SarahD

A believable BL story that will have you rooting for the main characters

Not sure how I stumbled upon this drama but I’m glad I stayed to the end because the characters were so believable and the plot was (mainly) really good.
This is, simply put, a story about redemption, trust and love.
The story starts out as simple revenge where the innocent and naive male protagonist (Wu Suowei) is dumped by his gold digger of a girlfriend (Yue Yue) who is dissatisfied by his financial status. She then goes hunting for a wealthy boyfriend and hones in on Chi Cheng the jaded, bored gay son of a wealthy chairman who is being pressured into marriage by his unsuspecting parents. Wu Suowei decides to break her heart by pretending to be interested in Chi Cheng in the hopes of splitting them up and goes from a straight man to a man who “I don’t know if I like men or not, but I like you”. The story not only covers these two men, but another couple Jiang Xiao Shuai (Wu Suowei’s best friend) and Guo Chengyu (Chi Chang’s bestie) and their developing relationship.
There are plot twists and turns, funny bits, sad bits as well as a few more characters who try to muddy the waters between Wu Suowei and Chi Cheng. Their developing feelings and reactions to these situations all add honesty and credibility to both this story and the characters they portray.
The only part of the plot that I found ludicrous was when Chi Chang’s father decided to kidnap Wu Suowei. The ensuing scenes may have made more sense in the mother tongue but certainly were of little value to the overall plot when google translate ( or whatever software they used - it clearly wasn’t translated by a human) got involved. I deducted points for this bizarre chapter, although I’m guessing the father was trying to persuade Wu Suowei to stay away from his son.
Would I watch this again? Absolutely but with headphones on and no one else around to see the seriously steamy ‘sex’ scenes. Kudos to the straight actors for making it all so believable.

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I hate the script writers who had me sobbing like a baby at the end! In my top 5

I stumbled across this little gem quite by chance and nearly didn’t bother with it as the reviews are really mixed.

The plot follows a hapless actress who picks up tiny bit parts here and there, her manager, a fellow actress at the top of her game and 2 boys who she interacts with briefly in her childhood who re-enter her life and change it forever.
Both of the boys adore her for her bravery and courage from the moment they first meet one fateful day. One comes from a broken home and he directs his heartbreak first into being an aggressive bully and then later into a savvy yet shallow businessman. The image of the little girl who fought him off ‘that day’ stays with him and when they meet up again as adults he is determined to make her his. The other has a life limiting congenital heart problem who morphs from timid victim into a wealthy business genius knowing he is running out of time. His one aim is to repay the kindness shown to him by the little girl who protects him from the bully on ‘that day’.
As the story progresses the FL realises her strength lies in playing action characters and she becomes an overnight sensation when she takes on a role that could have been written for her and her life intertwines with the 2 men mentioned earlier without her knowing that they are from her past.

The drama starts off quite happily, bumbling along and by the time I reached the 3rd episode I wondered why I was bothering to continue watching as it all seemed a bit dull and pedestrian and the weird shaggy hairdo of the FL was really off putting (she’s so beautiful and call me shallow if you will, but her natural hair is gorgeous) but I don’t like to put a book or drama down so I persevered. I’m so glad I did as the actors were brilliant and I fell in love with both Connie Kang who played Zheng Ying and Zhang Chen Xiao (who looks like Xu Kai’s younger brother, they’re even the same height) who played Shen Yi Fan. The supporting actors were also very well cast and the little lad who played the actress’s son was such a cutie and pretty believable for one so young.
Production values, costumes and scenery were top notch too.
By the time I reached episode 22 I was sobbing (literally) and even with less than 30 seconds left of the final episode tears were literally running down my face.
Bravo script writer! I hate you and love you at the same time.
By the way, when you watch this on iQIYI you won’t be able to leave comments hence there doesn’t seem to be many people who’ve seen this production.
Would I watch this again? ABSOLUTELY

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Sweet and very watchable rom com with insane chemistry

What’s not to love about a sweet rom com? This one has it all, sad bits, bad guys, adorable female lead, brooding male lead, happy ending.
The chemistry between ML & FL is really believable and that of the second (and third) is also excellent casting. All three couples face their challenges but as you’d expect it all works out in the end.
The acting is very convincing and the chemistry hot, hot, hot. The scene where the main pair reunite after the FL gets lost on the way to the mountains is absolutely breathtaking and you can feel the relief, love and true connection when he starts kissing her all over her face. When the second ML finds out he could be dying I will admit to lots of tissue use!
This is not a ground breaking piece but if you want some light relief filled with fluff then you good do a lot worse than watch this one.

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Absolute powerhouse of a story

This story is one filled with intrigue, manipulation, bravery and loyalty.
There are lighthearted moments through to ones where the depths of despair and personal sacrifice come through loud and clear.
The characters are flawed and believable and the story develops layer by layer and very early on it is evident that not all is as it seems.
The chemistry between Zhang Linghe and Bai Lu is a slow burn but by the end the sparks fly spectacularly and these two, like all of the other actors really showcase their talents.
The set is incredible with amazing attention to detail & sumptuous costumes and the fight scenes are realistic and at times funny (qins do not make good weapons).
It needs to be watched (at least) twice as there is so much to take in and quite a few subtle prompts that I missed the first time.

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Boy, what a ride of emotions

I sobbed my way through this from about half way through!
This is a powerful story of love, honour and sacrifice that had me hooked from early on. Although the main characters took a while to warm up, by the end you’ll be rooting for them so much.
Set across two main plot lines (that involve the same characters) over a long period of time, it gets interesting in the second half as the FL gains snippets of information from what happened earlier in her life.
ML plays 2 distinct characters and it takes a while for the truth to be uncovered but when it is, boy will the tears start again.
Been a while since I watched this and I think it may be time to watch it again
UPDATE:
Absolutely my favourite c drama ever. This is the second time of watching it and it was even better than the first time. It was the first c drama I ever came across and I only watched it a second time as I wondered if my lingering positive feelings were OTT - first drama rose coloured spectacles and all that - they weren’t. From start to finish this was breathtaking, silly, funny, frustrating, anger inducing, poignant and powerful. Everyone should watch this at least once ❤😍😍

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This could have been absolutely fabulous

This little series of dramas could have been absolutely fabulous.

The plots (without many exceptions) were really clever until the final couple of scenes where we were left with too many ambiguous endings so I docked a point for this alone. The actors were great but there was no close connection between each of the mini series’ so there was a lack of continuity even though the characters were all at the same school.

I came for Sammy and Perth and although they acted really well in their respective segments I felt that in Sammy’s episodes whole thing was a bit dull with no real conclusion so all her heart break and confusion went to waste. Whereas in Perth’s episodes I loved that he stuttered and stumbled his way through his embarrassingly shy confession and if you didn’t know he was a BL star, you would totally have believed he was a shy heterosexual young man.

Would I watch again? No

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Wow! What’s not to like about this clever plot line

If you’re looking for a story with sizzling chemistry, great acting, surprising redemption arcs and a very clever plot line then this could be one for you.

The opening scene shows a stunt man, Joe as he plummets into a ravine during a motorbike stunt gone. The next scene shows him waking up in hospital next to a woman who claims to be his mother who’s calling out his name. The following few chapters, mainly through a series of flash backs and snippets from the present day, explain the events that led to the opening scene as well as Joe dealing with this new version of himself two years later. We are introduced to Ming, his wealthy boyfriend, Tong, Ming’s morally bankrupt brother in law, Wut, Joe’s father figure and agency owner and Sol, a young man from the same agency.

It’s obvious from the get go that things between Joe and Ming are not what they initially seem to be. Ming turns into an *sshole of epic proportions and Joe is caught up in a battle he clearly cannot win and which ultimately leads to his death. Fast forward to 2 years after the accident and it’s clear that Joe’s death has had a profound effect on those closest to him but will Ming pull him in again and will history repeat itself?

I loved Joe2’s mum. An absolutely gorgeous woman with a heart big enough to melt an iceberg. Strangely though the actor’s not in the cast list on this platform but I would love to see what else she’s been in.

I’ve barely seen such a clever plot line so kudos to the writers. The production values are great with the exception of the inside of Ming’s family home which is highly conservative with an almost black, panelled interior and at total odds with the ultra modern, glass walled exterior (which appears in Love in the Sky as well as several others).

Would I watch this again? You betcha I would!

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Came for Perth and wasn’t disappointed by this Rom com.

I came here for Perth who I felt carried Perfect 10 Liners where he played a sullen lad with a huge heart (I loved how he growled Bee-gan menacingly at his boyfriend) and stayed for this lighter, more sunny character.

The plot opens when Ae (played by Perth) literally and figuratively poleaxes Pete (played by Saint) when he runs him over with his bicycle. As they untangle themselves from the wheels something subtle is started and as the drama continues we watch them take their tentative first steps into becoming the love of each others’ lives.

Along the way we also meet several other heavy hitters and watch as their characters grow within the show and between themselves.

I especially loved the scene where Pete admits he’s gay to his mother and the vulnerability and love they share is so powerful it had me clapping by the end. Bravo script writers. (They also included a timid one liner related to anal s*x preparation that Pete used on their first night in bed together not an expected topic (at all!) but I found it’s inclusion rather refreshing and kinda cute TBH).

The other plot lines were also great and I felt the final scene of Tin losing his shit in the shower was a perfect ending. Whilst I felt bad for his character it shows how flawed and hurtful young love can be and that life really isn’t fair.

As a side note, if you’re looking for this plot to roll seamlessly into the second series you’ll be sorely disappointed and while I get that Saint’s schedule didn’t allow for him to be in it there was so many better ways they could have written his absence but didn’t - instead they took the lazy option. I’ve already reviewed S2 so go check that out before watching.

Would I watch this again? Possibly but there’s so many more on my ‘plan to watch’ list.

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Only came for Perth who was brilliant as usual

I’m so frustrated by this follow up series as about the only thing that made any sense was… er…. They should have stopped at one series. The ending for Tun and Can, although awful was realistic in season 1 - love doesn’t always win in the end and life isn’t always fair.

This second series would have been so much better (IMO) if it had started with Tun trying to win Can back and Ae and Pete being separated by a year abroad, focusing on how they coped with distance rather than devastating heartbreak ( we only get one sentence to explain what split them up).

The business with Tun’s brother Tul, his lies and their father’s favouritism made no sense (lost in translation I guess) and after years of abuse why did this fractured family just pat each other on the back as if it hadn’t happened 🤷🏼‍♀️

This series should have also continued with more emphasis on Ae and Can’s friends who helped carry them forward so brilliantly in the first series. ☹️💔.

This had so much potential and Mame and the team blew it.

Would I watch it again? Absolutely not

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Great Rom com with so many funny bits and great chemistry

If you’re looking for a great Rom com with wonderfully funny scenes and well rounded and complex characters that melt your heart then look no further.

The story opens when an introverted freelance photographer (Peach played by Phuwin) inadvertently stops a model (Aran played by Santa) from being accosted and dragged off to be an unwilling bed partner by a lonely, entitled, ultra rich mafia boss/ CEO of a perfume company (Thee, played by Pond) who thinks by throwing obscene amounts of money around he can do exactly as he pleases but Peach is having none of it. They have quite a heated argument in the underground car park that Peach escapes to with Aran and Thee’s interest is immediately piqued as no one has ever stood up to him before. After this clash nothing will ever be the same again as the pair slowly but surely learn to be what the other needs whilst changing and growing together to become the best version of themselves.

Along the way we also meet Mok (played by EST) Thee’s long time friend and ever patient bodyguard who is the king of the subtle eye roll, mental head slap and understated, exasperated sigh. Tawan a well known singer and model with a troubled relationship with Aran (played by Perth who’s worked opposite Santa before) and Plub, Peach’s younger sister (played by Bonnie) as well as two well known stars from back in the day.

The final scenes show Thee and Peach as they walk through the GMMTV building (that Thee decides to buy) where they meet several well known GMMTV actors including William, Book, Force and Tu Tontawan and GMMTV’s actual CEO which is a cute ending and playful ending to a great story.

With emphasis on humour at the outset, even when things go wrong or the plot turns serious we are often treated to wonderfully silly or subtly playful scenes that leave the audience sniggering. For example Peach insists the rigid, uptight Thee wears his sister’s ridiculously vibrant slippers upon entering his home so he stands looking like a rabbit in the headlights wearing a dark, immaculate suit with pink puffballs on his feet.

The acting is incredible, the scenes where Thee and Peach initially clash are wonderful and so so funny and because these actors work together so flawlessly it brings out the A game in the rest of the cast.

The locations and buildings used are jaw dropping- I need to go to the resort where Thee somewhat successfully tries to woo Peach, even though I wouldn’t want the flag twirlers to turn up!

Would I watch this again? Absolutely!

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Great little whodunnit with a side order of BookForce

There is so much to like about this story but I do feel the last few chapters could have been significantly shorter as once we get to the bottom of the mystery there are still several chapters to go and we end up watching a lot (ok so it was all cute) of padding so I docked a point for this.

The story centres round two characters Tankoon (played by Force) and Botpleng (played by Book). The former is a criminal psychologist and the latter a wealthy young man with no memory of his life following an unknown trauma approximately 10 years earlier.

One day (Bot)Pleng anonymously receives a diary documenting his life before his memory loss and in it he discovers he had an all encompassing love affair with a man called Tan(koon). Days later he finds a body in a suitcase and to his horror, as he turns round to see if there is anyone else nearby, Tan walks onto the scene which puts Pleng firmly in the suspect bucket as he is standing over the body when he arrives. Tan is immediately drawn to Pleng and as his curiosity (both personal and professional) is piqued he manages to get an invite onto the team investigating why the body they found belongs to a member of staff at one of Pleng’s many residences.

The plot thickens, another body is found, also tied to Pleng’s household and Pleng discovers that the man he waxes lyrical about his diary is not Tan but Tan’s dead brother Thunphob who for some reason says his name is Tan. Emotions run high and bonds of trust and friendship are built on pillars of sand.

Down the line we discover that someone is preventing Pleng from regaining his memories and he becomes worried that it was him that killed Thunphob. We also learn that Pleng is not really Pleng but a young companion called Tontharn brought into the family and unofficially adopted to become Pleng’s little brother. To top it all off a whole catalogue of lies and deception is uncovered when Pleng finally gets his memories back.

The chemistry between Book and Force is electric as usual with great banter and play fights. There is more skin than usual in their intimate scenes and Force spends quite a lot of time getting topless which is unusual for this couple but rather easy on the eye...

The other actors and their sub plots also add to the drama and we get to enjoy JuniorMark (from my perfect 10 liners) and Boun from between us) in all their glory too.

The penultimate scene paralleling Tan & Tontharn and Thunphob & (the real) Pleng on bicycles is really poignant and I will admit to feeling a lot sentimental and slightly tearful as I watched their carefree journeys on the same patch of dirt track. Kudos to the writers and direction for such a powerful scene.

The cinematography and the staging was great and added to the whole drama.

Would I watch it again? Probably not, but it was a lovely way to test the brain cells (the whodunnit) and enjoy Book and Force in action again.

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As ever Force and Book are great together

As with all Force and Book dramas their chemistry is sizzling and the plot is a great all rounder Rom com. Don’t expect masses of skin or sultry moments so if you’re looking for the latter you’ll be disappointed.

The drama revolves around Cher a quirky and amusing intern at a gaming company and the boss and company owner Gun. Gun has been burnt in the past and has put up huge walls to protect his heart from both boyfriends and friends who are boys alike. Cher comes barrelling into his life and Gun has absolutely no idea how to deal with him. What starts off as amusement in Gun’s eyes soon becomes infatuation and then love. Cher is drawn to his grumpy and standoffish boss and what starts off ‘as annoying the boss as a way to pass the time’ turns into much more as he peels away the layers of distrust to find a gentle soul underneath.

Great production values, an amusing script and plenty of believable supporting characters with interesting sub plots of their own all adding depth to this drama.

Would I watch it again? Probably not but it’s only because there is so much more I want to watch out there.

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WTAF?!

We meet up with the team a year later and Jack and Joke decide to get married. Their lives are settled, they have good friends around them, the bad guys have been thwarted and life is far more pleasant for everyone. Or so we are led to believe when wham! Out of nowhere Carbon comes back to mess things up.

I’m not sure what the script writer was on when he came up with this concept but quite frankly he should have just slept the effects off rather than making a special episode about it.

Long and the short, Joker falls into a canal gripping tightly to Carbon who has just shot him, twice, and just days later Jack is marrying a terrible cardboard version of him as they can’t find his body even though Carbon’s was found the next day.

We never really find out why Carbon came back onto the scene or what his end game was and the whole section in the casino our band of intrepid heroes go into to investigate a bizarre invitation makes very little sense either - it just seemed like a good excuse for some gratuitous violence IMO.

After the wedding’ we watch as Jack falls apart then one day, clutching tightly to the booklet Joker gave him detailing the ‘100 ways to say sorry without being there’ he sets off to find peace. At the end of his searching for some sort of closure we find him sitting on a park swing saying his final goodbyes to Joker’s ghost. Weird plot lines aside this is a beautiful ending to a realistic take on the unfairness of life.

However…

Would I watch again? Absolutely not, I ran out of tissues after the wedding and goodbye scenes but we do need another special episode…

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Sweet little no brainer

The story centres round a country lad (Geum)who moves to the big city in search of fame and fortune only to find that the accommodation his grandfather booked was a scam. After a night on the streets he goes in search of a job and ends up not only employed but involved with a weird man-child (Bi Hyeong) who takes him home with him.

As the plot unfolds we find out that Bi Hyeong is a master-less goblin who has spent the last 1000 years searching for his master and I will admit that when we get the back story and work out what really happened I did have an ‘awwww’ moment!

We are also introduced to a goblin who was once a stone (Gil Dal) a tricky promiscuous fox (Ji Gwi), a goddess (SamSin) and a bad guy (or is he? It’s never made completely clear what he’s all about).

It’s a cute little story with a very simple plot and if you’re looking for some very shallow, harmless fun to kill some time then this might be a good drama to consider.

Would I watch it again? No

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