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Queer Life and Love
This show absolutely devastated me in the best way possible.It's pitch-perfect from the acting, to the cinematography, to the music, it's all spectacular.
But most importantly it's entirely driven by a cast of deeply likeable if flawed characters whose various pasts and hardships shape their lives in a multitude of ways.
As is to be expected with a project led by P'Aof, the show addresses a variety of real life issues from disability, to socio-economic inequality, to homophobia (both societal and internalised), to simply how messy break-ups can be.
Combined with the excellent writing this makes all the characters feel almost painfully like real people and makes every scene, from the light-hearted to the deeply serious, highly impactful.
This is one of those rare cases where I love a show so much I have virtually nothing to say about it, so I will simply leave you with this:
This series is incredibly meaningful both in how touching it is and in what it means for the queer community.
As a queer person, this story made me feel good - seen and respected and loved.
It's a perfectly paced, quietly angsty yet wholly comforting slice-of-life we all deserve.
Do yourself a favour and go watch it it you haven't already.
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The cracks are where the light comes in
This show is a quiet, sincere masterpiece well-deserving of the love audiences have shown it.I didn't know if I was going to like this show when I started watching it, in fact I was fairly skeptical of the whole "forbidden love" angle.
But what I thought was going to be the biggest hurdle the show would have to overcome, in fact turned out to be its greatest strength.
Rather than being titillating and reveling in the taboo, this story is slow and introspective. Instead of focusing on romance, it prioritises exploring the inner lives of the characters, their complicated circumstances, emotions, and relationships.
We see the characters on their own almost as much as we see them interacting with one another, and when they are together found family and loving people by choice are very strongly thematised.
Paradoxically, this makes the show almost devastatingly romantic and touching. It doesn't make any grand, general statements, it simply explores, in great detail, the relationship between two people who are absolutely indispensable to one another and why that connection turns romantic. How, for these two specific people, a love like this can and does work.
Another completely unexpected highlight of the series is its understated humour which not only balances perfectly with the more serious tone the story strikes overall, but which is also often so clever or unexpected it made me laugh out loud several times.
Add to that the spectacular performances from the entire cast, excellent writing, beautiful and highly effective cinematography and editing, and a simple yet lovely soundtrack and it's clear why this series is so cherished by its viewers.
It's not entirely without its flaws, for example I would have loved to see Qian experience more character development in regards to his extreme protectiveness over his sister and how, intentionally or not, this ties into general misogynistic patterns of behaviour. Some of the gang sub-plots could also have been more fleshed out.
On the whole though these issues aren't nearly enough to diminish my high opinion of this show and certainly won't dissuade me from recommending it to others.
If you like slow, thoughtful, highly character-driven slice-of-life stories which, in their own way, highlight how in the end what it all comes down to is love, love, and love again, then this one is for you.
If you enjoy stories that explore the shifting and often blurry lines between different kinds of love, or that ask what it *really* means to form a family with someone, then this one is most definitely for you.
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A spectucular sunset of a show - vivid, warm, bursting with colour
Yeah, so this one is an absolute masterpiece.I'm a complete sucker for slow, introspective coming-of-age/love-story hybrids so it's no surprise I fell head over heels in love with this show, but even my personal bias aside this series is, objectively, a damn triumph.
The cinematography, the frankly stunning performances, the recurring narrative themes, the sets... every aspect of this show is spectacular and the creators' deep love for their craft and their attention to detail is woven into its every facet.
Besides tackling the undeniable complex topic of disability, the show explores a variety of difficult and mature themes with great care and insight. It analyses grief in its various forms, complicated familial relationships and the nature of guilt and blame, as well as loneliness and isolation.
My absolute favourite of these themes, however, is the depictions of socio-economic differences and difficulties and the impact this has on every aspect of people's lives. Ever since watching Dark Blue Kiss it's been clear to me that P'Aof has a chip on his shoulder about the class divide in general and how it relates to queerness specifically and this is incredibly apparent here as well, in the portrayal of Mhok and his relationships to the people and world around him, as well as to the concepts of masculinity, queerness, and success. It may not be a main focus of the story, but a big part of Mhok's characters development stems from him coming to terms with his experiences of going through life as a former convict, society's view of him, and how this affects his perception of himself. It is nothing short of spectacular and I deeply appreciate the inclusion of these plot lines, however minor they may be.
And the characters... my god, the characters. If it wasn't already obvious from all my fawning in the previous paragraph, I am absolutely smitten with Mhok in particular, but quite honestly there isn't really anyone in the entire cast of characters whom I don't like or whose inclusion feels unnecessary.
Further personal favourites include Phojai - who is wonderfully multifaceted and deeply human character and whose relationship with Mhok means a whole lot to me personally - and Night, who is clearly a deeply traumatised person that carries his guilt around with him like a damn yoke but tries so incredibly hard anyway. His little tortured face will probably continue to ever so slightly haunt me for the rest of my life, to be honest.
And then there's Day who, in my opinion, is a surprisingly misunderstood and contentious character. I personally do not have any sort of significant visual impairment so take my opinions on the topic with a grain of salt, but I am firmly in the camp of "the disability rep in this show is really good, actually".
If I understand correctly, the showrunners made sure to get a lot of input from blind and otherwise disabled folks in order to depict the realities of their lives accurately and respectfully and it shows. The writing is never preachy or patronising, and Day isn't simply a tragic yet inspiring figure for the audience to project onto, no. He is a well fleshed-out, three-dimensional character with believable and deeply human flaws. His story is inspiring not because or in spite of his blindness, it's inspiring because his struggles with loneliness and isolation, with anger, resentment, and the complete collapse of his self-image are deeply relatable and pretty much universally applicable.
For further insight on this topic is especially in light of the show's ending, I highly recommend having a look at the "Some thoughts on the ending" topic in the Recent Discussions section, it might help anyone still feeling conflicted help sort out their thoughts :). Beware of spoilers though, obviously.
My one gripe with the story is how rushed the last episode feels in certain respects. The conflict feels realistic and makes sense for the characters, but really, couldn't we have brought it up just a few episodes earlier instead of keeping the dreaded episode 11 curse alive? I really think that showing more of Mhok's character growth as well as him dealing with his PTSD would have made the story feel more complete and well-rounded as well as helping to keep the pacing consistent.
In all honesty though, this is a relatively minor complaint compared to how fantastic this show is as a whole and it thankfully didn't even take away too much from my enjoyment of the ending.
I think I shed real actual tears when I saw Mhok had removed the little bandage from Rung's car so on the whole things balanced out for me.
In short, this is one of the most well-written, thoughtful queer shows in recent years. It is a timeless tale about hope and the resilience of the human spirit and if that sounds a bit too pretentious then let me assure you: it is, at its heart, a simple story about falling in love. Falling in love with people, with yourself, and with the world.
Go watch it already, you won't regret it, I promise!
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She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat Season 2
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Completely head over heels in love with this show
I cannot overstate the extent to which I adore this show. The first season was already fantastic, but season two has exceeded all of my expectations.Without ever taking away from the comforting, delightful bond between Nomoto and Kasuga, this season introduces a range of new characters who each serve to further the story in their own unique ways.
In addition to further explorations of the importance of female friendship and the power of good food, season two also focuses on the exploration of queer identity and community, the difficult realities of living as a queer couple in modern day Japan, as well as the social and societal pressures and challenges women face in their day to day lives.
All told through the medium of bubbling hotpots and adorable desserts. Truly, it's magic.
I also greatly appreciate Nagumo's character and the different perspective on food and humans' complex relationship with it she provides.
Oh yeah, and did I mention there's ace rep now??
In short, just go watch the show already if you haven't, I'll be here on my hands and knees, begging and pleading for a season 3 in the meantime.
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So wholesome and sweet it almost sent me into a diabetic coma
Aww hell, they really got me with this one. I wasn't expecting to like this show as much as I did but they won me over alright.Plot-wise My School President doesn't really bring anything new to the table but through a combination of good writing, genuinely clever humour, and the occasional trope subversion it manages to make the story feel fresh and entertaining.
The young cast all deliver incredibly solid performances and the characters are all deeply charming.
Not only are the relationships depicted (romantic, platonic, or otherwise) wonderfully healthy and realistic - an absolute highlight for me personally are Tinn and Gun's respective relationships with their parents - the show also gains an edge by focusing on the more difficult aspects of teenage life as well as just on straight-forward fluff.
It explores how hard growing up can be, the difficulties of trying to find out who you are and what you want to do with your life, grief, failure, and the realities of being a young queer person in today's society.
It addresses all these topics with great care and and insight without ever getting too heavy or preachy about it.
I also really appreciate how uncompromisingly the story allows its main characters to take their relationship at their own pace. What starts off as a fun spin on the classic nerd/jock trope quickly develops into a slowly yet steadily building bond filled with mutual respect and fondness which the show uses to analyse the often blurry lines between platonic and romantic love as well as the differences between physical and emotional intimacy.
This all works together to paint an achingly sweet yet grounded picture of first love that had me, a grown ass adult, grinning like a fool much more often than I'd care to admit.
The show isn't perfect of course, it does have its flaws, but most of what I disliked about it was entirely down to personal taste. The sound track, for instance, did not work for me at all and the auto-tune hurt my soul a little bit, but a lot of people seem to genuinely love and appreciate this series for its music so you might really enjoy it as well.
It also has to be said that I am clearly not the target audience for this show, it's aimed at a younger demographic, so it's honestly a very pleasant surprise just how much there is to enjoy and love about the show for someone like me as well.
In short, MSP is a show that I would have loved as a tiny high-school baby gay, but which is still highly enjoyable even as an adult queer person. If you're in a the market for a well-written, deeply wholesome high-school rom-com with a good dash of realism as well as clever jokes, then this one is for you.
And if you're an old cynic who needs their cold heart dusted off a little bit, then this show might be just what you need as well.
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This review may contain spoilers
It really grew on me
When I first started watching this show I only liked it fine until somewhere around the half-way point when all of a sudden it dawned on me that I'd not only become invested in the characters lives without realising it, I'd also wholly fallen in love with the entire story.This series has its flaws to be sure, but it also features some incredibly compelling story-telling delivered through beautiful cinematography, solid editing, and fantastic performances by the entire cast.
The set-up may seem contrived at first, but quickly paves the way for some fascinating characterisations; the story at times feels like a character study more than anything else and I personally really enjoyed that aspect of it. The characters are all given a lot more depth than strictly necessary for a light, romantic drama, as well as the agency to sometimes act outside the simplistic bounds of black-and-white morality.
Yu Zhen, for instance, is shown to be clearly aware that his "Single Rule" is not strictly legal, he simply bets on his employees being too invested in the company's continued existence to report his wrong-doings to any authorities.
Similarly, Shi Lei's meddling in the affairs of a client proves to be largely successful, but it is also made clear that his actions are ethically questionable.
And of course there's Yi Zi Tong, whom viewers appear to either despise as an unnecessary addition to the plot for the sake of drama, or appreciate as a necessary instigator of Yu Zhen's character development.
His addition to the story may in fact not have been strictly necessary, but he is a very complex and interesting character. He appears out of nowhere as Yu Zhen's self-styled saviour, presumably out of some lingering sense of guilt over how their relationship ended, and thoroughly derails the leads' budding relationship. He has nothing but good intentions, he's correct in a lot of his assumptions about Yu Zhen's mental state, but for the most part his actions seem to cause more harm than good.
It's these small, unusual elements that, to me, elevate the story way above the level of a silly rom-com.
Yes, it makes liberal use of tropes and cliches, but the characters are three-dimensional, they are flawed, likeable, often genuinely hilarious, and feel like real people, which makes the relationships depicted feel real and believable in turn - a personal highlight for me is Qiqi and Gang's relationship, which is a wonderful depiction of a healthy age-gap romance. Their age difference isn't ignored or put off as irrelevant; their different life experiences lead to differences in opinion and relationship expectations. This in turn leads to conflict, which the two then resolve through open and honest communication and compromise - it is truly a joy to watch.
So if you're looking for a rom-com with great acting, lovely queer representation (there is even a very touching coming out scene, if that sways you either way), and a very sweet slow-burn romance which has some bite and intelligence to it, then look no further.
If you just want something light and easy to watch that's perfect for a lazy weekend on the couch, then this series will deliver as well.
I will say, however, that this is a show best enjoyed in one or two sittings. The slow, gentle pacing best lends itself to binging rather than to watching one episode at a time :)
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Charming, stylised, gay - this show is basically perfect
Oh but I'm so happy I stumbled onto this little gem of a series!The writing, acting, cinematography, and music are all pitch perfect and make the viewing experience a pure, utter joy.
The simple concept of having to people both entirely pre-occupied with each other while simultaneously completely incapable of talking to one another (a fantastic story-telling device that I already appreciate on its own) is utilised to its full potential and infused with so much clever humour I found myself laughing out loud at least once per episode
I love the approach of having both characters start out with completely different viewpoints of their situation - Mikage is thriving in her little teen-romance movie world while Hinata is essentially living a psychological horror thriller - and yet having them both equally fail at being in any way heterosexual about the whole thing.
Then, as the story progresses and the two get onto more even footing with one another, their relationship slowly begins to evolve into a deeply charming romance which is just as much of a joy to watch as the first couple of episodes, if not more so.
Sure, we only get to see the very beginnings of that changing relationship, but the story ends on a very satisfying note and is, in my opinion, great to watch as a delightful little mini romcom.
The sapphics win big time with this one, go watch it right now.
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Simple, Sweet, Excellent
What a calming watch this little show was.The story is entirely driven by the complex inner lives of its main characters, two utterly ordinary people in more or less entirely ordinary circumstances, which are explored with such skill and deftness it renders the need for any outside conflict to their relationship entirely obsolete. It's a character-driven drama par excellence masquerading as a simple rom-com and for that alone I'd consider it worth watching.
Add to that the fact that the story and characters are absolutely delightful and deeply endearing, the editing and themes are cohesive and perfectly underscore the plot (the little dating sim-style vignettes of their time in high school in particular are brilliant), the performances are stellar, and the music is fantastic and has been stuck in my head since I first watched the show, well you essentially end up with a must-watch show, in my opinion.
It's a realistic, low-stakes drama with boundless charm and a great appreciation and understanding for love as a transformative force in all of human existence which very much resonated with me.
"Happy endings aren't guaranteed and might not even exist in real life", it says. "But choosing love every time? That's real. That's worthwhile."
And honestly, it couldn't be more right about that.
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Made my heart sing and my soul do a happy little jig
I adore this show to pieces. Everything about it is truly excellent, from the writing, to the cinematography, to the music.It was apparently produced by the same team behind Blueming and it absolutely shows.
There is so much queer love, joy, and authenticity woven through the entire story, it completely knocked me flat.
The characters are all incredibly charming and well written. The supporting characters are well-rounded and unique and each contribute to the story in meaningful ways. Even the main antagonist is portrayed as a complex, multi-faceted human being whose motivations and actions are logical, even understandable to a certain degree.
The show also excels at portraying intimacy. The relationship between the main characters is perfectly, messily, joyfully real. Rarely have I seen (queer) friendship portrayed so lovingly and realistically, with so much open affection and casual physical closeness. This series really says "Cuddle your homies, tell them you love them." and it is absolutely right about that.
The slow progression from deep friendship to a more romantic relationship is flawlessly paced and the show makes a point of exploring the often blurry lines between different types of love and how those distinctions can both be almost completely unnecessary and deeply needed at the same time.
All of this is perfectly underscored by the editing and cinematography, whose expertly used close-ups and warmly-coloured static shots enhance the impact of each emotional scene tenfold.
So if you want a show full of queer complexity and subtlety, fantastic music, charming humour, and absolutely filled to the brim with joy and love in all its different forms, then this series is perfect for you. I honestly cannot recommend it highly enough.
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She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat
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A simple story of two people finding happiness in good food and in each other
This has to be one of the coziest dramas I have ever watched. It's calming and slow-paced without ever becoming uninteresting or boring. It also made me incredibly hungry every time I watched an episode, but that is only to be expected from a Japanese series centered around food.I also really enjoy the was the show emphasises the importance of female friendship, of finding companionship and building a life that makes you happy despite the myriad of little rules society loves imposing on its members, specifically on women.
Furthermore, I find Yuki's slow realisation and exploration of her feelings towards Kasuga incredibly well done and I'd love to see their relationship evolve further.
I will never get enough of love stories (be they romantic, platonic, or otherwise) told through the medium of good food and I simply can't wait for season 2.
Do yourself a favour and watch this show. Do prepare some snacks first though, you'll probably need them.
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Aromantic or not, I fell in love with this show
I cannot begin to describe the feeling of seeing myself represented on screen this way. I have never seen a show featuring aro-ace characters that are central to the plot, much less a show where they get to be main characters. I am so insanely grateful for this drama's existence and even more grateful to see all the aro-ace people in the comments finding joy and solace in this story just like me.The way the writers portray the leads is simply excellent as well. They both have distinct personalities and interests and their character arcs don't simply evolve around their sexualities. It's made clear that their identities are an important part of their lives, but certainly not the only part. Seeing the two of them grow and evolve as people over the course of the show is a genuine pleasure to watch.
I will say that quite a few of the side characters annoy me immensely and I don't enjoy how some of their storylines were handled. Some plot points felt a bit unnecessary or out of place to me as well. However, all in all I still feel that the good of this show far outweighs the bad.
There is no singular aro-ace experience and the series doesn't try to pretend that there is. It offers a glimpse into the lives of two specific people in a way that will feel familar to most aro-ace people at least to a certain degree and which will give others the opportunity to learn just a little bit about one of the least well known sexualities.
For that alone I highly recommend you give this show a shot.
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An action-packed rollercoaster of a rom-com
I absolutely loved this one.It's surprisingly intense and action-filled for what could easily have been a fluffy slice-of-life story in a university setting which I personally feel adds quite a lot of excitement as well as space for interesting character arcs.
Yes, it does go to some dark places that I should probably have stayed away from, but all in all it manages even its more serious themes gracefully.
The characters, both the leads and the supporting cast, are endearing and I especially appreciate that the main couple don't quite fall into the stereotypical "Stoic hero" and "Bubbly damsel in distress" roles.
Instead, they both get to be badasses in their own right who also balance each other out nicely.
The romance aspect of the show is also very well handled. It's definitely up there among the most grounded and "explicit" (by censored C-drama standards anyway) love stories of its kind. The dynamic between the two mains is also just so goddamn sweet it gave me cavities, so if tooth-rotting fluff is your thing, you'll absolutely love this series.
In general I'd recommend this to fans of queer C-dramas and anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced watch with a certain off-the-wall charm.
Do be aware of some possibly triggering content, though.
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Legend of Yunze, the Official Fanfic
Aw hell, this was just so much fun.It did feel like I was reading an at times somewhat poorly plotted AU, but these characters just have so much charm and the actors have such great on-screen chemistry that I couldn't find it in me to care.
This special is quite light-hearted and fluffy compared to seasons one and two (which, let's be honest, were already quite sweet to begin with), but what it lacks in dark mysteries and epic sword fights, it makes up for with romance.
Watching this felt like someone had grabbed the romance dial on the switchboard and cranked it up to 11 and I do mean that in the best way possible. The show is full of classic romance tropes and even invents a few new ones (dramatically pretending to be injured to scare off your girlfriend's evil adoptive mum, anyone?).
It's cheesy, it's ridiculous, and yet it's somehow genuinely touching and romantic. I even found myself tearing up at one point.
So if you're a fan of the main show you'll very likely enjoy this as well. If you've never seen Legend of Yunze before you might still like this, but be aware that quite a lot of plot points won't make very much sense without the relevant background info.
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I will never get tired of ghost girlfriends
This one was a lovely surprise.Yes, it's fairly light and fluffy, but for how much of a feel good story it is and how short of a runtime it has it manages to deliver a surprising amount of genuine emotion and romantic chemistry between its leads.
I also really like its messages about art as a form of true self expression and the fine line between following a passion and being consumed by it.
By the end of the show I felt like both of the main characters had grown as people and influenced and learned from each other, which is more than some full length shows manage to achieve.
In short, if you're looking for a short pick-me-up with some nice messages and a good, solid romance, then this one is for you.
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The lesbian bar was a welcome surprise!
I really adored this show. It's a very short watch (when oh when will K-dramas about queer women get the budget they deserve?) but it manages to tell a cohesive and frankly delightful story.There are a good amount of humorous moments as well as several genuinely emotional ones and even if there isn't enough time for viewers to get to know the characters deeply, there is enough time to develop a surprising amount of affection for them.
It takes a lot of skill to pack all of that into a runtime of just over thirty minutes and you can absolutely tell how much love and care went into every facet of the series.
If you're in the market for a low-angst, slice-of-life show that still feels grounded and sincere, then I highly recommend this series. If you're simply a fan of queer women, or a queer woman yourself (or both!) I would also recommend giving this show a try. It's an absolute joy to watch.
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