The Sparkle in Your Eye (2025)

Through thick and thin! They loved and suffered and loved some more!

The drama starts off strong with that classic “grumpy veteran actor x sunshine newbie” setup, and honestly it worked. Pei Jia, a scandal-worn ex-idol trying to clean up his image, gets paired with total rookie Su Yi, who has zero acting experience but a whole lot of heart and is a big fan of Pei Jia. They were forced to live together to build chemistry and the tension builds fast from there.

Their chemistry wasn't built on big declarations but on lingering gazes, brushing past each other in tight spaces, turning that shy awkwardness into comfort. They were soft, silly and sometimes airheaded but adorable.

But then... plot twist hits. One moment we are vibing with the soft fluff and the next we’re dealing with a deadly trope and a company executive who is out for blood (not even kidding). The angst comes in hot and heavy and while it keeps things dramatic, it does kind of hijack the romance for a while. Though the chemistry doesn’t disappear. It's just buried under a lot of emotional wreckage. They do try to show the dark side of showbiz but very briefly but enough to stir things.

That said, the drama does loop back around. The bond between Pei Jia and Su Yi holds steady even when things go off the rails. Though I would have liked more of their story ,after the dust was settled.
The editing also seemed a bit incoherent but for the drama on budget, it seemed okay.

Coming to the second couple, sadly I couldn't get on board with them till the end. The back and forth which was supposed to pull me in, made me more frustrated. Not the kind of tension that keeps you hooked but more along the lines of "why will do that??!" or "Why will you say that". I found the director too indecisive not just for his own sake, but for the people around him as well.

Acting wise, I feel the actors did good enough. This is my first time seeing them and while I do think delivery could have been better, I feel it's nitpicking. I would definitely give them another chance if I come across any of their dramas.

Overall, it's not perfect but it's an emotional ride with some really touching moments and soft chemistry. We see a romance bloom through mess and stick it out through thick and thin even though the pacing does get messy in the middle.
I will definitely recommend it even though it might give you heartbreak at times. (The good kind xD)
Plus it's the first singaporean drama on MDL. :)

Read More

chinese, low budget but good acting...

Of course this is a fake Singapore production to avoid censorship in China. But as it may be, it's a very small production with a very low budget. On the other hand the acting was excellent and many thai BL-actors could learn a thing or two about it.

And the best part: It's a BL about making a BL. 🤣
The story is about a fan turning actor meeting his "idol". Of course said "idol" had no idea that this fan did "save" him in the past. It's also about abuse and power games in the industry.

While this is not a perfect series, it's a very good one. I enjoyed it overall even with some problematic scenes which may disturb you. So, I can recommand to watch this show!

Read More