Reviews

At first, all I knew about this drama was that it was a mystery detective type. I thought that it was like the usual Japanese detective drama that had different case in each episode. But this one was different, it is a series of cases intertwined. Also, I didn't even know the meaning of the title until the ending of the last episode. In short, I didn't have any expectation in this drama.

Let me start with the with the very first hour long episode. Everything that the director wanted to make the viewers feel, think and see was there. The mystery and creepy psychological genre that the Japan drama/anime are good at were properly executed. There were foreshadowing which made you wonder and be curious. It was a brilliantly made. Just by watching the first episode you already know where the story is going. It was a really good introduction for us audiences. I was even surprised by the ending when they made the the "family suicide" beautiful.

Now let's tackle the plot line. As I have said before it was a long interconnected cases, a chain of family suicide cases. The drama was not particular in the critical way of detectives investigating the case. It was obvious that something was up but only few of the police department realized that something doesn't make sense. There were some clues that are obvious for detectives to be suspicious about. For example, the note of the child who are part of the "family suicide", it was obvious that all of the notes were written in illegibly. What I mean is that it was written in a way that the person is in a great tension. If someone wants to write a will before you die with a lovely note saying how you love life or your family, you would not write it with much tension. (This is just an opinion and observation) There were still other things I've observed but it would make this review very long.

My point is that the focus of this drama is not solving for criminal cases but to point out the psychological events that is happening in real life that society does not understand. The very core story of this drama was to show society how people are broken and how a family setting has to do with it. After all, our values are mostly decided, for most of us, on what occurs within our family. In which it was shown in the drama. Adding the detective, mystery and creepy techniques, it made the drama even more beautiful. The plot in general was properly and orderly well though. You can see how the events turned out and was going into a direction. The script writers surely know where they were going with the story. You can see how they slowly adjusted the suspect of the audience shifted from one person to another. They slowly revealed the real one from minimal foreshadowing until they explicitly revealed everything. I commend the script writers for the story.

Next to review are the actors. I was not convinced by the acting skills for most of the actors. Don't get it wrong. I'm not saying they were bad, I just was not convinced all throughout by the way they act. Although I think I know how the director/ producer or whoever choose these actors. They choose each of them because they looked and were naturally similar to their characters. To make you understand more I'll give you an example. Mamihara-san's character was a tough detective who is violent at times but very warm to kenji-san. The actor Endo Kenichi, without knowing him well in person you would already get that kind of vibes from him - a powerful tough guy who could be violent but is looks noble at the same time. It was similar to the other actors as well. To put it simply, the director choose these actors based on who is similar to the character not just the way they act but as who they are. It was not an accidental hiring of actors to whoever is good in crying or good is making psychological creepy expressions.


A mystery psychological drama without proper music will give you less thrill but this was not the case for kazukogari. The music production was great. 'nuff said about that. Anyone who watched this drama would realize it. I like their OST song especially when t was first played at the ending of the first episode. It really created the mood.

This drama has twists and turns and for you to fully analyze and understand it you'll surely enjoy watching it again. I can see myself in the future watching it and probably realizing new things that I didn't the first time I watched it. This drama always have underlying meaning and I want to fully grasp it. The only way is to watch it again. I think I would till enjoy it probably not as much thrill compared to the first but I have to say it is still re-watchable.

If you have persistently read this review of mine up until now. Congratulations! This is the first drama review I made. For some reason I was not lazy. I'll give you the heads up: NOT EVERYONE CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND PR COMPLETELY ENJOY THIS DRAMA. Those who are veteran in watching series and who loves psychological mystery dramas would surely enjoy this. I don't want you to expect much in this drama, you might get disappointed. Just watch and enjoy the thrill ride. I hope you would also appreciate some underlying meaning in this drama that are shown subtly. I love how you can see that even though those emotionally scarred or in despair people were harming others, it was because each and everyone of them cannot stand loneliness. Their hearts was searching and seeking for something that they couldn't find. I don't want to give an example or else I might give spoilers. I hope you enjoy kazokugari. It is a pyschological thriller that you do not want to miss!!!!

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A healing experience

Let me just start by saying that I rarely write reviews (I think my last review was for Mystic Pop-up Bar last year lol) but this show, especially the three main characters, have won a very special place in my heart so I couldn't not write my thoughts on AADSIG.

I honestly started watching this show without properly reading the summary; I had only knew this was based on a webtoon and after I watched the teasers I decided to give it a shot and boy am I grateful I did.

This has got to be my personal favorite kdrama of 2021 so far (and I'm not sure another show could top it). Don't get me wrong, AADSIG is by no means perfect, but I can't help but love this show with all my heart even though there were some things I wish were changed or added.
What I loved the most about this drama was how realistic it was in showing the struggles common people go through every day. We see different characters, each with their personal story and each one carrying a burden that makes them feel suffocated and like they can't go on. The most beautiful thing for me was to see how all these broken characters came together and with time, patience, understanding, and love they were able to help each other realize they were not alone, that it was okay to rely on others and that even though life is hard, the sun always rises after a storm and people can overcome their difficulties.

I felt I could perfectly relate to these characters and to the struggles they went through. Watching this show was a healing experience for me because through the characters I was able to see parts of myself I don't want to think about many times. Especially with So Bin, I felt deeply connected to her because I'm also an extremely shy person who can't stand being in the spotlight. Particularly I could understand her when she struggled so much to get closer to Yeo Joon and she felt scared that maybe he didn't want her to get closer to him. I'm also an insecure person who many times thinks I'm bothering others (even though I "know" they love me), I find it difficult to get closer because I'm afraid I'm being a nuisance or I'm intruding or overstepping. And the fact that I could see myself in her was one of the reasons why I felt disappointed that the show didn't give So Bin more room to grow, they didn't develop her character in more depth. I wish they'd showed more about her past, more about how she dealt with her insecurities and overcame her anxiety and fears, and more of her and Joon simply being honest and open to each other (particularly him) and helping each other grow and overcome their wounds. Sadly, that's the main reason why I can't give 10 stars to the show.

Nevertheless, the depiction of friendship in this show has got to be the most beautiful I've ever seen in kdrama, especially between the two male leads. And I know there are many people who were hoping this would be a bl but I just need to say I'm glad it wasn't because I think not everything needs to be about romantic relationships (be it same or different sex). In the society I live in, men are raised learning that talking about feelings, being vulnerable in front of someone else and showing you emotions are things they shouldn't do because "these are things that women do", so many men just suppress their feeling and bottle everything up and they have a hard time confiding in their friends about emotional matters, in fact, it is not "well seen" if they do that. So seeing Joon and Soo Hyun listening to each other's problems and supporting each other emotionally just gives me so much happiness because I think that's what friends should do, that's what friendships should be like (and we know that between women this is common, but between men, it isn't). So I was pleased to see such a healthy and positive representation of male friendship, they really went and said f*ck toxic masculinity and I'm LIVING FOR IT.

Finally, the acting of this show was simply BRILLIANT. Props to every single one of the cast members and especially the main trio. This was the second time I watched Bae In Hyuk acting and I completely fell in love with him. This was my first time watching Kang Min Ah and she did amazing, I think she's such an outstanding actress. As for Park Ji Hoon, I had seen only one other project of him but I hadn't realized the depth of his acting talent. This boy CAN act, he's incredible, definitely my favorite this time, I particularly enjoyed the emotion he conveyed during those scenes where we saw his trauma, especially that one scene in which the two bullies get into a fight with Soo Hyun because of the group project and Joon tries to stop them. His performance simply blew my mind. I'll definitely be waiting for these actors' next projects and I'll be rooting for them, there's already a spot reserved for their characters and them in my heart. 

Thank you to all the cast, production team, and staff who worked so hard in making this beautiful drama. I'm so grateful I found this show when I really needed it, now when I'm going through a hard time for not being sure of what future holds for me. Thank you to these precious characters for giving me so much comfort and making me feel safe and at peace with myself. Thank you for reminding me that not having all the answers to everything is okay, that I don't need to be in control of everything that happens in life, that it is okay to reach out for help, that I should treasure those who are close to me, and that no matter what, I can overcome whatever challenges and difficulties life throws at me, with the help of those who love and care for me.

I'm uploading this without really proofreading, so I apologize for any possible mistakes I may have made. Thank you for reading this far, and I hope that wherever you are, you never forget how precious and important you are in this world.

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Short review:
Mel Be's driving on the lost highway with Hippie riding shot gun and supplying the entertainment. We're the passengers in the backseat enjoying the ride. Every bloody minute of it.

If anything...The music wins all the points. Jesus, the best music I have ever heard. Hippie (Ken--lead actor wrote all the music, composed, and produced all the music himself for all of Hippie's music in U-Prince series).

Long Review:
Seriously, there should be a page just for the U-Prince's. Series reviews are weird to do. Out of ALL the U-Prince's this one is my FAVORITE.
Top 3:
1. CRAZY ARTIST
2. GENTLE VET
3. THE SINGLE LAWYER

I haven't watched all the U-Prince's. I am familiar with all the actors. I had put all the series on hold forever. I seemed to have watched the ones I hated, hence the reason I never stayed. *cough* geologist *cough*.

This story is a cool guy meets nerd girl and sparks fly and love is in the air. Most people are done and bored by it. I like it. I think for me, it's because I was a nerd in high school (all girls mind you). Yup, glasses and all. I was attracted to the bad boys. I had fantasies that I would be walking in my uniform and a guy in motorcycle would think I was hot and from there it would bam. Thinking back, it sounds creepy. But hey, I was 15. Anyway, this is the premise.

Again, for most it's a very boring trope. For me it's a safe trope. I love them. I was actually worried people would spew hate on it because of it being safe. However, as I was watching it...this was far from a safe trope. It was very powerful. Furthermore, what was interesting for me in the drama was also interesting for other people who might have found it boring.

It's a trope that was carried by absolutely great acting. The actors here had great chemistry. I bought into their relationship. I felt it. When they asked "Rewatch Value" ---> I rewatched episodes as I waited for episodes to be subbed. That already tells you how much rewatch value it has. I rewatched over and over and over again. That's how much chemistry they had.

This actress can cry up a storm. Those tears are fat ass tears. I have no idea where they come from. They're like rain storm tears. Jesus, so much so, she had me crying. You feel Mel Be's pain. The lead character Mel Be is sweet and analytical, but carries a soft and fanciful side to her.

Hippie, the Crazy Artist is her perfect polar opposite but balances her analytical side and they meet on this plane of equality where they both find mutual likes for different reasons. You'll note the planetarium date. There is a mutual meeting of minds and sharing of interests that bonds these two. She inspires him and makes him more spontaneous and she joins him on the adventure she provides the direction for.

It's great fun.

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Definitely watch!!

I didn’t even know I had an MDL account, but I figured it out just to leave this review. 8.1 is way too low for this show.

I know some people see Krist and feel hesitant, but don’t! Both he and Gawin play their characters beautifully, not to mention the supporting characters.

The story itself has got both highs and lows, and so so well paced. It’s not just a love story, it’s a story about living life to the fullest and with an open heart.

Although there is a certain character who didn’t deserve a happy ending, it doesn’t detract from the overall quality of the show.

Definitely watch.

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This was Cute!

Second Chance was honestly a cup of tea I didn't think I needed. It took me a while to get into this series for some reason, so I finished the first episode in about a week, but then after that, it only took me a day to finish the rest. second Chance has a bit of a confusing plot, but the use of great actors, decent music, and driven relationships helps to circle this series into a good one.

Let's Dive In.

We won't hang long in production, they were as good as most BLs will get. I did like the very little use of sound effects, which is sometimes my problem with other series. Also, it was a nice change i seeing their uniforms be fancy than the button downs and kakis (I mean it was really only a blazer and the occasional sweater vest, but still).

Onto the plot. It had me at times really jumbled up, especially because of the opening scene. From my understanding, the opening scene happened in the present, and then most of the series is shown in the past. Now, where that opening scene plays in, I have no clue, which is why I kept wondering what the freak was going on. Other than that, I loved the plot. I liked each relationship and how they ended. They were all different in dynamic and it felt refreshing to see that they all had a decent amount of screen time (obviously Tong Fah and Paper had a bit more). Character development was also on point, I liked seeing Jeno's change more than anything, but the other characters grew very nicely as well. This story could've been even better if they didn't add BL-obsessed women. They weren't too bad, but they still were pretty annoying.

Usually I fall in love with the side couple more than the main couple, but here, I was very much wrapped in their relationship. I liked how they handled their emotions and how you could clearly read on their faces how they were feeling. Their relationship was a bit confusing, I think the premise of the title "Second Chance" was coming from Paper after Tong Fah's accident when I had personally thought it was going to come from Tong Fah after his fall in the pool, but that part of the story was choppy, Paper confused me a bit just because he clearly had feelings for Tong Fah, so him freaking out after the kiss (aka the most sensual shit I've ever seen) feels out of place. Maybe he was dealing with internalized homophobia? Scared of losing Tong Fah as a friend? I'm not all too sure, that part of their conflict was so unnecessary. The ending was beautiful, the emotions that gave off were so strong that it made my own self get a bit choked up. Tong and Fluke's acting was magical, I never really paid attention to Tong in Tharntype (but I dropped it so...) but here, he really showed off his ability to act so I hope we see so much more of him. Friends to Lovers wins again!!

Moving onto the secondary couples. Jeno and Chris were a really nice touch to the series. Jeno was being heavily bullied by his ex-boyfriend, where he would get cornered and beaten up (let's not talk about the irony with all those "don't bully" poster; and the excessive amount of them) so Chris was is savor (but so was Paper..?) Anyways, their relationship was cute. Jeno kind of being stand offish to Chris was getting kind of annoying. He likes you, he's being nice to you, what's the problem? Let's go back to that character development. It's obvious with Jeno since he becomes a shy and cowardly person to a tough and confident guy (with the help of Chris of course). Even Arthur (that son of a bitch) had nice character development. I mean, he's still a piece of shit but at least he tried somewhat going easier on Jeno. Their ending was nice as well (and a perfect kiss) I feel satisfied enough with this couple. Onto Near and M. Now for a while, I was so confused on what was going on. At first I was like, "oh look! A love triangle!" but no, it took me two episodes to realize they were two different people. Near and M were nice, they probably had the least amount of screen time, but their relationship was pretty cute. I also liked Near and Tong Fah's friendship. It showed a healthy relationship between guys, and I loved how they were their for one another. Anyways, coffee shop love, where can you go wrong? The two brothers did a really good job and Nine was decent.

Overall, this was a nice watch. It was super easy too and episodes went by like nothing. Maybe they'll make a second season, if they do, I want to see more of Near and M more than anything, just because I think that their relationship has so many more places it can go. I do recommend this series, it was a bit sad a times, but for the most part it was pretty fluffy and simplistic.

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Seiren no zange tackles the complex nature between the media, police and the public.

The show tries to throw you off on who is responsible for the given crime; however, the story quickly became predictable. A similar story pattern could be found in a related genre as this one.

While watching all four episodes, it reminded me of how it closely reflects on our current society. Our source of news is flooded with false media and information. Information that tends to jump to conclusions for the sake of benefiting the media workers, not for the victims. The drama series presents this very directly and how their actions could worsen the situation rather than making it better. For example, false accusations via SNS (social media outlets) could cause a psychological impact on a person and change their social life. However, spreading 100% of the truth does not also benefit the victims, as mentioned in the drama. The reasons behind the media's actions were clearly explained in a documentary series called the social dilemma. I thought it was an interesting insight.

Minor Spoilers:

Although the drama series is short with limited development of the characters, it at least tells a clear and somewhat intriguing story. The main message of this series is that there is no black or white pattern or complete good and bad. Majority of the characters were portrayed as a mix, making you reflect on how our 'actions and 'words' affectively cause a scar on our lives.

Overall, the performance is mostly centred on our FL, portrayed by Araki Yuko. She had a strong presence, and although I haven't seen any of her other work, I believe she left a promising impact. The other performances from the victim to the supporting felt slightly average. The music selections were minimal; however, it suited the tone of the story. From my perspective, I wouldn't go back and rewatch this show due to my taste in enjoyment, leaning towards action and comedy genres.

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one of the best asian dramas

I have finished this show a long time ago but I completely forgot writing a review about it.
I am not the kind of person who would rewatch a show only if it was THAT good.. well, this show was indeed, that good. A few months after watching it for the first time I binged watched it again and I have a feeling I will re-watch it sometime soon. I started reading the books after finishing a show and I loved it! I would recommend reading Grandmaster Of Demonic Cultivation because it is really great and has a lot more romantic/cute scenes between Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan.
Anyway, back to the show.
I usually skip through scenes when I get bored or just simply drop a drama if it has way too many filler episodes but with The Untamed I did not have to do either. I loved every single episode of it and I am pretty sure I would never get bored watching this show. I do not think that I will ever find another Chinese drama that I will love this much like I could talk about my love for WangXian for hours.
I do not want to spoil anything or talk more in-depth about this show, but I hope anyone who watches it will enjoy it just as much as I did.

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Women Unite to Blossom from Adversities by selling Dim Sum!

“Blossoms in Adversity” is not getting a lot of hype and it’s unfortunate as it’s a pretty good drama. Led by Zhang Jing Yi (of “Lighter and Princess”) as the main heroine, we follow her as she leads everyone to weather the storms thrown at her and the Hua family. This drama reminds me of “New LIfe Begins”, with a focus on the women of the family, though “Blossoms in Adversity” has more drama and less comedy.

Plot/Pacing:
A lot happened to the Hua Family in these 40 episodes mainly due to a mean, dictatorial, jealous emperor who couldn’t stand being criticized or questioned. The pacing of the drama is pretty good. With a mix of politics, overcoming hardships, family relationships/dynamics, business dealings and royal family disputes, these 40 episodes go by pretty quickly. There might be slight slow pacing in the middle but the last quarter of the drama picks the pace back up. I am not a big fan of harem scheming, so I was initially worried that I might dislike all these women in the family, especially when the hard times come. Luckily, the fighting only happens for a few episodes and they are not too bad. None of them is evil at heart, and this drama really does emphasize on how these women of all ages and social statuses come together to create a new life for themselves and their loved ones.

Romance:
The main romance is like a calming, steady river stream. Hua Zhi (FL) and Gu Yan Xi (ML) are both intelligent, mature and rational adults. Their romance is developed slowly starting as strangers, to friends, and then to lovers. Although this romance does not give you severe heartbreaks or cute and fluffy sweetness, it brings a sense of satisfaction, companionship and comfort. Hua Zhi and Gu Yan Xi are very honest with each other, and will communicate when they are in doubt. I would not say Zhang Jing Yi and Hu Yi Tian have excellent chemistry and it’s probably because their romance is just so comforting. It lacks a sense of passion or yearning. The acting is not bad, but also not enough to move or excite me. There’s only really one kiss scene but there is plenty of hugging and hand holding. On the other hand, the secondary romance between Shao Yao and Shen Huan is a lot more adorable. They are just so fun together and I enjoy their chemistry. Their innocence shines through like the bright sunlight.

Acting:
As the protagonist, Zhang Jing Yi did an admirable job as Hua Zhi. She met my expectations but I would not say she’s excellent, because I think the large supporting cast of veteran actresses share her spotlight. Hu Yi Tian is not horrible, and definitely better than in his other ‘cold’ roles in “Go Go Squid” or “Handsome Siblings”. He’s OK but not great. He still lacks expressions in some of the more emotional scenes, especially when he’s angry (gotta do more than open your eyes wide). Lu Yu Xiao really is a very promising young actress. She has played so many different roles in recent dramas and she continues to impress me. “Blossoms in Adversity” has a very large cast from the youngest to the oldest. There isn’t anyone that is the weakest link and luckily, there aren't any annoying characters.

Production:
This might not be an S+ production, but nothing looks cheap. I love all of Zhang Jing Yi’s costumes and hairstyles. She looks beautiful in this drama. When the Hua family has money, all the women’s clothing look nice and ‘rich’, though they seem to always wear the same clothes. I enjoy the OST but do think the songs are overplayed. I am somewhat pleasantly surprised at the action/fight scenes. There aren’t too many fight scenes but the few that they had, I was quite impressed, and especially surprised to see Hu Yi Tian fight hard and seems to know what he’s doing. I don’t recall being impressed with his fight scenes in “Handsome Siblings”. The fights are well-choreographed and I would have loved them even more if we cut down on the slow-motion scenes. Lastly, I am so glad that most of the actors and actresses use their own voice even if it’s from studio/post-production and not live. Eddie Ko (Grandfather Hua) and Myolie Wu (third madame), both from Hong Kong, seem to be the only ones dubbed by someone else.

Lastly, I am not sure if this is considered a criticism, but I find our heroine Hua Zhi a little too perfect. The drama does not outright tell you she’s perfect. In fact, when she was introduced, no one really liked her or cared for her, except for her grandfather. But as the drama goes on, we are shown time and time again how intelligent she is. She is able to overcome Everything quite easily. Hua Zhi can react to challenges rationally, and she can anticipate and prevent future crises, while coming up with new ideas to make money. She’s able to grow her small little food stand business to having her own dim sum store in less than a year!

Having said that, there really isn’t any big flaw “Blossoms in Adversity”. It’s enjoyable, decently-paced with lovely characters. If you enjoy seeing women band together to support each other, this is the drama for you. If you enjoy seeing how one overcomes adversities and blossoms from them (see my pun here.. LOL), this is the drama for you. I’m giving this a solid 8.5. It’s just missing a little something for me emotionally, so I can’t give it a higher rating. Nevertheless, I heartily recommend this drama.


Completed: 6/2/2024 - Review #448

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Not a background TV show

Overall I actually really enjoyed watching this drama, but I know a lot of people that didn't. I get that many people thought the storyline was messy and too complicated but that's why I enjoyed it as most kdramas I can guess basically the whole storyline from the first episode.
The acting is on point as expected from Lee Min Ho, Kim Go Eun and Woo Do Hwan and their characters are enjoyable to watch, especially Jo Young and Jo Eun Sub (both played by Woo Do Hwan) meeting each other.
The music from the drama is actually one of the best I have ever heard, the songs used are so good I listen to them a lot more compared to other drama OSTs.
The only reason I didn't give it a 10 for rewatch value is that I feel the mystery is what makes it worth the watch, if you know the ending I don't think it's as interesting and I can image it would feel like it drags on.
Overall I wouldn't suggest watching it if you're looking for something you don't need to focus on. I would definitely recommend this drama to my friends though.

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I wanted to love this show!

Something was missing. The music was the best score in my ratings, which is the first of many K-Dramas I have watched. However, I wouldn't call this a romance. It's nothing really romantic about it other than some unrequited love. I did enjoy the actors and their effort to make this show a comedy. There were some laughable moments, but I know many of us clicked on this hoping it was a fuzzy warm, romantic comedy. ***Spoiler Alert*** You don't see anything close to a warm fuzzy feeling until the last 3 minutes of the final episode. I saw so many opportunities to insert those cute romance moments in the show. I guess that the writers were trying to show us that they can keep us wanting more, and they succeeded. I gave this drama an overall 6. I didn't have the satisfaction I was hoping for at the end and throughout the series.

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I found this series from several edits and I didn't really know about the story, but Tangmo's and Love's chemistry got me into watching it.
At first I was kind of "disappointed" to see that Love was acutally a girl. But I continued to watch it to see if it'll get better, and so did it. There was a long time I almost forgot s/he was a girl. There were some plottwist I enjoyed and I loved the ending.
Tangmo is the silly, childish kind of guy which I really liked, and there were many scenes that showed how caring and sweet he is. He's that kind of guy who can cheer you up at any times.
As I said, at the beginning Love seemed kind of boring and too much of "I dont want to be a boy" but as the time went by, s/he more and more started to get to into my heart.
I also liked the story of Menn and his one-sided love, he was so cute. I also find the story about everyday school-life in the Great Men Academy to be very interesting.
Different schedules, it was almost like a school trip.
All in all, you should definitely give it a try!
(btw, the music really fitted and gave a nice touch to everything :) )

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Out of the ballpark

Thailand has always been the home and mothership of BL but there wasn't much quality in their series and most of it relied on the same trope and cliches of the episode 11 curse, the 'i am not gay, you're the only guy I like', the 'breakup because we have to' and the cringefest romance/being cutesy sometimes, and my personal poison the husband and 'wife' trope. Urgh. In the last year or so it seemed that the Philippines and now even Korea seemed to be running ahead of Thailand and coming for their crown in terms of production value and acting. But this series, this series blew everything and more out of the park! It set a new standard for Thailand and for all upcoming Asian BLs and I am so happy Thailand snatched back that crown and said "your call, bitches!" I have yet to see chemistry, acting, and skills at this level. I have also never seen so many people on so many various forums and on social media reach the same consensus on how amazing this show was on all fronts and how it actually affected. This show was more than just two good-looking heteronormative guys being paired together (cough*cough) trying to sell us a love story. These were two actors who themselves had so much off-screen chemistry and who in their own words 'were soulmates' believed in their being that they were Pran and Pat. Having been best friends for years, Ohm and Nanon's solid friendship and love as buddies themselves shined through the entire 12 episodes, and we ourselves couldn't see where Pran and Pat ended and Ohm and Nanon begun. Ohm and Nanon - gosh. These two actors are simply awesome. As someone who is also in the media/performing arts line and has been in front of cameras, a few times, I have so much respect for these two actors. I have not seen the extent of acting talent in individuals so young. It's not easy to emote with only ones facial feature and make the audience believe you're feeling the emotion and not just acting it out. Nanon nailed that in every damn episode. Ohm brought that carefree spirit out of Pat so easily, that I forgot that he is a perfectionist and a little neat freak OCD in real life. I have never been bothered to write a review for any BL's I have watched but, this show affected me in ways I have not been in years. I was coming out of a bad place mentally when this show started and this show made me feel things, made me look forward to something, and help me heal from the numbness I have felt for so long. This show deserves everything I am sure it will win. This show deserves the 10 minutes of me sitting down and writing this. This show deserves a second season.

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The value of knowing one's self-worth and loving yourself first

I have seen the Korean original and Chinese adaptation of this drama, and I liked them both. Each one brought its cultural style, and even though none were perfect, the great mix of comedy, romance, and drama resulted in entertaining watches for me. It is the same for this Thai version.

I read some criticism that the acting was too exaggerated, but I have enjoyed enough Thai lakorns to expect and accept that. For me, Thai lakorns have their brand of slapstick antics that mesh well with the plot and character development. This lakorn, Me You Always, had its unique flair and provided a good amount of situational comedy, witty, and lowbrow humor for some good laughs. Also, with great timing, rhythm, and sound effects, the show swings from romantic to dramatic to funny quickly and smoothly, and it keeps the entertainment level high throughout the show. There were some deviations from the Korean and Chinese versions, a few for the better, and a couple took away poignant moments for me. The ending in the Thai version though is my favourite.

For those who have not seen the original or any of its adaptations, the plot is based on the classic and over-used "Childhood Love" trope. Still, the story develops nicely and interestingly in this particular drama. It's truly a sweet rom-com, but you will feel angst during the prolonged misunderstanding on the ML's part and some noble idiocy on the FL's side. You will also get the second male lead syndrome, or at least I did, for all the versions. Most of the plot is about the FL deceiving the ML about her identity and how despite it all (including a sexy, eager SFL), he still falls in love with the FL.

In all versions, the ML is a jerk at first. However, some of it is due to him being bullied during his younger days, and he grows up developing a prickly shell. His mean attitude towards the FL is mostly because he is so confused and trying to fight against the attraction that he feels towards her, especially when he thinks he has already found his first love (the FL's best friend).

I like that in this version, the show did not have Ploy, the FL go through any significant makeover. She looked normal, albeit a little unkempt and dowdy with her oversized clothing and lack of attention to her appearance, but she was still pretty and cute, especially when she smiled. I love how Ploy improved her outer beauty naturally and realistically as she started to pay more attention, such as using proper skincare, contacts, and tidying up her hair. Most of all, I like how Kawin (or Win), the ML came to love her for her character and the connection he felt with her, the same closeness he had with his first love.

Fang Neerasingh as Ploy and Pae Arak Amornsupasiri as Kawin were adorable together. They had awesome chemistry and looked good onscreen - I love the height difference. They played off each other well and nailed every scene.

Ploy was a strong, happy-go-lucky FL whose physical appearance belied how tough and plucky her character was after having gone through hardship in life. For sure, there were moments where I wanted to yell at Ploy for not having the courage to tell Kawin the truth, and she was the one who started her best friend, Randa's deception. Still, Randa could have made better choices. In the end, though, it all worked out neatly, and I like the character development of Ploy, Kawin, and Randa. It's great that Ploy prioritized her self-development, and Kawin was equally amazing in allowing Ploy time and room for her to pursue her ambition. After waiting years for her, he was confident in himself and their relationship.

This is the first drama of Fang's that I watched, and I thought she did a great job. She was able to convey different emotions with her facial expressions, and her crying scenes were pretty much on-point. Her cute "girl next door" look reminds me of other Chinese and Korean actresses, but I still cannot place which ones exactly. She also sang one of the main songs.

I am not a fan of Pae's hairstyle here, but he is still as charming and attractive as ever. I like his portrayal of Kawin and his mood swings as we see Kawin struggle against his curiosity about Ploy that eventually evolved into attraction and ultimately love.

There's lots of accidental skinship (yes, "mostly the trip and fall into his arms" and the "oops, I turned my face and my lips almost found his" kind), but since these two were so cute together, these scenes only increased the sweetness factor for me. I wish there were more kissing because they looked comfortable and natural together when they did. However, I did feel that the other versions did a better job showing how the ML slowly fell for the FL.

As for the second male lead, it is the way the character is written that would result in the second male lead syndrome. He's sensitive, cool, super sweet, and supportive of the FL. Nat Kitcharit played Tula well, and there were so many times when I would smile at the chemistry between Tula and Ploy.

The acting was great across the board, and there was just so much rapport between the cast!

There were not many songs played in the drama, and most pieces were instrumental. However, the theme song was fun and reflected the cute tone throughout the drama. The other one is the more romantic song and the instrumental version was used a lot during the meaningful scenes. It definitely heightened the romantic experience for me. For posterity, I have listed those two here:

1) "จับมือเธอไว้" ("Hold Your Hand")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ1ujiR2i6g

2) "ฉันจะกล้าพอ" ("I Will Be Brave Enough")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7K5hqv5LpQ

Overall, do give this drama a try! The sweetness, the silliness, the laughter, the terrific cast, the lovely ending - there's enough to keep you entertained!

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One of those dramas that full of plot holes, but somehow watchable.

Plot's premise was intriguing, but there's almost no answer of anything. Dinner part was forgotten after episode 2 and the other character felt unnecessary.
I think the problem was the duration. There's no enough time to properly tell the story. Probably because the recaps, they spent too much time on that.
The acting was fine, even though there's some scenes where they looked awkward. I didn't like any of the OST (for now). The cinematography was good.

Overall
I won't recommend it to anyone. But if you're going to watch it anyway... Don't try to find the logic, just go with the flow and maybe you'll liked it.

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