Boston is the most likeable character in this because while they're all pretty much garbage people, Boston owns up to it, unapologetically. He's duplicitous slime of the lowest order but at least he's honest about it and knows who he is. I can't feel sympathy for anyone in his orbit; they all know Ton is scum so why is everyone so shocked when he does scummy things? If you decide to keep a friend like that, you are choosing to make him and his antics your problem. You brought the trash home all on your own.
I am looking forward to the scene where Tag decides he's had enough and breaks up with Phojai. The whole "you're a dirty secret" thing is bad enough but, honestly, Phojai just seems like a lousy boyfriend (brother, son) all-around.
I vaguely recall the series hinting wayback that Kang might have a crush on Pimfah but this development still felt sudden and out of nowhere. Probably because I keep forgetting Pimfah exists when she isn't actually on the screen. Her character has been a bit beige wallpaper. Sammy's made a career of being "the girl" in BLs but her characters are generally memorable, charming, funny, energetic, something. I feel like poor Pimfah got shafted. She seems like a plot device rather than a character.
That being said, View has such gorgeous eyes. I could just stare into them all day.
Cutesy, inoffensive, juvenile, bland—an average KBL. Felt rushed the final two episodes. Decent way to pass the time once but I definitely won't be revisiting this as I do the Thai version.
I did much, much prefer the Lee Won/Ji Oh characters and storyline here to the SaifahZon ones of the original (though I still skipped the scenes with the sister and her odd book).
Haha interesting storyline. But I don't believe that you dropped the show now at episode 11, only one more to…
I really don't think I can. Maybe I'll watch the final episode in a few months, once my disappointment/temper has sufficiently cooled. I damned near threw my tablet across the room at the Ep12 preview.
Well, at least one good thing came out of it: your writing! You should pursue a career in this, very well written.…
Thank you for the kind words. I'm not really into fluffy, lovey-dovey fanfic, but I do subscribe to a few fandoms via AO3 that have a mix of fit types that include the lovey-dovey. Are you on AO3?
I am thinking about taking this micro-fic & turning it into a rewrite of this entire season, episode-by-episode. The relationship between Shin & Minato-san does have so much potential, I just feel S2...well, fucked it. I'm more angry about what S2 didn't do than what it did, if that makes sense.
If that's the end of the manga then they butchered the story completely hahaha wow
I haven't read the manga, so I have no idea how it actually ended, though I can only assume it ends with them together because they typically do.
This is just how I personally WANT the series to end. I legitimately don't want them to be together, so I wrote myself a mini fix-it fanfic to brighten my mood.
Shin never recovered his memories of Minato-san. Though he visited the coin laundry every day, he never again felt the intense emotional obsession he had been told he felt for this man—this man whom, for reasons now obscure to him, he once called 'lover' but never called by name. As the weeks bled into months, the residual sentiments—jealousy, care, even perfunctory physical desire—bled away as well, melting into the abyss where his memories of Minato-san used to be. The enormity of that hollow held a weight, even now, of a love so great that its absence occasionally overwhelmed him.
Yet no matter how hard he tried to remember, he seemed unable to leap the hurdle of why he even should. He and Minato-san shared no interests, no dreams, no goals. As they struggled through conversation after conversation, their communication styles so diametrically opposed as to be mutually alien, it became increasingly clear to Shin that all they had in common was a history they no longer shared.
"Why did I love you?" Shin asked one night, as he waited for Minato-san to finish locking up the coin laundry.
Minato-san froze. For a long moment, Shin expected this to be yet another response he wouldn't receive. But then Minato-san turned, moonlight reflecting in the sheen across his eyes. Shin heard it then, the past-tense of his words, the confirmation of the end of their shared journey. Before he could apologize, Minato-san patted his arm and gave him a brave smile.
"I saved your life once," he said.
Minato-san told him the story as he walked Shin home. Shin listened attentively but with no hope he'd actually remember. He thanked Minato-san for telling him and bid him goodnight. He ignored his sister's sad look as he made his way to his room; her unhappiness over his broken relationship wouldn't bring his memories back. Lying in bed that night, he thought of Minato-san's story, and wondered if the Shin he'd once been had ever known the difference between hero worship and love.
Eventually, Shin stopped digging at the past, and focused on building for the future. Taking his mentor's advice, he applied to transfer to the Faculty of Medicine at University of Tokyo. He explained to Minato-san that he wanted to pursue a career in clinical neurology. They both understood but did not acknowledge the role Shin's systematized amnesia played in that choice. At the very least, in this way, they would always be bound by their memories.
Minato-san saw him off at the station on the day he left for his new life in Tokyo. They exchanged a brotherly hug and Minato-san admonished him to study hard and make their small town proud. Shin promised he would. Waving from the window to Minato-san waving from the platform as the train pulled away was the last memory they ever made.
---
That is how this ridiculous fucking season should end. Watching those two faff about at the amusement park and the pool and around town just drove home what a nothing relationship they had, and how poorly matched they are. I know S2 will wrap up all sweet but I can't recall the last time I yearned so much for a couple to break-up and go their separate ways. I wrote this short fix-it fic in response to the HEA ending that's coming.
Everyone involved—them, their friends, you, me—has wasted entirely too much time on this nonsense. I cannot even bring myself to make it across the finish line.
I only watched season 1 but this is beloved by many. I am curious.. How do you justify/ make sense of the age…
What do you mean "justify" or "make sense of"? Shin was a teenager with a crush on an older man but nothing happened between them until after he had turned 18 in S1 (I think he may even have been 19 at the time they kissed, if I recall the timetable between Shin studying for entrance exams & then being admitted to University).
Personally, I would've preferred to see Shin go off to University in Tokyo, do some more growing up, & get some distance from Minato to evaluate whether his emotions were truly those of love or simply hero-worship from that one time Minato saved his life. Honestly, I feel this way even more with S2. I want Shin to just leave Minato behind for good.
Other than that, I didn't & don't have an issue with their age gap. They are both Adults (well, Shin is; Minato is stuck in some kind of arrested development), making their own decisions. If anything, I think Minato is far too immature to be in a relationship with anyone.
Ach, this should've been released on a schedule of two episodes per week. I am loving the series but I think I'll have to wait for it to finish airing & then binge it. This 25-minutes/week release schedule is just...no.
My thoughts exactly! Came here after watching this shit show to see if anyone else was as exasperated as I was.…
I'm still watching because I legitimately like JaFirst & Bosston. Seriously, Bosston is doing the absolute best he can with what he's been handed, & I like the complexity he's managed to give his character despite the bad script. I really want him to get a breakthrough role & I hope the display of his range here will push his career forward.
I am going to miss JaFirst as a pair, as Ja has chosen not to renew his contract. Despite the terrible director for this, they have managed to occasionally infuse their scenes with the fantastic chemistry they've demonstrated in their other projects. I am convinced the dip-into-kiss that Ja did was improvised, just judging from how genuine First's reaction was.
Ah well. It's definitely not my favourite airing series at the moment but I do appreciate what the actors are giving, to whatever extent the production allows.
My thoughts exactly! Came here after watching this shit show to see if anyone else was as exasperated as I was.…
It's all so ridiculous.
Punn is simply not the type of character who would view Ashi's method(ish) acting as an offense. He's Ashi's #1 fan as well as his faen, knows everything about Ashi's process as an actor, & is himself versed in how actors often create their characters by drawing from their lived experiences. Just NOTHING about the conflict makes sense. Not Punn's anger, nor his refusal to listen to Ashi, or even Ashi's choice to back off. Sure, Ashi's been about as present throughout the series as a semi-dissipated fart but, still; Ashi has shown that he knows how to communicate with Punn, & it makes zero sense he'd just give up & walk out like that.
Also, that "Let's be friends" rubbish with Title is just the icing on this shit cake. Title has been an absolute snake throughout the whole series, & I just cannot accept that either Ashi or even Punn are naïve enough to think a bastard like Title would make such an abrupt about-face.
The script wasn't great to begin with but this episode has derailed everything it managed to set-up in terms of characters, motivations, & conflicts. I don't even really believe that Title would think Ashi's character notes could drive a wedge between Ashi & Punn. Title is an asshole but he is also a consummate professional in his field, just like Ashi. I just don't see him viewing an actor's work process as some kind of weapon. It makes him look stupid rather than conniving.
I am so, so, so pissed this is likely JaFirst's last project together. They deserved so much better than this.
But hey, maybe BosstonJo will get new work. I actually like them as a pairing, they just need solid material.
My thoughts exactly! Came here after watching this shit show to see if anyone else was as exasperated as I was.…
It isn't even within context of Punn's character. The Punn we've been shown would've been thrilled to bits that Ashi was channeling their love story into what may be the greatest role of his career. Punn would be gushing that goofy-ass grin in his brother's stupid face & bragging his ass off. For Punn, seeing Ashi invoking their love on the silver screen would be the equivalent of a big, flashy, neon sign announcement. He would treasure it close to his heart as proof that Ashi is always thinking of him, of the layers of their love, & absorbing it into every aspect of himself so thoroughly that it becomes a part of his acting craft.
The Punn we know would've creamed his whole trousers when Title showed him those photos.
Excuse me, what are we mad about? That Ashi, a professional actor, utilized his only experience of devoted love to inform his understanding of his character's romance in a romance movie? For real? Are they fucking serious? What utterly contrived nonsense.
Speaking of nonsense—what even was the point of that Mueang & Doctor thing? If that's the most the script has to offer by way of their story, just let them—& us—enjoy the fucking in peace. At least the sex has better writing & more of a plot. That was their very first time doing it in an onsen, the stakes were high—they could've slipped & drowned! Doctor nearly got kneed in the eye—by his own knee! The whole scene was fraught with passion, danger, & fluids. Absolutely riveting stuff in comparison to the rest of this mess.
This is the longest 7-11 commercial I've ever seen.
Does anyone happen to know the song name & artist(s) of the song played during the NC scene of the pilot? I've tried & tried to identify it but I keep hitting walls. The lyrics I think I hear:
"Heart of gold, will of steel is what you have, Pick me up when I was sinking in quicksand..."
That being said, View has such gorgeous eyes. I could just stare into them all day.
I did much, much prefer the Lee Won/Ji Oh characters and storyline here to the SaifahZon ones of the original (though I still skipped the scenes with the sister and her odd book).
I am thinking about taking this micro-fic & turning it into a rewrite of this entire season, episode-by-episode. The relationship between Shin & Minato-san does have so much potential, I just feel S2...well, fucked it. I'm more angry about what S2 didn't do than what it did, if that makes sense.
This is just how I personally WANT the series to end. I legitimately don't want them to be together, so I wrote myself a mini fix-it fanfic to brighten my mood.
Yet no matter how hard he tried to remember, he seemed unable to leap the hurdle of why he even should. He and Minato-san shared no interests, no dreams, no goals. As they struggled through conversation after conversation, their communication styles so diametrically opposed as to be mutually alien, it became increasingly clear to Shin that all they had in common was a history they no longer shared.
"Why did I love you?" Shin asked one night, as he waited for Minato-san to finish locking up the coin laundry.
Minato-san froze. For a long moment, Shin expected this to be yet another response he wouldn't receive. But then Minato-san turned, moonlight reflecting in the sheen across his eyes. Shin heard it then, the past-tense of his words, the confirmation of the end of their shared journey. Before he could apologize, Minato-san patted his arm and gave him a brave smile.
"I saved your life once," he said.
Minato-san told him the story as he walked Shin home. Shin listened attentively but with no hope he'd actually remember. He thanked Minato-san for telling him and bid him goodnight. He ignored his sister's sad look as he made his way to his room; her unhappiness over his broken relationship wouldn't bring his memories back. Lying in bed that night, he thought of Minato-san's story, and wondered if the Shin he'd once been had ever known the difference between hero worship and love.
Eventually, Shin stopped digging at the past, and focused on building for the future. Taking his mentor's advice, he applied to transfer to the Faculty of Medicine at University of Tokyo. He explained to Minato-san that he wanted to pursue a career in clinical neurology. They both understood but did not acknowledge the role Shin's systematized amnesia played in that choice. At the very least, in this way, they would always be bound by their memories.
Minato-san saw him off at the station on the day he left for his new life in Tokyo. They exchanged a brotherly hug and Minato-san admonished him to study hard and make their small town proud. Shin promised he would. Waving from the window to Minato-san waving from the platform as the train pulled away was the last memory they ever made.
---
That is how this ridiculous fucking season should end. Watching those two faff about at the amusement park and the pool and around town just drove home what a nothing relationship they had, and how poorly matched they are. I know S2 will wrap up all sweet but I can't recall the last time I yearned so much for a couple to break-up and go their separate ways. I wrote this short fix-it fic in response to the HEA ending that's coming.
Everyone involved—them, their friends, you, me—has wasted entirely too much time on this nonsense. I cannot even bring myself to make it across the finish line.
Dropped.
Personally, I would've preferred to see Shin go off to University in Tokyo, do some more growing up, & get some distance from Minato to evaluate whether his emotions were truly those of love or simply hero-worship from that one time Minato saved his life. Honestly, I feel this way even more with S2. I want Shin to just leave Minato behind for good.
Other than that, I didn't & don't have an issue with their age gap. They are both Adults (well, Shin is; Minato is stuck in some kind of arrested development), making their own decisions. If anything, I think Minato is far too immature to be in a relationship with anyone.
I am going to miss JaFirst as a pair, as Ja has chosen not to renew his contract. Despite the terrible director for this, they have managed to occasionally infuse their scenes with the fantastic chemistry they've demonstrated in their other projects. I am convinced the dip-into-kiss that Ja did was improvised, just judging from how genuine First's reaction was.
Ah well. It's definitely not my favourite airing series at the moment but I do appreciate what the actors are giving, to whatever extent the production allows.
Punn is simply not the type of character who would view Ashi's method(ish) acting as an offense. He's Ashi's #1 fan as well as his faen, knows everything about Ashi's process as an actor, & is himself versed in how actors often create their characters by drawing from their lived experiences. Just NOTHING about the conflict makes sense. Not Punn's anger, nor his refusal to listen to Ashi, or even Ashi's choice to back off. Sure, Ashi's been about as present throughout the series as a semi-dissipated fart but, still; Ashi has shown that he knows how to communicate with Punn, & it makes zero sense he'd just give up & walk out like that.
Also, that "Let's be friends" rubbish with Title is just the icing on this shit cake. Title has been an absolute snake throughout the whole series, & I just cannot accept that either Ashi or even Punn are naïve enough to think a bastard like Title would make such an abrupt about-face.
The script wasn't great to begin with but this episode has derailed everything it managed to set-up in terms of characters, motivations, & conflicts. I don't even really believe that Title would think Ashi's character notes could drive a wedge between Ashi & Punn. Title is an asshole but he is also a consummate professional in his field, just like Ashi. I just don't see him viewing an actor's work process as some kind of weapon. It makes him look stupid rather than conniving.
I am so, so, so pissed this is likely JaFirst's last project together. They deserved so much better than this.
But hey, maybe BosstonJo will get new work. I actually like them as a pairing, they just need solid material.
The Punn we know would've creamed his whole trousers when Title showed him those photos.
This script is just dumb.
Speaking of nonsense—what even was the point of that Mueang & Doctor thing? If that's the most the script has to offer by way of their story, just let them—& us—enjoy the fucking in peace. At least the sex has better writing & more of a plot. That was their very first time doing it in an onsen, the stakes were high—they could've slipped & drowned! Doctor nearly got kneed in the eye—by his own knee! The whole scene was fraught with passion, danger, & fluids. Absolutely riveting stuff in comparison to the rest of this mess.
Good grief, this show...
Does anyone happen to know the song name & artist(s) of the song played during the NC scene of the pilot? I've tried & tried to identify it but I keep hitting walls. The lyrics I think I hear:
"Heart of gold, will of steel
is what you have,
Pick me up when I was
sinking in quicksand..."