What was the point?
Basically it's just a regular episode where the viewer doesn't really get anything more out of the 10 episodes of the Takara no Vidro series.You get 23 additional minutes of the same story without really adding much. Time has passed (between 6 months to a year) but you can't really tell by yourself, as the show needs to do so with the "Takara-senpai returns from a long hiking trip" thing. The emotional investment of Taishin himself makes it feel like he went down the convenience store, not to another country.
Even the stalker turned BL fan fic writer felt cringey, despite me being actually curious about her POV in the teaser.
Personally, I think even those who really loved this show should just move on and find something else to enjoy, as this special seemed unnecessary, even counterproductive, as Taishin and Takara felt like roommates, not lovers.
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Promising start, poor execution
After watching an emotional rollercoaster like Koisenu Futari, I needed something less serious to give myself the time to recover (one of the best shows I've ever seen.)At first, I thought Century of Love could be a likable, average Thai BL to distance myself from KF. Boy, was I wrong and right at the same time!
I like the reincarnation trope, but it has to make sense. But the plot didn't make any sense either. Let's break it down.
1- The first 4-5 episodes can't even considered BL, as the drama seems a melting pot of family drama, action-packed scenes with a sprinkle of supernatural and much more.
2- The Mrs. Wad reborn thing: The present-time setting takes place a few weeks before the Goddess's birthday, which means the clock is ticking. San needs to find his long-lost lover to perform the ritual and avoid a horrible death. OK, I get the urgency for suspense and dramatic purposes. BUT.
> San's family doesn't seem to care that time's almost up, living their everyday life, getting a change of heart when the stone is in the villain's hands.
> As soon as Tao points out that Mrs. Wad is back, the family gets into idiot mode; for several episodes, they perpetually ask Tao to redo his calculations because they can't understand who the real Mrs. Wad is. Also, screenwriters couldn't care less about tidying things up, as they didn't ever make clear WHO Mrs. Wad was.
> San's attitude: San gets all grumpy and treats Wee like a broken object just because he has been waiting for his lover for 100 years and can't accept that they might be reborn as a man. Also, for half of the series, San wants to find his lost lover because he loves her and needs her to perform the ritual to save his life. As soon as he realizes he fell in love with Wee, the urge to find Mrs. Wad or use the stone, nothing matters anymore.
> San's condition: It's mentioned that as the Goddess's birthday approaches, the pain San has to endure will increase. In addition, the presence of Wee would benefit San. How? We don't know. There is only one scene where it was shown without explanation.
> Drama for the drama's sake. Most of the drama in the drama shouldn't even be there, but as the characters do not have functioning brains, I see why they inserted these sloppy excuses for getting to the number of episodes they need.
3- Acting-wise, I can't say I'm amazed but neither disappointed. It's my first DaouOffroad drama, so I can't make any comparison to their previous roles. I liked the performance of Offroad, even though it felt too much at times, especially in drama-heavy scenes. Daou's performance felt stiff, which is of the character of San himself, but it felt too much acted.
4- At best, the characters seemed dumb doing what they did.
Why would San and Wee fall for each other? Was Wee Mrs. Wad reborn? What made him so special? I guess we'll never know.
PROS:
- Honestly? None
CONS:
- Lack of characterization;
- Plot holes and poor writing;
- 404: Brain not found;
- The annoying sound effects. I swear-
- Poor CGI: not a major con, but still.
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The hype threw the drama down the cliff.
I wanted to watch this drama since it began airing, but I could not check it out earlier. And I think it was a bliss.The hype around this story being the first uncensored BL in China (a Thai co-production) helped make the drama popular despite its shortcomings.
Plot-wise, the drama does the job without giving the audience a fresh story, which is fine. I'm all in when it comes to revenge-focused plots and icy characters. With that being said, I despise promising stories that go off midway with plotholes and poor scriptwriting choices.
Let's break things down:
1- Plot holes: the plot went bananas halfway through episode 6. There is no acceptable explanation as to why a crippled side character could have the opportunity to sneak into an imperial jail (!!), make their presence unnoticed, take away to another cell Xiaobao and torture him with the Eternal Cold Poison and then bring him back to where they took him. Prove me wrong.
2- Characters share the same brain cells as the scriptwriters: after the poisoning of Xiaobao, no one can think.
It's just an endless - and pointless - accusation for Huai'en to take the blame. Despite him having zero reasons for wanting to poison XB, everyone thinks he must be the culprit, as he is a villain trying to accomplish his father's revenge. Who cares if he could kill XB and his family on the spot but didn't do it? Why bother asking the use of going to that length only to make XB suffer and, ultimately, die? That's what happened in the minds of the Jin family.
3- Que Siming x Jinbao: a pair that should have had more screen time to be given justice to them. I don't even know why or when the miracle doctor came in, but I guess that, at that point, neither the scriptwriters could bother to make the entrance of this character somewhat believable.
4- Thanks, Drama Gods, for giving me the strength and some humor to keep up with this idiotic plot.
5- Low budget: not a major con for me I don't care if the production is low budget. As long as it makes sense. This production though is ridiculous.
6- The ending: yay, (almost) everyone gets a happy ending. It feels like a retelling of the Famiglia del Mulino Bianco* (Family of the White Mill).
*fictional family in the history of Italian commercials
PROS:
- I feel sorry only for Huai’en
- Humor was my coping mechanism
- The second pair stole the show
CONS:
- PLOT HOLES EVERYWHERE
- Characters share the same brain cells as the scriptwriters
- Low budget
- The drama got worse after hitting the half
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Cuteness shower couldn't cover all major issues
The story itself was well written and executed most of the time throughout the 12 episodes.Taichi and Kouhei are so cute together and don't feel like monodimensional characters because their struggles and thoughts unravel throughout the story.
That said, one cannot deny that there were some issues in the story's development, one of them being the character of Maya.
Since Maya appeared, I could sense the story becoming more and more draggy as the episodes passed. Her character, to me, had little to no reason to exist or at least to behave the way it was in the series.
Another major issue was the lack of noticeable progression between the mains regarding their love. This lack of progression made the series shift more like a friendship/school-setting series than a BL with romantic attachment. And I would have been perfectly fine with that if not for the fact that I started watching this, mostly because I was intrigued by the premise of a hearing-impaired MC and his love for a boy who doesn't face the same struggles in his day-to-day life.
I liked how the production decided to represent the daily struggles of hard-to-hear individuals, both visually and with the help of sound effects - or the lack of them; therefore, help someone who doesn't have to face these difficulties like me get a better understanding of it.
I would still recommend it, but I would also suggest not having big expectations for the love progression, as this series takes a very Japanese approach.
PROS:
- A good representation of the daily life of hard-to-hear individuals, which helps the viewer get the MC's POV better;
- Both Taichi and Kouhei are such cute and precious characters. It's impossible not to like them!
- The lighthearted moments with other characters helped ease much of the draggy feeling of the overall progression between MCs;
CONS:
- Lack of progression and development of the love story;
- The ending might be dissatisfying for some viewers;
- The character of Maya fails to have a unique identity in the overall context of the story despite the potential visible in a few scenes.
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UHHH...
MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD -- Review #9I guess I began 2025 with a drama curse because I can't seem to find something that talks to me besides one hidden gem among, at best, mediocre titles. Lovely Writer is not a gem.
I have a love-hate relationship with Thai BLs, as I find them mediocre or straight-up fails; just a couple of Thai BLs were enjoyable to watch. But let's back to Lovely Writer.
The premise was nice enough for me to watch it, but that's about it. A somewhat fresh perspective of the industry, with a sprinkle of love, seemed something that could pick my interest, and for three episodes it delivered. Then, the plot shifted to drama nonsense.
1- PREMISES: I liked that the drama initially wanted to address the shadows of an ever-growing industry: break stereotypes, toxic fan behaviors, etc. I sometimes think we tend to idolize an artificial world, forgetting that it's made of people and capitalism ready to crush them for profit. BUT. LW failed to portray this issue properly, shifting abruptly to drama.
2- DRAMA FOR DRAMA'S SAKE & PLOT HOLES: 97% of episodes are filled with nonsensical and foolish action. Characters do stupid things without a reason, like they want to throw drama at the public. The same goes for the script: it doesn't make sense and gets boring quickly. At episode 11 scriptwriters suddenly remember they have a drama to wrap up instead of going all lovey-dovey, so they start throwing p00p like they were monkeys hoping the pile will become a functioning plot by magic.
3- SOCIAL THEMES: I liked that social themes, like one's sexual identity, were addressed decently. There's still room for improvement though.
4- CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TROPE: It's time to stop. - FilthyFrank
5- LEADS: There were cute interactions between Nubsib and Gene, I have to admit it.
Despite that, I can't say acting-wise I was amazed: only Up (Gene) managed to deliver a solid performance.
6- SOUND EFFECTS BULK DISCOUNT: I guess SFX was on sale in Thailand then. Result? Too many, too frequently. They annoyed me.
PROS:
- Promising start > breaking stereotypes in the BL industry
- Cute interactions between leads
- Social themes addressed in an OK manner
CONS:
- Plot doesn't make sense
- Childhood friends trope
- Characters' actions do not make any sense
- What's with that cringe amount of sound effects?
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This drama had me in mind as the target audience.
This drama had me in mind as the target audience.That's why I was waiting for it to finish airing to dive into the story.
The show didn't quite meet the expectations, as it had many shortcomings, but it remained fun.
The premises are refreshing, and I couldn't ask for anything more. I enjoy stories with fantasy backgrounds, but I admit that the genre per se has not come up with new ideas in a while. So, both leads becoming human after spending their lives in a zoo cage was so much fun! Of course, all the small details that show how they were not human before are clever and entertaining.
Even the fact that Sun was a black panther and Junior a penguin was such a nice touch: how could they possibly get close to each other without letting nature do its course? I have to admit that the screenwriters did a nice job portraying this aspect.
What I didn't like were the many shortcomings that showed up throughout the story. Without getting too deep, I must say that the romance between leads didn't seem to grow naturally, as it started in a slow-burn kind of way and skyrocketed in the middle of the show.
Also, at some point, I felt screenwriters just focused on minor parts of the plot and opened Pandora's box of plots that were not addressed in the end, just to be abandoned when time began to shrink. The viewer simply can't get things sorted in their head due to the amount of pieces of information and loose ends thrown at their face.
As for me, I enjoyed the drama despite its problems, but I think I went in with high expectations that could not have been met in the first place.
PROS:
- Cute and emotional
- I loved the premises: such a refreshing and much-appreciated background
- The Mole Goddess was such a mood for me
CONS:
- The plot could have been executed better
- PLOT HOLES EVERYWHERE > Too many loose ends that were just abandoned midway
- The VFX department felt a bit cheap, but the drama wasn't high-budget
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Cute and short drama that felt too rushed
NOTES: I'll try to keep the review without too much spoilers, but I might fail tragically. I'll let you know when and where to skip.I pressed play aware the show had some issues, but I couldn't care less, as I needed something short and cute.
I liked the premise of a vampire trying to become human due to previous issues, but the execution was lacking in many departments. Oh, boi.
The episode length felt rushed in the sense that the plot unravels so fast that seems like the MCs met each other, fell in love, and were ready to die for each other in a matter of days. I get it: ten minutes is not an adequate time to squeeze in an episode, but it is what it is.
At best, the characters seemed dumb doing what they did.
Also, the characterization is, at best, lacking: Junho and Minhyeon are just the "Vampire" and the "Pureblood." Why would they fall for each other? What makes a Pureblood different from an ordinary human being? I guess we'll never know.
Even that joke of a love triangle felt like a waste of screen time that should have been used to develop the relationship between MCs.
!SPOILER!
At last, let's talk about the ending:
The ending is one of the few things that make rational sense: some viewers might not like it, but it was coherent with that tiny information we got throughout the series: Junho had to drink blood for AT LEAST 10-15 seconds, which would most likely result in killing Minhyeon. Junho, having already murdered a lover by sucking their blood, understandably decided to just give up on a 500-year-old life for the safety of his lover, who was only 18.
!END OF SPOILER!
PROS:
MCs are eye candy;
The actors were cute together;
Refreshing perspective > Vampire wants to become human.
CONS:
Not a refreshing setting;
Lack of characterization;
Useless hint to a love triangle;
Worldbuilding had room for improvement;
The ending might disappoint some viewers, but at least it was coherent.
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Good comfort drama, not-so-good love story
The story felt bland and monodimensional, without tangible character development or a love story. It's a comfort drama, very Japanese, where MCs heal their past scars, so the viewer feels almost hugged by the wholesomeness of the story while being entertained by the lighter side of the story.That said, one cannot deny some issues in the story's development, including the non-existent romance.
I'm all down for a good slow-burn romance, but the problem was that the romance was non-existent until the last episode, so I could sense the story becoming more and more draggy as the episodes passed.
This lack of progression made the series shift more like the story of two strangers who developed a friendship rather than a BL with a romantic attachment. And I would have been perfectly fine with that if not for the fact that I started watching this, thinking I would see some cute and comforting romance sparkling between stoves.
Also, this so-called romance seemed like a one-sided crush to me. The viewer gets only Isumi's POV throughout the story, while Amasawa-san treats him like a little brother or a friend.
I would still recommend it, but I would also suggest not having big expectations for the love progression, as this series takes a very Japanese approach.
PROS:
- Food;
- Comfort drama;
- The lighthearted moments with other characters helped ease much of the draggy feeling of the overall progression between MCs;
- I enjoyed the opening by SUPER★DRAGON.
CONS:
- Lack of progression and development of the love story;
- The ending might be dissatisfying for some viewers;
- The monpa and gamer friends were more present than the love story.
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What was the point of this?
The story felt bland and monodimensional, without tangible character development or a plot. It's a light-hearted and quick drama to watch between darker stories.My major issue with this drama was the abundance of plot holes and the lack of closure the story—and the viewer—needed. This could have been addressed had they only increased the episode length and put some effort into writing a script coherent with the premises.
And no, I cannot accept that, as a viewer, I had to be left alone with my thoughts, trying to fill in all the holes the scriptwriter couldn't care less to amend.
In conclusion, this drama was a waste of a good and quick-paced story that I wouldn't recommend to anyone.
PROS:
MCs are eye candy;
Respect, communication, and willingness to adapt and overcome issues... Kinda
CONS:
Not a refreshing setting;
Plot holes;
Star-crossed lovers + love that spans lifetimes;
Characters acting out of their characters for no apparent reason
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