EmperorCaligula

Three toxic characters in a captivating story

BURNOUT SYNDROME – REVIEW

Today with the 10th episode „Burnout Syndrome“ finally ended. It surely is a more controversial series, and the early episodes I assume decided for many to stay or to go. Let me be clear about two things. First, all three main characters are broken and downright unlikeable characters at least for me. I would want none of them in my circle of friends or closer than a continent away from. Second, I cannot say I liked the series in a basic way.

However, writing as a critic, I had to take another perspective. First, I didn't dislike watching the series, despite the drama and the toxic main characters, because it was the premise of the series from the get-go and I can measure a series only from what it set out to accomplish: showing us human flaws and deeply flawed characters. People being burned out. With Jira the painter who played both men to fulfill his whims, Pheem the Casanova suddenly falling into some possessive love and the cold hearted capitalist Koh who regards people as material, none of them was anything but red flag characters. But in this, the series and the acting excelled to the best skill of cinematography which I have yet seen. Each has biographical reasons to be what they are, each made bad decisions to become the burned out person they are, and each manipulate and ruin each other during the entire series. The underlying topic, even broken people desire true love, was one of the saving graces. Through all the cracks and toxic traits, you see vulnerable human beings struggling to break out of the habit of their flawed personalities, stubbornly clinging to their character traits which add to their own misery. And that was extremely well depicted in directing, acting, cinematography, sets and music.

It was one of the few series where I was and still am uncertain whether I like the ending. In my age I find it hard to believe that human beings truly fundamentally change, and sometimes it is better to have a a quick end with terror than terror without end. The ending, while apparently giving hope of healing, remained ambivalent to me, and I assume that is the best such a setup can deliver. There is no guarantee of magic happiness. Only the “for now”, and as Koh admits, he doesn't know if it will work out. That is a daring honest ending, for what else could the reply be.

As someone who was, despite several times trying, unable to watch “Heart Killers” and “Only Friends” because it was just way too heartbreaking and depressing, I went along with “Burnout Syndrome” well. Partially I admit because I am not so emotionally close to OffGun, in contrast to FirstKhaotung, so I guess how easy you are able to take it somewhat depends on how you feel about Off and Gun. For me it was their first series I watched, so I had not such a close emotional bond or expectations, which certainly helped me to bear some inner distance. Also the drama was mostly not with super intense eruptions which might have unsettled me (in contrast to Heart Killers and Only Friends, which was wrecking me so I had to stop), but here acting the inner pain and trauma was more subdued, as befitting of characters who are “burned out” and deprived of emotion by the traumas they had. Artistically it was a masterpiece, and I have to add, it sadly reminded of me gay friends I had, who were the entire time I knew them constantly attracted to people profoundly unhealthy to them, which I assume goes for people of all sexual orientations. So how to rate it? I wonder. Measuring by what it wanted to be, it succeeded with flying colours. I doubt it is for everyone, especially if you hold Off and Gun in your fandom heart, it may be hard to watch. It IS a dark drama, that is to be known. Still as a piece of art, despite my personal reservations to the characters, I find nothing in itself to criticize, and with a few implausibilities especially in the end, subtracting one point, I give it a

9/10

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Great visuals but a bit a convoluted story with mixed acting

After having watched the first two episodes when they were new, I was so bored I decided to stop. But so many people talking about it and liking it, I continued. I can say there were many moments in the following episode which were fascinating and interesting. The cinematography, the sets and the visuals were all top worthy of 10/10.

However the MC acting was not convincing me very much. The Shaman Master is a model of super good looks, but I found his acting stiff and bland, Khem was a bit better but I have seen way better and complex acting skills, so the love feeling and drama didn't really show. Even when Shamanmaster is down and defeated (apparently) he has this almost passive stare. I have seen many BL series where actors were able to express much more with their faces. (Like First or Fourth, who can make much emotions out of small events, whereas here the MC actors went through huge drama and their faces and body language just doesn't show it. So unfortunately I found them the weakest link of the series. Acting of the second couple was much better in relation, even if they too are quite away from the really good Thai BL actors.

The entire karma and destiny story was interesting but way too overloaded, so many scene, backflashes, and so many scene so slow I wanted to play it 1.5 times faster. Silent stares, you get the idea. There were just too many characters, mini-arcs, items asf added. Like when Charn and Jet outed themselves to Jet's father, I could not remember ever having seen him, and kinda failed to see the relevant to suddenly out themselves to a dad that wasn't even there in the story.

Anyway, it was good, especially visuals, but not the super hit that others feel it is. As such a generous
7/10

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THE NEXT PRINCE - 14 Episode Final Review

THE NEXT PRINCE - 14 Episode Final Review

SPOILER WARNING! --- SPOILER WARNING! ---- SPOILER WARNING!

Okay, this was a REALLY long run. Is that good or bad? I am somewhat uncertain, it depends on my current mood, the series itself, but I usually like balanced length, and this - similar like REVENGED LOVE before was really on the "too much" and I just gave it a very good rating because it was really excellent. Still it is as much as I would wish to see, tbh, given on average we have one hour per Episode and a lot of characters.

ACTING:
On the acting I think this was a very good show, beautiful, distinct characters, the good, the gray and the evil characters alike. Still I felt it was not on par with the superb acting of other series, some emotions remained very good but not top. Especially the two MC's who were supposed to carry the show, seemed a bit too much "characters" and too less "persons". Just a tad so ACTING 8/10

VISUALS:
Whee, this highly depends on your taste. It was in a fairy tale like Kingdom, some sort of modern with still a highly fantasy tough. Personally, I am not a fan of prince costume fests, but I found nothing objectively to criticize in this. There were many different places, tons of gorgeous costumes, almost perfect camera and lighting, so within the given aim of Fantasy Kingdom I find nothing lacking in terms of the lush visuals: 10/10

STORY:
Also a hard one for me to judge. See I REALLY passionately dislike Feudalism or Oligarchy in any age or form. With duties and serfs and absolutist feudal lords, even in the best sense, I just dislike that. Still, the story had many interesting plot-lines, unexpected twists, good character development arcs, thought as in other long shows, the non BL tended to overshadow the BL, which as ever you prefer may be good or bad. I usually LIKE that, for when a story is basically only about the BL, the characters tend to remain a bit two-dimensional, so for me that was a bonus, as we come to understand the MC love and the two also interesting side-couples. I had wished in the end we would have seen the two side-couples with a hint into their futures though. If I push aside with much effort my Feudalism dislike, the story itself is a good 9/10.

OVERALL:
It was a story and show worthy to watch, even though the MC, especially the older "knight", I didn't really get the vibe why to root for him as a lover so much to be honest. I understand his position in a feudal society made him act stern, but I did subtract a bit from his potential charm. On the other side the Prince made it up all the way, as a charming, lovable character. Again, I had wished to see more hints of the future of the Kingdom and side couples, but I guess that is standard in BLs. I don't think it left that much of an impression to me that I will "forever remember", but in itself it invested MUCH into displaying an entire realm with MANY places and setups, and I grow tired of BLs having basically only 3-4 places, which boosts this one a lot in my book. Weighing all the aspects, and trying not to give my preferences missed (Feudalism) too much space, I am willing to give it a solid

9/10
Recommended

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An actual improvement from a previous Thai BL - well paced and played

After watching the first 5 Episode of the original Thai BL version, I didn't feel convinced; it felt dragged and the actors didn't feel special. When I went to watch the new Japanese version, I realized I had watched so many Thai BL's, that I was a bit over-saturated and I realized how I missed the Japanese BL style a lot. This series had a gravitas, a seriousness and a very good pacing. It starts right into the action, just to backtrack a few times, with every episode being well rounded in itself. The MC had two distinctly looking and acting actors, though I admit that Nagumo Shoma as Sara was a true bonus, giving this mix of bad boy, sad boy and one desperately fighting to find a happy life, contrasted by Phu's shy are kinda naive ways. Both actors portrait the characters really well, and I was especially glad that the ending gave the devil of a mother her deserved ruination.

Often time travel, parallel timelines and other worlds are risky, because things get very wrong or one of two is left behind, and this series solved it in a very interesting and satisfying way, leaving the viewer thinking about the idea, how easily small decisions or inaction bring entire large scale alterations of life. Chances never taken, and what would be merrier than a Second Chance. Settings, camera work and also the NC scenes were good, with the latter neither being too much or too little and surely something pleasing to the eyes. The serious undertone many Japanese series have was quite refreshing, and also for once not again seeing characters whom I had seen many times in year long ships for a change. Without reinventing the wheel I had a good time, and the two special episodes giving yet another timeline, but in the end adding some extra time in the prime timeline, showing how their relationship progressed, rounded it all up very well. So I can confidently give an

8.5/10

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Wholesome timeless classic BL

"Monster Next Door" was a Thai BL from 2024, with Park and Big in main roles. I remember Big in another more recent BL where he felt a bit stoic, and I was very glad to see him here way more emotional.

They are playing Diew, an introvert, locked in his world, and God, an extrovert from a music band who is very lively and popular with a big circle of friends. The series shows how they slowly find togethers, it is mostly wholesome and sweet. Of course some drama comes with Episode 10 and 11, where Diew has to face his past and both learn to arrange with each others differences while also growing together.

It was a bit difficult to find, and while 12 episodes sometimes can be a bit strechted when the story is so much about personal development, I didn't feel it was overstreched here. We have also a nice sidecouple, who faces its own issues without overshadowing or feeling instruve or extra. Overall I felt I spend a good time with the BL series, feeling well entertained with good acting and storytelling. While it was not a 10, it surely did everything it set out well without any negative elements that stuck out to me, even though time moved in with BL today, I am comfortably giving it a

9/10
Timeless Classic

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10 Things to Do Before Turning - 40 Review

Well, first thing: I absolutely did NOT want to watch this, and I'll be frank why. I felt it would hit way to much "home", being a older gay guy. I was... afraid to watch it. I could SO related with Suzume, feeling old and average and rather not making someone younger unhappy by having ME. It was as if I could feel inside of him.

Well, but how was it? Japanese BL series are often known for their more goofy approach, mimicking the funny acting of the manga their BL series often are taken from. Something I did not mind. But this... this was serious. I felt the "dramatic episode 11" was really always looming over it, because I so knew how I would have felt in Suzume's place. But there is something someone wise a long time ago, when I was a young gay man with full hair and Berlin was a village with a well: That YOU do not like to be your ideal partner is normal, it would be narcissist if it were so, but that doesn't mean you cannot be someone else's type!

Well, this was a fairy tale and reality is reality. But every good fairy tale gives a bit insight into what can be, and in that good storytellers are important to life. And this was a story of value and meaning. To not give up, to allow life to surprise you and ultimately, to dare to make a leap. I had consciously stopped at Ep. 10, wishing to watch 11 and 12 back to back, and I did not regret this decision, so I avoided the sad night after the usual sad 11. All in all it was a beautiful series with just the right balance of speed and depth, and the only thing I had wished was a 13th episode to see them being accepted. But that, maybe, is a story for another night. :)

Daring to go into a somewhat risky area, as such finding no flaw as the aforementioned, I can give it it good conscious a true:

9/10

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A daring idea as a wholesome experience!

The Promise of the Soul - Ep.12 Final REVIEW

Now with Episode 12 this very challenging topic was resolved. I know some disliked the premise, but as some who enjoys... how can I say - broad perspectives on life, I really enjoyed this series a lot.
For all those who followed it to the end and liked it like me, I wonder if you found the ending a Happy one? For I surely did. I was really afraid at Ep.11, the famous drama apex. I feared, shall we say morality would hold them back. First, it was well acted, beautiful set in scene and the difficult part of the one MC was well played by the actor. It does have a sad element, and I am usually one to quickly find such... dilemmas bad. But I felt it was finished wholesome and meaningful and I for one shall keep this in fond memory for a long time, as wholesome hope giving story. For in the end, as it was wrapped up, I feel it was a good ending for everyone.

For the courage to seek out different perspectives, without regret I give
10/10

Life is large. 🥰

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Cacophony of Nonsense

MELODY OF SECRETS – REVIEW

A more fitting title for this series would have been “Cacophony of Nonsense.” Good Gods, I thought I’d seen the lowest point of logic with “Dare You to Death” (aka Bore Me to Death). Cops (Joong/Dunk) who are all lovey-dovey and totally fail as cops, while people are being gruesomely killed around them for utterly lame reasons. At least there was the possibility of a clarifying outside perspective with two cops.

Here in “Melody of Secrets,” that was completely missing, and crime mystery or not, I’ve never experienced such nonsensical confusion as here. I’m going to talk about Book and Force now, because it didn’t help that so many characters with partly similar names were involved in the plot. So, after a disjointed, out-of-context intro, we find Book, who lost his memory at the age of 17, and the series picks up TEN years later—meaning we’re dealing with a main character who, for the past 10 years, has known his mother, his grandmother, and absolutely EVERYONE solely based on the assertion that they are who they are. NOTHING in Book’s behavior suggests this. No, he just lets 10 years pass as if memory loss were nothing more than an annoying mosquito bite. Then Force shows up, and immediately they’re in love and in semi-NC scenes—and this is even BEFORE Book’s diary is mailed to him, where he recognizes his own handwriting and learns about all the happy years he spent with Force as a couple. And this is where it gets funny. If he lost his memory AT age 17, but had a romantic relationship with Force FROM age 17 onward, why does he even need a diary from the time AFTER age 17 to remember anything—that is, the last ten years, during which he actually had NO memory loss?

And that’s just one example. So he spends ten years satisfied with not recalling anything. For TEN years, he doesn’t encounter a single person who happened to know him—a guy in a restaurant who served him time and again, friends, classmates—and he himself doesn’t even notice how strange it is that, apart from his family, no one else seems to exist who knew him before, or how strange it is that the family apparently makes no effort whatsoever to reactivate his memory—on the contrary, they are very keen on him NOT remembering. And that’s when it became clear to me where this was probably headed, and I was right in the end. (Endariel Poirot's little gray cells!)

Before I get to that: what follows is a wildly edited string of snippets, jumping from character to character, from event to event, place to place in a way that’s more reminiscent of a roller coaster ride. The author had presumably written the novel backwards, and now all the events have to be crammed in—and as the series progresses, it becomes clear: the author has completely bitten off more than he can chew here. There are so many motifs and plotlines that they completely overwhelm the writer, director, and actors. Inspector Dao’s “subplot” alone is just confusing, and I never really understood her motive until the end, nor the motive behind the main mystery: Book ISN’T at all who he thinks he is. The person he thinks he is died 17 years ago, and his mother and grandmother hypnotize a stranger to believe he is that person. Purpose? Zero. It never really becomes clear what the point of such an action is supposed to be. But it gets even worse, because Force is also neither the person Book ever knew as a real person nor as a fake person, nor were they ever a couple, and yet they jump into bed immediately. Why? To Book, he’s a stranger who merely comes up in a diary, and as we learn at the end: he has no memories or feelings—perhaps instinctive ones—because Force NEVER KNEW Book at any point. And why is Force even playing along?

And here comes the bombshell. Book’s fake persona, which he assumed through hypnosis, was in love with Force’s BROTHER, who—for utterly preposterous reasons—constantly introduced himself using Force’s fake name. By that point, at the very latest, a significant number of my brain cells had died.

I’ll leave it at that, because there’s a whole legion of illogical plot holes that are more reminiscent of a crumbling suburban road than a story.

I’ll leave it at that, because there’s a whole host of illogical plot holes that feel more like a crumbling suburban road than a story.

As for the acting: unfortunately, after “Only Friends,” my impression is confirmed that—forgive me—Force simply isn’t a very good actor. Whether it’s distress or sexual arousal, anger or determination—somehow it all gets lost in the uniform facial expression of tired eyes and raised eyebrows. As for Book, I’d say “Only Friends” shows he can act—I’d call him middle-of-the-road; they make for a pretty nice ship, but nothing that really blows me away. When Inspector Dao acts with more expression than Force in their scenes, it has to be clear: something’s just not right here.

So when the whole mess finally comes to light, I slap my forehead at having witnessed what is arguably the most idiotic collection of plots I can recall, thereby dethroning “Dare You to Death” in my book—a series I had previously dubbed the dumbest BL of all time. The fact that Book and Force decide in the end to start over as a couple using their real personas might be seen as a consolation for BL fans, but I just found it grotesque—because Force and Book exist as a ship, it just has to end this way. Unfortunately, that’s nothing new in BL series. So the love and NC scenes between Force and Book are the only thing that actually carries some value, which they act out decently – if you pull a mask over the immovable face of Force, that is. It was a punishment to watch, an insult to logic and hence I award this series, solely for the nice romance scenes which were good,

2/10

And now I need a strong drink.

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The Perfect Love Story!

SECRET LOVER - REVIEW

Sooo, with a bit delay, since my attention jumps all over I finally binged the second half today. Phew.

It was a strange start, I have to admit. It wasn't a series that caught me from the get go, I assume that is why I went away without deciding it so. Probably also because some big famous shows drew my attention away, and then I forgot about it. So this wasn't a love a first sight for me. Not for any negatives, but where other shows were loud and shiny, this seemed a bit too calm and flowing silently beside me.

Now having gone back, I must say the show really grew on me a lot, so much that I would even say, it is an almost perfect Love Story! There is not too much other stuff weighing in down like Revenged Love with its many layers and sub-stories, SECRET LOVER was a pure love story. I really appreciated that they did not take the all too samey looking MC actors. Both stood out memorable, when many Thai and Korean BL series tend a bit to same-cast these days.

I really liked that it did not play into any seme-uke or big guy - small guy stereotypes, but each MC was a well rounded character in himself. The childhood flashbacks were a bit too much for my taste, but bearable. I really liked how they developed along with the other characters, all how had a good presence and chemistry in the cast. Especially the last three episodes made it skyrocket in my view thinking like, yes this feels like the Perfect Love Story to me. Drama, misunderstandings, love - but neither overplayed nor with any silly instant solutions, all went very organically together to a very happy ending.

Also the scenes between the MC were believable, touching and convincing and more realistic than many other BL stories. It is a show I am sure to remember and rewatch. As such, with all things good to me, I give it a

10/10

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Feelgood GMMTV craft, but a bit yesteryear's best

MY MAGIC PROPHECY - Review

With Episode 10 "My Magic Prophecy" ended today with a slow but warm and wholesome ending. As usual the chemistry between Jimmy and Sea is a well oiled machine, perfected over time. It is a nice thing for fans to see the actors and their roles mature. In the acting Jimmy always had a bit the upper hand, he just seems a natural.
Altogether the show had a good cast, an interesting side-couple, a tragic villain - well played - and just enough of the balance between lovey-dovey and drama as usually the better and best shows of GMMTV. Sometimes with the masses quality suffers several times, but not so here. Each character had a good, well understandable background, character development to be convincing. It also shone with interesting sets and a good sense for fashion being neither over the top not boring and always the same.

I always felt music was never a particular strength of GMMTV, but then it rarely is in BL series IMO. Now talking about my elephant in my room: the show is a 2025 show and as such stands in competition to the current time, and as such... it did not rise of the heights of drama the like "Revenged Love" and others had. It is more the reliable yesteryear type, even though among the best of that, I felt the system started to feel a bit outdated to me, given the risque and new areas other shows and developers made in 2025. So there is nothing bad, but after having been spoiled it felt like 2024's 10/10 but not 2025s. Still I have nothing negative to say, and so putting it in a place I feel is fair, I rate it a very wholesome

8/10

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Mr. Unlucky has no choice but to Kiss! - Vintage BL review

Fukuhara Kota (Sota Ryosuke) is a living danger zone of constant catastrophes happening to him and often enough involving those around him. As he meets Mr Lucky Naoya Shinomiya (Yusuke Sato) an interesting story evolves around them.
"Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss!" is a nice Japanese BL series, which I enjoyed to watch, especially I remember the Manga, which I liked. Given, it is a short series and more a snippet of a story. What was there was enjoyable and the actors, especially Kota's two personalities, how he deals with his permanent real bad luck.

While it is nothing big to write home about, and alas, we get no real BL scenes, I could... "assume" they were in love, and they say it, at least. Still the lack of intimacy if there had been no dialogues just watching might have just the same been good friendship, which in BL I am getting a bit tired of. As such between having fun and lack, I am not clear of a rating. But since unlike others I use the full spectrum of 1-10, despite enjoying it, and recommending it for a lazy day or to steam off after deeply emotionally pushed by some uber emotional BL to relax, I shall give it a
6/10
considering it has barely real BL, but the story and acting is alright and fun enough in itself. Whether you like it or not will however highly depend on what you expect in this more than in other shows. (Note: It has the typical retro Japanese Anime over-acting, which you may like or hate.)

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Something you will remember

"Countdown to Yes" is a Japanese BL series of 11 Episodes, which finished just recently, and flew a bit under the radar. Japanese BL series always have this special place in my heart. There is this sincerity and gravitas Japanese people show, even in romance series. This is about Minato and Wataru, having been best friends since High School days, sharing an apartment for saving cost, and being united by their love for photography.

This hobby of theirs makes for a lot of truly memorable flashbacks, something I am usually a bit mixed, but those moments with very few words with Wataru is busy with making photos of the landscape and Minato is way more interested by making pictures of Wataru instead. Those are quiet, tender moments, some unspoken love that is there. But Wataru is haunted by the idea, when he realizes his feelings for Minato, if the love fails, would they not lose their friendship?

The series is carried by fine details of everyday intimacy, of growing together over years, when Minato leaves the country for three years, where the main plot sents in, when Minato returns and they struggle with how their story should continue. The series had two really good actors complementing each other well, and since Japan has no ships, you have the benefit to give all into the actors and the story, uncertain what will happen in the end. Overall it wasn't a huge drama, mostly wholesome, but I found great value in the inner struggles both MC's have on a day to day level, which was filmed with the typical talent for "elevated realism" typical for Japanese series. You just felt inside a real, lived in world, where in contrast Thai BLs often feel a bit too "fantasy realism", if you get my meaning.

Here every gesture, every little moment together is like a window in a realistic world of two young men finding a way into their future, and even without great drama, the many small everyday dramas carried the eleven episodes very well, with a soft, wonderful but never intrusive music score. It was well worth watching, lacking nothing, achieving for what it aimed like those nice spring times you remember years later, even if the details escape you.

9/10
Recommended

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I always found it irritating when people wrote "my honest review" in the past. Before I knew BL series, lol. I thought, who would write a dishonest review? Well, now I know. I have seen many 10s and 1s for series who clearly didn't deserve it.

Love Alert was, I saw, not really well received, and I can understand why. Still, the question for me as reviewer has two be twofold: what did the creators aim for, and was I entertained? On a very basic level I have to answer to both: yes.

As to the details, it was a decent enough story. A red flag character breaks the heart of a green flag guy, with a surrounding cast. Now as a gay man I testify, people like Jimmy just exist - and I assume among straight people just as well. But then there were two important messages: first, we cannot command whom to love. That too I have seen, mostly ending bad. I have an ex who always fell in love with guys treating him bad with no happy ends. But is that life as it always is, and can stories not give us hope? Hope that bad people can change? And in grim times such as these, at least for my part it is a hope I do not wish to let go, call me naive. I never was in the shoes of these two, but I want to believe that a change can happen, and through what if not love? Jimmy did get his good share of suffering, and as the saying goes, mercy is given unearned, for if we have to earn it, it is not forgivance. And despite it all, my heart is not yet so hardend. As such I did overall enjoy the plot. For it gives me hope.

The acting was alright, it wasn't top acting or top looking actors, I am honest with that, though I think the bad guy turned good was good looking. Call the question of looks shallow, but in love stories made film I think that does matter. The changes of the behavior from all six people involved was interesting to see, and just because one was a red flag, I don't think it deserves to be hated as series, especially since I am usually relatively thin skinned to watch suffering, I did not feel it was so over the top. The kissing was a bit lacking, but then it often is, so I did not want to set the bar too high just for that. The NC was nice, not too much to be bored (I AM LOOKING AT YOU PEACH LOVER!), and sensitive enough to be nice. Each character was displayed with a clearly distinct character and a decent enough character development. Just from a gut feeling I had a good time with it, and ending with "Two- and a Half Couples" I felt well enough at the ending.
As such I give it

7.5/10
better than expected. 😉

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Nice try, somewhat fun, but not really worth the time

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COUNT - Review

Man, what to say. It is like a split within myself, one side kinda linking it, the other sort of not. Let's break the basics down. The story about Prince a sort of star in a fictional country like Thailand. Now the assessment of who he/she is is difficult because Thailand knows a term called "Kathoey", which as far as I tried to find out has not 100% equivalent in Western terms. In the subs it is translated as "trans-woman", but kathoey seems to cover more, like the Thai "Ladyboys" who not so much are like trans people and all the way to entirely transitioning man to women. But then, read up the term. It just left me personally irritated that I didn't get what Prince/Worradej wanted to be. But then that's just me.

For western eyes, since we do not have the Kaothey culture, I cannot say how much his overacting as extremely stereotypical (some may say caricature) of female identity feels offensive or entertaining. And truth me told: I have no clear mind about it myself. Basically: it is pure cringe. Sometimes cringe can be fun, sometimes not. I can live with a lot of cringe, and that was not so much puzzling me here, when I take my brain out and enjoy the comedy side. On the other had, I DO feel irritated like: is this doing trans or queer or gay people a favor? And being honest, I think not. But then, a series doesn't HAVE to be realistic. Make of that what you wish.

The acting was ok-ish. I found none of it really great in all roles. Then going into a past of Thailand or Asia is always a problem, where does it go into a fantasyland far away from realism, and let's be honest: any attempt to turn a conservative, religions, slave-owning 1400s society into a modern, progressive Republic is... hogwash. Sorry, both as historian and as BL fan, this was just way too much to believe. Suddenly in the end everyone is happy and dancing, villians included, and of course nobody is really dead, despite "dying" many times. This was just... no. It was too much make believe. I heard the webtoon continues after this in the modern world, but then I most certainly have no interest to know MORE about this world.

Was I entertained? Yes, I mean it took much time and I had fun overall, despite the story being hilariously absurd and making no sense at all. Like there is an entire Kingdom, apparently made up of 300 villagers and everything else is "off screen", so politics, army all suddenly seem to play no role. The nobles go, the army vanishes and all end in some Disney-song ending. It was partially like a feaver dream. It felt like a far cry from way outdated slapstick times, but I understand it can be VERY divisive for reasons mentioned. I don't want to be too negative, but overall, despite being okay entertained, I can only rate this a "nice try"

4/10

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Much ado about nothing

Oh dear. Where to beging. I am writing a review on the 2022 BL Thai Series "Cutie Pie", featuring NuNew and Zee as MC. The first thing coming to my mind after it FINALLY ended was what Bilbo said in Lord of the Rings: feeling thin like butter stretched over too much bread. And for once, I have a hard time to seperate my feeling for the story itself from the quality of the series, which I usually try to keep seperate.

If you ask me just personally, not trying a somewhat objective review yet: this was one of the most absurd selection of couples, behaviors, setups I have seen in a long time. I groaned the last three episodes, praying for a quick end because the "issue" went on and on and on.

But let me try to step back into more subjective terretory. The plot was that for some relatively illogical reasons a grandfather asked an older child to forever take cake of his grandson. Maybe if I watched it three or four times more I may get why anyone would do so, but then, I'd rather not. If there was a somewhat reasonable motivation, I missed it, for it made no sense at all. Everything seemed to hinge on this idea Kuea (NuNew) was seen as sort of inept to care for himself until a point he believed it about himself too, without any reason why HE would think that about himself for any other reason than everyone treating him like that. The grandpa arraging marrying an older guy, the mother keeping all things secret and his to be married Lian Wang (Zee) keeping him in this perspective. Something that so much borders gaslighting, that no matter with how many romance, music, kisses and "oh but I love you" I could not overlook.

The ending was kinda suggesting that both were to blame equally, since Kuen too had a life he hid from Lian, but objectively see this is quite some hogwash if ever I heard one. Kuen was expected to show a perfection, told so by his family and fiance, so he was pushed into this fear to hide his true self, whereas Lian enjoyed knowing all about him and letting Kuen make a fool out of himself being in the dark throughout almost the entire series. Above love there is truth and trust. I understand such things grow. And maybe I am just weary of this "childhood friends to lovers" theme, because TBH I find this quite unrealistic. We all know the friend zone issue. Maybe in 2022 it was okay, because it was an early time for BL, but I am used to this plot device from Manga and Webtoon for 20 years, and it has gotten old and implausible for me. And then people who want to stay together have to share some interests, have to have something in common beyond just love. Love is just not enough. And Kuen and Lian... what did they have in common? But then, this is an issue alas with many BL stories.

It also didn't sit well with me how strongly especially Lian/Zee was glued to the role of the "emotionless" top/seme trope I am so tired. I have seen NuNew and Zee in this prince thing, and I can't say how much the actual acting range of Zee is, but in both I felt it isn't much. A bit sad, a bit surprised, a bit serious, and I can't say if it's the actor or the directing, but it was boring. I am not fond of stoic tops. NuNew surely was acting very good, also a good singer and the highlight of the series. But 12 episodes of indecision... and then we have not one no TWO side couples with the same issue.

No comminication. I have seen Max who play Yi in several series, and somehow he always seems to play the same role: he stares like a villain, I never can buy his "I am in love" expressions in any series, and while his ship partner Nat who play Khon Diao has more to offer, it was the same stoic top vs overly emotional bottom just with even LESS story and logic. We had a third love story with Syn and Nuer, but I won't say anything about this other than it felt entirely superfluous to the plot whatsoever.

The problem I mainly had was it was unplausible to me. Keeping banale things a secret in fear to not fit to expected values may be plausible in Asia, but I can only speak from the lens I am accustomed to, and if at least the secrets had been super dramatic, I could understand. But loving to make music and studying car engineering instead of computer engineering and not being a doll? Wow, that surely is one set of secrets to be totally dramatic over... NOT! But worse, the transactions to save Kuen's family fortune doing it behind his back to "not trouble him"? BOTH mother and fiance? Seriously?

You know I grew up with a mother who to this day things I am quite inept do handle anything harsh, so MAYBE I am more sensitve to REALLY being ANGRY about the idea to being treated like that. But I would surely NOT marry a guy who treats me like that, love or no love. Overall, this series in long parts simply bored me. It was fluff, it had its moments, but I KINDA feel like I want my time back. I can't say it was horrible either. And before I tired you with an endless review I give it an okay

6/10

With an extra 9/10 to NuNew for acting and singing.

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