Why I look forward to f4: thailand so much?As much as it may look like, Hana Yori Dango was never about the sweet…
Brilliant. Thank you for this -- I know your analysis will be on my mind as I continue to watch.
I was struck by the look in Thyme's eyes in the very last shot of Episode 1. To me it seemed like a mixture of shock, fear, and "Please love me." We got a glimpse into what I think you're describing. Thyme could sense that from that moment on, nothing in his life would be the same again.
I have zero interest in OffGun. I have zero interest in the plot. But I watched it, and I must say I like it!…
I'd seen Gun in a couple of movies/series and have always liked him. My only prior experience with the OffGun pairing was in "Theory of Love", a series I despised. Here, though, Off's character is not a repellant narcissist and their chemistry is undeniable.
Off has become damn good-looking as he's matured. Based on how he looked back in his "Love Sick" days I'd never have predicted it. Some of the camera shots on him in Episode 2 were very striking.
I love how this feels like a more "grown up" BL than we often get. Having it set in an adult world instead of a school does help, but that's restating the obvious.
The magic moments sneak up on you, like Phap talking about the squid swimming toward the lights and never being able to warn their friends later, and of course that scene of the two of them together on the sand at the end. Coming after all the bickering and banter, that romantic moment felt especially breathtaking. The soccer game on the beach with the kids was cute, and the bit about buying three cotton candies got more of a laugh out of me than I would have expected.
I like the second couple as well, although given Maze's reaction toward Nueng and the way their relationship changed his personality I'm a little worried that Nueng didn't treat him well when they were together. That wouldn't be good for Tharn. (Somebody please give Yacht a leading role soon!)
It's now on the official YouTube channel with subs, but at the price of the annoying cutoff of sound when there's an unlicensed song playing in the background.
I was okay with this series for the first three episodes, but what the heck was that finale? Way too much talking and not much romance. It really felt like the production ran out of money and they just stopped filming mid-series. I commented a while ago to say I was liking this, but now I can't recommend it.
I stopped around episode 6 because I couldn't bring myself to like So Bin's character and her romance with Joon,…
It's been a while, but I think the series doesn't run completely off the rails until much later. I think it's worth watching to see the relationship between Joon and Hyun warm up.
the kick scene in this version is one of my faves. the way she kicked him with the dirty shoe he cut up and threw…
Definitely! Although up until that moment they'd made it so Thyme wouldn't be "getting his hands dirty" by doing something cruel. They seemed to be wanting to make it like Thyme was just standing by to let others do the dirty work. For him to cut up the shoe was not a good look in that regard.
(On the other hand, he was sparing her a worse fate that would have been waiting for her if she'd had to go into the stadium. So maybe he was doing her a favor.)
But with all that said, incorporating the shoe slicing into the scene and having it lead to the kick was pure genius.
I loved the opening -- that narration by Thyme that pays tribute to the girl who changed him. Those glimpses at scenes to come ... wonderful. Within those first moments I knew that this was going to be a fantastic adaptation of BOF.
And we can start with the FL, the absolute best FL of any adaptation of BOF that I've seen. (Sorry, Shen Yue ... I think this version's avoidance of campy humor makes this FL more compelling.) Scrappy and cute. You can already see that Gorya will be beautiful after the inevitable makeover.
The casting of Thyme and Ren is totally on point. Bright is ideal for the ML and Ren is suitably mysterious and beautiful as the SML. The fact that they cast a new actor as Ren is smart. His newness helps to accentuate his character's mystique. When he's onscreen it's hard to take your eyes off him. Bright might be hoping they don't share too many scenes together. :)
Which leads me to Win, where I think my familiarity with him makes it hard to see him as a playboy. If I'm honest I don't think he's as gifted an actor as Bright. He has more work to do, and I just feel like he didn't seem to inhabit his character in the same way that Bright's fit him like a glove.
M.J. is okay. Maybe he'll have a chance to stand out later in the series. For now he seems a little out of place in the quartet.
That final scene was just *chef's kiss*. They incorporated the kick brilliantly, and yes, you could see in Thyme's eyes that he was already falling in love with Gorya. It gave me goosebumps!
Based on the trailer I knew this would be the super-deluxe BOF adaptation and the first episode seems to confirm that. GMMTV has given us another reason to look forward to the weekend!
Lastly, I think they split the episode into five parts to accommodate all the sponsors. Holy Hell, did you see that graphic during the final credits? Not sure what I think of Bright selling laundry detergent and cat food, but whatever pays the bills, I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I love how it sustained a delightful story over 10 episodes by being completely character-driven, without relying on a villain to cause fake drama due to misunderstandings.
I like how Ida's personality changed over the course of the series due to Aoki's influence and the support of Ida's friends. I'm struck by how different the Ida in Episode 10 is from the one we met in Episode 1. He's an example of how falling in love can let you feel secure enough to open up parts of yourself that you've kept hidden.
As for a kiss, I guess I'm just surprised that there wasn't one after the beginning of the last episode made the question of their first kiss such a focal point. By then they'd held hands and been on a date so I figured they were foreshadowing a final kiss, even if we'd see it only through a distant camera shot or in silhouette. (Is it possible that they originally included one and made a change in post-production?)
Well, at least there wasn't a high-5 lol.
Japanese BL is really coming into its own. I hope 2022 will bring us a lot more!
Rewatched the first four episodes after having first finished the series months ago.
This beginning part really is brilliant. Park Ji Hoon and Bae In Hyuk are both terrific and have amazing chemistry.
If only the So Bin romance hadn't later mucked up the works. Ah, what could have been. Like so many great series it collapses at the end, losing its nerve in order to appeal to a mainstream audience that gets uncomfortable when anything is unpredictable.
Why do some studios cater to an international audience for a handful of episodes and then retreat into some channel where most of the world can't keep watching? If they don't want us to watch it, please don't subtitle it! It's really mean to make us fall in love and then dump us unceremoniously.
I'm "coming out" as one of the viewers who didn't like Kiyoi to start with but who now feels as though I've started to understand him. Episode 5 helped a lot. I think what really touched me was when Kiyoi tested Hira by calling Hira's number and then hanging up, while saying to himself that if Hira doesn't call back right away, it's over.
That moved me so much, because it seemed like such a fitting depiction of vulnerability, fear, and self-anger. We can't choose who we're attracted to, and much of Kiyoi's hostility toward Hira could come from being impatient with himself for having such feelings for Hira in the first place -- on one level liking Hira's attention, but ultimately wishing that Hira himself would better fit the role of a suitable boyfriend, and respond to Kiyoi as a person instead of an idol.
Having been on "the other side" of this argument, I won't be on the attack here when I see that someone still thinks Kiyoi is nasty and beyond redemption. I don't want to be associated with the self-appointed Thought Police patrolling this page. Life is more interesting when opposing views are shared and I'm okay with having my beliefs tested.
The situation here has reminded me of what happened early on over at the Bad Buddy comment section. After the first episode there was a commenter who was so over the top in his disgust for the series that it seemed irrational, and his venomous attacks on the people who disagreed with him were really mean. It made us all wish he would just get the hell out. That person was a disruptive and rude presence and I think he deserved to be asked to shut up and leave. On the other hand, from what I've seen here most of the people who have had their dissenting views about Kiyoi and the series have been making their points sincerely.
This is definitely a provocative series -- and I'm sure its creators meant it to be. I bet they'd be delighted to know that it has stirred strong opinions on both sides. The best works of art don't lend themselves to easy interpretation, and those who love this series should be proud of its ability to get a strong reaction out of people from all perspectives. One thing for sure, we've all kept watching because Utsukushii Kare isn't a confection to be easily consumed and forgotten the next day. It makes us think, and even when my own thoughts included the opinion that Kiyoi was an irredeemable a&&hole I still looked forward to every episode.
I already succumbed to the urge to rewatch. Oops! It was just as exciting the second time around. I really enjoy…
I was glad they didn't spend a lot of time on a plot thread where White needs to slowly come to the decision to impersonate Black. I can imagine a lot of series spending one or two episodes on that alone. For me that would be a snoozefest.
Logically I think Todd is the most likely suspect for the big betrayal because none of the other guys was startled to see that "Black" is alive and healthy. Todd is the only one who knows the whole story.
We still haven't met Dan (who, based on the poster, seems destined to be paired up with Yok) so the jury's still out. But I agree that Todd is the prime suspect at this point. Maybe his ultimate goal is to wipe out both brothers along with the rest of the crew.
5 
6 
2 
I was struck by the look in Thyme's eyes in the very last shot of Episode 1. To me it seemed like a mixture of shock, fear, and "Please love me." We got a glimpse into what I think you're describing. Thyme could sense that from that moment on, nothing in his life would be the same again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpmQy8ZcUX4
Well, at least we agree on "Theory of Love". Usually I would drop such a series, but like when driving past a car wreck I just couldn't help but look.
Off has become damn good-looking as he's matured. Based on how he looked back in his "Love Sick" days I'd never have predicted it. Some of the camera shots on him in Episode 2 were very striking.
The magic moments sneak up on you, like Phap talking about the squid swimming toward the lights and never being able to warn their friends later, and of course that scene of the two of them together on the sand at the end. Coming after all the bickering and banter, that romantic moment felt especially breathtaking. The soccer game on the beach with the kids was cute, and the bit about buying three cotton candies got more of a laugh out of me than I would have expected.
I like the second couple as well, although given Maze's reaction toward Nueng and the way their relationship changed his personality I'm a little worried that Nueng didn't treat him well when they were together. That wouldn't be good for Tharn. (Somebody please give Yacht a leading role soon!)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRBClVey5BqyN4AQ0AV-fzR3IoHjqk9xZ
Okay, I got that off my chest. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program. :)
(On the other hand, he was sparing her a worse fate that would have been waiting for her if she'd had to go into the stadium. So maybe he was doing her a favor.)
But with all that said, incorporating the shoe slicing into the scene and having it lead to the kick was pure genius.
And we can start with the FL, the absolute best FL of any adaptation of BOF that I've seen. (Sorry, Shen Yue ... I think this version's avoidance of campy humor makes this FL more compelling.) Scrappy and cute. You can already see that Gorya will be beautiful after the inevitable makeover.
The casting of Thyme and Ren is totally on point. Bright is ideal for the ML and Ren is suitably mysterious and beautiful as the SML. The fact that they cast a new actor as Ren is smart. His newness helps to accentuate his character's mystique. When he's onscreen it's hard to take your eyes off him. Bright might be hoping they don't share too many scenes together. :)
Which leads me to Win, where I think my familiarity with him makes it hard to see him as a playboy. If I'm honest I don't think he's as gifted an actor as Bright. He has more work to do, and I just feel like he didn't seem to inhabit his character in the same way that Bright's fit him like a glove.
M.J. is okay. Maybe he'll have a chance to stand out later in the series. For now he seems a little out of place in the quartet.
That final scene was just *chef's kiss*. They incorporated the kick brilliantly, and yes, you could see in Thyme's eyes that he was already falling in love with Gorya. It gave me goosebumps!
Based on the trailer I knew this would be the super-deluxe BOF adaptation and the first episode seems to confirm that. GMMTV has given us another reason to look forward to the weekend!
Lastly, I think they split the episode into five parts to accommodate all the sponsors. Holy Hell, did you see that graphic during the final credits? Not sure what I think of Bright selling laundry detergent and cat food, but whatever pays the bills, I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I like how Ida's personality changed over the course of the series due to Aoki's influence and the support of Ida's friends. I'm struck by how different the Ida in Episode 10 is from the one we met in Episode 1. He's an example of how falling in love can let you feel secure enough to open up parts of yourself that you've kept hidden.
As for a kiss, I guess I'm just surprised that there wasn't one after the beginning of the last episode made the question of their first kiss such a focal point. By then they'd held hands and been on a date so I figured they were foreshadowing a final kiss, even if we'd see it only through a distant camera shot or in silhouette. (Is it possible that they originally included one and made a change in post-production?)
Well, at least there wasn't a high-5 lol.
Japanese BL is really coming into its own. I hope 2022 will bring us a lot more!
This beginning part really is brilliant. Park Ji Hoon and Bae In Hyuk are both terrific and have amazing chemistry.
If only the So Bin romance hadn't later mucked up the works. Ah, what could have been. Like so many great series it collapses at the end, losing its nerve in order to appeal to a mainstream audience that gets uncomfortable when anything is unpredictable.
That moved me so much, because it seemed like such a fitting depiction of vulnerability, fear, and self-anger. We can't choose who we're attracted to, and much of Kiyoi's hostility toward Hira could come from being impatient with himself for having such feelings for Hira in the first place -- on one level liking Hira's attention, but ultimately wishing that Hira himself would better fit the role of a suitable boyfriend, and respond to Kiyoi as a person instead of an idol.
Having been on "the other side" of this argument, I won't be on the attack here when I see that someone still thinks Kiyoi is nasty and beyond redemption. I don't want to be associated with the self-appointed Thought Police patrolling this page. Life is more interesting when opposing views are shared and I'm okay with having my beliefs tested.
The situation here has reminded me of what happened early on over at the Bad Buddy comment section. After the first episode there was a commenter who was so over the top in his disgust for the series that it seemed irrational, and his venomous attacks on the people who disagreed with him were really mean. It made us all wish he would just get the hell out. That person was a disruptive and rude presence and I think he deserved to be asked to shut up and leave. On the other hand, from what I've seen here most of the people who have had their dissenting views about Kiyoi and the series have been making their points sincerely.
This is definitely a provocative series -- and I'm sure its creators meant it to be. I bet they'd be delighted to know that it has stirred strong opinions on both sides. The best works of art don't lend themselves to easy interpretation, and those who love this series should be proud of its ability to get a strong reaction out of people from all perspectives. One thing for sure, we've all kept watching because Utsukushii Kare isn't a confection to be easily consumed and forgotten the next day. It makes us think, and even when my own thoughts included the opinion that Kiyoi was an irredeemable a&&hole I still looked forward to every episode.
Logically I think Todd is the most likely suspect for the big betrayal because none of the other guys was startled to see that "Black" is alive and healthy. Todd is the only one who knows the whole story.
We still haven't met Dan (who, based on the poster, seems destined to be paired up with Yok) so the jury's still out. But I agree that Todd is the prime suspect at this point. Maybe his ultimate goal is to wipe out both brothers along with the rest of the crew.
Hats off to the OffGun Army for taking appropriate action. ^_^
The rooster humor was the best.