That was terrible. I'm not sure why anyone is rating this above a 5, but it doesn't deserve anything better. It's…
But no one forced you to watch this. What were you expecting to get out of this? Why torment yourself just to come and complain about a narrative that clearly didn"t' resonate with you? You are obviously entitled to dislike the series, but your comment reads less like a critique and more like frustration that the story refused to become the simpler, tidier version you apparently wanted. You say the show is “inconsistent” because Ko Yeong is sometimes kind, sometimes cruel, sometimes loving, sometimes selfish, sometimes devoted, and sometimes avoidant. But that is not necessarily inconsistency. That is characterisation. People, especially people dealing with loneliness, trauma, shame, family rejection, desire, grief, and self-sabotage, are not fixed moral categories. A character being contradictory does not automatically mean the writers “don’t know what they’re doing”. It may simply mean you were expecting a much simpler story than the one being told. The same applies to your issue with the Dublin Prize. Winning a literary award does not magically erase someone’s personal damage, financial instability, emotional confusion, or inability to sustain healthy relationships. You seem to think that because he receives recognition as a writer, the show should suddenly become about his fame, admirers, or professional success. But that would be an entirely different narrative. The prize is not there to turn him into a glamorous literary celebrity. It exists alongside the rest of his life, which remains messy, lonely, and unresolved. That is not a plot hole. That is adult life! Your criticism of the flashbacks at the end also misses the point. When he returns to Bangkok, he is not simply being dragged through random memories for no reason. He is revisiting a place where he once experienced intimacy with Gyu-ho, and only later, in solitude, does he understand the emotional weight of what he had. The flashbacks are not there to announce, “This was the perfect relationship.” They show delayed recognition. Sometimes people only understand love after they have lost it. A shocking concept, I know, but human beings have been emotionally incompetent for centuries. And the fireworks ending does make sense. It is not some shallow “everything is wonderful now” celebration. It can be read as a celebration of survival, self-recognition, and the fact that life continues even without perfect answers. Go Young does not suddenly solve love, identity, or loneliness. But he reaches a point where he can exist inside that uncertainty. The fireworks are beautiful, temporary, excessive, and a little hollow, which fits the tone of the story far better than a neat moral conclusion would have. What bothers me most about your comment is the assumption that because the show did not resonate with you, it must therefore be meaningless. Not every queer drama exists for comfort or easy entertainment. Some stories are about toxicity, shame, longing, casual cruelty, chosen family, sexual confusion, emotional avoidance, and the daily loneliness that can exist even in crowded cities and active social lives. Those themes may not speak to you, and that is fine. But not understanding them is not the same as the show failing. You repeatedly frame your personal discomfort as objective failure. “I didn’t connect with this” would have been a perfectly valid response. “This is a show about nothing because I could not identify what the characters were supposed to be” is not criticism; it is a confession that you needed the series to do your interpretation for you. So no, people do not need to rate it below a 5 because you found it depressing or unresolved. Other viewers may have recognised the emotional, cultural, and queer-specific experiences the series was exploring. Your inability or unwillingness to engage with those layers does not make everyone else wrong. It just means the show was operating on a frequency you were not tuned into. Dislike it all you want. But calling it meaningless because it did not hand you clean motivations, tidy relationships, and a comforting conclusion says far more about the limits of your own understanding than it does about the writing.
Let's put things into perspective. There is no romance. It's called infatuation - this doesn't entail a physical romantic relationship, only admiration. Let's also put this into a practical example and something that is still a sensitive topic and highly controversial, namely the Kim Soo Hyun legal battle, where it is alleged that he had a relationship with a minor (who has since died in an apparent suicide). It would be highly unethical and cause international backlash if a show were to introduce an adult-minor romantic storyline, given the sensitivity of this matter in both South Korea and internationally... This would be career suicide for the actors and producers involved. So please, let's all enjoy the show for what it is... @markiepooh has also worded it perfectly in the response below.
This was such an incredible watch. I'm all here for Chinese BL. Just good-old sincere storytelling without the theatrics and cringe (here's looking at you GMMTV)
Listennnnnn... Because why am I, a person with responsibilities and a tragically normal life, sitting here sweating over a BL like it’s an extreme sport?
The acting is too good. Every pause feels like it has legal consequences. Every stare has me leaning into the screen like a raccoon trying to unlock an iPad.
The chemistry is obscene.... They stand near each other and suddenly the room temperature changes. My ancestors are confused. My snacks are untouched. My dignity has packed a tiny suitcase. And don't get me started on the dancing...!!
I now believe subtitles can raise your blood pressure... How the $%^& am I supposed to get any work done today!!
I liked this…nothing was rushed anddd I couldn’t predict nada! The only thing I didn’t like was Thup always…
I wanted to say the same thing! It's giving stalker vibes, and just cringey eventually... not a fan! At least there's King and Mek who were a great distraction. Fiiiiiine shyts guaranteed...damn!!!
Wasn't sure I was going to watch another PoohPavel collab after the train wreck that was Pitbabe 1 & 2.. but this is quite enjoyable. The acting is much better, but King takes the Oscar for me by far. Only on episode 6 and still a long way to go
I've just finished it. What a masterpiece! Definitely not a show you watch in the background. It asks for your full attention, almost like a long, intricate novel that keeps shifting between timelines and hidden truths. At times it is demanding, but the visuals, cinematography, performances, and soundtrack are breathtaking. It was a difficult watch at times, but for me, absolutely worth it. I have fallen in love with all of them ❤️ it's definitely going to haunt me for the next few weeks.
Did what it was supposed to do, but felt lack-lustre and rushed. I alsp think it could've been a bit darker, especially if you want to tackle the revenge genre. A masterclass in revenge drama would be The Glory (Korean).
You say the show is “inconsistent” because Ko Yeong is sometimes kind, sometimes cruel, sometimes loving, sometimes selfish, sometimes devoted, and sometimes avoidant. But that is not necessarily inconsistency. That is characterisation. People, especially people dealing with loneliness, trauma, shame, family rejection, desire, grief, and self-sabotage, are not fixed moral categories. A character being contradictory does not automatically mean the writers “don’t know what they’re doing”. It may simply mean you were expecting a much simpler story than the one being told.
The same applies to your issue with the Dublin Prize. Winning a literary award does not magically erase someone’s personal damage, financial instability, emotional confusion, or inability to sustain healthy relationships. You seem to think that because he receives recognition as a writer, the show should suddenly become about his fame, admirers, or professional success. But that would be an entirely different narrative. The prize is not there to turn him into a glamorous literary celebrity. It exists alongside the rest of his life, which remains messy, lonely, and unresolved. That is not a plot hole. That is adult life!
Your criticism of the flashbacks at the end also misses the point. When he returns to Bangkok, he is not simply being dragged through random memories for no reason. He is revisiting a place where he once experienced intimacy with Gyu-ho, and only later, in solitude, does he understand the emotional weight of what he had. The flashbacks are not there to announce, “This was the perfect relationship.” They show delayed recognition. Sometimes people only understand love after they have lost it. A shocking concept, I know, but human beings have been emotionally incompetent for centuries.
And the fireworks ending does make sense. It is not some shallow “everything is wonderful now” celebration. It can be read as a celebration of survival, self-recognition, and the fact that life continues even without perfect answers. Go Young does not suddenly solve love, identity, or loneliness. But he reaches a point where he can exist inside that uncertainty. The fireworks are beautiful, temporary, excessive, and a little hollow, which fits the tone of the story far better than a neat moral conclusion would have.
What bothers me most about your comment is the assumption that because the show did not resonate with you, it must therefore be meaningless. Not every queer drama exists for comfort or easy entertainment. Some stories are about toxicity, shame, longing, casual cruelty, chosen family, sexual confusion, emotional avoidance, and the daily loneliness that can exist even in crowded cities and active social lives. Those themes may not speak to you, and that is fine. But not understanding them is not the same as the show failing.
You repeatedly frame your personal discomfort as objective failure. “I didn’t connect with this” would have been a perfectly valid response. “This is a show about nothing because I could not identify what the characters were supposed to be” is not criticism; it is a confession that you needed the series to do your interpretation for you.
So no, people do not need to rate it below a 5 because you found it depressing or unresolved. Other viewers may have recognised the emotional, cultural, and queer-specific experiences the series was exploring. Your inability or unwillingness to engage with those layers does not make everyone else wrong. It just means the show was operating on a frequency you were not tuned into.
Dislike it all you want. But calling it meaningless because it did not hand you clean motivations, tidy relationships, and a comforting conclusion says far more about the limits of your own understanding than it does about the writing.
The acting is too good. Every pause feels like it has legal consequences. Every stare has me leaning into the screen like a raccoon trying to unlock an iPad.
The chemistry is obscene.... They stand near each other and suddenly the room temperature changes. My ancestors are confused. My snacks are untouched. My dignity has packed a tiny suitcase. And don't get me started on the dancing...!!
I now believe subtitles can raise your blood pressure... How the $%^& am I supposed to get any work done today!!