Froehlein

If I understood correctly, the director said at the beginning we get a sweet happy ending...

Btw: Benjamin is adorable. Sweet and shy and even more handsome then in the series.

I agree, they are both top BLs.Love them both. And yes, I also find the dynamics very different.

I really liked Stay with me. But I don't think The On1y One is similar. The only similarities are that the mother and father are a couple and they are in a school together.
I find The On1y One much more poetic, multi-layered and nuanced. The characters are more complex for me in the baggage they have to carry.

I don't want to devalue Stay with me by any means. As I said, I like it a lot. They're just very different for me. I think Addicted Heroin (clearly same story) is really similar to Stay with me.

I'm interested to know what makes it so similar for you? Is it the feeling that JT and SW give off when they're together?

I love it too. They are cutie patooties :)

Yup. But if the script for S2 is already finished, then they would need different endings or we get a cliffhanger that we carry with us forever.

Wow, that sounds like a place... I wouldn't want to be there...
But if I understand it correctly, some are saying that the Douban rating would be important for us to get an S2.

Yes, I don't really understand if they can see it either. The comments I've been following have centred around the fact that the rating is only 4.7 out of 10 and since the investors seem to be from the mainland and China/Taiwan seem to be the target audience, the rating is poor. So Douban seems to be important for Taiwan as well.
So I also wonder, can BL not be released but consumed in China? And don't investors see the international popularity? That should actually be a good point.
It would be a shame if only the Douban rating counted, especially because it seems that the actors' looks are rated a lot (they are called "ugly" - I can't understand that at all).

I have a feeling I'm going to experience the highest highs and the most painful lows with this drama... It's good that we all have to go through it together.

Apparently the Douban rating is important and it's not good...

I had 2 written exams per subject and semester, plus 2-3 tests (oral/written) per day and then lectures. We didn't have that many projects. I've read that you're also from Germany: I'm glad you had a more pleasant time. I made up for it during my time at university 😂

I am not Asian. But my school days used to look pretty much the same. At least 2-3 tests every day with the standard that nobody gets a "very good". Lots of studying, loads of homework, sports every now and then and then going to bed tired.

I can really feel this representation of school.

I have at least read a lot of praise on their personal Instagram accounts. I hope that's enough of a counterbalance to the comments attacking them personally on Douban.

Maybe there is a way to ask directly?

https://www.instagram.com/stories/theonlyone_tw_series/3449687163209016677?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=dml3Y3RuYXNjM29z

The content of the link was already shared yesterday. Since the comment slipped down, I'll put the story link about the online live party here again.

I only know Stay with me. Haven't seen the original series or read the novel. That's why I'm quite unbiased. And for me it seems like an adaptation of Stay with me so far.

As far as the age difference between the actors is concerned, I see it quite rationally. After all, they work together and don't have a real relationship. And I assume that special care was taken during production precisely because of their young age. You also need a declaration of consent from the parents. I want to give the series a fair chance and not judge it on the basis of age or age difference.

However, I can understand that people are more concerned about things, especially if they know the original series. Also, laws are different in different countries and that naturally shapes everyone. On the other hand, this also offers the opportunity to exchange different perspectives and develop an understanding for each other.

Yes. H4 taught me to drop series. I just found everything about that part of the story disgusting. Especially the trivialisation of criminal offences.

It's a bit bigoted that the commentator makes this statement and then gives HIStory 4 an 8.0 with the worst stepbrother plot I've ever seen...

That's so crazy. Using subjective beauty standards to evaluate a series. That's very superficial.
I can maybe understand criticisms from readers, but I wonder if they've seen all the episodes or don't give it a chance after 1/2 episodes.

I don't know what it's like for others. I haven't yet labelled any other BL as a masterpiece (I might still have one in mind).

Even if I love many other BLs for various reasons, not everyone is a masterpiece for me. The On1y One is for me for several reasons, it's poetic, multi-layered in content, technically executed to a high standard, full of metaphorical imagery, with Love of detail, with music to match, plus first class actors who draw their roles in a natural way and show so much more about their characters through subtle facial expressions and gestures. It is the mixture of the various extremely well executed aspects that makes it a masterpiece for me after 5 episodes.

Which BL is a masterpiece for you and why?

Thank you, dear, but I want to read the novel after I've seen the series in its entirety.

That way I feel I can do both more justice and enjoy them independently :)

Yes, I also think JT POV is there to understand this "aloof" character.

However, in the episode itself, Benjamin manages to convey the complexity of his character, his depth, his pain (without us knowing it yet) and his associated aloofness, as well as his hidden warmth and caring. All of this just through his facial expressions, through minimal expressions that you understand intuitively. I like the fact that he's not actually cold, but aloof, but at first glance it seems as if he's cold. For me, there's something very real about that, where nowadays people often wear a mask to avoid being hurt.

For me, the last few minutes are therefore more of a gift to him and an honour to give this wonderful actor a spotlight in which he is allowed to shine all on his own.