Overall, Nicely-Done

I remember seeing the teaser during the GMMTV line-up event, and since then I've been patiently anticipating it. And it didn't disappoint at all. Overall, The Eclipse was a brilliant drama, full of impact, importance, emotions, and a nice detailed plot.

Let's Dive In.

I was not expecting to have enjoyed watching Khaotung and First together so much, but god, did they have some of the best chemistry I've seen so far in a GMMTV series this year. I feel like they're GMMTV's little lab rats with not being stuck with one pairing, (First and Gawin in Not me, Khaotung and Pod in Tonhon Chonlatee), and it really just shows how versatile of an actor those two are. They played off of one another emotions very well, especially during the more emotional scenes. I think the only thing that is a little off-putting to me is really just why they fell in love with one another. Besides Ayan's constant flirting, I can't seem to understand why Akk would fall for him unless Ayan was somehow his gay awakening, or just the first guy to give him attention like that. Other than that, they had a great connection, great physical scenes, and an amazing performance.

Moving on to Khan and Thua which is really why I was watching. I loved Neo and Louis in FUTS (actually the only good thing about that series) and when I saw they were going to be back together again, I was stoked. And they were only 10x better the second go-around. Watching Khan be so in love with Thua but not understand how to let it show or even be okay with his feeling during the beginning was very poignant to their story. The secret identity, the secret kiss, the secret glances, it was all timed so perfectly. And thank god, their kissing got better too (you know what I'm talking about if you've seen FUTS)!

The plot was a little weak in some spots, like the whole "curse" thing about the school. It felt a little anti-climatic to me for it to have been Akk behind some of the chaos at the school, and I wish they would've played up more on it since it was such an integral part of the teaser/trailer. I think Thua also being behind it was a nice twist, but still, not all that interesting. The most interesting was definitely the plot twist with Dika and the Chadok. Made me more emotional than I realized I was.

Rating:

Story: 8/10 - Great characters, and a really nice plot. A little weak in a few places, but overall, it was enjoyable to watch. The couples were also very entertaining.

Acting: 9/10 - Superb. Especially First and Khaotung. Neo did such an amazing job as well and his acting has seriously improved since FUTS. Everyone else did excellently.

Music: 7/10 - quite nice.

Rewatch Value: 1/10 - Rarely rewatch anything, even if I enjoyed it. But I will be watching more video edits.

I highly recommend this series. It's one of the better ones to come out of GMMTV this year. It's really been a hit or a miss with them, literally nothing in the middle.

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More Cohesive Than Season 1

Going into this, I was a little taken back that they only decided to continue the story of 2 out of the 6 couples they told in season 1. But by doing so, the plot was held together nicely, and they developed a decent story that followed along an easier path. Close Friend Season 2 has definitely outshone its prior season, and I'm quite pleased to say I'm looking forward to season 3.

Let's Dive In.

They took the story of Piece/Typhoon and Jedi/Ray and combined the two, where both of their stories overlap with one another. Phoon and Ray have been friends for a while, with Phoon helping Ray with his obsession with Jedi and being a good friend that gives him great advice. And Pierce is the songwriter who writes music for Jedi. So throughout, they all have interactions with one another while simultaneously dealing with their own conflicts. In the end, it all gets better.

Their choice of only continuing the lives of only two of their couples was a great idea. It worked because the storyline isn't jumbled up, and theirs no time for filler or unnecessary situations, and it all flows steadily on a thoroughly planned out plot. Even though I would LOVE to see more of Jimmy and Tommy's story (the 1990s couple) I was still please with what we did get. Max and Nat's story wasn't all that memorable, so it probably would be difficult to fit them in somehow. Lay and Yoon's story was decent, but nothing I craved to see more of. And of course, the cat story HAD to go. Anyways, the choices in this department worked out perfectly, and I enjoyed what I got to watch.

I remembered not liking Peirce and Typhoon's story all that much last season, but they redeemed themselves here. Pierce has that incredible fear of coming out to his parents, and Phoon is patient, but since they've been dating for so long, it's getting old for him. Phoon also gets a job at the same company as Pierce which causes some office turmoil, but I like that this part of their conflict was resolved pretty quickly and didn't linger on much more than needed. Eventually, Peirce comes out to his parents, and everything is wonderful and rainbows. I'm satisfied with what we got, but their story could've definitely been a lot stronger.

Jedi and Ray were why this works so well for me. I'm not usually a big fan of the idol/normal person stories that follow the same plot: the public finds out about idol's boyfriend, idol is told to break up with boyfriend but he refuses, idol then goes public with his boyfriend, it all works out because they both gain more fame from it. It's very much so blah blah blah, but, because it was Kimmon and Copter, it just worked. Copter is fucking adorable in this with his little pouts, panics, and whatnot. Once again, their dynamic is spot on. Chemistry is strong, and I can't wait to watch their other projects together.

Something I don't normally speak on, but I liked that the actors had on barely-there makeup, and we actually see their skin and they look imperfect because that's how everyone looks. It's a very different change in the usually caked-on, filter-heavy shit that's usually plastered onto the faces of these actors. Good job!

I sometimes take time to watch the BTS of series, but this show gave us the honor to watch it by putting it into the outro of each episode, and it was a delight to watch. It shows you that these actors are close in real life and just had fun playing their roles. It makes the story feel more real in a sense.

Ratings:

Story: 8.5 - Decent. A lot better than their stories in season 1. It follows a straight path from point A to point B and doesn't have anything unnecessary happen. Jedi and Ray's story is a lot more endearing than Peirce and Phoons's, but still, a very good job.

Acting: 9 - Good! Everyone did decently, and nothing was off! Some hiccups here and there, but overall, it was fine.

Music: 8 - I enjoyed the intro song a lot. Also, the songs Jedi sings weren't that bad either.

Rewatch value: 4.5 - Ehh, probably not. Not because it was bad, but just because it wasn't so good that I just need to rewatch it.

In the last few minutes, they bring in the adorable Bas and his partner Dun (from Gen Y) and show us that they've been living in Korea as Bas' character lives out his dream until they find out about Jedi and Ray and decide to move back to Thailand. I'm kind of excited to see how season 3 will take place, knowing these two will be added into the chaos. Overall, a decent watch, I recommend it, and you don't have to watch season 1 to be able to watch this.

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Weirdly Entertaining, yet it Looses itself in the Middle

I'll start this off by saying this is NOT for everyone, and I mean that with everything in me. If you can get used to the fact that a grown man is acting like a cat, along with the most frustrating theme song ever known to man, then you might be able to watch this. Otherwise, you're wasting your time. And this is coming from someone who actually really enjoyed MEU. I've been in a pretty bad slump when it came to BLs. Things were starting to feel too repetitive and I needed a switch up. This was that switch-up. I can't explain why this show piqued my interest, or why every Tuesday I would genuinely be so excited to watch, but seriously, this series is nothing but buttercup-rainbow supreme. It's a catering worth of fluff, with some angst to wash down the spoonful of sugar you just swallowed. This is why I say this wasn't for everybody, because if a sweet tooth on crack isn't your forte then neither is this show.

Let's Dive in.

Meow Ears Up is the first (as I know of) in the on-screen BL community to showcase a metamorphizing cat that has the ability to turn into a human. During a bad storm, Negative Nancy Dermdew brings in a stray cat from the streets only to realize that that cat was a cat-human. They have their own story, and so do the other side characters, Faiyen, Evan, Jin, and Manni. From the first episode, I knew that this wasn't going to be easy. Learning how I was going to be able to watch James act like a cat and not cringe was difficult. And sure, there's cringe, but after a while, I got used to it, and it just becomes a part of the watch experience.

At first, the only frustrating thing was the fact that Meow seemed to be the only one that didn't know anything about the human world. His brother, who managed to make it to college, is intelligent enough to survive through adult-like activities, and so can Manni (although, she's a mouse, or a hamster, or a bear or dog, or whatever she was). They do explain that he was scared of humans because they were mean to him as a cat, but I think a better explanation of his and Faiyen's upbringing could've answered more of those questions. I can't remember if they even had parents, which I think was explained, but again, I don't remember.

What was helping me survive through this series was Dermdem and Meow's relationship, which I found very appealing and cuter than cute. Dermdem helped Meow with everyday activities, while Meow simultaneously taught Dermdem how to show love to another, and teach that life didn't always have to be about work. And this was probably the best thing the show did, show development between the two of them without anything moving too fast, or seemingly too slow. And while I'm glad nothing extremely intimate went down between them (cause there is a part of Meow that still needs to progress before anything like that happens), it was a huge letdown that they don't end up together by the end. Maybe the creators left this open for a season 2, where we see a few years into the future when a much more mature Meow and Dermdem living together, but until it's announced, I feel like I was dillydallying in a bromance type series, and I try to avoid those at all cost.

I absolutely loved Faiyen, with all of me. I will miss his bright aura and darling smile. Bright (Faiyen) did a fantastic job at playing this character. He was sunshine times 10, and there was never a dull moment when watching him. I don't know how I feel about Evan, and I won't blame Bodo (Evan) for this since it was a part of his character, but god, did I hate this no-emotion syndrome he has. Bodo himself is a lovely-looking man, and the very few times he did smile, I caught myself doing the same. But for most of his story, he was just a talking robot, and it was upsetting. There was nothing there for me to actually appreciate the existence of his character, other than to make Faiyen happy. Their relationship was enduring in the beginning, but by the end, it fell flat. Evan did this weird lay-his-head-on-Faiyen's-head thing and it didn't feel natural at all. I think a hug or being close in proximity could've sufficed.

I originally started watching this series because the GL couple caught my eye, and since SCOY gave me nothing, I thought this series could at least bring something. And sure, they had a good amount of screen time, but none of it was to develop their relationship romantically. Jin's this stubborn woman and Manni is the complete opposite. There are some points that we see Jin soften up around her, but nothing's ever said to really make me think that they should go together. Other than a close-in-proximity trope, nothing happens between these two. If anything, they gave me best-friends vibes. I wanted so much more from then, really.

Some episodes were straight filler, but I didn't mind it because I sincerely liked pretty much every single character. But that time used to show random shit, or have Mark randomly appear for an episode, could've been used to further these three's relationships.

But overall, and like I've already said, I loved this series until the end. It could've been worst, like they could've all died or something, but leaving each couple open-ended sucked ass. I at least thought Faiyen and Evan would get an ending, but nope, none of them do. I think a second season would only work, for Dermdem and Meow's sake, if they do it years later, like 3 or 4 when Meow's had more time to learn about human characteristics and behaviors and act more appropriately to his age. I never really saw him as acting like a child until someone pointed it out, and yes, I can see it, however, I wouldn't go so far as to call Dermdem a "pedophile" or to say that them loving each other would be morally wrong. Meow is in full control of his feelings and emotions (who's also an adult), and in addition to that, Dermdem would just never do anything to Meow that he didn't have a full understanding of. There were PLENTY of times that Dermdem could've kissed Meow, and he doesn't. Also, these are just fictional characters, so I don't care enough to think that deeply about them. I just watch and have fun, exactly what this type of series is for; it's nothing to take seriously (and those wigs are great examples).

Ratings:

Story: 6.5 - Some bits were really enjoyable. Seeing Dermdem and Meow's domestic relationship was probably my favorite part, along with Faiyen and Evan. Manni and Jin were cute, but the whole work thing was kind of boring. Their individual backstories were fun, Evan's though a bit annoying. But for the most part, I enjoyed the story until it got kind of filler-y and had no good ending.

Acting: 8.5 - James and Bright were hands down the best. It was weird watching James act like a cat, but he does put on a really good performance. And Bright is just memorizing. I really hope to see him again. Po, Gap, and Kris were good too. I think Bodo could've been good, but he was given the blandest character to portray, so I hope I see him again with a more complex person to play.

Music: 2.0 - Fuck no. and I would give a 1 star, but I feel bad giving it anything lower. I don't know who came up with that theme song, or who even green-lighted it to go on air, but I hope they're in jail now. A MUCH better uplifting song could've worked 10 times better.

Rewatch value: 5 - As I said, I really enjoyed that I just got to sit back and really just watch this for what it is, and didn't feel the need to analyze anything. I would for sure have this one while doing homework or working.

Overall, I really liked this show (even though I complain more than I applaud). But I'll say again that it's NOT for everybody. Watch the first episode and see for yourself. I would definitely tell the few of you that like intimacy in a BL to go ahead and drop this because the most you get is a kiss on the cheek. I could recommend this to CHILDREN. That's how PG it is. But I don't mind PG, which is why I enjoyed it. But if you're just going to watch to nag then don't bother, we've seen the show, we know.

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..?

I felt like I was a Charlie Brown character and the entire time I was watching this, they only spoke in, "Wah wah woh wah wah," language. This was weird to me because the premise is pretty interesting, except its execution was unsatisfactory; actually, the entire series was just a big tumbleweed going across the road. Where is it going? And where did it come from?

Let's Dive In.

I'm surprised I'm only just now hearing about this series that ended earlier this year, but I had only heard of it because of my Korean BL endeavor on Viki, and I came across this series (it was also advertised IMMENSELY in the Oh Boarding House series, along with TWY). The story is about an ambitious fashion designer whose incidental run-in with a delivery worker causes them to interact and eventually, said fashion designer hires the young stud to be his leading model. But of course, it wouldn't be a Korean drama without adding a random ass third wheel into the equation (I don't call it a love triangle unless the lead also romantically likes the third option). for once I didn't get second lead syndrome, mostly because I was trying to keep up with what was going on.

What I did like: Love the father-son dynamic. It was the highlight of the entire series, just seeing a healthy familial relationship that wasn't full of toxic masculinity or an overbearing parent. Just a dude and his dad who had deep and important conversations with one another, while they both had an inside joke about the missing mom. I loved it. I want to see more of this in BLs. Let's get rid of the sorrowful dads and bring in more Yeong Woo's dads.

The production was pretty nice. Nothing outstanding, but definitely a lot better than the story it was trying to tell. The music was also something I could come around to appreciate.

It didn't hurt that the main leads were beautiful. Especially Se Ung who legit, and no pun intended, looked like he walked out of a Calvin Klein catalog. I wouldn't be surprised if they asked a model agency for their prettiest male with decent acting skills.

What I didn't like: I didn't necessarily hate the storyline, except, it didn't make any sense. There were parts where I swear the editor forgot to add in an entire plot. I couldn't feel for Yi Bin mostly because I didn't understand his sob story, or why in particular it had anything to do with the plot. The conflict is just super messy too, and not all that comprehensible. One minute they're crying, and the next, everything is fine? And it's happily ever after? Different, very different.

Some parts were kind of boring. You would think in a series that only had a 15-minute run time for 8 episodes, it would follow along with a plot cause it wouldn't have much time to sway, but there were times I had to FF to get through some very tedious talking scenes. Not good for a series that ran for less than about 2 hours.

The connection between the leads is just not there. Sure, Yeong Woo has very soft eyes and a bright smile, and Ki Jin has this attitude that is pretty radiant, but nothing about this pair screams, "Omg, what a beautiful romance". If anything, they got boring towards the end. They had one decent kiss (the first one kind of chaste) and yes, seeing two beautiful men pretending to be in love never hurts, but god, can it be mind-numbing.

Ratings:

Story: 5 - What story? If you can read the synopsis and guess what happens next, then 9 out of 10, you're correct. On top of being not a good story, it's annoyingly predictable. I'm giving 3 stars to the father-son dynamic and 2 towards Se Ung's abs.

Acting: 8.5. - The only part that didn't pretty much suck. Everyone could use improvement, but nothing too severely bad. The dad was by far my favorite.

Music: 8.5 - I really enjoyed the music. Another great aspect of the series.

Rewatch value: 1 - No. No further explanation is needed.

Give this series a shot if you want to, but don't worry, you're not missing out on much. I can only recommend this cause Se Ung's body is really something else, and I think others should be able to enjoy it as well.

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Cuteness Overload

I was immersed in this wonderfully wholehearted and hysterical J-BL that was just a marvel to watch. After finishing My Beautiful Man, I thought -- why not watch the other one on my list? And man, was I impressed. Now, this series is far from a cinematic masterpiece, or anything to ponder deeply about, but I always give credit to the small BLs that lift my spirit and make me wish to be engrossed in their reality. Kieta Hatsukoi is a refreshing BL, full of fun experiences, funny circumstances, surprising plot twists, a leading romance that I can approve of, and a het couple I didn't hate!

Let's Dive In!

Kieta Hatsukoi was an endearing melodramatic BL that tells the story of Aoki and an incident with an eraser that gets him in some "troubles" with the handsome and brooding Ida. Through their story, we meet other characters that help to give our leads a happily ever after. This was very wholesome and just simply cute. In each episode, you are fully into the story, falling in love with each attribute and the way the characters carry the plot along. Everything on-screen looks like it's dowsed in a dream, and yet it still holds to be realistic in such an exaggerated way. This series held up great, with noticeable character development, an easy-going plot that flowed perfectly, and one that I will treasure for a while.

Let's start with what I loved: I genuinely did not dislike a single character. Not even the ones that had the very itty-bitty amount of screen time. There was something to adore about all of them, whether it was their charm, their personality, or their small storyline, I just really enjoyed them all.

I enjoyed that the side het couple had a decent plot, and weren't there to, at any point, take down the leads. There were actually some parts where I was really interested in Aida and Hashimoto's little romance. While I think some parts were lacking, it was overall cute, very bubbly, and a nice side story.

I think I loved Fukumoto more than I think I was supposed to. I absolutely loved her performance as Hashimoto, she's so adorable, her role fit her to the T, and I hope to see her in future series. I enjoyed the leads, some things were a bit iffy, but for the most part, they both did a good job. One thing I love the most about J-dramas, in general, is the exaggerated way they profess themselves. There are plenty of moments in KH where their movements, their motions, their bodies just contrive to create this really unique work of expression. They do such an extraordinary job, each and every one of them.

The love between Ida and Aoki, while not the most intricate, is still very enjoyable to watch. We see the build-up, we watch the execution and all the beautiful moments in-between, to end with the perfectly imperfect pair that still has a lot of learning and growing to do individually. But I enjoyed that we already see that growth at the end. Aoki's problem was that he was insecure about himself, he was frightened if the outside knew who he was or who he liked, and through his own personal journey, he learns to accept his truth and that others eventually will too. Ida's problem was that in the beginning, he was a bit selfish while also being too selfless. He said yes to everything, and because of that, he was hurting the one who cared for him the most. He was comparing feelings as one, when "having fun" and "being in love" are two completing different feelings that he had to understand. It took him time, but eventually, he realized the feeling he felt when around Aoki, and was able to confess it by the end. This is the type of character development I love, the one I strive to see.

Their date out and about town was the absolute thing to die for. I loved everything about it.

Some things that could've used work: Aoki getting upset with Ida after he teases him is very odd. Nothing about the teasing even was bad, or considerably rude. They needed something to cause a bit of turf between them, but it's frivolous and throws you off on how out-of-the-blue it is. It wasn't needed, it was honestly kind of upsetting, and I just know there was a better way to handle it.

The situation between the coach and their rival team helper was kind of weird. While he never acted on her pursuits for him, the entire story was just not needed. it was to show Aoki's jealousy, which I can understand, but there was, again, a better way to handle it.

Some parts of the series were kind of slow, The first few episodes were a bit of a doozy to try to get through. I had to kind of push my way through, but eventually, at about episode 3 or 4, I started piquing my interest.

While the romance is really sweet, I think there should be some form of a kiss at the end. Instead, we get nothing, even though, in the episode before, Aoki stresses about taking the next step which is kissing Ida, and in one circumstance they almost do. I don't think intimacy is needed in a series if the actors are able to put on a great romance, however, I think a kiss is what was needed to really tie up the ending. They were having the perfect moment for it, so I do wish that was something that happened.

Rating:

Story: 8 - I'll take two stars off for the very interesting beginning. I think the setup was nice, but it still didn't take away how boring it was. The rest is really good. I also liked the plot twist of Hashimoto not liking Ida and actually liking Aida.

Acting: 9 - Again, I really appreciated the acting, probably one of the best parts of this series. I'll take one star off for some iffy things throughout.

Music: 8 - To my surprise, I really enjoyed the music, and it was noticeably good. Meguro Ren whole sang one of the songs sounded like an angel. Very good.

Rewatch value: 1 - This was cute, but very less likely to come back and watch. Maybe some parts.

Overall, a very nice and enjoyable watch. The episodes are only about 30 minutes long, so it only took me a few days to get through. I highly recommend, as it has become one of my favorite J-BLs.

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The Perfect Korean BL

I was excepting this to be some type of tragedy where one of them dies at the end or has to move far far away, but finally, a gang-related movie that's a true love story that ends in a happily ever after. Long Time No See brings on some amazing cinematography with beautiful acting and an amazing plot-driven story.

Let's dive In.

Production is beautiful. The use of lights and darks and colors in this was amazing. The overall aesthetic was captivating and drew you into the story more. The music went well with their situations, and the setting were very nice.

Onto the plot. I really didn't see Wild Dog being an undercover hitman trying to take out Flying Dagger. I think that was the moment I was really into the plot. Of course, love prevails over all, so they don't end up killing each other, but that moment when Wild Dog's mask flies off and and flying Dagger looks him in the eyes was everything. You could feel the hurt, the confusion, the heartbreak. Both actors did an amazing job at showing what real love is suppose to look like. I loved their first encounter when they learn of each other. The tickling match, the perfectly clumsy first time that had me giggling the entire time. These two showed an actual true relationship to the T and I couldn't be more proud in their performances. The uncles in this situation were truly disgusting. Why couldn't these people just let them be happy and hitmans? Flying Dagger's father obviously took him when he was vulnerable and not in a good position (we won't even talk about him getting p***ed on in the bathroom; truly traumatizing). I'm happy he was able to stand up for himself and Wild Dog. Now they both can just do what they do and be happy. The sister was the sweetest human ever. She was truly just so excited to see Wild Dog happy, which made me happy for him.

Overall, this was so cute. It took me less that about 2 hours to finish, so it's a super easy watch. The plot flowed nicely and nothing felt irrelevant or slow. I highly recommend!

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This was Cute!

Second Chance was honestly a cup of tea I didn't think I needed. It took me a while to get into this series for some reason, so I finished the first episode in about a week, but then after that, it only took me a day to finish the rest. second Chance has a bit of a confusing plot, but the use of great actors, decent music, and driven relationships helps to circle this series into a good one.

Let's Dive In.

We won't hang long in production, they were as good as most BLs will get. I did like the very little use of sound effects, which is sometimes my problem with other series. Also, it was a nice change i seeing their uniforms be fancy than the button downs and kakis (I mean it was really only a blazer and the occasional sweater vest, but still).

Onto the plot. It had me at times really jumbled up, especially because of the opening scene. From my understanding, the opening scene happened in the present, and then most of the series is shown in the past. Now, where that opening scene plays in, I have no clue, which is why I kept wondering what the freak was going on. Other than that, I loved the plot. I liked each relationship and how they ended. They were all different in dynamic and it felt refreshing to see that they all had a decent amount of screen time (obviously Tong Fah and Paper had a bit more). Character development was also on point, I liked seeing Jeno's change more than anything, but the other characters grew very nicely as well. This story could've been even better if they didn't add BL-obsessed women. They weren't too bad, but they still were pretty annoying.

Usually I fall in love with the side couple more than the main couple, but here, I was very much wrapped in their relationship. I liked how they handled their emotions and how you could clearly read on their faces how they were feeling. Their relationship was a bit confusing, I think the premise of the title "Second Chance" was coming from Paper after Tong Fah's accident when I had personally thought it was going to come from Tong Fah after his fall in the pool, but that part of the story was choppy, Paper confused me a bit just because he clearly had feelings for Tong Fah, so him freaking out after the kiss (aka the most sensual shit I've ever seen) feels out of place. Maybe he was dealing with internalized homophobia? Scared of losing Tong Fah as a friend? I'm not all too sure, that part of their conflict was so unnecessary. The ending was beautiful, the emotions that gave off were so strong that it made my own self get a bit choked up. Tong and Fluke's acting was magical, I never really paid attention to Tong in Tharntype (but I dropped it so...) but here, he really showed off his ability to act so I hope we see so much more of him. Friends to Lovers wins again!!

Moving onto the secondary couples. Jeno and Chris were a really nice touch to the series. Jeno was being heavily bullied by his ex-boyfriend, where he would get cornered and beaten up (let's not talk about the irony with all those "don't bully" poster; and the excessive amount of them) so Chris was is savor (but so was Paper..?) Anyways, their relationship was cute. Jeno kind of being stand offish to Chris was getting kind of annoying. He likes you, he's being nice to you, what's the problem? Let's go back to that character development. It's obvious with Jeno since he becomes a shy and cowardly person to a tough and confident guy (with the help of Chris of course). Even Arthur (that son of a bitch) had nice character development. I mean, he's still a piece of shit but at least he tried somewhat going easier on Jeno. Their ending was nice as well (and a perfect kiss) I feel satisfied enough with this couple. Onto Near and M. Now for a while, I was so confused on what was going on. At first I was like, "oh look! A love triangle!" but no, it took me two episodes to realize they were two different people. Near and M were nice, they probably had the least amount of screen time, but their relationship was pretty cute. I also liked Near and Tong Fah's friendship. It showed a healthy relationship between guys, and I loved how they were their for one another. Anyways, coffee shop love, where can you go wrong? The two brothers did a really good job and Nine was decent.

Overall, this was a nice watch. It was super easy too and episodes went by like nothing. Maybe they'll make a second season, if they do, I want to see more of Near and M more than anything, just because I think that their relationship has so many more places it can go. I do recommend this series, it was a bit sad a times, but for the most part it was pretty fluffy and simplistic.

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Representation Matters

Call It What You Want was an inspiring BL that draws attention to the behind-the-scenes world of Boy's Love. While it wasn't very long and there were only a handful of episodes, we as the audience were still able to see and understand the severity of sexual abuse/assault in the entertainment industry and the dire circumstances that actors are placed under in order to be the "perfect".

Let's Dive In.

Now, once again, I forgot to actually focus on the music so I gave it its regular score of three stars cause I'm sure it was decent (and I'm too lazy to go back and listen). Production-wise it was alright. To me, it looked like they weren't given much of a budget, and at times it looked cheap. For example, the CGI in the car. Awful. Instead of paying attention to the conversations they were having, I was instead paying more close attention as to how bad it looked. Plot-wise, it was very hard to get into for the first three episodes, but after that, I started to really get into it. I had to push my way through the first half just because it was super slow and boring, but we actually get into the juicier parts in about episode 4.

Let move onto the characters. It took me a while to really enjoy James. The actor himself wasn't bad, but his character himself was very flat and not interesting. This is the first time (weirdly) that I've seen a Thai BL where the main character has long hair. At times I loved it, but at other times, it threw me off and he sometimes looked like a creep. Obviously, this part is just an opinion, but I wanted him to groom it better or to just cut it shorter. Ait to me came off super creepy in the beginning. The way he would stare at James was disturbing. Turns out they knew each other before then, but still his actions and words were way out of line. Closer to the end he got better, but I wished his character would've been more subtle about his feelings. Bas was by far the best character. At first, I wasn't sure what was going on with him. I thought that he was going to go through being closeted, but then I thought he was going to come out and say that he was suicidal, and then I thought that maybe he liked Ait and was jealous of James. A lot of things were leading up to these individual things, but when it came down to the real news, I was heartbroken. To hear him speaking to Ait about his situation killed me. I applaud the actor heavily on his portrayal of being a victim. We never really got to see Kaprao, played by the same actor from the 2 moons 2 franchise (Park). He was in it for like a few seconds on the last episode but that's it. It was mentioned plenty of times throughout the series, but I still would've liked to see him more.

I wasn't a huge fan of James and Ait. They felt really rushed, which is surprising seeing as they approached the question of why in BLs do they always fall in love so quickly, but it's hypocritical since they do the exact same thing (granted, more time probably passed by). They didn't really have many moments together, but for the later parts of the show, it got better. I'm more interested in the situation happening with Bas and Marco, and I'm excited to see what they do with that come season 2. I loved that Marco was there to listen to Bas and to also make him feel better. It was a nice touch on the creator's part to have most of episode 6 focus on Bas. I loved seeing his story.

This series called out on a lot of the bullshit that some BL series go through. From them forcing Bas to get botox done, to them making him eat just a little to no food, and even from them making both Ait and Bas not have access to their phones. It's sad to see that this is the reality for some actors. as well as being assaulted by the people in a higher power, and forced to do things that they weren't wanting to do. It was even sadder when you find out that this show was made after true events. I hear that it was particularly made after the 2 Moons 2 cast, but I'm not certain. If anything, this was made about something that actually happened, and I hope that whoever it was, they got justice.

Call It What You Want wasn't the best BL ever, but it did draw attention to some very important topics that I'm glad others are able to see and understand. Don't ship actors, let them have a love life outside of the show, and allow for them to be happy and do what they want. I recommend this watch to anyone willing to see the horrid stuff that goes on in BL.

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Face paced, but super cute

I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I loved this series. For one, these concepts of people falling in love during one of the most difficult times in the world has to be just about the perfect "meant to be" moment ever. And yes, this series was one of those. Ben x Jim tells an enlightening story about first loves and following ones' true desire. While there were plenty of plot bumps and an absurd resolution, I still found myself being entertained to the fullest.

Let's Dive In.

The first episode didn't leave too much of a good impression. The pacing felt a little slow, and I felt like I wasn't able to understand the circumstances of the characters (other than they were in the middle of COVID) all too clearly. But from there, the pacing got better, until about the last episode, and everything just kind of spiraled. The resolution was too...perfect if that makes sense. I think I would've been better off had they just left off on them being separated and we see in a sequel or second season their relationship being revolved. It felt too Disney, I'll just put it that way. But given that it was only 7 episodes, I guess I can understand the rush in the end.

Let's get into the characters and their circumstances. So Ben is an interesting character to me. While I personally enjoyed Ben to the fullest, I wanted to see him stand his ground when it came to Leo; and even Jim. He got walked over way too many times, and I would've like to see him take initiation once in and a while. However, Teejay did an incredible job at portraying Ben, and I could see the pain behind his eyes when it came to seeing Jim with Yana and everything in between. Let's move on to Jim, who I wasn't too much of a fan of, however, Jerome did an excellent job at portraying him, but let's be honest, Jim is the last person that you should date for multiple reasons. One, his machoness and possesiveness was astronomical. If I were Ben, that would be a big red flag. I was hoping there would be some kind of conversation on how he could fix the way he spoke about Ben, but nope, nothing. Two, it was the audacity for him to continue being in a relationship with Yana and see Ben behind her back. It doesn't matter if he was going through trying to deal with these newfound feelings for Ben, he should've taken the steps with breaking up with Yana way before he tried persuing anything with Ben, because then it becomes cheating (which it was). Again, it just kind of goes back to Ben needing to take some initiative and see that that was wrong. But, Jim did have his good moments. My favorite scene were the confession moments between the two of them. It was done beautifully, and the dialogue was just perfect. Lastly, the use of the words, "wife" or, "wifey". It's disgusting to use those titles incorrectly and to a gay person. What about saying husband, or a more gender-neutrual terms like honey or baby? It's nit-picky things, but it was just too much crap for me to even really want him and Ben together.

I really loved Flo. She was too funny, and she added the perfect amount of comedic relief to this series. I wasn't too much of a fan of Ron's (Olan) acting, but I guess I liked the added plot of jealousy. I could see him and Yana happening from a mile away, and part of me liked them, but the other part of me didn't really care for them much. Moving onto the last character, Yana. Oh lord, someone help her, she was just too clueless, like there was just too many signs that Ben and Jim had something going on. Just one example was during their mini little get-together. The game they played? The karaoke? The way they were looking at each other? Just too much for her not to see. Yana was a likeable character until she realized that Jim liked Ben and became pretty homophobic. I can understand being hurt cause he lied, but there was no reason to go and say he was ruining his life and blah blah blah. So, I kind of just lost repesct after that.

The plot was pretty vague, but the drama between their families did add that special umph to the story. It was a bit of a surprise at the revelation of the situation, but it added a necessary conflict that felt missing. With that being said, the rest of the plot was of the ordinary, but I like simple concepts, so I'm not even mad.

Overall, the show was a nice watch, and a quick one too. Teejay and Jerome as well as the rest of the supporting cast members put on a really good performance. The ost was played repetitivley, which got pretty annoying, but for the most part, it was an alright song (Though, it sounded like something I'd hear while playing the Sims). The production was good, and the setting had a nice, natrual feel to it. I would definitely recommend if someone wants a quick watch.

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Bland at Best

Let's just hop right into this. What was the literal point of this? Nothing made sense, everything felt out of order, and none of the relationships made much sense. It was nice to finally see Plan playing a character that didn't whine every two seconds, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but they would have to be my favorite couple out of the three. They were the ones with the less amount of stupid drama or pointless fillers. Pin and Son got on my last nerve. Here's an idea, talk to each other? communicate maybe? Their drama was so pointless and could've been prevented had they at least said like two words to each other for the misunderstandings and situations. I didn't have any problems with Noh and Phun, I'm just not a huge fan of White's acting, so Phun always comes off as robotic and hard to connect with. Overall, I wouldn't recommend watching this, but it was just 3 short episodes (maybe why I didn't like it all too much), so the watch was really fast.

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BL? Maybe

Do I sincerely call this series BL? Not necessarily, but I won't say I didn't enjoy myself either. My initial reason for even tuning into this BL is because of how everyone told me not to watch it, and of course, I just had to after that. While it was very disturbing in a few spots, as well as being highly controversial, I still guiltily really liked it.

Let's Dive In.

The controversy of this series is drawn from two aspects. One, Kim and Khett are brothers, and even though Pan is the one controlling Kim's body, the problem is still there. Initially, Pan wrote a story about Kim and Way, but when she was Pan, her and Khett had their little lovey-dovey thing going on so that basically transferred from Pan into Kim that stayed. I honestly liked how Khett could tell that something was up with Kim before I realized that they were falling in love. Ohm played Khett very well, but that's nothing new because I absolutely love Ohm and any series he's been in. The other controversial part is the girl becoming a boy in which I see the problem, but I don't necessarily mind it until I see signs of it becoming an issue. For the most part, Pan being Kim led to some pretty humorous moments of her freaking out over male body parts and trying to navigate her way into becoming Kim. I believe this was my first time seeing First in a series, and he did an excellent job. I loved how he played up Kim's personality after having transformed.

Some other small things to discuss, Jennie’s character carried this ENTIRE show. She was hilarious and is an incredible actress. I want to see her in more stuff. I really hated the whole fangirl aspect of this, but the series wouldn't be the series without it, but I don't like seeing the over-fascination that BL girls have for BL. It's weird, it fetishizing, and it's just downright embarrassing. There was a lot of that in this that made it a bit hard to watch.

Overall, I had fun watching this series. l wouldn't really recommend it for a BL series, but for anyone wanting to see more of Ohm or just an entertaining series, then I think I would recommend this.

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The Better of the Kings

This series was better than the first, but not by that much. for starters, I liked how this centered around one couple instead of the three of four we had gotten last time. Also, they were given a respectable amount of screen time and episodes to actually tell a decent story. In season 2, they have changed the entire cast and story. Nothing is connected to the first series, only the fact that they're still playing the King game. Because of this, the acting is better, the story is slightly more developed, and a love triangle ensues.

Let's Dive In.

Pun was a cute character. The only thing I'd have to say is that I wish he would've made smarter decisions when it came to who he was going to choose in the end. Pun should've ended up with Em, no doubt. Even though Em was a ridiculous prick, in the beginning, he still proved himself worthy by the end. Speaking of the end, what the heck were the writers thinking? The time jump was so unnecessary, and it didn't even resolve anything in the end. Do we know if Tar and Sib ended up together? Do we know what happened to Em? nope, we are left in the dust with no questions answered. It felt like writers forgot what their initial ending was, and made this one up a day before production. If there is to ever be a third season (which I highly doubt since it's already 2021 and no production mentions), I hope we're able to see the actual ending that makes sense and can sew up all loose ends.

While the acting was better than the acting in the first series, it still was far from the best. Ryu wasn't the worst actor I've seen, but when it came to a scene in which he had to cry, he fell short on them. I was supposed to be feeling bad for them, but instead, I couldn't help but laugh. I would rather see his character looking upset than him forcing an ugly cry with no tears.

Overall, I enjoyed my watch. I gave this a higher score because I appreciate the consent between Sib and Pun before they decided to have sex. We don't see a lot of that in BL, and it's something to applaud when it's done well and with the right intent. I definitely recommend a watch. It was cute, a terrible ending, but it didn't ruin the show for me.

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WTF

It comes as no surprise that no one has a clue about this series, or maybe they do and they just don’t bother watching. I desperately missed the 2moons cast, so when I had learned that they were back in this series I was stoked. Immediately after finishing 2moons2, I started binging this show, and there are two words that describe this series perfectly: WASTED POTENTIAL.

You would think that they had plenty of stories to tell with the fifteen-million characters on this show, but all plots fall short with slow storylines, boring circumstances, and an overall stale watch. There was so much they could’ve done with this series, but sadly, they let the end loose. The concept was new, but still not very interesting. Having a bunch of people train at a hotel is something I've never heard of before, but it still left such a wide range of chaos to happen. Having a bunch of young people working at a hotel? something is bound to go down right? But NOTHING DOES.

Right off the bat, there were way too many characters. It took me like the first 4 episodes to remember names with faces. They could have easily cut off a good four characters since their stories' were pointless and added nothing to the plot. Most first episodes are slow and uninspiring, as it is just an introduction to the characters and their situations, but man was this first episode BORING AS FUCK. Not only that one but even most of the episodes to follow. What made them so boring was the fact that they had no meaning to the overall objective (but, then again, what WAS the overall objective?) We were left with watching stupid circumstances happen that left aggravation and annoyance.

I am strictly here to watch BL and BL ONLY. If someone were wanting to watch BL only, then this is NOT the show for them! There was one canon gay couple and several underlining romances (one including Kim and Copter which was one of the only reasons I started Hotel Stars in the first place. smh), as the rest were covered up with hetero shit that I didn't sign up for. I do not consider this a BL series what. so. ever. This is a bromance series at best, but there are too many BL shows in this world for this one to be the one people spend their time watching.

Let's talk about the one canon couple though: Nueng and Kay. With the screen time they did get, they were rushed and had no build-up. they were cute, but I didn't feel anything for them because of the little amount of screentime they had, It's sad honestly, cause I enjoyed these actors so much, and would be down to see them as main characters in another drama. They were the only reason people watched this show in the first place. The episode of them kissing was the only one that had surpassed 200k views (at the time of my watch on YT) while the rest of the episodes could barely hit 100k if that.
I was either half asleep or annoyed by the other plots. Kin and Pong could’ve been something but then that went away. Tone and Akk had a thing, but then some chick and Akk started having a thing and Tone was left in the dust. Ying and Nook were such stereotypical female roles that it was so tiresome to watch them. If there was one good thing to take away from this show, it's that the acting was good and some moments were pretty funny. That's it. Thank god they made Gen Y or I would be in some serious shit right now.

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Here for PeteKao, stayed for SunMork

Kiss Me Again was a doozy to get through, but fortunately, I enjoyed everything about this series except Pete. He was a condescending, self-absorbed brat that was too wrapped up in his own reality to understand that his boyfriend is a human being and not his toy. Pete telling Kao not to tutor (the job he needed to help out his mom and sister) just because he was jealous of a CHILD is ridiculous. I don't care how stupidly hot Pete is, his actions were so unattractive.
I don't like how they went about developing Non. I really enjoyed him in the beginning; I actually shipped Non and Kao a lot more than I did Pete and Kao. Obviously, they weren't ever going to get together in any universal setting (cause everyone loves taynew), but still, I loved him until they turned Non into this overly-obsessed, vengeful-for-no-reason little brat. #justiceforNon2k21.
I'm not the type to cry at any series (no tears for UWMA or History: MODC. I'm weird.), but when it's a coming-out scene I will ALWAYS cry. Kao coming out to his mom was so breathtaking and so perfect and beautiful that I get teary-eyed just thinking about it. New and whoever played his mom did an amazing job.
Sun and Mork saved this series. Why do you think my overall score is so high? I don't know if it's because Pod is so shippable, or if it's because I'm in love with Gawin (most likely all of the above), but Sun and Mork are the best side BL couple EVER. It was fluffy, it was cute, it was captivating and I miss them. #bringbackgawinwherethefuckdidhego2k21.
The OST was a FUCKING BOP. I usually always skip the intro videos, but there was something so unskippable about this one. Loved it.

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Two cuties Falling in Love and They just Might Kiss...

Another one of the JBLs that just does it for me. Nothing jaw-dropping, nothing fresh and new, just a quaint little love story that put me at ease and in a good mood. Even If I Try to Fall in Love With You exemplifies the true meaning of catching feelings and going for it even when it might scare you.

Let's Dive In.

Oh, such a wonder little love story. Amane, who used to hooking up with older men due to his past trauma of coming out finds himself falling for the walking green flag that is Ryuji, his school classmate who works at his late father's restaurant. And eventually, through trial and error, through some awkwardness and being truthful, they end up happily ever after. This JBL is everything that I love about Japanese series: The plot, the dialogue, the inner monologue, the way they go about confessing -- it's put into such a perfect order that it's really hard not to enjoy it, even if the series isn't long.

The chemistry was off the charts. It detailed perfectly the awkwardness of dating for the first time and going about having a crush and someone you like at such a young age. Ryuji saw through Amane's mechanism of smiling and laughing as a way to shield himself from getting hurt, along with Amane noticing the hurt and exhaustion that Ryuji was experiencing because of the loss of his dad, and keeping up with a restaurant he has no passion for. I think what makes or breaks a couple for me is when they can notice details, they're usually very subtle, yet when it's noticed/called out, I get all gooey on the inside cause -- omg you're paying attention. But most importantly, I just loved them as they were. Amane, although being afraid of his past experiences, is right off the bat open about his sexuality and not afraid to be blunt and honest about what he's feeling, only afraid of the aftermath of his truthfulness. And of course, Ryuji is just a sweetheart, letting it be known that it's okay to feel what he's feeling, there to listen and to tease, and to care. They were just such a delight to watch and such a joy seeing them start off their relationship all giddy and clumsy-like. I only wish that I could see their relationship develop even more (omg when Ryuji asked to kiss him again?? Hello that was so stinking adorable??).

With how short this series was, I'm glad we didn't have any secondary plots or otherwise, this would've been messy and felt rushed. But with saying that, I do wish this had maybe 3-4 more episodes so we could have a more fully fleshed-out series, go more in-depth into their past lives, and maybe see them build that connection even more.

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10 - Just pure fluff filling my screen. I would've liked it to be more fleshed out, but what we did get was still really good.

Acting: 9/10 - Both leads did a job well done! I loved how expressional Takato (Amane) was with this character.

Music: 6/10 - It wasn't distracting.

Recommendation Value: 10/10 - It's just pure fluff so I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to not watch this. So good, so pure, so lovely, and I'm going to miss them.

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