A Shoulder to Cry On

소년을 위로해줘 ‧ Drama ‧ 2023
Completed
seohology
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 13, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

amazing i love it so much

okay so im not gonna get into a deep study of this BL because i dont have time for that+ that’s unnecessary its just a show.
okay first- acting
yechan and jaehan did such an amazing job and i am insanely proud of them. dayeol and taehyun were really great/perfect roles for them because i felt like it fit their personalities very well.
story- i love it so much. this drama is so cute and i love it. the time skip kinda threw me off but in the end it was really cute and i wish there was more of their ending music- amazing of course stan omega x, vocals devoured as always
but overall i really love it. 10/10 for me
im probably gonna rewatch it lmao

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Completed
KittyCat
1 people found this review helpful
Jun 22, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10

A heartfelt and warm love story

Okay listen, I will be honest and say that I am a VERY big fan of Omega X so was already familiar with Jaehan and Yechan and obviously loved them a lot before this series came out BUT I can honestly say that despite really liking an actor, if the show is disappointing I can and will be objective and say I didn't like it. I've watched shows with actors/idols I love and found them lack luster and have said so (Jun baby i'm so sorry but Tinted With You was lacking a lot, you did your best with what you had). Now getting that out of the way I'll move on to my review of A Shoulder To Cry On.

I don't want to go into too much detail as that's not necessarily my style of review but I will say that the main leads had very good chemistry which does not come as a surprise to me seeing as they are band mates and have known each other and lived with each other for a while. However, it really shined through in this series,

I hadn't read the manhwa before watching so I had no specific expectations going into this. The plot line was pretty interesting to me and while a high school BL isn't exactly something fresh or new, especially in Korean BL, I think this one was executed fairly well and made fresh with Taehyun's background. I think that Taehyun's tragic background and his psychology as a result of it was an interesting point to have and also I think the problems both boys faced are problems that the youth and even some adults can relate to and it was nice to see the boys slowly grow closer and become a safe haven for each other and push each other to be better people. I really enjoyed the story line, acting and directing for this series and it has a high re-watch value for me and will become a comfort series for sure!

Now, this section of the review is going to be a rant ,so sorry in advance but honestly i'm not sorry. The relationship between Taehyun and Daeyoel started out rocky and we gradually saw them warm up to each other and become a comforting safe space for each other. Let's remember that they were both in high school when they met and since neither of them had been in romantic relationships before they were clumsy and immature which is to be expected from teenage boys experiencing love for the first time, especially with someone who has the emotional trauma that Taehyun has. They had a huge falling out in high school and they hadn't kept in contact so when they first met again years later, them not automatically getting in a relationship together is understandble as they needed to get to know each other again and build back trust in their relationship and probably build back the friendship that was there before as well. With the next and final time, I want to remind people that previously, when Taehyun confessed, Daeyeol did NOT ask to date him or anything, he asked for Taehyun to wait for him until he was mentally/emotionally ready to be in a relationship with him so with that, the second time skip didn't really tell us how long they had been in a relationship with each other at that point so considering their past and the fact that neither of them really dated anyone in the 2 years that they were seperated from each other and the fact that their relationship could be more recent I think their bashfulness or "awkwardness" is understandable and even realistic to a certain degree. Not everyone loves the same way, not everyone is comfortable with physical affection and everyone has different paces they are comfortable with in their relationships. Both of them being men has nothing to do with physical affection and it is a stereotype that all men are horn dogs who can't keep their hands to themselves. I don't know the reason we didn't get a kiss, if it was the directors choice, if it was the fact that they are in the same group so their company didn't want them to, or if it had anything to do with their ex CEO, who was often on set wreacking havoc and being the psycho that she is. In any case, I don't think a kiss is that important. A controversial opinion to have in the BL sphere apparantly but if the story is good and the chemistry is there then I'm not mad about not getting a kiss. I've seen many straight drama's with no kiss but were great still as well so this is not just a BL thing but an East Asian drama thing. Besides, I'd rather have no kiss than an awkward dead fish kiss. The reviews that are saying this is just a bromance or queerbaiting are very narrow minded and some of y'all are telling on yourselves that you're here only for the sexual content and not the actual story because I see y'all rating crappy shows high just because the NC scenes or kisses are intense and steamy, just say you fetishize gay romance and go. How in the world can you see two people save each other as their lock screens, go on a spontaneous overnight trip, hold hands or link arms, stare at each other lovingly, flirt openly, wear matching pajamas and use matching toothbrushes, sit in the others lap wrapping their arms around each other, sharing a lollipop, and stay up all night talking while laying next to each other in bed and low key cuddling and tell me that they are just friends and not boyfriends? Who are you to judge their relationship in the first place? You have to kiss someone to be dating? Do you do all those things with your friends? Because I never have, even friends I've known for years. Romantic relationships are different depending on the individuals and there is not one specific way to show and express love, as people watching LGBTQ+ content, this should be something you're aware of more than anyone else and yet the ignorance is glaring. As someone who is Asexual, maybe I relate more to this or can at least understand it. I'm alright with kissing, holding hands and cuddling with a significant other but anything more than that and i'm uncomfortable and gain nothing from it anyways. Of course i'm not saying either of the characters are Asexual but i'm saying that everyone has different levels of comfort with physical affection. If we go by crazed BL fan logic, if I don't have sex with my significant other does our relationship not count? If i'm dealing with anxiety or depression on a specific day or even just a day where i'm feeling fine but need my personal space and don't want anyone touching me, even my significant other, does that mean we're not in love or not in a relationship because I don't want to kiss or cuddle them in that moment or on that day? This logic is ridiculous, narrow minded and ignorant as hell. It's 2023, lets open our eyes to all the different forms of love.

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Completed
JiyanFonte
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

MY FAVORITE BL SERIES!

One of the best BL series I have ever watched! I will never get tired watching this over and over again. It's just so good. Perfect choices of characters, they're very handsome too, and a really well-done storyline. The chemistry of the two male leads is very obvious, they're just perfect for each other. I always can't wait for the next episode to be updated and finally... I just love everything in this series. Aaaahhhh, I really don't know how to express it all, I just love this so much... Thank you to all that is involved in the making of this... this, and other BL series, really makes me happy everyday. Highly recommended! You'll surely love it!

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Completed
nyel
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 5, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.5
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Wasted opportunity

The series was highly anticipated compared to many other KBL series like this already has quite a number of supporters prior to release. However, the series did not live up to expectations. "A shoulder to cry on" also did not make sense because they lost the plot midway. Finale was boring because the series had no climax hence the "happy" ending did not really make any emotional impact to the viewers. The time jumps were unnecessary too.

Wasted opportunity because this series had 30-minute runtime per episode yet they failed to deliver – I can name quite a few other series with half the runtime period that delivered a more complex and detailed storyline.

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Completed
Elena_Chon
0 people found this review helpful
May 3, 2024
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers
The plot was quite interesting. It was adorable. It had the chance to be longer. I feel like it came to a closure a little quick in the last eps. I didnt like the time skips to random scenes so much. I could've preferred to see more of their relationship progress. How they came to the conclusion of being together. And how the other character unlocked eventually emotionally his self and felt at ease and comfortable to show his affection. At least to watch some more steps of the character development and the establishment of the love part. I didn't mind of getting no kiss scene. I won't lie though, ofc i wouldn't complain if there was one. Overall i enjoyed it a lot.

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Completed
kokomi
0 people found this review helpful
May 18, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

They did this while being idols in the same band.

Exactly. Both of them are in the same band and they’ve been through a lot. If you know them (omega X) you know about it. I know people have been complaining about the lack of kisses, but please think about it: it’s not the fact that they’re both idols it’s the fact that they’re both in the same band, it’s not the same. And this is actually huge for the kpop industry. I don’t understand some comments saying this is queerbaiting, you guys dont know what that is if you think this is QB lmao.
It is not only implied that they like each other (later love and date each other) but they SAY IT. Have we seen the same series????
You wanted a kiss? well im so sorry, i wanted a kiss too but maybe you should know the background story of the actors and their situation 🥲. Maknae and leader, guys. Just enjoy it or go 🫡🫡🫡

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Completed
youhadmeatzb1
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 10, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Refreshing and honest, do not overlook this one!

I see reviews saying this show queerbaited, but I encourage everyone to look up the definition of that word and know that it is an incorrect assessment {and those saying that are probably watching for the wrong reasons}. Maybe they don't kiss, but their togetherness is undeniable and cute. Do not let other reviews deter you from watching and enjoying this series. I promise it is worth it.

This series climbed its way into my heart in a way that left me feeling touched, because of the overall storyline for both boys. I see a lot of reviews of people who are upset at the lack of an onscreen kiss, but in this instance, I think it makes sense. The lack of this onscreen kiss does not take away from the beautiful relationship that Dayeol and Taehyun were able to carve out. And based on Taehyun's past and his trauma, I believe he needed the extra time to navigate being in love with Dayeol.

It would have been great to see more of what happened during their time apart, but the result is that they finally came together when they were both ready. I think this series excels in storytelling; it was so nice to have the long eps for a kbl. I hope they veer more into this territory. As far as the acting, I think it was incredible. Both of the boys from Omega X, who acted in this series at one of the most difficult times in their life (as we would later come to find), rose to the challenge and did so beautifully. I hope both venture into the acting field again, as I would love to see more from them.

As far as A Shoulder to Cry On as a whole, it is an instant hit in my book and I will keep it in my top 5 kbls going forward.

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Completed
Th3spian
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 29, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

Better than most

This could be better could be worse. The acting is really good for first time actors. The ending was lack luster to say the least but I also didn’t have much expectations. Yes there doesn’t need to be a kiss to show intimacy. Yes when they filmed this the actors were going through a lot with their label. Yes they’re idols. Yes we get this. Objectively speaking people are still allowed to be disappointed about not even a classic dead fish kdrama kiss. The drama was still good. Aside from this drama people need to stop using this is a kbl as an excuse for lack of or terrible kiss scenes. Stop saying “go watch a Thai bl for that” then using “kbls focus on love development blah blah blah.” One you’re insinuating that Thai bls only have good kissing and nothing more. You clearly haven’t just been watching good dramas to begin with. There are plenty of kbls that have good kiss scenes out there. Anyways rant over the drama was good.

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Completed
Celestial Light
0 people found this review helpful
May 14, 2024
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 2.0

A Very Good Series with Decent Story. Watch It!

Brief Impressions:
Beautiful, Mesmerising, Cute

Review:

When I watched the trailer of this series, I was smitten by the beauty of the lead characters and decided to watch it on priority. And I was not disappointed.

Not only are the characters beautiful, but the cinematography is stunningly beautiful as well. I can probably enjoy watching this series even without the sound and subtitles- just to allow the elegance and freshness of the scenes to sink in.

And just to clarify- even the ambient sounds are pleasing, and enhance the overall experience.

The romantic experience is also quite nice. I love the fact that you can sense how much the lead characters adore each other just through their facial and nonverbal expressions. The development and acceptance of their feelings happens gradually, as they understand and open-up to each other.

One issue that left me dissatisfied was the lack of clarity and conviction in the final confession (one of the characters is half-asleep), and also the fact that it happened after a really really long time, when there was no solid reason for this delay.

Barring this last issue, and some initial rubbish in the name of 'pranks' that made me cringe a bit, I enjoyed watching the series and recommend that you too should go ahead and watch it without any second thoughts.

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Completed
Madhupriya
0 people found this review helpful
May 13, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I loved it. Actually this my first time watching a BL drama. Since Bl dramas have many sexy spicy and intimate moments I tend to avoid them (youtube shorts are okay tho hehe). But when I saw a clip of ASTCO I felt a refreshing vibe from from both the actors. I thought of giving it a try. First of all the actors are too handsome woah. I fell in love at first sight.
Since this drama has little tp no 18+ intimate moments and not even 13+ moment, I felt very comfortable but the tension between them remained which didn't let me feel the lack of intimacy. The lead characters have such a good chemistry that I could watch them all day. I loved their friendship individual as well as relationship growth. I loved how they helped each other.
TBH I couldn't believe when I learned they are rookie actors and this was their first ever drama. Both of them debuted together. I wish to se more of them together and more dramas like this.
Thank you Yechan and Jaehan. I started stanning OMEGA X too . Guys please give Omega X a look and you will love them. They are all so talented and fun. I could understand how the lead characters despite being a rookie and having quite an age difference had so much good chemistry.

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Completed
ShanTeaTime
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 28, 2025
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

A Shoulder To....Cause Frustration

So again, BL's don't need to be super saucy or spicy to capture my interest. ITSAY is a great example, and its my favorite! This series though lacked a little of everything. Though I think the emotions were mostly there and I loved the archery element, what the hell were those final 2 episodes? The plot fell apart and completely lost focus. The main couple didn't really feel like a couple, it felt like two close friends. There was no kiss, there was no intimacy to be had. I wanted so much more.
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Completed
PPBongi
0 people found this review helpful
Jun 28, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

More Complex Story Than Realized

This is a more deeply complex story than is initially projected. At first glance, it felt too laid back and gets lost ironically in the shortness of its story. Much ends up being interpretative. There is nothing romantic about this series. It is not a BL in the classic sense of the term. I had an epiphany and suddenly I understood their commitment to each other. The two of them found contentment with each other. They are happy with each other. Since both are complimenting each other and both find solace and a kind of ‘love’ in each other, it is a relationship like no other. Not understood by us and perhaps should not be.

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A Shoulder to Cry On poster

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