A Missed Opportunity in Character Development
I approached this series with a lowered expectation, only to find that it did little to change my initial outlook. At its core, this BL series revolves around a character so unlikable that you'll find yourself hoping the other main character seeks love elsewhere.The storyline introduces us to Lee Jun, a failed idol who lands an internship in a company where the general manager, Choi Jun, turns out to be his childhood friend. Their reunion sparks feelings from their shared past. However, for a series to succeed, it needs likable characters that viewers can root for. Unfortunately, Lee Jun falls short of fulfilling this role. His character lacks depth and charisma, yet three men are inexplicably smitten with him.
First, we have Choi Jun, Lee Jun's childhood friend who secretly harbors feelings for him since their youth. Their past connection isn't sufficiently explored, leaving viewers questioning the basis of Choi Jun's enduring affection. Moreover, Choi Jun's two-year silence after returning to South Korea post his studies in US hardly aligns with someone deeply in love. He does not even attempt to contact Lee Jun until coincidentally he is hired as an intern in his office.
Second, there's Song Hyun Jae, Lee Jun's former idol manager who recommends him for an internship at Choi Jun's company. While Song Hyun Jae genuinely cares for Lee Jun, the latter’s character mainly involves whining and emotional turmoil.
Lastly, Simeon, a famous model who also admires Lee Jun, adds another layer to the complex web of feelings. His flirtations with Lee Jun go unnoticed, and intriguingly, a more palpable chemistry emerges between Simeon and Song Hyun Jae.
The series missed an opportunity to create a more engaging character in Lee Jun. Instead of a self-deprecating and whiny persona, Lee Jun could have been portrayed as a newcomer navigating office life, garnering attention and affection from past and present colleagues. His timidness could have been balanced with decisiveness, enriching his character beyond mere vulnerability.
In conclusion, the series falls short of its potential due to the underdeveloped character of Lee Jun. While the concept of office-based romance holds promise, there are better BL series in this genre worth exploring. This one, unfortunately, can be safely skipped in favor of more engaging alternatives.
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A promising start hindered by execution
This is a series that keeps you questioning its potential right up to the end. It's shot with a modest budget, and across its eight 30-minute episodes, it had ample time to delve into character development and storyline details. However, it ultimately falls short in these aspects.The series commences with Jung Lee Won discovering that his roommate is writing a web novel where he and his rival, Kim Ji Oh, are depicted as being in a romantic relationship. Lee Won vehemently denies the claims but soon realizes that Ji Oh's feelings are gradually shifting toward genuine affection. Attempting to maintain his distance from Ji Oh proves futile when they are assigned to collaborate on a project. Meanwhile, Woo Sun Woo secretly nurtures feelings for Ko Yoo Kyeom, who happens to be his best friend's boyfriend. Out of loyalty to his friendship, Sun Woo suppresses his budding romance with Yoo Kyeom.
The series begins on a promising note, introducing us to the main characters, Lee Won and Ji Oh, and establishing their intense rivalry. They clash at every turn. Additionally, we are acquainted with the talented yet financially disadvantaged Sun Woo and the affluent Yoo Kyeom. Unfortunately, as the series unfolds, it takes a noticeable dip in quality. Ji Oh's sudden shift from rivalry to affection for Lee Won feels rushed and unconvincing. Conversely, Sun Woo's reluctance to express his feelings for Yoo Kyeom, followed by an abrupt confession and subsequent avoidance, makes his character arc appear inconsistent. The series also suffers from erratic sound recording, with background noise abruptly disappearing during dialogue scenes and noticeable dubbing issues.
The standout elements of this series are undoubtedly the performances by Lee Ye Hwan and Lee Sang Min. They bring their characters to life with enthusiasm and conviction, providing a silver lining in an otherwise uneven production. Lee Jung Min and Park Chang Hoon, while competent, could have offered stronger performances.
In conclusion, this series may be worth considering for a quick watch, particularly for the commendable acting talents of Lee Ye Hwan and Lee Sang Min. It falls short of its potential due to pacing and technical issues but can still provide some entertainment, making it suitable for a lazy weekend binge.
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A Thai BL trope galore in this simple storyline
This series is a classic enemies-to-lovers storly, centering around engineering students, and while it doesn't break new ground, it effectively employs tried-and-true tropes to craft an entertaining series.The narrative follows Ai and Songkhram, dormitory heads at an engineering university, who constantly clash whenever their paths cross. Unbeknownst to them, hidden beneath their bickering lies a growing affection for each other. When Songkhram discovers Ai's feelings, he actively pursues a romantic relationship. Intertwined with this budding romance is the presence of a resentful former dormitory head and another student determined to see Ai and Songkhram fail. Additionally, secondary plotlines explore the relationships between Meen and Bright, as well as Nano and Pluster.
The series leans into the familiar tropes often found in Thai BL series, especially those set in a college backdrop. It incorporates elements like rivals secretly harboring feelings, one MC falling ill and being cared for by the other, and the cliché of maintaining a secret relationship while making it blatantly obvious. While the series delivers on these plot points, it doesn't delve deep into character backgrounds or their journey toward falling in love. It tends to jump from one plot development to another. A more comprehensive exploration of Bright and Meen's past relationship, as well as the cause of their rift, would have enriched the narrative. Similarly, the sudden emergence of Pluster and Nano's relationship lacks depth.
One of the series' strengths and simultaneously a drawback is its adherence to these familiar tropes. While it might seem typical, it also ensures that viewers won't feel bored or encounter jarring narrative shifts. The series successfully balances its reliance on conventions with its entertainment value. The two main actors deliver commendable performances, breathing life into their characters and crafting a genuinely heartwarming love story. It's evident that these actors have the potential to shine even brighter in more complex storylines.
In conclusion, the series may not revolutionize the BL genre, but it's far from disappointing. With only 10 episodes, it's a manageable time investment. The skilled performances of the actors and the decent background score contribute to its charm. While you'll need to overlook some subpar subtitles, the series is a worthwhile watch, especially if you enjoy the classic college romance formula.
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A Heartwarming Blend of Relationships and Time Travel
This series easily secures its spot as one of my favorite BL series of 2023, thanks to its captivating plotline that delves into a range of relationships between characters. Going beyond the typical romantic focus, the series masterfully explores the dynamics between a father and son, parents and their daughter, a son and his mother, and the bonds of friendship. This heartwarming series stands out as a feel-good watch, void of any antagonistic elements, and instead, centers on the growth of multiple relationships that viewers can't help but root for.Centered around the protagonist Kawi, a modest and self-deprecating student harboring a crush on Pear, a popular girl in school, the series takes an intriguing twist when Kawi discovers a crystal ball that grants him the ability to travel back in time. His attempts to alter events brings him closer to Pisaeng leading to a realization that destiny might have other plans.
The series' brilliance lies in its well-developed characters and the underlying message of cherishing our time with loved ones. Kawi's journey to secure a connection with Pear inadvertently leads him closer to Pisaeng, and their evolving bond is beautifully portrayed. Pisaeng's struggles with self-acceptance resonate powerfully, drawing strength from the support of friends and family. Kawi's motivations for time travel extend beyond romatic gain, as he attempts to save his father's life and mend relationship with his friend Max. Pear, portrayed as a compassionate and empathetic individual, navigates her own challenges, reconciling with her mother and forgiving those who have wronged her. Similarly, Kwan's journey towards healing from a toxic relationship with Knot adds depth to the series.
Kawi's charismatic and endearing personality steals the spotlight, credit to Krist's commendable portrayal. Fluke brings a patient and understanding demeanor to Pisaeng, allowing their chemistry to shine through. Notably, the characters of Pear, Kwan, and Max are thoughtfully crafted and skillfully portrayed by the cast, enhancing the series' overall appeal.
In conclusion, "Be My Favourite" excels in its storytelling, largely due to its intricate character development and the inventive use of supernatural time travel. As relationships evolve and intertwine, the series captivates viewers with its heartwarming exploration of connection and second chances.
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A Bittersweet Culinary Journey
Initially skeptical due to mixed reviews and ratings, I approached this series with caution, only to find it to be a decent watch. This Japanese BL series tells a simple love story that unfolds at a leisurely pace, with a rush of events in the final episode to bring closure. It's the kind of series you can binge-watch on a lazy weekend.The story revolves around Ichijo Sota, whose unique destressing mechanism involves eating naked. After the passing of his grandmother, he visits her home in a small town and discovers her book filled with recipes from around the world. To honor her memory, Ichijo decides to follow each recipe, leading him to a vegetable and fruit store run by Miki Mahiro. As they bond over the kitchen table while preparing food, Ichijo starts questioning his feelings towards Mahiro.
Food takes center stage in this series, acting as a catalyst for building relationships. Each dish serves as a metaphor, pushing the narrative forward. As Ichijo and Mahiro spend weekends cooking together, their bond grows stronger. While Mahiro is clear about his feelings for Ichijo, Ichijo grapples with his own emotions. His indecisiveness causes pain and misunderstandings, leaving viewers longing for open communication between the characters. What could have been a delightful romantic comedy turns into melodrama, with hopes that Ichijo will shed his inhibitions, much like his clothes, and confess his true feelings to Mahiro.
Yutaro and Kondo Shori deliver decent performances considering the limitations of the script. While lacking in romantic chemistry, their scenes together possess a sweetness that resonates. The supporting characters primarily serve to create misunderstandings between the two leads, whether it's Ichijo's coworker or the store's previous owner. Unfortunately, these characters remain underdeveloped, despite the occasional flashbacks providing glimpses into Mahiro and Ichijo's school life.
In conclusion, this series offers a familiar experience without any groundbreaking elements. It's not a series to be dismissed entirely, but don't set your expectations too high. If you're a food enthusiast, give it a try as it will appeal to your culinary sensibilities. Otherwise, save it for when you're in the mood for something light and straightforward.
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Missed Opportunities and Familiar Tropes
his series falls short of leaving a lasting impression, as it relies on the familiar clichés and tropes seen in many average BL series. It's high time for producers to take more creative risks and offer unique storylines that set them apart. Iconic BL series like "The Eighth Sense" and "DNA Says Love You" come to mind as examples of pushing boundaries and delivering fresh narratives.The story follows Lee Jun, a team leader in a media company who is disillusioned with love due to a past failed relationship. He becomes the target of relentless pursuit by a new employee named Jeong Ha Ram, who falls head over heels at first sight. Exhausted by Ha Ram's persistent advances, Lee Jun reluctantly decides to give him a chance, embarking on a month-long trial period to determine their compatibility. However, as Lee Jun finds himself drawn to Ha Ram, his unresolved past resurfaces, posing a threat to their budding relationship.
Regrettably, this series is saturated with clichés and predictable tropes. Ha Ram's persistent pursuit and borderline stalker-like behavior raise red flags rather than romantic intrigue. Despite Lee Jun's initial reservations, he succumbs to Ha Ram's advances, only to have his trust broken when Ha Ram disregards their agreed-upon boundaries. This lack of character growth and reliance on stagnant dynamics becomes a hindrance to the overall narrative. Ha Ram remains infatuated with Lee Jun throughout, while Lee Jun's growth is not thanks to Ha Ram, but rather his personal journey of letting go of the past.
The series falls short in character development, particularly with Ha Ram. We are left with unanswered questions about his background, profession, and the true motivation behind his instant infatuation with Lee Jun. Strong character development is crucial in any series, even in a mini-series like this, as it helps viewers relate to and understand the characters' actions and choices. Without this connection, the audience's interest wanes.
In conclusion, this series offers nothing new to viewers who have already experienced the typical romantic love story formula. While the cast is visually appealing, that alone cannot salvage a series lacking fresh ideas. With a wealth of impressive BL series released in 2023, I recommend exploring those and giving this one a pass.
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One of the most wholesome BL series out there
Bokura No Shokutaku serves you great dose of wholesome and heart-warming plot. This series is full of elements that makes it an entertaining watch. We have characters with amazing back stories and their journey of changing each other for the better.This series is about Yutaka who suffers from a childhood fear of eating in a group. He meets Tane and his older brother Minoru and every week he visits their place to cook them a meal. During his weekly visits he learns about Minoru and slowly opens himself up to new experiences including getting over his fear of eating with others. Minoru on the other hand learns to enjoy his life as he is looking forward to his weekly cooking sessions with Yutaka.
This series beautifully showcases the contrast in the family life of Yutaka and Minoru. Yutaka comes from a family who adopted him after his parents death, where his brother dislikes him causing him to distance himself from everyone. Meanwhile Minoru has a younger brother and father who love him. The loss of his mother has had an impact on his life and he has shut himself up. Together, Yutaka and Minoru learn to embrace life through the different delicacies they cook for Tane. While we see the friendship between Yutaka and Minoru slowly developing in to something far more, we also get to witness Yutaka’s apprehensions and his fear of losing something so precious.
Other than the support Yukata and Minoru give each other, we also get an ensemble of other characters that guide the main characters. We have Tane who is the cause of Yutaka and Minoru constantly meeting each other, Minoru’s dad who is caring and understanding, Yukata’s female colleague who indirectly dispenses some good advice to him and Minoru’s boss who is always available to guide him.
In conclusion, this series boasts some great performances from all the actors, a strong story-line, an entertaining plot that will keep you hooked and asking for more.
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How to make the main character so unlikable you wish misery upon him!
After seeing Pond and Phuwin in Fish Upon the Sky, I hoped they get to star in a better series since their acting and chemistry together in that was exceptional. Instead of this being the series that made my wish come true, it rather made me question their chemistry. How did that end up deteriorating? Looks like I am still left wishing for a better series with them starring together.Reading the synopsis, you anticipate an action-packed series about a guy losing his father at the hands of a hired gunman and a looming threat on his mother and him. But what we get is Phuwin acting like a naïve child who needs constant protection and becomes a source of misgivings for everyone around him especially the one person he loves. They keep running away from people after a little gunfire and then long stretches of them trying to act like boyfriends. God save us!
Although the series starts with Phuwin losing his dad, being outed as gay in school, being bullied and betrayed by the person who likes him, and his mother falling in to a coma, I believe the biggest victim still is Pond and the source for all the tragedy in his life is Phuwin. He was living a somewhat carefree and comfortable life in a small fishing village when his father takes him to Phuwin and asks him to be his bodyguard. He gets beaten, stamped on, reprimanded by the principal, suspended from school, humiliated in front of a crowd, made to feel like a slave by his own dad towards Phuwin, lost his mother while protecting Phuwin, had his father locked up and threatened to be killed in jail, takes a bullet and temporarily loses all function in his leg all because Phuwin is an idiot. After all this, Pond still keeps loving Phuwin and Phuwin shows pity on him and leaves him alone instructing him never to see him again. WTF! The series left no stone unturned to make me hate one of the main character who ideally, I should sympathise with.
To make matters worse, I did not find much chemistry between the two actors. They did a great job in a previous series but all that charm was lost in this one and I don’t blame them for it. The characters were just so unlikable and there was no reason for them to fall in love. In fact, I was hoping that Pond would do a great deal better if he hands Phuwin over to the bad guys himself.
In conclusion, this series paints a very unlikely picture of two people falling in love with each other especially when one is nothing but trouble for the other and loses a great deal with a lot of sacrifices with not much in return. I finished it because I wanted to know how it would close and at the end I felt nothing.
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When end of the world is nigh, what would you do?
What would you do if you meet the one person you never want to see again while the world is literally coming to an end?The story is interesting and has a string of emotional moments which you would expect in a series about the end of the world. But what you also have are some amazing characters that are flawed, have a backstory that dictates their present choices and you care about them. The series revolves around these 4 characters. It’s about romance, heartbreaks, redemption, family dimensions and your choices when you are staring at your own mortality.
The story is about Masumi, a closeted gay student who meets Ritsu, a bisexual philanderer and they start a relationship which ultimately ends bitterly because of Ritsu’s nature. While all life is coming to an end in 10 days, Masumi an adult in a dead-end job meets Ritsu, a rich IT businessman again. All past anger comes brimming to the top but fate has a different plan for them. The story takes a different turn with the introduction of Yuma and Meguru. They all go on a road trip together to drop Meguru and Yuma at each of their houses before time runs out. During the subsequent episodes while they are on the road, we get to see glimpses from their past and we realise this trip is now to reconcile with their past actions and make peace with the consequences.
The series portrays a connection that all the characters have with Ritsu and the relationship that develops between them as they face situations arising from an imminent catastrophe. Amongst all of them the most intriguing character is Yuma. The series remains vague about who he really is and this mystery just adds to the flavour. It leaves a lot to your imagination and keeps you guessing till the very end.
This was highly entertaining with great acting from all the cast portraying some difficult and complicated characters with much conviction. The series also did not shy away from some steamy scenes between the two main leads and it doesn’t appear misplaced in the storyline instead enhances it by showing us the kind of relationship Ritsu and Masumi shared.
In conclusion, give this one a try because of a different take on the end of the world storyline, the emotions of the characters and the mystery behind Yuma.
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4 Couples with some sweet plots and some highly infuriating ones
I will be honest right from the start. The only reason I decided to give this one a watch was because of Earth Pirapat and Earth Katsamonnat. I have enjoyed their acting in all the series that I have seen them in so far and this was no exception. But it would be unfair to rate this series only on the performance of 2 characters. Love By Chance is a series that tells a story of 4 separate couples, so let’s judge it on the basis of these 8 characters and their stories starting with the 2 main characters.Pete and Ae: Pete comes from a rich family where he has been protected by his mother and he is shown to be rather simple and easily over-powered. He is closeted gay and hence is blackmailed by another student for money. Ae has a humble background and one day they accidently meet each other. From that day onwards, whenever he encounters Pete, he needs saving and Ae helps him out. Ae even encourages Pete to come out to his mom which he does. It was good to see a coming out scene in a BL series and the mom accepting it for her child’s happiness. Post this encounter, a strong bond develops between Pete and Ae that takes the shape of love and they start a relationship. Their relationship is shown to be sweet and passionate. There are some ups and downs but any issues they encounter are swiftly resolved through dialogue. There is jealousy but also a strong sense of trust between the two throughout the series. It was only during the last few episodes that I feel Ae behaves rather differently where Ae and his friends plan a 3 day vacation at a beach and he refuses to take Pete along because he is afraid of some handsome friend who will make fun of him.
Tin and Can: Of all the 4 couples, these 2 had the best storyline. Tin also hails from a rich family but initially you feel something is wrong with him. He has a superiority complex and looks down upon people who are not as rich as he is. All this stemming from experiences he had as a child and multiple betrayals suffered from parents, elder brother and even his friends. He now does not trust anyone and feels money is the solution to all problems. Can is a fresher at the university and a football player. He is talkative and enjoys food especially when paid by someone else. He is a simpleton through and through and picks up a fight with Tin because he rubs him the wrong way. However, as the story progresses we find they both interact and have a positive impact on each other. Tin has a backstory that is worth expanding upon and I believe Part 2 of this series does that. There is a different dynamic at play in this relationship as Tin is straightforward and Can is naïve. Their story reaches a crescendo in the last episode and to me feels justified. Their story picks up steam by ep 10 and I was left wishing that it should have started way earlier to flesh out a lot of things.
Tum and Tar: This is a complicated one as Tum and Tar are introduced as siblings where Tum has serious feelings for Tar and this just made me uncomfortable. Its later revealed that they are step-brothers but not sure if it really helped at the end. Tar is a victim of rape and hence suffers from a trauma leading him to be afraid of love and intimacy. Tum is caring towards Tar but has no idea about Tar being a victim and misunderstands the whole situation. There is a deep emotional moment in the last episode between these 2 characters which pulls at your heart strings but with a lot of things left unanswered or being spoken in passing you fail to connect with these 2 characters and hence aren’t involved in their stories.
Techno and Kengkla: Finally talking about the most problematic couple. Kengkla loves Techno and would do anything to be with him. He straightaway bribes Techno’s brother to keep an eye on him and constantly call him to know his whereabouts. You don’t understand Kengkla’s infatuation with Techno because that is not explained. In fact they hardly share any scenes together and have no dialogues between them. Kengkla at the end devices the most ridiculous and in my opinion an illegal plan to get Techno. Techno once comes home drunk and Kengkla takes advantage of this situation and rapes Techno (Techno is too drunk to consent and this cant be described as anything other than rape). To make matters worse, the next day when Techno wakes up sober, he finds himself in the same bed as Kengkla, naked with no memory of the previous night. Kengkla guilts Techno in to believing that he took advantage of Kengkla last night and should now take responsibility by being his boyfriend. This storyline started ridiculous and ended up infuriating me especially when you already have another character who is a victim of rape. What were the writers and director thinking?
In conclusion, this series is a watch only for Pete and Ae, and Tin and Can. Their stories are sweet and has a lot of depth and there is certainly character development. Can’t say the same about the other 2 couples. Feel free to fast forward their parts for better entertainment value.
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Loads of cute romantic moments over unnecessary melodrama
I am glad to see that there are more BL stories around office employees than staying with the cliché high school students. That being said, this story deserves more than 8 episodes as it contains all the ingredients of being a good drama. The series in its current format abandoned a lot of plots which have the potential of being fleshed out and what we will get is a well-rounded story about our 2 characters and also their colleagues.The story is about an intern Seung Hyun working for a cold workaholic boss Kim Jong Chan in an ad company and they start having feelings for each other. The story does not appear out of the box and that is fine because where the story might not be original what was presented to us was wholesome and great.
The series takes its own sweet time to go through how slowly their relationship develops. There are all the right moments of romance, love and passion. Its these tender moments between the 2 characters that is necessary in showcasing that the relationship is moving from simple crush to like to love. There are certainly misunderstandings between the 2 characters and that is resolved by the one thing that other BL series fails to understand and that is communication.
The one gripe that I have with BL series is showing relationships ending because of misunderstandings between the characters caused due to lack of communication. But not in this series. When there is a bit of rift in their relationship they decide to talk to each other and come to a conclusion that they need an opportunity to understand each other better. There are no scenes of any of them behaving unreasonably. Instead, they behave like mature people would and voice their grievances and reach a solution. This was new to me and surprising nonetheless.
As I said before, this story has the potential of being fleshed out well. We do get the backstory of Seung Hyun during his high school times and his crush on a guy but we don’t get to see much about Kim Jong Chan. We just know that he lost multiple relationships to being a workaholic. Chances are with Seung Hyun, this nature of his will not change. So will this impact their relationship in the long run. Also there are certain people in office who dislike Kim but we don’t get a very good explanation as to the reason why.
There are many such minor points that could have been expanded if they had a better runtime but even with the lack of these, the story is rather coherent and the actors did a phenomenal job. Certainly a good watch and easily binge-worthy.
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Oh! come on series, I need answers
I was pretty excited when I read the synopsis of the series as you don’t find a lot of BL series with a supernatural theme. Someone who enjoys such storylines, this was certainly a must watch for me. That being said, although there is some hint of supernatural, it is so vague and sprinkled so far between that you forget about it after some time. In fact, even the show forgets about it mid-way and brings it back in the final episodeThe story is about Min Yu Dam, a man who has lived for 300 years waiting for Seol Dong Baek his long dead lover to be reincarnated. Seol Dong Baek returns as an employee in his office and they have to fall in love again in order to break the curse. As a plot synopsis this had all the ingredients of being a great BL series but somewhere the ball was dropped and with the short run time the story moves at a fast pace and leaves you with a lot of questions.
With a series like this, what you need is a well established back story of the two characters. The series spends just 1 episode going through that and it is a rushed version. We want to know more about these characters to make sense of what is going on in the present. The questions that the series fails to answer through this backstory are
1. Why Min Yu Dam decides to name an unknown person?
2. What is the problem in naming that person? Mind you the series does try to give a half-baked answer that makes little sense and has no bearing to the following events
3. Why does Seol Dong Baek die but Min Yu Dam gets to live eternally?
4. Who is the entity that possesses Seol Dong Baek briefly?
5. What is the curse and who placed it and how does Min Yu Dam know how to break it?
6. Why does God interfere in their life to this extent where they are punished?
If the decision was made to make this a full fledged series instead of a mere 15 min each episode, they would have had enough time to explain what the hell is going on and we would have been saved from the effort of trying to figure out the answers ourselves
In conclusion, this series isn’t one of the best although it had all the potential of being one. You can give it a watch as it isn’t that bad but be ready to leave this with many a question answered.
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A well written and acted series showcasing angst
I have mixed feelings about this show. There are some parts that are extremely well directed and acted and there are some that appear misplaced in the large scheme of things.Let me start by saying that I have not seen the 4-episode original series and went through this with a fresh mind. The story is nothing new and suffers from the use of same old tropes that you see in many other BLs based on university students. But there is some enjoyment to be had because of the basic premise of the show. Mark is heart-broken due to being rejected by Bar and drinks excessively to cope with his sorrow. Vee taking pity on his state takes him home just for a drunken Mark to mistake him for Bar. Post this, Vee starts pursuing Mark who tries to keep his distance since Vee is already in a relationship.
The series moves at a constant pace where nothing seems rushed and enough time is spent on showing the heart-broken Mark, the conflicting emotions of Vee, Mark being hopeful only to have it shattered time and again. You are glued to your screen to take in all the complex emotions rising out of complicated situations. The relationship between Mark and Vee is well developed and when we reach the mandatory third-act break-up you can feel the despair of the characters. All this is possible thanks to the great acting by the 2 main leads. They look convincing in all their scenes together and there is great chemistry.
As I stated earlier, the story does suffer from age-old tropes used countless number of times on other shows that you wish and pray for something new and different. The same old misunderstanding caused by characters witnessing just a part and coming to a different conclusion just to completely shut themselves from hearing any explanations. It’s like, why have a conversation to sort things out when I can shut myself and cry endlessly in a dark room. Jealousy being a hindrance to developing relationships further only to be tossed out in the next few minutes. But what lead me scratching my head in confusion was episode 9 where we have a conflict between Vee and a completely new character. A good 30+ minutes is spent in showing something that has no bearing on the overall story and feels like a filler to increase the show's runtime.
In conclusion if you don’t mind the tropes, this series is binge-worthy where the acting of the main leads and the pure emotions they show will not disappoint.
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Show with some fine characters and back stories
When you write a character for a show what he or she needs is depth. Without depth the character simply turns in to a caricature of whatever situation you initially put them into and that has to carry on throughout the series. And then for the purpose of creating some drama when you put them in difficult situations, we are unable to relate to them as their actions just seem forced.What wins in this series is the depth of the main characters. On one side we have Bai Lang, a deeply damaged individual with clear mental issues forcing him to suffer from insomnia, self-guilt and manic episodes. This in my book makes him an intriguing character and a love story around this character when done well will be nothing but interesting. On the other side we have Jin Xun An, a dentist who is cold, appears unfriendly just to keep people away and has an abusive father. Another character who I would be invested in as the story progresses. When these two flawed characters meet and sparks fly, we would be in on a ride where we see them grow, understand and help each other while also having their relationship getting stronger.
The initial few episodes do a great job at building these characters and we get to know who they are and the reasons for their peculiar behaviour. We see Bai Lang struggling to understand his feelings for Xun An only to try and stay away from him lest he pulls him in to his madness and Xun An breaking out of his icy cold exterior and allow himself to fall in love with someone.
Once this is established the series takes a turn for the cliche. Enter the ex of one of the characters as soon as they get close to each other. Now the budding relationship derails due to misunderstandings and a failure to communicate. This is around the period where I am pulled right out because all the character build-up that took place in the past episodes is conveniently forgotten to instead show angst and melodrama.
The story finally picks up steam in the last 2 episodes where we get to know more about Xun An but it feels a little too late and you are marching on just to get to the last episode. All the potential that the story has is washed off by cliche antagonist, under-developed love story of multiple other characters and the same old tropes of misunderstandings.
Showing that your characters have flaws makes them relatable but you have to follow through and try and resolve issues stemming from those flaws and when it’s about trauma special care has to be taken to address that and not use that as a prop or a quirk
The actors did a great job at portraying the characters and I just enjoy the song during the end credits.
In conclusion a good watch since it has some really great characters and the story is interesting in certain aspects.
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An emotional roller coaster continuing from Part 1
All the emotions brewing during Part 1 of this story comes to the surface in this final part. The slow pacing in the 1st part continues here as well but if you didn’t mind it initially you will sail through this one too as a lot of raw emotions come to the forefront.We left part one at the moment where Shino realises that the end of the week is fast approaching and he will just end up like of Seiryo’s multiple exes. Seiryo on the other hand is realizing the feelings that he has for Shino but is disappointed to learn that it won’t be reciprocated. With only 3 days remaining, the two characters try to spend as much time together as possible and in the process learn more about their feelings.
What can I say about the acting that I haven’t said in my review of the first part of this movie. The 2 leads have been exceptionally good. The movie takes us on a ride where we find the 2 leads enjoying each other’s company just to end up having an argument (mostly outbursts from Shino) to realizing they are running against a clock and getting back together.
A satisfactory ending to a unique storyline with great actors, slow pacing with much character development and loads of emotions.
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