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10 Things I Want to Do before I Turn 40
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When you only get halfway through the list
This series started off with all the promise of being a main contender for one of this years favorites. Yet, somewhere along the way, the ball was dropped and the focus was lost. I would say the last four episodes were extremely hard to get through and honestly I really needed for these two to have a serious conversation about things that were said. I feel like everything was iced like the cake they ate for his bday. And it left things feeling a little hollow for me.Was this review helpful to you?
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Not perfect, but good enough.
I didn't plan to watch this, but it came up in my viki recommended and I decided to check out the first ep. A lot of things don't really catch my interest, but this seemed to do it and kept me interested to the end.The only real criticism I have is for the second pairing and the holy moly rollercoaster they made us ride throughout the show. JJ seemed largely one dimensional throughout this series, where he's on edge and annoyed/angry at every bend of the story. At some point it does get really annoying and for half of the series I was just thinking that this guy really needs to get his **** ****ed and chill out. But then he tries to save Inhyung and gets hit by the truck and honestly it made me laugh (I know it sounds terrible), but finally he was silent and somewhat enjoyable to watch on the screen. Also the fact that they wrote Inhyung denying a record deal to take care of JJ was infuriating. Inhyung deserved so much more at the end of the series.
Despite this, overall the series did make me laugh and had me pulling for the two leads. Geunyoung's dad had me rolling a few times. No matter what, the good does outweigh the bad and is worth the watch.
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Could've been great, but ended up being mediocre
The bones of the story here had a lot of potential to be a great story that could leave a lasting impression, but sadly this series did not deliver. The writing of this series is questionable and it produced characters that you know you should feel something for but which you just don't. I think the CEO and the DR had wayyyy too much relevance in this series and instead of being bad guys, they just became annoying at some point. I feel like everything else was just dusted over. And the finale was esp underwhelming and just furthered the disconnect of the story. I feel like giving this a 7 is being kind really, but that's what I'm giving it anyways.Was this review helpful to you?
This felt like lukewarm leftovers...
I've spent a lot of time trying to comprehend just how season 1 could've gone so well and how season 2 could have gone so terribly? The magic of season 1 is completely lost in season 2. The grit and fun of season 1 is missing in all aspects; maybe Way took those with him into the afterlife?I truly only kept watching this season for one reason only, for Kim / Kenta and wowwww what a mistake that was. I could've just powered up ao3 and found a fix it fic to fill the VOID in my heart.
I feel bad for the cast and crew who spent so much time on this, because I'm sorry it was literally bordering the utter garbage category in my honest opinion. It was like eating lukewarm leftovers, it looked and tasted nothing like it did the first time.
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Won't turn back time on this one.
This series seemed to spin its wheels a lot, never going anywhere plot wise. It spends a lot of time doing nothing. There's so many questions that are never answered about the world they live in, or why Shen Nan has this special necklace, etc. I guess we're just supposed to accept it as is and maybe I could've, but the chemistry / love story didn't even compel me to do so.I also know there's a special episode, but I'll leave that unwatched because it's not even worth my time at this point.
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Diabetic levels of cuteness
I'll start this review by saying that Your Sky was easily one of the shows I looked forward to every week. It was an uncomplicated, unthinking, and c u t e show. Perfect stamp for the end of the week, when you want to relax and maybe squish your cheeks a little while you heart-eye your tv screen.Thomas and Kong have great chemistry. But I will say their newness to acting was evident. There was an emotionality that was sometimes missing and thus made the characters feel a little one dimensional in certain scenes. They really had the CUTE factor down and the sugar inducing sweetness on point, but it needed more balance in my opinion. It is for this reason why I feel a little torn about the NC scenes. If you're watching them standalone, they're A+++ but they felt a little too much or out of place in the show.
Overall, I know that we have so much more to look forward to from these two, as Your Sky is truly just the beginning for them. And while the show wasn't 100% perfection, it was enjoyable to watch and it will definitely be missed.
PS - I really hope we get a special episode, because for me personally I need to see more of Punlee and Ghlaijai.
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Hwang Da Seul does it again...
Oh the intricacies of life that are brought so achingly to the screen in such a brilliant way. This was masterfully executed, as expected from Hwang Da Seul. She continues to provide us with compelling and beautifully acted stories and she definitely didn't fail us here.Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo is a series of growing up and fighting with the expectations that are set forth and how we can break from those cursed chains that try to destroy us down to the bones. Or, what one is pushed to do just to survive, even if it means leaving everything and everyone you know behind. Not only does this story pull us in and keep us invested, but it gives us flawed characters and challenges us to understand (and still love) them.
All in all, this series was a solid work of art that deserves the high praise and a rewatch or two.
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Ossan's Love Returns and reminds us what great writing looks like
Ossan's Love Returns (literally) and what a welcome return to a wonderful series. Not very often are we given a big follow up installment, and it's even more rare that a follow up is well rounded as a whole. Which is what makes this such a welcome release within the BL world.This series is so full of heart, of compelling characters and their stories, and also provides us with some good laughs as well. It makes every episode worth the watch, all the way through and even provides it with a high rewatch factor.
Maybe we'll see more from this series in the future, who knows? I'd personally love to see it.
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For Him, not For Me
12 episodes of For Him could've been easily condensed down to 8. Sometimes an episode was 45 mins, and sometimes it was barely 30 with 20 mins of BTS footage thrown in. The story is all over the place and loses itself many times. Lots of inconsistencies with the plot and even just the filming of it. The hair colors are all over the place, at different grow out periods for both of the main actors. Sometimes Nail was fully orange, sometimes not, sometimes it changed multiple times in an episode. Same thing for Him and his gray hair. This continued throughout and even in the last episode with Nail's painted nails, there was no consistency. And this overwhelming misstep really takes a few stars off for me.Also, NC scenes are great and wonderful, but I felt like the NC scenes somehow were more of a priority than the overall plot of this show. And let me be clear, the NC scenes were mostly all enjoyable, but they are definitely not a replacement for actual story and depth. That missing element was definitely felt multiple times.
Overall Positives:
- Thor was a redeeming factor for me. His acting felt real and he fully allowed himself to be absorbed in Nail's world (and also Blue's).
- Side pairing Chao / Pie was also cute. I really loved their dynamics.
Overall Negatives:
- Dew's acting bothered me a lot, because it felt like acting (if that makes sense)
- Pacing and inconsistencies of the episodes and storylines.
- Didn't enjoy the BTS scenes added into episodes, that was super annoying.
- Also didn't like the intro, was wayyyy too long and seemed cheaply made.
I think the actors definitely deserved a better script. They did the best with what they were given. Hope to see them in something more substantial and solid in the future.
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BL Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita: Crank Up Hen
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A sweetly comedic story
Upon initial read of the synopsis of this BL, the likelihood for the 'cringe factor' to be off the charts is really high. But instead, what we find here is great chemistry between the leads and believable acting. The comedic timing in certain scenes had me wheezing with laughter. It was a perfect balance of funny and sweet.I really loved how this series subtlety addresses the people who are watching the series and how being a fan / stan of something doesn't necessary make you a weirdo / loser.
The only thing that would absolutely make this better, is if it had more episodes or a s2.
It's just too good for it to be this short.
But what a fun and easy watch to start off 2024!
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Best Taiwanese BL in 2023
As we all know, some of the most coveted BLs of all time are hailed from Taiwan. And so, when you see a new one dropping the expectation is usually through the roof. All that said, the BLs dropping in 2023 from them have really fallen short in terms of their predecessors.But Kiseki: Dear to Me walked through our doors and offered us a breath of fresh air. For me, it's really rare to be engaged and interested in both pairings of a show. But I was invested in both Zerui / Zongyi and Ai Di / Chen Yi. The chemistry between both pairings was dripping from the screen and their stories pulled at my heart strings so wonderfully. I honestly couldn't get enough of them.
I am dinging a few points on the story however, because the background plot outside of the couples is not really told well and can be kind of confusing. And also, the finale (overall) felt really underwhelming and frustrating by including unnecessary plot speed bumps for no reason.
Outside of that though, this is still worth a watch. Plus!!! There's so many cameos from beloved BLs of the past and it was nice to see them all again on the screen.
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Refreshing and honest, do not overlook this one!
I see reviews saying this show queerbaited, but I encourage everyone to look up the definition of that word and know that it is an incorrect assessment {and those saying that are probably watching for the wrong reasons}. Maybe they don't kiss, but their togetherness is undeniable and cute. Do not let other reviews deter you from watching and enjoying this series. I promise it is worth it.This series climbed its way into my heart in a way that left me feeling touched, because of the overall storyline for both boys. I see a lot of reviews of people who are upset at the lack of an onscreen kiss, but in this instance, I think it makes sense. The lack of this onscreen kiss does not take away from the beautiful relationship that Dayeol and Taehyun were able to carve out. And based on Taehyun's past and his trauma, I believe he needed the extra time to navigate being in love with Dayeol.
It would have been great to see more of what happened during their time apart, but the result is that they finally came together when they were both ready. I think this series excels in storytelling; it was so nice to have the long eps for a kbl. I hope they veer more into this territory. As far as the acting, I think it was incredible. Both of the boys from Omega X, who acted in this series at one of the most difficult times in their life (as we would later come to find), rose to the challenge and did so beautifully. I hope both venture into the acting field again, as I would love to see more from them.
As far as A Shoulder to Cry On as a whole, it is an instant hit in my book and I will keep it in my top 5 kbls going forward.
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A story within a story within a...
This series had me absolutely glued to my screen for every minute of every episode. The inner weavings of the filming of the BL series and the actors falling for each other and all of the complications that came from it drenched every corner of this story with intrigue. There were moments that the filmed series became so captivating that when the director yelled 'cut' it felt like the audience was also waking from the inner story with the actors. There's only been very few series / films I've watched that have managed to keep my attention this well. And even in the end, when you're sure you know everything, you realize maybe you didn't.Truth be told, I think the more you watch this series, the deeper in you'll find yourself in love with it.
I honestly don't have many things to say about this in a negative capacity. If I really wanted to nitpick, I guess I could, but for what it IS and the quality of it as a whole along with the exceptional acting of Ollie and Shu Yuan, this is sliding into my all time favorite BL list and making it an EASY contender for best CBL of the year.
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Disappointing Ending
This series really came out of nowhere and tugged at the heart strings immediately. Good story, great acting, and all the promises of being a top 2026 contender in the sea of BLs. But man oh man... that final episode left me so disappointed. Honestly, I'm just not a fan of open ended endings. But in this one, it's not only open ended, but also mystifying in the same. I'm not really sure what they wanted the final message to be and I don't really want to do the mental olympics to come to a final conclusion.It had it all but a good ending.
Disappointing.
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Infectious Cute Aggression
I'll be very honest and say that within the first and second eps of this series I was watching it begrudgingly because I didn't really expect much from it. The bar was low concept wise, nothing new and/or amazing.And yet DWY managed to do something very few series have managed to do. It stayed consistent and true to its concept and exceeded the bars that were set and made us feel all the things while they were at it. This is a clear case of don't judge a book by its cover imo, because the story itself lands perfectly upon the heart and makes you wish for it to never end.
TeeTee made this series what it was, his infectious mannerisms and believable down-badism as Duang literally were the defining points of this series. Por also did well, and the later half of the series we were able to see his acting chops shine through as Qin's walls came down. Together they are magic, because they provide what the other is lacking and the balance is wonderful.
This series made me swoon, cry, and laugh so much.
This is easily a top favorite of 2026 and is soooo recommended.
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