Checkered Shirt

good start, lackluster ending

Overall: I liked it overall but will add a half point to this review if they do a season 2 as there were several plot threads hanging. 8 episodes about 7 minutes each. Aired on Sukfilm's YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYfaogVGCvwR6JKy1hl4Jq93_HjCqSLgc&si=dKNaW9aTzGwFqFUg - SUKFILM made these BLs: Seoul Blues, Blue Boys and Bad Guy

Content Warnings: dub/non con kiss, unwanted outing

What I Liked
- a character's actions show that he's romantically interested without an exposition dump or voice over
- visuals
- cheeky with the drink
- good kissing

Room For Improvement
- they needed to focus on the main leads and get rid of the queer panic if it was going to be resolved in a second
- the music with lyrics needs to be quieter when the characters are speaking
- in episode 4, one character's reactions
- in episode 4 if he had said that with the wallet privately then it would have been fine but I think in front of the line it went into mean/cruel territory
- one character gave me whiplash with hot & cold
- the dub/non con kiss (when someone is sleeping)
- episode 8 was not a good way to end a series

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It ends with a cliffhanger....

As always I'm too late with the review, because I thought there will come more episodes.... there will be a "season 2" but now they stoppend in the middle of it.

The positive first: While most thai shows have a trash, meaningless story, they at least tried to make it a simple, but an good one. The actors also did their best. The only downside is the lack of enviroment with missing extras in the background with no noises in the background and mostly small sets. Of course, this is a low low budget effort, but done right in the most places.

Overall it was quite entertaining and I hope the "2nd season" will be completed soon and you can binge watch all of it!

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Not worth the watch - felt unfinished

This short BL had an amusing meet-and-cute with its two main characters meeting because of a checkered shirt. One is an ingeneering student, the other a bartender and there are some interesting aspects around self discovery that are approached by the series as well as some realistic aspects of the dating culture (the bar hunting, the cocktail names innuendo, the mandatory military service duty impact...). Unfortunately past the introduction, the story felt very bland and clearly lacked of a proper ending.

The acting was alright but lacked chemistry. There are some nice kisses but overall I did feel that some passion and heat were missing. The series had clearly a limited budget but it is foremost editing issues (between scenes and sometimes in-between episodes) in addition of the overtly too present and repetitive OST that were the main problems. It is unfortunate that subtitles were also not good.

I would not recommend this to people as I feel there are better bite-size university BL out there. The introduction is interesting but past the premise, the scenario goes nowhere and the series end on a frustrating open ending. Right at the start of what could have been a compelling conflict for the relationship. That said, if a season 2 is produced, I will watch it to hopefully have a proper conclusion to the story.

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A Must Watch For A Lazy Weekend!!

Perhaps not quite a masterpiece, but most assuredly it is a Must-See series. This is an astonishing and discerning BL told in just about an hour and a half. However, it loses much unless you watch it in toto. In that way, you get its complete essence, since each episode is only between 7 to 10 minutes in length.

The series is an astonishingly reflective narrative of the convoluted mind of the South Korean culture towards not only sex in general but homosexuality specifically. It is obviously a taboo subject but one that they simply cannot stop persevering on. While they circumvent the whole concept of sexuality in euphemistic terms, they are intensely preoccupied by it. From an outsider looking in, their whole notion of gay relationships and sex in general is astonishingly parochial and taboo, and beyond off-limits and must still be hidden and talked about in hushed tones.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2025/05/28/checkered-shirt-series-review-ep-1-to-8/

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A Beautiful Story of Young Love

Checkered Shirt is a charming Korean mini series that beautifully captures the innocence and complexities of young love. The episodes are short, making it easy to binge-watch, and the actors deliver excellent performances, bringing depth to their characters. The series progresses at a slow pace, allowing for a deeper emotional connection with the characters and their journey. It also tackles important themes, such as the challenges of not fitting in and the struggles that come with being different. The story is compelling, and its gentle approach to love and self-acceptance makes it stand out in the BL genre. The slow-burn nature of the relationship between the leads feels authentic, adding to the overall charm. The series ends on a cliffhanger, leaving me eagerly hoping for a continuation. Overall, Checkered Shirt is a beautifully told story that's definitely worth watching for those who appreciate heartfelt drama.

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A Surprisingly Strong Short Series

Perhaps not quite a masterpiece, but most assuredly it is a Must-See series. This is an astonishing and discerning BL told in just about an hour and a half. However, it loses much unless you watch it in toto. In that way, you get its complete essence, since each episode is only between 7 to 10 minutes in length. This is not only an entertaining BL with surprisingly strong performances, but there is also a strong screen chemistry between the two lead actors. For a South Korean BL, which are not generally known for its straightforwardness in relationship scenes, this was surprisingly intense and emphatic. We could at first feel the sexual tension between them and then when they got together, their barriers broke down quickly, and then we could sense the warm yearning that they had for one another blossom forth. It was to say the least charming.

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