This review may contain spoilers
The adorably daft Hee Su - A heart-tugging tale of high school love
I loved the cute and delicious entanglement that this show was, while still managing to be deep and meaningful. I started watching this with really low expectations but ended up enjoying quite a bit....It could have been very well wrapped up in 8 episodes, but I guess the languid pace didn't really hurt this sweet tale after all. The plot focuses equally on the het-couple alongside the gay couple, even though the narration was done from Hee Su's perspective and in his voice. Though that didn't really make me as angry or disappointed as some others, I would have ideally liked to have more back story/screen time for Seung and his two moms.Bl-needle score: 8.5 High BL-ness
Hee Su is in love with his best buddy and popular guy, Chan Young.....the class nerd, Seung Won is in love with him, and manages the school counselling club (along with Hee Su now), posting anonymously about his crush for Hee Su, probably in the hope that he will find out...Hee Su gives great love advice to everyone and always tells people to confess, while mortally scared of confessing himself and completely oblivious of Seung Won's crush on him....
Even with a feel-good setting and script, the show managed to retain a touch of real-life truths and philosophies. It portrayed the teenage state of mind really well, albeit through a rose-tinted glass...nevertheless, it all felt quite real, like how teenagers would behave ...Chan Young's strong desire to tell his best friend about the new love in his life while being clueless all the time that that friend is crushing on him, Ji Yu's excitement about being with Chan, and yet suppressing all of it for the time-being to help Seung Won buy some more time with Hee Su, Hee Su's over-preparations and excitement for the trip, though a lot of it for misplaced reasons, Seung Won's cold feet with confessing to Hee Su about unrequited crush, the epic fails in their plans for the trip, and the secret starting to finally unravel when each one of them were unprepared in their own ways......later when Chan just took-off on learning that He Su had a crush on him all this while, the awkwardness between them, even though short-lived, all of that teen confusion, misadventure, and heartache, was portrayed really well...
I must add that Ahn Ji Ho, who played Hee Su, was so damn good.....his funny faces, comic timing, and expressions were absolutely bang on
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What a fantastic live-action adaptaion!! And NO, you don't feel like comapring with the anime
This has to be one of the best live action adaptation I have seen in a long time...I'm so in love with Jin's cute angel wings that pop up when he's paying special attention to Akin :DBL-needle Score: 9. Very High BL-ness
I'm loving it....Smart and Boom are both so good looking and damn cute together....as the leads, they are putting the screen on fire, and also doing a fantastic job in terms of the acting...
The usual compulsion to compare it with the anime was not really too high....but NGL, I did compare nonetheless, and didn't feel like I have to love this series any less than the anime...given how much I liked Dakaichi (the anime series), that is a big nod to how well they have adapted the story and made it their own...
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A stinking fluff-bomb of a show that you'll enjoy as a one-time watch if you love Jimmy-Sea
I couldn't have asked for a better show for one of my favourite pairs ever, Jimmy-Sea. This has got everything right so far, great looking cast, believable acting, intriguing story and great production values. What are you waiting for - go watch!!BL-needle Score: 8.5. Very High BL-ness
I loved the first episode. The intriguing story with a hint of esoteric and occult, an engaging script, good support cast, Jimmy who looks he has actually grown younger and more handsome, and Sea who is as pretty as always, I couldn't have asked for more. Also being a tarot junkie adds to the fun.
In the end, though this was not good as the Last Twilight, it was very enjoyable as a one time watch. I would call this a stinking fluff bomb that you are bound to enjoy if you are a Jimmy-Sea fan.
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The best Tropey BL drama in the recent times....this hurt so good...<3
Absofuckinglutely delicious!!! Do you dig cute-toxic-love tropes? Do you love suppressed love struggling to find its voice? Are you a degenerate BL-otaku who loves to be on the tenterhooks because the bois are obviously melting with hots for each other but are completely clueless to it at the same time? Do you love it when repressed gay men find each other and subsequently their voices to stand up for their love? Sawadee Khaap!!! you have come to the right place...this is the show for you!BL-needle Score: 9. Very High BL-ness
This show just got better with each episode...and the way it portrays the lives of gay men in repressed societies, the pressure to get married to a woman, the threats from people closest to you who would much rather run over your life and happiness rather than stand up for you, all in the name of 'your own good', the pain, hurt and hopelessness, all of it felt so real. I am so satisfied and achy at the same time...this is plain BL-otaku gold mine.
If the storyline of a compromised prince forced to agree to a marriage with a girl but falling for her cousin brother instead is not tantalising enough for you, you should know that both Peak and Pearl are looking absolutely gorgeous and bang on with their roles....the chemistry is sizzling and the tension between them is burning the whole screen up...the production values are great...even though the art direction and costumes (particularly given that this is a period drama) could have used more research and attention to details, you would not feel like holding the show ransom to these flaws...because the chemistry and delivery is so damn good!! Also, the OST sounds lovely..IMA go looking for it on YT...
As it ended, I am still pissed that some of the biggest a**hol*s who made their lives a living hell were offered redemption...but our guys get to be happy, so I'll let it be I guess...but honest to heart truth, they really didn't need to go out of their way to redeem them POSs.
I'm so rooting for Pearl-Peak now....and it was really good to see just how much Peak has improved on his acting skills since I last saw him in Make It Right, from almost a decade ago!
Anyway..... what are you waiting for...GO WATCH!!!
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Aren't they the cutest vamp-gang ever....the best lighthearted KBL in a long time!!
I must say that I have become a tad weary of white-washed, no-plot, only cuteness, only diffused-light, perfect-skin KBLs, off late now...but this one, even though it does tick many of these boxes, appealed to me...I would say go watch, if you want a mood-lifterBL-needle Score: 8.5 Very High BL-ness
All of the caste, and particularly the blood-sucking aspirant side characters, are way too adorable...also Jo Won's attraction to Dong Ha in the garb of a touch act is also adorable, even if cliched...also Kang Seon so reminds me of Jun from ThamePo..he's sharp, go getter, good looking and charming...but def seems headed to give up on the man he fancies....the two other vamps, Gyu Min and Yun Ho are just too cute with their 'please let us suck his blood', and 'we've never ever sucked any human blood ever in our lives'- imploring acts
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180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us
2 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
Intense and breathtakingly beautiful
What do you do if fate takes you back to the path you were always running from?BL needle score: 6.5 - Moderate BL-ness, interspersed with serious themes
This intense, heartbreaking, and yet breathtakingly beautiful series, raises many difficult questions, and gives us hope that love ultimately finds us the courage to live as our authentic selves.
This is the story of Wang, his mother Sasiwimol and Wang's father's best friend Inthawut or In...as it opens, Sasiwimol comes across as a successful career woman and a darling mother who is trying her best to be there for her son Wang, who misses his dead father dearly...despite the fact that there were some unresolved challenges between her dead husband and her, apparently mostly owing to his alcoholism. By sheer coincidence Wang and Sasiwimol lands up at In's place in the middle of nowhere after having lost their way while trying to scope for locations of Sasiwimol's next Lakorn.....Sasiwimol is both surprised and delighted it seems to have finally found an old friend In, who suddenly went missing from her late husband's and her life...while Wang feels this intense desire to know someone that he knows was very close to his father, courtesy photos that he had of his late father and In.
As they spend time in In's stunning home, Wang starts to fall for In despite the age difference, part driven by his intense desire to know why In was so close to his father, and part because the sheer chemistry between them is undeniable....In tries to avoid it for obvious reasons, but the sexual tension between them is palpable as Wang tries everything to break through the walls that In has put all around him....Wang's efforts seem to work when Sasiwimol has to go out for 2 days leaving two of them at In's house, and In starts to open up to Wang ....but once Sasiwimol is back and Wang confesses his love for In, all hell break loose....the pent-up tensions and feigned camaraderie between In and Sasiwimol crumbles....as the trio struggle through their own and collective secrets and guilt, painful truth from the past starts resurfacing......the two adults want to recede back to their make-believe comfort zones, but Wang refuses....he bulldozes through the walls of secrets and raises difficult questions, so that everyone can face the long-repressed truth.....a truth that Sasiwimol wanted to deny at all costs, a truth that made In withdraw from the world and live in self-imposed seclusion, guilt and pain....but, a truth that Wang could see all too clearly!
The series beautifully and expertly explores difficult themes of homophobia, childhood trauma, grief, narcissism (to me Sasiwimol is a clear case of at least borderline narcissism), and how denial/repressing our truths lead us towards an endless pit of pain and loneliness. But even though the series is heartbreaking and triggering in many ways, it gives us hope that love ultimately finds us the courage to live as our authentic selves!
With stellar performances from all three leads, excellent storytelling, beautiful cinematography, and clever use of sets and props (walls, iron-grills, bridges, etc.) all through the episodes symbolising the nuances of the characters and their stories, this is one stunning series that you can not miss. I have been a fan of Pond ever since I watched this, and I bet that you will be one too, once you watch this. Would I watch it again? Absolutely YES, but it is very intense and can be quite triggering, so go prepared and fall in love!
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Spectacular!
Wow! What a spectacular journey this was!BL needle score: 5 - Low and hidden BL-ness, with an unforgettable and endearing bond between MLs
If you have come here as a BL fan, let me tell you that this is in a different league altogether....nothing that I watched so far (and I have watched a lot, trust me), compares to the scale, depth and spectacle that The Untamed is....and be prepared that you will dearly miss it when you are done.....
Make no mistake that this is a BL, albeit with no overt show of that relationship given the censorship challenges from the origin country. But I absolutely loved how the love and romance was portrayed nonetheless....the tenderness, the concern and the unwavering commitment that we get to experience between Wei Wuxian and Lang Wangji, is other worldly...Kudos to the actors that they could convey the deep love without needing a lot of obvious show of it...I love me a tale that leaves room for imagination, and this one, though not by choice, does just that in terms of the romance and boy, do i love it!!
But beyond just the romance, the series has so much more to offer....the rich storyline, including all the sub-plots that contribute to the central theme, the incredible plot-twists, the wonderful character development, the nuanced politics and power struggles, the beautiful locales, the music, the cinematography, and above everything else, the epic cast that delivers spectacularly...it's a must watch.
At the end I miss them all...and particularly the beautiful and tender bond between Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan, and the adorable, cute, and loyal-to-a-fault Wen Ning...:(
When I finished this, I desperately searched for news/updates for another season or a proper spin-off... but as an afterthought, I realised that maybe its best this way...this bitter-sweet feeling of reminiscence and missing it dearly, is like a lovely ache that you come to cherish... it's so like the spirit of the series itself.
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A poignant and cathartic tale of flawed people, with some stellar acting
Why does no one ever have the courage untill it is too late! This is a heartbreaking and yet, beautiful tale of flawed people. Also, a stunning gay-themed show from Korea after a rather long time.BL needle score: 7.5 - Reasonably strong BL-ness, interspersed with serious themes
The story meanders through Ko Yeong's life and struggles as he goes from one love interest to other, failing the first one, love-hating the second, and loosing the last one, which ultimately makes him find himself in ways....
If you are a gay man (or even a woman) growing up or living in a big city in Asia, you'd find so many characters that will seem familiar...the story, while depending on some of the usual cliches of gay-besties gang (girl gang) and that hallowed chosen family support, does deliver a rather realistic and relatable story of a sort-of-closeted gay man from a conservative family, weighed down by the pressures of being the good son, the fabulous gay man, and also living that 'I dont give a shit bitch-will have fun' big city life, while pining for love that feels like home....all at the same time.
Yeong abandons the first one that loves him dearly, Kim, the most dedicated and stable one, because he isn't cool enough...(haven't we seen that happen like every other day in the gay dating scene!!).....fast forward the next one he falls for, No Yeong is, no surprises, the emotionally unavailable one, deep into the closet, with several unresolved issues and baggage...which expectedly, can only end in a traumatic way, and it does (again, a story that we see happen all around)....fast forward.....Yeong grows some....and then comes Gyu Ho, the real deal, the one he loves and the one who loves him back, the way he is...and I thought Yeong's confession about his being HIV+ to Gyu Ho was plain beautiful....the vulnerability, emotions, and desperation is portrayed so beautifully....but off course feeling loved as your authentic self is the most difficult and scary thing there is, right? The fear of losing makes us leave them before they do....but here the story is slightly less predictable, Yeong and Gyu really understand how strong their love is, and really try to work things out...but the fear.....THE FEAR...never goes away.....and that makes Yeong almost force separate from Gyu Ho.....in other words, he runs away from that one love that made him feel like he's safe and home.
The story, delves deep into the layers and nuances of a queer life...there is the obvious references to homophobia, struggles of living with HIV, the trauma of enforced closets and dual lives, the lack of love, care, safety and often betrayal by family, the contempt from society, and how religious dogma can turn people into monsters,...and then the beauty of finding support and love from your chosen family and finding a space that you can belong to.....it takes you through many a familiar feeling that is validating in ways.....at the same time it flags the lack of courage to accept ourselves and all others around us, as their everyday, non-glamorous, non-thrilling selves that is ...it definitely touches upon the all-too-familiar pressures of having that perfect and fabulous relationship, reaching the pinnacles of unrealistic standards of 'romance-that stuns and outdoes everyone'......and how the everyday mundane comfort around each other, the snoring, the stains that stay, and the 'don't have mind-blowing sex most of the time' familiarity, end up being no match for that....that is, until you find the courage to be just yourself, warts and all, and find beauty and comfort in it....find the courage to allow yourself to love and be loved with all your flaws, failing, and shadows........but, by that time, it is usually too late...or is it??
The series has a bit of an open ending, which one can interpret the way they want ...with a passing allusion to the possibility of Gyu Ho coming back to Seoul, hope floats.....just may be, Yeong moves out of his old apartment and moves into a new one...it ends as fireworks light up the sky, with Yeong and his gay-gang, seemingly happy celebrating their own selves....
But the question lingers, why does no one ever have the courage until it is too late!
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The first and last episodes have most of the story, the rest is just Phrae tourism promotion
I liked the first episode and the potential of the story, but it just got increasingly annoying after that. It's like they put a good part of the story into Ep 1, and then the rest of the episodes were 'Top attractions and merchandise of Phrae', and then again came back at the end to somehow try to save the story again. It failed miserablyIt's a pity because both the story and the actors, particularly Tontae and Best, had good potential, which was plain wasted. You can watch to drool at Nankrai (Best), who is plain yummy, otherwise safe to give it a miss.
BL-needle score- 8. Reasonably high BL-ness
I hope Best gets noticed and get caste in good lead roles, because I would definitely want to see 'more' of him :D
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A fresh storyline, good acting, and cinematography, with a happy but slightly abrupt ending
Ok, first things first, I love Hayakawa's pout, he has such kissable lips....and Konno is a dreamboat...if that doesn't convince you to watch this show already, it gets all the other things just right- script, cinematography, music, and acting. The ednding, even though very satisfying, feels just a tiny-winy abrupt. But nevertheless, a good show and safe to watch.BL-needle score: 6 Moderate BL-ness so far
I am quite surprised by how much I am liking this show, since I had started on this majorly because there were not many JBLs in a long time. I love the nuanced portrayal by both the leads...Hayakawa with his troubled, repressed youth and Konno with his handsome, easy-going, I-can-take-anything in my stride attitude.....the awkwardness of youth, the peer pressure to be liked, using sex to feel validated...all of it has a strong stamp of reality of the growing up years...so the script is done quite well...and so is the cinematography and music...in other words, this is a great package.
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Come....Fall in Love....
If you thought you are immune to fluff and cuteness, think again, Gameboys will bring out that school girl in you, without fail. What is even more surprising is that with all that fluff and rainbow hues, it doesn't shy away from addressing serious issues that queer people face. This is a wholesome, adorably melting, and blissfully romantic story with a strong message.BL-needle Score:9. Very High BL-ness
The dimply-charm of Gav, the awkward, self-doubting adorableness of Cai, and the darling shipper Pearl...the protagonists of this story will completely make you fall in love with them. Given the backdrop of the pandemic, it has very little action beyond through screens, but that does nothing to deter the appeal of this story, and neither you rooting for their puppy love, with a very satisfying ending, even though the impending separation between Gav and Cai looms ahead. With how adorable they are, they will make you want to live in this moment.
But I must mention that beyond the appeal of a all-through fluffy love story are deeper issues of the queer life - Cai's fear of judgment, inability to come to terms with being gay, Gav's endless strings of smart-sweet endearments and love-punchlines hiding the insecurities and the fear deep down of people leaving him the moment he is not able to please them, the intense and often irrational jealousy they both feel, part being teenagers and part since it comes with being queer and having a lot of self-loathing and inability to see themselves are worthy, and in turn, always afraid of being abandoned or rejected....the script weaves in all of these nuances of a queer life, albeit avoiding the pitfall of making it darker than is needed for a story like this. I would they did a great job of that - including serious issue and yet keeping it light and fluffy enough for everyone to watch it without feeling too heavy.
I am late to the Gameboys party, but boy am I hooked!!! Followed this up with the second season, and loved it even more.
As someone who grew up on 90s Bollywood, Gav's love punchlines so reminds me of SRK as a cocky lover boi in his early movies, and I want to use that famous catchline from one his most popular rom-coms to describe Gameboys -
Come... Fall in Love <3
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Uber cute, trope-y and yet, surprisingly enjoyable, like a fluffy dessert!!
Yet another trope-y Thai High School BL, right? umm......Yes, and NoBL-needle score: 8.5. Very high BL-ness
This turned out to be a hidden gem of fluff and feel-good, the tropes notwithstanding. I started watching this series for two reasons - I was bored, and, I love the OST by Jeff Satur . Was expecting yet another Thai High School romance and all its tropes...it IS that, but much beyond...I mean even though this had all the tropes and expected hooks, it just didn't feel stale, or give me that 'oh! no not again' feeling....the leads are quite good and somehow manage to make this 'no-surprise element'-script enjoyable....and I did not cringe at all, which was kinda unexpected :P
It has all the expected tropes - enemies-to-lovers, truant vs uptight good student, clueless about love until the competitor comes in, the short separation in between, one lead 'sacrificing the relationship for the good of the other, because they love them so much' (arrgh), the 'roll-your-eyes'- product placements (yes, including the 'always takes the cake for the most-annoying' - Refreshing Drinks)...you get it all...but somehow the script and the cast still make it work...and make you want to root for them and their cute, innocent love...
If you are free, or say, a tad blue, and up for some fluff, this is definitely recommended from me....and oh, do not forget to listen to the OST by Jeff, its so cute and soothing....will lift your mood instantly :D
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Had promise, but turned out to be striclty timepass fluff
This had an unique setting with soccer players and actors coming together....I was intrigued...but it ends there...if you want to watch just for the fluff and good looking actors, you can.BL-needle score: 7.5. Reasonably high BL-ness
This one had a lot of promise with an unique setting and premise- hot soccer players meet charming actors and icons...trying to jack up the fortunes of a fallen soccer team/club....but 2-3 episodes in, I realised that they had absolutely no plans to have any story whatsoever.... I did complete this, but with loooong gaps and a lot of skipping-through, and almost because I had already invested too much time into it...lol...the only thing I liked somewhat was the OST
Not recommended. But if you like looking at cute faces doing cute nothings, this could end up entertaining you.
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This review may contain spoilers
Get ready to cry, scream, love - a rollercoaster ride of emotions that'll make you want more
Do you know of that feeling where you scream all through the show at the electric chemistry between the lead pair and desperately want them to confess their love to each other? Yes, this is that kind.BL-needle Score: 10++. Needle broke !! Extremely high BL-ness.....yeah yeah, they insist it is (B)romance, but we know better
This show is the best thing since TharnType in terms of the intense romantic/sexual tensions between the lead pair.
Saint and Shin are childhood best buddies (my interpretation - more like boys in deep love, but clueless about it, like how only teenagers can be), who fall out due to an act of juvenile immaturity and violence, that halts Shin's soccer dreams...Saint initially runs away after the incident, unable to face the hurt he has caused to his best friend, and when he returns later, Shin's mom forbids him to see Shin ever again.....fast forward a few years, they meet since their school campuses are merged and they end up in the same Class 2 of their now merged campus, infamous for the violence and troubled lot of students....Shin apparently hates Saint, and no amount of apologies, convincing, and efforts from Saint are able to move him...or so he pretends.....but its all too plain that their love and all that pent-up hurt is just waiting to burst forth....the story then follows the meandering and frequently violent path of reconciliation between Saint and Shin, and also several of their troubled friends....with some of the friends and teachers acting as key enablers to that journey towards healing and hope
A special mention here for the character Chadjen, played by Mark...Chadjen is plain love ... he is an autistic friend of Saint and Shin, and, in my opinion, is the main thread of love and compassion that pulls everyone together towards the healing that we see at the end
Sky (Saint) and Nani (Shin) are outstanding as estranged childhood friends-turned-enemies, with Saint determined to get back to being the inseparable duo that they used to be...he refuses to give up and for a substantial part of the show, its an endless game of wooing and refusal between Saint and Shin, with a lot of help from Shin's adorable little (step)sister Chingching, who shares a special bond with both, and also from Chadjen, and the two teachers, Jan and Sung....Saint is almost like an adorable puppy who follows his master around to be forgiven for his mistakes, knowing full well that his life is pointless without Shin...the intense stares, electric chemistry, hurt-eyes and unmistakable yearning between Saint and Shin tells of a love that is undoubtedly beyond just best friends..
But the script will keep the bromance mask on, all through.....I think this is done deliberately, with the intent of keeping us salivating and yearning for that what almost everyone who has watched this show will want - Saint and Shin confessing their love to each other...and YES, even if for a fleeting moment, it does happen....so yes, it is going to make you very happy at the end.
Should you watch it? YES, YES, and YES :D
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The heart wants what it wants...a tale of unconditional love that loses out, or does it?
This was such a hidden gem!!! I don't know why it is rated so low here on MDL.BL needle score: 7 - Moderate BL-ness with a lot of heartbreak
To say that I was stunned by how real it felt, will still be an understatement.....and yes, it is intensely heartbreaking...but you'll probably love it exactly because of that..
Please be forewarned that it can be very triggering for those who have experienced third party situations....and I guess its quite common these days..and definitely so in the gay dating scene...to always look for more, and pursue momentary temptations to complicate a wonderful relationship that has nothing lacking really....but then the heart wants what it wants, and so it must be......as they say, c'est la vie!!
Ping Jun was all that one can want, hot, caring, hard-working, always shows up for his lover, the entire package.....and yet, Hai Qing wanted Yan Fei, the entitled but rich and privileged guy........that one random encounter and kissing had them both hooked, and they had to consummate it..and they did....and that's probably how it happens in real life too, or at least most of the time anyway
The storytelling and screenplay is fantastic. Even though it does drag a bit for the first 2 episodes, once it picks up, you are sure to be hooked ...the acting is also quite convincing I would say...the fact that the leads are all such eye-candies, definitely helps too....
It almost felt like I was part of their story at the end of it...and was desperately hoping that each one of them, Yan Fei, Hai Qing and most importantly, Ping Jun, finds their happiness and can look forward to a life of hope....
I think that is the message that the makers wanted to leave us with, because they tried to lessen the blow by keeping the ending slightly open-ended....possibly to offer some redemption to all three leads....and to us viewers as well.
Also, the music/OST is so stunning
Do I recommend it? Definitely YES...but be warned of the possible triggers and having an achy heavy heart as it ends.... <3
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