Roommates of Poongduck 304

MATES of Poongduck

Cute litttle series, the way it should be.

A quick recap - this is an almost normal length eight-episode short series that starts with a handsome chaebol Ho Joon renting a room at Jaey Yoon's apartment. Lets pretend that it is believable, and that he will live in a so so neighborhood just because of Jae Yoon's water pressure (wink wink) because who doesnt like a good shower. From being forced to live together as roommates, Jae Yoon realized that Ho Joon was to become his superior in the company where he is working hard to get a permanent position. Soon after, they will have a silly fake enemy plot wherein Ho Joon will exercise dominance at work while Jae Hoon will lord over at the apartment. And as if anyone is surprised, from being enemy they become friends, and from friends, they become lovers. The end. Gamsahabnida.

But in all seriousness, I loved how the pacing worked. The story is simple enough but the execution and the visuals felt like a regular-budgeted Kdrama. After the first couple episodes I found my self excitedly waiting for the next ones and for one month Roommates of Poongduck 304 has become my Thursday night guilty pleasure. Oh, i dont know if anyone noticed but it felt like for episodes 7 and 8 used a different camera(or frame rate) but somehow it was more cinematic.

In their second pairing, Ji Woong and Seo Bin was able to find a script and a plot that works on their strengths and I must say this is so much better than their first series together. If this is any indication, both actors are ready for stardom but my BL heart hopes and wishes they could do another one together, as partners.

Would i recommend, definitely! It is a lot better than a lot of current BLs being aired right now. If anything, I would have wished they made each episodes longer, or at least added a couple more, cause I would have loved to see more of their sweet lovey dovey moments. Would i rewatch? Already has!

PS. That kiss at the last episode is so realistic and juicy it made me blush like a high school girl. One of the best kisses in BL.

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A little formulaic, but cute

The acting and dialogue are good, and there's no useless uke. The wardrobe is spectacular, and it's an easy watch.

Maybe too easy a watch - I don't have any clear memories of the earlier episodes, so it's a bit forgetable. A few things that stand out is that despite the large power differential, the characters are equals, which is a refreshing change from the Thai formula.

There is an unfortunate plot trope in the second-to-last episode that it would have been very nice to avoid - it's a real stinker - and their relationship changes a bit fast, so I think it could have used two more episodes, and I'm starting to worry that BL writers are all alcoholics, but all-in-all it's a cute series, the leads are very attractive, and you can't really go wrong by watching.

But you're unlikely to remember it a few weeks later.

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Throwback to Classic K-Dramas

This was fun!

It was very classic K-Drama. The cliché of a rich guy butting heads with and getting humbled by the person he'll fall head-over-heels for. All with slapstick humor, cheesy lines, and easy music included.

What was particularly good about this was the time they allowed for just general bonding. Before our MLs even get together we are already convinced that they get along and have gotten to see them interact and bond enough to make their feelings believable and have depth to them.

If you're looking for a good-time drama with some occasional intriguing bits, you'll enjoy this.

Side Note: I'm so glad these guys got a chance to be in another drama together and show off their chemistry with a better story.

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very enjoyable K-BL

Overall: there was sweetness, angst, realism and non-realism. I waffled between an 8.5 and 9 but I'm feeling generous so 9 it is. Aired on Viki and GagaOOLala (varied by country).

Content Warnings: violence off screen, punch, manipulation

What I Liked
- the premise
- acting
- sweet and cute moments
- mostly realistic relationship trajectory
- the supportive female friend
- physical affection once they were officially together
- was happy with how Ji Ho Joon handled his dad in episode 8
- production value

Room For Improvement
- wish they had told the story in linear fashion as the flash forwards and flashbacks made things unnecessarily confusing, was also kind of choppy, we'd jump from one scene to the next
- unrealistic elements (dad said to sell all the cars but he still has one? no hotel rooms in what looks like a large city?)
- was sad about the cliched lying at the end of ep 7/beginning of 8, there would have still been drama if the character had been honest

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It's was a cute mini drama with some of the classic troupe; hate to love, cohabitation, boss/employee.
I like this couple in Kissable Lips, but that drama's storyline is not my favorite. I honestly like this office romance better.
Even the side characters isn't boring, they actually helped to make the story more entertaining.

The acting felt awkward sometimes, i think that's also because of the camera angle. They could've done the flashbacks part better, it looks choppy. And idk where, but it feels like there's some plot holes.

It's just one of those dramas that's not great, but still entertaining.

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Charming & Excellent actors

I watched this on Viki Rakuten

Engaging & charming story
It contains LBTQ+ realness that’s hardly present in most BL series
Talented casts, always a plus when I come across a BL series that has actors who can actually act.
Charming casts
Awesome wardrobe
For its budget, the soundtrack, cinematography and editing is exceptional
You can tell a good production team from this series
The series credit sound/song is truly catchy.

What I didn’t favor:
The way the Director started the series in a confusing manner when it wasn’t necessary.
Relationship evolved at a perfect phase but showcased at the end: it felt short

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A Classic Kdrama, with a BL Spin

In the beginning, it was quite rough. Ji Ho Joon was up on a high horse that he refused to come down from. Which isn't exactly uncommon for this sort of premise. But I would have appreciated a touch more human-ness in the beginning - especially after hearing his backstory in the finale. I think that some of his actions just didn't match who the character was supposed to be. And then we were expected to forget about it - which, granted, we mostly did.

I also thought the drama was going to introduce a certain trope for a while there. And perhaps they would have, if the drama had been longer. Thankfully, the story stayed true to itself and didn't overcomplicate matters. The pacing turned out quite great and felt natural to the situations that the characters were in. And the characters were consistent. The actors had good chemistry, even if I wasn't always sold on their individual performances.

It very much felt like a classic kdrama, with a BL spin. Nothing groundbreaking or new, but it made for an enjoyable watch.

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best haters to lovers trope done so far

Within the realm of BL I understand the tropes and have seen them all before. Not saying they are bad, I enjoy them a lot actually. But this drama is just refreshing for the drama.

Korea is putting out a lot of BL’s.. a lot that which completely blow past me. I’ve been looking forward to this one since Kissable Lips. And I was right when I said that the leads were good actors and that it was unfortunate they didn’t have the script of budget to back them up. Now that they do- wow- it is good.. maybe amazing… we will see.

I love the approach with the power dynamics between the two leads. They each have their ways to one up each other and that leads to a lot of comedic moments. More than that it’s the charm coming from the actors themselves. Jo Ho Joon could just be your grade A jerk if Kim Ji Wong didn’t play his character with the finesse he does. He balances the line of being a complete arrogant jerk, to self aware and charming in a way. Needless to say I love his character and the over the top way his attitude is shown. He is a brat, a rich guy, he knows he’s hot, and I love it. Can’t really put it into perfect words…. but it is done well enough .. so good that he’s my favorite character for it.

I’m proud of Kim Ji Wong and Yoon Seo Bin for this drama. The budget is higher and they keep up with the script. Their characters are much older than the last ones they played and their characters also have so much more lively things to do and say. That means that the actors are expressive here and we’re truly limited in their last drama. Absolutely no hate to Kissable Lips; that was a dream come true for me to watch- this one is even better than that- it’s a million times better

The story is easy to follow and this show is hilarious. It’s entertaining and I’m glad that Korean BL’s are being treated more respectfully. Hoping for a day that we will see a full length Korean drama that’s a BL. This one feels exactly like a k-drama, it’s not tropey either. If I didn’t know that the two leads were going to get together I might just be pleasantly surprised. It’s fresh, witty, worth your time. One of those dramas I’d feel like someone was missing out on if they didn’t see it.

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50/50 good and mediocre yet oddly entertaining

Honestly the first few episodes had me wanting to rate this a lot lower but somehow I fell for the boys and realised it is all about the feels....

This is the story of the playboy rich boy who is obsessed with water pressure, who falls in love with the pathetic not so rich boy.... Mr. Richie rich is a lot of fun to watch, has some basic acting skills, is lovable and just full of cool charm.

Mr pathetic, is supposedly to kind and full of work ethics, however I am not sure if it is the director, writing or boys skills he just had me slightly annoyed and not the least bit convinced.

The rest of the characters do their job well, some more lovable than others but the real focus is on the boys, and while mr. pathetic is just not that fun to watch, the guy who falls for him is. To be honest I can not for the life of me figure out why he would fall for him but fine he did, giving hope to all pathetic people out there... yes people there is a hot playboy chaebol just waiting for you to transform them with love... and work ethic they will risa above to become monogamous, hard workers and so on, and so on...

The music was fine, friendships decent, scenery some sweet but mostly office boring, kisses range dead fish to "I shall devour the fish" and the bingabilaty very high. Making this a drama I find myself moderately recommending to all those office, playboy gone soft trope lovers out there.. just mind the pathetic on the way...

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Tropes: rich/poor, boss/employee, enemies to lovers, office setting, cohabitation

This is a solid little office set KBL about a rich kid who ends up both the boss and tenant of a total sweetheart cutie, and falls madly in love with him. Although the show suffered from KBL’s shorter length, I love the kissable lips pair and they deliver solid all round chemistry despite limited screen time, which is rare from Korea. So I hope they stay branded and we get even more from them in the future.

Ultimately I recommend this show, a solid 8/10.

If Japan didn’t dominate the office BL niche with shows like Cherry Magic and Old Fashion Cupcake this BL probably would get higher marks for me. But it’s a difficult hill to climb (although I’m delighted to see Korea try). Even though Japan and Korea often give us the same length shows, I feel the brevity in the Korean stuff in a way that I don’t with the Japanese stuff. Frankly I think it’s Japan’s sophisticated cinematography facilitating the complexity required by shortness (what’s left out has to be implied by the lens and the acting) where Korea’s more commercial and simplistic style (which works great in longer Kdramas or something like Light On Me) falls short (pun intended) with their short KBLs.

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The lure of a sexy roommate.

Roommates of Poongduck 304 (Or what I will just be calling P304 from here on out) is not perfection, but that is okay. It is okay because it is still solid and delightful, in its own right. This is to say nothing here is breaking any boundaries, or offering up something more than has been given a million times over, but the recipe delivered is like a home-cooked meal from ma, and just as comforting.

Korea, in terms of BL production, is fighting for the #1 spot with Japan, seeming to be its only competitor in creating noteworthy series, for 2022. I say this, because it is November and we are reaching the close of the year. Very soon Top BL lists will abound and I will say P304 will likely not make it on many lists or possibly any at all. Yet, that doesn't mean it was a failure. With Taiwan a desert this year, a country that normally throws out some shining top-tier stories, the Philippines, which the past two years has invested heavily in the BL market, all but fallen off a cliff, and China (which has been operating as Bromance productions and not full BL's for years) making even these type stories illegal with new laws, there has been less international competition for any noteworthy releases except in the sheer volume churned out by Thailand. And well Thailand, which still produces the largest quantity as it always has for the genre, seems unable to move outside the wheel-house, paint-by-numbers, generic retelling of the same high school/college repetitiveness with overly dramatic nonsensical stories that are already littered heavily in BL fandom. That is, "KinnPorsche" (A true let-down, mess of a series that is probably my #1 Disappointment of the Year) and "Not Me" (the ONLY Thai BL series that I will recommend or that will make it on my top list) were the largest successful offerings from Thailand that tried to bring something new to the fold. Instead we just got a multitude of series that can't truly be distinguished from what was generated years previous or even each other in any meaningful way.

But, if Thailand has been disappointing because of lack of creativity, why does P304 get a pass for being comforting?

That my friends, is simply talent. The two main leads of P304 (Rich conglomerate son Ji Ho Joon played by Kim Ji Woong and happy hard-working Seo Jae Yoon played by Yoon Seo Bin) are actors and not just young, cheap-to-pay, pretty faces found in oh so many BL's (especially Thai productions). Both of these leads gave us a former BL together with "Kissable Lips" a truly horrendous endeavor (With one of my lowest scores) early in 2022 and that BL, which again is a dumpster fire, had only the positives of the two leads showing promise and chemistry. I will say I am delighted that we got a second outing with them in a demonstrably better written, produced, and enjoyable product. (Showing just how much story-simple or not- matters).

Kim Ji Woong is stellar and dashing in his many suits, longing confused looks, and playful smiles. He also brings the gusto in his kissing and passion to his frustrations. While he still has to deal with some less than great dialogue, he walks smoothly through the show with few missteps or stumbles.

Yoon Seo Bin is wonderfully naive with soft sweet smiles in his role. His character is by far more one note than his counterpart, but he manages to make the viewer like him. He also brings some great LGBTQ+ realness to the story as he faces down his own shame for wanting men, and his feelings of helplessness when enamored with a straight man that uses his shame and attraction against him for his own needs. Something that is all too common in gay/straight male relationships.

Also of note, this is not a tale of college/high-schoolers but actual adults with the settings being apartment houses and office spaces-not classrooms, courtyards, and hallways. We can still count on two hands the number of BL's that forge their way into the "real-world" and even the bulk of those are sequel series to their college/youth first seasons, so it is-sadly-always refreshing to see a setting that moves beyond uniformed age boundaries. Something that, again if comparing why I give P304 props versus my Thai BL criticism above, not done by Edit: THE BULK: of Thai BL this year. (Even half of "KinnPorsche" cast were college students and also the strong "Not Me" was still college based as well.)

The production of P304 is, at best, mid-tier with costs cut as much as possible. It manages to still create a decent world for these characters and a believable environment of work/life. The supporting characters are also, for the most part, strong in their deliveries with none of them hogging too much screen time. The casting of the series helps alleviate the short comings of the budget and story.

As for the story it is simply an enemies to lovers trope fest. It is a BL fan favorite, and truly really just a romantic story favorite world wide. This makes the show easily appealing. While the set-up is cute, a boss living as his employee's tenant, it isn't even the first time we have seen it. "Be Loved In House" from Taiwan did this same story set-up last year. This casts a long stale shadow over the whole affair, and creates mostly expected scenes, issues, and outcomes. As mentioned, some of the dialogue gets clunky at times, though this might just be the English translation that causes this affect, for the most part the simple premise works and is, as is my overall rating of the series, solid.

However, it is the small risks, like the above example of the straight guy using the gay guys feelings for gain, that add some needed oomph to the story. Also our "straight" male lead Kim Ji Woong, may be a selfish playboy by stock archetype, but the series makes him quite an open minded softy, with a kind playfulness from the start. He isn't as harsh, mean spirited, emotionless or as ruthless as many times these characters are portrayed from the get-go. Because of this, the sudden, "until they have their change of heart" that happens mostly unbelievably, and many times at a pace that causes whiplash, in a lot of tales with this set-up doesn't happen here. Kim Ji Woong's change is slow and steady with a large portion of credibility with how his character is given and the story unfolds.

With that, there is still a large character USA backstory exposition dump in the final episode that was lazy writing, and a missed opportunity to create some taunt emotional drama through abandonment issues if shown earlier instead, and given yet another layer to the character while we watched. The relationship between the leads also jumps into overdrive and causes a loss of believably once truths are told, and the show pulls them apart suddenly to make the audience question if they can get back together, in what is some poor plotting and pacing.

Still in the end, P304 was one of my more enjoyed series of 2022 and a highlight during the time it aired. I keep finding myself turning off more and more shows, the early shine of BL's going dull as the same stories keep showing up on screen. I have a multitude that I have "put on hold" which a lot of times means they never get finished, and P304 was not one of them. I enjoyed it, even while seeing it for all its short comings.

7.0 = B-, 3 1/2-Stars. Flawed and imperfect, but still worthy of a watch.

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Appealing

I had high hopes for these two since watching Kissable Lips -- an endearing tale of a vampire and is bait -- onto this series about office workers, tenants, and the whole shebang. I can say, they really did their thing here, and I really enjoyed watching.

Let's Dive in.

I have nothing new to say from the other reviews. This was a very nice change from university or high school settings. Although, the office jargon could get to be a bit boring, but besides that, I was continuously intrigued.

Both actors have grown since KL. It's very visible in the way they performed here. Who I'm surprised by the most is Jiwoong who played an incredible snobby-turned-sweet dude. I wasn't prepared to see him in such a comedic-like role, but he did very well. The same goes for Seobin. The chemistry was great. I think it felt a bit rushed just due to its being a bit of a short series, but they found times to really played into the relationship of one another.

Ratings:

Story: 7.5/10 - Good! The office talk could be a bit of a drag, and outside of the problems that Hojoon had with his dad and Jaeyoon with his toxic friend, it was just okay.

Acting: 8.5/10 - Excellent! The two old-timers did way better here than in KL. I can't wait to continue seeing more from them. The people in the office also did a good job, and everyone else was decent.

Music: 6/10 - Wasn't distracting.

rewatch Value: 7/10 - Again, I rarely rewatch anything, but if I were to recommend this, I'd say I do.

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