Wing3dBean

Expectations unfortunately not met

Dance is neither about technique nor stamina. Love is what makes it whole

🕺🏻OK. Let's start with the good🕺🏻
The acting - The guys killed it. I have seen Keita before in Cherry Magic & Alice in Borderland and was excited to see him back in the BL realm. I knew he was good and my man; he did not disappoint. No notes
Ryoma is a new face to me, but he was amazing too. He expresses emotions so freaking well. It just grabs you. I could feel how much he hated Sugiki in the beginning, when he started wanting him; I was there with him—in that desire, denial, and confusion. And when Sugiki broke his heart, I felt that too. When he cried, when he made the choice to go back to competing after the heartbreak, when he struggled to walk away from Sugiki's honor dance, when he finally faced him on that floor. I felt it all. Hat's off to the man

The chemistry - My God!! It was palpable. Everyone has mentioned it, but that scene in the train... *fans self*. And the kiss scene towards the end. Also, I was mesmerised every time they danced together

Their type of dance matched their personalities beautifully - Sugiki does ballroom. Idk much about dance, but from what I saw in this, it's a very controlled type of dancing. Beautiful to look at, but rigid in its execution.
On the other hand, Suzuki is a free spirit. He also walks, breaths, moves like sex, and so is his dance style. It's fun and sexy, while Suguki's is very restrained.
Suzuki wants to have fun in his life, but Sugiki is very controlled and by the book. He knows what he wants, sees the goal, and will stick by it, everything else be damned.
How they dance spills into their personalities. Or is it vice versa?

The cinematography and the grandeur of it all - Are we surprised though? It's a Netflix production. You know the production budget be budgeting

🕺🏻What I didn't like🕺🏻
The title says it all. The movie did not match the expectations set by the trailer
When you watch the trailer, you expect the movie to be very sensual, very sexy. You expect their relationship to be very emotionally charged. A love that stems from hate, passion (for dance and Suzuki's hatred for Sugiki), desire, and an unwitting respect for each other's craft. I was at the edge of my seat waiting for such a story

Unfortunately, when you get to the story, this all kinda... fades away? A lot of the story is told in silence (?). There are a lot of looks to the other person, facial expressions, but very little in the way of actual communication. As the audience, you kinda have to connect the dots and guess what they are feeling and thinking. That removes the 'punch' of what this story could be

Their romance — if you could even call it that — doesn't progress much, and so by the end, everything feels unfinished. They kissed on the train. I thought things would get steamier, but they went their separate ways. Only to meet 2(?) months later in the UK with Suzuki thinking about how he wants Sugiki's eyes on him.... And then they break up

Girl... What?? What happened in the 2 months??? I have read some comments by the Manga readers that allude to what happened after the train, leading up to the breakup, and after, but if you're going to make a movie, shouldn't you include what happens in the source material in the show? I feel like cutting out major details does a disservice not only to the viewers who may not have checked out the book, but also to the readers who may want a better portrayal of a story they love

The ending was also very.... Ugh. It's open-ended. Not a fan of those. I hear it's because the manga isn't complete. Perhaps the manga shall end n we'll get a sequel. Hopefully, a better installation than this one

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It was great, but it's not without faults

👻What I Enjoyed/Liked👻
1. A1 cinematography & production - So incredibly well done that I can confidently say that it's among the best that I've seen this year. Also, the village setting was so well done.

2. The inclusion of Thai culture, outfits, shamanic practices, etc. They were all so grand and beautiful. I haven't seen another Thai show that includes this (granted, all I watch from Thailand is BLs), so this was super interesting to see

3. The overall story - This doesn't get a 10/10, but for the most part, the story was well done. Throughout the 12 episodes, they gave us a lot of background info on the characters and how they all connected to each other, making everything feel cohesive. By the end of the story, there aren't many loose ends

4. The acting - I think the cast, the main 4, are largely rookies, and they did a really good job. I have seen cringeworthy acting in the BL scene. These four, they deserve their flowers. I hope to see them get even better in the future

5. The NC scenes in eps 7 & 8 - Aside from the fact that they were so very hot, I feel like they suited the couples perfectly. Chan & Jet are more playful, and so was their scene. Peem & Khem are more angsty and slowburn, and their scene reflected that beautifully.

👻What I Didn't Like/Areas That Could've Been Worked On👻
1. Ramphueng should've received an apology. From her backstory, we see that they wronged her 1st. Her revenge - crazy as it was-, was justified. What that family did to her was horrible. In episode 12, they make her apologize, but why didn't they apologize to her, too? For over 200 years, no one ever said 'sorry' for playing a part in the unjust death of her and her son. Khem and his mother should've apologized to her for the parts that their past selves played in that

2. Does anyone know if Ramphueng went after all the people in that family (including the 1st wife and polygamous husband), or was it just Khem and his mother? I mean, Khem testament (as Krongkhwan) was the one who put the nail in the proverbial coffin of her death but... what happened to the other people throughout the years?

3. Khem/Namping's crying scenes - When he has to sit and cry silently, it works. It's great. But when more emotions are needed, like he needs to be on the floor sobbing, it doesn't work. IDK if this makes sense, but during these intense crying/emotional scenes, as a viewer, I can tell that he's acting (and that it's not going well)

3. Khem & Peem don't have much in the way of facial expressions - Peem is stoic, and Khem is either sad, faking a smile or on the verge of crying. I don't want to judge too harshly since perhaps this worked because that is who the characters were. However, in the future, I'd love to see Keng and Namping use their facial muscles more in whatever show they'll be on. As per the latter half of the last episode, we see that they are clearly capable of it, so let them use them.

4. Khem was always the damsel in distress, and surprisingly, doesn't have much vigor to stay alive - This might be the thing that pissed me off the most. We started the show with Khem wanting to find a way to survive past the age of 21, then his friends suggested that Peem might like him, and suddenly, all he could care about was whether Peem liked him back?! Sir?!?!?!?! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLOT??? Listen, I understand that this is a BL. That they are meant to fall in love but... Priorities man. Vengeful ghosts 1st, romance later. Also, him up and leaving after Grandma Si died.... Come on now

5. The timeline - I might be horrendously bad at math, but I believe that the mid-1700s were at most 275 years ago. Where did the 400 years that they kept talking about come from?

6. Peem should have had a longer chasing arc - He was so mean for so long. He should've had to struggle and prove himself for longer to win Khem's affection and trust

👻Random Thoughts👻
a. Those villagers were so cool with all the ghosts. If it were me, I'd have left and never gone back😂

b. We largely saw Khem interact with ghosts that wanted him ☠️. I wish we saw his interactions with nice or at least neutral ghosts. Like the ghost mama in ep 1, who simply wanted to save her son

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Is this how sports fans usually feel? I hate it

If the title wasn't clear enough, my faves didn't win.

💪🏾Next time, contestants from all the countries should be chosen fairly. Some countries were very obviously more stacked than others. It's like they were setting some of them up to fail. I mean, I know you have to fill the numbers, but the differences in strength were so glaring

🇹🇭Thailand & 🇵🇭Philippines - I rooted for them since they had black contestants. Namely, James & Robyn. Did I think these teams would win? No. But as Issa Rae said, 'I'm rooting for everybody black. '

PS. I wanna add a note here that representation truly matters - I'm speaking about James. I've been watching Thai BLs for about 3 years now, and in all this time, I've only seen 2 black characters in these shows.
The first time was in 'Triage', and the other time was in 'I Will Knock You'. Seeing James on such a huge show -and killing it btw, heels and all - felt so good. I hope all the black and dark-skinned Thai pple out there saw themselves in him. I mean, I think he's a pretty big deal over there already, but he deserves this, too

💪🏾Australia - I liked them coz they were strong. I've seen pple hating on them, saying they were loud and rude coz of all the cheering and cursing, but to me, they looked like any other Westerners. I'm not a sports person, but they acted like what regular sports pple that I'm exposed to act like. They fumbled really badly in that rope game - I think that they should've replaced Eddie with Katelin. Had they strategized better, I genuinely think they'd have been in the final match. N probably would've won. Also, Dom, my favorite of all the Aussies. I need him to give me just 5% of his positivity

💪🏾Mongolia - Before this, I knew very little about this country and its people. Truthfully, I still don't. However, I started rooting for them after perhaps ep 2(?). They are definitely the opposite of Australia, but that quietness hid such strength. They were reserved and respectful, and so incredibly smart and strong. Their sportsmanship is truly one to be admired. While some teams ( I won't be mentioning names👀) were busy posturing and being rude to other contestants in the name of the game, they largely minded their own and stayed real nice throughout. I hope to see them again in the future. where they'll win. I'm genuinely so sad that they didn't win😭

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Put Your Phone Away & Pay Attention

You know those shows that you can watch while scrolling through your phone? The kind you can easily look away, and even without understanding the language, look up again and be able to piece everything, or at least most of it, together? This isn't one of those.

This is a show that demands your attention, which was fantastic for me since I really needed a good reason to put my phone away.

This is a beautifully written revenge story with brilliant characters. Such stories often fail because they are filled with dumb characters who risk the plans and lives (both their own and others') in their stupidity. No one here is like that. They know what the plan needs, and they stick to it, executing it as needed.

Xie Huai An's smarts are something to be admired and feared. I totally understood why his enemies were afraid of him. He will not face you on the battlefield with a sword. But he'll plan your defeat and your death, largely from the shadows, and you'll never see it coming.

I loved watching the growth of Xiao Wen Jing / Zhang Mo. From a spoilt, angry puppet emperor to a worthy young man. One who not only understood the plight of his people but was also able to make lifelong friends. Unfortunately, the Tiemo arc (more on that later) ruined his character growth a bit for me.
He'd grown so much as a person & come to trust Huai'an, but the plot throws away all this character growth, turning him back into his former cowardly self for shock value. I admit, I was shocked, as they wanted, but also felt disappointed

I commend all the actors for their effective portrayal of emotions. This show is heavy, and it always has this feeling of death and sadness hanging in the air. I loved that whenever the characters had to express their emotions, I, as the viewer, could connect with them

The story gave us two main villains, Yan Feng Shan & the King of Tiemo. Yan Feng Shan's arc was much more interesting to me. The amount of maneuvering and cleverness used in this arc was... breathtaking, for lack of a better word. The Tiemo arc wasn't bad per se, however, I did feel that as from ep 21 (or there about) the script relied a lot on plot armour to keep Huai'an alive.
There were so many times that he could've died in this arc, specifically from ep 21 to 24/25, yet he miraculously survived. I mean, he did survive while facing Yan Feng Shan, but here his escapes were less believable in their overall 'miraculousness'.

I'm not sure about the ending; it looked like he died. Idk how he'd have survived that explosion, unless more plot armour was applied. And while I would have loved for him to stay alive, I think that part of me was prepared for his death.

Xie Huai An was clever and brave, but also angry and incredibly sad. He rarely smiled, and when he did, it was always a sad smile. It always felt like his heart, his very soul, were very sad and very heavy. If he died, I'd take consolation in the thought that he finally got to rest

Points To Note
1. The rewatch value isn't that high. Not because the story isn't worth rewatching, but because I feel like this is one of those stories that works best the 1st time. A rewatch could work to help you pick up on a few factors that you may have missed in the 1st round, but the suspense and intrigue will no longer be there. Because of that loss, I wouldn't find myself rewatching this.

2. About 30 minutes after completing the Netflix version, I found out that this show has a special episode. The special episode very clearly insinuates that Huai'an is alive, just staying hidden in Yulong Ridge. We don't see his face, but the alcohol given to his friends and the voice of the guy in that cell belong to Huai'an. I'm sure he's still busy plotting and strategizing in there for the good of the realm.
But part of me wishes that he would've, instead, fulfilled the wish that his sister had for him. To sit under a (what I believe) plum blossom tree with a fat cat in his arms. With Ye Zheng & Zhang Mo bickering around him (This last bit is purely my wishful thinking)

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Honestly, Eat The Rich

After watching 'The Elixir', I was hella sceptical about watching another zombie film. I mean, 'All of Us are Dead' and 'Kingdom' (both seasons) and 'Happiness' are some of my holy grail zombie shows, and 'The Elixir' was gonna do me like that? Nah, I was traumatized.

I didn't wanna see another non-Korean zombie show. My trust was broken. That, coupled with the fact that I've been disappointed by some of the main character's acting chops in BLs b4.... my expectations were on gasping for breath on the floor. Despite all that, I was genuinely impressed by this.

What I Liked
🧟The overall story is what carries this. As a fan of zombie shows, I love how fresh (and sciency) this concept is. IDK who worked on the script, but hats off to them. They honestly made this story so very interesting to watch. If some things were done differently, I genuinely would have rated this as highly as I did 'All of Us are Dead.'

What I Didn't Like
🧟The acting - I'll not be naming names but yoh...! I was right. Some of these BL boys.... Please send them to acting school. My two cents are these: we know that actors can get by with good looks. It's been done over and over and over again. BUT!! With Netflix investing so heavily in Thailand, and companies obviously wanting to get themselves a piece of that pie, wouldn't it be better to have their actors do better so they can represent them - and Thailand - well on the global stage? Some of these guys have been acting for years, and they are still so stiff. HOW???? How can you not express more than 2 facial expressions? Oi🤦🏾‍♀️

🧟‍♀️We lost Lilly too early - She was one of the better actors in this (one of the best TBH), and I hate that we lost her to Zombieism when we did. IMO, she should've had a bigger role.

🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️ - Why were the girlies written like that? - If it wasn't Fah with the phone, it was Mook(?) who let's an obviously unstable friend out, leading to unnecessary deaths. And let's not forget about little miss horrible, Prao. Seriously, does anyone know why she was so mean to literally everyone? Good Lord! Oh.... Also, Ning, I don't like a know-it-all. I just... If I rant about her, I'll never go to sleep, and it's already 1:20 am

🧟All the anger management issues and dumb decisions - I understand that it is a high-stakes, high-stress situation. But did we need to keep arguing that much? Not only did it waste time, but it also cost lives. In terms of dumb decisions, the pple in this show acknowledge that they've seen zombie movies before. Now, with that in mind, why would you
1. Start running after a friend who's been bitten in the name of saving them?
2. Ditch the survivor group to go find your bitten friend to apologize to them?
3. Start a fucking cheer routine in the name of trying to get your friend back? Isn't silence the ONE cardinal rule of any zombie world?
Bro... The number of times these pple made me want to punch my TV. Lawd Jesus *rubs temples*

🧟Continuity Issues - Some of those scenes needed better consistency

Random Thoughts
a. Tutor, I did not know the power that you hold. You beautiful, beautiful man. Whoever styled his hair, tell him to keep it like that, always
b. I kept expecting to see Noeul. Zee&Nunew were present, so were Keng&Namping as well as Max&Nat, so whenever I saw Boss, I expected Nouel to pop out, even though I'd gone through the cast list and seen he wasn't in it😅
c. I really would like a 2nd season. The final ep ended at a really incredible point - Full zombie son, half zombie mother, and human daughter... That is such a cool place to start the 2nd season from. Plus, let's not forget the pple on the roof. It's been a month since they were left there. Clearly, they were able to restrain Non, but how have they survived (if at all) for an entire month? What have they been eating? Will the Patron be exposed for his misdeeds? His secret is known by a lot more pple now, so I'd love to see what they'd do with the info.
Basically, there's so much good content they could give us in season 2, but... Will we ever get that 2nd season, or will Netflix make it another 'All of Us are Dead' situation?

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Tough Topics Bound & Highlighted By Tight Storytelling

Often, when I finish a book, movie, or TV show, I go on and on in the review talking about why and how much I either loved or hated it. Other times, like I this case, I have no clue what to say or where to start. Because words fail me. I truly don't know if I have the words to explain why and how much I loved this show.

I started this coz I was in a romance slump. I wanted something darker and above all, something that would make me think. And BOY did I get that. The production is high value as with many Netflix shows, the acting is incredible, and the plot is well-paced and engaging — the plot did lag a bit in the middle, and I thought that the characters were being a bit too reckless, but perhaps that's to make things more intense.

I think what made me fall in love with this story is the issues tackled and the characters themselves.

🔬Fang Yi Jen - I do not know much about autism, let alone asperger syndrome. However, what I know from other TV shows I've seen is that those with this illness are usually utter geniuses or used for comedic relief, or a combination of both. Compared to the regular person, Fang Yi Jen could be considered a genius.

However, instead of this story highlighting that, it chooses to highlight how this condition, unfortunately, makes him both a bad husband and father. Because of how hard it is for him to interact with pple and understand them as a 'normal person' would, he ends up lashing out, when the 'normal' thing would be to be patient — i.e., in the car with his wife and their crying baby.

When his negligence of his daughter in favour of his job ends up getting her hurt, he serves his wife with divorce papers and leaves, never looking back again. He thought he was saving them from himself, but that ended up hurting them even more. He neglected his daughter when she was young and till almost adulthood. If she had never gotten involved in those murders, would he have ever looked for her again? Likely not.

Eventually, he does try and does change for the better, but that does not mean that the poor girl and her mother never suffered. My heart broke so much for them. I loved that by the end, there seemed to be hope for him and his daughter. Fang Yi Jen is still Fang Yi Jen, but where he'd have ignored her before, he takes extra care and time to show up. He also says thank you. This is a personal opinion (observation?), but I feel like most pple only say thank you to strangers, never to those close to them. He now takes the time to say thank you, not just to Hai Yin, but also to the captain, and that one friend (?) he had in the lab section of the police force.

📰Hsu Hai Yin - Lord, did I HATE her in the beginning. She was all for the story. The real people and feelings behind the hard-hitting deadline be damned. However, once she learns the truth about the deaths, after her interaction with the twins' stories, she starts to change, thankfully for the better. This time, it's not just about the hard-hitting headline.

She starts to care about the people she's writing about and how her stories affect not just the subjects, but also others who might be going through the same thing. I do like that she was the one person who seemed to understand Fang Yi Jen the most. He still acts like himself, but instead of demanding that he be 'normal' he takes him for what he is. And eventually, her giving him the space to be who he is leads to a very beautiful friendship.

👧🏻Chiang Hsiao Meng - We feel the most impact in the last two episodes and I cried. Okay, I didn't fall to the ground sobbing, but balancing tears were wiped severally times. She was so, so sad. Her life after her dad was filled with considerable pain. Watching her in the hospital with the mum, then again when speaking to her dad was.... my heart was hurt.

The societal issues were also a huge part of why I liked this plot. Like Hsia Meng, most of the characters were also neglected. They felt like they no longer had a place or a voice in this world because those who were supposed to care for and love them abandoned them when they were no longer of use. Or no longer fit into the mold they wanted — aside from perhaps the story with the twins and Liu Kuang Yung. The twins were a story of jealousy and invisibility, and the latter was about guilt. I'll say that of all stories, I found Liu Kuang Yung's the hardest to empathise with

Rewatch value is an 8, as I feel that this could be a hard story for many to rewatch. Especially once you tie in all the victims' stories and why they chose this path over staying alive and fighting to see another day.

Not sure how to properly end this, so I'll finish with this quote from one of the directors
"In The Victims' Game, there's a group of people who want to let go, and there's a group who also suffers from pain and oppression, but still believes in the value of life. They're trying to bring back those who wish to give up. We hope that the series can make their voices heard when they're still alive."

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No woman (no one really) deserves this

Let's be honest: If Hae Jo was played by Oh Jung Se (or any other non-conventionally attractive actor) and not Woo Do Hwan, NO ONE would have perceived this story as anything close to romantic

When I started it, I genuinely thought that it'd be a great drama. One of the best of 2024, however, everything was ruined by the romance btwn Hae Jo & Jo JaeMi. It was the textbook definition of a toxic love with a toxic, selfish, and cruel man. Hae Jo is not only horrible to the supposed love of his life, but also utterly horrible to his adoptive mother/older sister.

Maybe they were trying to frame this as he has a hard time expressing his feelings, so you need to look beyond what he says to see what he really means, but that's a heck no for me. I would not want a person who uses my insecurities to hurt me, -simply because they are going through something or they are trying to save me from themselves -, in my life.

He insulted JaeMi in such cutting ways and abandoned her much too much. He also ruined her potential love life for selfish reasons, knowing he was going to die. And to reiterate, he was also really crappy to his adoptive mother/older sister. Basically, he is a shit man who ruined the show for me

The only positive here is that Eo Heung & Jae Mi didn't get married. Jae Mi didn't love that man, and Eo Heung, while he did love her, his reasons for wanting to marry her were wrong. I'm glad (for him) that they went their separate ways. It allowed him to finally get under his mother's thumb, stand up for himself by himself, and find himself

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You have to guess what the characters are thinking because they're certainly not going to tell you

You know what this movie made me think of? The 2023 Korean Netflix movie, Ballerina. I did not like that movie. See... Ballerina and Tee Yai: Born to Be Bad suffer from the same problem - a lack of dialogue. They give you great actors, incredible cinematography, interesting action scenes, but very little dialogue. You spend most of the time trying to guess what the actors are doing, how they're doing it, and at times, why they are doing it.

Apo - my dear lovely Apo - has very few lines, especially in the 1st half. I think we were at minute 40 something when he said something and I asked out loud -to an empty living room - 'wait, is this the 1st time he's spoken?' Then I remembered that no. It was likely the 3rd time (in 40+ MINUTES!) - the other two times were at the temple and in the train.

He spends his time looking (glaring) at people and shooting them. I mean, that's cool, but also, WHAT IS HE THINKING???
We know why Tee Yai became bad, but why does he STAY bad? He sees that his friendship with Rek is strained and fraying, so why does he keep pushing and dismissing his friend? He keeps robbing, but why and to what end? What does he do with the money? What does he gain from all of this?

Tee Yai's bestie, Rek. He's very different from Tee Yai. Yes, they rob together, but whilst Tee Yai is ready to kill at the drop of a hat, Rek holds back. Rek also doesn't seem to enjoy their robbery lifestyle and has new priorities once Dao comes into his life. Basically, you clearly see that the relationship btwn Rek & Tee Yai is strained and that something's gotta give.

But they, once again, do not take you through that thought process and the conflicting emotions. Decisions are made, and you sit there like 'oh, I guess that's the choice you made'. Things happen, and you simply have to accept that they did. You don't know how or why they happened, but they did, so just roll with it. Just go with it, babes. Don't ask any questions

All in all, the writing, the script, and maybe even the post-production are at fault for what this movie is. A lot was left unsaid - and as per the credits, a lot was cut-, and I think that was to the detriment of the plot. They give you interesting characters, but don't care to flesh them out enough for you to care or root for them. Perhaps it is, as one commenter said, that this movie would have been better were it a series, or even a miniseries, to help us understand and connect with these characters better

What I'd have given to know more about
👱🏼‍♀️Dao - A prostitute in love with an infamous wanted criminal? Life dealt her some very complicated cards. Plus, can you imagine if we got a glimpse into her thoughts about brothel sex work and the violence that surrounds it?
👮🏼‍♂️Jakkrarat - Is he righteous or corrupt? Maybe he's morally grey? Or perhaps he's an overworked cop experiencing unnecessary pressure from his superior, and that's what turns him bad?
👨🏼Kid (Khit?) - He was a rich kid who shot his a-hole of a dad n went to join a wanted criminal's gang for (seemingly?) sh*ts and giggles. I want to know what pushed him to do that

Sigh... So many questions, so few answers.

Random side note: The number of times I said 'This man is so fine, Jesus' every time Apo came on screen.... That man is so goddamn fine. Christ! That long hair with a goatee is definitely a look that I'd like to see replicated in future movies/series👌🏾

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I Think About Them Every Few Months

What would you do if it were the end of the world and your 1st love, the toxic ex who utterly ruined you, came to find you and promised to give you a pill that'd help you quietly unalive yourself instead of waiting to be roasted alive?

At the end of the world with you took me by surprise. I was lowkey convinced that I'd hate the story since everyone said that it was toxic AF. While this is partly true, the story is so engaging and tells the story of a complicated love in the most engaging way that I loved this by the end.

See, the history between Masumi & Ritsu is utterly toxic, mostly because of Ritsu. He's selfish AF both in the past and also as the world is ending. He ruined Masumi. BUT!! Whether we like it or not, this is a story about their 2nd chance as the world is ending, and it is so well told.

I like to think about this story as one of those 'The heart wants what it wants' type plots. Are they good together? No. Are they toxic? Yes. Would they likely be MUCH better off if they simply walked away and found other people? Absolutely. But then again, the heart wants what it wants, whether you, the audience, like it or not, they'll stay together and figure things out, one mess at a time.

I loved seeing that Ritsu had already started trying to find his way back to Masumi. He knew he'd fucked up and was trying to find his way back. The world ending (and the 'dead kid' on his living room couch) was the kick that pushed him to finally get moving. As for Masumi.... I wish him the best. The best being that this time, Ritsu has actually changed and values him. No more cheating or threats to out him

PS.
1. The NC were also so freaking hot and surprising - JBLs tend to be quite chaste. We need more moaning in BLs, no music
2. If the world didn't end, I'd give em 6 months and then check in. I don't trust Ritsu
3. If you're looking for more 'the heart wants what it wants' type stories, I suggest ' My Stand-In (2024)' My Personal Weatherman (2023), My Beautiful Man (Sn 1 - 2021, Sn 2 - 2023, & the movie 2023)

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What A Ride This Has Been....

Before this drama came into my life — very unannounced btw, I was convinced that Ming (My Stand-In), was the worst love interest to ever exist in the BL world. Then Fan Xiao strolled into my life with his perfectly coiffed hair, his synced at the waist suits, and skinny cigarettes, looked me straight in the eye with a sneer and one raised condescending eyebrow, and was like ' Bitch, you thought..?'

This drama had me glued to my screen every Sunday, because in a sea of mostly fluffy and comedic shows, it offered something different. Something new. It offers up a kind of love that you don't really want IRL, but it's so engaging in fiction.

Fan Xiao (FX) - He is crazy. He actually describes himself as that in the end. He's controlling, manipulative, and cruel — a lot of which is caused by his horrendous family and upbringing, all of which thoroughly skew his view of the world and people in general. When he meets Yu Shu Lang, he approaches him through this lens, and while things work out in his favour in the beginning, they quickly unravel and crash. Because of who FX is, this unravelling and crashing of his plans and relationship lead him down a path of appalling cruelty to the person he claims to care about the most, all in a misguided effort to keep him by his side.

Yu Shu Lang (YSL) - To the rest of the world, he's just a regular dude. However, to Fan Xiao, he's the Bodhisattva himself come to life. Like FX, his upbringing was also not the best. It was pretty traumatic tbh. However, instead of turning him into some jaded scum of the earth fellow, he became self-sacrificing — especially to those he cares about. This is easily seen in how he treats his ex, his leech of a brother, and, to an extent, Fan Xiao.

🌊What I Liked🌊
1. This is a very well-told story. It's engaging and, for the most part, very well paced. It doesn't lag, and neither is the plot filled with nonsensical filler scenes that pass the time

2. The characters are very smart. FX uses his smarts to manipulate YSL and those around him for his benefit. Do I commend it? No. But you've got to hand it to the man. He knew what he wanted, did his homework, and used his crafty little brain to get it. It all bit him in the ass in the end, but I was still hella impressed

YSL is also impressive in his own right. I've been reading BL manga & manhua/hwa for just as long as I've been watching BLs. One thing I find unfortunate about the genre is how dumb the uke are usually written/portrayed.
YSL is not dumb. He might have ignored his instincts at first, but when those red flags and inconsistencies started blaring at him, bro got to the bottom of things. He's also very proactive in his life and job — he never relies on his rich, younger husband to help him out or further his career. He can stand on his own without FX.

3. Yu Shu Lang fights back - It should also be acknowledged that despite all he goes through (read the cruelty of FX), he still has a backbone. Despite all that FX does to cage and control him, YSL always fought back. Even when things looked bleak, he tried to find a way to get away from his insane boyfriend (ex, really, but FX never accepted that). Most Ukes you encounter (in books for me) usually just sit and cry. Or give up after 1 or 2 tries. YSL kept fighting.

4. The redemption - It takes a lot for Fan Xian to put a stop to his madness and finally leave YSL alone. But when he does, he follows through. Not fully — the man was truly obsessed — but he does his best. Not only does he repent, but he goes out of his way to not only try to give YSL the life that he had before him, but also to make it better and ease his loneliness and financial burden. Even when they find each other again, he does his best to leave him alone. He does secretly stalk him, so you know... gotta take what you get with this one.

5. I hear that we'll be getting special episodes sometime in the future. No idea when this will happen because, as of now, filming hasn't started. But whenever that happens, I'll be sat. I wonder how many episodes they'll give us

6. The chemistry - These two work great together. They were able to create such palpable tension. Their sweet moments — albeit largely shown in flashbacks — are beautiful to watch

🌊Things I Didn't Like/I'd Have Changed🌊
1. How The Eventual Breakup Happened - I find it unfortunate that YSL never quite managed to free himself. In his attempts to flee/leave, Fan Xiao was always 3 steps ahead of him. He got free because, in the end, FX allowed it.

If I'd been the writer of this story, Fan Xiao wouldn't have been the one to press 'send' on that email. YSL would've done it. He'd have sent that email with tears running down his face and curled up on the floor, sobbing. Because he loved FX and he knew what that email would lead to, but he'd have done it. Because at the end of the day, it was either his life or Fan Xiao, and he chose himself

2. Yi Ran, the actor who plays YSL, is very stiff — both in posture and in acting. From his actor page on this platform, he seems to be a pretty experienced actor. So I'm left wondering if this is how he acts in all the other productions or if this was a deliberate choice by the show's directors or producers. I've seen some of his clips where he's doing a live with Yun Qi floating on Twitter, and he's very expressive IRL, so, once again, I wonder where the disconnect is. Yun Qi is brand spanking new to the scene, so I'll cut him some slack. I will say, however, that for a new actor, he was pretty decent.

3. The last few episodes felt rushed - From ep 13, things started unfolding at wrap speed. Perhaps it's due to the budget, which affects the episode count, but it felt like chunks of the story were skipped over so they could complete the story within the allotted episode number. Even the last episode felt rushed. ABO Desire had 16 episodes, Revenged Love had 24. I think this should've had maybe 18 episodes. That would've allowed them to show us what all that happened from when FX went to jail till they reconciled

4. The kisses could've been better - Based on the tension and the sheer amount of kissing that was going on in this show, they could've done so much better. Part of me wants to say that maybe it's because it's a Chinese production and that's why we got what we got, but I feel like I'm settling. Not to compare but.... Revenged Love, anyone? They were so good.
Also, I feel like anyone who takes the job of making or acting in a BL (or GL) should commit. If kissing is needed, as a director, direct those scenes in the best way possible and let them shine as needed. As an actor, give it your all, or let others take your spot. Do not shortchange your audience

5. Episode 12 straight-up traumatized me. I didn't deserve that

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An entirely unnecessary season

When season 3 was hinted at at the end of the second season, I remember being hella skeptical. I, like many others online, thought that Netflix would ruin a perfectly good story. And we were right. The plot in this 3rd season made very little sense, and the ruined beloved characters.

👨🏻‍⚕️Arisu - He felt like the same person. Nothing about him was different. He was there to be his good guy, brilliant self, and that is what he did. Not even Kento Yamazaki's amazing acting could save such bland, boring characterization

🧗🏻‍♀️Usagi - They did her so dirty that it fucking hurts. I fail to understand the logic behind her trusting this random professor whom she met 2 weeks ago (as per the plot). I can understand her confessing her dreams to him - sometimes it's easier to talk to strangers about hard things than to do so with close friends or family.
But straight up trusting him enough to go away with him? To constantly protect him in the games and at times, pick his side over her husband's??? Hell nah. This isn't the Usagi we knew. She was loyal and trusting of Arisu. That's why they survived both seasons - because they trusted each other regardless of what was going on around them. This sudden shift, over a stranger no less, makes no sense

👩🏻‍⚕️Ann - Why was she here? To add another familiar face to the cast? She had no involvement in the plot. And it was never explained how she knew what was going on with the new borderland 'kidnappings', nor how she could see the psycho guy in blue.

🙍🏻‍♂️Psycho guy in blue (I forgot his name tbh) - His logic about bringing Arisu back to the bordelands was out with the birds. As someone mentioned, citizens do not participate in the games. Sure, some people stayed at the end of sn 2, but we never saw them in the new games, which suggests that they don't play.
If asked, I would say that perhaps they worked behind the scenes or maybe as plants in the games to further chaos - as we saw at the hotel in season 2(?). His whole thing with Arisu was framed as though he would actively participate in all games like the new borderland visitors (victims really). That doesn't quite work with the previous story and world-building. So, his whole plan to force Arisu to stay so he can be their entertainment was utterly nonsensical.

👨🏻‍🦽‍➡️Ryuji - And the award for the 'most selfish character goes to....🏆' *crowd boos*. His obsession had already led to the death of one woman. And now, he wants to drag another woman, Usagi, down with his madness. Also, can someone explain to me his weird attraction (?), obsession (?) with Usagi. Bro seemed like he was in love with her, and for the life of me, I still cannot figure out how that happened or why. Also, how was the man able to swim and even hold on to a struggling Usagi in such raging waters? My belief refuses to be suspended.
Another thing, when you think about it, his story doesn't quite add up. At 1st, we were told that he was obsessed with the borderlands. Then, towards the end, it changed to him being curious about the land of death, the land beyond the borderlands. This feels like terrible writing. Like they figured that they wanted to up the stakes afterwards and couldn't be bothered to make everything fit.
Also, if he was that curious about death, why not simply off himself? A smart person would know that once you truly die, there's no coming back. No coming to prove his research, receive awards for his studies... nothing. So what was all that for? Nway....The man who plays Ryuji is fine AF👀

The other new characters - I didn't quite connect with any enough to remember their names, but I will say that they weren't well-developed. Which is unfortunate, coz some did have great backstories. Namely, the drug addicted guy, the poor, bullied student, and the SAHM with the abusive husband.
The anime girl felt like she was there for the shock factor. Her backstory was confusing. The Mafia guy felt like he was written to mimic the guy who ran the hat shop with the friend, and the siblings were so badly done. The brother died for nothing

Final Thoughts
🃏What was supposed to be the message of this season? It felt like they were going for this profound message, but I for sure did not leave this season with an understanding of what that was😭
🃏They did hint at a possible fourth season in the finale, and I pray to God that that never happens. If you think I'm watching an American version of this, you're solely mistaken. I'm all for actors and people behind the scenes having jobs, but please not with this story. The people in those boardrooms and writers' rooms will continue to desecrate this story further and... No. Please, No.
🃏The games in this installment were also rather boring

Ps. I will say that it was nice to see the season 1&2 characters at the end of this season. If only they all remembered each other. I think that's the one thing I'm sad about. They all formed beautiful friendships during the course of those games, only to forget them😔

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Great start, mediocre progression and ending

The other day, I was scrolling Reddit and came across a post where the poster was making a list of dramas where the FL was just as into the ML as he was into her. The poster argued that their list stemmed from them being exhausted of dramas where the ML was always chasing the FL, while she all but ignored him or acted as a spectator in the relationship

Now, granted, the post was about straight couples, and the shows in question were Chinese dramas, but if the post were to encompass all kinds of dramas, this specific show would 100% not be included in that list.

Shizuma spent so much of his time chasing. He is very much the devoted husband who will do everything for his partner, even though his efforts almost always go unnoticed and unappreciated. Minato kept running. He was so hot and cold. Even his confession to Shizuma in the 2nd last episode felt like pulling teeth.

You could argue that Minato did that cause of his trauma, and I'd say back that in the year of the Lord 2025, therapy (actual therapy, using love to therapize yourself as this show does) is more accessible than it's ever been. Find that before finding a partner. As clearly shown here, skipping that very important step leads you to deeply or constantly hurt the other person.

Also, the show kept hinting at this huge secret about Minato's background (and thus his trauma) only for the whole thing to be sorted in like half an episode. All that buildup for nothing. You couldn't even feel the impact of it because of how quickly they 'resolved' it.

All in all, the show had a great premise, but it was unfortunately ruined by a lack of proper direction. Once Shizuma finds out about the whole bet thing, everything falls apart. I'd say the show tried to do too much with too little

📷The 2nd couple... eh🤷🏾‍♀️ They are very forgettable and don't add much to the overall story. If I had to define their role in the story, I'd call them 'explainers.'
📷The kissing and NC scenes... *insert deep sigh here*

Random question:
Uhh.. does anyone else get bugged by the fact that these characters wake up with perfectly styled hair? There is no bed-head with these people.

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Chaotic & Humorous... If Only The Ending Was Different

I have loved how consistent this story has been for the last 4 seasons. Mob does not want to be in a BL pairing, and he does all he can to avoid it. It's straightforward — they tell you what you're getting, and they stick to that. As a BL reader, watching all the tropes I've read about for years come alive on screen was such fun. And Mob's way of avoiding all the tropes/cliches was often hilarious and at times, absurd. But that's who Mob is, a funny, weirdo.

While I've enjoyed all four seasons, I'd have liked a different ending. The story says that he 'defies the world of BL'. He's been consistently doing that all along. I'd have liked an ending where the conclusion was that he actually managed to do it. Despite all the flags around him, some of which he had accidentally raised himself, he succeeded in staying 'unpaired' to the end. He finally won against the world of BL.

I feel like they used the author deciding his fate as a cop out. I felt that back in was it season 2 or 3 at the airport with Kikuchi, and I feel that now with the Hatano ending. For a character who was so smart and always thought things through — even though most of them were about how to escape all the romance — that ending with Hatano was lackluster.

How do you rationalize him avoiding him all this time, never showing any inclination to liking him, them having zero chemistry, then suddenly Hatano falls into his arms, and he agrees to wait for him for 3 years? Yeah, nah. You could argue that this is BL logic, and if it were any other character in the show, I'd have agreed, but not with Mob. That type of logic does not fit the type of character we know him to be.

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Beautiful Fight Choreography

Every now and then, I get tired of all the romance and want to immerse myself in some violence, mind fuckery, and death. This doesn't provide mindfuckery, but it has the violence and death thing down pat.

What I Liked
⚔️The fight choreography - Every time you watch a show, there's something that stands out the most. In this one, the fight scenes were it for me. They were phenomenal. I remember rewinding multiple times within episodes, with the thought 'How did they do that' being prominent in my mind.

⚔️The overarching story - Yes, the story does initially remind one of Squid Game. I don't think that comparison is a bad thing tbh. After all, Squid Game is the most recent and most popular show with this concept. However, this goes beyond poor people being forced to die for money and the entertainment of some rich bastards. It's a fight not just for the country, but for the characters themselves

⚔️Interesting characters - Saga is not your ordinary hero. Bro has some severe PTSD in the beginning. It's shown so well that I was seriously wondering how he'd survive the entire show, fighting all these people without unsheathing his sword. When he finally drew that sword.... Holy Shit. *standing ovation, my dude* The name 'manslayer' wasn't wasted on him
🌸Futaba - She adds an interesting layer to Saga, who sees her as his daughter. She increases the stakes of this game. You don't want her to die, even when you know that her being with Saga is a liability. It's also nice how she helps soften these seasoned killers
🌸⚔️The Kyohachi Siblings - I'm so happy that they're all headed toward each other. I cannot wait for them to eventually meet. The tension.... Oh boy. Plus, I can just imagine them fighting together. It's going to be beautiful, I just know it. I hope we see all four together in the coming 2nd season
🏹🌸⚔️Others - Kyojin, what's up with this Njinja fellow? Whose side is he truly on? Why did he send Gentosai to the other siblings? And how the hell does he know who everyone is and where they are and what makes them tick? I know he says he's a strategist, but bro knows way too damn much. I need to know how he knows it
🏹Kamuikocha - Consider me deathly afraid of anyone with arrows from now on. They highlighted him several times in the show and also in the last ep, so I think he'll play a bigger role in the coming episodes. I'll be sat for that
⚔️Gentosai - Hell no. Absolutely not😭. He's hella scary, but watching him fight is beautiful. Can't wait to see him in season 2, even though he scares the shit out of me
🔪Kanjiya - I'm sorry, but I'm glad bro's dead. He stressed me out the entire story
🔫Kawaji - I need the backstory on this scheming, cold man. I have to know where all this hate for the samurai comes from
⚔️Now, who was the guy who was introduced in the very last episode? Close to the end? The guy who killed like 5 people in seconds and proceeded to hop around like a bunny to collect tags? I really need to know what's up with this unhinged self

What I Didn't Like
It's only one thing, and that's the lack of self-preservation of the 'villagers'. Can someone explain to me why they simply stood around to watch as pple were swinging swords and at times, arrows were flying around? Especially when Kanjiya was around? He goes around stabbing and slashing any and evryone in his way, and the folks just stood there or stupidly ran towards him to escape instead of away... I🤦🏾‍♀️. I need to know who told the extras to do that so I can slap them upside the head

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