Reviews

NOT BAD AT ALL

Not bad for an Idol Drama, which I normally don’t watch. As a viewer, it paints a pretty good idea of how hard it is for these celebrity idols to TRY and live a normal life. For them, there’s never a time they are not in the spotlight. Yes, they’re living their dreams, doing what they like to do most, but I’m sure trying to have some kind of private life has to be rough, too. After all, everyone’s youth should be lived to its fullest, being happy in every aspect of life and love. I don’t really recognize anyone in the cast but they all did a pretty good job. Personally, I thought the positive message they all come together for was worth watching the show in its entirety, and understanding it all.

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BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!

This was one of the best Chinese tv shows i have ever watched in my life! The action is adrenaline pumping, the romance is just the right amount, the acting was on point, the storyline had you on the edge of your seat, each episode had you guessing what would happen next. This was the only tv show where i binge watched for 3 days straight. Waaaa my eyes and sleeping pattern were messed up real bad haha
One thing i have to mention that made me laugh a bit. I wonder if anyone else noticed. Dont get me wrong William Chan is a good actor but i couldnt help for this tv drama his facial expression remained the same A LOT of time. I found his face a bit expressionless haha otherwise overall not bad in the long run. Oh and yang mi character was just too cute even though she can be feisty. Haha

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THANKS FOR PLAYING WITH ME

Squid Game was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. It's definitely something you could finish in one day if you were willing to give up that much time, but I think you'll find yourself getting sucked pretty easily into this cutthroat death game that also serves as a critique on capitalism.

First and foremost, I need to talk about the characters, or more specifically the participants of the game, because they were definitely a driving force in this story. Even though the time spent with each character varied, I still thought that most of them were really well-written and were able to provide a huge impact on the overall story. Each one had justification for participating in this game and I didn't find any of their actions to be overly forced. I found myself rooting for a majority of characters, and when each of them was killed off, it definitely struck an emotional blow. These are definitely not the usual 2-dimensional stock characters that are written into survival stories that we often see today. It was also really interesting to see how the different characters changed over the course of the game due to moral decay, or in some cases, didn't change at all, which helped to further the show's illustration of capitalism.

This then brings me on to the next thing I'd like to talk about, which is Squid Game's stance on capitalism. They pretty much nailed their argument against it, which basically boils down to: there is no equality under capitalism, and the poor will always suffer for the sake of the rich. The people who were running the game kept on stressing that the rules for each game were created in order to be fair for everyone and that every player would be given an equal chance to win, but it's also important to keep in mind that the reason these games were started in the first place was for the entertainment of the rich. There was never any equality to begin with because it was their poor status that placed them there in the first place.

The characters were also supposedly given the option of participating or not participating in the games, but in reality, just like with capitalism, there was actually no choice. Even though the people who were controlling the game insisted each player was there because it was their own decision, we're actually shown that these characters have literally nothing to lose. Nothing could be worse than the hellish situation they were placed in because of their debts under capitalism. It was only an illusion of free will, and ultimately, the choice was already made for them. This is an exceptionally well-crafted representation of how capitalism works. You have to participate in this rotten system in order to survive, and if you don't, you're basically deemed as having little to no value and are seen as less than a human being and basically become forced into poverty.

And even if you think you have a chance at beating this corrupt system, it doesn't come without a cost. No one becomes a millionaire or a billionaire without stepping on other people. There is no ethical way of achieving that status of wealth. Squid Game brilliantly illustrates this point by setting up the games in such a way that you can only win at the expense of other people's lives. Every dollar that was added to that heinous piggy bank represents the value that was attached to the life of every player who died. Specifically, players who were poor and impoverished and were only playing this game in order to pay off their debts. Capitalism strikes again by forcing poor people to compete with each other in order to survive and make a living, all the while the ultra-rich get to kick back and enjoy the show. There were lots of moments that were truly sickening to watch, but unfortunately, they are pretty accurate in regards to how a capitalistic society functions. The poor stay poor and the rich get richer.

Okay. Rant finished. I'd like to point out that I also highly enjoyed the production, acting, and music of Squid Game. It was all extremely well-executed and helped to add to the intensity of the show.

However, I did not like the ending. It felt like the writers were really building up to this big, grand conclusion, but instead, we were given an ending that was underwhelming, and quite frankly, didn't make much sense. It also seemed to undermine a lot of the character's actions from beforehand, so I was pretty frustrated with it.

Overall, I still pretty much enjoyed the show up until the ending. I kind of went into this with pretty low expectations if I'm being honest, so I was pleasantly surprised. If you're looking for a good show with lots of action but isn't mindless and cheap in the slightest, I would definitely give Squid Game a chance. It definitely deserves all the attention it is receiving since its Netflix release, and I hope that it can really help to pave the way for people to reconsider their beliefs about capitalism as we know it, as well as to help encourage Western audiences to branch out more when it comes to the kinds of media they consume. As director Bong Joon-Ho said while accepting an Oscar for his film Parasite, “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." I think Squid Game's popularity will help more people realize the meaning behind this sentiment.

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AMAZING

It's been a long while since I watched a K drama and bear myself to see the end of it. This drama is definitely the GREATEST comeback of K Drama legacy.
The storyline is not that intriguing when you read the synopsis but the ACTING of almost all the cast, delivering the feelings, the comedy, mixed in with the suspense and the bad character being really bad which makes the viewers get into the drama, and both Kim Soo Hyun's and Kim Ji Won's characters, lines, aegyo, couple chemistry, they are what makes the drama superb.
I was waiting for the episodes release day, which hasn't happened since Goblin I guess. So I understood the hype about it and it's definitely worth it!

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THE BEST KDRAMA IVE WATCHED IN 2020-21

i love this kdrama with all my heart!!!! like this show is SO perfect. The romance, comedy, and the acting + the actors. this show made me cry and laugh every episode.

I never read the webtoon, so i didnt care if it was the same or not. I also believe that if the drama was the same as the webtoon, it would've flopped.

In the webtoon, jugyeong didnt have a character development - but I'm so glad I got to see that in the drama. Idk why there's a lot of low ratings but as a team suho - IM SATISFIED!!

Eun woo, ga young, in yeop and the rest of the cast were amazing. I loved every moment of the show and would definitely recommend watching it if rom-com is your thing!!!

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Until recently, romantic relationships tended to last longer. The members of a couple tried to bring the relationship to a happy conclusion and fought to be with someone they loved.
But somehow, the emergence of dating apps into our lives causes people, when faced with loneliness, disconnection and discouragement, to leave their lover and look for another partner online. "Why put in the effort to make what I have work, when there are so many fish in the sea?" is a reality many face.
The idea of ​​reflecting the feelings of many people (queer or not) who experience this situation comes from director HJ Habac.
'Meet Me Outside', the Filipino series from the creators of the fabulous 'Gaya Sa Pelíkula' and 'Marahuyo Project', blames the lack of romance on the thousands of human beings who prefer not to want to make the effort to commit because "it is much more easy to pick up your cell phone and connect with someone else to hang out".
With a script by Juan Miguel Severo ('Gaya Sa Peíkula', 'Dear Karl', 'Heaven's Waiting') and newcomer Jesse Rey Baban, we see the birth of a love relationship within the entire range of possible relationships in the dating world virtual, as well as the imposition that surrounds those first dates in which we try to give a better version of ourselves.
I find the creativity of the people behind the camera very striking when designing the opening credits as text message notifications. And in this sense, Mark Vince Gregorio also contributes in editing and photography.
The plot revolves around James, a rich young influencer from Manila with thousands of followers on social media, who has just suffered a tough breakup. However, upon arriving at the La Estreas resort, located in Rizal, his life will change when he decides to leave his wounded heart behind and get back into the game of the dating universe. In this case, he establishes a connection both in the digital world and in the real world, with Dale, a hotel worker, who for some time has had a secret crush on the idol he follows on social networks.
Here Kaloy Tingcungco and Genesis Redido, who play James and Dale, respectively, prove themselves again as actors, after their respective debuts in series precisely with LGBT+ themes, since the first is known for playing Martin Ilagan, a secondary character in 'Boys' Lockdown', from 2020, while Redido gave life to Joseph "Otep" Malaya, in the drama 'In Between', starring him alongside Migs Villasis, also from the same year.
'Meet Me Outside' is better written and performed by its two leads, a department in which they did not excel in their respective acting debuts.
The audience will get to know the characters as they talk in a friendly manner, which is pleasant to see as they feel as if they were two real characters. It seems very genuine to me, as I feel like a connection was forming in a world where, no matter how connected we may seem, we are often very far apart.
In this way, we can get to know that Dale is a humble local, breadwinner of the family economy, very clingy and playful in sexual and romantic matters, who considers that physical contact is his main language in love, so it would be difficult to get involved in a long distance relationship.
On the other hand, we will learn that James had an open relationship with his partner, but his ex-boyfriend violates the only rule of the agreement: falling in love with the other boy, the reason for the recent breakup.
While Jame wanted to see the face of the person he's talking to, Dale thinks that the guy on the other end of the line is only interested in proposing sex. However, Dale has never established a relationship with a guest because he considers it inappropriate due to his status as a hotel worker, in addition to the fact that the visitor is only on vacation, and would eventually leave in a few days.
And despite acknowledging that relationships are difficult to maintain with someone you meet online, since everything moves so quickly, Dale and James meet, talk, and establish a loving connection. As James assures us, he and Dale are taking risks and hoping their romance works.
The viewer will find convincing in Episode 2's use of Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" to represent the nervousness, the hesitation, the growing tension between the two protagonists as they interact via text messages via the dating app gay.
The structure of shorter episodes than usual for this type of series makes the show work, giving it a certain charm and keeping everything at a really good pace. However, this undermines the possibility of better developing the characters and conflicts.
'Meet Me Outside' also shows that kisses and erotic scenes are not necessary to show great chemistry between the two protagonists.
The soundtrack, in which you can hear the songs "Pavement" and "Danger", composed by April Hernandez and performed by TheSunManager, as well as "Silent Night", a traditional song, and "Pahintulo", by Shirebound & Busking, It fulfills its function of emotionally reinforcing and underlining the tones during various specific moments of the series.
So, dear reader, I invite you to watch 'Meet Me Outside'.

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Oh, this one was good! I mean, 90% of the characters in this were rotten apples but the drama was so good! I especially loved the main pairing, Bom & Hyun, they were the most perfectly balanced straight pair I've seen in a while, they were honestly, really, truly equals in everything. Loved it!

I think my favorite part was how protective they were of each other. They've known each other for such a long time, they've always been there for each other, it seemed, and then the lock-down came and the zombies and all that suddenly became even more intense. And that was simply lovely, the way they always jumped to the front to protect the other from any threat, the way miss Not Bothered(TM) suddenly became So Bothered(TM) when Hyun got hurt... Mwah! Right up my alley!

One thing I didn't understand, though, was why the tenants kept running through the building like chickens with their heads chopped off. I would've stuck to my apartment as much as possible, locked in tight. I had no problem doing exactly that through the various Covid lock-downs so I would just shrug and stay put, especially in an apartment as secure as theirs was. Eh.

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"Let us not be afraid to love": Reminder that even in today's challenging world love will always win

By way of introduction:
After that fairy tale kiss between two boys so different from each other who became lovers during the school retreat that closes the award-winning boy love movie (BL) 'The Boy Foretold by Stars' (2020), Dominic and Luke , they are now entering a new stage in their relationship.
But being in a same-sex relationship at a strict Catholic all-boys school should never be easy. The pressure from their friends, their parents, teachers and the rest of the students is a practically insurmountable obstacle to a romance, even if it is destined by the stars. Despite everything that life throws at them, Dominic and Luke try to be strong and maintain their love.
Produced by iWantTFC, Clever Minds and Dreamscape Entertainment, the drama is based on trans Filipina screenwriter and director Dolly Dulu own personal experience, captured in her play "Ang Hangal."
With this interesting premise, the series brings back actors Keann Johnson and Adrian Lindayag, who play Luke and Dominic, respectively, to reprise their roles as high school students at an all-boys Catholic school, whose friendship turns into a beautiful romance.

The story:

After passing through the Metro Manila Film Festival and the success recognized by the public and critics of 'The Boy Foretold by Stars', the sequel series takes us through the last weeks of high school for the newlywed couple. formed by Dominic and Luke. We are now close to the final exams, the granting of sports scholarships and university courses, the graduation ball, the selection of the Valedictory, the preparation of the speech at the end of year ceremony...
And in this context, as disapproving glances and harsh realities begin to confront the main characters, it remains in doubt whether their bond will continue to exist after graduation day.
In this scenario, Luke, a straight boy who believes in destiny, and Dominic, an openly gay teenager who scoffs at predestination, are forced to take fate into their own hands, without any deck of cards or coin toss able to decide for them.
"Sugal ang pagmamahal, hindi ito para sa mga duwag" ("Love is a gamble. It's not for cowards"), says fortune teller Baby R, played by none other than Iyah Mina ('Horrorscope', 2021), in a iconic role.
From the events narrated in the 2020 film, life continues for the new lovers. Luke still has to tie up loose ends with his girlfriend Karen (Rissey Reyes). On the other hand, Gio (Vaughn Piczon – 'Fractured', 2023), Dominic's childhood friend (and secret admirer), returns to his life out of nowhere, and will also confess secrets.
In addition to trust issues, the couple also faces obstacles in the form of rejection after a "scandal": the two boys are reprimanded for kissing during the prom by the conservative directors of an all-boys Catholic high school.
The parents of both boys will know about the romance and sexual inclination of their children and will take positions on the matter.

Of actors and characters:

The character played by Adrian Lindayag is great. He takes his character and elevates it to the greatest heights and proves that effeminate people like him deserve their place in leading roles.
It is not common for effeminate gay men to be portrayed as romantic leads in LGBT+ productions. As an effeminate gay man, this actor plays the character of Dominic to perfection.
Beyond the viewer identifying with the way Dominic moves or speaks, his acting skills make him the ideal protagonist.
The interactions with his friends Timmy (Leinard Ramos) and Miguel (Jan Rey Escano) are so genuine and natural that you'd think the three of them really were a high school barkada.
When Dominic says one of his heartbreaking lines to Luke, you feel the impact of his words. Even his singing voice contributes to how attractive and charming it makes his character.
His performance is so moving that the actor doesn't need to open his mouth for you to feel something for Dominic. The trembling of her lips, the suppressed word, the tears falling, her eyes red from crying... are enough to make you want to cross the screen to give her a hug.
And Adrian knows perfectly well how the high school student he represents acts, feels and thinks.
Viewers can identify with Dominic, while also admiring him and seeing that they too are more than worthy of finding love, regardless of how society generally views them as mere comic relief.
Keann, remembered for appearing in the BL drama 'Worth the Wait' and starring in the LGBT+ film 'Run', both from 2021, is treading strange waters, especially for someone who has believed he is heterosexual his entire life.
The actor embodies his character perfectly, suddenly discovering that he has fallen in love with another boy. He appears insecure, he does not know how to confess his sexual orientation to his mother, he does not understand what is happening in his life, he turns to the fortune teller looking for what the cards are intended for him and for Dominic, he bravely faces the harassers, who are none other than his same childhood friends who now disown him for his relationship with another boy, for being "a faggot."
However, most of his lines are of support for Dominic and how to overcome all conflicts together.
The secondary characters of Karen and Gio will bring problems to the couple, but will only serve to strengthen the bond between them. After admitting their feelings, Gio and Karen accept that both Dominic and Luke are happy and that they fit into that equation. The journeys of these characters are totally refreshing. As viewers, we go from being skeptical of Karen and Gio to rooting for them because of the maturity they exhibit with their actions.
Philip (Jemuel Satumba - 'Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle', Japan, 2021) and other students disapprove and, to some extent, are disgusted with Luke and Dominic's romantic relationship. They demonstrate bigotry and homophobia, but they cannot prevent queer love.
On the other hand, Pim (Quiel Quiwa) and Mr. Oyco (Jethro Tenorio) show how equally rampant internalized homophobia is.
Outside of school, the series also shows how Dominic sees his queerness as something to be absolved of, which is a feeling that many LGBT+ people can relate to and is a reality that society as a whole can highlight more. Queer viewers may feel some discomfort watching these scenes play out, but it just goes to show how painfully real they are.
Despite discrimination and homophobia, a defiant celebration of queer life and love dominates the series. In the same classrooms and hallways that ostracize them, Dominic and his friends continue to bravely strut their stuff, standing up to bullies and bigots.
Dominic's relationship with Luke is proof that even in the eyes of the most hateful, anyone deserves happiness, regardless of how they choose to identify themselves. Some may say that such a depiction can only happen in a "perfect" world, but that's exactly the point the series is trying to get across: that stories like the one told here shouldn't need to be in a perfect world to exist.

Some reflections:

'Love Beneath The Stars' perfectly captures the innocence of a queer high school romance, telling the story of strange young love in its purest form.
As in 'The Boy Foretold by Stars', the six episodes of the Kapamilya digital series, titled 'Love Beneath the Stars', address topics such as sexual orientation, gender identity, homophobia, bullying, lack of understanding towards homosexuals, the stance of Catholic schools and parents when children come out, but here you will explore them further. And it is appreciated then that the director has opted for the series format, which gives her the opportunity to delve deeper into the characters and conflicts.
And the fact that the location is a Catholic school also adds a little extra flavor to the comedy-drama.
Although it sometimes treats these conflicts too superficially, we get a light and addictive series, with a great and emotional happy ending, which will bring both tears and smiles to the viewer.
And if for queer people high school is a difficult place, finding love is one of these institutions, especially if they are centers of religious education and exclusively for children, this could be an unrealizable dream. However, as fantastic an idea as it may seem, 'Love Beneath The Stars' proudly proves that it is still possible.
'Love Beneath The Stars' is not your typical love story between boys. The narrative of the romance between Dominic and Luke possesses a level of charm that surpasses most Pinoy BL output. The main difference from the rest of the crop of productions of this genre in the Philippines lies in the way the director chooses to approach certain themes and events.
I find it interesting the way it displays Dominic and Luke's love relationship. Their bond, without sacrificing passionate displays of affection for each other, depends on a healthy, innocent intimacy, which only amplifies how free of malice their romance truly is. That is, what the series demonstrates with these representations is that queer romances can be as chaste, honest, and sincere as any other type of romance.
The series ends with Dominic's powerful farewell speech, in which he exclaims "Wag tayong matakot magmahal!" ("Let us not be afraid to love.") As simple as it may seem, it serves as a reminder to many that even in the challenging world of Today, love will always win.

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A love story to all BL’s

This show was a huge surprise to me, the premise seems silly at first but once you start watching if you love BL series you will see that this is an homage or love letter to the BL community.

It has so many nods to classic series like Sotus and even cameos from Tharntype.

The 2 main lead couples are fantastic and the actors are brilliant in the roles showing great acting and commitment to the scenes that sometimes are truly deep.

First couple Tutor and Fighter is a BL dream come true, first of all they really went all in to portray these characters giving them so many layers, passion and chemistry. Saint proves once again that he is one of the top actors in BL.

Second couple Saifah and Zon are beyond adorable and these two actors Tommy and Jimmy aka Mii2 have a great future in BL with already several projects in the works.

Overall the show is filled with beautiful moments and great iconic romantic settings.

The only thing is that you can see that many of the secondary characters had to be left behind due to the pandemic, but the show manage to give us amazing stand alone episodes of the main couples.

If you love BL series you would find this a truly amazing joy ride. Is not super serious and has a lot of funny moments.

Highly recommended.

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I enjoyed every bit of this drama ... One of the best BLs ever made <3

What led me to watch this drama is a clip I came across on YouTube. I didn't think there were Asian BL series with actors openly kissing and bed scenes.

I enjoyed every bit of this show. I would have loved to watch love stories of the other couples, but I'm quite content with the two. It's true the storyline was all over the place but these two couples made it worth it. It's a good thing it's only 13 episodes.

The best thing is it's fast moving, it doesn't drag at all, and makes you look forward to the next episode.

Fighter and Tutor make the best couple. You would see the chemistry between them just from the way they would stare at each other. Oh and I loved the kiss and bed scene but most of all, I loved the kiss between Saifah and Zon in the last episode. It was worth the wait *wink wink*

I would watch it again and again, tbh. There are some scenes I would skip but compared to all the series I have watched, I would watch almost all the episodes.

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Just, wow. It has honestly taken me almost a year to watch this drama, mostly because I kept putting it off & such. To most people, it would seem like this drama was boring that I didn't want to finish it sooner. However it was not the case for me because the only reason I made myself take so long to finish this drama is because of the parts that involved the ghost, hahaha. I actually got scared, that I just didn't want to face those scenes! But I got through, & overall this drama had a lovely + interesting storyline. The acting from everybody was very well done & was portrayed very well. In that case, this drama deserves a full five stars. :) Great job to everyone involved!! ^-^

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I was in the mid of watching china palace drama like yanxi and ruyi, but can't seems to finish watching either of it, and kind of lose interest in watching korean drama, somehow one day while browsing youtube for some entertainment, Guardian episode one show up, at the time i don't know anything about Guardian, I just feel so bored and don't know what else to watch, and there is a force telling me to watch it (being dramatic lol), after watching few episode, i told my sis that I'm currently watching guardian, and its not bad, I'm crying watching Li Qian's story, the actor/actress is good at their acting, so i keep watching it without knowing the truth that will makes me go crazy. After more episode, i dont remember in which episode that got a part where zhao yun lan call to dragon city uni looking for prof shen, and that one little gesture where Shen Wei's finger touching corner of the book and flip it, it suddenly makes me wanna know what this drama genre is, i know I'm a bit late in sensing something more in this drama, i should have known from first episode where they just met and shen wei doesn't want to let go of ZYL hand. After browing online it turn out my feeling is right, its a bromance which got tune down from BL, and I was so excited cause I'm actually a fujoshi ???? and surely it became my favorite drama!!! Love both the lead, give Guardian a try, i hope everyone who watch will love it. I still can't move on after finish watching it, will rewatch later, totally recommended!!! Although got some flaw, but zhu yi long (shen wei) acting can cover it all ???? , and for those who don't think they will like this genre of drama, do give it a try, remember at the beginning although don't know the genre, i still find it good to watch ???????????? thank you youtube for helping me discover this drama which makes me fall in love so much ??

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The storyline was cliche, but not a big problem for him, because I don't mind them. The story is really slow moving though, and honestly the first episode didn't leave me dying to continue to watch. I found myself skipping some parts because I was bored.

The relationship between Yang Guang and Ya Xin didn't attract me as much as the friendship between Ya Xin and Geng Fei. I was so touched at the last episode when Ya Xin went to see Geng Fei and forgave him. And as despicable as Geng Fei is, I felt really sorry for him. His love for Angela knows no bounds.

Given that, the cast was good and so was the acting. Wuzun's acting really improved and haha, his chinese too:) Still room for improvement, of course. And the rest of the Fahrenheit guest-starring was a big plus for the show!:) Aaron's as cute as ever

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Not so good!

3/10

Negat:

1. Series was not so well implemented. (most part - not all was boring)
2. To few kisses from maincouple.
3. That Knock was with Pleng...(a long time). Only towards the end he became a couple with Korn.
4. It took many episodes for the main couple to get closer. (Became boring in the long run)
5. Pleng was mega annoying and unappealing. (A WITCH)
6. The lovescenes of the main couple were too few and too short.
7. That Knock believed her friend more than his own friend (whom he has known since childhood).
8. BrightxFarm unfortunately did not become a pair. They looked cute together. Disappointing. I would have liked to see more of BrightxFarm.

Posit:

1. Maincouple KornxKnock was interesting.
2. Sidecouple BrightxFarm was interesting too.
3. Acting was very good.

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