Earth

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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Adorably cute

Can a boy and a ghost be lovers and be happy with it...HELL YEAH!! He's coming to Me makes you believe that, and more :D

BL needle score: 8.5 - Very strong BL-ness

This is an adorably cute tearjerker, and an extremely fulfilling series. A very special mention of Aof's screenplay and direction, which I believe, is the key ingredient that makes it so enjoyable. Also, fantastic acting by Ohm and Singto and such enchanting chemistry! I so want to see Ohm and Singto together again after this!!!

One of the other things that I really liked about this series are the meaningful side stories, unlike many other Thai BLs, where the side characters don't have any plausible stories and do little beyond supporting the leads. The script was well thought through and the idea is quite novel....they make you believe in this ghost-human romance, and how!!

Without giving out any tale-tell spoilers for those who may not have watched it so far (like me, I watched this after 5 years of its release) I would have loved it if the makers had left out that...err, shall we say, gratuitously happy part at the very end where they reunite, and instead dropped a hint of them possibly reuniting again in the future for a second season (okay, so yes, I so wanted a second season of this, which off course is not happening).....but then, I'm not complaining...I was very happy at the end. :D

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Beautiful and deep

If love, unblemished with ego, jealousy, and attachment, was to come alive as a person, they would be like Tofu I guess ....<3

BL needle score: 7.5 - Reasonably strong BL-ness, interspersed with serious themes

What an absolutely beautiful and deep series this is...while many other Thail BL series have hinged on magic realism, this seems to have taken it to another level altogether. 16 episodes with an average duration of 1.5 hours, that is a whole day/24 hours, and yet, I binge-watched it.

Should you watch it? The short answer is YES. It has avoided many usual tropes and pitfalls of Thai BLs. Hats off to the team that they stuck to their guts to keep the episodes at 1.5 hours length and refused to cut corners, which helped with a layered and nuanced portrayal of sensitive and difficult issues such as mental health, childhood trauma, toxic social-cultural traps that many parents forced their children through, and so on....

It also beautifully captures how we get caught up in our own lies, even with the best intentions, how jealousy, attachments and inner insecurities stop us from being our authentic selves and hurt everyone in the process.....and how love (Tofu personifies love to me in this series) is the only force that can ultimately brings us towards closure and peace, so that we can look towards the future with some hope and happiness.....

Off course I also have my axe to grind with the ending, not because how it ended, but more for the pace of it. It felt completely rushed at the end without giving the characters and viewers some time to grieve and adjust to Tofu's storyline, and also find some closure before being able to 'move on' and look to the future with hope....I just don't get why the team, after making such long episodes without cutting corners, had to rush through the ending...I'm wondering if they faced the same pressures as Nut's boss in the series, Juea.

It would have been much better to show a break in the storyline like '2 years later' or '3 years later' before showing how the characters moved on with their lives....that would have given Nut, Na and all others a reasonably acceptable time to grieve Tofu (yes, the Teddy's presence notwithstanding) ...without that closure curve, it seems like all the people who were so deeply touched by Tofu and his love, just quickly went past him and went on with their lives...which is plain disrespectful and insensitive to a character who was as important as Tofu.... and that is why it seems so painful and unacceptable for most of us, I believe...it would have been also good to spare 5-6 minutes for the Saen-Jan storyline to show what happened to them afterwards....If not for these gaps, this series would have figured in my list of Top 5 Thai BLs so far, but because of this issue it will only do so in the top 10.

Nevertheless, I maintain that this is an absolutely beautifully crafted series ...the only other Thai BL series that I think comes close to talking sensibly about such difficult issues is probably '180 degrees longitude passes through us', and 'Khun Chai', though both of them only scratched at the surface, while this series goes deep and is thus a cathartic experience. It somehow reminded me of the series '13 reasons why' which also dealt with difficult subjects of mental health, jealousy, suicide, guilt, trauma, power and the likes, though it was way more triggering and raw...

Kudos and a BIG THANK YOU to the entire cast, crew and team for making this series. Definitely recommended!

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Kawaii ne...and oh! those mesmerising eyes!

This is cute and quirky...and the actor playing AE is plain ravishing with the most beautiful pair of eyes ever!!

BL-needle Score: 8. High BL-ness

I binge-watched all three episodes of this drama and liked it a lot....Even though I find Chiaki's nervous-fanboi character to be a tad to OTT and affected at times, but that's true for almost all JBLs that have such characters.....in other words, that is not stopping me from really enjoying this drama.

Both the actors are doing a great job I feel...and they really do make AE look very different in his two avataars....which is really commendable..its not just the wig, or the piercings, or the attire...its like the entire persona undergoes a change...just like how he tells Chiaki about clothes giving courage to people.

This promises to be entertaining and mostly feel good.. and with such a gorgeous man strutting around, I am definitely gonna turn up for the next episodes 😍

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This is plain beautiful.....hilarious, and heart tugging, slice of life drama

This will make you laugh, cry, and end up feeling like 'pickled-in bliss' 💖

BL-needle score: This does not feel like a BL really, though the main male leads are gay

I started this with zero expectation, mainly because I was intrigued by the synopsis and the fact that this is a drama from Japan which has episodes that are 45 minutes long...I thought, what's the deal here...and boy, am I glad that I started it!!! This low-key reminded me of Forest Gump, the same dumb hope, goodness of heart, and those 'you-want-to-believe-utopia' feels

Clumsy, a tad naive, kind, and an old gay man -that is one of our leads...the other, in his 30s, is more practical, if not cynical, mostly open gay man...and the other key character is a girl, sharp, a tad eccentric, and seemingly bordering on rebellious, high school student, who feels abandoned by her parents and doesn't want anyone to know anything about her family.....these odd trio comes together by fate's stroke and share an icecream tub...which promises to change their lives...🥰

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Turns out this is quite good actually

I love myself a time-travel story, and that was the ONLY reason that I started this. NGL that I was half expecting the off-repeated tropes and cringe-fest from this, looking at the (same-old) poster, but was pleasantly surprised. The storytelling and performances are quite good...with a story about a school band where the members can actually sing, a lot less of OTT cringe, and also a tolerably good story to boot. I would say yes, watch.

BL-needle Score: 7.5 Reasonably high BL-ness

The story of a mid-40s under-performing, desperate guy Win, getting a second chance at life and possible love with his school crush Nut, is nothing new and I was half expecting to drop this after the first episode. But the show convinced me otherwise. While it is not a stunner or incisive, I would say it still works better than some of the formulaic Thai shows that have had in the recent times. The substantial gap for the time-travel didn't feel realistic given how hung up Win and Lin still are about Nut's death (after 27 Years!!). A 10-15 years at most, would have been more believable.

Win and Nut's characters are mostly believable, and so are their friends. I must mention that Win's dad is such a sweetheart. I love the fact that for once a BL-father is shown to be fun and caring. It also gives us a the stark contrast with Nut's father who is your usual shitty-controlling-abusive douchebag of a father that we have had for many a past dramas. The difference so clearly shows up in how Win and Nut are as teenagers, which I think, could turn out to be an important message, going forward. Also, so glad that the leads can actually play the guitar and sing, which is so very apparent on screen. That itself brings more authenticity to their story. But I must say, that I didn't really like their music much, but that didn't interfere with me liking their story.

My only bone of contention was how the final episode felt a tad rushed, like everything got resolved and came to be as desired, within what seemed like a rather short time span...they could have left a few things open-ended, to make it seem more realistic, particularly since the show was, for most parts, very believable all through.

To sum it up, I really enjoyed watching this and I think, you will too.

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One of the best BL dramas out there - I'm in love, will always be..Untill the End

To say that I loved this will be an understatement. Blissful fluff, adorable and yet realistic jealousy, coming of age, friendship, slice of real life homophobia, queer-positivity, it has it all....delivered in a neat package of fantastic acting, great production values, and a script that almost never feels awkward. It is one of the best boy love stories that I have watched so far, and trust me, I have watched a lot.

BL-needle Score: 10. Extremely High BL-ness

The season 2 takes off right from where season 1 ended and we get to see the lovey-dovey two-some time between Gav and Cai when Cai's mother (the kind of mother most queer person would like to have) tells him that he can stay back some more time with Gav given the situation in Bukidnon, where their family has shifted after his father's death. So they realise with almost-euphoria that they get to spend almost a month's time together. Their blissful times however are cut short with the arrival of Gav's ext Terrence who was driven out of his home by his father once he came out and came drunk-knocking at Gav's for a safe space, as a last, desperate way. Starting from that, the story does a wonderful job in portraying how Cai and Gav worked around the sensitive issue of hosting an ex who is in need, the jealousy, then the double jeopardy o f Wes, Cai's childhood friend also arriving to pursue Terrence (we get the backstory in the last extended episode of season 1 and some of it later in season 2), also Terrence's less-than-authentic and gratuitous entanglement with Achilles and its expected fallouts, Peral's never-wavering mothering and support to all of them, and finally breaking through the childhood trauma of being outed and hated as a queer person aunt Susan who arrives and spews a lot of very realistic homophobia.

I think a lot of us queer people can identify with each of these characters, their stories and traumas. The struggle with one's self to accept our own queerness, the refusal to acknowledge, constant emotional blackmail and even abandonment, from our natal families, the self-loathing it results in, finding a safe space with our chosen family, the phobia and othering even within the LGBTQ+ community, the all-season female friend who is almost always the best refuge, the insecurities of losing the loved one to anything and everything, the suffocation if being unable to stand up for yourself in the face of hatred and phobia from elders and the society in general, the toll it takes on our mental health, all of that....it has captured so many nuances and aspects of a queer life so well. A lot of these portrayals follow stereotypes, yes, but they are true nonetheless.

In short, the show has tried its best to include layers and layers of queer experiences in this show while still managing to keep it fluffy, overall happy, and adorably cute, which is no mean feat. I'm so surprised that this has only 14 reviews as compared to the original Gameboys which has 135...and also has a lower rating overall...while I absolutely loved season 1, I would definitely say season 2 was an improvement on that, in all sense.

Kokoy (Gav), and Elijah (Cai) are fantastic with their portrayals, the struggles, vulnerability, self-doubts, jealousy, first-love awkwardness, all-consuming teenage love...all of it is almost perfect. Also, Adrianna as Pearl, is very convincing. The other actors who play Achilles, Terrence and Wes are also quite good. Even with a slightly overdoes of fluff and OTT emotions, it is their portrayals and the script that makes it very believable and enjoyable.

I am so looking forward to the next season which is expected to be in NYC, where Gav has moved to take care on aunt Myra.

I'm in love...and will always be....Until the End. Strongly Recommended.

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Perfect Weekend Dope of Mush...Watch it for the Comfort

I paused it after Episode 16, planning to restart, but then never went back to it...may be the feel good only felt good for so long...🤷🏽‍♂️

Original review: Steeped in adorable moments, sizzling chemistry for all the pairs so far, great screenplay, and production values and a story that lets you feel good unapologetically without having to tax your brain too much, and yet retains a refreshing quality.....this show never disappoints in delivering the goodies so far... I have come to call it my 'Weekend Dope of Mush'

BL needle score: 9 . Very high BL-ness

When this series started I was wondering, if they will be able to keep us glued for all 24 episodes and more than 6 months!!! After the first 10 episodes, I am finding myself wishing that they had more than 24.

While I will write more detailed review later, for now, if you are not watching this and love feel-good, romantic stories that tug at your heart, go watch it now!

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This promises to be a fun riot and super cute!!! Reminds me of Bad Buddy!

The starting of this drama instantly reminded me of the big daddy of enemies-to-lovers series - Bad Buddy....and my Pookies Sea-Keen made me fall in love with it, as always!!

BL-needle Score: 8 High BL-ness

What's not to like!!... Sea-Keen with their delish chemistry, the endless banters, steeped in every known cute-trope possible, and a rest of the cast that is sooo easy on the eye....we definitely seem to have got a winner on our hands...

Sea-Keen are my favourite pair among the new ones from GMMTV...other than their bang-on chemistry, both have reasonably good acting skills that is improving with every drama, and they have also chosen diverse types of characters even when they have only done the same cutesy-tropey romance genre, which is quite commendable!

And the way Ep 1 ended...that's exactly what was prescribed - a car crash injury for J just serious enough to break his arm so that he has to be nursed, undressed, washed (wink wink), cared for, and melted to the exact temperature needed 😍 by the 'Boy of his dreams'

This looks all set to become my go to drama for tropey-comfort ...I knew my Pookies will not disappoint 🥰

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Started okayish, and then got better and better...Keng will just take your breath away!

I'm beyond floored by Keng in this - he's plain divine...watch this, even if you like nothing else in this drama, though there are lots to love actually...it's worth watching just for him!

BL-needle score- 7.5 Reasonably high BL-ness

I had been waiting for Khemjira since the time I watched Keng in POaradise of Thorns...loved his portrayal there and have also been loving his singing...and then this dropped...NGL, I was and am still not convinced by Keng-Namping chemistry and this drama started slow on me, despite Keng...but it just got better and better and gave me enough reasons to watch it beyond just Keng....All the actors are doing a great job and the characters are all quite relatable (other than the fantasy elements off course)...and the entire caste is doing a fantastic job in making this fantasy-horror tale believable and enjoyable. The costumes, make-up, set design, cinematography, and art direction has been really good too, so is the coloring.

I loved Jet-Charn's pair....Tle and First are doing such a wonderful job with their act ...also love Jet and Khem's friendship....Green as the chief villain Ramphueng is also doing a great job...also all the other characters, immaterial to how much screen time they got, have been really good..grandma, the villagers, all of them....

But the best thing about this show is without doubt 'Por Kru' - Keng Harit!!...whether it is his acting, or his singing and how scorching he looks all through...he has you eating out of his hands!! Even if you watch this drama just to gawk at him, it's worth it!!

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Underwhelming

Why on earth would one want to make a series with not even a half-cooked script...beats me.....It seems like they just put together some trope scenes and thought it will suffice....maybe this could just work as a comic strip/manhwa, but as a live action show- NO.

BL-needle score: 8. Reasonably high BL-ness

Nothing much to write, the casting, the dialogues, the script, everything seems half-hearted and pointless. Even with a 8 minute length, or 13 minute (episode 3) it's a drag. Why waste so much effort and money...I wonder!!! My verdict - Nah, don't waste your time.

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A solid start - the Krist-Singto magic is back, or so I thought...sigh...Nah!

Ok, I took a very long time to admit that I just could not finish watching this one.....it lost steam super quick and no matter how much I promised myself to get back to it for the love of Singto.....I just couldn't continue to watch this...😥.....and here I am, after many months of denial, finally accepting that this was just bad and a disappointment....I'm leaving my original review after Ep 1 intact below just so you know I was excited and convinced, like so many others that this will deliver..but..sigh!!

Original Review after Ep 1:
Yaay!!! Finally Krist-Singto are back ...and they are back with what seems like a good script, enough potential for mushy moments and a slice of real-life ...The chemistry is still bang on and delicious.....this definitely promises to be an action-packed and entertaining show

Just a quick observation - Is it just me, or did they seem a tad awkward for that first peck on the cheeks?? Also, it was nice to see that gentle kiss, almost felt like we are back to the SOTUS days..:D

BL-needle score: 7. Reasonable Bl-ness so far

I don't think a lot needs to be said about the anticipation this show created, since most of us would anyway turn up to just gawk at the legendary pair.....beyond the chemistry of Krist-Singto, the show promises to be well-scripted and a mostly light-hearted story so far. Even though a weather forecast anchor with his own screaming fan club is a tad umm....extreme, I admit...but with looks like Krist's, well, it's at least not unimaginable....:P

I'm also betting that the show will likely have a slice of reality (read muck) from the entertainment-news media sector...the mad competition, the star tantrums, the realities of people behind the camera, etc. I'm glad that Krist took on a character which has more than its fair share of shadow elements...also, I'm sure as the show reveals more we will learn why Padtaphi turned out to be the way he is and what really transpired between him and Tamtawan....


For now, I will be glued on. :D

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Kawaaiiiiiii...this is cute as hell.....seems like a sure shot mood lifter

The older virgin-clueless in love-cute office worker and his younger hot-popular-savvy colleague entangling in an unlikely romance....there have been many of this trope in JBLs (Ocean's Love, Old Fashioned Cup Cakes, etc.)...and they get me every damn time...this one seems to be headed the same way...and I'm not complaining at all!!

BL-needle Score: 8. High BL-ness

I love the stereotype of middle-age, shy Japanese gay man who has never explored any dating, romance or even kissing...who spent his life so far just working and getting back home, and then repeat...but also the slight break away from that stereotype where Suzume buys all those soft toys, dresses up in that cute suit at home and eats what he wants to....the adorable details of a cute character....and then the way Keiji uses the 'Oh he is good looking and must have a girlfriend' to conveniently hide him being gay, while secretly watching and crushing over his senior colleague...in other words, both the stereotypes and the quirks in this drama make me grin like the chesire cat :D

And that scene where Suzume jumps at Keiji to try and take his phone and struggles due their height difference, and how Keiji hugs Suzume from the back....awwww...it has me melting all the way.....

Watch if you like them JBL tropes, and also if you feel out and blue....it will surely lift your mood

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Thai BL meets Lara Croft meets Last Airbender meets a very good looking cast - I'm so sat

There's not one boring moment in this one so far....any more ingredients and they can make at least 3 dramas out of it ...but I love it nonetheless ...NGL, the very good looking cast plays an important role in that, other than the good production values...So initial verdict is: Aye, Aye!! 😍

BL-needle Score: 8, High BL-ness

So, this gives off aThai BL meets Lara Croft meets Last Airbender vibes, with a lifetimes-spanning love rivalry thrown in...and who wouldn't sign up if the trio look as good as Khunkhao-Siwat-Thara...with a few more yummy bois as friends thrown in, you could watch this for a few episodes just for the cast...🥰

But the story promises a lot too...and I mean a LOT...may be a tad too much...not complaining, just saying......element bending characters, ancient and magical civilization/dynasty with a secret hidden in deep lush forests, pre-historic monsters, present-day evil stepmother and her lover-aide, ancient and modern day love triangle.....phew....I hope they are able to focus on 1-2 main threads as the story progresses, or at least manage to weave all of these layers into a smoothly flowing narrative

So the elements-bending trio Siwat-Khunkhao-Thara have been locked in this three-way friends-turned love rivals-trying to woo their common friend, since the Tambralinga days...no wonder Thara wasted no time in cozying up to Siwat and went against Khunkhao's ire on learning Siwat's father's name, probably knowing deep down that he looses out to Khunkhao in the end...I mean what can he do if Khunkhao carries the 'Linga' to Siwat's 'Yoni'...that's plain (or should I say deep? 🤭 ) unfair advantage

So Siwat is fire bender, Khunkhao is Air bender, and Thara is Water bender....I wonder who the earth bender is then, is it their rival? The one who was briefly shown in the glimpse from their Tambralinga times....seated, probably in a lotus position, emitting black resentment Qi ?

I am so sat for the adventure, and suggest that you also come along...it promises to be a helluva ride!!! 🥰

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This is going to be EPIC!!!!

Wow! This has all the ingredients to become a Spectacular show!!! So many of us have been waiting for a Wuxia BL that is a rightful successor to the unmatched drama that The Untamed is...this might just be it!! Story, screenplay, acting, twists, production values - all Top Notch. The only sad part is that it is just 8 Episodes 😔

BL-needle Score: 6. 5 Moderate BL-ness so far

To say that I'm hooked after the first two episodes wil be understatement. We had three Chinese BL releases this week and this is the last one that I got to, and it is, without any shred of doubt, THE BEST of all three!! The conspiracy theories are so delish and so is the understated chemistry of the leads!!

The script is script-ing, the cinematography is splendid, and the performances are fantastic!! The production values are also really really good...in one word, this seems slated to become an epic show of recent times unless they really screw up going forward, which, I doubt they will.

What are you waiting for, GO WATCH...like right now!!!!

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