Bad Boys Trying to Look Good
There is an axiom about individuals being drawn to ‘bad boy’ imagery and this is the classic case of that. The story became so convoluted and twisted in its outcome that when I finished the series, I did not care. It was all so contrived. This series tried too hard to make these characters ‘likeable’. They are not. They are rotten to the core, looking at life rather cynically and fatalistically. They would lie, cheat, steal, murder, and torture, to gain power, control, and wealth. They are despots guised as human, smiling as they look at life cheaply. I did not understand nor appreciate this series. It left me feeling confused by all its hype.You can read my full review of this series at BLBliss.com
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Sensual and Raw
This is an astonishing very short movie (24 minutes) that captures more in that short period of time than most other BLs do in 12 episodes. It is crisp, exact, intense, erotic, and has a clear message. There is no endless bantering to get to a story. It is there in your face almost immediately. It is not pretentious nor contrived. A major caveat is the stumbling block to a solid relationship. The acting is raw and genuine with a story that feels true and real.See my full review at BLBliss.com
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Entertaining but not memorable
I am sorry to say but this series is ok and entertaining but pretty standard stuff. And it is full of tropes and the romance borders on being boring to watch. But there really is so little of it to watch. The acting in this series is very good and the singing is passable if not good in a few songs. But the musical production numbers simply suck. They are not good and do no present these guys at its best. Frankly, in about 2 weeks I shall not remember much about this series as it is pretty forgettable. The only thing that is noteworthy is the connection and comradery of the band group. This is really a romp through nostalgia.I have my full review of this series at BLBiss.com.
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A Snooze Fest
This is yet another in a long line of Pollyanna anthology BL love stories that presents gay love relations in the fairytale world of Happy Valley with little cognitive anchor to any sense of reality except episodically. And when those were shown, it became empathetic and charged with human emotions. If only the whole anthology was made like that, this could have been a good series. Instead, it is just another very forgettable BL from Thailand. Many of these actors (but not all) are very good, but these inane and pedestrian scripts simply do not allow them to grow or mature or show their true potential in acting. I honestly wanted to drop this series but finished it anyway. I have this ‘thing’ about not dropping a series once I start one. Unfortunately, I think this series will fade from my memory very quickly.Was this review helpful to you?
Entertaining and fun!
To someone unfamiliar with the customs and culture of Taiwan, this type of a story can be intriguing. The story development is hit and miss in the beginning, but in the latter half of the series, once the relationship is established, it becomes enjoyable. Overall, this is an entertaining BL series that honestly does not take itself too seriously and as such provides for some amusing anecdotal interactions. In a strange way and one I cannot fully explain, they make a cute couple and I want to see more of them. It has been set up for an obvious Season 2 and I do hope there is one as I am oddly compelled to watch them. I find them intriguing and enjoyable.Was this review helpful to you?
Enough of the nonsense
The story was an endless loop of misunderstandings, misinterpretations, miscommunications, or deliberately no communications. For those of you who are familiar with the movie GROUNDHOG DAY, this same theme repeated itself over and over again throughout 10 episodes. Just when one thought the message between the two would become clear some trope, or cliché or misunderstanding or no communication would thwart the message, or the other person would storm off in a huff and be mad or take offense. It became so exasperating to watch episode after episode of these same behaviors occur repeatedly. And the withholding of information almost drove me to drop this series. The prequel to this was so good. This was just plain awful. They are just so scared to show real gay love.See my full review of this series at BLBliss.com.
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This series has no future
Honesty, this series was doomed from the beginning. While the premise was promising, they just did not know what to do with it. They provided no direction for its actors. From a production standpoint, this series falls completely flat. Much of the dialogue is just plain amateurish and came across as if it was not even rehearsed. The sound in several parts was uneven and faded in and out. For the most part, the performers were unchallenged, and it seemed like the performers were told to act drunk even if they were not drunk or drinking.Was this review helpful to you?
Sweet and Cute
It will take almost as long to write this review as it will to watch this short video. It is a coming-of-age story between a student and his tutor. It reminds us all of our first crush and how excited and sweet that moment was. There is not much you can say about this gem except that it is over almost as quick as it begins. It hits the highlights of our emotions in our first crush. Desire, lust, frustration, anger, and finally bliss. It will make you feel good and you can revel in reminiscing about your first crush. And for me that was a long time ago.Was this review helpful to you?
One of the Best!
This is an astonishing and brilliant BL series that is touching with its simplicity and grace. It is a solid love story from beginning to end with us seeing the foibles of two people in love. Not because they question their love for each other but more so as to what it might do to their friendship intimacy. If there was ever a definition of soulmates, these two young men are its examples. It was simply beautiful in its simplicity. They were predestined to be together.The other couple were destined to be together because they complimented each other to make a whole.
This is a phenomenally soft spoken series that is reflective and a picture of joy.
You can read my full review of this at blbliss.com.
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Brilliant!
This series is unfortunately under-the-radar and overlooked. That is sad as this is one of the better (BL) series out there. I hesitate to call it a BL because that is only one component of this remarkably complex but easy to follow story. The acting in this series is near perfection because of its set-up. I was so mesmerized by this story that I binged watch this series which I rarely do. It is a bit uneven in places and a bit too much time was spent on one particular character, but that does not distract from this series. The 'song' is distracting and at times it was torturous to listen to it being sung again and again. But overall, this series is one of the best for this year that I have seen.Was this review helpful to you?
Awful
Having loved the first season, I looked forward to seeing this one. Unfortunately, it is a mess and was incoherent. It is essentially filled with a bunch of self-indulgent individuals who think the world revolves only around them. They lost their personalities in this series and turned into one self-indulgent, narcissistic pity parties. Some of it was actually quite cringy and difficult to even watch. This should not have been made, There was no chemistry between the main characters and almost zero connections. In other words, this for me was awful.Was this review helpful to you?
A Captivating and Beautiful Love Story
This is a stunningly and beautiful series that is nearly flawless. It is so beautifully choreographed and great story telling as well. There is such a strong and amazing connection between the two characters that in reality affects everyone else around them. Such a deep connection exists between them that you want to believe it was destiny and 'the red string' that makes it all so magical. The two actors brought such life to these roles and a strong sense of believability and realism. To say that that they are stunningly handsome would sound not like a compliment . Those are inadequate words to describe both their inner and outer beauty. The title of this series ties in so well with the meaning of this series as well.If yo want to review my complete review of this marvelous series, please read it at BLBliss.com.
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A Disaster
Dear God, this was so bad. Awful. Just plain awful. On all fronts, I am sorry to say. I wanted so much to like this series as the premise seemed so interesting. But honestly this should never have been released. Editing, production, story, acting, were all bad. While the story idea had merit and it started out interestingly, it just deteriorated as it went along.The premise had some potential and this could have been a very interesting story but it was treated as if it were a high school graduation production for a theater class. The story made no sense . There was supposed to be 10 epoxides but it was reduced to 8 which left huge gaps in the story and flow of this train-wreck. It went so far off the rails that the story literally made no sense.
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Heartbreaking, Breathtaking, and Emotionally Stunning
This is what this series is. It is not a BL series in the classic or traditional sense but a ‘coming out’ series that shows the pain and heartbreak of acceptance. It is a story about a friendship between two boys. I must depart for just a second to commend the director for his absolute commitment to nuisances, mannerisms, and details that were captured by the young actors that carried over to the older ones. It is not easy to carry the personalities and idiosyncrasies of a person without looking like you are mimicking them, but he did it with these two young actors. They are superb and studied their older characters to display their same characteristics. It is a thing of beauty to watch. Their friendship developed fast and intense as children. I cannot say enough about the acting of the two main characters. The intensity of connection to one another is simply palpable. This is very close to being a BL masterpiece. For my full review, please read it at ppgongi.medium.com. Any comment would be appreciated.Was this review helpful to you?
Solid and Well-Acted
What this series did tackle well is the incredible support that they received from their parents. I applaud the writers for taking this path as it allows people to see that not every parent is always uncomfortable with their child’s sexual preference. This is just a very charming series that pulls it off in the end. While it does not quite get to an intense level for me, I liked it a lot. It is worth watching, if nothing more than for the scenes with their individual parents. If you want, you can read my full review (free) at my blog site at ppbongo.medium.com.Was this review helpful to you?
