1The only main actor I had watched before was Yoo Yeon Suk, but I had not been a fan. I knew of Lee Byung Hun, but had never watched him in anything. I was blown away by the acting of all 5 main characters. Some may say otherwise, but I thought they were flawless in these roles. Kim Tae Ri was especially captivating. Her beauty and her voice were mesmerizing to me. Some thought LBH was too expressionless, but I found him quite the opposite. And when he unleashed one of his smiles, I was enchanted. For the first half or so, I felt like the chemistry between the Eugene and Ae Shin was very thick. There was a bit of shift afterwards, but nevertheless they had something there. I was very moved by the acting of the other three as well, and they all became very beloved characters that I rooted for. Dong Mae and Hina were the anti-heroes. And Hee Sung was a hero in disguise. They were all complex and compelling and I loved each of them for varying reasons. The extended cast was no less impressive, and no less part of this story - I couldn't even begin to name them all and what they added to the narrative.
The story is not all tears and sadness though. In the beginning, there is definitely some humor in the mix as well to keep it from becoming too solemn. The writer really did a great job carrying us forward with each new step that our characters faced. I loved all the relationships that were formed, and the bravery of the Righteous Army, and the people of Joseon who captured my heart. So when it got to the climax, we were more than ready ---and yet, somehow, not prepared at all.
The music chosen was excellent. Haunting and lovely. Sad March and The Day were the main songs. And a sad, melodious version of Greensleeves to top it off.
I know that I gave it a 10 for re-watch value. I would absolutely watch this again, but I don't think my heart could handle it anytime soon as it's already ripped to shreds right now! Even if you think that historical shows are not for you, I think everyone that loves Korean dramas and culture should not miss this show. I would not recommend this show to anyone that is looking for fast paced or satisfying happy bows. You would be looking at the wrong thing here. But if you want a story that will move you and mesmerize you, this is where it's at.
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This review may contain spoilers
Why do non-BLs always have to be sad and tragic?
This is not a BL, it's a queer series. It's slices of live spanning over around 8 years or so. The beginning is a bit strange because there are too many coincidences in the first episode. And of course while we know they are gay, there is no explicit scene about confessing and of course no kissing at all. I don't need any nc-scenes at all, but their relationsship is not defined. We can asume they are together because they love each other but it would not have hurt to give as at least one fluffy moment.On the other hand this slices of life are mostly a series of negatives. For me it was very emotional because every negative stroke of fate just happens. Ryo gets confessed to but he can't handle it. The confessor get outed and jumps (we do not know from how high), but survives, Ryo runs away to Germany of all places and gets nearly killed in a church were another gay persons throws molowtov-cocktails at the altar and is saved by a man who just before listenes to his guilt-confession.
And the list goes on... Is there a happy end? Kind of, but not really. Of course there are also happy moments but anything happy will be destroyed by a tragic event. Is it really necessary to make queer series where everything is tragic? Do we get only stupid, crappy BLs for happyness? I don't mind if there are tragic elements in a story, but this was too much.
I can't fault the actors, they did their best, but watching this series is very taxing. I can only fault the script & direction. I wish we get realistic gay stories which do not end always badly, or where at least the good and bad balance each other out. So, I'm a bit disappointed that they choose not do so. It's very emotional and I needed some tissues. I can't even say it was "bad". Yes the script had it's flaws, the story-arc is not what I wished for, some scenes are too slow for my taste, but it was done mostly in a good way. If you crave for something tragic, this series is for you, if you want something happy, this is definitively not for you.
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This review may contain spoilers
It was okay, until it wasn't
Be prepared to watch this only for the ML (who is not only handsome, but also really kind as well), because the FL is nothing but an annoying, selfish, self-centered jerk who should have no business being married to ANYONE, let alone this dude.There's being independent and working for your dreams, and then there's trampling over everyone and sacrificing every single person in your life to get there.
But all that aside, EP 22 in particular was the one that dropped this rating from a 6 to a 4.5. If you can't see how spending a night in the hotel room with another man - and then defending your poor choices to your husband - could be detrimental to your marriage, then you don't deserve to be in one.
I truly wish the ML ended up divorcing her, but we all know how this stuff works. They always do forgive after a one (barely sincere) apology, don't they?
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Winner Takes All
Squid game is a South Korean children’s playground game that was popular back in the 1980s. It is similar to hopscotch but with a more expansive playing area and team-based approach. It forms the basis of the game setting that is featured in Squid Game.Production Details
The drama is written and directed by the award-winning Hwang Dong Hyuk, known for critically acclaimed films The Fortress and Silenced. Jung Jae Il, who is known for composing the score for Okja and Parasite, serves as the music director. Produced by Siren Pictures exclusively for Netflix, this is a pre-produced drama with all 9 episodes released worldwide on 17 September 2021. It is given an R-18 rating and contains sexual references, nudity, and violence. Strobing effects present in certain episodes (especially episode 4) may cause discomfort for photosensitive viewers. Other trigger warnings include scenes of violent deaths, as well as gratuitous blood and gore.
Premise and Plot
456 participants competing in a “Hunger Games meets Battle Royale” series of challenges modelled after traditional South Korean children’s playground games for a chance of winning the jackpot of 40 million won, rising up to 45.6 million won with the elimination of all other participants right to the last person standing.As for who the organisers are and the reason for the competition, all shall be revealed as the story unfolds..
The story revolves around the points of view of a number of characters who share one thing in common - they are in serious need of cold hard cash to resolve their respective predicaments. Central to the core narrative is the main character and protagonist, Seong Gi Hoon, a gambling addict down on his luck who is facing debt problems and child-custody issues, as well as dealing with his mother’s deteriorating health.
What I Liked
As expected of a Netflix original series, I enjoyed the production quality and values, unique set designs and costumes, exceptional cinematography especially during some of the stunning choreographed action sequences and the game or challenge settings.
The cast is outstanding, comprising veterans in Lee Jung Jae, Park Hae Soo, Heo Sung Tae, Kim Joo Ryung and Oh Young Soo, among others. The newcomer Jung Ho Yeon gives a decent debut performance complete with the North Korean accent. I was pleasantly surprised to see brief appearances by Gong Yoo and Lee Byung Hun. Even with limited screen time, their charisma absolutely shines through to light up the production.
The edge-of-the seat thrills and suspense plays out in a riveting pace. This drama is well worth the binge because it is as captivating as it is addictive to consume in a single seating. Moments of extreme tension are aplenty along with the heart-wrenching emotions which are deftly interspersed amidst the high-octane action sequences throughout. I particularly enjoyed the epic final showdown between the finalists in the concluding arc of the drama.
The music score composed by Jung Jae Il is sublime, along with classic compositions used courtesy of the Budapest Scoring Orchestra and Big Band. They include The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II, Trumpet Concerto in E Flat Major by Franz Joseph Haydn and Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. A cover of Bart Howard’s Fly Me to the Moon also plays a major part as the BGM for one of the more stunning game sequences in episode 1.
What Could’ve Been Better
As much as I enjoyed the drama, I thought 9 episodes were somewhat overlong. 6 or 7 episodes would have made the storytelling more compact and compelling. A significant portion of the drama was taken up by the story-building of the main character as well as four other major supporting characters. I appreciated the respective backstories of tragic circumstances and such but those components impacted on the pacing of the more engaging aspects a little bit. In addition, the final episode did feel dragged out unnecessarily.
The characterization of the ML Seong Gi Hoon (no 456) wasn’t convincing to me, although I accepted it as part of the drama’s depiction of “character growth”. How an irresponsibly hopeless father, unfilial son, and washed-out gambling addict suddenly developed a moral compass, sense of righteousness, and leadership traits came across as somewhat unrealistic.
Overall
Notwithstanding the qualms I had and as long as expectations are tempered, Squid Game represents great entertainment value complete with a sufficient dose of suspense, thrills and excitement in a nicely packaged production that makes it the perfect binge-worthy viewing experience for an evening at home.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Reality of the Industry
Story: Wow, I’m so amazed at the quality of this series, including the cinematography, production, and fantastic directing. This series really exposes the worse sides of the industry, specifically the BL sides. We see the subtle homophobia when choosing actors, and prioritising NSFW scenes over a healthy, slow and natural bond forming through Gene’s writing. I love that the series he wrote is called “Bad Engineer” because I feel like it might be a subtle dig at all the Engineering BL’s that have slowly gone downhill. There have been several overused themes in other series such as the “kissing while drunk” scene that was taken here and well played out. Despite Nubsib repeatedly chasing after Gene, he didn’t accept Gene because he knew Gene was drunk and couldn’t really consent to anything. Although Nubsib is still very pushy he also respects personal boundaries and takes good care of Gene, which makes me very happy as sadly a lot of BL series tend to romanticise sexual harassment, which is not okay. We also see homophobia from parents that should love and support their children, yet will turn their backs on their own family members just to make themselves look better, which is really sad. Although I was a little annoyed with the jealousy and childhood friends plot line I’m glad they turned it around and demonstrated what a healthy relationship should look like when Nubsib and Gene actually started communicating properly. I do like that Nubsib waited for Gene and never forced him to come out, but I think he could have been more understanding before the press conference about how Gene must have been feeling. I was happy that things turned around in the final episode where we saw Nubsib and Gene exchange sweet kisses and interactions, and they got the happy ending they deserved. I also loved the multiple alternate endings from different romance films/novels/plays as it was a bit of hilarity to distract from the fact that the series was ending.Characters: Poompat as Gene- When this series was first announced I recognised the actor from somewhere, and later realised he was from the famous KA lip care and sunscreen ads. However, this is his first series as a main role, which you would not have guessed based on the quality of his acting. For me, a good actor is someone who can create a character the audience can really relate to, and Poompat did a perfect job of this. Gene is such a sweet, innocent guy and I love that despite not being able to write the stuff he truly loves, he makes the best out of it and isn’t afraid to call out his boss and the directors of their (less than desirable) thoughts and words. Gene is just as clumsy, awkward and embarrassing as myself, which I think is why I love him so much. I really love that despite Gene’s awkwardness, we can still see his emotions through his eyes such as his jealousy during the interviews. I can completely understand Gene’s fears of coming out but I’m glad that he’s surrounded by people who can love and support him for who he is.
Kao as Nubsib- Kao has already cemented himself as a fantastic actor after his role of Korn in Until We Meet Again, and has further demonstrated his amazing acting abilities here. Nubsib is definitely the personification of “serious guy who is only friendly around his lover” and Kao did a great job portraying this. One little thing I did notice when he was talking to other characters like Tum, he always looks very serious but when suddenly seeing Gene his eyes light up and entire expression changes. I love how naturally Kao can pull this off, and yet again I’m being dazzled by his good looks. I also love how, despite knowing that he messed up by not being honest with Gene, he admits he was wrong and makes the effort to communicate and let Gene know what he’s thinking. He’s very understanding and does’t force Gene to come out when he’s not ready which made me happy to see no pressure from him. Finally he chose Gene over all else and wanted both his own happiness as well as Gene’s so he waited for the best time so he and Gene could be together without any constraints.
Bruce as Aoey- While Aoey is a character I have a lot of mixed reactions, I can’t deny that Bruce is probably the best actor in this series. Although he seems cute but far too needy/clingy/annoying, I do like that he was already openly gay and doesn’t try to hide this fact (fun fact, Bruce is gay in real life so we have another LGBT actor which is fantastic), which is a nice step up from the typical “I’m not gay I just love you” lines. However, in episode 5 we really got to know his character more, including why he acts and behaves the way he does. If my parents and siblings were so unsupportive like that, then I honestly think I would have rebelled and spiralled off the deep end, so I admire that Aoey doesn’t let his family hold him back. Although Aoey is quite selfish at times, whenever he cries I automatically feel really bad for him, especially the episode 11 scene on the live video and even more in the final episode after he finished the live stream with his fans. One of my favourite sayings is that “A good actor can make you experience different emotions even from the slightest change in expression” which definitely goes to show just how amazing Bruce’s acting skills are and I hope we can see more projects with him in the future, maybe as a main role this time.
Music: The music and sound effects are perfect, they are well placed and really help the overall mood of scenes. In a funny scene sometimes they’ll add little sound effects which make it even more hilarious, and the music is really nice to listen to.
Overall: I absolutely loved this series and how they weren’t afraid to call out specific aspects and show the reality of what the industry is really like. Both Kao and Poompat have a lot of chemistry and all intimate scenes with them made me almost feel invasive, like I shouldn’t be watching something so personal. I hope to see all the actors in this series again, especially Bruce in a main role, and I’ll definitely be rewatching this very soon!
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A story of a cat and a cornered mouse
Note: This character-driven movie has explicit sexual content and nudity.STORY (No spoilers)
What happens when a cat who fell in love with a promiscuous mouse long ago decides to back it into a corner? Both are from different worlds and both come with their own personal baggages. Can they make it work?
I've read the manga on which the movie was based - it's one of my favourites because the main characters in it were incredibly flawed and insecure people but their insecurities and issues were just so relatable and understandable, I found myself immersed in their characters and in their story. Now, as an adaptation of the manga itself, I'd give this movie a 65% score in terms of its closeness to the original work i.e. it was generally faithful in broad strokes and in some detailed places, but there were still fairly noticeable differences, especially in terms of character vibe and personality and in some event modifications. Hence, I can understand why fans of the manga might feel disappointed or dissatisfied with this adaptation.
However, I'm going out on a limb here to say that I actually still appreciated this work despite the changes made to it. The movie had none of the internal monologues of the original but through the way scenes were presented and acted, we could still understand the internal turmoil and struggles of the characters and their changing perspectives/ feelings and that was a personal testament that both the acting and the direction of the movie was excellent.
There were also quite a few things about this movie that really fascinated me - some of the dialogue, the choice and arrangement of certain scenes, the camerawork, the use of imagery, lighting and sound, etc. The way it was filmed and presented gave off a gritty, moody, sometimes lonely and desolate vibe, and there was something about the whole combination that made me come away from this movie feeling this interesting mix of unsettled yet at peace, curious yet satisfied, sad yet happy. It's a movie that somehow struck certain chords with me and resonated in a curious way.
The best analogy I can give for my experience of this movie was like listening to a piece of music being played in minor key - the melody has certain notes and chords which give the piece a sort of asymmetrical form or disharmonic sound, but the overall tune still flows as a cohesive melodic piece which somehow evokes a myriad of feelings for the listener after it's all finished. It was beautifully haunting to me.
ACTING/ CAST
OKURA TADAYOSHI as Ootomo Kyouichi. He played a rather different Ootomo vis-a-vis the manga.
Manga!Ootomo was sort of your weak-willed-straight-guy - too accommodating, too eager to please and too easily seduced by women. Movie!Ootomo was a lot more reserved and inscrutable, more introverted and quiet, hiding a lot of thoughts underneath a silent facade. Viewers who don't know about Ootomo's background, habits and tendencies will probably find this movie!Ootomo to be very difficult to read or understand, and sometimes, even I had to pause a scene or rewatch it to try and figure out what was going on inside movie!Ootomo's head.
But, to be fair, if one takes the time to observe a little closely and to put his actions into the movie context, I found that movie!Ootomo was a very interesting and enigmatic character whose inner thoughts can actually be perceived through his actions (or non-actions, as it were). It's like, you can almost see the wheels in his head turning as he observes the situation and the people around him, especially Imagase, and internally forming his own conclusions and decisions. I liked this very subtle and nuanced portrayal.
NARITA RYO as Imagase Wataru. Again, another different portrayal from the manga counterpart.
Manga!Imagase was a very cold, aloof and well-dressed man who, only in Ootomo's presence, would become hysterical and paranoid due to his insecurities and fears. Movie!Imagase had a more laid-back and Bohemian vibe but I liked how you could so totally see his constant desperation and insecurities over Ootomo which he tries so hard to hide beneath a lackadaisical and nonchalant facade. His constant questioning and inquiring, his constant snooping and monitoring, totally expose his paranoia and his fear, and personally for me, some of Imagase's scenes were particularly beautifully directed and shot to show just how lonely and forlorn and pained he felt at times. I liked how the actor Narita Ryo was able to give off this fragile feeling during the key moments of the movie.
MUSIC
Honestly, this was the least memorable part for me. Very subtle soundtrack and score which is probably very suitable for the subdued and muted mood of the film.
RE-WATCH VALUE
If you're not too put off by the disappointing adaptation or by the fickleness and weirdness of the characters, I'd like to encourage you to consider rewatching because I personally found that I understood a lot of the hidden and subtle messages and scenes better upon a rewatch, and that made the movie even more fascinating and interesting to me.
The movie might feel a bit abrupt and truncated vis-a-vis the manga but it still a complete cohesive piece and I found the choice of certain scenes and the way the whole thing was directed gave this movie a very different style, tone and story from its original work, and I personally appreciated its almost indie-like feel.
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I enjoyed almost every episode, some felt like "filler" episodes but were still enjoyable. I didn't care much for Yuri's storyline. Girl needs to get it togther and stop unloading her problems on teenagers! It was also very annoying how cold Uehara was, but I still loved him because I am a sucker like Nao.
I enjoyed this drama so much, staying up till midnight on Thursdays, waiting for the new episode! The acting was very good, I really liked everyone's portrayal of their characters. Nagasawa Koya as Abe and Arai Moe as Marina were my favourites, such good comedic timing! Fukuhara Haruka was very, very good and I look forward to seeing her in more dramas.
I would definitely re watch this, and I really hope they do another season. I would recommend this drama for anyone who likes romantic high school dramas.
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I will start with the leads, who are of course major, and a great match. Lee Min Ho and Jun Ji Hyun are awesome to watch together. They look great, they play off of each other well, their chemistry was great at first, then just ok, but they still did not disappoint me. The supporting cast was also great! Heo Joon Jae's partners in crime were a great non traditional bromance. I loved Shim Chung's random friends as well, especially cute but wise Seo Yoon Ah (played by the impressive young actress Shin Rin Ah from "Marriage Contract"). It even had some good villains (which I won't spoil), and an awesome cameo (that was a really nice surprise). So, why didn't i love this show as much as I should have? The plot is very VERY mediocre.
The concept is great, especially in the beginning. It's The Little Mermaid, mixed with Splash, with some thriller elements thrown in. Legend is mainly a romance, but there are some action thriller moments, and there is definitely comedy too. The story, I think, tried to do too much and became more convoluted, and less interesting. There are flashes into the past that are meant to make me care more about the plot, but I just became annoyed because to me it was all so predictable, and repetitive. I wasn't exactly bored by the plot however. I still enjoyed watching because the cast made it entertaining, but the story just felt like it was dragging along at times. Eventually the mystery thriller story resolved, and what aimed to be an emotional love story didn't make me tear up once. Suddenly all that great chemistry turned into two stars doing what's expected, and was more flirting than substance, and tears without emotion.It did have a decent final episode to tie up the loose ends, which i appreciated, but didn't love.
What about the soundtrack? It was too cheesy and literal for me. I'd rather have the music be good, or forgetful, but this OST was a little distracting.
Overall this is a decent romance, with a cool mermaid twist. It reminded me of "My Girlfriend is a Gumiho", and if really you like that drama you may see some parallels too, and at least be entertained. I did love the mermaid look, and its definitely worth mentioning that the mermaid scenes look really cool. So if you are in the mood for a fairytale style romance, I think this is worth watching, but it's probably not one you will stay up all night marathoning through. Honestly, I will probably forget this drama after a while (the only way I would rewatch this), and 20 episodes were too long, but I am still glad I watched.
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Fluff sprinkled with emotional dread - best combination.
Probably the most surprising and refreshing concept and execution of it we have seen in any k-bl so far. The seamless transition between the cute romance and borderline psychological horror was masterfully crafted, making me crave for a longer and more developed version of the same story.Not gonna lie, the show peaked during episode 6, and the ending fell a little bit short of my expectations, but even with that. I am quite satisfied with the overall progression. Yes, it does face the usual issues as a result of a short drama limitations, like underdeveloped side characters, less detailed world building, lack of side plots to make the story seem more full.
But the good was so good, you kind of don’t care about the rest.
First of all, Tae Myung Ha was a surprisingly complex character forced into an unusual situation that made him face both internal and external struggles, leading to well executed character development. And honestly? He was also simply extremely fun. His cheeky one-liners and confidence of an adult in a teen “drama” was a blast to watch. Lee Tae Vin’s performance just made the character so much better. Easily one of the best performances from k-bls, especially when the actual emotional stakes start to make their entrance.
Cha Yeo Woon was adorable. I do think this character had less to offer compared to Myung Ha (to be fair, it also might be the result of me focuing more on Myung Ha compared to Yeo Woon), but it was also impossible not to care for him with his surprisingly well balanced mix of cat and puppy energy, which Cha Joo Wan aced in his delivery.
Still, out of all the characters, Chun Sang Won was the one that stole my heart. What an iconic character, one that deserves a spotlight and his own drama for sure - especially since we’ve been hinted about his own personal struggles. Fun, driven, confident, but also compassionate and perceptive. Oh Min Su better get his main role project soon, or I will riot.
While the drama is for sure not character driven, and you won’t get any elaborate commentary on social and personal issues, it still torches some topics close to many people's hearts, being a good opener for personal reflections: What happiness means to you? How to open your heart to others? How to allow others to help you, care for you? How to well balance your own needs and the needs of people you care about?
All that said, I think the biggest highlight for me was the execution of the concept with a “nice” twist. Instead of going full silly rom-com, they used the game scenario to add some depth to the characters and some painful thrills. Undoubtedly the director had a clear vision of what and how they wanted to present and thanks to that thoughtful approach, the contrasting atmospheres fitted well together. You think you know how the show will progress, but then you get a massive error and all your expectations fall apart.
What’s more, using the game scenario also allowed the director to deal with the usual issue of “time skips” and not enough screen time to showcase the whole time progression. I need to appreciate when directors and writers use their own set up to their advantage when dealing with potential issues and shortcomings. All the confusion and the feeling of “randomness” was clearly intentional, and for me, matched perfectly with the story.
Overall, extremely enjoyable, well produced, beautifully directed, perfectly acted (especially Lee Tae Vin), with nice and cute chemistry, fun jokes and less fun, but just as enticing stakes.
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Truly wonderful series
I think this is only the 3rd time I've rated something a 10. Note that this is a review of the uncut version - the cut version is significantly less good, and it also cuts out almost all the love scenes, which are mostly very well-done and lovely kissing.The writing is excellent, and personal to the author, which shows in the realism of the writing. The characters are not 2D archetypes - they are complex and flawed, and there are no villains or heroes. The plot is well-thought out, and does not go for a cheap ending. The writing respects the intelligence of the audience, which is a nice change, and there are none of the tired cliches that seem to clog every BL. The two leads don't fit into two neat seme/uke boxes - they are fully realized characters, who react like normal people to situations. Even the house's protecting spirit is a complex character.
The acting is some of the best I've seen in a BL. Partly that's because there are a lot of adults with important parts and they cast very experienced and effective actors - but the two leads are fantastic in this. I thought Nut was terrible in Oxygen, but that must have been bad directing because he's amazing in this - he does the most realistic crying I've ever seen, managing to communiate real grief without childish sobbing. Green has a 2-ep role and he's truly spectacular, putting in a powerful performance (and he's clearly a trained dancer), again contrasting with The Tuxedo where he's distinctly underwhelming. Plan Thanawat as Phat is so cute I can't stand it, and on top of that he can really act - his character can be childish and self-absorbed in a realistic way, balanced by all his good qualities. I really hope we see a lot more of him.
This is not just a cute ghost meets boy story - it really explores how things don't always work out like we hoped, and the need to both seize happiness wherever you can find it, and let go of things you can't change, like the tragedies we all have to face - and even how sometimes you can't completely move on.
There was not a single episode that I walked away from disappointed. None of them are filler, and there is no manufactured drama in Ep 9. There are a few plot lines that probably seem pointless in the cut version, like a lot of Dream and Luck, but their story reinforces the importance of respecting each other's beliefs.
The music is great, from the theme to the use of classical music to the instrumental score, which which does a great job of supporting the story.
I really loved this, and for me it's the best BL of this year so far, and this is turning out to be a fairly strong year.
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This review may contain spoilers
CEO loses his memory and learns to experience emotions !
This drama is your somewhat cliche drama of the male lead losing his memory and the female lead pretends to be the financee, regaining memory . I must say the first half is quite slow and not very interesting!Female lead use to be the student of the male lead( He was her instructor). He eventually becomes an investor of a company basically a CEO. The male lead is special because he doesnt experience any types of emotion. People think he is stone cold but doesnt know that his personality was due to trauma family incident. His ex fiancee couldnt get pass that he doesnt love her. Also in male lead's company the vice president/vice ceo tries to do the male lead dirty by trying to get hi injured in a car accident in Thailand.
Female lead is the secretary of her good friend's company. She is the one that deals with the business which so happens that the male lead's company is also interested. She follows him in Thailand to find him in an car accident. Male lead loses memory and the female lead takes care of him. During this time she knows there are still people after him , so she protects him !She lies and makes up stories about her relationship with the male lead. Honestly those episodes were quite boring. There was also flash backs to when she was a child and the interactions she had with her mom.
I stuck around because I wanted to see the cute lovey dovey kissing scenes!Honestly the intro song shouldnt put all the cute scenes in! It was a lot better when the female lead finally fell in love with the male lead. Man... where there some steamy kisses! Their relationship is super cute!
The storyline picked up fast after he regained his memory! It went in a good direction and a lot of the story flowed well! It was hilarious to see the ceo male lead kinda take revenge on the female lead for lying to him. It was cute that she helped cure him of his not being able to sense emotion! He fell in love with her again! So cute.
There were some side characters that was also the evil/annoying characters, but they didnt have too much screen time!Which is good, too much and this drama would of been complicated. However I felt some characters were kinda unnecessary, like her dad and older brother. I mean her dad was a cute dad who loved the daughter. They dont really have a good relationship until up to the very end.
I would recommend this drama but be ready to skip/forward the first half/ >_<
Love their chemistry, relationship , their kisses !
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I give the production kudos for effort, especially the special effects. They were awesome! They look so real, they merged seamlessly with the real world. I can honest believe that their world is real with all those stuffs in it.
Acting wise, 10/ 10. They cannot pick a better cast.
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More than just the simple BL it appears to be
Story:Wow, although I know that there have been various BL series where the couple adopt a son, this series took that theme to another level. I think it’s important that this is a Taiwanese series as Taiwan is the first and so far only (not counting Israel) Asian country to legalise same sex marriage and allow partial adoption for same sex couples. This series deals with some serious and prevalent issues that unfortunately many LGBT couples still face to this day, including homophobia, child bullying, and adoption as prime examples of this. It’s clear both Jerry and Damian don’t have supportive parents due to the simple fact that they are hiding their marriage and adoption from their families, and in episode 2 and 3 I understood why that was when watching Jerry’s mum. I’m honestly really happy to see LGBT dramas portray such realistic aspects of gay relationships, such as societal pressure and trying to come to a consensus with something both Jerry and Damian can agree on (in this case it’s having children). I love the fact that they dug deep into Kai’s confusion with having 2 dads instead of a mum and a dad, because it really shows the heteronormative society we live in where children are expected to have a mum and dad despite this fact not affecting anyone else except the family. Episode 5 was by far my favourite because it does such an amazing job to present the fear of coming out, especially to conservative parents which I’ve definitely had a lot of experience with. It was so heartwarming that their love could be accepted and I nearly cried at the final scene. Unfortunately episode 6 was when everything went downhill and they left it with a cliffhanger which will cause a lot of drama if a second season is made. I’m hoping that people uploading episodes illegally won’t affect the production from season 2, because I really need to know what’s going to happen now.
Acting/Cast:
—Melvin Sia as “Damian”- Melvin was such a great, natural actor. He has fantastic expression management and his acting is so natural and realistic, which I’m not surprised about knowing he’s already won several awards for his acting prior to this series. His interactions with his “son” and with Mike are so natural I could hardly believe this was the first drama where he played a gay character.
—Mike Lin as “Jerry”- Jerry is another amazing actor whose acting has such a natural feel to it and really draws you in. Jerry is definitely a very relatable character who just wants to travel the world and has such high aspirations yet, with a supportive partner, is still able to settle down while doing whatever he wants. In episode 5 he did an amazing job portraying the fears that those in the LGBT community still face to this day when coming out to close family members and friends. With Melvin I wasn’t surprised to see he was already a successful actor, but I was shocked that Mike is still so new to the industry, having only acted in 1 other series and 2 movies prior to this. Despite being so new he did an amazing job and I really hope to see him in future series too.
Music:
Other than the opening and ending there is nothing particularly memorable about it.
Overall:
A definite 9.5/10 for me. This may only be a short series, but despite its length there is a very strong portrayal of a married gay couple and their adoption, versus how those around them and society as a whole reacts to these connections. It’s definitely worth a watch but I would recommend avoiding the last episode until news of season 2 is officially announced, otherwise it’s going to be a very inconsequential watch.
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School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close To After Story
30 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
again cuteness overload...
That was a nice conclusion, but I'm a bit pissed they said two episodes and not two half episodes...Also the steamy hot scene was in the first half and the second half lacked that. So while it was nice to watch the pacing was reversed. They should have done the serious talk first and then the hot steamy scene last.
So I feel they tuned it down and after the "first" episode I would have expected more. But overall this is a small disappointment but the overall vibe and seriousness was a highlight. It gave the whole special more meaning compared to so many other specials which only serve as fanservice.
Overall it's not perfect, so it gets some deduction, but compared to most special episodes this is a very good one.
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Had a bad day? Your own real life romance not going how imagined it would? Work/ school is hard? Then you shouldn't watch another drama about a pair of star crossed lovers who aren't allowed to be together ( although I do like those a lot) and you for sure don't need to watch that drama where two people keep on misunderstading and hurting each other. You don't need to. Not just yet. Just watch these 12 episodes and you'll feel better. Maybe I just got lucky and watched this very normal drama at a very correct time and place and setting of my life ( A time where I needed such lightness) but I hope that happens to you aswell...
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