The On1y One (2024)

You just have to be IN to get the gem

This series is the kind of BL that deserves a review. I've seen dozens of BL's, but there are only a few that are worth talking about in depth. It's not perfect, there are things I didn't like, but it's definitely a positive point I want to continue talking about it after having seen it. So this is more rambling than a well-done review.

This series, although it doesn't touch on anything in great depth, brings to the table very interesting and noteworthy plots, making this series unique. Important aspects, among them would be the past of the protagonists, youth, adulthood and the bonding between people. It wasn't until chapter 6 I said to myself "ah, THIS is why this series is so popular." At first it's a bit empty or introductory, but as you progress you get deeper into this world and you get to some very nice places.

Let's see, should we start with the bad or the good?

THE GOOD BC I'M CRAVING.

—The past explored of Jian Tian and Cheng Wang. They both have a tragic past they have to share in order to break free from it. Something that connects them both is their shortcomings in their childhood, both share having suffered abandonment and extreme neglect by adults, causing them both to have exactly the same fear: abandonment. Each one expresses it in a different way. Their characters are incredibly coherent with the past each one has, that's special. I like they SHOWED this, they didn't told it. As a viewer one can infer many things, but they don't say anything explicitly.

—The range of characters: Something I LOVE in series is when they make me as a viewer remember the names of characters other than the main characters, I mean, they make me care about them. This series more than fulfilled that purpose. I was not only interested in Tian and Wang, but also in their parents, their friends, their teachers and their acquaintances, such as the shop owner or Tian's adoptive grandfather. They created a genuine world of their own I was genuinely immersed in. I loved Gao and his one-sided crush, I loved the teachers' dynamic, I loved Tian's mom. I LOVE when they do that, I love entering a new world. The only show I can remember now which did this is Sotus, oh, and My school president!

—The emotional scenes really moved me (except for the ending). When the parents had the conversation with their kids I literally broke down in tears. I really empathized with Tian's mom a lot, and her conversation with Tian broke me. Or the hug with the "welcome to home"? Beautiful. Almost all the actors in the cast are AMAZING ACTORS (especially the leads), and watching an interview with Tian's actor, I understand they were committed to their roles. It shows in the acting of many.

—I loved the slow burn. I admit, it drives me crazy, but I love they take things slow and build the relationships the way they SHOULD BE. Only then does it get so dramatic later. I LOVE they became friends and then brothers. They were never really friends-friends, there was always a “beyond” there between them, but it’s beautiful that superficially (because they both think it’s one sided their “weird” feelings) they formed such a strong bond without romance. It’s beautiful, I love it.

—Just a small point, but I loved the inclusion of the character "the mute uncle". I've never seen the inclusion of a character like that in a series like this, (and in Southeast Asia) and for him to just be there, exist, and be part of this world, is very special to me.

—I LOVED THE SOUNDTRACK.



NOW IT’S TIME TO COMPLAIN.

—It must be said, sometimes I felt like it was losing rhythm (in all chapters ,actually). I felt like some things weren’t necessary or they were dragging out others scenes too much (especially the gazes, you know what I mean). After a while you get used to it, but it is a little tiring to see after a while, I felt so uncomfortable. Its like "please, just stop" or "What was the point of showing this?" Tried to convince myself it was to show everyday life, instead of just being lacking in material.

—The fish kisses. Look, I can forgive the semi-kisses between the main characters, OK, they are young, and inexperienced and stepbrothers, BUT BETWEEN THE TEACHERS, WHO WERE IN LOVE FOR YEARS? I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THAT! I will literally never forgive such a horrible kiss. GOD, JUST CLOSE THE FKNG EYES.

I tried deeply to understand and empathize with everyone in the end, but I couldn’t do it completely, that makes me sad. Still, I really appreciate they kept the character quality. When Wang's exam came out, Tian didn't explicitly say anything, he didn't accuse him either, but WE know he thinks Wang is abandoning him and he feels genuine fear and frustration, he feels lonely and afraid of being alone again. Wang also doesn't openly say he did it on purpose, but WE as viewers know he was desperate and scared of his feelings and thoughts (as we see them). Wang never says anything, he just acts impulsively. Tian never says anything, he just walks away.

They left a lot of things open, but I understand everything was being left for a second season, almost taking it for granted. So many, too many things open. Tian's emerging feelings weren't explored too much. And if they put THAT scene in Tian's flashback, I interpret it will have to do with how Tian will have conflicts with his own feelings and sexuality. What happened with the teachers? What will happen with Wang? Will Wang stay in the same dorm or will he go home?

I REALLY need a second season, I beg the universe to let it come out this year. Please don't let this be a second Stay with me. That would be funny anyway, considering both shows are about stepbrothers.

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A Beautiful, Unfinished Journey – A Must-Watch BL Series That Deserves a Proper Ending!!!

It's an 8, such a great series let down by an open "ending", almost ruined for me if it wasn't for the news and expectations about a possible season 2 coming soon to rightfully wrap up the story the way it deserves. I've read online that these 12 episodes adapted about half of the original work it's based on but still, the creators really put all their chips forward this hypothetical season 2 because as it stands, it's an unfinished story that let's you down by the end of the last chapter. I need an ending to this story and its characters, even that stupid teacher love triangle that nobody asked for (wdym the two guys were giving me secret couple all season by their acting/body language and then they're not even an item and made me think my gaydar was broken, wtf?!?).
That all being said, i loved it overall. The acting is palpable, the songs are amazing, the cinematography is enchanting and the story is compelling, memorable and beautifully told.
I definitely recommend it to every BL fan that wants to watch a meaningful story about love, feelings (lots of them), growing up, friendship and family. I will keep this one close to my heart and hope/wait for season 2. And if it does not happen, try to focus on the journey and this one will be worth your while ;)!

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So much potential. Unfortunately not actualized in this season. There is second season. Right?

The output is not particularly high, but I did think this was an enjoyable watch with a lot of potential. I really enjoyed it so I bumped it up to 7.

Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian had good chemistry, and albeit occasionally cringe, they held out perfectly fine.

Sheng Wang is adorable and funny and showed physical and mental strength in multiple occasions. Jiang Tian, well he was a bit more flat, until the father story came in.

The plot itself got from basic got super interesting around the last two episodes, that it was just begging (or indicating) for second season. There must be because all things started to hook up in the last few episodes, and then ....pam pam puff.. the end credits...come... with zero meaning.

What?

Is it ending like this?

Did their budget disapear under the snap of the fingers, in the middle of the day, they got the call and went "let's wrap it all up in 5, okay?"

Good prep season but only as a playing field for season 2 that must come. Okay? It must! I NEED TO KNOW HOW HE FEELS ABOUT THE SCAR.

Ok, thank you for reading. Bye.

(side note: a recommend if there is a second season. if not I am throwing hands and rerating this to 6)

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A Total Mess

Dont call it an adaptation if you changed everything! Such a disrespect.

I thought having a director whom did a great job with YNEH could also produce another title with the same quality but nope, he destroyed it completely, a disaster.

Dont come at me and say that I'm just a hater, nah I was totally happy with the first eps but then the ending of eps 2 made me a lil bit dissapointed but still gave them chance bcs I thought they would do better. haha I was such a fool, until I couldnt bear to watch it anymore and stop at eps 8. I had no beef with the actors, pure hate on the production team. Even when the drama wasnt aired yet and ppl said trash about this series, I defended them!! They said the plot is similar to addicted and there's nothing new, I corrected them! What a naive me lol I regret it now

The worst part if you ask me? Mischaracterization!! The only character that they did justice was jiangtian's mom, that's it! I hate jingjie in this drama to the core bcs she was sooo ooc, like I couldnt even remember the jingjie in the novel anymore. It seems like to me that the director just borrowing the characters' names and added one or two scenes from the book and for the rest he just made his own story.
I dont want to explain any further.

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Its has a slow pace!

Not everyone enjoys a slow pace of romance and love. For me it's different. I love how they progress in looking at each other and getting comfortable with each other. Slowly it looks like it's turning to "I can't spend an hour without you" kind of a feeling. It's extremely hard for me to wait for 6 days for the next episode and I sincerely wish that it was more than 12 episodes overall. I do not like the support role who appeared in "History" because it kind of brought me to sense that the two MLs are actually above High School age. Coz, in reality, you can't remember what they are with the way they are wearing and all. Anyway, I am enjoying it to the max at the moment and I hope for a happy ending as spoilers say it is in the Novel. Very badly want to read the novel so if anyone knows where I can find the English translation free please share it with me.

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Most gentle coming of age BL I’ve seen this year!

I have been a MDL lurker for years and have watched literally hundreds of BLs, but never posted. So it is a true testament to how amazing this show that I’ve come out of my cave to post.

I was astounded to see a high school setting done so delicately. A truly excellent director and actors brought the nuances of the story to life - from tiny eye flickers to grimaces to careful observation of each other, I FELT their affection. There was no unnecessary fighting, drama or miscommunication and I was satisfied to see that finally we got a BL plot that was more that just those things.

If you want to feel your heart flutter while watching a gentle slow burn coming of age then please please watch this! I’m usually a fan of the harder BLs but every so often I dabble in the “feelings” type of shows, and with this one you won’t be dissatisfied! ❤️‍🩹

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Lots of emotions, whether sad of joyful ones.

This is one of the best BL I've ever watched. The actors achieve to convey emotions through their eyes. To me the plot is basic but their performance, the music and the atmosphere makes the charm.

Carefull SPOIL :
I just cried for the last 20 minutes of the last episode. Just based on the music and the actor's performance understanding their emotions is so easy without talking much. Seeing Tian so sad and disappointed that Sheng leaves the class and knowing the reason why Sheng leaves it shows such a dramatic moment.

I really hope they will announce a season 2

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THE BEST BL OF 2024 !

I honestly had zero expectations going into this series.I had not read the story .This was just another drama that popped up on my Netflix feed.
But watching the first episode made it clear that it was not your typical BL.
Yes,similar stories have been done countless times before .
But what makes this special is how they delivered that same story .The story telling in this series is just so unique and beautiful.The actors did the most incredible job in bringing those characters to life in an authentic and relatable manner.
As an audience you feel every emotion that the main leads are feeling. You understand his thoughts and you understand his actions .
The characters Jiang tian and Shen wang have a very special bond between them and we get to witness the whole process of formation of that bond .This show is very realistic in its portayal of love. People may label this as "slow burn " but this showcases how love blossoms in real life.

The soundtrack adds another dimension that captures the essence of each scene and amplifies the emotional impact leaving a lasting impression.

Overall, "the on1y one " is a must-watch and exceeded expectations! The entire production team deserves accolades for creating something truly special. Outstanding acting, directing, and storytelling brought the characters to life in a genuinely captivating way. Don't miss out on this incredible series!

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