Reviews

09/10 Boss' Love

09/10 Boss' Love
This is a Thai remake of Japan's "Ossan's Love" from 2018. I haven't watched the original, yet. So I can't make any comparison between this one and the original. I'm just gonna review it as a separate series instead. This rom-com
BL series felt like a sit-com which is forced to be in a different format. I think it would fare better as a sit-com.
Cause the plot seemed more suitable for a sit-com. They're using Earth-Mix as the couple of this series, a famous couple among BL fans. They've played in many BL series together as a couple. Their chemistry is undeniable. I guess after all these years working together, it would be weird if they don't have a great chemistry. The plot is ridiculously hilarious, pure comedy. I think that that's the strongest point of this series. It doesn't have any steamy NC scenes, but has a good ending.

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Thank god for time travelling cats

Twelve Letters is a beautifully shot, beautifully acted and beautifully written drama.

I felt strangely nostalgic my first time watching this. The cinematography is very reminiscent of 90s Hong Kong films that I grew up on. They're similarly melancholic and passionately tragic. In these stories, the happiness is always fleeting and that's why I cried so much during their little rain dancing session lmao.

The story was well paced and the twists were surprising. I was constantly engaged but I don't really have much to say on the actual plot.

Wang Yinglu and Zhou Yiran acted the shit out of their roles in Twelve Letters. The anger, the yearning, the desperation—it's like they danced all over my guts. I cried so much I got a migraine and threw up. They need to work together again, preferably in a romcom or something; I desperately want them to be together and happy. And kisses! Omg we deserve kisses so bad.

Despite my adoration of this drama, I couldn't give it a perfect score because of two reasons. One is because the non-linear storyline within the 1991 time period was not always necessary and just added to the confusion (episode 8 in particular). And two is because the ending felt abrupt as hell. Why couldn't they have added a scene of Haitang and Yixun boarding a bus out of Meiwan or them moving in to an apartment near her university? A small scene like that would have made a huge difference, ughhh we were robbed.

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Beautiful, Emotional, and Surprisingly Easy to Follow

Moonlight Mystique is easily one of my favorite C-dramas of all time. I know it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, it was exceptional from start to finish. The acting, cinematography, music, action scenes, and costumes were all beautifully done, and every aspect of the production felt carefully crafted.

One thing I appreciated the most was how understandable the story was despite its complexity. The drama weaves together past lives, present lives, mysteries, and multiple plotlines, yet it never felt confusing. Unlike many fantasy C-dramas that leave me with unanswered questions by the end, Moonlight Mystique consistently explained its plot and revealed information at the right moments. As the story progressed, everything gradually fell into place, making the overall narrative feel coherent and well-written.

The storyline wasn’t simple by any means—it was layered and ambitious—but it was presented in a way that made sense and kept me invested throughout. I found myself enjoying every episode, every character, and every emotional moment. The music also deserves special praise because it elevated many scenes and made the viewing experience even more memorable.

Honestly, I don’t have any major complaints about this drama. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey from beginning to end, and it remains one of the most satisfying and well-executed C-dramas I’ve watched.

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An enjoyable wuxia mini drama!

I throughly enjoyed watch Nan Yanzhi navigate Lingya Tower's perils (frequently while adding to her shifu's stress levels) and gain allies along the way. I also liked seeing Zhuang Wujiu deal with the tower's politics while surreptitiously aiding Nan Yanzhi. There are a number of twists in the story, and I'm looking forward to rewatching it!

The supporting cast has a decent amount of character development, despite the drama's length, although I wish there was a bit more of Chilan Tuya. Characters' backstories tend to be grim and/or tragic, but the show doesn't come across as bleak to me (and in fact ends happier and with a lower body count than I expected). The trope of weddings being bad luck in suxia stories holds true, but more for the antagonists rather than the heroines. Some of the flashbacks got a bit repetitive (which makes me wonder if a bunch of footage was cut) but I didn't find it that overly annoying.

I liked the drama's cinematography and thought the fight choregraphy was well done. The soundtrack is very pretty and I hope someone eventually translates the ending credits song (the opening credits song is subtitled when it appears toward the end of episode 23).

Liu Meihan and Jinna Fu have excellent acting chemistry imho - I hope they work together on more projects in the future!

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Poignant, funny, healing two-part series

I was misty-eyed but smiling the whole way through. Even at 720p on Bilibili, I didn't mind the low resolution and janky subtitles because the storytelling was so compelling and propulsive. At two episodes (2.5h total), the pacing is surprisingly spot on, neither feeling rushed nor draggy.
There were numerous moments where I could guess how a scene was going to unfold, but instead of it feeling predictable, it felt inevitable. Like a perfect punchline after a skillful setup. The payoff of the headphones was especially sublime. And the dual catharsis of the mother and FL was incredibly well conceived and performed.
I also really liked the nuance of the romance, which was so subtle you could miss it if you weren't paying attention (especially if you didn't watch all the way to the end). The show would have worked fine without it, but to me it added a perfect extra sprinkle of sweetness.
I wouldn't have minded have seen a few characters get the karma they deserved, but ultimately it was a good choice to keep the focus on the main cast.
I can't say any more without spoilers, but I really recommend watching this show if you're a fan of melancholy but heart-warming dramas. It's great to find one this affecting that's also so concise but doesn't feel shallow. I definitely want to watch it again at higher resolution.

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I picked this up since I like Zhou Ye and Wang Xingyue but I think this drama just made me want them to collab again because it didn't really fill my expectations on the romantic side of the story. I really wish we could have explored the main lead's relationship more thoroughly because the tension between them was palpable.

The characters are great at making me interested in their goals and struggles but I found the pacing to be a bit slow. The political and court drama aspects of the plot were pretty bland and it was sort of a pain to follow.

I understand that they had to conform to censorship rules but I think that they could have still made the plot better. The idea of Hua Qian dreaming, waking up and not having fixed anything is an intriguing concept, but it felt very frustrating and unsatisfying since the viewers have seen her change throughout the whole story. A better plot would have been to have her wake sooner and then start to change things in the real world.

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A unique, if unrealistic, take on school bullying

On the one hand, this show is deeply satisfying if you enjoy watching bullies get a taste of their own medicine, especially when those bullies are snot-nosed kids who think they're above the law. It also addresses a wide range of issues that affect students, teachers, and parents alike, including students bullying fellow students, students not respecting their teachers, teachers favoring students with connections and rich parents over students from poor backgrounds, parents bullying teachers, and the enormous pressure students face from their parents to perform well academically.

On the other hand, this show is also ridiculously over the top and not at all realistic. The ERPB itself is government overreach to an absurd degree, and I found it really hard to believe that, in South Korea of all places, where public scrutiny of celebrities and elected officials is almost suffocating, there was not an immediate outcry over adults physically assaulting literal children, no matter how much the children deserved it. Not to mention the invasion of privacy and constant surveillance by the ERPB. Honestly, as much as I liked the main characters individually, I was actually rooting for the opposition party to disband the ERPB entirely. There's also the fact that the Bureau was founded after the murder of a teacher at the hands of her student, yet somehow no one knew that Ga-Yun, the murdered teacher, was actually the daughter of the Minister of Education who founded the Bureau and the fiancee of the Bureau's lead investigator until well after the ERPB was established. Han-Rim and Geun-Dae both routinely going undercover as students makes for some funny scenes and I get that they both look young but COME ON, you're telling me none of the students ever suspected them of being narcs?? Do not even get me started on their "romance," the negative amount of romantic chemistry they had should be studied. Also, what the actual HELL did they do to my girl Jin Ki Joo with that haircut?? South Korea's obsession with bangs should also be studied, my god, they treat foreheads like the Victorians treated ankles.

The last two episodes center around the student who murdered Ga-Yun as the big bad who has set up an extensive drug ring that spans multiple schools and goes so far as to commit multiple murders to maintain said drug ring. And yes, murder is bad, and yes, kids are capable of committing horrific crimes, but like, he's literally in high school. His brain's not even fully developed. I'm not downplaying his actions but there's a reason juvenile offenders often get lighter sentences and that is because their brains are literally not fully developed yet and as a result, they don't always know the consequences of their actions. Again, I'm not downplaying the actions of the bullies in this show, but it does make it hard to really root for the good guys when you remember it's literally a group of grown ass adults beefing with a bunch of teenagers. There's another episode earlier in the show where a group of kids who are also dealing drugs get thrown in a juvenile detention facility and basically get the shit scared out of them by the other prisoners who are legit murderers, and frankly, it's hard to really view this as justice when you consider that there's a very real chance they will get murdered before they get released. Maybe this is just my American worldview showing, but juvenile detention is not really considered a rehabilitative success here when most juvenile delinquents just end up becoming adult delinquents and commit further crimes.

As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy school bullying dramas primarily because it's so frustrating to watch the adults sit by and do nothing, I initially felt like this show was a breath of fresh air. The first episode in particular is fast and fun and I loved seeing an adult actually stand up to the school bullies and bully them back. But as the show progresses, it becomes harder and harder to stomach some of the extreme lengths the ERPB goes to to deliver justice. I've seen a lot of people compare this show to Taxi Driver because they're similar stories about people using violence for a good cause. Unfortunately, vigilante justice can only actually be delivered by vigilantes, and the ERPB is not that, they're literally a government agency. And when the government does it, it feels less like vigilante justice and more like the beginnings of fascism. I'm sure this show has more appeal to its native audience, but as an American, it hit a little too close to home for me, and not in a good way. If this show came out in 2024, I might've been able to just enjoy it for what it is and not think too much about it. But in 2026, when the U.S. government is figuratively and literally waging war on its own citizens and weaponizing different government agencies to do so, it's a lot harder to watch this and feel like it's anything other than a particularly insidious form of propaganda.

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Fantastic drama

Oh how much i enjoyed this drama, it had everything i could ask for. The story was great, the visuals stunning and beautiful music. The production did an amazing job.

The actors all did a great job!
The main couple had amazing chemistry, i was a bit sad that it were dead kisses, but they were filmed in a way that i wasn't mad at it.
I also loved the second couple, they had great dynamics. I saw they have their own spinn-off, so i am watching that one next! I am really looking foreward to it.

This is a real must watch, it's one of the best Korean BL's i have seen.

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Watered down remake of 'Sparkle in your eyes'

First I would just like to say that I am in no way saying this is a terrible drama, infact I think it was pretty decent for a short low budget bl.
What I wanted to say is that in my opinion this show is basically a watered down version of the bl Sparkle in your eyes', which is also a Chinese collaboration bl to get around the censorship, but with some obvious differences (I don't want to mention here for those that haven't seen sparkle in you eyes).
For those of you that have seen it, I'm sure you will agree this had way to many striking similarities and I'm partly convinced that the script writers used the same source material.

In my opinion, if you liked this then you should definitely watch Sparkle in your eyes. Its slightly darker in a way but the romance and passion is also way better.
This is just my own opinion and i still think this was a good show in its own right.

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Surprised

I didn't like it much until ep 6 or 7, after that this series became better. You gradually saw Akihiro change from a shallow a**hole in a thoughfull person with feelings.
Before that, the series was about sex and while it was about sex, it's not sexy at all.... When they are doing it, it didn't look like they are actually doing it in the first few episodes. Most of the time they are too far apart from each other. And the emotions are way to shallow to make it sexy... When they kiss, it's not a real kiss, but just lips touching "dead kiss". I don't understand the actors, they want to play in a BL, a BL mainly about sex, but they refuse to do decent kissing scenes... And i didn't see much chemistry between the leads.
The visuals and music were good.

I wasn't fond of Kashio Atsuki, there is something in his acting i don't like. Nanox did a very good job.

It's not a bad watch, but don't expect a very sexy drama..

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An Easy Watch, but Not a Standout

My feelings about this series were a bit of a roller coaster. For most of the show, I actually preferred the second couple. In my opinion, they had better chemistry and some of the most memorable scenes, like the pottery scene, even though their storyline wasn’t particularly deep. By the end, they weren’t very important to the plot anymore, but since they weren’t the main couple, that’s understandable.

The finale, however, didn’t feel completely satisfying to me. It felt rather abrupt and left enough room for a special episode with some cozy moments for both couples, free from additional drama or plot complications. That said, I did enjoy the redemption arc.

Overall, the series was enjoyable, but compared to the other BLs airing on Fridays, it was never a priority watch for me. I also would have liked to see more of Li You En in his role as a team doctor, especially in the earlier episodes, since that aspect seemed interesting but wasn’t explored much.

Another point is Li You En’s brother. For most of the series, I found him more frustrating than likable, although ep 10 finally made me warm up to him a bit.

In the end, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from watching it. However, if you’re not very familiar with Chinese BLs, I don’t think this is the best introduction to the genre, because it doesn’t really showcase the full potential of the industry. For me, it was the kind of series that was pleasant enough to watch and easy to relax with, but I never became deeply emotionally invested in it. In fact, I was more attached to it in the first half than in the second. Still, it remained an enjoyable watch that never made me feel too frustrated.

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09/10 Light, Funny, Romantic

09/10 Light, Funny, Romantic😻🥰😻🥰😻🥰😻🥰😻🥰
I like the light story about having crush on a senior in school.
A lot of funny dialogue in which could make you smile or laugh without realizing. The actors are all quite young and new on acting, so don't compare it to those who got oscars.
But having cast of Handsome as the senior and the very cute one as the junior are great choice. Great soundtrack. Just search for the lyrics and meaning. It suits the series quite much.
Hopefully they are gonna get another few seasons.
I Can’t Wait!!

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8/10 Sweet But Not Sugar-Coated

I honestly didn't expect much at first, but I ended up really enjoying it - glad I gave it a shot because the episodes just keep getting better. I originally watched this for Guide, but I ended up staying for the whole squad.
Bake Me Please can be a bit cliché - the classic sunshine guy falls for the cold and grumpy one - but somehow, it still kept me entertained. As painful as some parts are, the series gives off this warm, comforting vibe.
It also touches on how complicated relationships can get, and the emotional struggles that come with being in one.
Plus, it dives into the reality of unrequited love - loving someone who just doesn't love you back.
---
What I liked:
There are only a few characters, so the story's easy
to follow.
The production value is pretty solid.
The cinematography is beautiful, and the OST hits
just right.
Peach and Chin have decent chemistry - it's not fiery,
but it works.
Everyone did a great job, especially Ohm and Poom, but I
have to give a special shoutout to Guide - I just love his accent.
It would've been even better if Poom had more screen
time or was one of the main leads.
The love square actually added a little spice without
making things toxic.
Supportive grandma
What didn'twork for me:
Chin's character is honestly hard to root for-he's too unreasonable, self-centered, and barely grows throughout the series.
The lack of clear communication (especially on Chin's
end) gets frustrating.
I lowkey wished Peach and Guy were the endgame, but
of course that's not happening - Ohm (Chin) is clearly one of the main leads.
Overall, Bake Me Please is a cooking-themed BL with a simple, easy-to-digest plot and easy on the eyes cast. It's not a masterpiece, but it feels grounded and the casting was on point.
If you're looking for a BL series you can binge in one sitting without getting emotionallywrecked, give Bake Me Please a
shot.

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