Reviews

Had so much potential…

I finally watched this drama after delaying it for so long due to the dissatisfaction many viewered had. Now after I watched it, I completely understand. I have a like-dislike relationship with this drama. I felt like they left a lot of stuff out and I’m just extremely confused on what’s happening, yet I couldn’t stop binging it. I kept thinking I missed an episode with all the empty plots and then the time change was a mess. It had so much potential especially since the idea of a love alarm was highly interesting to me. I feel like it wasn’t executed the way it should have been. I will watch the 2nd season to see how it plays out, but definitely not something I would rewatch. However, I heard the 2nd is worse than the 1st. I love Song Kang though

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8/10 My New Favorite Japanese BL

I loved this. Short and sweet. Definitely one of the better ones l've seen and may even be my favorite Japanese BL. It was well-written and well-directed. The casting was great: two actually good-looking actors with great on-screen chemistry. The acting was good, too; there were still some awkwardness here and there, especially in intimate scenes (BL guys just never quite know what to do with their hands, do they?), but overall, it was some pretty solid acting from the whole adult cast. I made the mistake of reading the manga halfway through the series run because I got impatient with the weekly release. It was a mistake because I robbed myself of the otherwise worthwhile experience of going in blindly and being pleasantly surprised by all the good things that a well-done show can offer. While I loved the manga and this faithful live action adaptation, I really think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I didn't have the source material in my head as I watched it. Nevertheless, ! loved the series and I can't wait to rewatch it in one sitting this time.

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10/10 I love this so much, please season 3

10/10 I love this so much, please season 3
First off I'd like to say it love is love. If you have an issue with someone loving some one else than that's your problem.
There's no grooming so stop talking about it or acting like there was ever. This is a very good show. Shintaro is a smart young man and knows what he wants in life and figured it out at a young age. Akria on the other hand Shintaro's love interest well...lol different' story. It seems like he didn't know what to do with his life and just went with the flow.
That doesn't mean he isn't a good soul tho. When they where both younger it turns out Akira saved Shintaro's life and that event stayed with him for ever and that's what made him fall in love with Akira. Shintaro makes a promise to himself he doesn't want to see Akria cry and wants to be by his side for ever to protect him.
I feel like season one started out slow and I would have loved to see Akira stop acting like the way he did the first half of the show. Even when Shintaros an Adult he still acts the same way it even continues in season 2. I really want to see a season 3 but he needs to stop acting like a kid. I feel like most of the problems could have been avoid if Akira would grow up and stop causing them and just ell him how he feels and stop pushing Shin away. I feel like i spend the half of the second season yelling at akira to stop breaking the relationship lol. I want to see there relationship as a real couple now for season 3.

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wonderful series!

After having a burnout in his office job in Tokyo, 30-year old Akira Minato returns to his hometown by the sea and runs a laundromat that he inherited from his grandfather. Life is quiet and Akira is happy. That is, until 17-year old student Shintaro shows up. Not only is Akira's life and feelings turned upside down, he also begins to realize that he has been running away from himself and his feelings for too long. Will he finally face his past?
Oh boy, is this one about crushes. We have teenagers crushing on adults, students on teachers and colleagues on ... well, colleagues.
But what I found intriguing was the unusual constellation of the two main couples: Usually, and that would have made me so uncomfortable that I probably would have quit the series in episode one, it is the older part pursuing the younger. The responsible adult grooms and seduces the inexperienced teenager.
But. This is not Lolita and thank God.
Instead, in both main couples, the younger part is the pursuer (and quite an aggressive pursuer for his young age sometimes, something which I haven't seen yet), and the adult pursued behaves like a kid.
Akira behaves and screams around like a 5-year old (which, l must admit, was a tad annoying sometimes). He runs away from his feelings, from his past and from his responsibilities.
The other adult in the side couple, SEEMS like a responsible adult, but he lives in his own world and is, in every way, innocent. It is, again, the younger half of the couple that awakens new feelings and an outlook on reality in him.
The teenagers, on the other hand, are more mature and serious. Or so it seems. Thank God, the script lets them also be teenagers inbetween. They are overemotional sometimes, letting their feelings and first love consume them completely.
I know, some viewers have a problem with the age gap, or more specifically the ages of the age gap. In the end, Shin is 13 years younger than Akira, and just turns 18 in the run of the series. And I do agree. 17 and 30 are like different worlds. I recall that when I was 17, I was a completely different person than I am now. Like Shin, I used to have a crush on a much older man and today, in retrospective, 1 am glad he didn't act on it.
What makes it different here, is that Akira tries not to encourage the crush too much. He is instantly drawn to Shin, because Shin is his type (not because he is a teenager), but he at least tries to keep his distance. It is already a big deal when Shin simply wants to hold Akira's hand and their first kiss happens when Shin is over 18.
It is just that in the end, both men have gone through development, Akira was finally able to confront the one he had been running from since he was a teenager, realizing that he is finally over him, and Shin is on the verge of entering university, a new chapter in his life, an important step into adulthood. Still, Akira always supports him, does not force him into anything (it is rather SHIN who constantly tries to seduce him), and says that he will wait for him no matter how long it takes.
That was what drew me to this couple and made me root for them until the beautiful end. That there is always a mutual respect and cautious tenderness.
Okay, enough with the analysis, let's face the facts: Both main actors are fantastic, especially Sho in the role of Shin has impressed me. He shows wonderful depths for his age (23 during production), but Takuya can easily hold his own.
Both show emotions wonderfully and naturally and when they cry, it breaks your heart.
The production is absolutely lovely and heartwarming and I especially loved the effects when there was a flashback.
Also, you will fall in love with the whole cast, who are just adorable.
What can I say? I laughed, I cried (or rather bawled my eyes out, when you see the scene in question, you will understand) and I had a good time watching the show. I give it a 9/10 because of some lengths and repetitions, but overall it's a must watch that I would absolutely recommend.
And I am hoping for a second season, I'd love to see how Akira's and Shin's story goes on.

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Carino

Allora, parto col dire che io ho visto l'originale e questo secondo me è un ottimo remake, ma la magia dell'originale non si matcha. Detto ciò lo ho visto in onore di When Oranges Fall e del fatto che Almond e Progress sono passati alla mia agenzia preferita (la GMMTV) e anche se sono finita a finirla un po' più in la rispetto all'inizio della serie sono comunque contenta di averla vista. Detto ciò, passiamo alla recensione vera e propria: ho apprezzato che se non erro ci sono meno storie (diciamo complessive) rispetto alla serie originale, dove sarò onesta c'erano talemente tante storie che ogni tanto mi perdevo (e credo per alcune puntate non si vedevano nemmneo Captain e White, che in alcuni punti sembravano quasi dei Cameo nella loro stessa serie), e overall per qusto remake ho capito alcune cose della serie che mi ero persa e che, appunto in parte perché sono meno puntate (visto che la seconda stagione sono tipo 36 puntate), mi è parsa un po' più coesa e fluibile. Detto ciò, ritengo comunque che la storia originale abbia una certa magia che questa non aveva. Vi devo dire che secondo me vedendo questa serie senza confrontarla con l'altra non è male, anzi, ma sul confronto ci sono punti di forza e di debolezza in entrambe le storie. Ho apprezzato moltissimo la coppia AlmondProgress e sono contenta di averli visti in questa veste (e nella veste dei due Ko di WOF, dove i loro personaggi sono un pelo simili), quindi non vedo l'ora di esplorare ancora di più le dinamiche di questa coppia. Una cosa per cui ho apprezzato di più la storia originale è che, anche se c'erano 800 mila storie, almeno si vedeva una quota di storie maschili e una quota femminili, mentre qui i personaggi predominanti erano maschili e quelli femminili sembravano di contorno: e una cosa che avevo apprezzato molto nella serie OG è che si desse spazio sia alle storie maschili che femminili. Sorry la recensione scoclusionata, ma ho sonno e devo andare a lavorare.

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A unique perspective within a saturated Kdrama genre

One might feel saturated by the trend of Korean high school bullying dramas, but this show has a unique flair. Instead of handling bullying solely from the students’ perspective, it shifts the responsibility to the adults. I genuinely liked how the series not only emphasizes students bullying one another but also highlights the fact that students can bully teachers, teachers to parents and vice versa. The bureau’s scope of work is presented in a holistic way, incorporating an array of perspectives that allow viewers to appreciate the efforts being made to improve the Korean education system.

Of course, realistically, this form of “corporal punishment” would be a long shot. However, it is such a breath of fresh air to see a show where students can rely on adults, as they should.

After Episode 1, I wondered how the story would progress and whether it would focus on a single school, with the drama unfolding from there. However, considering that the protagonists work as a bureau, it made perfect sense for them to reach out to different schools and address a variety of issues. It was also smart to build the story around the educational system in a way that directly involves the government. Doing so allows us to see just how broad the bureau’s reach and impact actually are. On a side note, I love how we still see some characters in the previous episode being part on later episodes. It gives a continuity and closure on their part AND Damn all the political agendas of other politicians for their own political gain, big F.

Overall, I really liked the show. It wasn’t too serious and had plenty of funny moments, but it also knew when to hit you emotionally (I cried a few times). The cast was phenomenal, and the soundtrack was great too. My love for Kim Mo-yeol only grew after watching this because he acted SO well here, he’s defo made for these kinds of dramas. My favorite grandpa, Lee Sung-min, is also in the cast, which is always a bonus. Seeing P.O. in this kind of role made me excited for his future projects as well. And Ki-joo, I absolutely loved her unhinged personality in this one and I’m so excited to see more of her.

Definitely one of the more refreshing school-themed dramas I’ve watched recently.

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This series is MY 1000 star!

So many contrasting emotions, what an incredible performance from Earth and Mix. The story hits deep in the heart and shakes you... it doesn't matter how many times you watch this series, because every single time it turns you upside down. A series that talks about rebirth, loss, humanity and how there are still places and people in the world that are worth fighting and staying for. A story that talks about dreams, connections between people seen and not because sometimes there are bonds that arise in the most unexpected situations, because sometimes life makes us change path for a specific reason. You will carry the sets, music and characters of this series in your heart forever.

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Is this what Netflix does to BL? Because I'm not sure I want it.

I don't know, man... Soul Mate left me feeling hollow. My viewing experience wasn't exactly improved by first eagerly awaiting the show's release and then putting off watching it, because I wasn't in the mood for depression. By the time I finally came around to bingeing it, my expectations were a smidgen too high, and I was sorely disappointed.

The plot moves at a strange pace, frantically checking off predictable traumatic plot points and hitting unearned emotional beats. Then the story grinds to an absolute halt, and there's entirely too much baby stuff. Are pro-natalists really this desperate? The straight couple has little chemistry, and of course there's the missed GL opportunity. Even at its worst, the show makes compelling choices, though: Sumiko and Seiichi's love-at-first-sight vs. let's-see-where-this-goes conversation is fun. Sumiko's hair and wardrobe turns tradwife, announcing the pregnancy before the characters do. All the familial conflicts are painfully realistic without being overly dramatic.

These compelling choices, of which I could list many more, such as the depiction of care work or the engaging way all actresses and actors play off of each other especially in platonic scenes, are why I like this series as little as I do. Why insist on showing me the potential you squandered? I'm too tired to suss out what exactly hindered the main leads the most, but I'm certainly sad because their queer-platonic intimacy isn't without merit.

Also, I thought we had moved past the talking speed of a 2016 Thai BL series? If we haven't, then can we at least stop with the flashbacks to recent scenes and without any new (visual) information? Especially the last-episode-flashback-compilations need to be laid to rest.

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Except first 2 episodes

Except first 2 episodes, this drama gone way down.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Plus Good performances from the cast

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Sometimes there is more than meets the eye.

This series is difficult and rigorously tragic and despite everything when one believes that things can't go well life gives something to hold on to, a gesture, a moment, a person, a smile, a small glimmer of hope. Emi and Bonnie have such natural chemistry and are able to convey so much from their performance. This story talks about loves that are born, about complex families and unresolved problems and teaches us that it is people, with their actions and their words that mark us and also help us and give us a second chance. The cast is phenomenal, the sets are detailed and the music is perfect!

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Everything

I just need everyone to know tarboom are very UNDERRATED, this series was just amazing, very old school, I caught myself laughing so much, definitely comedy. it is not like any other series. They believe in ‘destiny’ . I recommend everyone who hasn’t watched this series to watch it RIGHT NOW. your missing out. I for sure thought they weren’t going to end up together by the end but I was wrong 🫢. I remember strolling on TikTok when I found a slide video talking about underrated series and when I first looked at ‘I will knock you’ I had a feeling I wouldn’t like it but I gave it a chance and I will tell you I’m VERY glad with my choice. I will always talk about this series to everyone. I know this series will top every other series. Super sad they haven’t had another series but if they do I’ll be rooting for them!! :3

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Zwischen Fantasie und Realität – und der Suche nach echten Gefühlen

Hinweis: Folgende Zeilen stellen meine persönliche, subjektive Einschätzung der Serie dar.
Der Absolutwert von Liebe handelt von der Schülerin Eui Ju die auf eine Mädchenschule geht. Tagsüber ist sie eher unauffällig, nachts schreibt sie Webromane und zwar im BL Genre. Ihre Geschichten bekommen lange kaum Aufmerksamkeit, bis sich plötzlich alles verändert, als neue Lehrer an die Schule kommen und zur Inspiration werden.
Man sollte nicht mit falschen Erwartungen reingehen – es geht nicht um BL und auch nicht um eine verbotene Lehrer Schüler Beziehung. Die Serie zeigt den Unterschied zwischen dem, was sie sich ausdenkt, und dem, was im echten Leben funktioniert. Ihre BL Stories sind oft idealisiert, während echte Gefühle viel komplizierter sind. Da es sich um eine Coming-of-Age Serie handelt, geht es viel um Gefühle und deren Einordnung. Was ist ein Crush, was ist Projektion, was ist wirklich da? Das wirkt manchmal etwas chaotisch, aber auch lustig und nicht weniger realistisch.
Ich mochte die Hauptcharakterin wirklich gerne. Sie ist ein bisschen awkward, aber auf eine sehr nachvollziehbare und sympathische Art. Auch die Freundesgruppe hat für mich gut funktioniert. Die Dynamik zwischen Eui Ju und ihrer besten Freundin fand ich besonders angenehm, weil es kein unnötiges Drama oder ständiges Herumgestreite gibt, sondern nachvollziehbare Reaktionen.
Die Lehrer sind dafür das komplette Gegenteil von unauffällig. Sie sind bewusst so inszeniert, dass sie herausstechen – und ja, auch einfach sehr hübsch. Der Cast passt hier wirklich gut und man versteht sofort, warum sie für ihre Geschichten zur Inspiration werden.
Insgesamt lebt die Serie aus der Mischung aus Fantasie und Realität. Sie ist von der Erzählweise selbst wie ein Webroman weil man oft nicht so ganz weiß, wohin sich die Story entwickelt.

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breathtaking masterpiece

I am very strict when it comes to raiting, but I can’t even find a single bad thing about this show. The cinematography is breathtaking, the plot is very well thought of, thr music is beautiful and has immaculate vibe that perfectly fits to the show. While watching it I have not felt bored even for a second, even tho the episodes are more than an hour long, and I often get bored while watching 40min ones. The acting is amazing too, the show is at times funny and sad. it is just perfect. This series has amazing production and is visibly done with a lot of thought and care. For sure one of the best shows I have ever watched

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