is payback good bl to watch?
I would say yes, it is good drama. The story is interesting, and every episode is like a short movie till now, and we see gradual changes in atmosphere, characters. I have a soft spot for this, to see the minute changes in characters and noticing the story more and observing whole scenes background and lightning.But here in this drama, visuals are top tier. The cinematography is one of the best, directors absolutely knows what he wants and how can he get it. And I am not a fan of NC scenes or over-the-top sexual energy. It is just not my cup of tea because it mostly overshadows other things of drama like storytelling, direction, dialogue of the show or drama, especially in the BL industry. I have seen it. But in this one, though NC scenes are here, I don't care because the story has substance and the direction is brilliant. I have read the manhwa, and yeah, they are doing absolutely best. The show is 10 ep, and I can't wait to see the upcoming episodes.
Now let's talk about things that could be better. First is acting. The actors are really handsome, and they are not bad. But at some of the time when I was watching the scenes, I would notice the body language and overall expression not up to the whole context. It could be miscommunication, or just because I read the manhwa,. Or maybe because in manhwa you can read what is going inside the mind of the character, which is not possible in drama for every scene. So I can't say surely if the actors are bad.
At the end of the day, for me acting does look a little bad. It is not nitpicking or something, just criticism, as the actors are young and inexperienced, you can see it. As their first work, they did a great job, and I would definitely look up for their next work. They have high potential plus killing visuals. and they did put effort to play these complex characters.
That's all. Other things are good. Also, I would like to shout out to two characters. One is the actor who played Manager Khunnote, Jirapat Uttamanan Kajorn Piyawanichkul, and second is Shogun Paramee Thesdaroon "Sky" Phanuwat Manasakdech. They are so good...
And that's all, the end of my review.
Was this review helpful to you?
I loved it! 9.5
Am I the only one who thinks that flaws in characters make BL even better? A lot of people enjoy BL because of the vulnerability the characters carry. For me, my all-time favourite BL is Our Youth. It’s the kind of BL I always recommend to people who like emotional, character-driven stories.Our Youth follows two students—one a troublemaker, the other a perfect student—played by Minase and Hirukawa. The story unfolds when Hirukawa, the troublemaker, transfers to Minase’s school and ends up living on the same route as him.
Small spoiler: Hirukawa is a victim of domestic abuse. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil the experience for you. Now let me talk about the things I loved about this BL.
1. The stillness
This drama carries a beautiful stillness—calmness mixed with inner chaos. I loved how the scenes unfolded slowly and quietly, letting emotions breathe.
2. The acting
The actors truly became their characters. I’m not talking about their handsomeness (though they are handsome). Their performances felt natural and honest.
I especially loved Hirukawa’s duality—fearless on the outside, painfully vulnerable in front of Minase. You can see everything in his eyes. In some scenes he says one thing, but his eyes reveal the truth: he wants to scream, to tell Minase everything, but he’s terrified of losing him.
Minase’s actor was just as good—perfectly portraying annoyance, happiness, and the quiet loneliness shaped by his parents’ divorce. You can feel how much he enjoys Hirukawa’s company even when he won’t admit it. And those final scenes… when he finally meets Hirukawa again, the emotional shift was so perfect and unforced. It didn’t feel like a typical BL—this one stayed with me. I watched it in 2024, and if someone asks about my favourite BL, it’s always Our Youth.
3. The writing and direction
I don’t know the details about the team, but everything looked and felt amazing. It was like I was fully inside their small world, watching their private little universe unfold.
4. The character arcs
Every character was going through something. They felt human—flawed, real, hurting, growing. I loved how each arc slowly revealed itself.
If you’ve watched My Beautiful Man, definitely give Our Youth a try. It has a similar storytelling style, but I’d say Our Youth is even better—deeper, more melodramatic, more bittersweet, and overall more emotionally rewarding.
Was this review helpful to you?
