K-Drama 
This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful, imperfect story
8/10I know some people may feel disappointed because this series doesn't give them the same feeling as Addicted 2016. But I think the comparison is a little unfair. Apart from the characters You Xi and Yang Meng, this is a different story, and I think it deserves to be appreciated for what it is.
What I love most about this series is how real it feels. This isn't another CEO romance trope. It's an original slice-of-life story about two adults approaching their 30s, dealing with their own responsibilities, fears, and struggles while trying to understand what they truly want in life.
You Xi's journey is heartbreaking. He goes from being a successful actor to losing almost everything. He was controlled by his agent for so long, always following instructions even when he didn't want to. What really makes his story meaningful is his decision to stop hiding who he is and what he wants. In the end, he finally chose himself, embraced who he truly was, and had the courage to let the world know the truth about himself. To me, that's really brave.
Yang Meng has his own struggles, too. He has responsibilities, his father's expectations, and society's judgment to deal with. His feelings aren't something he can easily accept, especially when loving another man means going against what others expect of him. Watching both of them struggle to accept themselves and find the courage to choose their own happiness is one of the most touching parts of this story.
The series has its heartbreaking moments, but it also has happiness, warmth, and sexual tension. The main couple's chemistry is wonderful. Even though there aren't that many kissing scenes, I was still invested in their relationship. They have a natural connection that makes their romance believable. I also think their real-life friendship may contribute to that chemistry.
The acting, background settings, plot, and music all kept me interested. I rarely watch a BL series without skipping some scenes, but this one managed to keep me watching. And the music... oh, the music! The inclusion of a Korean song was such a pleasant surprise for me.
Of course, the series isn't perfect. Some flashbacks feel repetitive and unnecessary, and I think certain situations could have been handled better because some moments don't feel quite right. There are also some emotional scenes that could have been more powerful. In particular, I felt that Chen Wen's performance in some of the heartbreaking scenes was a little lacking. I wanted to feel more of Yang Meng's sadness, but somehow, those moments didn't hit me as hard as I expected them to. The second couple's chemistry also felt a little weak to me. I think some parts of the story could have been developed further to make the characters' emotions and certain situations feel more convincing. Still, despite these flaws, the series has a story that genuinely touched me, and these shortcomings don't take away from what I love about it.
What makes this series beautiful to me is its message. Sometimes, we spend so much of our lives trying to meet other people's expectations that we forget to live for ourselves. You Xi and Yang Meng both have to learn to accept who they are and what they want, even when the world may not approve. Love is part of that journey, but so is learning to be honest with yourself.
I also appreciate that, despite what seems to be a limited budget, the series still managed to deliver a story that kept me emotionally invested. It may not be perfect, but it has heart.
I've loved both Fengsong and Chen Wen since Addicted in 2016, so I have to admit that I've waited a long time to see these two finally get to tell their own story together on screen. Seeing them in this series is already something special to me. But honestly, my affection for these two isn't the reason I'm giving this series such a high score. Being a fan may have made me more excited to watch it, but the story itself is what made me fall in love with this series. Even if different actors had played these characters, I believe I would still have loved this.
For me, this is a beautiful, imperfect story about love, courage, and learning to live as yourself. And sometimes, a story doesn't have to be flawless to leave a lasting impression. Wish to see Fengwen in more BL series.
Was this review helpful to you?
I understand that adaptations have to make changes to the original story, and I'm perfectly fine with that. My problem isn't that they omitted or altered certain events, but that the series failed to capture the mature, dark, and twisted atmosphere that made the novel so compelling.
My biggest disappointment was the casting and how the characters were portrayed. Ollie and Shu Yuan looked too young for the characters they were playing. Since both characters are in their mid-thirties in the novel, I expected them to have a more mature appearance and presence. Unfortunately, the casting didn't quite match the image I had of them. They looked more like college students than men in their mid-thirties. The chemistry between the leads also fell short of my expectations, and even their kissing scenes felt forced. I wanted to feel the tension, obsession, and emotional turmoil in both relationships, but much of that was missing.
I'm not saying the actors didn't do their best. In fact, I was quite impressed by Ollie. Considering that he's only 20, I think he did a good job and really nailed certain aspects of both characters he portrayed. I appreciate his effort and what he brought to the roles. However, I still felt that the overall portrayal lacked some of the depth and intensity I had imagined from the original novel.
Shu Yuan's portrayal was particularly disappointing to me. Some of the most heartbreaking scenes were supposed to be emotionally intense, but even when he shed tears and put on a sad expression, I couldn't feel the pain his character was supposed to convey. Instead of feeling heartbroken, I found the performance somewhat forced, as though the emotions were being shown to me rather than making me feel them.
I also think the series could have done much more with its sexual tension. A mature romance doesn't need explicit scenes to be compelling. Expressions, body language, dialogue, and convincing acting can create just as much intensity. I understand the limitations that censorship may place on BL productions, but the tension that made the original story so fascinating barely came through here.
I accept that the adaptation has its own interpretation of the original, but I wish it had preserved more of the characters' essential traits, psychological depth, and emotional complexity. Those were the things that made the novel so memorable to me, and I missed them in the live-action version.
Overall, 6/10. The source material had so much potential, but the adaptation didn't quite do it justice. I finished the series feeling that it had missed what made the original novel so compelling.
Was this review helpful to you?
