much. This series is rated so highly just because I enjoyed Wayo and Pha way more than I probably should've. Yes, they were pretty bland and their story wasn't anything too interesting, but for some reason, I loved them so much.
I want justice for MingKit. Kim and Copter hands down had the best chemistry in the series. I wish so badly we would've been able to see more of them, but thank god Gen Y happened (I would say Hotel Stars, but um NO).
I guess the show said fuck Forth and Beam cause we didn't see them at all. They were advertised throughout the show, but then never talked, or flirted, or even acknowledged the existence of each other. If they did speak, then it was so forgettable that I (whelp) forgot.
The acting was kind of wonky on this show. As much as I loved Bas, I can't help but kind of hate the unemotional blank stares he gave throughout the series. Also, Pha was pretty bland and the actor made him boring and lifeless. I still don't appreciate how feminine gay people are treated in BL, and 2moons is no different. At least Wayo was the Angel Gang's friend, even though he acted uncomfortable around them.
I heard some say that God (Pha) was pretty anti-gay on the set. I don't know how much of this is true, and how much of this is false, but how in the hell can you work in the BL industry and be homophobic?? That's like being a teacher and hating children. I hope this rumor isn't as true as I believe it is, but if it is then the companies of these shows need to start holding these actors accountable and so do the fans.
For whatever reason, they re-casted EVERY SINGLE MAIN CHARACTER. As soon as I fell in love with this cast, they're taken away from me with a drop of a hat. It's like being given a piece of cake and told you can't eat it. I was ready to hate the next cast so hard, but turns out I loved them just as equally (maybe even more. Oops).
This series was just a ball of fluff and it's a nice watch for anyone that wants a lighthearted, dainty series. Nothing too special about the plot. Actually, I think the concept of there being a "king and queen" on campus to be a bit high schoolish, but it doesn't harm anyone, and we get Wayo being a cinnamon roll and MingKit giving the feels. I loved it.

Read More

Ehhhh..

I was exceptionally excited going into this just because I was going to be able to watch my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE BL ACTOR, Fluke. From his previous work in the My Bromance movie and UWMA, I was sure that Fluke's acting would once again be stellar (in which I wasn't wrong) but one actor can't carry the entire show.

Let's dive in.

Production - 8/10: For the most part, it was fine. It was similar to that of the movie, and I did really enjoy the movie so nothing wrong there. Would've liked to see fewer long awkward pauses when nothing was happening because that creates cringe, and that's no fun. Also, looked like some of the scenes were filmed in real-time, like the school setting at the beginning and end. Fun to see some off-guard high schoolers staring directly at the camera (lol). I think what I loved most from the production is the soundtrack. Loved the intensity and the desperation in the tone of the instrumentals. Also, the message at the end was purely beautiful and sent off good vibes for the after-effect of finishing the series.

Story - 7/10: Not a fan of incest, whether that be blood-related or by law, it still really fucking weird and gross. I guess technically, Bank and Golf are no longer brothers since their parents divorced, but still, the feeling is there (not to mention they said "we are brothers" like a hundred and five times). This one didn't feel too brotherly, so I give it props for trying to leap off that ship. I had understood the side stories pretty well and enjoyed them for the most part (more than I did the main couple, I'll give you that), the only thing I had a problem with was keeping up with all the couples and their names.

Acting - 7/10: FLUKE CARRIES HALF THIS SCORE, but honestly the acting in this was really good. Besides Fluke, other really good actors were Nuea's actor, Maykah's actor, Arm's actor, and Golf's actor. The ones that weren't very good were those two wannabe Kpop dudes. Anyone else not listed was in the category of being good enough.

T/W - EMETOPHOBIA!!!!!!!!! (skip to couples)

Other - the behind scene at the end of episode 9, DID ANYONE NOTICE HOW NEUA'S ACTOR WAS ACTUALLY PUKING. Like he would drink this concoction and then look like he was spewing it out and then he puked some more???? would've LOVED a warning or something because honestly it really scarred me. Also, IDK if that was the motive to make him puke on his own, or maybe he accidentally did because whatever they gave him was disgusting, but I was severely worried about the actor and hope he's okay and hopes that someone was taking care of him after that.

Couples

Golf and Bank: 4/10

Yeah wasn't feeling it. Their chemistry in the movie was much better in my opinion. I have no idea what happened between now and then, but I can tell you that something was WAY off. For one, THEY WERE BROTHERS, STEP-BROTHERS OR NOT, IT'S STILL WRONG (technically they're not step-brothers anymore (if I was watching correctly)), second, the entire, "haha-I-was-dead-but-actually-I'm-not" plot was something between the words of neat and what the actual fuck, but I don't know which to pick. For one, I liked the way Bank had reacted to seeing Golf alive for the first time since his "death". It was realistic, the agony, the realization, the heartbreak, it was all there and all real (might just be because Fluke is an incredible actor and can perform any sad scene with excellence). I think the only reason that this couple didn't work for me after like episode 2 was because of how obviously awkward it was between the two of them. I can't be the only one who felt it right?? I get it though, someone you thought was dead is now very much alive, and it's not that easy to just get over it, but I'm still trying to figure out whether that cringe awkward feeling I kept getting was because of the actors and how that didn't have any chemistry or whether it was because of the long-ass view of the actors' face and the long-ass moment where nothing was being said. but something just felt so off with this couple. It got a little better closer to the end, but If you were to ask me who I like Bank with better, I would've told you Arm. He sincerely had so much love for Bank, and the in-love expression he had on his face when he saw that his anniversary with Bank was coming up was everything to me. Even his leaving Bank cause he wanted him to be happy was so heart-wrenching to me. Overall, I give this couple a 4/10, two of those points going towards Fluke's acting, one point going towards parts of their relationship that I guess I kind of liked (Golf tickling
Bank, the anticipation of Golf and Bank meeting again, and the montage from the movie) and the other point going towards pure guilt of giving it less than a 3rd overall score.

FIRST KISS RATING: 2/10 - The build-up to the kiss was nice, but the execution failed miserably. The kiss was dry, not like dry lips, but like it was the first kiss they were giving each other EVER (if I recall correctly, I don't remember them kissing in the movie) so why not do better than a little lip-touching (yes, there is a difference between a peck, a kiss, and lip-touching). the After kiss moment was actually kind of cute, so that's where one of the points is coming from.

Neua and Tar: 6/10

I really liked how versatile Neua's actor is, from going to this bossy little kid to this young man trying to figure himself out, and trying to find the meaning that he had in this world was fantastic. I will say, the only reason this score isn't as high as it could be is that Neua is a whole child in high school while Tar is a grown-ass man. Technically, I think it was legal because Neua was 18 and a senior in high school, but still. I liked that Tar was his reason to keep living, his reason to delete all the dating apps and feel wanted. Neua's storyline was probably the most detailed than anyone else's, and he played it very well. I was actually heartbroken for Tar when he came back and realized that Neua had moved on. I was glad to see that moment of him being happy for Neua and then having that breakdown in the car. It showed that he genuinely cared and wish to have another moment with him.

FIRST KISS RATING: 9/10 - The build-up was excellent. The sexual tension that they had been playing on once Nuea had got to Tar's house was executed nicely. The kiss itself was very nice and the moment leading up to theming doing it was great.

Hungley and Maykah: 8/10

I did not expect to love this couple so much, but out of all the couples, I loved them the most. Hungley added so much necessary comedy to the series and I liked the dynamic between Maykah and him. The swim lesson scenes were so precious I can't get over the holes in Hungley's swimsuits, like why was it right on his buttcheeks??????? Anyways, I also find Maykah very attractive. His smile and eyelashes are what did it for me. He and Hungley had really good chemistry build-up. I could genuinely feel for Hungely when Maykah left. Him coming back and everything working out was very nicely done.

FIRST KISS RATING: 5/10 - WAS NOT IT. I'm so sad about how they went about having Hungley and Maykah have their first kiss. One, it was so abrupt (literally some weird as camera cut), second, Hungley was drunk, and although he initiated the first gesture of wanting to have sex, it still felt wrong. Also, the kiss itself was weird, it looked like Maykah had kissed his chin and not his lips. Their sex scene was probably the most visible out of the two that occurred. We see Hungley visibly pleased by whatever Maykah was doing in his no-no square.

OTHER COUPLES: I can't remember the trainee dudes' names, but I know that I didn't like them, like literally at all. Their entire "thing" was off, but that was mostly due to their very bad build-up and very little screen time. That's what happens when you have too many couples in one series. I did feel bad for the one dude that was with his manager so he could get to where he wanted to be, and I also liked how the other dude tried to save him from the manager. With some more moments and maybe better actors, this could've been a decent couple. The other two random couples were so, well, very random. They really just threw them together at the very end, and said, "here ya go". We really didn't need those two couples, and it would've been better off without them.

RECOMMEND? yes, to anyone that loves Fluke and wants to see more of him, and if they were looking for just a small little series to watch that wasn't too heartbreaking and had its cute moments.

Read More

Honestly Not Bad, Just Not Good Enough to Finish

From the get-go, I knew that this concept could be told in about 8 episodes, and low and behold, it was happily ever after by the end of episode 8. So because I was already only getting by by the skin of my teeth, I've decided that episode 8 is where this shall end for me.

Let's Dive In.

I immediately knew where this was headed as Joong and Dunk being the leads -- Boring Boulevard. Needless to say, I fell asleep through episodes 1-4 and had to keep going back to see what the hell had gone on, only to have missed absolutely nothing but a bunch of talking and talking and talking. Yes, the plot is simple, but gosh darn it something about this was so freaking aggravatingly dull that I just couldn't do it. The only reason I didn't drop this by episode 4 is because there is one thing that these boys do great at and that's affection. So am I shallow for staying for the physicality and skipping through the rest? Maybe. But oh well.

Joong and Dunk's chemistry (outside of being physical) isn't bad persay -- but there's just something missing. I can't quite put my tongue on it, but for whatever reason, it's so hard for me to believe their chemistry even though it doesn't look necessarily bad on camera. I've said it before and I'll say it here too, I want Joong to be given another on-screen partner. Dunk is great but he just doesn't sell it for me. However, again, 10/10 in everything physical. I mean some really good kissing.

The side couple was cute, and they also weren't so bad at kissing, but they didn't do enough for me.

Some nit-picking, but because it's GMMTV, I expect better: so so SO many continuity errors that I almost gauged my eyes out. Some glaring ones were hand placements not being the same, and the ceramic that was supposed to be broken just so happened to not be broken seconds before. This is what also adds to the cheap feeling of the show cause it's obvious that it was rushed and wasn't given much thought to detail. It was so lazy for a company like GMMTV to produce crap like this that it's genuinely upsetting.

And like I said, it's happily ever after at the end of episode 8, so looking at the preview I just knew I was fine with not finishing the rest as I know it's nothing but added-on nonsense so they could fill their 12-episode agenda.

Ratings:

Story: 4/10 - Yes the plot is simplistic, but that's no reason for a terrible script. Bunch of nothingness until they do cliches and some kissing -- then I like it. Production value also brings the score down for it's terrible lack of detail.

Acting: 8/10 - Both have never been given a very strong plot to really show off their acting abilities, so this is as best as I've always seen them do. I really could care less for this couple, but if they're paired again I hope they're given a heavier plot in terms of story.

music 5/10: Joong sang too much so, yeah.

Recommendation Value: 3/10 - Honestly, this series isn't bad so I'm not giving it a low score cause it's terrible, I'm just giving it a low score because out of all the BLs going on right now, this is the least entertaining one to watch. But this might be a good one to watch for someone's first BL so, a 3/10 it is.

Read More

Not My Forte

I can't seem to really get into this series. I told myself I would give it at least three episodes to draw me in, but I've felt nothing at all. I think the plot is superlatively corny and idiotic. Immediately we are pushed into an SA situation made lighthearted and fun. I try not to be the Debby downer and be so serious with stuff obviously formed to be carefree, but still, especially in their given situation, it was a bit much for me. Which immediately turned me off from having any likes for the main couple. I would've stayed had Park and Phong been a secondary couple, but I was informed that they go nowhere, so this is a drop for me.

Ratings:

Story: 3.5/10 - it literally starts off when them hating each other because they liked the same girl, and what's the best solution? a simultaneous rape. I can't. I'm going to only give it 3.5 stars because I loved Park and Phong.

Acting: 6/10 - I'm being basis and saying I loved Fong and JJ's acting. Mos was very stale and Isbanky looked like he was just here to catch a bag for his music career and dip. His acting wasn't bad, but not good either.

Music: 5/10 - I speak on his music but still have zero memory of it.

Rewatch Value: 1/10 - *cricket sounds*

I can't believe this series is getting a second season. good luck to all the BD lovers out there. There must have been something here that I didn't see. Oh well.

Read More

Kinda What Everyone Else is Saying ... Boring

I really so badly wanted to like this series. Was one of the only reasons because Pavel was in this? Yes, but so what? But after multiple attempts all ending in failure, I'm going to have to finally call this series quits. I tried so many times to really get myself into this series, but it's just so hard. On top of this being molasses-slow, there are just so many sub-plots besides the already boring main one that is so uninteresting, I'd rather watch paint dry. Coffee Melody was sadly a miss, and for anyone who was able to make it through, I give you my undying love.

Let's Dive In.

I think the first few episodes are promising. It does a lot of character build-up which I don't mind, and we get some pretty decent moments between couples and friends. But by episode 5, I feel like I'm just treading my way through the mud. Our main couple was already going through relationship problems that just wasn't working for me, and every other chracter that wasn't them was excruciatingly tiresome. There was nothing drawing me to continue this series. I thought the other side BL couple was kind of cute, but they just weren't enough. Don't get me started on whatever Yi's sister or aunt or friend or whatever had with that one guy and that ridiculously odd trying-to-be couple in the band.

I also just don't think Pavel and Benz work for me. I think it was their fast-paced relationship. I'm more for slow-burns, but I don't mind fast relationship builds, it's just that it does nothing for these two. There's no connection, no chemistry, no yearning, no nothing. The only thing I could come to appreciate was the fact that Pavel can kiss anybody and make it look 5-star, that's it. Other than that, no. It went too quickly with no real commitment between the characters.

Ratings:

Story: 4 - very little story and even the one we got was boring. There was just so much random shit that was so unnecessary for the story. The meetings about Yi's music, the band, the het couple -- I could go on. Instead of focusing on so many other aspects, they should've focused on telling a better story for the main couple and leaving it at that. I'll give a 2 to the side BL couple that I kind of enjoyed, and another 2 only because Pavel was in it and anything less than a 4 is undeserving of him.

Acting: 7 - Not terrible. cutting it close to below mediocre, but the acting was not their biggest issue. Pavel and Benz did decent, I think Jean and the red-haired dude might have outdone everyone else, but they weren't even like show-stopping amazing, they just had an ounce of better chemistry. Janjao was good too. Everyone else was forgettable, and Beam who played Sekram was so god awful I'm almost postive they grabbed him off the corner of the bus stop.

Music: 5 - Didn't pay any attention to it. Wasn't distracting, so there's a point.

Rewatch Value: 1 - Fuck no.

Overall, I think I'm just more upset at how this series has done nothing for Pavel. With all he went through, I was hoping this was really going to shine through and we'd get to see him being amazing and beautiful, but instead, he was just beautiful. I don't think I liked this role for him, not saying that he can only play a bad boy, but this role was just weird. He just smiled and talked. That's really the only way I can describe his character. We all know Pavel can do better, but this role and this production have kind of stumped his abilities. Hopefully, we'll see him in another series where he can really showcase his skills. I skipped to the last episode only to watch the side BL couple kiss (meh) and then I ended it there. Kind of disappointed this series didn't become what I wanted it to.

Read More

IDK

Destiny Seeker was very confusing to get into in the beginning, but closer to the end it became more interesting until it inevitably dragged on for far too long about topics that are far too boring.

Let's Dive In.

To start off, there were so many characters in this that I stopped trying to learn names by episode 4. So for the majority of this series, there are a bunch of people on my screen that I have no idea why they're there or what they're contributing to the story, so it's an immediate snooze fest. There are three couples in this, and I can only remember the names of two. On top of that, there were so many pointless scenes full of jibber-jabber that I continuously kept falling asleep and having to go back. I skipped the entirety of episode 9 and still got the jist of what was going on. This could've been cut down to maybe 8 episodes if they cut out half of the scenes that did nothing to move the plot along.

But, with that being said, I still stayed because somewhere in this jumbled mess, I did quite enjoy the leads. Mostly because of their slow-burn relationship which I'm a sucker for. They also did their intimate scenes superbly well, and I'll applaud them for that. I think their chemistry was the strongest among the three while also doing so nicely at building up that tension so that we can actually care about them getting together finally. Even with them, there was no couple that I was genuinely invested in, I think all of them had their moments, but it wasn't anything crazy or something I'll remember past this review.

While this was the basic college/uni BL, I really liked the rivalry between dorms and people getting chosen for specific places in the dorms. I even really liked the use of their little button things and Ai and Song potentially getting caught because of the "no crossing" rule.

Ratings:

Story: 7/10 - Draggy in some parts, but not entirely bad. The couples were mediocre, and I was barely invested in any of them, but the slow burn kept me on.

Acting: 8.5/10 - The leads did great and so did some of the other supporting roles, but there was a lot of mediocre acting from some of the smaller characters, it's not so bad that you can't watch, it's just noticeable that they need more practice.

Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay much attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 3/10: Eh, probably wouldn't recommend this, but some beautiful men in this that do intimacy pretty well, so it's not a never.

Read More

How Beautifully Sad

I decided not to read the synopsis when going into this one, and oh boy, was I in for a ride. What I thought looked like a really cute love story ended up being somewhat of a tragic yet heartfelt series.

Let's Dive In.

Koki is this sad guy who is depressed and wants to die until that day comes and instead of dying he meets an angel who in his past life committed suicide. This angel can make a miserable human see the good in life while subsequently making him go through grief and despair.

I think the last two episodes are the best out of all of them. While incredibly sad to see Angel's story, I felt like I was so intrigued the entire time, and everything that happened I didn't see coming a mile away. The last episode is so tragic yet in a while so magnificent to see how Koki was from the beginning to the end, smiling, seizing the day, even wearing white. I'm assuming the ending is for us to imagine, but in reality, I'd like to think that Koki is able to move on happily and find someone else (human perhaps). If anything, that's what I was hoping for in the end was that we'd see him move on and happy again.

If you think closely, it's sad to imagine a guy walking around talking and eating by himself which is why he and Angel just would've never worked out. Honestly, had the ending been one of those, "We end up happily ever after" I would've given this a lower rating, cause it's unrealistic (so is the guardian angel thing but still).

Koki and Angel's relationship was beautiful without having to be physical, and I loved that. Some moments felt very oddly sensual (like Koki rubbing his entire face into Angel's wing), but that added so much flavor to the chemistry of the characters. They had a great connection, but honestly, their relationship was mediocre. It wasn't fantastic, it wasn't terrible, just okay. I'm shallow and would've loved a kiss, but again, I loved their relationship without one, so I'm not that upset.

My only argument is that we don't see Koki fix his relationship with his brother, which would've been nice to see. Also, it's weird to me that an angel who can't be seen by others is able to carry things and eat. So would the object just float? Would they magically disappear? Was there a mist that made it look like Koki was carrying and eating all these things?

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10: I think it was beautiful. Some parts dragged just a tinsy bit, but for the most part, I was very entertained by what we got.

Acting: 9/10: Shuhei (Koki) did an excellent job! Takuya (Angel) also played his part nicely, except in some scenes, his expression was a little stale. That might've been a directive choice instead of the actor's.

Music: 6/10: Didn't pay attention to it and it wasn't distracting so good.

Recommendation Value: 7.5/10: I highly recommend this cause it was a quick watch and a good one at that, but it's also pretty sad and somewhat of an energy-drainer. There's also something so un-BL about it, like yes they happened to be two dudes, but this story truly revolves around a man attempting to find his way through an incredibly sorrowful world.

Read More

Good Until it Wasn't

I'm not proud to announce how long it took me to watch this 6 episode series (approximately a week), but for my sake, this got incredibly dull after episode three. I was excited about this one, while a little unsure of all that it was going to entail, but I was super stoked to see Guide in a lead role since his minor one in I Feel You Linger in The Air, and of course, Ohm is a sight for sore eyes so I'm seated. But initially what had started out as a really good story with some interesting characters has ended with the weirdest and most rushed character redemption and a very sappy happily ever after.

Let's Dive In.

Again, I was super excited to see that Guide was given a lead role after IFYLITA because he was one of my favorite characters from that series. And with his counterpart Ohm, I was hooked to see how this quaint little BL would turn out. Turns out this BL could've done with a lot more work. In the beginning episodes, I was hooked on the plot, I was hooked on how Peach was going to get Shin out of his little stoic bubble, and I was hooked on all the side characters of the bakery. It wasn't until after episode three that this series just fell straight on its face. Shin is the most manipulative walking red flag I've ever seen, who's also narcissistic in thinking that he's the only one who can bake a good cake, while also being over-possessive of Peach and his life. Yes he was all these things in the beginning, but I thought Peach would "change" him and he'd have this amazing character development, but nope, he's the same stoic character that he was in the beginning at the end, just add on that he smiles and gives frequent kisses. The series is also just incredibly boring, There are very low stakes and nothing to look forward to after Shin and Peach get together. Because after that, it was a bunch of miscommunication and misunderstandings. The reason why it took me a week to watch this? Kept falling asleep. Honestly, this series could've ended at episode three and I would've given it a better overall score.

Moving onto Guy's incredibly ridiculous redemption arc; I only have two words -- terrible writing. I don't know what the writers were doing when it came to coming up with that ending, but it's the most rushed shit I've ever seen. Guy wasn't the worst character (Shin was actually) but he still didn't deserve the redemption arc he received, especially within a 30-minute time frame of the last episode. One minute Shin hates him, the next Guy's back working in the bakery and they're all besties again. The ending on top of that was just so overly-sappy to me, but then again the entire series felt the need to do flashbacks every 5 minutes, so I guess that's just how the feel of the series was supposed to go.

Onto Peach and Shin's relationship: yeah, no thank you. I was stretching to try and find the chemistry, and I think some parts worked, but most didn't. The beginning was better than the end, but Guide and Ohm just make zero sense to me. I feel like in a way they cancel each other out, and they just don't connect very well at all. They're both beautiful men, but together, I get nothing. The intimate scenes weren't bad, but I think Guide and Ohm should've done more workshops to work well together. Otherwise, their romance on screen was mediocre.

And to the character I love the most -- to Atom -- I'm sorry they didn't give you more screen time or even a potential partner.

Ratings;

Story: 5.5/10 - Not terrible in the beginning, but the ending is less than satisfactory. Characters are entertaining, others not so much. Chemistry between the leads was lacking, but they're both hot so it's not so bad.

Acting: 8/10 - Guide did okay, but to be fair, I think he played better as Ming but that might be more on the writing and less on him. Ohm was how Ohm has always played his characters + hot. I think I liked Atom (omg that's also his real name) a lot because of his character's personality, and I think he did a really great job. Everyone else was fine too.

Music: 6/10 - Didn't give it much attention, but it wasn't distracting.

Recommendation Value: 3.5/10 - Nah, skip this, really not worth it. I mean unless there's an actor you really want to see, but otherwise, this BL belongs in the land of the "what-if" which is really just a list of BLs I'll eventually forget about.

Read More