Reviews

I think I have no words to describe how great is this show. I became interested in it because it had been a success in Japan, but since it's a very long drama I hadn't intention of finish it. But once you start you just can't stop.

All the characters are memorable, and the acting of all cast is incredible. It's been a long time since I laughed so much. There are sad and frustrating moments too, but that's why the history isn't repetitive or boring. Also, you don't know what will happen, it's interesting until the last episode.
The soundtrack is brilliant. They sing too many times the same songs but at least there are good songs. The opening song is very good too.

If you are interested in ama or j-idol culture you must watch this series. If you're not interested in them I think you should at least give a try because it's fantastic.

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I'm surprised nobody has reviewed this lakorn yet! The plot summary drew me in, but its really the lead couple who shines here. They really had chemistry together and their characters were great as well. Out of the few lakorns I've seen, Mattana has been my fave female lead by far. I was worried in the beginning she was just going to be a spoiled brat, thankfully she wasn't. I loved how active she was, willing to save herself, but also put her life on the line to help those she believes in. She had just as much to do as Kamin, which was a nice change as many action lakorns that i've seen usually has the lead girl stay out of the action (unless she's getting saved, lol). Kamin was great as well, of course. Him being so dedicated to Raya and duty-bound to the Royal Family made the angst when he starts having feelings for Mattana so good! Plus he looks really fine here...
Other side characters were interesting too. I really felt for Haruethai and her evolution throughout the show was great. Some characters weren't so great tho. The Prince was just completely inconsistent, I can't believe anyone thinks he would make a good ruler (ugh, gross, Really show? Really?!!) and a lot of the villains motivations (not to mention plans) were weak and repetitive. I think the show was strongest sometime around the middle episodes, unfortunately some tension was lost towards the end with a ridiculously cliched 'injury' plotline that I won't mention in case of spoilers.
For the most part I really enjoyed the music. Nittra/Sweet Dreams was beautiful and haunting, it really fit the scenes it was played it in. Production values were good as well and I really liked some of the costumes.
So overall I'd say the setup is great, writing could have been much tighter and they really could have done so much more with the story. Lead couple is great together and as separate individuals, completely worth watching (but just fast forward through some of the boring side parts, lol).

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I watched this drama on a limb without much expectations bc I was waiting for Song of Glory and bc I really like Merxat lol. I really enjoyed this drama and I think it was partly bc I didn't have high expectations but it was really enjoyable (I finished this drama in 2 days lol).

Story: The story is literally Fake Princess meets Legend of Yunxi. The beginning is Fake Princess while the ending is Legend of Yunxi. However, I think that despite the story not being original, it was still good. It's like watching a parody or rendition of those dramas. Since it's a short drama, the problems are resolved rather quickly which was really nice lol (longer dramas need to do this); there wasn't any point in the drama where anything was too dragged out. The ending is literally fast paced Legend of Yunxi but I mean I don't mind it and also expected it bc it gave the FL importance you know. She had to save him or else war or something bad in the kingdom would happen without a king. What I will say is the scriptwriter could've made the ending more well rounded instead of giving us flashbacks, like we should've gotten a reaction from ML. However, it was a bittersweet ending and I also enjoyed the flashback bc it complimented the "sweetness" to the ending and her life like she died in her lover's arms and was reminded by all the better memories they had together which made me teary eyed lol. I also didn't like how he almost raped her like twice (this should not be romanticized but bc I knew it happened historically, I closed an eye but honestly dramas should stop doing this).

Characters & Acting: The FL is smart which is highly appreciated since there are a lot of dramas like this where the FL is just flat out stupid and annoying. The FL is cute and funny and she doesn't overdo it which was also enjoyable. I just didn't like how when ML was kissing her all she did was open her eyes mad wide and not kiss back like girl are you okay? ML was great (I am a little bias bc I really love Merxat lol) but I think his role was good. He was romantic when we needed him to be romantic, he was smart when we needed him to be smart, he was soft and cute but was also strong and brave. The main couple really complimented each other. What I will say I didn't really like from them was their emotional crying scenes, it did make me sad with them but it wasn't enough to make me cry with them. The second couple was okay but I feel like their acting was a bit awkward, especially when she accidentally killed him. I didn't like how although she's suppose to be a strong character but kept getting sick/hurt like girl? I recommend you find another career path. Other than that, their romance was nice but bc of how limited their screentime was, it felt rushed like how did he love her so quickly? I love the supporting characters (even the bitchy consorts in the kingdom), especially the eunach and the king's general as well as FL's maid (she's very cute/ I wanted a love interest for her lol).

Cinematography: The filming was really well done for what's considered a low budget production. The color pallet was easy on the eyes with a lot of pastels and bright colors. The editing was a little bit weird bc when one episode ends on one note, the next brings us to another. Also the editing for the main couple was a bit weird like we see so many scenes where they're sweet to each other towards the end of the episode but then it just fades out like bro we're here for the romance so give it to us. The fighting scenes were okay but not the best but for a drama like this where it's not action heavy is plausible.

Overall: I recommend it if you enjoyed Fake Princess and Legend of Yunxi and if you're a fan of Merxat lol. I think this drama is worth a shot, especially if you have nothing else to watch. The ending is not my favorite but when you've been watching Chinese dramas for so long, you would know Chinese scriptwriters never want a happy ending for the leads. It's fast paced and straight forward. I think you should definitely give this drama a try!

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Nowadays short Korean dramas seem to be in trend and they seem to be themed on youth. I watched this thinking it would be similar to Adolescence Medley but it turned out to be better. It was a very light watch and filled with sweetness. It was almost like sugar, candies and rainbows.

I didn't know that Ki Kwang could act this well. He was really charming and made himself believable as him (since he played himself here). I've never the main actress before but she was too cute for words. I usually have a problem with girls behaving like eight-year-olds but this girl was too likable. She didn't annoy me at all. Her chemistry with Ki Kwang was explosive. Their romance was wonderful and oh my- the kisses!! It wasn't just one or two open-eyed ones, there were many cute ones.

A few parts of the drama towards the end felt dragged to me so that's the reason I'm docking off a point. It wasn't perfect. It's just a feel-good kind of a story with solid puppy love!

This drama is fairly short with the length of a movie and that makes it an easy watch. It's something to watch with a bowl of popcorn in your hand while you sit in your PJs on a lazy Sunday. Go watch it now! You will not regret it.

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How many twists and turns do you want? Yes.

First off, I was excited to see this movie because it was directed by the man, the myth, the legend, Lee Jung-jae himself. I was happy for him when he reached global stardom after Squid Game because honestly, this man is just phenomenal. Going back to the movie, at the beginning it will throw you right in the middle of the story. As far as action goes, the tension and adrenalin were there but were not maintained so when the climax came, I felt it was a bit dull. But all throughout I was absorbed in the story. I believe the lead characters' objectives are justifiable to a point. I'm convinced that, yes, this was the world then. Maybe, this is our world right now, too. The ending I kind of already guessed and I'm glad they took that route because it's far more realistic than having a Hollywood ride to the sunset. Jung Woo-sung and Go Yoon-jung were excellent in their roles. It's a film worth watching at least once.

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We Must Choose To Live The Life We Never Want To Go Back And Fix

I am in shock by how much I truly enjoyed this show. I saw people recommending it here and there but I kept putting it off until it was already around the time when about 5 or 6 episodes were out.

THEY SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT ON THIS SHOW!!!

SPOILERS AHEAD

I just wanted to give a brief overview of the main characters…

You have Kawi who is a chaotic, anxious, and lost mess who doesn’t have the highest sense of self-worth and self-assurance but yet still wants to do what’s right, wants to learn from his mistakes, and is in my opinion overall a good person. I think Kawi can be quite misunderstood as a character or some people may take fault with how he goes about dealing with certain situations but I think he might be one of, if not, the most relatable characters on the show. Life is full of choices and we as humans can struggle at times to know which way to go or how to handle things. Also, having to deal with such opposing feelings and the effects that those feelings can have on others around us. He is the perfect example of honesty within yourself and to others.

Pisaeng is BEST BOY TRULY!!! He is the ride or die man!!! He is loyal to Kawi through and through no matter what timeline they are in. Even during those moments where they are still just friends and Kawi is grappling with his overwhelming emotions, Pisaeng is still there. I loved that we got to see a glimpse into him coming to terms with his identity. I also thought that the storyline concerning his mother was very valid and needed attention so I am glad that it was included. Pisaeng is the type that is self-sacrificing, almost too much, but that’s something one can learn to overcome. What else can I say other than that his heart is so pure.

PEAR IS WHAT A FEMALE CHARACTER IN A BL SHOULD BE LIKE!!! I LOVED that we got to see a multi dimensional female character on the show who’s only purpose wasn’t to be going after a man that clearly doesn’t want her. Her relationship with her parents, particularly her mom really made me emotional to see and seeing her hypothetical outcome in the future really made me feel for her even more. She turned out to be such a great friend to Kawi and Pisaeng and that’s how it should be.

Max is the friend that we all need. I liked his honesty towards his friends. People need the truth, you can’t always sugarcoat everything and Max gave that. He really served as a much needed confidant for both Kawi and Pisaeng. I really wish his character could have had more of a storyline other than just as being a friend but I really truly feel like his purpose was to showcase the importance of equality for all.


Now on to what I liked about the show…

Be My Favorite manages to tackle many themes in it’s runtime without feeling forced. It touches on things like discovery/identity, acceptance, forgiveness, healing, liberation, how the past impacts the present/future, friendship, living in the moment, and many more.

Not only that but the pacing of this show is spot on as well. There wasn’t ever a moment where I felt like a scene was unneeded. Everything just flowed nicely. I also thought that the writing on this show was surprisingly wonderful. The dialogue stayed with me and every line felt like it was meant to be there. The plot kept me coming back for more.

I can’t talk about this show without mentioning the main characters acting. Krist and Fluke were an unlikely but wonderful combination together. I thought they both played their roles with conviction and believability. The chemistry was chemistrying for sure lol

I also thought that the show utilized the time travel concept very well. It was actually interwoven into the plot and it seemed like whoever came up with the idea really knew how to execute it well.

There wasn’t much that I disliked about this show if you couldn’t already tell.

All in all, this is one of the best BL’s of 2023 and one of the best BL’s in general. It deserves ALL of the love and praise!!!

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Girl Power and Strong Female Bond. This is how I would describe this amazing drama. I don't think there are many dramas that revolve around this 2 subjects... mixed (female and male), yes; male, yes. 100% female, no. The plot is about 5 women kidnapping a powerful man. Episode 1 is the kidnapping and till Ep. 9 all happens in the same night. Except that each episode shows flashbacks of these women when they meet in prison, start to bond and finally, to plan the kidnapping and the justice for Hime/Yusuke.

I took half a star because I truly feel like this needed an extra episode... Ep 10 felt a bit rushed.

It is a very fun drama that made me laugh several times and cried a bit over the Yusuke story. The cast is colorful, each girl is amazing, and the villain is super charming. ED song is "Showtime", by Amuro Namie. I loved it, catchy and girly.

I'll definitely rewatch this when my sister decides to watch it. Super recommended.

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Kim Tae Hee dramas have always been a hit or miss; some I liked (My Princess); some I hated (Stairway to Heaven, too freaking sad) and some I'm just indifferent to (Iris and Jang Ok Jung); however, this drama I found on a fluke and absolutely loved it; from start to finish. I was pleasantly surprised at the story. It kind of reminds you (somewhat) of the The Bodyguard without the dangerous backdrop. This was my first Hidetoshi drama as I have a lot of his dramas on my watchlist but now I have something to look forward to as his acting was solid. The drama was a joint Korean and Japanese production and a nice surprise side story with Taecyon as Yuna's long lost brother.

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Honestly, this film is very deep.

I do believe that it can be interpreted in many ways but I think the way it was intended to be interpreted was as a story depicting how young girls are "used" (I do not mean to offend in any way, this is just how I interpreted the film, sorry!). To quote Mitsuko from the end,"stop using us like toys" is what she says, and very much the message that I think was trying to be portrayed.

The story was very.. wild. lol. Jokes aside, it really drew me in, although it did get a little confusing at times. The beginning was very "wtf is going on" but I think the film definitely improves as it progresses, so keep watching!!

Excellent cast in this film, the main 3 girls and Aki were just brilliant. Aki was a very believable character, probably the most believable of all. She really brought a sense of realism into the film, and whenever she was calming Mitsuko, it felt like she was bringing me back to earth too. The side characters (ily Sur!!) kept me interested and the antagonists were.. questionable, at most.. but I suppose they were doing their job if it was keeping the audience's focus on the main characters.

The music was tense when it needed to be, and suited the mood pretty much all the time. I think the music definitely helped induce my hysterical sobbing halfway through the film (pillow fight by the lake T-T ) Others might notice that at the very start of the film, the music is the same as The Walking Dead! Honestly, I think it fits! The end credits are worryingly soothing but OH BOY that didn't stop my crying.

This film left me doing ugly hysterical sobbing.. yet I would still choose to watch it again (and I've seen it twice now) although I'm not sure if everyone is the same as me because this film was just very "up my alley"!

I'm no film expert, this is just my opinion. But if you choose to watch the film, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!!

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Drama político, Sofrimento e amor: tudo na medida certa

Khun Chaai foi uma surpresa que eu não esperava que me pegasse tão forte. Sabe quando a série não precisa de beijo, não precisa de cena quente, e mesmo assim consegue entregar muito mais do que um monte de BL que só sabe se apoiar em namoro possessivo e sexo vazio? Pois é, aqui a coisa é diferente. A trama é coesa, bem amarrada, não fica largando ponta solta, e isso já é um alívio imenso. Eu senti raiva, senti satisfação, senti um ataque de ansiedade real (sem meme, precisei parar e tomar meu remédio porque tava pesado demais) e, no fim, acabei sorrindo, chorando e me envolvendo de um jeito que fazia tempo que não acontecia.

O casal principal tem uma dinâmica muito mais profunda do que só romance. Não é só sobre estar junto, mas sobre se completar dentro de um universo cheio de conflitos e escolhas difíceis. E os casais secundários também não ficam atrás, cada um traz um tempero próprio, dá aquela sensação de que todo mundo importa na trama, não é só enfeite.
Tian e Jiu, por exemplo, mexeram comigo de um jeito especial. O sofrimento do Tian é sufocante, não ser aceito, ter que se esconder, se perder num looping de mentiras que vão drenando ele pouco a pouco, foi pesado de acompanhar. E aí chega o Jiu, quase como uma fresta de luz numa vida tão cinzenta, trazendo esperança, mas também dor. Porque ver Tian se agarrando a isso, tentando respirar em meio ao sufoco, foi lindo e dolorosamente triste ao mesmo tempo. Eles entregaram uma relação que não é só romancezinho doce, é aquela que te esmaga e te faz refletir.

E não tem como falar de Khun Chaai sem mencionar o Yang. Eu simplesmente me apaixonei por esse personagem, porque o companheirismo e o amor dele pelo irmão são de uma delicadeza rara. Ele não é aquele tipo de personagem que precisa gritar aos quatro ventos o quanto se importa, ele mostra em gestos, em cuidados, em como sempre tá ali pra segurar o Tian quando o peso parece insuportável. É bonito de ver, dá vontade de proteger os dois juntos. E aí vem a relação dele com a Phin, que é outro show à parte. Esses dois têm uma química divertida, leve, cheia de troca genuína de afeto. Eles não precisam de nada grandioso pra serem fofos, só o jeito natural de se cutucarem e se apoiarem já deixa tudo mais cativante. Yang e Phin são aquele casal que você quer guardar num potinho, porque entre tanto drama e tensão, eles trazem a dose necessária carinho.

E, olha, eu preciso bater palmas para o protagonismo feminino aqui. As mulheres vilãs foram um show à parte. Eu senti ódio real delas, aquele ódio gostoso que só vem quando a atuação é foda mesmo. E acompanhar a transição delas, indo de vilãs odiáveis para parceiras críveis, foi uma das coisas mais bem construídas que eu já vi. Nada forçado, nada abrupto, tudo feito com o cuidado que a história merecia. A-Li e A-Chan são o coração desse núcleo feminino poderoso, e foi fascinante acompanhar até onde uma mãe pode ir para proteger ou elevar o nome de seu filho. Ambas movidas por ambição e desespero, jogando sujo, sem se importar com o rastro de dor que deixavam. E aí vem a ruína, aquele momento em que as consequências finalmente batem na porta, e a queda delas é tão intensa quanto a subida foi arrogante. Ver essas duas mulheres, que no início eu queria esganar, ganhando camadas de vulnerabilidade e até um certo respeito no fim, foi simplesmente brilhante. Elas não foram escritas como caricaturas de vilãs, mas como mulheres complexas, falhas e humanas, que erraram feio e pagaram por isso.

Os pontos negativos até existem, mas honestamente? Eu não quero nem gastar tempo com eles, porque essa série é tão bem dirigida, tão bem feita, que dá gosto de assistir. Eles criaram um universo fascinante, cheio de detalhes que te puxam pra dentro, e eu só consegui sair quando acabou. E quando acabou, eu fiquei com aquele sentimento raro de satisfação plena, de que valeu cada minuto. Não foi aquela experiência que você termina e já esquece no dia seguinte, não. Khun Chaai ficou comigo, martelando na cabeça, revisitando cenas e diálogos, e até cutucando meus sentimentos dias depois. E olha que fazia tempo que uma série não me deixava assim, envolvida a ponto de me fazer parar pra respirar, rir, chorar e até xingar a TV. Puta merda, que série boa. Recomendar essa série não é nem questão de gosto, é quase um serviço público, porque todo mundo que gosta de um bom drama, bem escrito e intenso, merece sentir essa montanha-russa de emoções. E sim, sou exagerada nos elogios e não tenho nenhuma vergonha disso. Vão assistir Khun Chaai agora!

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A sincere, heartfelt depiction of rural Isan teen life

To understand where Nha Harn is coming from, one needs to know the social background of Isan, Thailand's impoverished northeastern region. It's home to a third of the country's population, but is mostly left behind by economic development. For the common folk living in rural areas, opportunities are rare, their futures uncertain.

Most depictions of Isan have tended to either sensationalize or romanticize its people's struggles, but Nha Harn does neither. Instead, it just tells personal stories of teens living the typical rural Isan life, through non-judgemental lenses that amount to their own views. Building on a trend since 2014 of successful indie comedy films by Isan creators targeting Isan viewers, Nha Harn was originally made as a movie in 2019. TV Thunder's series adaptation, by the same director, Chantana Tiprachart, re-packages the story with more mainstream aesthetics and production values, while remaining faithful to its origins.

Nha Harn The Series is a sincere, heartfelt depiction of rural Isan, a rare spotlight on the regular lives of kids from poorer families so commonly overlooked by mainstream media. It beautifully showcases the charms of the region, from the dialogue, which is almost entirely in the Isan language, to the exquisite locations and scenery, to the music, which infuses mor lam and luk thung influences throughout.

This is on top of a very solid (though not perfect) production. Technical quality is consistently good. The actors, many of whom are on camera for the first time, portray the characters very believably, even if their delivery isn't always on point. While the plot isn't the most original, and the early idyllic storylines might not capture attention by themselves, this is more than offset by the subject matter. The series doesn't try to make itself into a piece of social commentary, but when it does touch on the pains of hardship faced by the people represented by its characters, it does so with such a raw, searing intensity that it's impossible not to feel for them.

Nha Harn might not exactly be Hormones' counterpart for the working class, but it comes quite close. And for successfully depicting Thai society's marginalized kids in such an appealing manner, it is highly recommended.

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The best duo and the best chemistry

How I thought this would be another mediocre drama but I really enjoyed this.

Our female lead, Qin Yan… she really never gives up. my main reason to love this character is her spirit of never giving up and her tricks. I love how witty she is and the fact that her self confidence comes from all those books that she has read is something even better to see in a historical drama.

Qin Yan does gets help from the male lead very often but she still stands out differently because of her never-ending persistence. she believes men and women are equal and bravely fights for herself.

And what will happen when this witty girl meets someone wittier. Liang Yi is the powerful, rich and perfect typical male lead who is also cold but he is very righteous in heart. the way his aloof face brightens up with a smile in the later half is just the best part. I like how supporting he becomes and goes to great lengths just to protect her. Liang Yi is already my favorite character of the year.

It's so fun to see both of these bickering over and tricking each other until they fall for each other and together fight the wrong.

Acting — it's like cherry on the top. All those expressions, from Qiao Xin smiling mischievously like that after every plan to Jeremy Tsui being the combo of cold + caring. they really compliment their characters so well.

OSTs —
✼ Beautiful words to say – by Xu Wei
✼ Yi Jue – by Luan Yi Ze
✼ Wish – by Feng Jiaqi (Queena)
The songs were all so sweet and pleasant to ears.

Favorite dialogues —
✧ how nice it would be if we're this wisp of smoke and we can go anywhere we like with the wind
✧ Even if it's just a wisp of smoke it will go straight to the blue sky… we'll get options as long as we don't give up
✧ We're ordinary people. Ordinary people are not perfect.

To conclude, of course like any other drama, this must have it's own flaws but the essence of this drama is that it has the right amount of everything you can add and the viewers do not get bored. I enjoyed watching it and would definitely recommend "The Autumn Ballad."

✿ ~ will talk about how this drama lost it's one star in the comments section under spoiler tag…

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I must be in a romantic, cheesy mood these days because I really enjoyed this drama. The effects were obvious, and the story has been done before, but I still found myself really into the story and rooting for the main couple (and just wanting to keep looking at Tang Danson of course!)

Story: 1 more vampire love story to add to the list for me. 200+ year old vampire finds love after losing his previous girlfriend before he was turned. Its been done. The actors are what saved this drama for me, but the little twists that help bring the couple together just add to the fluff.

Acting/Cast: This could have easily turned into a horrible drama that tried wayyyyy too hard, but it wasn't (not for me anyway). The actors did a great job of making the characters entertaining and likable, so I was interested in how the story would unfold for them. And let's be honest, Tang Danson plays the brooding vamp very well: dark, mysterious and aloof....which made his scenes where there was comedy involved even funnier. The female lead, Hei Lam, was great too. She's not your average damsel in distress, the girl takes judo for fun and can kick some butt, BUT she still needs to be rescued every now and then.

Music: I didn't really notice anything special, but when the action started it did help amp up the mood.

Rewatch Value: Sure! Its only 9 episodes. So if you're craving a bit of fluff from a genre that is usually all dark and brooding, rewatch away!

Overall: Its not the greatest drama of all time, but it certainly was entertaining and the actors made me fall in love with the characters and kept me interested for a 9 episode marathon. The ending is a bit...meh...but it gives you a bit of everything and some nice eye candy that I highly recommend.

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Best GMMTV Series To Date

A Tale of (a) Thousand Stars was the best BL that GMMTV has ever produced. Period. From the quality of production, acting, setting, and story, TOTS will forever remain a stellar series that has pushed the agenda for BLs to come.

Let's Dive In.

I'll keep my review pretty precise since there are plenty others to read from, but this series really brought me to tears, which isn't easy. Tian's character development was some of the best I have ever seen, and it was done with such subtleness and delicateness that was shown through his trials and tribulations with wanting to belong amongst the villagers and his students. For this to be Mix's (Tian) first-ever acting gig, he did a phenomenal job, and I hope to see him in many more series to come. Earth was finally given a decent role! the last I had seen of Earth was when he played a rude swimmer, but in this series, he served as the stern officer, who became gentle when around Tian. Phupa was a delight and I really enjoyed all that he brought. The chemistry between the two was off the charts. When you can present a connection that is so strong to the audience without the need for physical affection or intimacy, then you know it's good. A huge pat on the back for Mix and Earth.

The plot was phenomenal, nothing more is needed to be said. Everything connected in one way or another, and I NEED to see more well-thought-out and detailed plots like this with GMMTV. No toxic ex-girlfriend, no homophobic characters, and no plot holes. Perfection is the only word needed to exclaim this plot.

When looking at the behind-the-scenes, it was obvious how much effort and hard work was put into producing this series, and that right there deserves a ten for itself. I've seen Backoaf's (director) other work, but this one was the best one he has done yet. Seeing at how difficult it was to make this series, I doubt that we'll get a season two, but where we left off was perfect and a really good ending.

Yod was by far my favorite character. He was the comedic relief to this series (as well as Rang), and it was some of the best I had seen. I hope to see Champ in future projects because he was pure bliss to see on screen. Khaotung did a fantabulous job here, and I liked him way more than his other character in Tonhon Chonalatee. I liked how he served as kind of this discreet hint of jealously that Phu had because it just spiced up the plot even more. We don't see too much of Torfun in this, but her actress was fantastic and had such a bubbly and happy personality with the kids. Speaking of the kids, I am so impressed with all of their acting. While it was not the best ever, it was still a lot better than some other child actors I've seen on these series. My favorite would have to be between Ayi and Khao. Tul was the friend that everyone deserved. He was accepting and kind right off the bat, cheering on Tian the whole way. Now that's a best friend.

Overall, this series did a phenomenal job at basically everything. Some of the low rating reviews I've read complained about nit-picky stuff, or the fact that Tian and Phu didn't have enough physical affection. While I agree that Phu did come off as a bit too stern at times (especially towards the end), he did what he thought was the right thing to do, and even though pushing away Tian wasn't the right decision at all, he believed so out of the depth of his heart. With the whole intimacy thing, yes it was nothing big or flamboyant, but it matched perfectly with this couple, and quite frankly if them kissing and shangidy-shang-bang-banging is all that you're worried about and not the actual falling in love part, then the few of you need to do some soul-searching.

This series is definitely going on my top 10, and I highly recommend it, especially to people starting out in BL (this was supposed to be a short review, but I love this series so much, so oh well).

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In continuing my exploration of Japanese literature and cinema, it strikes me how intertwined the classics of each medium really are. Of course, films have been based on novels since the dawn of cinema; look no farther than George Méliès (A Trip To the Moon) and you can see the truth in that. However, it’s rarer to have a screenplay come directly from the original author himself. Through Suna no Onna (Woman in the Dunes) we’re given that special treat in the form of Kono Abe’s script, based on his magnum opus of the same name. Married to the visionary skill of a young Teshigahara Hiroshi, this film is not only a stunningly accurate adaptation of the source material, it might even be an improvement.

“Are you shoveling to survive, or surviving to shovel?”

This lone stretch of dialogue succinctly sums up the thematic heart of Woman in the Dunes. It is a momentous parable that speaks of the human condition—but which part and to what effect? Is this a story of emancipation despite physical confinement? Perhaps our characters are two Sisyphuses, doomed sinners and prisoners twice over. Or maybe things are more hopeful, despite the bleak atmosphere of the story. What if all of us are digging away at the sands of life, just trying to stay ahead day by day, lest we be crushed? We might be stuck struggling at the bottom forever, but at least there –is- still a bottom. And we may not be alone down there forever, either. What do you think it might be?

Woman in the Dunes speaks to the viewer on a visceral level, using shots so finely detailed as to tickle the senses. There are times the sand moves vibrantly across the screen—one might expect to dip their fingers through the television and feel the grains. Once when the male lead drinks from the limited water, I cringed, almost tasting the salty corruption of the sands.

Our leads engage in an intense sexual relationship, one desperate yet almost like a calculated carnal exchange. The woman acts as a seductress—to bind the man to her?—yet something about the scenes build up and inflame to suggest more as the film rolls along. Please be prepared for sexual elements as they play a large role in Woman in the Dunes. It is not quite a “pink film,” however; we predate those by several years.

Despite the exemplary cinematography, my favorite element of this film must be the score. Without the stylings of Takemitsu Toru, the uncanny atmosphere of Woman in the Dunes would be shattered. He lends scenes an off-kilter feel, sometimes even palpable suspense, though they might seem otherwise quiet. This helps build the overall effect of the film to its crescendo. One effect in particular left an impression on me: a high-pitched sound, as if rocks were scraping across a tin roof.

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