ABO Desire

Feeling a little like 2012?

If this were 2012-15 BL era, this would be a 7, today it’s a 5.5.
This drama insults the expectations of the audience while simultaneously not giving us what we really want to see…..the secondary couple.
This is episode after episode of 80s softcore of a deranged “enigma” doing unnecessary things to get his already-got man’s attention, leaving the crumbs of the couple with a real plot sitting on the sidelines.
Legit gave us 2-3 minutes one episode that had to be written as “sad man leaves office with box” another, “man leaves message again”
Yeah yeah it’s been said, it’s probably a setup to do a second season with these 2, but I doubt it. Especially with that ending that feels so 2009.
At least no one ends up dead for their troubles.

Read More

This show deserves an award!

For being one of the worst queer shows ever written.

The only joy I found was knowing it'd be over today and that I could finally move onto the next life of queer shows and find inner peace. Yet, the ending was so terrible that I can't even achieve inner peace without turning into a vengeful spirit. Fuck this show. It will haunt me for years to come.

There are so few positives to my watching experience that I can't even make a pros and cons list because the ratio of awful to passable is so unbalanced that it'd be like beating a dead horse whose carcus has been pecked at by vultures and ran over by a fucking monster truck.

Usually I can watch a terrible show and find genuine enjoyment in how awful it is, yet this show just pissed me off exponentially because of the moronic glazers in the comment section. That's right; I made the daring and piss-brained choice to interact with the MDL fandom via the comment section after new episodes dropped. And dear god.....one of the worst mistakes a human being can make. If you even DARE voice your dislike for this show in any damn way then expect pitchforks and torches outside your house. Meaningful discussion was impossible in that comment section and I cannot bear with these people acting as if they speak for the entire fandom and acting like they know everything about ABO just because they read one ABO fic. ABO is NOT just meant for fetishes. It's really telling when people classify it as just that. Decent writers use it to express class structures and gendered systems in a meaningful and unique way; not to mention the appeal of queer relationships being normalized and women being able to be considered as top of the class structure. Stop acting like you know everything about the genre and spreading misinformation that will cause people to avoid interacting with the ABO in the future as well as future ABO adaptations.

Honestly, this show was so fucking sad to watch because I was expecting my first ABO live action series to be a funny and memorable time (no, Pitbabe does not fucking count as an ABO in my eyes. It never even properly attempted to be one so it doesn't deserve the label as one). I've read trashy BL manhwa that write better ABO plots than these writers could manage with SIXTEEN episodes.

Though, the worst part about this show, in my humble opinion, was that motherfucker Sheng Shao You; "How can I accept being used as an Omega by another Alpha?" basically tells you everything you need to know about this guy. He's rude, entitled, selfish, classist, sexist, violent, arrogant, and so very...very gullible. How this man ever managed to get where he is can only be explained through nepotism. He is everything wrong with the trashy ABO stereotypes personified into one character. This douche really does somehow check off requirements for different cliches and that might be the most impressive thing about his character:
- Rich CEO that somehow has free time and takes over the company before the age of 30.
- Attractive pale man with dark hair and eyes. Classic cliche.
- Deep, husky voice.
- Daddy issues.
- Mommy issues.
- Mistreatment of omegas.
- Entitled asshole.
- Thinks he's such a Casanova.
He was so annoying and I was lowkey hoping he would keel over at the end because he was such a douchebag. And before anyone says "Erm, actually, he's supposed to be a stereotypical alpha-" that does NOT make him likable. He wasn't even entertainingly bitchy like Shen Wenlang; he was just gross. You know he's bad when the guy with the highest societal rank; Hua Yong, is more progressive than him and has to call him out on his shit. Ugh. Can we leave this trope in the past, please? I seriously got the ick when this guy was hating on his own SIBLINGS for being illegitimate children. Ah, yes, it is completely logical to hate on people born out of wedlock because they had the ability to spawn themselves into existence in the womb of their choice. And they TOTALLY choose to "homewreck" your parents' legal marriage......WHAT?!!?!?!? Not to mention that he's heavily implied to be a pervert that likes watching omegas cry and in misery for some reason. Like, yuck. This guy seriously thinks he's so hot that he should be able to just swap out omegas at ease once he gets bored of them. Yet, the only redeeming thing about him was his hair and money.

Hua Yong was the classic obsessive stalker seme whose whole life revolved around his love interest. The only added twist was that he was absurdly pretty. I was fucking dying when he tried to justify Sheng Shao You being a kind and genuine person just because he was being nice to a stray cat. LMAO. They really thought a "save the cat" moment would really redeem this man in my eyes. Hua Yong is obviously an unreliable narrator in those scenes, but the show's objective was clear; and it was clearly absurd. Tons of terrible people are friendly to pets, but that doesn't mean they are good people. The show was just terrible at justifying Hua Yong's love for Sheng Shao You and that is detrimental to him since his entire character is obsessing over the guy. I would've loved to see more of what his life was like without revolving around Sheng Shao You, such as when he interacted with his omega cousin; the only member of his family he seemed to get along with. The best (and only redeeming) part of their relationship was how the "dom" was more feminine and progressive. The only scene I really liked of him in the latter half of the show was when he was visibly disappointed and lightly called Sheng Shao You out on his prejudiced gender views, serving as the only time he really seems to not bend to the will of the guy regardless of how absurd he's being. The streets won't like me for saying this but Hua Yong just felt like a watered down version of Hua Cheng from Heaven Official's Blessing. What they both have in common is their two-dimensionality and personalities existing solely to cater to their love interest, yet having endless potential for depth outside of that.

Shen Wen Lang and Gao Tu got washed so bad by the writers' room that it made me feel extremely disappointed. They were way more interesting than the main couple SOMEHOW since at least the two of them had personalities outside of just being sexist and simping. It was definitely the more classic ABO pairing, yet I found it more exciting than whatever the main couple had going on. How the actual fuck do they have less scenes than shows with MULTIPLE SIDE COUPLES??? My Engineer had given more depth to every single couple and it was SHORTER THAN THIS SHOW!!! Chief, don't make a side couple pairing if you don't have the energy to see it through. The ending was insulting to them as they don't even get into a relationship. Like??? Who thought this was a good idea??? They were so disrespected that they didn't even get screen time in a few episodes and it made me wanna cry. You know I was grasping at straws to find any enjoyment in this show when the cliche ABO couple (for both the good and bad reasons) is what was giving me hope that the story could be slightly passable. I liked both of the characters in this pairing leagues more than the main two and it wasn't even a competition by the end. Shen Wen Lang is a sexist and tsundere, yes, but at least the guy is kind of funny? And slightly relatable? Sheng Shao You had nothing for me to like; but Shen Wen Lang's attitude appealed to me because he was transmitting my exact thoughts half of the fucking time with his reactions to the nonsensical bullshit that the main two were doing. Salty as fuck that he didn't get to humble Sheng Shao You because of Hua Yong's cockblocking. Gao Tu was pathetic but in an endearing way; probably because of how well his actor delivered his emotions. I could feel his longing and related to his yearning for affection and stability. I found his long-term love to be way more believable than Hua Yong's since Gao Tu's self-deprecating nature and attachment to his only friend would definitely explain his unobtainable love for Shen Wen Lang.

The rest of the show was just pure nonsense. Dishonorable mentions are the exposition dump in episode 1 that literally went in one ear and out another when I made the premature decision to watch it under the influence of sleeping meds. There was also the random voice-over for Hua Yong's backstory near the end that caught me so off-guard since I swear it didn't exist before then. I also can't for the life of me recall Hua Yong giving his glorious king's watch back but my memory might just be failing me. Intro was too loud and boring; music followed suit. Fight scenes were cringe and I was holding back my laughter at how they really wanted you to take it seriously and find it cool. Outfits got progressively worse and Hua Yong's teddy bear white shirt at the end will haunt my eyes forever. The ages made it hard to believe; like they seriously want me to believe that Hua Yong is the big bad CEO at the ripe young age of 23. Get out of here with that; at least make him Shao You's age. All of the sets were overused and boring except for Gao Tu's run-down house. All of the actors were fluctuating from passable to cringe except for Gao Tu's and maybe Hua Yong's. The absolute lack of logic in making a male alpha able to give birth that ABO authors just can't seem to write a decent explanation for. Episode 9 could only be enjoyed by Redo of Healer enthusiasts and blind people would be insulted by how characters can't discern voices of their supposed loved ones and literally ANY attributes of the person in front of them DESPITE the lights being on. Huh??? Like what was the point of adding in the noncon with the main couple WHATSOEVER, and why didn't they make the side couple's scene at LEAST dubcon??? Did these writers not research ABO and just blatantly ignore the loopholes they could abuse with the common rules of the verse??? Oh, and the ending was an affront to the entire audience when they just jump from Sheng Shao You's death fakeout and the side couple not even getting to have a meaningful conversation for five seconds before blue-balling the audience.

The only redeemable aspects of this show were Gao Tu's actor, Hua Yong's looks since day one, Hua Yong and Shen Wen Lang's frenemies to lovers sexual tension (yes, I shipped it), and Shen Wen Lang's inexplicable glow-up near the end. Oh and I think that Hua Yong is a really pretty name that is surprisingly easy to pronounce. No idea what it means other than something involving flowers. Gao Tu's husky voice mixed with soft boy pining was also exquisite on my ears.

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but ABO: Desire is an insult to the omegaverse tag. How can cringy Ao3 teenagers write better fanfics with this setting than a team of adults??? Still better than Low Tide in Twilight and Love is an Illusion; not to mention the atrocity of Kiss Me Liar....but that bar is quite literally in the seventh ring of hell. I am LIVID that I didn't get my expectation to laugh my ass off in guilty pleasure met (thought, some did). This show isn't even worth rewatching unless I feel like inflicting self-torture. Never let this writer cook ABO again. There are SO MANY better Chinese BL novels that deserve adaptations, yet we get this monstrosity.....the queers deserve their favorite GOOD stories to be adapted. China, I beg, please let Thousand Autumns and Little Mushroom get adaptations before more slop like this gets to see the light of day. (T⌓T) (.づ◡﹏◡)づ. ┐(ಥ ͜ʖಥ)┌





Notes/Edits: Minor grammar fixes + Much needed clarity for the future influx of comments that will come after my review was linked in the comments section:

- Was my review harsh: Yes.
- Was my rhetoric exaggerative and dramatic for the sake of entertainment and fun: Also yes. I would've thought that using phrases like "vengeful spirit," "horse carcus pecked at by vultures," and "ran over by a fucking monster truck" would have indicated that my review wasn't trying to be ultra serious.
- Do I still stand by all my dislikes and disdain for the writing of this show: 100% and I would never lie on my scoring nor reviews just to cater to certain people. All of my reviews are fueled by my raw feelings and sometimes that strikes a chord with people under certain shows that don't have many reviews willing to be honest about the lapses in writing in series' that are flooded with 10's across the board.
- Did my review target any actors/staff: Not even once. I can't tell where people got the idea that I was trying to dissuade any actors from being in BL again, nor do I understand where they got the idea that I was trying to send hate to them. You can separate art from the artist, people.
- Am I a Shen Wen Lang apologist: Nope; nor did my review ever say I loved him. I simply stated that I liked him and Gao Tu more than the main two since they could have scenes that weren't solely reliant on their romance with each other. Also, me saying that Wen Lang was *slightly* "relatable" was because of the reactions he'd have to the hijinks the main two got up to since I often had similar reactions and inquiries. Also, he was funnier which made him more entertaining to see on screen. It didn't feel like he was taken as seriously as Shao You and that made it easier to ignore his few scenes of douchery compared to Shao You's abundance of screen time with his bad personality. Also, since when is it justified for a guy to despise ALL illegitimate children (even those he is not related to) just because ONE of his half-siblings despises him? To be honest, the only character I genuinely liked as person by the end was Gao Tu, and he was also the closest to using the ABO concept creatively.
- Am I a "crazed 2nd couple shipper": No??? Where did people even get this idea from??? I only said I liked them more but I still admitted they were cliche and I never put them on a pedestal. Those that preferred them are allowed to be sad at the lack of closure they received at the end too.
- My paragraph talking about the crazed fanatics is only getting proven true by the people that target me alongside others that voice our dislikes of the show even after it's finally just finished; which would be the prime time to voice any criticisms alongside the vocal praises. Yet, the vast majority of 10's get left alone whilst the few scores that go lower than 7's get attacked and shamed with insults, I received some such as "toxic ex gf," "delusional," "throwing a tantrum," and "needing a therapist" (as if needing therapy is even something that should be used to insult someone if you think they are having a "cry for help"). Do you guys not see the irony in this? I personally didn't even comment under anyone's praises even if I disagreed because I understood that there was not point starting any cheap wars over a simple difference of opinions; something half of you guys need to learn.
- Also, I understand this was Chinese and that producing a BL with actual queerness is difficult, which is why I never insulted the (consensual) intimacy. Though, I never give special treatment to a story simply because of what country it came out of, so I don't care if it was a Thai or Chinese BL; it was still terribly written.

Read More

Started Great, Ended in a Ditch

Well, congratulations to whoever decided to take a perfectly good show and drive it straight into a wall during the last episode. Seriously, was there a timer counting down somewhere? Because that finale felt like a sprint to the finish line with no one actually checking the script.
I’ll admit — I wasn’t a fan of the main couple at first. They were fine, nothing groundbreaking. But somehow, they grew on me. Their story had depth, some charm, and just when I started to care… boom. The ending happened.
Now, the second couple — oh, the second couple. They had barely any screen time and still managed to outshine the leads. Every scene they had screamed potential. And then? They got tossed aside like last week’s subplot. Truly inspiring.
Overall, it’s a decent show — emphasis on “decent,” not “satisfying.” Should you watch it? Sure, if you enjoy emotional whiplash. The story’s interesting, the characters pull you in, and then the ending shows up just to remind you that happiness is temporary.
My advice? Watch it, but don’t fall in love with it. I made that mistake, and now I’m here writing this review instead of moving on with my life.

Read More

perfect series i never watch it before thank you for make it

perfect series I'm in love this series and actors everyone you should watch this series rate 🏆1000000000/10 actors and story eliot qiu ocean pein love uu so much 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🏻🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

Read More

plot of a play

Although the theme is novel, the plot is not very good.The actor's play is not very brilliant and it is difficult to substitute it.Both the acting skills of the main cp and the deputy cp are impossible to bring in, and the expressive force is too poor. Although the drama can be seen that a lot of money has been invested, the acting skills of the actors are so poor that people can't substitute them.Although there are not many episodes updated in this drama, it can be seen that the acting skills of the four protagonists are not very good.Similarly, although a lot of investment has been made in this drama, the plot is too naive, and the shooting of many scenes is too mindless or even mentally retarded.

Read More

MASTER PIECE (2 couples )

This series absolutely blew me away. Set in the Omegaverse, it tells the story of a possessive and mysterious male lead who hides his true nature and presents himself as an omega in order to pursue the alpha he has secretly loved for 15 years. The dynamic between the two leads is intense, full of tension, longing, and raw emotion.

What makes the show even more special is the second couple. An omega struggles with his feelings for his class mate and now his boss , who openly dislikes omegas. Afraid of being rejected, he hides his identity and uses inhibitor patches to suppress his scent. Their story is heartbreaking, tender, and full of yearning, creating a perfect contrast to the intensity of the main leads.

The acting is phenomenal, the chemistry undeniable, and every storyline keeps you hooked. The drama balances the fantasy of the Omegaverse with raw emotions, vulnerability, and devotion.

For me, this is easily a 10/10

Read More

Enigma/Alpha forever ♥

🥹 🥹 🥹 🥹 🥹

Ok, we all know this drama is not objectively a 10 but, to put it simply, i don't care. I enjoy it immensely. This drama brought me back to when i started being a fangirl of supernatural and followed the actors and started reading fanfic. This drama is that fanfic i never expected to ever see as a live action and here we are now.

Omegaverse is not for everyone. I love it and the lore here about it was completely on point: A virus ended the world as we know it and the population got divided on Alpha/Beta/Omega to the appereance, years later, of the superior Enigma. ABO dynamics on Desire are not an afterthought but the main plot.

We follow Enigma Hua Yong on his quest to get the love of his life, S class Alpha Sheng Shaoyou. Simple right? Not really. Sheng just like delicate, submissive Omegas and Hua Yong is really not that (But he will be if he have to for his Alpha lol).

Hua Yong, as a character, is absolutely perfect. A black flag from the begining to the end, his antics are between hilarious and crazy. I don't think we will get such a dark ML ever again, specially not from China. Besides his obssesion with Sheng, i really love his relationship with Wenlang. Frenemies forever this two.

All my praise to Huang Xing who bringed Hua Yong to life flawlessly. I think he is a fantastic actor and i really hope i will be able to keep seeing him ♥

Sheng Shaoyu, the proud Alpha that end up in love with the one he didn't expected, was a great character too. You could see his progression, his pain as being deceived, his anger, his love. The last scenes with Peanut were very cute (Specially since the kid hates Hua Yong, which i found hilarious lol). At first Qiu Dingjie acting was so -so for me but he got better and better with every episode.

The second couple....i'm sad about it and i think this is one of the cons of the drama, i wanted so much more from them. We barely get any of their story and the last episode didn't make them any justice. Still, Wenlang will always be our special dumb Alpha and Gao Tu will be our first live action Omega ♥♥♥.

I love everything we got related to ABO: Rut and heats, mate syndrome, pheromones (I love the idea that we could see it around them in different colors, nice touch). And of course, Mpreg. Damn, we got live action mpreg from China, i just can't ask for a lot more 😂😂😂.

Yes, there is bad things: the editing was awful at some points, specially the last episode seems rushed. Cringe bar was a big no and that narrator in the emotional moments was unnecesary too. But i'm reading the novel now and the drama is adapted pretty accurate so i really can't complain too much.

I also got one of my favorites couples with Hua Yong/Sheng Shaoyou. Their chemistry is what made the drama so good for me, chemistry that translate on the actors, Huang Xing and Qiu Dingjie. It is a pleasure to get to meet them thanks to this drama.

The simple fact that this drama exists and was aired without too much problem is a miracle on itself so i feel compelled to thank everyone that worked here but specially our Desire4, Huang Xing, Qiu Dingjie, Jiang Heng and Li Pei en. They're the face of this drama and i can't really thank them enough from bringing it to life.

Would i recommend it? Yes, of course. Perfect couple is perfect and perfect ML too ♥♥♥♥♥

Read More

Don't watch it!! The worse!!

I am literally crying right now. It's hurt so bad they changed the script. I hope everyone just stop watching this series if you love the 2nd Couple.

They did them so dirty. I just cannot understand why the director, scriptwriter hate WenLang so much. They portayed him as toxic, useless, d*mb Alpha who was mad about the omega lying to him. In the novel he was far from it! He was a good character in the novel, he never even blame Gao Tu for lying to him.

1. They added the part where Hua Yong confronted Gao Tu. The scene never happen in the novel. And this scene didn't change anything except making Hua look good.

2. They added the part where Hua Yong told WenLang straight to his face that Gao Tu was an omega. This scene also never happen in the novel and it also didn't improve anything, didn't change anything except for making whitewashing Hua Yong!

3. They make WenLang called Gao Tu's father but remove the part where Hua Yong the one that suggested to WenLang to call Gao Tu's father. Again, this only making WenLang's character look bad. The fault immediately change from Hua Yong to WenLang.

4. They added the scene where WenLang blaming Gao Tu, saying Gao Tu betrayed him. This is the worse of the worse they can do to WenLang. In the novel WenLang never say those things. He was shocked and didn't say anything. He never even blame Gao Tu. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and immediately search for GaoTu. He never say those words. I am so frustrated and feel so sorry to WenLang's character.

I am so sad that they did him so dirty even in the last episode. They changed his script, deleted important scene, adding worse scene. It just worse than the novel. Don't watch it, not recommend at all!! The image of WenLang that I got from the novel is destroyed, DESTROYED!! THE DIRECTOR AND THE SCRIPTWRITER DID THIS!!!

Read More

Toxic Vibes & Red Flags: Loving the Chaos

This series shocked me in the best way u can imagine, as someone new to the whole omegaverse world I've never expected the plot twist and DAMN this series is good.

lets dive into the characters:

Hua Yong (played by Huang Xing) looks like a fragile Omega, but surprise—he’s actually an Enigma! Yeah, that rare, mysterious type that keeps you guessing. He’s definitely a red flag 🚩 with all his manipulative moves, but honestly? I can’t help but love him anyway. There’s just something about that sneaky charm.

Then there’s Sheng Shaoyou (Qiu Dingjie), the confident S-Class Alpha who thinks he’s got it all figured out—until Hua Yong turns his world upside down. The chemistry between them? Off the charts. Every scene is like a slow burn you don’t want to miss.

On the side, we have the other couple—Gao Tu (Li Pei’en), an Omega trying to keep his secret by acting like a Beta, and Shen Wenlang(Jiang Heng), the Alpha boss with a soft spot. Their story adds a sweet, quiet balance to all the main drama.

Heads up: some of the business talk can get a bit dry but its okay im just skipping to the main parts.

OVERALL this series is worth watching, especially if you're someone who loves a toxic and a manipulative troop.

Read More

Watch for the Uniqueness of Omegaverse and the Fun & Meticulous Manipulation

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

Where do I begin with this first somewhat major production of omegaverse in an Asian BL drama? It is definitely interesting. Is this drama perfect? Hell No! Is it interesting? Definitely. I would recommend “ABO Desire” to you if you are interested in checking out these characters in the omegaverse and get to know the characteristics of Enigmas, Alphas, Omegas and Betas. However, if you are looking for a great BL drama, this is not it.


Plot + Pacing
It all starts with Hua Yong’s obsession with Sheng Shao You. You will be amazed at the lengths he went to in order to make Shao You fall in love and be obsessed with him. Hua Yong’s manipulation is the best part of the drama. The meticulous planning of his scheme from years ago, his research of Shao You’s likes and dislikes in everything, to the ‘training’ he has to go through to turn himself to be one ‘worthy’ of Shao You. It was delicious just watching that all reveal. Of course, this wouldn’t be as good without Huang Xing’s acting. He’s the star of the show, because the rest of the actors aren’t that good. The pacing of the drama is uneven though. There are so many episodes where nothing really happened. The plot is not advancing and you are stuck in a loop of repeated manipulation. Then a couple episodes kicked in and more interesting storylines help move past the repetitiveness. I would have liked more on why Shen Wen Lang is at odds with his father, thus hating all Omegas. I also want a deeper dive into Shen Wen Lang and Hua Yong’s interesting friendship which involves some family backstories. But I think the most complaints from viewers will be coming from the last episode. There’s such great anticipation but all we got is a rushed and chopped up ending with multiple time jumps. The last episode tries to jam so many important events into one. I may not be a big fan of the novel ending of Gao Tu and Shen Wen Lang, but it can’t be this messed up storyline involving a father that should not appear on my screen. As viewers, we see how much Gao Tu went through in his life, we want to see him happy (with or without Shen Wen Lang). Is he living a happy life in the end? Maybe, but we wouldn’t know coz not much was shown. Oh, one more thing… the boring business and drug talk. So insignificant but took up so much of the dialog.

Acting
The acting is not good overall. Huang Xing is an interesting Hua Yong. He’s great, especially when you see him switch between good and evil and vice versa ( you also see his wardrobe change from white and black). The manipulation would not be so fun if not for some good acting. The next best actor is probably Li Pei En, who plays the beloved Gao Tu. He’s also the most experienced out of the four main actors, and has acted in bigger productions. It’s unfortunate the drama did not give him much to work with. Unfortunately, Qui Ding Jie’s acting isn’t that great as Sheng Shao You, and he’s not that much of a novice. He’s been in enough dramas that I wish he was better. Being the top S Alpha, he’s not charismatic enough. He’s been in many other mini dramas, I think I need to watch one of them to see if he’s better in it than this one. For a first acting assignment, the inexperience really shows for Jiang Heng. He is really not good at all. Luckily, he’s in such a popular drama that viewers probably won’t criticize him too much because we are all watching this for the omegaverse. If Jiang Heng’s performance is in another production, he will not be getting cheers in concerts. The rest of the supporting cast is average but a few of the very minor roles are pretty bad.

Romance
Yes, a lot more screen time is dedicated to Hua Yong and Shao Yao. I have no problem with that since they are the main leads. I do understand viewers wanting to see more of Gao Tu and Shen Wen Lang, because their romance could be very interesting. Besides, Gao Tu is so beloved, we want to see Wen Lang suffer and pine for him and then they all have a big happy ending. Did we really get that? Well, I won’t spoil it for you. But romance is strong in this drama. If you are a romance lover, this is for you. We have a toxic and manipulative main romance that you wonder why you are rooting for them. When Hua Yong and Shao Yao got all lovey-dovey, I felt rather weird after following their journey. I can’t deny I might have had a little smile on my face in the last few episodes, but it's still weird. And you know what, the kisses could have been better. They are too mild. On the other hand, we have a 10-year unrequited love from Gao Tu. There were so many times I was screaming (internally) that he should quit his job and leave Wen Lang. I want that knucklehead Wen Lang to suffer and then chase after Gao Tu in the middle of the drama. Did I get what I wanted? Maybe, and maybe not.

Production
When this drama is so popular and everyone is talking about it, I almost forgot this is a low budget production. I want to be lenient but I can’t deny there are many things that bug me. I hate the makeup, especially for Qiu Ding Jie/Sheng Shao You. He’s so pale and girly that I can’t see him as a bossy S Alpha. The dubbing also bugs me and makes the acting even worse. I think the actors use their own voices (and I like that) but oftentimes they are out of sync with their lips, or they are not annunciating their words clearly. There have been complaints about the lighting of the drama. You know, the scenes when the consummation happened and they claimed they couldn’t see the faces when the room was so bright? That was quite laughable. But the cherry on the top (as in the worst) is the sudden voice of a narrator out of the blue, and the narration from these bystanders telling me what is happening. The drama fails to show us what is actually going on and has to rely on others (not the main characters) to tell us. To end on a positive note, I do love the songs in this drama. The main theme song is catchy whether it’s the group version or the female version. It fits the mysteriousness of the omegaverse.


Do I recommend “ABO Desire”? Maybe if you are interested in the subject matter and want to see what the hype is about. But I won’t recommend it if you are looking for a high quality drama (BL or not). This is one of the very few dramas I watch while it’s airing and I had a good time watching it. The drama might not be great objectively, but the entertainment value is high for me. Despite complaining about every single category I listed about, I don’t think I can rate this too low. Not quite hit the 8.0 category because of some objective misses, but fun enough to warrant a 7.75. At least I enjoy this more than “Revenged Love”.




Completed: 10/11/2025 Review #632

Read More

I wanted to but couldn't

What started as a very interesting plot eventually turned into a tolerated old uncle at a family gathering who overstayed his welcome reciting uninteresting dribble.

The premise and first omegaverse pregnancies were new. The manipulation by HY was unparalleled in any universe. You may hate his acts of deception but it is to be admired the skill and duplicity levels he delved to, to pull it off. Sheng stood no chance. Truthfully, after being manipulated from the get, who forgives that easily. Especially after the HY sexually abusing him, pretends that he's sacrificing himself with the infamous goodbye letter. Nope, sorry, not on board. They reconcile, lives happily with the most disrespectful 3yr old ever. One would think, Shen was the donor of that seed.

GT, suppressing his true self, doing all that to be with his crush. His life long love. Literally taking drugs that with every dose could kill him. Shen with all his connections couldn't connect the dots when it came to GT. Talk about a blind fool. How obtuse could one person be? Sorry, S Alpha. Like his braincells vanished every time he was in his presence. I blame GT for all of their drama. I did love how easily he kicked him out of the apt but like come clean. Either he loves you or not. Move on.

So what irked me:
About 10 ep of manipulation and a few kisses and a heat and all is forgiven.
15 ep or 10 yrs of GT lying about his true self just to be in the presence of his love. Mental.
Why didn't Shen not smell GT Omega scent when he stopped using the drugs to protect his baby?
Why did the script allow for a child to be like that to a parent? Repeatedly.
Sheng literally was like a king with no power. HY was the hand turning his neck before and after the reconciliation. Does he know the decisions he makes are the ones he's allowed to make.
Does HY's warmth only extend to Sheng? None felt for the child. The same child he begged to have. Visually, it felt like Shen had a better connection to Peanut than HY did.
HY seeking Shen to advise on what to do should Sheng die. Like is he for real. He would go where ever Sheng goes. He would leave Peanut behind. Again, the child he wanted.
3 yrs apart from GT and Shen and all they got is a hug and an honorable mention.
The fighting scenes? Nuff said.
Acting became monotonous. 16 ep was not warranted. 10 would have surficed and with a tighter script might have captured the real essence better.
The last ep felt like a drive tru. Collect an order and go. No place to sit and savor the meal.


I liked:
GT telling Shen to shut up.
GT evicting Shen from his apt. King in his own castle.
HY forcing Shen to face up to his feelings.
HY telling Shen he doesn't entertain conversations with stupid people.
Shen going psycho in his rut for GT. Cathartic.
HY ability to eliminate the evil people at will.
HY level of devotion, in his cold detached demeanor, to the people that mattered to him. Why else would he keep Shen around. He just doesn't say it.
HY revelation to Sheng's father when it only mattered.

So yeah, it was okay. Watchable and entertaining at various points. I do like D4 outside of the script. Will I watch again, no. Do I regret watching, no. Just hoped that it would have been better.

Read More

"Horrible People", The Show

Some basic spoilers, but I won't go over the whole story or nitty gritty details.

For the setup, oddly enough they start by establishing that ABO is NEW to this universe, which had until only a generation or 2 ago, had been the same as our normal universe. ABO is something that spontaneously developed and the medical world just kinda rolled with it. And the social norms of the entire world have drastically changed, regardless of centuries of history. Strange, but I was curious how they would address this. They don't. This was just so the writers wouldnt have to do extensive world building. Fine. We have ultra powerful alpha rich businessman A, moderately powerful rich businessman B (competitor), meek but competent assistant C, and secret femme fatale posing as delicate flower D. 4 main characters. 3 of which turn out to be monsters.

The story seems to be the trope of rich asshole takes an interest in downtrodden beautiful poor person, but we the audience know the poor boy is actually pretending. So it's a mystery of who he really is, why he's doing this, and what he's really after. There are the trope-y "romance" moments, but always with the context that the weaker one is playing into expectations. Which just draws more attention to how manipulative the scenes WOULD be on the alpha's side if he really was in control the way he thinks he is. He thinks this boy is destitute, trying to pay for medical expenses for a sick relative, having to work multiple jobs in bad situations, on the verge of homelessness, and being taken advantage of by their boss. So he throws a bunch of money at him, makes him owe him, and offers that he can pay with his body by agreeing to a sexual relationship. Regardless of the other party's hidden truth, he is an awful person. So as the watcher, you think, ok the "omega" (not really) knows he's like this, played the part to manipulate the situation, knowing the direction it would take so he could get closer. So he has dealt with this type of person before. He knows how they think. So obviously the expectation is that this is a revenge/power play against these type of people.

Turns out he has no motivation or goal at all besides to be close to him. Because he is obsessed with him and has been for years. The manipulation, the lies, the sabotage, etc. were all just his own way of getting close because he figured just approaching him honestly wouldn't work. He's a stalker yandere, willing to to anything, destroy anyone and anything, hurt the one he cares about, to satisfy his own obsession. That's it. And then not only is there the lying and coercion, meaning any relations they had would technically be nonconsensual, he straight-up forcefully sexually assaults him. There is unambiguous r@pe in this show. More than once. And once everyone involved is fully aware of what happened and with who, it all just gets brushed over. Every r@pe is forgiven. By the story writing and by the characters. It's atrocious.

3 out of the 4 main characters in this show are garbage people. Morally bankrupt and powerful enough to just get away with whatever they want. The other one I just feel bad for. He felt like he should have been the actual protagonist, especially given how much the first episode is about him and his story. I kept watching for the initial mystery and hoping that he (and only he) would get some sort of happy ending. As it went on, this honestly became a hate watch. It's a toxic train wreck of a show, but I kept coming back to see if the wreckage would explode.

Read More