Reviews

A sparking marble in the grass

The first couple of episodes, while charming, had me fearing mediocrity. But over time, I grew to see a surprising level of quiet depth and maturity in the leads. These young men have been hurt and are still dealing with hurt. One is more naive and hopeful, though, while the other is disillusioned with reality and terrified.

Takara's fight to not fall into the same depths as his mother and fear of himself the moment he mirrors her behaviors, even slightly, in particular, stood out to me.

"If I want something, I must have it."

What it must be like to fear your own wants and feel the need to push your desires aside in case you just might take a treasure into your hands, keep it from the world, and unwillingly crush it.

I would like others to see what I did, but I understand if you don't. Regardless, I found this a precious watch that I almost want to keep to myself. My own "treasure."

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It's TayNew Magic

I always write my reviews with parting positive , negative points but there is no negative thing so I have to write my review in a paragraph . I have seen Tay and Newwie's acting before so I am not surprised right now . There are no words to describe how outstanding this drama is . Although this is not a BL but you don't need romance if there is Tay and Newwiee . Every scenes of this drama is chaotic , funny and awesome . If you are feeling bore then must watch this series . The cinematography , music ., visuals , story and the side characters are just perfect . And most likable thing is Tay and Newwie are doing different types of drama apart from BLs .

Overall a solid 10 /10 for me .

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A must watch Cdrama in 2023!

"Here We Meet Again" is a captivating romantic Cdrama that left me thoroughly impressed with its amazing chemistry between the main leads. What truly sets this series apart is its portrayal of a strong, independent female lead and a male lead from a challenging background. The contrast between their lives adds depth to the story, making it all the more intriguing.

One of the standout aspects of the show is the exceptional character development. As the story unfolds, we witness the gradual unraveling of misunderstandings and the building of trust between the main characters. The script beautifully captures the complexities of their circumstances, showcasing how burdens can hinder communication and create obstacles to their relationship.

The series effortlessly balances comedy and romance, providing plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. The natural progression from friendship to a loving relationship is depicted in a way that feels authentic and heartwarming. The palpable chemistry between the male and female leads adds an extra layer of depth, keeping viewers engaged and rooting for their relationship.

I particularly appreciate the healthy jealousy displayed by the main leads. It adds an element of realism to the story, as they navigate their feelings while still maintaining respect for one another. This aspect adds complexity to their relationship, making it all the more compelling to watch.

Prepare to have your heart racing and your cheeks flushed as the male lead makes his grand entrance. That particular scene, where he appears and utters the words, "Do you really want him to see you like this?" is a game-changer. The chemistry between the main characters reaches its peak, and it's impossible not to be swept away by the sheer passion and emotion on screen.

I have to admit, I lost myself in that moment. The intensity of their connection, the raw emotions conveyed through their expressions and words, it all culminates in a scene that will make even the most composed viewer blush. It's a testament to the exceptional acting skills of the cast, who bring these characters to life in such a captivating manner.

"Here We Meet Again" has already secured a spot among my top romantic Cdramas. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a captivating love story with well-developed characters, engaging plotlines, and chemistry that will keep you hooked until the very end.

Note: This review is written by me, edited by ChatGPT for readability.

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I will remember you, will you remember me?

This is a heart warming, unabashedly tropey love story about how true love conquers all. The OTP face a daunting obstacle: Feng Mianwan's (Chen Yuqi) mother is blamed for Jing Ci's (Yu Menglong) mother's demise. Nonetheless Jing Ci shields her from his revenge driven aunt and raises her as his companion/maid. They are childhood sweethearts but when he can no longer protect her, he finds a doppelganger, arranges for them to swap identities and doses her with an amnesia drug to forget him and their past. In her new identity Mianwan/Ah Yuan evades her (doppleganger's) engagement to the noble Mu Beiyan, dresses as a man and goes to work as a fledgling constable. In her new life, she grows into her own person and finds meaning in her existence. Her guardian angel Jing Ci joins her in a new identity as a county official and together they investigate criminal cases. They eventually stumble upon a larger conspiracy with ties to both their identities and extends to the highest levels of the empire. 

While this is mostly a lighthearted and fun love story, there is a sad undertone as Jing Ci's health is failing and he struggles to conceal his feelings for Ah Yuan. She does not remember him but falls in love with him all over again. His intention is to selflessly see her happily settled with someone who can expect to live a normal lifespan and who can protect her but who is he kidding? Love is never ultimately that self-less! Both characters are strong and intelligent and have an enjoyable rapport with the other couples; confidantes and allies who help them unmask their enemies and reveal the secrets of their past. I particularly liked the princess who is a fantastic and loyal friend with her own rather charming love story. 

There is broad consensus that Yu Menglong's Jing Ci deserves an award for best characterization ever of a plank. Although the character is supposed to be unwell, in pain and stoic, he impressively took being plank-like to a whole new level. He has this amazingly eerie ability to seem deathly still and expressionless while speaking or in motion. Given the excoriating feedback, I feel a bit bad for the actor who clearly over-intrepretred the character and was also probably camera shy the way his eyes avoided the lens the whole time. To be fair, there were the rare one or two scenes when Jing Ci's feelings for Ah Yuan overcame him that were well acted though far from squeal-worthy. The one saving grace is he and Chen Yuqi make for a very stunning and romantic looking couple. Am a big fan of Yuqi who has really honed her acting skills and was convincing as a smart and independent minded character who knows what she wants and is not fooled or daunted by Jing Ci's seeming indifference. I really appreciate this smart and strong female lead character who is not obnoxious or dislike-able, which is more than I can say for several similarly themed 2020 releases.  She is a total delight from her remarkable ability to absolutely adore her plank to her subtly comical eye rolls at Mu Beiyan's ridiculous overtures. And no, I never shipped her with Mu Beiyan - her Ah Yuan is way too capable for a dilettante and (nice) dufus like that. While Mu Beiyan is a well written, likable and much better acted character, I still find it impossible to ship a love rival who is better made up and coiffed than the female lead!

The story overall is not terribly original but the cases are interesting enough. You will not win armchair detective of the year if you spot the bad guys early on or unravel the conspiracy on your own. Some of the plot twists are a bit lazy but the characters are quite colorful and stop short of being too archetypal. The ending was well done, wraps up most loose ends and delivers a final and very satisfying coup de grace. It won't rock your world but you won't have to retreat into the fetal position to get over a gigantic slump after it ends either. I would have rated this higher (7.5/8.0 ) if Yu Menglong's performance managed to improve towards the end.

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A merciless play with people's fears. Witch-hunt revisited. Gloomy. Upsetting. Horror with no escape

"The Netflix production "Hellbound" started even more successfully on the global streaming platform in November 2021 than "Squid Game". Dystopias (stories about gloomy visions of the future) these days obviously hit a sore spot in the global mass consciousness - the fear of what still is to come, considering that nothing will be the way it used to be....

Accordingly, "Hellbound" generally plays with people's fears. The characters in the story also play with people's fears - here in the face of a hell on earth that is spreading inexorably, flanked by a modern form of witch hunts and establishing a new order in which there is little room for hope and light. Because even as a reward for a righteous life, only death awaits in the end. At best, you don´t have to be ashamed and getting ridiculed of it.

The focus for the 'not righteous' is a heavenly or better hellish special commando, which arrives from the afterlife in the form of huge hell gorillas and stages a small earthly hellfire from human bones. No less shocking is the moment that meticulously announces the day and hour of this death in advance.

Rarely have there been so many crazy, delusional people in KDrama (here namely in the realm of the sect). The number of truly honest people can be counted on one hand. And in between there is the vast majority of the terrified masses, blinded and tamed by the New Truth Society's threats sold as hope...

The prospects are really daunting. Not just unearthly prophecy and execution of the death sentence for the shameful, despicable sinners. Even more actually what this scenario does to the people. There is the group of the "arrowhead" who, already sort of detached from any aspect humanity. Their members receive the carte blanche from the ordained sect priests to use the brute force and terror in order to carry out a multimedia-fuelled new edition of witch hunts. They are allowed to live out their wildest violent fantasies . And then there are the would-be ´gentlemen´ (and ´ladies´), CEOs and high priests of the New Truth Society, who submit their new 'commandments' to the people, and the VIPs who solemnly attend the celestial court processes live and in the first row...

Eventually, it can´t get any worse than that. "Hellbound" effortlessly catapulted humanity back into the deepest Middle Ages - yet in the midst of the modern, high-tech 21st century. Business with sin is very popular there. From now on it is no longer about the hope of eternal life (in the hereafter), but merely about not to unnecessarily embarrass yourself as a sinner in the face of the inevitable earthly death...

For me, "Hellbound" is highly ambivalent. It's done great again. Ecellent actors. Exciting story. Upsetting, because maybe not so absurd in terms of social dynamics... But do you really want to/do you have to look at it? There's practically nothing positive coming out of it. Even the hopeful spark at the end remains under a hood of fear and horror and somehow doesn't really find its way back to the light... (A 2nd season is in discussion... maybe then? Or just more fear and horror from which there is no escape?)

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Buckle up for a zany joyride

When you read the synopsis of this show, you would assume it to be a cheaply made, quickly produced filler to slot into a gap in the schedule. It could have been such a show, but it is so much more!

The show is a Chinese costume drama set in a mythical past where the country was divided in a number of warring states. Two particular city states have been at war for years due to some misunderstandings. I won’t bore you with the details as it is quite convoluted and contrived.

On the surface, the plot sounds like the usual palace intrigue, fight for power trope with a dose of romance. What I didn’t expect is a cheeky farce that works like a treat. It is over-the-top, manic, chaotic and racy. The narrative just has this devil-may-care attitude. Time and again I would think “they can’t do this” or even WTF but that’s exactly what happens. A lot of the times, it is for laughs but sometimes it is for the shock value as well. You can’t predict how far the show will push a particular line.
Is it a perfect script? Not by a long shot. There are tropey and confusing subplots as well as its fair share of plot holes. What saves the show is its internal core logic. There is a solid narrative thread that runs through the whole show that is unwavering so that the behaviour of main characters are consistent even though some of the split second action/reaction can be kooky and unpredictable.

Even as I wrote this, my mind is in turmoil. I would recall a cringey moments that made me facepalm and then a LOL gag would pop into my head only to be replaced by a really sweet, swoon-y moment. By all that is holy in dramaland, this show should not work but it does. It buoys you along with its manic pace and you are all in or you are out.

Another surprise is the company of young actors. They are not well known but the ensemble certainly made up for that with a great deal of commitment, solid acting abilities and decent comedic timing. By the halfway mark, you are so used to their antics that you just accept what they do as the norm, warts and all. The standout here is the FL, Zhang Yue Nan. She was the focus of many threads, and she shines while playing a variety of roles. The SFL, Fan Wei, is good as well. She plays the villain, twice and to good effect. Consider she is in her 20’s and only had a handful of support roles, this is not a bad effort. The ML’s are good and handsome, especially Yan Zi Xian. He can anchor a scene with his presence. However, a lot of the time, they play second fiddle to the strong FL’s. There are rough edges with some acting and overacting is to be expected in a comedy. It is all part of the bigger picture, and you have to cut them some slacks.

The various CP’s have good chemistry and they don’t shy away from skinship. Nothing more than kisses and hugs but they did it with some passion.

Another positive is the lush settings. The court set is of high standards and costumes (generic era/locale) are certainly a cut above average. Overall, it is a solid production. The minor negative is the dubbing. I’m not sure if the whole show is dubbed or if some of the actors dubbed themselves. The sound is patchy in the beginning but got better towards the end. It is a minor issue, but you notice improvements as the show progresses.

The ending is very good and consistent. We are rewarded with some fan service and most of the threads are closed satisfactorily. It doesn’t feel rushed while leaving its fans in a happy place.

I won’t say that it was love at first viewing, but it definitely grew on me. I can recommend this show and with a run of 24 x 30 mins episodes, it is not a huge time investment.

Sadly, this show will probably disappear into the Great Web Void soon as it won't be heavily promoted. That will be a shame.

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I mean,i started watching this because of Sehun,Chanyeol and Leeteuk,if it weren't for them i wouldn't even finished it. I was confused 4 out of 7 episodes lol.
The story doesn't have much to it,trying to transform a "ugly" girl that it's already pretty but y'know,kdrama logic. Put some makeup on her,take her glasses off and add a dress and she goes from ugly to a model in a sec. And there were many random scenes that made me cringe like crazy.
But overall for being a product placement drama,it was pretty cute.

I recommend it if you have 8-15 minutes to spare, but don't expect too much.

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It's eveything I ever wanted in a gay film

I appreciate movies that can effect me deep and touch my soul. The movie made me depressed for days. Even tho it's hard and I'm waiting for that feeling to fade away, but still the movie is a masterpiece and totally worth it. I waited SO long for a movie that feels REAL and it's finally here. I don't like it when people compare it to call me by your name. shame on you. What I like about this movie is that it showed what most of us went through, and still going through. Being gay is still not easy even if your country is cool with it now, still a lot of us had that complicated relationship no matter where you live it can happen anywhere and at any age. There are a lot of people who are afraid of their sexuality and would rather run away from it. I also loved that it was about love more than a sexual attraction. even that sexual scene between them was more emotional than sexual. They were really into each other emotionally so deep. I love this kind of love. The love that can be proven by so many ways bigger than sex. just pure love.
What I didn't like much was the amount of deleted scenes! so many important scenes were missing. I wish there were more scenes that showed Birdy's love for A-Han. This is a movie to remember for decades to come.

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A charming modern fairy tale with a fresh love story

I refused to watch Goblin for a long time, kept skipping it until it finally ended up on my "Not Interested" list. A few days ago I came across an article about it, the topic was Korean fantasies on Netflix, and this time it piqued my curiosity and I decided to give it a chance. I didn't regret it.

What did I like so much about this "Goblin"? It wasn't the main character by any means, though he was a nice guy. It wasn't the chemistry between the couples, which was teased in the story of a larger-than-life fate that brings two couples together over several lifetimes, because I didn't feel that chemistry.

I'm a fan of the fantasy genre, but I wouldn't prioritize this series as fantasy because I missed it driving the main thread of the story.

And the love story was kind of weird - no strong passion or heartwarming scenes.

Finally..... Without hesitation, I rated "Goblin" a 9/10.

I wonder, I really wonder, how this series won me over. Now, as I write it, it may crystallize for me. First of all, the two main female characters were just adorable - sweet, pure, sparkling, gentle, with a fragile feminine air, though not fragile characters. The "goblin bride" was such a fresh image - a woman-child oozing energy that floods you with good feeling. Actress Kim Go Eun (the second season of "Yumi's Cells" is currently running with her) is super cute. The other lead actress whose performance I liked is Yoo In Na, who later starred with the same partner in "Touch My Heart".

The men, aside from the sole villain, were gentlemen with a history of tragic bad guys - a king and a general who endure punishment while living the lives of a goblin and an angel of death. However, the viewer sees nothing wrong with them. They are so considerate, caring, sensitive, sacrificial - every woman's dream men. There was also a cute minor character - a young boy, a third generation heir, who added spice to the story without his character actually undergoing development.
Aside from the king's uncle and the main character's aunt, the typical spiteful, ugly, morally repugnant lost Korean souls that are so stifling in any series were absent. Two cursed enemies become good friends, outgrowing loathing and revenge.
There is no shortage of humor in the crisp dialogue between all the actors.

All in all, this is a drama of pure relationships and genuine people - like a brochure of life as we would like to live it, labeled "Feel good story". There's no intrigue, no attempts at someone wanting to take someone else's man/woman away, no parents opposing the relationship - well, there's no intrigue overall, but I didn't miss it. And the ending was nice - I won't spoil if anyone hasn't watched it.

Overall, I recommend anyone who hasn't seen it and likes romantic fantasies to give it a try. It leaves a nice feeling in the heart and is watchable in one breath.

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Exceeded expectation

I started this drama with no expectations at all. It turned out to be one of the few dramas I didn’t drop and watched till the end.

The main leads have amazing chemistry!! First time watching ML and I was very impressed by his acting and micro expressions (plus point he is sooo good looking and a cutie :P). I hope he will get more main roles in the future.

The supporting roles (classmates, ML father, FL parents, teachers) are great too. I love that the story didn’t only focus on the main leads and touched on other character’s story (i.e. teachers and classmates). Overall, a drama worth watching and (somewhat) satisfying ending,

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EDIT: This is NOT a rip off or the same thing as "In A Good Way". I'm going to assume that viewers who are saying that haven't watched more than the first few episodes and feel that because there is a group of characters the story follows over the years that makes them too similar. I feel those people are really losing out on watching a really great drama, but of course that's up to them, it's just a shame.

I have to say right off the bat that this is hands down one of the best Taiwanese Dramas I have ever watched. The last episode is arguably the best ending to ANY Asian drama I've ever seen despite the bittersweet feel it had.

Story (10 out of 10):
Wow. Where to begin with such a thoroughly thought out and beautiful story. If ever there was a realistic drama, I feel this would be a great example. There is such depth and nuance that it is hard to put into words without spoilers. This series takes a story that has been done many times in dramas, but isn't afraid to go all out with it, it packs so many feels that you barely have time to catch your breath. Even if some things were arguably predictable, it didn't take away from the story, because of the realistic way it played out. 16 summers in 16 episodes feels so appropriate, and I feel is one of the best examples of demonstrating the passage of time. Too often it feels that dramas take place over the course of days or weeks. Fang Wei De states at one point how time passed more quickly when everyone was having a good time, and that certainly felt tangible in this show. I just can't praise the ebb of time in this show enough.

I really appreciated that we are presented with our core characters as children and see them through their experiences into adulthood, the character development is real in this. The ups and downs, and how words and actions DO have consequences whether it is in the form of regret or in the form of enlightenment. Often times, I feel like characters will say and do things in dramas with little to no repercussions, but that is not the case in TWWW, and that is why I feel it is certainly one of the best dramas I've had the pleasure to watch. There are no evil type characters, just times when people make bad or sometimes even horrible mistakes... but instead of going overboard, we're able to see each character as a person, with real problems, real emotions, and having to again really deal with what comes after.

Another big thing is closure. This is handled SO well, and it doesn't come off as though the writers were just trying to wrap things up in a nice neat bow, but to further demonstrate life in general. My only regret is not being able to articulate well enough just how great this story is.


Acting/Cast (10 out of 10):
I've only ever seen Leroy Yang in Love Forward (2012) and while I enjoyed his prickly businessman persona in that, I wasn't all that impressed. However, he more than impresses as Fang Wei De. He definitely plays jerkish well, but the latter half of this series, just took my heart and breath away. I'm definitely going to be looking into his other dramas when I can because I could seriously be missing out. I really can't think of any other Taiwanese actor to fill that role than him.

I've seen Tiffany Xu quite a bit and in general it feels like she always plays characters I can't stand. I first saw her in Autumn's Concerto (2009) and later Drunken to Love You (2011) and especially had the urge to want to slap her characters. She's had supporting roles in It Started with a Kiss (2005) and ToGetHer (2009). She's been in many other dramas, but those are the only ones I've seen so far. Having said that, I was glad to NOT hate her character in TWWW. She did something pretty awful, but the way things played out, I was even able to forgive her by the end.

Despite Ruby Lin having such an extensive drama/film career this was my first time experiencing her acting and I have to say it was great. I felt she played a great strong female lead. I always like the spunky female leads that don't take any crap. She's strong, but has a sensitive side and I think she handled them both really naturally.

Rounding out our Quintet is Jason Tsou (Ding Guo Qing) and Melvin Sia (Wang Jun Jie), this is my first time seeing them in a drama, so I really have no frame of reference but definitely I felt they owned their characters and made them feel relevant. I find sometimes when you have more than 2-3 leads in a drama the other tend to fall by the wayside or just blend into the background or at worst are just straight up forgotten. Not in this case though.

Each actor brought their A game as far as I'm concerned and it really paid off.


Music (9 out of 10):
I'm still upset that I'm unable to download Eric Chou's - Let's Not Be Friends Anymore song on itunes. Some may feel like it was overplayed, but I'm not one of them. It's such a beautiful song that was really much more than a theme song. It was the only vocal that I really liked, but even still, I felt the OST went very well with series and I enjoyed the instrumentals.

EDIT: Eric Chou's song actually IS available now on iTunes, I guess they wait to release OSTs until after the drama airs (I'm so used to K-dramas releasing singles while airing - I'm so spoiled :P ).


Re-watch Value (7 out of 10):
I wouldn't re-watch the entire series only because I don't think my heart could handle the intense feels, but there are definitely some funny and powerful scenes that are worth re-watching.


Overall (10 out of 10):
I would HIGHLY recommend this drama to every Asian drama lover. It really has it all and even though there are drama tropes scattered throughout they don't come off as tropes, but just great moments within a great story. It is not perfect, but honestly I felt especially in terms of writing and story this is pretty damn close. There are no questions regarding the characters motivations, there aren't any WTF?! moments that are never resolved. It's just a really well made drama that definitely deserves more praise than it may receive.

Some have compared this as a knock off of In A Good Way....please. Not even close. In a Good Way WAS a good drama, don't get me wrong, but it was not nearly as thoughtful as this drama, not nearly as well written. What they do have in common is that they begin in the past and you see the characters grow throughout the years a la Reply 1994 and Reply 1997. If you want something more upbeat, sure, that is In a Good Way, and then down right LOL by comparison is the Reply series.

Lastly, the writers did a great job of closing out this drama. The last episode was not filler or BS like most dramas seem to be nowadays. It was beautiful and I highly recommend having plenty of tissues when the onion ninjas come for your eyes.

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No BL, but a true gem

The last six months have seen some remarkable BL-highlights, like 'A tale of 1000 stars' or 'I told sunset about you', where a lot of money was spent to create beautiful series. Wayufilm once again proves that it's possible to compensate the lack of a huge budget and lucrative sponsorship with creativity, dedication, and a cast of highly talented and overwhelmingly cute actors. And – to make this clear from the start – although this is not BL, it is a true gem that BL fans will love, I promise.

The plot is simple on the surface: A student from Bangkok visits Chiang Mai to experience life in the countryside and therefore travels with three Chiang Mai friends to a remote rural 'hotel'. This simple plot is, however, used to address some of the problems Thailand (like many developing countries) is facing, not by making the actors elaborate at length on migration from land to cities, left-behind marginal rural areas, unequal distribution of wealth etc, but by seemingly incidentally displaying their consequences in the daily lives of the people.

Let me give two examples. When the country boy's mother tells her son she's afraid she will be left behind alone some day, after her daughter has already escaped to the city with a guest, we see like in a magnifying glass what internal migration means for the countryside. When a debt collector of a money shark threatens Kep his boss will take the 'homestay' away from the family who have run out of money due to the covid crisis, this little scene en passant makes it obvious that the pandemic hits poor people the hardest and makes the rich even richer.

Now this may sound as if 'Country Boy' was a depressing account of poor people's problems, but it is exactly the opposite, thanks to the carefully constructed storyline, which contrasts the big problems with little pleasures on the personal level. In part 2, the film offers a solution to overcome the divide between prospering cities and left behind countryside: the visitors decide to help Kep and his mother improve their 'hotel' and attract more paying guests, and donate their money so that the outstanding debt can be paid. It is a small example of how the problems of marginalized regions can be solved: by the transfer of money and skills, on a much larger scale, of course, supported by many more good-willed people like these four boys, and local people ready to adapt to the changes.

So we have to talk about the characters. Kep is the country boy who succeeds in smiling away all the obstacles of the hard life in the country. However, he isn't the one-dimensional naive optimist, he has his moments of fear and frustration, too, but he always finds the beauty in the little things of life. As his guests expect 'activities', and there are none, he invents some over night: watering the plants, for example, which seems weird to the visitors at first, but then they love it.

The Bangkok student and the three Chiang Mai boys, on the other hand, at first only see the quaint, romantic side of country life, but soon realize that things are not so romantic when you have to face the naked truth behind the pictoresque scenery. They do appreciate the clean air, the beautiful landscape, and the rural life, but they are soon confronted with the basic problem of poverty. Unlike many well-off city people, they don't close their eyes, but do the best they can to help their new friend Kep. At the same time, they learn that the local food that looks like 'dog's puke' to them, tastes wonderful.

Now you may ask, 'where is the BL-factor' in this? Well, there actually isn't much, no kissing, no sex like in previous OakMon movies, just a few secret glances in episode 1, and two hugging scenes in the final part. That may be disappointing to some viewers who have expected more, but honestly, more wouldn't have fit the characters of Kep and Nabdao. Not so soon. But maybe in a sequel? Somehow it feels like Nabdao and Kep will meet again.

Which takes us to the actors, and they are just brilliant. Oak has proven he is able to give depth to his roles at the age of 16 already (if you haven't seen 'Key Love' or 'Night Time', you should watch them, too). The way he expresses joy, fear, surprise, shyness, and love proves he is a natural. With Mon he has a congenital partner which makes these two young actors an iconic couple already (even if they don't become a couple in this movie), and all that without the fan service from a big production company.

But this movie doesn't only rely on the talent and chemistry of the two leads. The supporting actors are all very good. What makes the performance of these five young men so outstanding is their natural way of depicting their roles. In many scenes it feels like the camera is only there to accompany a group of boys for two days, so you get the impression they aren't acting at all.

In some of the big Bangkok productions the main criteria to put together the cast of a series is the cuteness factor; talent and acting skills come second and sometimes are lacking completely. In this movie we have one of the rare cases where all the actors are extremely cute, each in his own way (don't tell me Oak isn't cute. Gosh, this smile, and these eyebrows!), and they are talented and skilled at the same time.

The settings are also carefully chosen. When at the beginning the Chiang Mai boys proudly take their Bangkok visitor to the most popular coffee bar, he's bored because he knows all the coffee bars in Bangkok, and coffee bars aren't the reason for him to visit the North of Thailand (which reminds me, a country boy myself, of proudly inviting my city-friend to our newly opened pizzeria, and he was complaining pizzas are much better in the city. He rather wanted me to take him to the forest which I find boring because it's just full of trees and nothing else. Well, the other man's grass...).

Kep's Homestay feels like a haunted house, opening the opportunity to show that boys from the city are more frightened of ghosts than the country boy who finds it completely normal his late grandmother's spirit still inhabits the room he rents out to the visitors. I had to smile when he apologized to her she will have to spend the next few days in his mother's room. The environment of Kep's 'hotel' is used to show the rural people's love of nature, e.g. when Kep teaches his visitors to water the plants, which for him is an act of pleasure and respect.

The cinematography of this movie (I won't call it a series, it's more a movie released in two parts) is an improvement compared with previous Wayufilm productions. This isn't meant to say the older ones weren't good, but the surroundings of Kep's Homestay allow more attractive shots than a classroom, a small flat, or a dirty alley like in previous productions. It doesn't reach the quality of series like '1000 Stars', but it's still good.

Finally, I must mention the soundtrack. The song performed by Mon and Oak is so beautiful it makes me smile every time I hear it, just like the movie makes me smile every time I watch it. I rarely re-watch series or movies, but I have already re-watched the first part three times.

To sum it up, this movie is a true gem, and a real highlight of 2021, maybe not as BL as you would have wanted, but Oak's smile and the natural acting of all the boys easily make up for that. If you're in a sad mood, watch it (again), and I'm sure you'll feel better. If you're in a good mood, still watch it (again), because you'll have one more reason to feel good.

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Cute, Meaningful, and Heartwarming

Omg I love this show, and why shouldn’t I love such a cute show?
Here is a very short review:
This show is like Back to 1989(Taiwan show) female version with similar concept but better executed. As a huge fan of time-travel and youth(high school) dramas, this show was definitely my type. Things I enjoy most are mother/daughter relationship and main characters’ development. FL can be annoying at times but it is not unreasonably annoying and she has her own reasons for that.
Casts are not super well known, but acting is quality, especially our two female leads; Amy Chen and Zhaung Da Fei. Though male characters aren’t as important, Chen Jun He and Duan Xiao totally captured my hearts
High School part is well done and I’d rate it highly for nostalgia.
But again, it is not a perfect drama, and it has some flaws; some parts should be explained more clearly and Wu Zhi Xun character development is a little disappointing
But it is understandable...
Overall, I love it!
If you are a fan of time travel or high school dramas, I highly recommend it
And watch it for nostalgia, it is worth your time.

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It's pretty surreal for a show to bring change in a person but this stirring show has brought change in me. I could realize the beauty of life, death, love & punishment by this show. The acting was very touching . In my whole life it was the 1st show that made me cry( it was my 3rd Korean drama) Even though I gave myself spoilers & tried my best not to cry, the acting of the cast failed me. Even though there were plotholes & some part of the story didn't make any sense, I'd love to watch this heart fluttering show again & again. The chemistry between the leads was on another level. Definitely worth watching.

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