Wow.

Wow.

If MDL allowed only one-word reviews, then wow would be the only thing I'd have to say.

I pretty much skimmed through this epic crisis of a series. What was promised to be this very raunchy, BDSM, mafia series quickly turned into a mafia and cut to the morning after series. I only kept watching for Baiboon and Kom cause I liked their dynamic, but their development just suddenly stops, so we don't ever get a proper ending with the two of them.

Ratings:

Story: 4/10 - I really just skimmed through this series, so I won't even begin to say I understood what was happening. Some mafia stuff? It's crazy that this all starts though because of a one-night stand.

Acting: 6.5/10 - most of the cast was mediocre. With as many series as Yoon has been in, you'd think he'd have improved by now, but no. No one's acting was good, everyone stayed on the same plain as just being ok enough for me to get through the series.

Music: 5/10 didn't pay attention to it which means it wasn't distracting.

Recommendation value: 1/10 - I don't have the strongest say in whether or not to watch this just because I really didn't 100% pay much attention to it, but from what I can remember, it's not worth it. Watch for some comedic relief, but do yourself a favor and watch any other series besides this one.

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Earth and Mix Do It Again!

While ATOTS is still my by far favorite MixEarth series, they seriously delivered here. They both pulled through with the acting and their ability to be hopelessly in love with one another. This was my most anticipated series in 2022 when it was announced. It didn't come through all the way, but for what I got, I'm more than satisfied.

Let's Dive In.

This was some of Earth and Mix's most complex story yet, focusing on the collateral damage of past relationships and how age and growth play into it. Jim and Wen are some very complex characters that both actors portrayed beautifully. Their relationship doesn't completely hit me in the heart like I wanted it to, but it was still entertaining. I think one reason is that they drag on them being in a relationship and not being in a relationship and it feels very cat and mouse like. Also, they try to push Earth to be 40 years old and since his age plays no factor in anything that's happened in the past or present, it doesn't make sense why he needs to be that age. He could've been his same age and the story would've played out the exact same. Either way, I liked them a lot, especially in the end when they're looking at their future home and building their business together.

Moving onto Heart and Li Ming who are the real reason why I loved this series. Gemini and Fourth do it again, they manage to lock me in a chokehold and I can't ever get out (not that I want to either). They were so perfect in this series -- so gentle with one another and being such an important part of each other's lives. Li Ming is so incredibly patient with Heart, learning the language, being comfortable with other forms of communication -- it's literally so perfect. They felt pretty similar to Tinn and Gun from MSP, which I'm okay with, but it would've also been nice to see a slight difference in their dynamic. However, from MSP to this series, Fourth's acting has improved greatly. He performs the more dramatic moments very nicely. Without any lines, Gemini has to lean on his other skills, and while they aren't as strong as Fourth's performance, he still does an excellent job. I'll be nit-picky here and say the only thing I hated was that they faked their kiss in episode 6 which is very uncalled for, and not something I saw coming in a GMMTV series.

Khaotung. What more can I say? Even with him playing a less-than-important role here, he still hits it out of the park. Just the pure emotion of being excited to tell Jim about his crush to then being let down, and you can see it all in his expression, his eyes. God, this dude is so perfect, like it's surreal. The same goes for First, he does a great job in this. I kind of wished they would've introduced his character in the first episode since the first two episodes were kind of a drag, but his entry was still very clever and very intriguing. I would honestly like to see how things end with those two, so maybe a special episode? or a spinoff?

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10 - it drags in the first two episodes and then starts getting interesting after that. I would've liked it better had First's character been introduced in the first episode. Other than that, the story is very good and very intriguing.

Acting: 9/10 - Everyone did a phenomenal job, but who really makes the top of my list is Khaotung. That man can act his ass off, my goodness.

Music; 6/10 - didn't pay much attention to it other than the song Kaipa plays for his mom at her funeral.

Recommendation Value: 8/10 - very intriguing, very interesting, and I highly recommend it.

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More Weiw Please!

After waiting for 3 years for Between Us, I'm glad that this came out to be a good series, which was entertaining and complex in the plot. I was worried we were going to have a Love By Chance 2 or any other terrible sequel to an already perfect series. But this outdid itself.

Let's Die In.

This takes place at the very beginning of UWMA, but from Win and Team's perspective. They still intertwined some moments between Dean and Pharm, which I absolutely loved. Their story was good, it kept me entertained, it only falters a bit due to some poor communication that I feel like at Win and Team's big age they shouldn't have, but other than that, it's good. Prem is seriously an incredible actor. The pool scene was done so perfectly that I got teary-eyed (which rarely happens). I'm glad that we get to see both of them shine here. Their chemistry is amazing, they have such a dynamic that it's so clear through the screen.

Then we get more into Win's family situation while Team is going through his own problems with the death of his friend (cousin?) from when he was young. Waan was an okay character. His story with Yacht's character was really intriguing, but they literally drag it out so much that they don't get together until the end of the series, which was a bit annoying. They were giving me superman vibed because how could Waan not hear that the voice on the phone was obviously Tul's? Anyways, I'm in love with Weiw and I wish that he had his own pairing.

I really enjoyed the ABC group surprisingly. Bee and Prince's story felt a little out of place, but Benz was so cute, so I don't mind. Kind of sort of the same with Pluek and Manow, I didn't care for them but she's so adorable and hilarious that I don't mind it.

I really appreciated how there wasn't any heavy makeup or bright filters placed over the actors. We could actually see their skin and even some actors' acne, but it just adds on to the reality of all this. I want more barely there makeup, it looks so good.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - It's good! Some spots falter because it's just back-and-forth miscommunication. Other than that, it's a great plot!

Acting: 10/10 - I never usually give a 10/10 to the acting, but there's literally not a singular person who didn't do a good job. Prem being the best, and it just follows after that.

Music: 8/10 - They brought back some of my favorites from UWMA!! Yay!

Recommndation Value: 7.5/10 - Highly recommend. Especially if you were a UWMA person. I still think UWMA is better, but this series does it justice, and it really is an enjoyable watch. I didn't skip over anything, I didn't hate watching one couple than the other, it was really great.

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Good!

I don't know what was holding me back from watching this mini-love story in 2022, but I've come to my senses and I've finally given this 80-ish mins series a shot. I Want to See Only You is a quaint watch, but rather a good one with some pretty detailed characters and an overall better arch than others told in less than 2 hours.

Let's Dive In.

I think I held myself back from watching this because it looks sad (from the title poster). So I automatically kind of kept it on the back burner, but if that's why you're holding yourself off from this, then don't -- it's exactly the opposite.

What makes this series so good is the very instinctively different personalities of the two main characters. Yuma is very childlike and outgoing, which is why it's kind of hard to see him potentially getting into a relationship cause it seems he's not yet mature enough for one. And then we have Sakura who's very poised and obedient, who likes being alone and plays sad piano music. That's where they grow a lot together though because Yuma is very childish, but when with Sakura he's somewhat calm and compassionate, yet, if Yuma is going crazy, then Sakura is blessed to be in his presence, and takes his energy and runs with it. It's quite an endearing dynamic, and you fall for it instantly.

First loves, especially with your childhood best friend is a complicated one, and this series exclaims that perfectly. Through eye contact, through between-the-line dialogue, and very tentative and passionate (although very chaste) kisses. And yay for kisses (thank you Japan!). This is a very accurate depiction of high school and being in love and being gay at that. *chef's kiss*

Norio was a very precious side character, and I felt very bad for him and his crush on Riko. I wished they would've ended up together too, but I'm not here for the hets, so it's okay. I didn't care much for the teachers' relationship, but I thought the matching outfits were cute.

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10 - A little too short, but everything flows nicely for its time frame. It's a pretty simplistic story with nothing crazy or deep. Just a nice watch about high schoolers realizing they're in love.

Acting: 8.5/10 - It was nice! I think Sakura's character had a hard time trying to cry (or at least it looked like he was trying) but other than that, it was good.

Music: 7/10 - the piano was nice.

Recommendation Value: 8/10 - Highly recommended, but it's a bit short, so it's not the very first thing I'd recommend to someone unless they wanted something quick and easy.

I know I talk very highly of this series, but I think an 8 with suffice. Just because it's not something that will be very memorable from now until the end of the year. I'll most likely forget I watched it in a couple of months. But it's cute, it's lighthearted, has some really good camerawork, and some adorable characters. So please watch.

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Japan Does iI Again!

Another pleasant surprise that I can add to my long reasons why Japanese BLs have been the best out of everything this year. Once again, the title-that-I-will-not-spell-out came through, delivered, and left. And while there were some hiccups here and there, this series did what it came to do, and I appreciate any short subtleties that come in, do their job, leave a lasting impression, and become only memories from there on out - good memories though.

Let's Dive In.

The only reason I will not give this series a 10/10 is that we received no kiss. At one point in my BL endeavor, I was okay with that (Keita Hatsukoi, Cherry Magic, etc). But now, BL has gone way further than I ever thought possible, with profound and rich storylines, amazing emotional and physical chemistry, and heartfelt moments. So no kisses in BL now feels like an utter crime. And there wasn't a single reason why these two MCs shouldn't have kissed. It's getting old Japan!

Other than that, I freaking loved the plot. An erotic manga writer has a fat crush on his idol friend who also has a very open crush on him. and these actors played their part perfectly. I don't think the story would've worked without them. Issei's deep smile, warm aura, and generous eyes mixed with Mamoru's stale demeanor, and cold attitude, yet such a hopeless romantic was *chef's kiss*. They had such good chemistry, even with Koudai being cold for more than half the series. The way my stomach would bubble when Issei would go out of his way to make it to Mamoru events or do anything just to see him. Also, the character development was out of the park. One thing that will drive me over the edge of being in love with a couple is if that slow burn comes with character development, and these two had that.

I'm not the one to really enjoy anything outside of the BL couple's story, but Tsubasa's story had me on the edge of my seat. I really wish that he and one of the other band members (preferably Kyou) would've been a secondary couple, but whatever. He also had great character development (or more so we saw why he was so brooding) and it warmed something in me. Koharu was also a great addition to the team. She brought a light that was desperately needed and became a companion like no other.

Overall, this was a very peaceful and enjoyable watch. No need for a second season, but I do wish we could've seen an endearing kiss between the leads. But oh well.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10: The best part out of everything. It brought some pretty unique plots to the table. It came and went with a bang. I don't think there was any point in the series when I was watching and I was bored. It flowed so naturally and at a steady pace. It was exactly my cup of tea. I'll only take off a star for no kiss scene.

Acting: 9.5/10: as close to perfect as it could get. The story wouldn't have worked if it wasn't for this cast. Amazing job.

Music: 7.5/10: I liked it more than I usually like OSTs.

Recommendation Value: 9/10: I recommend it highly. It's a quick watch, which is a downside, but it's a really nice series, with some really nice characters.

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Complicated, But Good

I was very hesitant to watch this cause I was told how sad and depressing it was, and while others weren't way off, it was really good. It falters a little due to its own length, but other than that, this series is pretty entertaining.

Let's Dive In.

As I already said, this series is just a little too long. The last two episodes are irrelevant to the overall plot, and if anything, I wish the circumstance would've happened in the earlier episodes, to show just how important Eiw and Cake were to one another during harsh times. Cause really, I skipped through these episodes wondering where they correlate with the rest of the series. While sad and well-acted, it's irrelevant as hell.

I'd have mixed feelings categorizing this as a sad series since it doesn't have a "sad" ending per se. But I say that because I did skip episodes 8-9 purposefully because I knew they were going to be too sad for me. Moving and learning to be by yourself, yeah not my cup of tea, but I know Earth bodied it.

Earth and Santa have some really incredible chemistry, like seriously. I was hooked on them by episode 2. The subtleness gets to me the best, it only gets better when Eiw realizes his feelings. I was balling my eyes out at him telling his sister how he felt while watching one of the most poignant LGBT+ movies in Thailand. perfect scene.

I wasn't the biggest fan of the time jump. I would've rather it been 2 years or less. I don't know, 4 years felt extremely too long for me. And Cake and his family never went back to Thailand once? at least to visit?

I don't mind that they don't get together until they're in college, but I wish something more would've happened between them before Cake moved. The series was missing something entirely, and that was a touch of something more than just cuddles in bed.

Rating:

Story; 7.5/10 - the beginning was really nice, and the best part of the story. The last two episodes were pointless and it over-exceeded the time it needed. otherwise, a really nice story and plot.

Acting: 9/10: Earth did it again! Santa also did a really excellent job. It was nice to see Peak and Benz! Everyone else did a decent job.

Music: 6/10: Good.

Rewatch value: 2/10 - ehh. probably not.

I definitely recommend this. While it got sad, it wasn't as sad as you might think. If that makes sense.

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Like Jisoo said - "Not Bad But Not Good"

I have very mixed feelings about this BL. Probably the most mixed I've ever felt for a BL series. For one, we have to consider that this is a MAME series, which is already negative, and for that alone cannot get at least a 10 out of me. But in regards to everything else, I don't know -- I'm seriously conflicted. So join me on this very bumpy roller coaster that is gonna just be me writing my real-time feelings while still trying to figure out how I'm going to rate this.

Let's Dive In.

Let's forget this is a MAME series for a second so I don't immediately decide to hate this series because of her alone lol. But if anything, I think this series leaned more in "ehh" plot-wise. I hate when a plot gets weirdly turned into some crazy out-of-the-ordinary scenario, and this series had quite a bit of those. Rain getting kidnapped, Sky walking into a set-up rape (us seeing him get raped good lord), yeah, a bunch of those scary ones. Other than that, I get lost in what the plot was supposed to be. Rich illegal street racers fall for uni students?? Yes, I think?? Nothing really happened and there wasn't any real conflict. It was really just a happens-as-we-go type of thing, which I didn't mind too much with this series. Really, the plot is what I'm least conflicted on, and more so these couples.

Payu and Rain were surprisingly pretty good. what really takes the cake are their NC scenes which are done very nicely. I don't have much to say about them, were they toxic? For sure in the beginning, but it seems to get better by the end.

Who I'm really conflicted with is Sky and Prapai. For one, Prapal coerced Sky into having sex with him. Then continues to pester Sky into dating him until Sky's forced to give in. But then he says all the right thing to Sky and becomes super soft and respectful, and you forget about all of that, but it still looms in your head like, damn, he's not a good person. Especially when Sky is being raped and when Prapai is "saving" him, he's just being forceful and mean. I think this is where I broke my, "I like you have a cupcake" with them. Outside of that, I think the actors had nice chemistry and had played out their NC scenes the best.

Actually, now that I'm writing this, I don't think I liked it all that much. Outside of the actor's chemistry, the NC scenes, Payu being shirtless, and maybe PraPai sometimes being a gentleman to Sky -- I didn't really enjoy the series. Cause if all of these things were taken out, I would've probably dropped this series by episode 2.

Rating:

Story: 5/10 - I don't know why I gave this rating either. While the plot is lacking, it's still somewhat followed this personification of weather and comparing it to their stories at the beginning of each episode, and I did appreciate that. The other two points would go to the chemistry of the couples, but outside of that, I don't really remember when the story get's "good" per see.

Acting: 8/10 - Pretty good. They know how to have chemistry with one another, which is important. Nouel needs a bit more work, and I would say the same for Fort too. Other than that, the cast was decent.

Music: 6/10 - I don't remember it, but that means it wasn't distracting.

Rewatch Value: 3/10 - it would only be to watch the NC scenes if I'm being honest.

Watch it if you want. Think less plot and more chemistry. That's what I should've done. I don't necessarily recommend it unless someone is looking for a spicy series, and then this would be my go-to.

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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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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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