Reviews

Surprisingly Good

I will say I didn’t have much expectations when I first heard about this series. I was not familiar with Krist's previous works while I knew Gawin from Dark Blue Kiss and Not Me, where his acting was very good but I was underwhelmed by his chemistry with his partners.

But it ended up being one of my favorite BLs of the year. Kawi and Pisaeng’s chemistry was so delicious on the screen and kudos to the writers for managing to write such a light but well thought story about time traveling and life.

“Be My Favorite” does not reinvent the BL wheel, it uses many tropes we are all too used to, but it never feels boring. Even the moments that I could criticize I actually can’t because the device of time traveling gave the writers a chance to fix and develop better the character’s relationship, so those moments either don’t matter or have been thankfully corrected.

The series does not have a second couple, so the whole focus is on Kawi’s growth and his relationship with Pisaeng and his friends, this does not mean that the supporting characters do not have space in the story, because they do. Pear, for example, is an amazing surprise when it comes to a female character first presented as the object of desire of the male lead, she was not left to be just the plot device that pushes the main character into his journey to find his true love, Pear actually has a story of her own and her scenes with her parents were so well acted and written, I have to praise Aye for the delicate way in which she played the character and conveyed her feelings.

Max also had a very interesting place in the story, he is the confident gay that guides his friend and his crush through their journey of self discovery, while I think that the role of the wise gay does need to evolve in order to give the character more of an agenda, Max had a few memorable scenes serving as a bridge that connected the reality of our world to the fantasy of the series.

Knot is an asshole, it was nice of the series to present a character that seemed to not have any urge to redeem himself without being your cartoony villain, he was simply a bad person and those type of people exist in our lives and we have to choose whatever or not to keep them around. I do think that they half-assed at the end of his arc by still keeping him in touch with the main group, but since he was nothing more than an cameo at the end, I will not judge what exactly may be his relationship with Pear, maybe it was just a polite invitation, either way I am just glad she didn’t marry him.

The drama wasn’t overdone, even though they did hammer the message a little too much at the end in order to make sure the audience understood what they were saying, what I thought was unnecessary, but still I will put this as one of my favorites BLs of the year and a good watch at any time you want a good story with a good message and a soft romance.

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You Will Laugh And You Will Cry!

A surprising, hilarious, and touching film about a straight police officer (Wu Ming Han) who gets married to a gay ghost (Mao Mao). The circumstances around his why Ming Han agrees to marry the ghost will make you laugh, and the grandma's adoration and support of her dead grandson (going so far as to arrange his marriage after death) are moving, even while bizarre.

Their marriage becomes the set up for an overarching plot point: solving the mystery of Mao Mao's death. And as the mystery is solved, you will be surprised. Talk about plot twist!

While Ming Han brings Mao Mao justice and needed closure to a certain conflict in his life, Mao Mao brings to Ming Han the love of his grandma and father. At the end of the movie, there's genuine love and affection between them, and Ming Han remains committed to remembering Mao Mao, even keeping his memorial alter in his home. It's clear that Ming Han accepts Mao Mao as his husband.

The film challenges us to stretch our imaginations about what a marriage can be and what loyalty to a partner can be. At the end, Ming Han demonstrates a kind of commitment to his husband that, even if not romantic or sexual, is no less true.

A little detail not to miss in the closing scene: Ming Han picking up his portable tumbler with a rainbow heart sticker front and center on it!

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AMAZING STORY LINE ...but~

Personally I love the plots of the story. It does have great potentials; like how they are destined for each other, no matter how many curses they encounters. What's more the throwing to several dynasties before was simply on point!

That being said... it was freaking too short! <15minutes long? With recap & OST included?! Seriously! not enough.

I absolutely love the ending; the tension, sadness, worry, heartache, everything! C'est tres bein.

As for the acting concerns, still need more work. Sure they're handsome and cute BUT their chemistry isn't there. Not to mentions the cutting & editing of the drama, /sigh.

I really think this drama could be really nice, if extra time given, better directing and acting skills. Yup, it is a love hate review. welp~

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Have Lotus House Will Travel

The enchanting tale of "The Lotus House," also known as Lianhua Lou (莲花楼), paints a picture akin to a mobile haven, much like an RV, that has been Li Lianhua's (portrayed by Cheng Yi) cherished abode and means of travel for an entire decade. Amidst the harmonious simplicity of his desires, Li Lianhua seeks solitude and a modest existence. His days are devoted to cultivating sustenance, preparing his own meals, and embodying the role of a wandering country healer, a role that has earned him the moniker of the "miracle doctor" for his rumored power to resurrect the departed. Accompanying him is his faithful canine companion, Húlíjīng (Vixen). This captivating drama is a delightful adaptation of Teng Ping's novel, "The Lotus House with Auspicious Patterns."

Each character in this story possesses a clear and unassuming life goal. As Li Xiangyi a decade ago, Li Lianhua harbored ambitions of becoming the world's preeminent swordsman and achieving fame. His aspirations were intertwined with a pursuit of justice and a mission to safeguard the realm. Fang Duobing (Joseph Zeng) embodies the spirited zeal of youth, aspiring to be a valiant hero championing noble causes. On the contrary, Di Feisheng (Xiao Shunyao), a former adversary, remains fixated on challenging Li Xiangyi to a fateful swordfight, unable to reconcile being second-best.

Though Li Lianhua and Di Feisheng initially shunned the complexities of the "jianghu," their apathy is rekindled by the fervor of the youthful Fang Duobing, whose fervent commitment to the world's safety becomes their shared responsibility. Despite disparate backgrounds and personalities, an unlikely bond unites the trio, propelling them on a journey marked by cryptic clues, unraveling mysteries, and unmasking murderers. The threads of destiny interweave, leading to the revelation of a grand conspiracy, ultimately restoring equilibrium and justice to the realm. Amidst the challenges, lighthearted banter and camaraderie flourish, infusing the narrative with both humor and heartfelt moments.

Li Lianhua's character is multifaceted and deeply intriguing. His choice of the name "Lianhua," meaning lotus, initially piqued my curiosity. Once known as Li Xiangyi, he attained early acclaim as a martial prodigy, establishing the Sigu Men sect while still in his adolescence. His dominance in the martial world was unmistakable, yet it bred envy and resentment, straining relationships and leading to his isolation. This path ultimately culminated in solitude and abandonment, prompting Li Lianhua's poignant rebirth as the lotus, emblematic of purity amid adversity. In an atypical narrative arc, the main character's trajectory descends from the zenith, and Li Lianhua's journey captivates through graceful withdrawal rather than audacious ascent.

Li Lianhua's sagacity shines through as he contemplates his imminent departure from this mortal realm. His patient and earnest method of untying emotional knots and offering solemn farewells to those entwined in his life evokes both contemplation and reverence. The poignancy of bidding adieu with grace and tranquility emerges as a poignant motif, enriching the depth of Li Lianhua's character portrayal.

Cheng Yi's portrayal of Li Lianhua is captivating and well within his artistic range. The actor masterfully encapsulates the essence of a character marked by vulnerability and profound sentiment. His synergy with the endearing Fang Duobing and Di Feisheng characters is noteworthy, preventing his character from being overshadowed while complementing the ensemble.

My Verdict

While the drama's pace is brisk and features multiple layers, I had hoped for a more in-depth exploration of the intricate investigative cases, as well as a heightened suspense element. Despite this, the narrative retains a charm that delves into introspection and personal transformation. The story poignantly underscores the capacity for individuals to undergo profound inner change, revealing the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

While the drama's tone embraces gravity through themes of murder and mortality, its dialogues are skillfully peppered with humor, and poignant yet brief romantic interludes leave a touching impression. The intricate dynamics between Li Lianhua and Qiao Wanmian (Chen Duling) illuminate diverse facets of love, revealing nuances of affection, sacrifice, and perception.

The characters' nomenclature carries an element of playful irony, reflecting the author's wit and ingenuity. The story exudes a delicate charm, its narrative craftsmanship interwoven with themes of transformation, forgiveness, and the fragility of life.

A captivating gem, "The Lotus House" is a worthy addition to your viewing repertoire—indeed, a delightful and enriching watch that should not be missed.

Bravo!

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Very perilous for the ML...

This love is indeed very perilous... but only for the ML. This guy gets stabbed and poisoned so many times that I gave up counting. The way this character is written is a collection of the worst clichés surrounding male leads in historical and xianxia dramas. He is indestructible, will do everything for the FL, except maybe talking to her honestly or confessing his love.
The FL on the other hand is a mixed package. Sometimes she comes across as this gutsy lady who wants to avenge her family, sometimes she is the clever doctor and sometimes she is a meek as a flower and as dumb as a brick.
All the antagonists had at least some decent motivation which sadly isn't a given in C-drama.
The plot of this drama could have been interesting, but the writing was just so-so which on many occasions made the story seem repetitive and indecisive. The acting was pretty good though, which is the reason why I watched it to the end.
In terms of romance this drama offers more than most of the recent high profile dramas as it has quite a few kisses and scenes of intimacy. The chemistry between the couple is really good and at least on the romance side the writers spared us a lot of the usual cliches.
Overall, it is a pleasant short drama to watch as a filler or doing some chores.

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What did I do with the past? You did something right, Kawi!

I think this is one of the hidden gems of 2023. It has been getting a lot less attention than some other series, but it was a great watch. It’s a GMMTV series, meaning my expectations were fairly high as they are well-established, well-known company that produces tens of series each year. And they did not disappoint. I think the cinematography was amazing, I loved how the scenes were filmed, the lightning, the transitions… The OST was beautiful as well. Both Krist and Gawin are good singers and that definitely shows.

Pisaeng & Kawi: Kawi is living his best baby girl life. I find him adorable. He can be so awkward and weird at times but dares to be outgoing when he thinks he is dreaming. Or is not sober. Hiding under his covers whenever things are not going his way is a total mood! And Pisaeng being a very reluctant babysitter to a drunk Kawi was cute! I really like his character; he is both serious but also very down to earth. He can easily read the room and seems to be quite good at understanding what is going on most of the time. I think we have seen a lot of character growth from both characters, but especially Kawi when he realized that there are things that cannot be fixed. Gawin and Krist were brilliant. I really loved their chemistry, and how Gawin portrayed so much through his eyes.

Kawi tries so hard to change the future and even ends up hurting the person that cares about him the most, but I can understand where he is coming from. He knows what the future holds, Pisaeng doesn’t, and he thinks that is not the future he wants or is willing to accept. He is stuck on the idea of loving Pear that he doesn’t think about anything else. He is trying to be closer to Pear and keep his distance from Pisaeng, but at the same time, it is obvious that he cares about him. A lot. Whenever he hurts him, he ends up chasing after Pisaeng. He wouldn’t do that if he didn’t care.

Speaking of Pear, she took me on a rollercoaster. I went from finding her cute, to pitying her, to hating her and to loving her. Her character is incredibly well written, it has a lot of dimension. Aye did really well portraying her, showing emotions and reacting to what was happening. The way her story unfolded, in both the past and present and possible present, showed a lot of character growth. Even if she technically didn’t know about the (potential) future. She wasn’t just a jealous ex or wanna-be-girlfriend which was really refreshing to see.

I believe that Kawi has never been truly in love with Pear. I think he was in love with the idea of being in love with her and what that represented to him. Pear for him represented a good life, a good future, something better than the life he had.

Max. He might be my favorite. I absolutely loved the way his character was written, how he was always there to support his friends, to give advice and to talk some sense into them. I found his presence very calming. He was realistic and did his best to lead his friends down the right path, but he was never pushy about it. He simply spoke what others were afraid to admit to themselves, to say it out loud.

I think we can all agree that Not is the most unlikeable character in the series. And I am not mad about it. It showed that not everyone is a good person, no matter how many chances they get, some people never better themselves. It really drove home the idea that we are responsible for making the right choices, for being honest and good. That is not up to others, even if their actions can affect us to some extent. Just compare how he never changed and how much growth Pear showed.

The series also addressed a few important issues and I think they took a very mature and appropriate approach to it. They talked about the pros and cons of drinking, of what happens when it becomes too much. They let us peak into what it means to not have your relationship be recognized by the country. The confusion one faces when they realize they might be attracted to someone of the same sex. Coming out to parents. And more. But it was also incorporated into the story, it made sense to be discussed, to be shown.

I do think that they mostly incorporated the humor nicely, especially at the beginning of the series when Kawi went to the past for the first time. I do think that it got a bit strange at some parts later in the series, but it wasn’t too bothersome.

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A typical GMMTV show with more eating than actual time travel

This show is definitely not my favorite, but it’s not entirely unenjoyable either. I would classify it as a very typical GMMTV BL, and thus a perfectly mid show. Most GMMTV shows are in that range of "not great, but not horrible either“ for me, and Be My Favorite is no exception.

Acting / Chemistry:
For me, the main reason this show didn’t crumble under the weight of its flaws is the acting. Gawin and Krist are both great in their roles. Krist pulls off the awkward and whiny Kawi so well, but he’s also delivering a great performance in emotional moments. I actually like him in this a lot more than I did in Sotus. Gawin has been great in anything I’ve seen him in, so it comes as no surprise that he’s doing an excellent job in the role of Pisaeng as well. He’s naturally charismatic, and he knows how to deliver emotions when needed. The performances of the entire cast were really good, and they definitely saved a lot of what went wrong with the writing.
The chemistry between the romantic leads was decent. They’re not one of my favorite pairings, but they do have more chemistry than other pairings (cough Pastsenger cough). To me, it was just lacking the real butterflies that come with other ships, so I don't crave more of them together, but if they were paired again, I wouldn't mind either.

Characters:
I’ll start with the positive—Pisaeng. I adore him, and he deserves the world. He’s very easy to like. That’s partially because Gawin lends his natural charm to the character, but also because he was really refreshing. It’s not like he was super well fleshed out, but he was a genuinely kind and caring guy, and he had a lot of emotional intelligence. In many ways, he reminded me of Ayan (from the Eclipse), who might be my favorite GMMTV character up to date, so that’s a huge compliment. I loved watching Pisaeng on screen, and I was rooting for him.

Kawi on the other hand was horrible. Okay, that’s a bit harsh. I actually liked him in the beginning. But the longer the series went on for, the more I started disliking him. At the start, he was just this awkward, self-deprecating guy who was actually quite cute. However, as time went on, his "I’m such a loser“ attitude began to get annoying. He also became a pretty big asshole in many moments. He was only concerned about his own emotions and thoughts, completely disregarding other people’s feelings. Him then being like "I’m such a bad guy, I feel horrible, boohoo“ didn’t help. If you’re aware that you’re being a douche, maybe try not being one next time? But then he did it again. He was also very judgmental, which didn't help his case. It got incredibly frustrating. Especially since Kawi always needed someone to point out that he was in the wrong, but never realized it by himself. I know he was written that way on purpose, but it’s just not great for a main character you’re supposed to root for. Krist also being naturally charming did help, but even Krist can’t make me enjoy watching this whiny little prick. All of this wouldn’t necessarily have been a bad thing if there was severe character development. Him starting out as selfish and judgmental, but then growing and opening his horizon would’ve been great. But that didn’t really happen. Or well, it did by the power of montage and time-skip and time travel magic. But that wasn't enough for me. Kawi was the main reason I really started disliking this show about half way through.

On a more positive note, I really liked Kawi’s best friend, Max. What a shame he didn’t really have much of a storyline to himself, but only served as Kawi’s emotional trashcan. He basically helped Kawi function and act like an at least somewhat decent human. You know how in Pinocchio, the cricket acts as Pinocchio’s conscience? That’s basically what Max was to Kawi. He was patient enough to put up with Kawi’s attitude. What an angel. Couldn't have been me.

Pearmai was fine. I appreciate the attempt at fleshing her out as a character, for example by giving her a difficult relationship with her mother. It wasn’t a lot, but it was a lot more than most other BLs do with their female characters. She wasn’t portrayed as a villain either, which I was super happy about. In general, she was really likeable and I would’ve loved to see more of her. I hope more BLs will take this approach with their female characters, rather than having them be two-dimensional villains that only exist as objects in the way of the boys love aspect.

Romance:
I was in favor of the romance because I wanted Pisaeng to be happy. And for some reason unbeknownst to me, he finds his happiness in Kawi. I also liked the general idea of Kawi travelling back in time to get Pear to like him, just for him to realize it was Pisaeng he was meant to be with all along. That actually makes for a really fun and cute story. However, because I really disliked Kawi, I found it hard to root for the romance. Especially since Kawi’s constant self-deprecation and Pisaeng serving as someone to assure him that he’s not a loser seems pretty unhealthy. Also, Pisaeng constantly having to give in to Kawi’s wishes and demands while Kawi is being stubborn also seems problematic. To me, it felt like one of those relationships where 10 years down the line, Pisaeng will probably have given up on anything he had going for himself, in order to make Kawi happy, while Kawi is not even willing to do as little as compromise. They had very cute moments, don’t get me wrong. I just don’t think Kawi was ready for a relationship at all. As we got to see in the future, it luckily didn't turn out this way. But that's probably because Kawi did an unexplained full 180 and is apparently entirely different in the future, thanks to the power of montage and time-skip.

I feel like this show would’ve greatly benefitted from a side couple (whatever the Not-Kwan-Pear love triangle was doesn't count). Spending all the time with Kawi and Pisaeng was A LOT, so a side couple to mix things up would’ve been great. Anything for me not to be trapped with Kawi for the entire episode would’ve been appreciated honestly.

On a different note, I was genuinely surprised by how little I minded the love triangle between Kawi, Pisaeng and Pearmai. Normally, I hate love triangles in BLs, especially if they involve a girl. Usually, because it’s tied to a lot of toxic jealousy and the girl being the villain of the story. But in this show, I actually thought it was handled very well.

Also, I want to talk about how they had the perfect opportunity for some asexual representation. To me, it genuinely felt like Kawi had no interest in sex. I would’ve loved it had they actually made him ace. But instead, we got a super awkward sex scene that made me feel so uncomfortable to watch, because Kawi was looking like he didn’t wanna be there (at least in the beginning). So instead of ace representation, it turned into yet another BL where one character wants to cuddle, kiss and have sex, while the other is portrayed to be reluctant to any of that for no explainable reason.

Writing / Storytelling:
Let’s start with the time travel aspect of it all. I’m simply not a fan of time travel shows in general. That’s because it’s extremely difficult to pull it off in a way that doesn’t leave 100 plot-holes. I think they were pretty clever by not really focusing much on the time travelling as a mechanism itself. At least they were until episode 11, when Time Travel Man showed up, and lectured Kawi about how he can’t use time travel to win the lottery, because that apparently depends on destiny. If you haven’t won the lottery so far, you weren’t destined to win it, and you can't win it even with time travel magic. So, according to that, apparently love isn’t based on fate then, since you can just travel back in time to fix it? Usually, BLs heavily steer into the direction of love being entirely destiny-based, so this was actually an interesting thought. But still, it left me with many questions. I wouldn’t have been too bothered by everything, if it weren’t for these glaring issues:
(1) When Kawi travels from the past to the future, he gets there with no memories of what happened during the past ten years, and then gradually gains back those memories. This is proven by the fact that in episode 7, he doesn’t remember his apartment or how he’s on bad terms with Pisaeng. But how is it then that he somehow did know the lyrics of a song he had assumably written within those past 10 years? He arrived backstage of his gig, not even remembering he was a famous singer. So how the hell does he remember the lyrics? I guess by the power of plot-convenience.
(2) They kinda broke the time travel mechanism in episode 10, when Pisaeng spun the time travel thingy, but somehow nothing happened? Why did he not travel to the future, like it happens with Kawi? Does that mean the time travelling ability is tied to Kawi specifically? I could’ve accepted that with a frown, but then in episode 11, Pisaeng spins it again, and he actually does travel in time. This made no sense to me.
(3) I thought the whole purpose of time traveling was for Kawi to right his wrongs, and then go back to the future. But apparently, he just stayed in the past? I wasn’t aware he could even do that. The whole show seemed to steer into the direction of him eventually having to return to the future, and that was just dropped entirely. To me, the end of the show would’ve been much more satisfying if Kawi had travelled to the future again, instead of the whole almost death and Pisaeng time travel arch.

The writing of conflicts wasn’t always great either. The issues weren’t as offensively bad as in A Boss And A Babe for example. But oftentimes characters’ motivations or moods changed from one scene to just a few scenes later without any reason or resolution. For example, Pear got very upset with Not for basically having pressured Kawi into a love confession, and recording the whole thing. She even calls him out in front of his friends, seemingly very angry. Then, without any resolution to that, Not gave her his book to read, and she thanked him and told him he was doing great— the bad blood seemingly having vanished into thin air. This wasn’t the only instant either. Some fights between Kawi and Pisaeng were left with no resolution too. They just suddenly got along again. It probably isn’t as notable if you watch the show week by week, but it gets very apparent when binging it. The whole love triangle story between Not, Pear and Kwan was dropped completely without any resolution whatsoever. I could not tell you if Not and Kwan ever actually got together, or if they stopped their fling entirely. Not that I really care about what Not does or who he’s with, since he’s an asshole, but leaving it unresolved is still unsatisfying.

In a similar manner, there are things that just happen out of nowhere and are left with no further explanation. For example, in episode 8, Max thanks Kawi for "helping me realize I should stay here and keep fighting“. But we saw none of that actually happening. Kawi was just using Max as his unpaid therapist, but we didn’t see anything about Kawi helping Max. The story didn’t show that, so the dialogue was clashing with what was actually happening. Similarly, in episode 9, we suddenly find out that Kwan and Not have a friends with benefits situation going on (or something like that). That also came out of the blue. We knew from that one time of travelling to the future that they would eventually have an affair, but there was no reason to believe that was already going on in college. Us finding out very late in the show that Kawi apparently is into music when it was never alluded to before also felt very sudden. These things could’ve been implemented in much better ways that wouldn’t have left you feeling like some brand new piece of information was just thrown at you out of absolute nowhere.
In this regard, another thing was Pisaeng suddenly playing the guitar and singing to Kawi in episode 7. Why the hell did that happen? Well, I know why. Because Gawin is a solid singer, and GMMTV has this agenda of pushing all their actors into a singing career as well. But in terms of the writing, it made no sense. We had no reason to believe Pisaeng had any interest in singing or playing the guitar. It was entirely illogical for him to suddenly serenade Kawi, and should’ve been cut. Not every single character needs to sing in your shows, GMMTV. Please stop forcing it in when it makes no narrative sense, I’m begging you.

I already mentioned the friendship between Kawi and Max. It was pretty badly written. For one, the story starts with Max being mad at Kawi. He then suddenly changes his mind about being mad (god knows why) and they’re back to being best friends. If you just make him change his mind without Kawi really having to work for it, why start off their relationship with any conflict at all? It was pointless and left entirely unexplored. We’re then supposed to believe they’re both helping each other and are there for each other. When really, all we ever see is Kawi using Max to complain about life. It felt so insanely one-sided that I really felt sorry for Max. I don’t think there’s a single instance where Kawi asks him how he’s doing. It’s just Kawi here, Kawi there, Kawi everywhere.

Another random thing that bothered me was the amount of scenes we got of characters eating. I know that being a foodie was part of Kawi’s character, so I don't mind more eating scenes than usual. But after a certain point, it just felt like a lack of creativity. Like please, there are other scenes that can serve as a basis for characters to talk to each other. They don’t have to be eating every other scene.

The worst offence in my opinion, however, was their annoying way of storytelling. The amount of times they cut away from a scene, just to show how that scene ended in a flashback five minutes later, made me want to rip my hair out. They did it for dramatic effect, I suppose, but it only took me out of the story with the constant flashing back and forth. It’s just unnecessary and makes it more difficult to follow the narrative. Just let the scenes play out, and then move forward. It didn’t happen all the time, but it happened often enough for me to really get annoyed by it. And there were even instances when scenes ended very abruptly without us ever finding out how they ended at all. Which in my opinion was still better than the annoying back and forth between present and flashbacks.

Positives
- I liked the relationship between Kawi and his dad a lot. It was heartwarming, and the only moments I actually liked Kawi were when he was with his dad. However, this actor in my mind will always be the mafia boss and dad of Kinn (from KinnPorsche). So I had this head-canon that the mafia business of Kinn’s dad went really south, and he had to take on a new identity. So he started a new life, with a new wife, and a new kid.
- The show had some solid comedy in it.
- As annoying as he was, Kawi felt like a pretty unique character, and not just like the stereotypical character GMMTV goes for in every other show.
- Them not making Pearmai the villain of the show just because she’s the girl was very appreciated.
- The line "Parenthood is about more than just raising our children. We have to grow with them.“ That was the best line in the entire show. It was said in a scene that was entirely useless and senseless, since it was the only scene we ever got of the parents alone. But I’m glad it was there, for that line alone.
- I liked how it opened with Pear getting married to Pisaeng, and ended with her getting married to someone else. That was a nice full circle moment.

Final Thoughts
Initially, I liked the show. For the first few episodes, it felt fresh and funny. However, the longer it went on for, the more I started disliking Kawi. And it’s just really hard to like a show when you constantly want to yell at the main character. This, paired with the weird editing choice of cutting away and then flashing back five minutes later, really took away from my enjoyment. The writing wasn’t great. It wasn’t as bad as in other GMMTV shows, but a lot of it could’ve been an easy fix, which is always very frustrating. It seems as though GMMTV puts more effort into making all their actors sing and dance these days, rather than actually putting that effort into solid writing. With all of that weighing the show down, around episode 9 I just wanted it to be over.
It was not my cup of tea, but I see why other people enjoy it a lot. There were enjoyable aspects there, for me they simply got overshadowed by the bad. But I was watching this with a very critical eye, I’m aware of that. If you’re someone who views BLs maybe a little less critically (and if you don't find Kawi as irritating as I did), then you’ll probably enjoy this. As I said, it’s a very typical GMMTV show, so if you’re into most of those, you’ll probably be into this too.
This was quite difficult to rate for me. I really didn’t enjoy it much, but giving it a very low score just because I personally have vendetta against Kawi doesn’t seem fair. Therefore, I’ll just rate this somewhere in the middle ground, like I would most other GMMTV shows.

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What. A. Show!

Never before have I been so impressed by the plot, the cast, the acting, the whole setup of a show ever in my life even if I include KDramas into the list. As soon as the show starts, you're thrown into the situation, yes, it looks like a slow start, but only if you give up in the first few episodes.

The protagonists Heyun and Shiqing are played by some great actors, looking at behind the scenes, Bai Jing Ting was very active and involved in the show, trying to get his scenes as perfect as he could, improving and working on his actions, portraying his feelings better. They both did an excellent job in bringing out their emotions. The choices they make are very reasonable, sure Heyun did frustrate me for a while when he decided to not get involved anymore and Shiqing when she didn't say too much to the cops at start or explain what was going on, but if I were in their shoes, maybe I would have probably done the same. The gradual build up of trust and friendship between them that blossoms into romance is well paced.

I was wondering with the level of progress our protagonists were making, 15 episodes seemed a bit of a stretch but as we delve deep into the story of different characters, the number seems reasonable and good enough. And I'm happy they gave us their backstories without rushing through anything, it added more to the overall scene and their personalities.

The characters Wang Xingde, but Tao Yinghong especially steal the limelight of the show as we head towards the ending of the drama, their acting is impeccable. You might question and ridicule their motives when you find out about them at first, but when you see the pain and anguish in their eyes, you cannot but help shed a tear and sympathise with them.

Even the cop roles played by Zhang Cheng (this guy was intimidating and scary as hell) and Jiang Feng (that cop who never trusts you or takes you at your word) are so well portrayed. The cast couldn't have been any better than this! They were all perfect.

And the script, it would be incredibly hard for anyone to find a plot hole that sounds logical. They covered their bases well and filled in all the gaps by the end. It really was the most satisfying ending one could ask for.

I can't say much about the Music in the show, but the use of Rebound in the last episode, at that particular moment, simply hits different. I've already gone back to that scene 7-8 times with speaker on full, it just feels good.

You've gotta watch this Cdrama at least once, from start to finish, only then you will be able to realise the brilliance of the show! 10/10 is a modest rating lol, it really deserves more!

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I couldn’t even love two lifetimes out of seven

Love You Seven Times is a pretty show.

What I like are the costumes. The budget goes hard in this drama and it’s used beautifully with the makeup and the costuming of the characters. Especially in the heavenly realm. Although I do like the mortal outfits and they are less distracting for me to focus on the characters better. Nothing wrong with this at all, honestly I look at all the details in the costumes as the dialogue goes on but that’s more of my problem. It’s all so beautiful and the main leads are also both gorgeous.

My concern has been with Yang Chao Yue as I’ve heard she isn’t the best actress. I think she does a fine job with the comedic relief.. but her character is directed a little weird to me. I can’t get into her as a ground and mature character, and I don’t think she’s supposed to be- it’s just when scenes with emotional delivery and heartbreak will be sort of unbelievable because of this. Since I’ve seen her do outlandish things I’ll have a hard time adjusting to her suddenly being serious. Although with each episode it’s getting increasingly hard to watch her. I feel like she is cast here because she is so pretty. I am going to be transparent and just say that she is sucking the life from this drama for me.

It sucks because Ding Yu Xi is so amazing. He is very good at delivering multiple characters and multiple personalities of each character. I want this to be a hit drama for him and the work everyone put in. What is good is anything with Ding Yu Xi. Something about him just grabs my attention right away. Chu Kong is interesting and I like to see him in the mortal realm. Catered to love Xiang Yun and it’s funny to see how devoted he is. Although I don’t know why he is the way he is or what shaped him.

I’m not a fan of Xiang Yun right now as she is over the top stupid. Then again it’s the first few episodes that she is like this so I hope they are just setting her character up and she’ll develop to realize the gravity of her situation. I think the comedy in this show was a bad idea considering these character live and die nine times and you are supposed to feel and be invested in each live. Maybe in some way it could be done right, but my god it is so jarring here to see someone die and then a girl with a mustache gamble for no reason.

It’s like two separate shows between the scene with just the ML. It’s such a shame for the potential with him and the grandness of the worlds and stories here.

The whole seven trials makes sense. But I don’t get why Xiang Yun wants to sabotage her marriage, if she wants to save her marriage pavilion you would think she’s want things to go smoothly? I don’t know why she didn’t take the amnesia elixer.. I’m just a lost with that. So if I’m initially lost that is very bad, because I’m following them for seven lives and don’t even understand why someone did something and they just brush past it. The FL character is so over the place.. it’s just bad bad awful writing or maybe delivery or maybe both.

I’m slowly beginning to see the problem being the female lead and her acting is actually unbearable to me. She is so pretty and looks like a doll, but I feel she is very privaledged to be in a role like this. Maybe more low budget dramas would suit her better, but in this role it’s a large task to fill and she simply cannot. The actress does not have the skill to fill this character and make her feel real and likeable. I can’t help thinking that others would be better, for example, Sun Zhenni. I wasn’t a fan of Til the End of the Moon for the opposite of Thais drama. Amazing acting but bad script, but her I think Zhenni could be the female lead and do a much better job. She can act sassy and was someone I wanted to see more of from a drama I didn’t even like all too much. What could’ve been would’ve been watchable. Instead I can’t buy into the character of the female lead so I’m at a loss. She is the focus of the show, her love with Chu Kong. It’s just a shame he is so good at acting but she does worse than nothing. As much as the score can swell and the people around her are acting their hearts out I’m not dumb. I know shows that have low budget but the acting is amazing and makes me believe and feel even in a magical world. She wrings this fry of any emotional depth and merit for me. Seven whole lifetimes and different people to be all tied together by the same soul and love, but I feel she is like a low budget actress in this giant role. I’ll continue watching but only for the costumes and Yu Xi.

Long story short is I’m not buying into a love story that can’t even get me to understand why these two love eachother. It’s just a string of fate but why and how are they attached. What proved their devotion. This show is overly ambitious and fails to do the simple things and plays cheap tricks like music or costume without backing it up with a full narrative that is cohesive and makes sense. I can’t get behind trying to be invested in lives that I know they just have to get through in the end. The ultimate goal is what? Maybe I would find out if I watched the rest. I just realized if I’m skipping so much of the drama then I just can skip the whole thing and spend my time somewhere else. I honestly don’t think this show is going anywhere or will change me as a person. I don’t even think I want to watch anymore, I don’t think I’ll miss out.

If you like it then you like it. Just my opinion but I wouldn’t watch it. There are better things to watch.

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Kawi and Pisaeng truly struck a chord deep within us.

The drama has always aimed to show us Kawi's perspective – how he needed to reshape his romantic fate, take charge of his life, and mend his friendships. Yet, at its core, "Be My Favorite" is Pisaeng's story. Pisaeng is genuinely the catalyst for the unfolding changes. He's become a guiding light for Kawi, a constant and reliable presence that illuminated his path. He's the one who showed Kawi that he doesn't have to fear his true self, that he can be confidently authentic. Pisaeng is the guy who reminded Max about the importance of fighting for what's just. He's the one who helped Pear turn the page without compromising her self-esteem. Pisaeng is the one who severed ties with Not to escape a toxic friendship. He's the one who gave his love without expecting anything in return, ready to make sacrifices – a patient soul. For all these reasons, we adore him.

Initially, I had reservations about the actors' performances, as neither Krist nor Gawin entirely won me over in their previous works. However, in this series, they proved compelling, albeit sometimes inconsistent – which I attribute more to directorial choices than the quality of their acting.

Was I eagerly awaiting each following Friday? Absolutely, because this story, punctuated with calls for social justice, managed to maintain a lightness from start to finish.

Side note:tTheir mutual trust, along with some of their conversations, will stay with me for quite a while.

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He's a stray of light warming me all the time

A bittersweet school romance. This drama was more depressing yet fluffy than I expected . To be very honest plot holes are everywhere but a well written heart wrenching love story. They were like star crossed lovers but not meant to be together. Had a good cry watching a drama after so many months. Both of them tried their best to protect each other silently. I got a bit frustrated how the story was going back and forth between real time and college entrance day several times. But everything was worth. Not gonna lie I'm not a very big fan of open endings but i love how the makers left it for viewers to make their own interpretation. But i really wished everything to be clear for my mental peace so I made 2 interpretations but of course i won't spoil here. Read further at your own risk. Contains a little spoiler which is not really a spoiler. So only if she could manage to save him in her 1 year space journey, it would've been the best ending. Happily ever after? No we don't always get a happily ever after in real life. Their fate didn't allow them to be together anyway so hoping for happily ever after was useless. But i still have a ray of hope it was a happily ever after.

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