ABO Desire

Confusing

I knew nothing about the Omegaverse, and I can’t say it ever really appealed to me. When I saw that this series flipped the roles — the prey actually being the hunter — I thought, “Let’s give it a try!” While that aspect is interesting, it’s not enough to hide the discomfort I feel toward the genre itself: violence in intimate relationships, dominance, animalistic behavior, and so on. I can definitely say it’s not for me.

As for the series itself: terrible direction, ultra-cheap special effects, and average acting. And to top it all off, it doesn’t even have an ending — literally. I’ve never seen a show just stop in the middle of nowhere like that!

Honestly, ABO Desire won't stay in my memory.

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A Long-Awaited Omegaverse Adaptation That Almost Gets It Right

As an avid omegaverse consumer, I was genuinely happy to finally see those elements portrayed in a TV series. The casting was excellent, the actors did a great job and the overall production quality was solid as well.

The script could have been stronger, though. I understand the limitations caused by Chinese censorship, but my main issue was the pacing. It started off slow and then suddenly sped up. I think the story either needed better pacing or more episodes to fully develop everything the way it deserved.

It was a shame we didn’t get to see more of the second couple, their storyline ended up unfinished.

I really enjoyed the characters, especially because I love complex personalities that aren’t simply black and white. Huayong was fascinating to watch; he’s easily one of my favorite characters so far.

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Not bad, but Not good

Not bad, but not good.
I have mixed feelings. For the first time in my life, I wanted the main couple not to get together. Hua, this is a BLACK FLAG!
There was real potential for this series, but all these situations where Hua, who is an enigma, made Alfie pregnant... For me, it's too much.
Plus, that jump forward in time three years later, where we don't get a happy ending for Shen Wen Lang and Gao Tu... Damn, that was so disappointing!
So.. I enjoyed watching it, but I watched it out of curiosity to see what would happen next and how the story would unfold, rather than for pleasure.

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~ never ending passion & desire ~

ABO LIVING UP TO IT'S NAME JUST WATCHING FILLS UP MY DESIRE GAUGE , definitely one of those shows most would probably need to read up on the whole alpha , beta & omega verse to get a better understanding but even so once you start watching & get into it I feel it becomes easier to understand anyway as you start to get the whole concept better. I was interested from the beginning but definitely the more episodes I watched the harder it was to put my phone down for sure , I really fell for the characters & their stories routing for them all the way. Eliots acting & how attractive he is has me on the floor , worth the watch ! please give it a try if you haven't🔥🩷

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Hua Yong - My brilliant maniac

To be extremely honest, the only thing that made me finish this series was Eliot's character - Hua Yong. I don't know why, but for me he was the most complex character. Eliot played him brilliantly. And I think his visuals helped a lot too.

Mr. Sheng was just Mr. Sheng. A perfect S Class Alpha and beautiful enough to be Hua Yong's nymph.
I liked him a lot in the last few episodes. He accepted Hua's nature very well and I really liked him when he was getting all worked up under his partner's attention.

Unfortunately, I wasn't one of the people who went crazy for the second couple. Yes, I think it was unfair that they didn't get more screen time in the final episode, but I can't say I was heartbroken over it.

I couldn't stand Shen Wenlang. In the novel, he was okay. In the series? I wanted him as far away from Guo Tu as possible.
I don't care that he had feelings for GT and did nice things for him in secret, that mouth of his brought up some incredible traumas in me. I know exactly what it's like to live with someone like Wenlang, and believe me when I tell you he's a narcissist. I don't care about your trauma as long as you're an adult and you do absolutely nothing to heal.
What does it matter that you have feelings for me and that you want the best for me when you do everything you can to make me feel miserable around you? Okay, he didn't know GT was an omega, so he didn't know he was repeatedly insulting him, but let's not forget how many times he related it to GT being poor. I don't think a friend would do that. We're no longer in kindergarten when adults told us, "Yes, he's pulling your hair because he likes you." It's bullying, Shen Wenlang.
I skipped his scenes of suffering in the last episode. They were pathetic and poorly acted. I'm sorry. I found no satisfaction in his regrets.

And Gao Tu, well, another miserable character like all miserable characters. I can understand why he stole everyone's hearts. But...
He chose to stand next to a man who hated his race, his smell, who constantly insulted him, who never showed any signs of having romantic feelings for him. He chose to torment himself emotionally and physically for a man who insulted him every time he opened his mouth. Good job, GT.
I can't say I felt sorry for him. Maybe at first. But he did it with his own hand. Until the end.

He should have shut SW up a long time ago and told him to his face that he was an omega. He would have had nothing to lose. Only years of torment.

And to be completely honest, I skipped through first few episodes, because the story bored me terribly. Too many unnecessary details, too many repetitive scenes. It only started to get interesting when Mr. Shen found out that Hua Yong is not a defenseless omega.

Well, well, well, that was it.

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Story and black flag main character pulled me in

By how much I enjoyed following the show: 10/10
Objective genre based rating: 7/10

I write this review from a certain perspective: started the show without knowing the book, after ep5 I read the book and so I can't help but mourn the missed out potential, even though the book wasn't the greatest ever piece of literature.

Positive aspects of the drama:
Hua Yong character and the actor for this one, story and couple dynamic of main couple, acting of 3 of 4 main characters, some songs of the ost, world building and the strangely also the business talks (very subjective)

Negative points:
Directing
Editing (abysmal)
Pacing and order of scenes and therefore storytelling negatively impacted
Lighting (so damn bright every time, unprofessional and cheap)
Production design partly bad, although they got the expensive high class setting but too many indoor scenes and too few locations so it felt repetitive
Laughable action scenes


Changes from book IP which caused much hate:
SSYs character being less of an asshole than in the book so many viewers couldn't understand why HY was pulling all his manipulative shitty moves up to ep 9

Also changes which reduced enjoyment for me:
Making HY less violent (to himself, to others and to SSY in assault scene ep 9)
Omitting 3 years of Gao Tu's life and his struggles and his new found friends/family

Overall this is an acquired taste, if you're hooked than it's worth watching to the end and very enjoyable.

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personally don't recommend

This was so bad. As an avid BL watcher, the story made no sense, even though it had a lot of potential. The world-building and actual designations, as well as the plot, were interesting, but the acting was terrible and turned into an SA fantasy. They also have powers that made sense to me. That was so random and they never should have had them. The best part of the entire show was the side couple whose reunion made me want to kms. Cause what do you mean they're reunited after years of not seeing each other, with a child that one of them never even met until that moment, and then they hug and the show ends? This show also contains a novel, which I also read in hopes of finding a different ending, but it is unfortunately the same. The main couple was so boring. I just wanted to skip the scenes where they appeared. They also kept using the same soundtrack that made me not be able to actually focus on the show because the music was distracting me. It was kinda fire though 🔥🔥. Hours of my life that I'll never get back and have been wasted on this show. I'd rate this show in the negatives if I could, but will give a star on acting and story for the fact that we saw an omega in heat and a 10/10 for the crappy fire music.

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First PROPER Omegaverse show

As someone who has watched PitBabe and was thoroughly disappointed, I expected a show like this to emerge sheerly out of distaste. The fact they were able to complete a whole show involving very accurate extended lore is invigorating. As a watcher who knows the basics of ABO presentation, Enigma entering the fray (cue Smash Ult. track) and introduce it to the world audience is cool to witness. I had a great fascination going in.
That being said, this show is engaging in developing an understanding and living in this world that is also new to the concept. It is inviting to a serious plot and hooks you every episode, making you wonder will happen next. And that is a good start for a concept with such notoriety and potential...but would have faired better with more time, particularly for pregnancy arcs and Gao Tu and Shen Wenlang. I enjoyed getting to witness all of Sheng Shaoyou and Hua Yong's in their twisted and lighthearted(?) glory onscreen, however, I really would have loved more emphasis on the toll pregnancy took on Shaoyou AND Gao Tu. I'm not crazed about MPreg, but for intriguing me as a viewer with a complication in the last episode makes it feel not as important as it should be. Especially with how quickly they time jumped to "yay kids" and show ended.
Speaking of, I feel more a loss at the lack of Gao Tu and Shen Wenlang. On some days, I found a desire to read the novel and see how it ended for them, only to find they were less in the main story than in the show amd covered more in bonus content. Which is unfortunate and somewhat infuriating, as their storyline is very compelling to work with. Whether you know the genre or not, you can’t tell me an omega hiding his identity and a pregnancy for the love of a dumbass alpha isn't a draw to come back every week. But it didn't seem so to the writers, sadly, and somewhat ignores this to fuel how crazy Hua Yong is for Sheng Shaoyou. (Not that there is anything wrong witu that.)
Did I dislike this show overall? NO.
I enjoyed the story of Hua Yong and his crazed obsession with Sheng Shaoyou. Eliot Huang did fantastic with playing both omega and enigma, adding to his range and character. Though he is potentially the most exciting character of the cast in question, he made fan out of me with his performance alone. The plot dancing around Hua Yong trying to "woo" Sheng Shaoyou did keep my attention and it was fun to see the two stretch the dynamic of two high class individuals (in more ways than one) pursue each other.
In short, come for the concept, stay in hopes Gao Tu gets respect (always), and live for the crazy that is Hua Yong. A decent start to the future of this genre and many more shows to come.
I rate it a 7.5/10 overall.

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For China, it's pretty fire

I finished binging everything in like 2 days, and I've waited for this show since the pilot trailer. So, it's been about like 3 years or so since I first heard about ABO Desire, and as I waited for the show to finish airing (for the months that it aired for) I read the novel.

From the novel, it was pretty close to the show, which is exactly what I expected because NongJian sisters wrote the book and oversaw the show. The screenwriting is pretty okay (because there are scenes that could've totally been cut), the acting and cast was literally amazing, and I find myself listening to half the OST. I'd definitely go back to rewatch it again because I've literally been dying for an ABO themed show (I know PitBabe was one, but it was more abt powers than it was abt actual ABO).

I liked the obsessed trope because no one can truly top the crazy brain of Hua Yong, he's planned and he's planned WELL to capture his Alpha and no one can ever tell me otherwise. Xing's acting was so good, especially with the duality he had whenever he looks at someone else vs when he looks at Shaoyu. Qiu's micro expressions were everything, like when he was in the hospital and found out he was pregnant - it was so funny but so good I was fawning for 3 minutes straight. For Heng's first ever debut role, he did so well, especially the way his eyes gloss over with pain and trying to cover it with anger for Gao Tu's resignation is just so heartbreakingly good. And then there's also Peien! I just felt so bad for his character the whole time, and he had made his voice sound so small and shaky when he called Gao Qing to tell her to pack her bags.

The characters are not meant to be liked, and actually are pretty morally gray (minus Hua Yong, that guy's fully black flag), but I've fallen for them completely! Gao Tu who had told many lies, I still can't not feel terrible whenever he was on screen, Wenlang who was lied never felt love from his parents which had lead him to acting the way he does is honestly the worst thing ever. Because people who haven't read the novel won't know his pain. Hua Yong has never felt love before he met Shaoyu which got him into doing the craziest sht in the world, and Shaoyu who had slept with many Omegas (with questionable taste for the ones "untouched".) was burdened by an entire family line and his own father. Holyyyy like this show was just full of sadness and pain. But it was also so sweet I can't get enough.

And - of course, everyone must be talking about the LangTu ship (Shen Wenlang and Gao Tu), honestly, I had to dock a point for that. I'm a fan of both couples, and so I didn't find much of a problem with their screentime, considering how their story starts after the timeline of the novel and into the three years after Peanut was born. But their reunion could've had more. I honestly had low expectations, but I really didn't expect them to give LangTu like 30 seconds for their 3 year reunion.

As I'm writing this, there are no extras that have been out, and have been rumors of extras and director cuts. So I'm really hoping that LangTu gets one because otherwise I'd really be upset. In the novel, they weren't shown much of a resolution either, but honestly, I can't hate too much because they ARE a side couple.

I hope for their next 3 shows together (rumored to have 3 more shows, 2 modern and 1 historical with one already rumored to be next: Tenacious Illness) that Jiang Heng and Li Peien will get a better side couple role or even a main couple with Huang Xing and Qiu Dingjie. Or even better - if they were to both be mains.

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PREDATOR VS PREY (OMEGAVERSE)

The story follows Sheng Shaoyou, a high- ranking S-class Alpha and wealthy heir. He falls for Hua Yong, who appears fragile and submissive as an omega. However, Hua Yong is actually a rare Enigma ( a tier above Alpha) who has been meticulously manipulating Shaoyou from the start. The power dynamic flips entirely when Shaoyou, the supposed 'top' Alpha, finds himself physically and emotionally dominated by the man he thought he was 'rescuing'.

###HIGHLIGHTS
The cinematography is sleek and cinematic, effectively portraying a near-future world defined by pheromones and social hierarchy. Huang Xing's performance as the 'demon shark' ( a manipulative, obsessive lead) is widely praised for its chilling elegance. Also, it's a literal 'first of its kind' for live-action, tackling complex tropes like biological imprinting and male pregnancy with surprising technical detail.

However, the show leans hard into 'Dark BL' territory. It features significant manipulation, gaslighting, and non-consensual elements that have divided the audience. Due to its ambitious content, some episodes feel heavily censored or rushed, particularly in the final arc, which utilized a jarring multi-year time skip. Also, the first few episodes spend a lot of time explaining the biology, which can feel slow for those unfamiliar with the genre.

In conclusion, ABO Desrie is a fever dream, and if you enjoy watching obsessive red-flag romances and high-badget sci-fi aesthetics, it's a must-watch.

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A Big Step for BL in China, but that's it.

As an avid BL watcher, this is a huge step for BL in general, not just China. However, I would have NEVER imagined this being a Chinese Mainland BL. That thought still sits weirdly with me. ABO becoming an on-screen trope seems insane to me; however, I think they (kind of) did a good job of capturing the main tropes and themes that go with ABO, which was a concern for me. I think a lot of people were just so surprised by this kind of show, which is why many people like it. However, as someone who has watched a lot of BLs and seen some really good ones, I was disappointed with how many gaps there were. There was a lot to the story that could have been better developed and revealed. A lot of the story could have been made more important. The characters overall were good, and truly, the chemistry between the main leads, Hua Yong and Shao You is genuinely really good. I wish the relationship and storyline were more balanced between the two couples, because the justice the main couple got would have been nice for Gao Tu and Wenlang too, especially with the fact that their relationship had way more to unpack. I think this show, like almost ALL BLs, needed more episodes to fully develop both relationships in a way that was balanced. Most of my score is going for the chemistry between Huang Xing and Qiu Dingjie (and as someone who has only seen Qiu Dingjie in 'My Lethal Man' this came as a shock) and for the ABO factor.

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