Ash

why Ai?

I loved everything! the music,the storyline, the ending was much if my liking but it was good! the only thing I HATED was they used fcking AI. why is AI replacing jobs? they could easily showeach AI scene without AI. maybe the budget wasn't high but still use of AI is always... disturbing and disgusting.. using it for help in studies, researches and stuff is ok, for assistance yes AI is helpful but these scenes which are supposed to bring out emotions is being disrupted. like the backstory of Shawn wasnt very touchy BECAUSE AI!! I hate supporting AI in such fields where its replacing actors and real art of emotions! 😒😒 I feel like they should've done it w/o AI...

but still i apritiate all actors/actresses, the staff members and all the people who helped make this series. their hardworking counts but the fully AI scenes don't.

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Ashtray

I had no idea I was going to love this series this much. This wasn’t aired on the usual streaming platforms, so I initially thought it probably didn’t have the usual clout that Chinese BLs get. But of course, I watch everything, so I gave this one a try.
And from Episode 1, I was already hooked.
Let me start with the chemistry. Leo and Kingston are literally OWNING the word chemistry, both in the series and in real life. They are all over my reels, and I am NOT complaining. 😂 Their chemistry feels so natural, and you can really see it in the way they interact with each other.
Acting-wise, they did great, and not just them. The whole cast did a good job with their characters. And for an action genre, they really did justice to the action scenes. You can tell they put a lot of work into the action workshops because the movements looked convincing and well executed.
I’m also not familiar with the accent they used, but I actually LOVE their accents. Is this an unpopular opinion? 😂 Because I really enjoyed listening to them.
Now, the storyline. This was actually very interesting, and I loved how all the conflicts that were introduced were given proper attention and flowed well throughout the series.
Starting with the main crime that Fei Foon was trying to solve, the mystery was always there and never felt completely compromised by the romance. Then we got the tension and attraction from the first time they met, followed by the denial stage, slowly falling in love, drifting apart, and eventually finding their way back to each other. WHAT A RIDE for this love story. 😭
But again, I am not complaining because I deserve an angsty romance like this. Give me the yearning, the pain, the separation, and the reunion. I will gladly suffer. 😂
And then there’s Vincent and his red flag moments. HAHAHAHAHA. He really completed the series. But we all know we can’t fully hate him because we also saw just how DOWN BAD he was for Fei Foon. 😂 He just needed someone to slap some sense into him and make him realize that he would literally sacrifice everything for his man. Hihihihi.
And of course, our main antagonist Shawn/Sing, whom I also can’t completely hate because... that man is ATTRACTIVE. Fight me. 😂
Good thing they changed some things from the novel because, from what I read online, Shawn was apparently much worse in the original story. The things he did to Fei Foon were DIABOLICAL. So I actually appreciate the changes they made for the adaptation because I don’t think I could have survived the novel version of him. 😭
One negative feedback I have, though, is the use of AI for some of the flashbacks. I feel like there could have been a better way to present those scenes.
Overall, I’m really going to recommend this one. And if you watch it, you’ll eventually understand the relevance of Ash in the series.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. That alone is worth finding out. 😂

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My first Hong Kong film

As someone who practically dried up the Chinese film industry of all good films to watch, watching my first Hong Kong -dialect film that I watched (which is also Chinese) was singularly one of the most uncomfortable and unusual experiences of my life, because the balance of the difference of the dialect to the similarity of the language kept messing with my head.

That being said, Ash is my all-time favorite HK films so far.

My severe lack of trust in synopsis and trailers led me to watch this series completely blind, and it did not disappoint.

I am someone with very loose criteria for the relationship of the mls, and as long as there is no DVs, cheating etc. I am pretty ok. But I will admit, that the first episode may or may not have come pretty close to that border... But again, I am not here to tell you what to watch or what not to watch; you either trust the process or thoroughly ruin the movie being overly cautious.
...To each their own.

The thing that captivates me here is the sort of masculinity and dependence that both mls have (not that not having either is a bad thing...), and the lack of overly emotional arguments or scenes.
It just really messes with my head and makes me wonder if they are going to stay together or if its going to be some kind of revenge thing or something....


It's also the way that it defies practically every other norm of bls... There is kiss scenes in the FIRST EPISODE, there is arguments and fights and every other thing that bls are absolutely terrified of doing in the first scene.
I really thing the entire story of the first two episodes can be stretched out into the whole series itself if need be, and the directness of the film is very pleasing to an impatient like me.


So, watch it or not... It was good for me, but at the same time, I will not trust online movie reviews for anything, but you won't lose much trying it out (except maybe your sanity... ;) just kidding)

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Red Flags, Crime, Romance, and Way Too Much Eye Candy

I love that Ash went straight into the romance aspect from the first two episodes. There was no dragging things out, and that kiss? FIRE. The chemistry between the leads is already so good, and I’m really happy that they’re not taking forever to get to the romance, especially since the series only has 9 episodes. There’s really no time for endless will-they-won’t-they moments, misunderstandings, and unnecessary slow burns. I’d rather have them get straight into the relationship and actually give us enough time to see it develop alongside the main plot.

Speaking of the plot, I’m really interested in how they’re combining romance with a crime thriller. It makes the story more exciting because there’s obviously more going on beyond their relationship. I’m especially curious about the CEO (I honestly still have a hard time pronouncing his name) because from the clips, it seems like he might be connected to a syndicate or something bigger. I have no idea how this is going to end, especially with the other main lead being a police officer, but I’m crossing my fingers for a happy ending!

I also love the red-flag vibes of both of them, especially the CEO. Like, sir, you really just cannot help yourself, can you? There’s something so entertaining about watching two questionable people get involved with each other while there’s an actual crime plot happening in the background.

But honestly, the biggest highlight of this series is HOW GOOD-LOOKING THE ENTIRE CAST IS. The main leads, the supporting characters. Everyone is a feast for the eyes. It feels like they deliberately gathered every good-looking person they could find and put them in one series.

The only thing I’m not really a fan of is how some scenes or maybe it’s the editing/video quality make the series look a little too AI-generated. Even the male leads look so unreal that I literally had to search them up because I was wondering if they were actually real actors or just AI-generated characters. They have that same unreal, overly-perfect look you see in those AI short videos.

Overall, I’m really enjoying Ash so far. The romance is already giving, the crime-thriller element makes the story interesting, the characters are walking red flags, and the cast is ridiculously attractive. I’m definitely curious to see where they take the story, especially with only 9 episodes. Hopefully they keep the pacing like this, give us more of that chemistry, and most importantly… PLEASE LET THEM HAVE A HAPPY ENDING. 🙏

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Masterpiece!

Don’t let others discourage you from watching this absolutely stunning BL drama! I will definitely be rewatching it!!!

Ash is honestly one of those dramas that completely pulled me in and stayed with me after the final episode. I went into it without knowing exactly what to expect, and I ended up loving it far more than I anticipated.

What makes Ash so special for me is the atmosphere, the emotional intensity and, most importantly, the chemistry between the leads. Their relationship feels raw, complicated and incredibly magnetic. This isn’t a fluffy, predictable BL where everything exists simply to give us cute romantic moments. The characters are imperfect, their emotions can be messy, and their relationship develops with tension, longing and vulnerability. And that is exactly why I found it so addictive.

The acting deserves a huge amount of praise. So much is communicated through looks, pauses, body language and those small moments where you can feel everything the characters are unable or unwilling to say aloud. The chemistry is absolutely insane. I believed their attraction, their attachment and their emotional struggle from beginning to end.

I also loved that this is a Hong Kong BL with its own identity and atmosphere. It feels different from the usual Thai, Taiwanese, Japanese or Korean BL productions, and that made watching it even more exciting for me. Visually, it is beautiful, moody and cinematic without feeling artificial.

Is it perfect? Probably not. There are moments that some viewers may find frustrating, and certain choices will definitely divide opinions. But personally, I would much rather watch something emotionally intense and memorable than something technically flawless but forgettable.

For me, Ash was beautiful, sensual, painful, romantic and completely captivating. Ignore the negativity, give it a chance and decide for yourself.

I absolutely loved it. And yes — I’m already looking forward to watching it all over again.

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STOP AI SLOP

there's SO MUCH ai in the drama it's actually painful. this is not acceptable. we have to stop normalizing it. whole scenes just wasted because it's fully ai. it's not even funny at this point. i think i would love this series if not for the constant slop, plus it doesn't even look good!! it's messy and feels lazy. it's actually undermining the actor's performances. i don't care if you call me dramatic but i will NOT stand for this bullshit. it's sad to see this slop being integrated into art. we have to put a stop to this.

wake up people, change can only come from you.

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WOW… this one really got me. 🥹🖤 From the beginning, I was completely hooked. The chemistry between Leo Pang and Kingston was EVERYTHING, and their story had me feeling all the emotions. 🔥❤️
There were so many moments that made me laugh, scream, stress and completely melt. 😂🥹 That’s exactly the kind of series I love — the ones that make you way too emotionally invested.
Definitely a 10/10 from me! ⭐🖤✨


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