I wish I liked it more than I do. The script was a little confusing. And once again, two best friends get separated and never again contact one another over the course of several years. Who does that? Especially if they were so close that Akk preserved all the artifacts of their time as together as kids.
The repeated childhood flashbacks got tiresome and felt like lazy writing. How about telling their story in a linear fashion, starting when they’re little? It was annoying that as soon as they showed the pencil eraser we got taken back in time to see why it matters. They must think the audience has the attention span of a flea. Thinking back to how the childhood toy was integrated into “Love of Siam”, in that movie it was instrumental in bringing the story full circle, and its return at the end had an element of surprise that made it all the more moving.
I’ll keep watching and hope this series settles into a better narrative groove.
"Would you like some new content with your flashbacks?"It's hard to believe this is episode 6 - it feels like…
It's Pity Party time for Wayu again. After managing to make him tolerable for a few episodes they've put him back in the mope zone. What is the appeal of that? Maybe it brings out the savior complex in some viewers, because there's nothing in his personality that makes him interesting or fun to be around.
You said it best in one of your earlier comments - how Wayu just takes from the other characters and gives nothing back. He's a terrible friend. In this episode there he is with Pha, who presumably has a fatal illness, and instead of trying to bring some positive energy into the room he just sits there feeling sorry for himself. Wow - I'm sure Pha really looks forward to those visits. The only way it would be worse is if Wayu had shown up in a tee that reads "My ex got cancer and all I got was this stupid shirt".
It's also hard to feel bad for Mark-Kit or Pok-Tong because their conflicts are as artificial as the one between Thanu and Wayu.
That "moment" between Sandee and Phai was the only thing that made me sit up and take notice. I don't understand what it was about Phai's tattoo that made Sandee do such a 180, though. I'll miss bad Sandee unless they replace him with redeemed Sandee making a play for Phai.
Was Milk's drinking problem part of the reason his boyfriend dumped him? He seemed to take to the bottle pretty easily and his only concern about having blacked out was whether Pun had taken the opportunity to check out the goods.
As cute as Milk is, at this point his looks seem to be the only thing he has going for him. Pun seems a bit of a creeper himself, but where Milk is concerned he'd be wise to apply the brakes a bit and learn more about who Milk is.
As others have said, the plot was a bit all over the place. I might rewatch before next week to see if it makes more sense a second time through.
Guys, that was really dumb - this is getting too silly. What was the point of testing Black if they were just…
*Standing ovation*. These revolutionaries still need their training wheels.
Also, the bitter drink would have been blamed on them for sabotaging it, and Tawi would be able to spin it to gain sympathy. He'd even have the CCTV footage to show that his plant had been infiltrated and that the bitterness had nothing to do with his company's negligence.
Why, oh why, would Sean make White responsible for the one part of the mission that would make or break it, instead of switching him out with either Yok or Gram, who he could trust to follow through no matter what?
Did White's performance in the "test" at the top of the episode not convey something important?
I started watching episode 12 and I was like WHATS GOING ON? But then part 2/4 came and i smile all through the…
ikr ... I was getting heated the whole way through 1/4, thinking "No way would their relationship disintegrate like that." I was hating the writers for imposing some kind of artificial tension between them, just so they could be reunited in the end.
Then 2/4 came along and I realized how thoroughly I'd been had. Never have I been so happy to have been made a fool lol.
I don't know which is my favorite line from Episode 2: "You're like Black Widow!" or "Leave Kevin alone!"
(Honorable mention to the Prince saying that he was starting to go numb "down there...")
What saves this for me is that for all the cornball moments and utter nonsense, the cast seems to be completely self-aware and enjoying themselves. Yes, the acting is generally on the level of a high school drama club, but it's fun, and I swear that I laughed outloud at several points. (And I did see flashes of acting potential from both Mikey and Kevin during their conversation in the car.)
It's the little details that delight, like the fact that the Queen would be sitting out her captivity fully decked out in crown and gown. Or the absurd deference given to the dog. Or the moment when we first see the Prince after he's been kidnapped, neatly and symmetrically bound in tape as though he'd sat patiently while Mr. Wang went about the task.
Most of all, I love that this flamboyant and campy production is gay, gay, gay. It's further confirmation that as time passes BL is moving into a new phase. It's no longer entertainment only for straight women, featuring straight male characters who consider their attraction to another man as a momentary detour (or lapse).
Also, Prince Zeyn in a yellow tanktop. This crew knows how to win my heart and my loyalty.
Pran: "I'm hungry." Pat: "Heeeey. Didn't you get enough?" Pran: "I waited for a year. ... You served me only five minutes. Do you think that's enough?" Pat: "Stop with the insult. I just got a little excited there."
Another new series with a really strong first episode. Supanut's character and acting are so different from his role in Oxygen that if you didn't tell me it was him I probably wouldn't have realized it for quite some time.
Maybe Yeondu broke up with Hyunho because she didn't like him always "rescuing" her?
As I watch the psycho Se Hee it's always in the back of my mind that by the end of the season we'll be expected to feel sorry for her. She'll get a last-minute redemption, and if there's a Season 4 she'll be back as another one of the smiling friends. It makes it less fun to watch her get caught.
The series has too many characters. The franchise is like a snowball rolling down a hill, picking up more and more excess as it goes. Why do they bother to keep the past villains in the series at all? Ahra has no storyline to speak of so why keep her around? It only mocks the audience by flaunting her complete (and unbelievable) transformation.
Yuna was a dumba&s last season too. Worst "best friend" ever. So she should have been dumped from the show as well.
When all these bad people are allowed to stick around while everyone forgets the evil they did, it only teaches a young audience that you can mess with people and still be liked in the end.
On a side note, if the writers hold true to BL tradition then after that accidental kiss Dae Young and Joo Ho should end up dating. I'm not holding my breath.
It’s such a good show I would rate it lower because the plot is not that heavy but we really gotta consider…
I agree, you have to rate this on a curve. For me it's all about encouraging more South Korean BL, and as more of them come along they'll get better and better. We're working towards the day when we'll get full-fledged BL Kdramas with 16 episodes at 45 minutes each.
That last scene was my favorite. I would have enjoyed an episode or two that takes place in 2021.
Since it's about time travel the writers get to make up their own rules. So , for the Go Geum of 2021 to immediately recognize the other two guys and break into a smile? Why not. It left me with a happy feeling so I can't complain.
That tidbit about White's mom hating Black is interesting. I figure whoever is behind Black's beating is not connected to the garage, and Tod is too obvious a suspect. I think the writers *want* us to think it's him.
Maybe the mom who's a judge is a judge on the take and knew that her son was the leader of that rebel gang. Maybe she made a deal to have him beat up instead of killed.
I think whoever it is, the revelation will be a big surprise and not the result of any sleuthing by White or by us. Tod is a diversion, and as for Gram, as soon as White spotted Gram with Black's girlfriend I knew it would be a false lead.
Also, I think the note in Gram's bedroom was from Black to Gram and not the other way around. Only that way would the little B and G toys be in Black's room instead of Gram's, and on Black's nightstand no less. White is naive to jump to a conclusion so quickly. Instead he should have taken a pic of the note and compared the handwriting to Gram's handwriting later on.
The sneak attack at the end is obviously the garage gang finally deciding to put "Black" to the test.
The Yok and Dan pairing is being delayed so much! I hope they'll start expanding on their storyline soon.
The initial tussle in the bed between Sean and White was one of the best "staring at your future husband" moments that I've seen in a BL. For once it felt like something that might happen in real life, as opposed to one guy tripping and falling into another's arms.
LOL at all the complaints that the trailer didn't give away the plot of the series or spell out the different relationships. Do people need that much advance knowledge before they'll give a drama a chance? I'm glad I got only enough of a taste to make me intrigued.
The goal was to make us want to watch. Did it succeed?
I wouldn't have guessed that Episode 7 would continue the dumb competition to see whose gang gets to rule the beach. The best part was the final shot of all the guys taking their shirts off. I swear, just before that I'd been thinking how strange it was that they'd be hanging out on the beach 24-7 and never take their shirts off or go swimming.
The writing is bad but like with every "enemies to lovers" story I'm curious how they'll eventually bring Calix and Luke together as a couple. I don't expect it to be creative or even mildly believable but after the story has built up so much animosity I'm eager to see.
My hope for a Calix-Luke makeout session is fading, though. For them, falling in love might just mean they don't argue anymore. As compensation maybe the director could have all the guys stay shirtless for the rest of the series.
5 
6 
2 
The repeated childhood flashbacks got tiresome and felt like lazy writing. How about telling their story in a linear fashion, starting when they’re little? It was annoying that as soon as they showed the pencil eraser we got taken back in time to see why it matters. They must think the audience has the attention span of a flea. Thinking back to how the childhood toy was integrated into “Love of Siam”, in that movie it was instrumental in bringing the story full circle, and its return at the end had an element of surprise that made it all the more moving.
I’ll keep watching and hope this series settles into a better narrative groove.
You said it best in one of your earlier comments - how Wayu just takes from the other characters and gives nothing back. He's a terrible friend. In this episode there he is with Pha, who presumably has a fatal illness, and instead of trying to bring some positive energy into the room he just sits there feeling sorry for himself. Wow - I'm sure Pha really looks forward to those visits. The only way it would be worse is if Wayu had shown up in a tee that reads "My ex got cancer and all I got was this stupid shirt".
It's also hard to feel bad for Mark-Kit or Pok-Tong because their conflicts are as artificial as the one between Thanu and Wayu.
That "moment" between Sandee and Phai was the only thing that made me sit up and take notice. I don't understand what it was about Phai's tattoo that made Sandee do such a 180, though. I'll miss bad Sandee unless they replace him with redeemed Sandee making a play for Phai.
As cute as Milk is, at this point his looks seem to be the only thing he has going for him. Pun seems a bit of a creeper himself, but where Milk is concerned he'd be wise to apply the brakes a bit and learn more about who Milk is.
As others have said, the plot was a bit all over the place. I might rewatch before next week to see if it makes more sense a second time through.
Also, the bitter drink would have been blamed on them for sabotaging it, and Tawi would be able to spin it to gain sympathy. He'd even have the CCTV footage to show that his plant had been infiltrated and that the bitterness had nothing to do with his company's negligence.
Did White's performance in the "test" at the top of the episode not convey something important?
Then 2/4 came along and I realized how thoroughly I'd been had. Never have I been so happy to have been made a fool lol.
(Honorable mention to the Prince saying that he was starting to go numb "down there...")
What saves this for me is that for all the cornball moments and utter nonsense, the cast seems to be completely self-aware and enjoying themselves. Yes, the acting is generally on the level of a high school drama club, but it's fun, and I swear that I laughed outloud at several points. (And I did see flashes of acting potential from both Mikey and Kevin during their conversation in the car.)
It's the little details that delight, like the fact that the Queen would be sitting out her captivity fully decked out in crown and gown. Or the absurd deference given to the dog. Or the moment when we first see the Prince after he's been kidnapped, neatly and symmetrically bound in tape as though he'd sat patiently while Mr. Wang went about the task.
Most of all, I love that this flamboyant and campy production is gay, gay, gay. It's further confirmation that as time passes BL is moving into a new phase. It's no longer entertainment only for straight women, featuring straight male characters who consider their attraction to another man as a momentary detour (or lapse).
Also, Prince Zeyn in a yellow tanktop. This crew knows how to win my heart and my loyalty.
Pran: "I'm hungry."
Pat: "Heeeey. Didn't you get enough?"
Pran: "I waited for a year. ... You served me only five minutes. Do you think that's enough?"
Pat: "Stop with the insult. I just got a little excited there."
As I watch the psycho Se Hee it's always in the back of my mind that by the end of the season we'll be expected to feel sorry for her. She'll get a last-minute redemption, and if there's a Season 4 she'll be back as another one of the smiling friends. It makes it less fun to watch her get caught.
The series has too many characters. The franchise is like a snowball rolling down a hill, picking up more and more excess as it goes. Why do they bother to keep the past villains in the series at all? Ahra has no storyline to speak of so why keep her around? It only mocks the audience by flaunting her complete (and unbelievable) transformation.
Yuna was a dumba&s last season too. Worst "best friend" ever. So she should have been dumped from the show as well.
When all these bad people are allowed to stick around while everyone forgets the evil they did, it only teaches a young audience that you can mess with people and still be liked in the end.
On a side note, if the writers hold true to BL tradition then after that accidental kiss Dae Young and Joo Ho should end up dating. I'm not holding my breath.
Since it's about time travel the writers get to make up their own rules. So , for the Go Geum of 2021 to immediately recognize the other two guys and break into a smile? Why not. It left me with a happy feeling so I can't complain.
Maybe the mom who's a judge is a judge on the take and knew that her son was the leader of that rebel gang. Maybe she made a deal to have him beat up instead of killed.
I think whoever it is, the revelation will be a big surprise and not the result of any sleuthing by White or by us. Tod is a diversion, and as for Gram, as soon as White spotted Gram with Black's girlfriend I knew it would be a false lead.
Also, I think the note in Gram's bedroom was from Black to Gram and not the other way around. Only that way would the little B and G toys be in Black's room instead of Gram's, and on Black's nightstand no less. White is naive to jump to a conclusion so quickly. Instead he should have taken a pic of the note and compared the handwriting to Gram's handwriting later on.
The sneak attack at the end is obviously the garage gang finally deciding to put "Black" to the test.
The Yok and Dan pairing is being delayed so much! I hope they'll start expanding on their storyline soon.
The initial tussle in the bed between Sean and White was one of the best "staring at your future husband" moments that I've seen in a BL. For once it felt like something that might happen in real life, as opposed to one guy tripping and falling into another's arms.
The goal was to make us want to watch. Did it succeed?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pavk109p66Y
The writing is bad but like with every "enemies to lovers" story I'm curious how they'll eventually bring Calix and Luke together as a couple. I don't expect it to be creative or even mildly believable but after the story has built up so much animosity I'm eager to see.
My hope for a Calix-Luke makeout session is fading, though. For them, falling in love might just mean they don't argue anymore. As compensation maybe the director could have all the guys stay shirtless for the rest of the series.