Short but emotionally packed
I loved this, simply put. 6 episodes of only 18 minutes each but was packed from start to finish.The chemistry between Dong Hui and Ho Tae was truly outstanding! Hats off to the actors on that, in fairness, their acting was bang on throughout.
The cinematography was fantastic, slow mo"s at the perfect times, the intensity of the stares, the beauty of the scenery in general.
Soundtrack was equally great, music perfectly timed, subtle, emotionally evocative and not overused.
This was such a beautiful sad romance, two people in love and never realising it or being brave enough to voice it. The family dynamic broke my heart at Dong Hui's suffering.
I dropped the story point simply because i wanted a more definitive ending, sad or happy, i justed wanted not an open end.
Well worth a watch and because of its shortness, easy to rewatch.
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A fervor that leaves you breathless
I'd be lying to myself if I gave it a lower rating. I really liked this movie a lot, and it's kind of funny since I've never seen Unintentional Love Story (I watched it on sept 11th halfway through to learn more about these characters). With huge expectations, one would fear the disappointment, but it's quite the opposite. I was expecting a lot and they gave me everything I expected. I like it so much that I'm making an FMV, and this gave me a lot to analyze. Let's see!▸I don't think we give enough credit to the photography. It could be overlooked, but if you look at the movie/series carefully, the photography is beautiful. The colors are enveloping and so captivating. I loved the transitions with the whales and nature. I loved the montages, the scenography. Visually this movie is a pleasure. Seriously, PLEASE, appreciate those visuals, the color management, they are a delight to see. Honestly, this production has a lot of work behind it, more than one would think.
▸ While the soundtrack is not outstanding and there are no memorable songs, I really liked that they didn't put music in the romantic or tense scenes. They let the performances speak for themselves without any accompaniment that forces us to feel something, this intensifies everything. The music distribution is really smart. As its name says, "the time of fever" or "I feel your warmth", it was ESSENTIAL to let us hear their agitated and sonorous breathing to demonstrate that desire and nervousness of the first love.
▸The performances, phenomenal. At no time did I feel the actors acting, I only saw the characters. The chemistry they share is undeniable, one of the best there has been in k-bls. Not to mention the kisses, because they are, again, one of the best kisses in k-bl. I love that reflected intimacy, it feels very real. God, I loved how much DongHee conveyed with his eyes, I couldn't help but draw them. His eyes said so much without words and it's fascinating to see.
▸While the story itself is not that great, just a first love romance with a childhood friend, they did what they could with what they had and executed it well. I know many were disappointed bc there was no "closure," but you have to understand that this is a spin-off. I don't really feel the movie is the problem, but rather the series, which didn't give these characters the closure as they should.
▸ I liked Ho Tae's character. He is a simple person and at the same time he's not. He is simple because his mind doesn't work with abstract ideas and he has a hard time understanding what is implicit, he feels comfortable with what is physical and tangible. However, because of this, he has a very hard time connecting with his own feelings and those of others. He has an even harder time handling them. That gives him quite a few problems.
▸Also, while it might feel like we know a lot about Ho Tae but little about DongHee, I think his actions speak for themselves. He is a character who, although he wants to protect himself, can't help but be selfless. He defends the fact that his father mistreats him because he believes that "he hurt him more." At first he wanted to distance himself from Ho Tae because of his "unrequited" crush because it is painful, but he couldn't help but connect with him and slowly became more hopeful.
Nevertheless, when he realized HoTae might feel the same way as him (or maybe he thought Ho Tae was just confused), he became scared because of his internal homophobia and the fear of others' reaction. He is so grateful to "his aunt" and loves her so much that it doesn't seem right to him to date HoTae. That's why he decides to go to Seoul, knowing that, and with his own words, he would regret it a lot. We can say that he had a bad time just if we consider that he did not even dedicate what he studied and returned to his city to open a coffee shop.
▸ My only criticisms, or rather, things that I didn't like, were the last two chapters, which naturally became somewhat tiresome and boring to watch. I don't blame them because it was inevitable. They are not together, after all. We lacked a protagonist.
In conclusion, a great movie! A worthy spin off, considering that ULS is not that great. They put love and attention into the production, and that is always appreciated.
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It's amazing, watch it!
So well made, told and acted. I was riveted all six episodes, I only wish it was longer.I can't believe they made a sequel with these two. Only to leave me with even more unresolved feelings this time!
To whom it may concern: Please, please, please make a part 3 with them, I'm begging you!
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Loved the actors but so disappointed
The actors were great don’t get me wrong but the story was not good. They never admitted they liked each other they ran away from their potential love and we also never got the full story about the dad and if they ever got him back for what he did. It was to short and not finished. These actors were great and deserved a way better story line. The ending was not good and I totally don’t get the NC 17 rating. Maybe it was the slight violence but I don’t think it needed that rating.Was this review helpful to you?
absolutely peak everything
wow wow wow, beautiful, beautiful, beautifulwhen I heard that they'd be getting their own spinoff after unintentional love story, I knew that they would do their story justice, AND NOW THAT IT'S HERE, NOW THAT I'VE WATCHED IT, it was all so beautifully done and I want to go back and rewatch the original series just for them . . .
peak cinematography, peak romance, (peak cameo!!), peak love, peak setting, PEAK EVERYTHING, SERIOUSLY, I'm so incredibly happy right now . . . and also sad because the yearning and pining was so well done . . .
I LOVE THEM
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Beautiful to watch.
Aside from the story and acting (which were excellent), this show is just beautiful. You know how you can have art as a screensaver on your television? I want every scene in this show as a screensaver so I can see this beauty every day. I'll have to look up the directors other work to see if they are all done as well as The Time of Fever. Excellent title too. This couple is the 2nd couple in Unintentional Love and it gives us just a little more of them. I really hope that they will have another show that covers the time during, and after, Unintentional Love.Was this review helpful to you?
Breathtaking, emotional rollercoaster
Love how they brought these character back to life once more. I could feel their rollercoaster of emotions, each acting out in the only way they thought they could, even if it wasn’t the best of ways. Completely in love with this prequel, it was everything and more. And yes, I would want more of their story, I could watch 20 episodes of them just being in love!Was this review helpful to you?
🥰The actors Won Tae Min and Do Woo are amazing 🥰
This Boys' Love is a masterclass in emotional storytelling, thanks to the incredible performances from the two lead actors. Their chemistry is palpable, making the tension and intimacy between them feel genuinely heartfelt.
The story, while beautifully told, is predictably heartbreaking. However, it's a must-watch for its thoughtful portrayal of first love, vulnerability, and the complexities of human emotions.
It's impressive to see how far Korean dramas have come in representing the LGBTQ+ community, and this project is a significant step in the right direction. By focusing on the intimate story without sensationalizing the characters, the film delivers a poignant and relatable viewing experience.
With both leads having multiple projects in the works, it's exciting to think about what's next for them. For now, this “drama” is a stunning showcase of their talent, and I highly recommend it to everyone.
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It Will Leave You on Chokehold
The Time of Fever is a story between Hotae and Donghee. The story started with Hotae playing the soccer ball with the children, while wearing mourning clothes. He came back to his hometown because of his father's death. Donghee is his friend since they were kids. Since Donghee came-out, his father kicked him out of their house. Because of this, he needed to stay in Hotae's house. The story revolves around the two of them; Donghee's resistance to his feelings toward Hotae & Hotae finding his feelings getting closer towards Donghee.There are two listed The Time of Fever in the website of My Drama List, but it is just the same. The movie is just a compiled episodes of the series. The parent drama of The Time of Fever is the Unintentional Love Story. It came-out first and Hotae and Donghee is the side couple of that drama.
In terms of actings and casts, Won Taemin (Hotae) and Do Woo (Donghee) really did amazing on this movie/series. Their chemistry together is really beyond expection. They did really well on their respective roles and their scenes together were spectacular. Korea is known for having such a mellow down NC Scenes, so you will only see kissing scenes in this series. Regardless, the tension between the two and their kissing scenes were really done well, no inch of uncomfortableness was seen on the both of them.
In terms of the technicalities, the film was really edited well, the sequence are well put together, and the way the scenes were filmed was really good. I want to highlight how the color grading of each scene was well done and how it fit just right on the emotions the scenes wants to give.
The ending is really not that great, as it remains open ended to the viewers perceptions. Regardless, it was a really great Boys Love film and deserves a high rating. It deserves a special episode or much better, a season 2. Watch The Time of Fever because you will fall in love with it.
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Could've been great
heads up i didn't watch the og show, but i was kinda aware of things from people telling methe actors were great, they acted great and were hot. the chemistry between them was great. the cinematography was good, the music was fine nothing memorable. the first four episodes were great i was on the edge of my seat and they flew by. the tension was great, lots of great moments. but the last two episodes I was just rolling my eyes, i hate a bl where i'm not rooting for a couple to have a happy ending
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This was a beautiful watch…..with a lot of angst.
I vaguely remembered what happened in ‘Unintentional Love’ but I do remember loving these two cause their chemistry was unmatched….I enjoyed this sequel as I do love a good angsty show, and this was done right - but, the ending definitely left me a bit unsatisfied.
I was expecting a time jump…or more scenes post ‘Unintentional Love’. A shame really.
It was also nice to see Gong Chan’s little cameo. It was to be expected, but it would have been even nicer to see him with Cha Seo Won.
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Honest and Authentic
I have yet to see a narrative that so respectfully and lovingly expresses the joys, pain, longing, and frustration of queer and queer questioning youth finding their way in an unforgiving and unknowable world.This narrative serves as a prequel to Unintentional Love Story and frankly, it is the far superior and genuine story. You do not necessarily need to watch the first to appreciate this story, but if you do, you will notice the stark difference in the two tales.
The acting is sublime and each of the leads offers such warmth to their respective roles that you will long to spend more time with them.
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