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Welcome the Morally Grey
A very interesting series that tackles the sensitive subject of euthanasia and addresses the matter from every angle by exploring the perspectives of doctors, patients, nurses, family members and the state, without supporting a specific side. Every character is loyal to their beliefs and supports them through their own ideologies and experiences. As for the acting, it was really good from all the cast members. They portrayed their roles very well and the way they should.For me, it was one of those series that could use a couple more episodes to flesh out the characters a bit more and make the flow of the story smoother without jumping from one scene to another. Even so, it's definitely a series worth watching if you like social issues represented and you usually enjoy a show with darker undertones.
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A huge disappointment if I ever seen one..
The prime example of how to waste an elite cast on a series way beneath them. That was among my most anticipated series from part 1 of gmmtv 2024 lineup and ended up the biggest disappointment. The attempt to combine the five books of each Ploy failed miserably. The plot was all over the place. The story jumped from one thing to another without fleshing out characters or situations and many parts of the plotline lacked logic and common sense. The transitions from past to present weren't smooth either and sometimes were even unrelated to one another.My only exception was the story of Tawan (Joong) and Punk Ploy (Film). It was by far the best written part of the series that I really enjoyed to watch and I feel that these two actors were the only ones who actually shined because of that. Specifically, I found Joong magnificent in a role very different from those he usually plays. He showed so many emotions I really loved it.
Another good point of the series was the music. I would go as far as to say that it was its strongest point. The songs were all very emotional and enhanced the impact of every scene.
I would recommend the series only for the two points I mentioned and if you want to honour such an exceptional cast.
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Disturbing and unpleasant, but not bad.
An interesting concept for a story. Its strong qualities I'd say laid on the plot and the character writing. They portrayed well the disgusting and shameful part of society, giving a sense of realism to the show, which is something that I appreciated. However, the thriller part lacked in both acting and execution. On the drama part the performances were actually good, but the genre of thriller is a bit more demanding. In many scenes the emotions of terror, anguish and agony either felt extreme or underwhelming. Fuaiz and Ta were the only ones who rose to the occasion and acted very naturally with convincing reactions. For me, a better guidance from the director or choosing more experienced actors on that part might have done the trick. So it's a yes to the story and the plot, but no to the direction and acting on the thriller part.I would recommend it to anyone who likes darker stories, though. The drama part is actually pretty good and worth giving it a shot.
PS: It's one of those shows that you might need a second watch just to pay attention to the details and the character reactions on the early episodes.
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Words aren't Enough..
A very refreshing storyline that blurs the lines of morality and simply gives you each person's perspective. It had great pace and interesting characters with their own goals and motives. No scene gets wasted, without contributing on developing the story itself or the characters to their journey of finding themselves. It mostly has a darker undertone and enough emotional scenes that will get you in the feels, but there are also more light hearted elements included that keep it balanced, so it's easy to watch and not that heavy. The acting was also pretty good and so were the music choices.I would give it a higher rating if I had formed a stronger connection with all the characters. I feel that's the only thing this series lacked during my experience. I could deeply relate to one character only and cared less for the others.
If you haven't watched it yet, what are you doing with your life? 😅 I definitely recommend to everyone. This one is one of the best written stories out there!!!
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Nothing to lose my mind over..
A decent story overall. I generally enjoyed the elements of realism when it came to the school bullying and the depiction of poverty and struggle in contrast to wealth and power. The characters for the most part were fine, but not that much developed. I get that the protagonists need more screen time, but I needed for the side characters to have their own goals and motives instead of their life revolving around the main couple 24/7. And speaking of the main couple, their love story I can't say it won me over. The actors did their job, but I wasn't convinced to root for them based on the writing. It felt kinda forced.I was more intrigued in the first half of the show, but it kinda flopped after a point. The plot was all over the place, the writing wasn't that good and many things were wrapped up fast, which I guess has a lot to do with the number of episodes being fixed and not with the writers.
Still I'll recommend it to anyone who likes a typical romantic story with.
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A series with a lot of heart
In all honesty, I expected the silliest and most ridiculous romance plotline of all bls. What I got, though, was a story with so much depth and character analysis you usually don't see in many shows. It consists of 16 episodes of 90 minutes each and no minute goes to waste. No scene felt like a filler to me. If anything I think the episodes could have more duration and still be interesting. The story is so detailed and slowly unfolds along the way giving us an insight to all the characters piece by piece. It tackles serious issues without getting boring or repetitive and keeps a very realistic tone despite the fantasy element. I like that no character is portrayed as ideal in the story and we get to see everyone's flaws. If I could change anything that would probably be some rushed elements, regarding a couple of scenes and some side characters with key roles that needed better writting. As for the acting part, I think everyone was excellent!This series is one that I would definitely recommend if you are not looking for the usual fluffiness and want a story that invests a lot of time on human bonds and interactions!
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A Messier Mess
This season proved to be more than necessary for me. It fixes a lot of issues I had with season one, regarding the depth of the characters and the distribution of screen time for each of them. It's much more balanced and easy to watch. The story gets more complicated with the addition of new characters and new storylines, so it's not like you'll lose interest. Still, I couldn't bring myself to connect with the characters that much this time either. And it doesn't have to do with the acting. The actors were all great, but it got tiresome to watch after a point. I love angst and mess, but dragging it for that long isn't my cup of tea.However, I definitely recommend it if you've already watched the first season. In my opinion, season one can't stand on its own. Season two really completes it and elevates the story.
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Unpredictable till the End
A deep themed drama with a very solid story that engages you from episode one and keeps you on your toes till the end with the mystery solution. I was expecting predictability only to be rebutted time, after time, after time. The plot was complex with twists and turns, succeeding when many shows of the mystery genre fail with cliché plotlines. With that being said, I did have my issues with how some clues came conveniently to the story as a plot device or some parts getting rushed. It just felt too easy, I wish they were developed differently.As for the romance, it didn't win me over personally. The way it was added to the main story was interesting and it did make sense, but I could live without it or at least with less of it. It didn't merge that well for me with the rest of the story. Sometimes it felt that the show turned bipolar, because its tone was shifted. Though, I understand it was for relief purposes, the result wasn't very smooth.
However, that says nothing about the actors themselves. They were pretty skilled with a lot of chemistry and portrayed their characters very well, just like the rest of the cast. I give a little more credit to Meiko, though. I really loved her performance!
I definitely recommend the series to mystery lovers who want something dark and complex with a bit of romance for the flavour..
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A Messy Mess
As the predecessor of Only Friends, the two shows share a lot of similarities: love triangles, trash friendships, questionable decisions and a lot of toxicity in general, but in comparison this one lacks depth. I never really connected with the characters. I felt for the most part they were very superficially portrayed. They were all over the place, jumping from one story to another and never really lingered enough to understand them. This show either needed more episodes or less characters for me to work better.The most interesting part for me was the bl storyline and that's because the dynamics of those characters were richer in emotions, compare to everyone else. There was a little more care in that part of the show that kept you interested to see what will happen. With that being said, like in many shows of P'Jojo's, some serious issues were tackled here as well, that other shows usually don't bother to explore and I really appreciate that.
Most of the characters may have not won me over, but the actors were all great. I'll give a little more credit to Singto and Plustor, though.
I suggest this show to anyone who loves drama and messy storylines. It's perfect for you!
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Exceeded my Expectations
It grabs your attention from episode 1. The plot, in all honesty, is not something so different that you've never watched before, but the execution is what made it stand out and work for me. Its lovable characters, unique sense of humour and even the purple as the show's signature colour are some of the elements that helped it gain its own identity among the other bls.Is it perfect?
No. As every show, it has its issues. The plot dragged a bit on some parts, some plotlines could have been more developed or built up earlier in the show and not get resolved that fast and I'll admit I have an issue with how one serious incident turned into a joke just for the sake of the plot, but the good traits still outweigh the bad.
As for the acting everyone individually deserves a praise. We got a very capable cast. Great and Inn did an amazing job in their debut bl series with Thor and Fluke being on par with them. Both sets of actors were so good I'd love to see them in another bl as main leads.
Overall, it's a series with a lot of heart. It may frustrate you at some points, but the journey is beautiful. If you like romance that's the story for you. And even if it's not you cup of tea, just for the acting alone it's worth giving it a shot.
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Not a typical story
The first part kept me interested, but it actually mislead me into labelling it a certain way and have expectations of what the movie should be, when in actuality it's a story with a lot of symbolisms. I appreciate it for what it is and usually this kind of stories are within my tastes, but with this one I didn't manage to connect all the way. Maybe, the way it was presented didn't do the trick for me. If you watch it once you'll certainly need to give it another try to interpret the scenes.The scenery, was beautiful and the acting worth watching.
I do not recommend the story to someone who expects a regular movie formula. If you are into more unconventional movies, then check it out, otherwise you'll get tired.
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Not good enough
The story theme wasn't bad at all. It really was a very solid idea and much more interesting than what you usually see in a bl, but it suffered from rushed writing. The main characters were likable with cute/fun interactions and a fine backstory, but not developed properly. Some things were just resolved very quickly or characters were thrown into the mix out of nowhere to stir some trouble, without really having any impact other than being plot devices. That could be blamed to the number of the episodes, but I feel they still could do much better with the writing.The main protagonists had chemistry. Both actors were pretty capable, but there's so much you can do when the scenario doesn't help.
For me, this series had the potential to be great, but didn't receive the care it deserved. It was treated more like a series to fill the gap in the program till the next big project was ready, which is a shame. Still you can watch it pleasantly if you just want to pass your time..
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A Step Above
Just like with the first season, its sequel also shines out for its great production, beautiful cinematography and good direction, leading to another visually stunning result.Story-wise, the concept was much more interesting and complex this time, with the events taking place in a more mature setting involving intricate, grown-up characters who were actively involved in the plot and had their own goals and motivations. I was also glad to see the fantastic element dominating and being more fleshed out in this season, which was somewhat missing in the first one.
In regard to the acting, I can only praise the cast. Special praise goes to the girls, who truly brought their demanding characters to life and demonstrated the fruits of their hard work.
Overall, having not been amazed by the first season of this series, I can safely say that it doesn't hold a candle to the sequel. For me, this season elevated the show to its entirety and it's a must-watch for those who enjoyed "Enigma".
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Pain and Beauty all at once
A very beautiful and well constructed story, rich in emotions and soulful performances. It captivates you from episode one and doesn't let go at any moment until the end. It addresses many social issues through the lives and actions of each character, without becoming dull or overbearing, while still progressing with the main plot.The only weak point I found in this show, was the main romance. It lacked build up, fluidity and it felt forced overall. Both actors were great, but the writing wasn't on point on that department. In all honesty, if that part of the story had been absent, I wouldn't have minded, because it felt irrelevant in comparison to everything else that the story already provided.
I definitely recommend this series to everyone. It may be triggering at times, but it's one of the finest dramas that GMMTV ever produced, from the story and the writing, to the cinematography and the acting.
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A Shell of its Former Self
A decent effort to continue the series without the desired results, though. Many of the elements that made this story unique and charming in the first season, were unfortunately absent. Off and Gun literally carried the second season. It would work fine if the story focused on developing the bl part, that had a lot of room for development anyway, and kept the main couple in a supporting or side role instead of forcing an unbearable development for their story that felt draggy. The addition of new characters as well, didn't offer anything substantial to the show other than filling time.Still it had its fun parts no doubt, but it wasn't as good or as enjoyable as it was before. Had the writing been better, the second season could have been on the same level if not better than the first.
I definitely recommend it for the OffGun development at least.
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