This review may contain spoilers
The Eight Sense really is such a masterpiece, especially in the genre of slice of life / Drama genre.I love how beautifully they actually portrayed a character with depression and trauma. As someone who has both of them, I love how they showed his struggles in his day-to-day interactions, rather than just showcasing him as a pill-popping sad character but they showed this depth to his character.
Even Ji Hyun I love the fact that he actually tries to understand the struggles Jaewon has and decides to let Jaewon take tiny steps towards him. I also love how Jae Won wasn't shown as an asshole for ignoring Ji Hyun after the incident like in other dramas instead he focuses on himself, works over his trauma, and doesn't use the stupid tricks shown in other dramas of going the extra mile to get the other lead to leave him alone.
I also love every side character yeah! Taehyung and Eun Ji do get on my nerves but EP 10... god! EP 10 just helped with their character development...and Aeri, YoonWoo, and JoonPyo ..some of the best side characters who actually help the main leads rather than create doubts.
Over and all it's such a beautiful watch...another plotline that proves for a good bl drama you don't need NC scenes but emotional intimacy even in this series, yes, the scenes were hot but what you can feel is the emotions of the characters rather than just hot makeout session ...
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A beautiful, aesthetic story of love and attraction with an indie feel
This drama is probably one of the best K-BLs I've watched so far.Especially the cinematography my favorite point here. The color grading was so aesthetic, amazing at conveying emotion and mood, and you could really see that someone poured their love and attention into every frame. The way it was shot, the angles and cuts, were so beautiful, refreshing, and just amazing at conveying the story. Also the intro and the way it worked with the store was just really cool. The cinematography of this drama was just incredibly enjoyable and had a great indie feel.
The story of this drama was interesting and enjoyable to watch. The characters were fun, realistic, some were even refreshing. Special probs to my girl Yun Won, one of my favorite female characters in a Korean drama I‘ve ever seen. Sadly, I did not really enjoy episode 8-10 as much as the ones before. Somehow, these episodes felt a little weaker, more "normal" (if that can be said in a negative sense) as before. This is the only reason why my rating for this fell below 9. Almost everything until episode 8 was just amazing.
Special shoutout to episode 6, which is one of the only episodes that I have ever given a 10/10 to. The cinematography, feeling, vibe, and acting in this episode were just outstanding. This episode in particular was in my opinion the best part of this story, and deserves an award.
Now onto the romance and acting. This part of the drama was incredible to watch, especially in the first few episodes. The story and chemistry between the characters felt so real. This feeling of electric attraction and being intrigued by a person from the get-go. Wanting to be so close to them suddenly, falling hard and fast, and everyone questioning why these two people like each other so much. It was so refreshing and real. I loved this natural progression of the story, and especially the way it was handled in episode 6. Also the kisses in this show were so REAL, emotional, beautiful, passionate. It's been a while since I‘ve seen something like this in a K-BL.
The story also dealt with mental health and depression in an interesting way. Especially how the acting and cinematography contributed to it was well done. I did feel like it could have been dealt with a little bit better, but mental health is such a hard topic that a lot of shows don‘t even begin to address.
To summarize, a really good show. Incredibly enjoyable to watch, good acting, good cinematography. A little lacking in some parts and it falls off a little towards the end, but totally worth it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Dramatic Getting Together Story
**Brief Synopsis**B (Student): Ji Hyun
T (Student): Jae Won
- Beginning: B and T meet at the beach when they join the same surfing club. They hit it off pretty quickly and soon an attraction develops between them. They end up kissing. When they return to school however, B sees T again but T pretends that nothing happened, making B confused and a little upset.
- Middle: As we see more of B’s and T’s daily life, we also see them spending more time together despite everything. Although it’s obvious T is interested in B and vice versa, something was holding T back. It is revealed that T has mental issues related to a trauma he had suffered some time ago. His mental issues make it difficult for him to form relationships or letting himself go. He sees a psychologist for his problems, but it is obvious he looks happier after spending some time with B. After B nearly ties in an accident that involves T, T decides to avoid B in the name of protecting him. In this moment of denial, he gets back with his ex girlfriend.
- End: But denying his feelings didn’t last long. Finally T realizes he wants to be with B, breaks it off with the girlfriend once more and end up dating B. The show ends with them happily dating.
**My Opinion**
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT:
- The actors playing B and T. Their chemistry was amazing and their interactions were cute and sweet. They also do a great job in portraying the affection between the characters.
- I like how T manages to overcome some of his trauma by series end thanks to B’s help.
- The writing is pretty nice despite the plot being predictable and cliche. The director do a good job depicting the challenges of daily someone with mental issues that can affect their day to day life and basic social skills.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT IT:
- Very tame intimate scenes which can be a disappointment.
- Angst comes from T constantly denying his own feelings which is an overused trope.
- T’s character is very complicated. Because of his trauma, he isn’t a very nice person, hurting B on more than 1 occasion and only thinking about himself and telling others he’s not. The fact that he dragged an innocent girl in to the mix is proof of that. He’s not a very likeable character.
- Slow burn, meaning they only got together in the last episode. I would have loved to see more of their daily interactions as a couple.
- The show is constantly playing with your emotions which means it can get a little tiring to watch.
**Conclusion**
An OK watch but won’t be revisiting again.
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Petition for season 2
One of the most beautiful and romantic bl till date from Asia....It has everything you want and the sexual tension and chemistry between the main lead just top notch .... I can't even describe in words ... every character play a important role in story development so be patient while watching and don't be judgemental from start .....you will never feel that they are rookie and it's their first project together.They have given their 100%.Many others bl of 2023 that gives hope and butterflies in stomach are-
Our dating sim (Korea)
Jack' o frost(Japan)
My School president (Thailand)
Just give a Chance to these bls and you will not regret it.
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This review may contain spoilers
~ Sometimes you find a gem like this ~
With difficulties finding a good drama these days, it was a surprise with this production. The story was well written and had depth. What I loved most about the drama was its well rounded characters. I can't applaud more for how they showed the day to day life of the leads without making it boring and draggy.The two leads character was well written and executed. The chemistry between them made sense and I could really feel their emotions. Ji Hyun was a simple down to earth boy who knew when to stand up for himself and was adventurous. I liked the people around him and their conversations. The scenes with his bff, Ae ri, restaurant ahjumma and even small moments like him sending pics to his mom about his day to day life felt wholesome.
Jae Won was the life of the party and people loved around being him. He was attractive to the core. And just like not everything that shines is gold, he did carry a lot of emotional baggage from the past. There were so much to peel from his character. Especially the talk around maintaining one's image was fascinating. How often the pressure of having to maintain an image can get to you. I understood him with my whole heart. His equation with Yoon Won was so adorable and I am so happy they explored their friendship with them drinking & chatting stuff.
Mental health issues were dealt in a decent way though I was not really fond of the scenes with the doctor. I haven't experience counselling irl but it felt depressing to hear the doctor talk. SPOILER ALERT*** For example talking about how sad it is when her patients chose to end their life was not something to be discussed to a patient who almost lost his lover's life *** SPOILER ENDS
The chemistry was uff AMAZING. I feel so giddy watching the romance and I don't feel like this in other dramas.
With all praises there were few nitpicks from my end, one being the camera angle. In most of the heavy scenes, the camera was literally closed up on the face of the actors, blocking out other people talking or any background due to which it felt claustrophobic. Editing could have been better but it wasn't bad to spoil the drama for me. It was a pleasurable watch and totally recommended !
P.S. Im Ji Sub playing Jae Won reminded me of Lee Joon Ki and Lee Do Hyun so much. In so many scenes i felt i was watching them.!!
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A Masterpiece! Sheer Perfection!
I do not use these words lightly but this series is as close to perfection as one can get. and does show that you can have a good story, awesome acting and have a BL all under one umbrella. You do not need to compromise. This series is so much more than a BL or a love story. It is a story of sensing and knowing what is going on with the one you love and feeling them and knowing them as well. It is as if their ‘eighth senses’ are intertwined. Even in its darkest time, it never seemed lost or hopeless as their kas had once been touched and they were bound together - inexorably. This story could have been so maudlin and melancholic; yet was not. It was dark for sure, every broody. But it felt honest and promising.Unquestionably this is one of the finest Bls for the year 2023 and not to be missed.
You can read my full review of this brilliant production at BLBliss.com.
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THIS IS WHAT THE BL INDUSTRY NEEDS
i usually don't leave reviews under bl dramas cuz there's nothing much to write abt but this drama is different. firstly their chemistry is off the charts. they can act without dialogues and the message is conveyed. cinematography, dialogues just– the standard.the music suits the vibe of the drama so well. you can connect with the characters, even the friends esp jihyun's don't feel like a filler role but like a character who has some presence.
has been a long time since a bl matched the standards of ITSAY & TMS and prolly made new standards. overall well done, well made drama!!!
PS I WENT THRU 8 STAGES OF GRIEF WATCHING THIS BUT IT WAS WORTH IT 😭😭
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Soooo good
The main characters' connections feel so effortlessly real and natural—it's exactly the kind of BL drama I've been searching for, something that feels genuine and is just beautiful to watch. Unlike some BLs where characters can be overly toxic, caught up in pointless love triangles, or pushed through ridiculously forced narratives, this one truly stands out. Sure, there were a few moments in the plot that kinda bugged me, but honestly, it's no big deal. I can see that this drama stands out from the rest, and it didn't spoil the whole experience for me at all. Super glad I stumbled upon itWas this review helpful to you?
Victorian motivated struggles
A very profeddional made BL show, typical for Korean productions in general nowadays (hallyu). As they had been since long.The accident and the end of Ep.6 was disturbing. A cliffhanger and 1st peak from where the story develops further on. And what followed in Ep.7 + 8 revealed slowly what we had been hoping for ... BUT ...
Jae Won´s behavior reminds me of an on and off love affair I had being in a position like Ji Hyun. only not being a novice back then. The surfer scene is similar conservative and mirrors the same toxic masculinity like soccer ... but why is rugby but so different?
Another aspect in the show is portraied brilliantly, the old feudal born senior / older towards freshmen / younger members in Korean society and the demand for authority by seniors even if the don´t have any ... Too the fatefull antifeminism especially portrayed by Tae Hyung. Actually the Korean society is still thanks to Konfucianism and Evangicals a very conservative one. And they too have a president now who is a pronaounced antifeminist ...
Yoon Won as the "tomboy" and Ae Ri are well portrayed as the progressive part of the Korean society, while Eun Ji is the psychopathic like bitch queen.
Jae Won ladden with psychological problems and high parental expectations is well portrayed as the fast learning Ji Hyun, country bumpkin crash landed in a highly competive Seoul accademic society.
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just beautiful.
this was the most beautiful bl, not only by cinematography but storywise as well. the romance was so deep, it was so much more of a serious bl and i loved that! it didn't only focus on the romance, there was a lot of it focusing on the characters themselves and their struggles which I LOOOOOVEED. something other bls need to take notes on, it really fleshes out the characters and makes them that much more real! again the cinematography was amazing. scenes were shot so beautifully and the quality was just amazing. the whole surfing plot was TO DIE FOR. i love surfing and ocean aesthetic so i loved this. such a beautiful and respectful way of talking about mental health and depression as well, i've never really see a show do it so good and so real. also LOVE the how the side characters were actually accepting, it was just so sweet. all the side characters were really good too, they felt like real people and not just there to assist the main couple. love my supportive queens yoon won and ae-ri.ugh this is just the most gorgeous produciton. yes their love wasn't a perfect cute bl love, but it was raw and real. watch this if you haven't it'll change your life.
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I think I've officially found my favorite bl
I loved loved loved this drama, mainly because of its level of authenticity. And realism. There are ten episodes that focus on the story of two characters, who fall in love little by little, but it also focuses on their individual stories, especially Seo Jaewon.What I found most special about it was the way their romance was portrayed.
Watching it, you could feel the tension and the characters really falling in love, which I really appreciate in romances. I've always followed Thai bls and they lack that, most of them at least. The lack of authenticity, the exaggerated, funny and cute way of expressing the characters' love. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but I personally like this kind of romance better. It was something simple that we could tell even by the way they looked at each other. That's why the actors did an excellent job too. Their chemistry was amazing.
The editing choices were often not the best, although I realize that most of them were for cinematographic and artistic purposes. However, some of them didn't make sense, which I wouldn't exactly point it out as a serious issue.
Otherwise, I think this drama should have had either full hour episodes like regular dramas, or more episodes. Otherwise, it would have been good to have a second season that further developed Seo Jaewon's story, his depression, his relationship with his parents, etc. It was more of a secondary plot, although fundamental to the story, but it would have been interesting.
Regardless, I RECOMMEND IT. Please watch.
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