J-atty

Button Cute

One word - cute. From Han Tuo to Jun Xi. Xiao Yang was really cute as a button. Wardrobe cute. Locations, cute. Jun Xi looking up at Han Tuo, cute. Everything was just ..... you get the picture.

Predictable plot was executed with just enought humor and cuteness to keep the interest going. Could have been shortened a bit, too many flaskbacks, but the younger versions of themselves were so cute, it's forgiven. Jump starting a change in a relationship with a hand in your crush's pants while whispering in his ear, "You can't resist.", may not be the right way to go about it, but hey, it worked for them. My true pleasure in watching this was Jun Xi's responses. Even though Han Tuo determination came forcefully, he was the one to set the pace of their relationship. In his own timing. He took time to adapt and recognize what he truely felt. Another great addition that kept the balance was Xiao Yang. Her friendship was never biased and became the protector and advisor of both. Her future girlfriend was annoying but yes, also cute.

It's a light hearted comedy romance that hit the mark for me. From the first episode it set the tone and never faltered. Han Tuo grew wiser and softened his approach Jun Xi. Jun Xi grew from being afraid of other's opinions and boldly owned his. They're good together. Yes, a rewatch is in order. Pleasantly cute.

Read More

Tada.... Yes, please!

This was a beauty in storytelling. Everyone did well in their roles but truthfully some shone more than others. Pond, PeterPan, Intanont, Alexander and Bom. Yes, the hate for his character Thiwthit is there but he brought the histrionic psychosis at every turn. I enjoyed watching a series that knew when to end and not dragged on beyond its welcome.

The chemistry and skill of Pond and PeterPan sealed Armin and Tada and brought them to life as they meandered through the twists and turns to finally enjoy a future that was meant to be. Tada, as a protective fan turned lover was a joy to see and did set the standard. His mistake to not dealing more harshly with Thuwthit, would cause countless interactions that brought immeasurable pain to their lives. Armin, desparetely determined to avoid previous mistakes, inevitably still did make some in jumping the gun on many occasions which was painful to see. He also did learn not to take the only family he had left for granted in his rise to the top. The dedication and wisdom of Janine and Veynai helped protect Armin and Tada's love while opening a door to theirs.

There were flaws that were tiring at times to view. Hearing Pond say Tada in the most breathy tone as it's the most spectacular name ever, was irritating. Thiwthit's dramatic temper tantrums, though part of his character's mental issues, was a bit over the top. Lilly's bathroom visits were crass and not needed to bring out the crudeness of the character itself. First in the role of Ren was not the best of him and it was lesser than what was expected. How many times can Armin be shot at close range and still live? Hmmm.

I was a very entertaining watch. The action scenes were skillfully done. For the most part production, writing and direction came together cohesively. All bl actors at large, please note how to deliver a believable kiss. Full of passion and desire. A miniscule few match this and it elevated the believability of two people intensely in love. Worth mentioning, the wardrobe dept did not disappoint. It ended nicely on the right note.

Read More

Level Down!

Everyone changed and not for the better. What was previously an entertaining series turned into a snorefest of stupidity. S2 was very flawed with very little entertainment and a healthy dash of cringe. Every single time Papa and Mama were said, I vascillated between rolling my eyes or watching on mute.

After 1 yr:
Alan, who would have been open with everyone and never hurt anyone, decides to go to Tony for help. Tony, who had robbed him of Way. Yes, that Tony. He showed how frail mentally he was when faced with aging and how human. Becoming Tony's victim and puppet was just sad really. Why try to become invincible? Jeff lost his reclusiveness but became bold and boring. Being with Uncle Alan turned him into Uncle Jeff.

Babe, Babe, Babe. He became stupid and more reckless. By all means, follow the perp to the bathhouse, whom he suspects has powers, but he doesn't know what it is. I'm not sure if I wanted Charlie to save his butt. Literally. Charlie decides to take away Jeff's powers without thinking of the consequences. Stupid. So he has his, Babe's, and Jeff's which caused a system overload and memory loss. Only at the end, would this prove to be an asset on meeting Tony. The question to ask here, why wasn't this thought of before?

Kenta was caught, escaped and allowed them to recapture him again. Let's put that down to all the hits he probably took in his head while working under Tony. Kim was sitting around being a babysitter for an entire season. Save that drift in the car to save Kenta. He was like a comma in a sentence. Just there.

North was more direct with his bestie in S1 but suddenly shy in S2. Sonic wants the relationship but wants North to do the asking. Hmmmm, why? They were open to each other in S1 with no secrets.

Way was interesting. Chris is not. The most interesting thing he did was sit on Pete. When compared to S1 CharlieBabe and AlanJeff, it was a meh kinda moment.
Pete, well, what can be said. He had a "deep" love for Way by keeping a "shrine" for him. Chris steps into the picture. Suddenly, Way became just someone he knew. Loyalty flew out the window the second his nose flew wide open. Very wide. The many times Pete's house was entered by anyone who chose, uninvited and unannounced, and caught before or after the act, well, it did not have the wow factor the writers had hoped.

Two people stayed true to character. Winner remained a weak lackey, and Tony returned as a losing villain. He had all that money and all that power and couldn't do anything that could change outcomes. He should have stayed dead. He rejuvenated to create poor schemes that backfired and remained on the losing end. One would think that capturing Babe from the first episode to lure Charlie would have made better viewing.

I loved the character of Willy. He was the only reason to reach episode 12, but in true stupid fashion, as this was the S2 common thread, it was wasted. He could have done better. He had guile, intrigue, and charm. He could have snapped those fingers in episode 1 and saved us at least 9 episodes of chronic stupidity by all.

The writing depreciated greatly in this season. Save to addition of Willy, the script was dull and repetitious. None of the characters has layers to peal back like Way did. Other than the engines revving, everyone just stood around and chatted. At this rate, they should not think of continuing with another season unless the acting and script get a major overhaul. Though it was great to see them all together again, it was not worth it in the end.

Copious amounts of coffee will be needed if watching.

Read More

Nothing To See Here....

This has got to be the most boring hearbreak ever. How can a series with such promise be stifled by the uninspiring storytelling. After episode 2 be prepared to sleep through 4 more levels of boredom. Shi Wen and Shin Nan meet. Are about to share their feelings. SW dies. They meet. They share their feeling and fight for their love. He dies. They meet. SN keeps his feelings to himself. SW lives. The ending lines are apt: If we are doomed to be apart, what is the meaning in meeting? Exactly. What was the purpose of this series? How not to meet your soulmate? There isn't any other conclusion.

The production was just as poor as the script and lackluster acting. The lack of funds is clearly shown in the recycled wardrobe and even more so when it was not changed at all. The mother arrives in one dress and spends days in it as seen when SN is locked away from his lover / step brother. She departs with her husband in the same dress. At least, in these instances, allow the actors to use their own wardrobe. They are not rich so this could have easily been implemented.

SW appears to be clueless to all the events surrounding his deaths. The shows never shows how he gets his rebirth, but like magic he is there waiting to die again. The only continuity is SN. He remembers all the lives. So his purpose is to feel pain at his loss but for everyone else to live blissfully. Really pointless. SW's last death was really hilarious. An overhead light falls, causing a fatal blow to SW as he is on stage giving his speech on winning the prize for his painting. What's funny? He falls, SN rushes to his side and the entire audience and his friends run away leaving them alone. No assistance given whatsoever. The writer of that scene should be made to re-watch it every day for the rest of their lives. The script was going in the same circles with the same conclusion. The director to be fired immediately.

China has produced better than this with probably a lesser budget. Blue Canvas of Youthful Days comes to mind. The actors were like animated caricatures but not giving life to their roles. The unbelief could fill a chasm. Will I recommend this to be viewed, yes. Only if China gets better at producing bls after seeing the reviews of these low funded films and if a person struggles with getting to sleep and needs assistance. Rewatch - definite pass.

Read More

Did they really......

Did they really make this to be enjoyed or to frustrate the viewer? The format is horrible. I've said this before, 2 min bits do not make a series worth viewing unless it can be seen in its entirety at once. Even if the show has potential, the experience is fragmented which detracts from the fluidity. These are usually uploaded on apps to encourage traction and revenue. Unless, it's worthy of an award, it doesn't make sense to do so with low budget productions. Thankfully, I got to view as a whole.

Having said that, I did like this series mainly because the characters were well thought out and reacted in accordance to the situations as it occurred. The support cast, who are usually just placed to create a credible environment, were used effectively. Plot was not different from the usual school bl but it kept moving at a pace that didn't create boredom. The mls acting was good enough to keep the interest and not solely reliant on visuals. The person behind the betrayal is not forgiven and refreshingly so. This made the character more real in his plight. The sister and mother of the respective mls gave an admirable portrayal of sacrifice though with differing agendas. One for power and wealth. The other for survival and happiness. The hug was truly rewarding.

It was an nice watch

Read More

Wrong Number, Right Connection

This was enjoyable for the most part. This Sukfilm storyline a bit different in that all lose ends were tied up. The weaknesses in this were the background in the pub, a bit of the convo between the mls, and the 2nd ml Wootae. Background was very cheap and Wootae could have done with a little more practice. I would have liked to have seen more of ex Hyeon as he appeared to be the most experienced actor and it showed. The convo and interractions between Seop and his ex Hyeon were the best in terms of acting. I did like Wootae as I enjoyed his direct approach in dealing with his feelings. I also liked the approach of Seop when he said that he was not in the business of messing people up. Here he showed that he would not use Wootae to heal. Kudos to the writer for this. On a small budget, it was good overall. The assumption that this was shot over a day or two, the wardrobe could be better to show the difference in time (averaging 2 weeks +) in the film.

Blue Boys, Bad Guy, Seoul Blues and Checkered Shirt (ending still feels incomplete) are others from Sukfilm that exceed the limited budget.

Read More

Same But Different

There were many drawbacks to this production and it showed. The 2 min choppy breaks were not pleasant to watch. The acting was over dramatic and poor at times. The location was somewhat on par with the storyline. These short shorts can be beautiful like Match Play and truth be told most aren't. Yet, still, I kept watching on Shortime app because it was interesting. The themes touched on were relevant and impactful. Parental emotional abandonment. Abuse. Religion and homosexuality. Teacher student sexual relationship. What is love? Betrayal and friendhsip.

Yuho and Jin-gu story is the same but the interest lies in the outcome. Both of them trapped by circumstances beyond their control, come face to face and in the end, after holding my breath for one minute, were saved.

There were moments when the acting was good and there were times it was not. Yuho main expression at the beginning was that of apathy or depression. It is only the last 15 episodes we see some life in his performance. Jin-gu was more pleasant but rather limited in what was required of him. When they are together, the connection is there. Had this been properly funded, and allowed to develop properly, could have been a go to. The themes were not allowed to end naturally. I did enjoy it for what it was.

Read More

When the sides are better than the main

Let's get into this. This series suffered the same fate as Fourever You. Placing popular actors as the main draw who then become the most forgettable. The series as a whole dealt with various issues of love, abandonment, becoming self accepting, true friendship and maturity.

ArcArm.
Their arc lasted the longest and had it not been determination to see it through to the end, it would have been dropped. Friends, close friends, should not act as lovers on film. I stand by this deduction after enduring numerous episodes of tantrums, bad acting and no chemistry whatsoever. The usual enemies to lovers fell very flat and tedious to endure. I will say aging Arc out of the school environment was a good move and allowed the passage of time to develop the other characters.

YothaGun.
This is where the series gains traction and moves in the right direction. Yotha a hot head introvert had a lot to overcome and with the help of Gun does this almost realistically. I say almost because I can not believe a child emotionally and physically stifled for love from a parent can so readily accept and embrace said parent with no residual ill will. Gun shows up and continues to forgive his bad behavior all in the name of love. With the help of Arm, he begs forgiveness and is basically forgiven within the same episode. Let's not forget Gun's parents said "he is the sunshine of the world". The difference between the two feelings can be easily felt. There is a radiance that emits from Gun when he's happy. Gun/Beagle is as loyal as they come. Though the over the top theatrics when he is in beagle mode could have done with a little dimming.

FaiWine
This is the healthiest relationship of all but again with its own drawbacks. Fai being used by a pawn feels emotionally forgotten within the entire family unit. This transfers into being a people pleaser. Wine, who recently became self aware of his sexual preference, becomes his favorite person. Fai offers to teach Wine about love and romance as he believes Wine is still in love with his previous crush. They are drawn to each other, though it it Wine that orchestrates their continued meeting. The notebook is purposely left at the dorm, thereby ensuring the lessons continue without and end in sight. Here Fai learns the meaning of special. While communication is key to a healthy relationship there is a thing as too much talking. The step by step discussion of every detail of their coming together weighed a little heavy at times. This is off set by Fai's ability to make a funny comment to either diffuse a bad situation or hide his feelings. They are perfectly matched and Wine fills the gap left by a cruel mother. She is again forgiven too easily. Fai's nature would not allow otherwise.

PondSand
They met. They felt the attraction. They got together. They stayed together. No drama. No issues. What was the purpose of them being here? Don't get me wrong. I love them as a couple. I love that Pond made Sand feel special with his dumb bunny thoughts. Not everyone can be in a relationship that is intellectually mismatched and this could have been explored more. The only hindrance with this pairing is that Marc has a standoffish way of acting with limited facial reactions. This is the closest I've seen him with anyone as he always comes across as a bro and not a lover. If they can bridge this gap, I'd love to see more as Poon is a delightful character on and off the screen.

KlaoWarit
The side couple who stole the show. This couple is the meat of the series and shows the most growth throughout. The anger, frustration, devotion, reconcilliation, maturity and eventually proposal was what tied the entire series together. Their interactions are as real as can be. Klao, a hot head jealous idiot at the beginning, turned his life around for love. Warit with the patience of a saint held on and was rewarded with a love that matched his. Klao also proved to be a friend worth having. Without knowing the reason of a fight that Gun was in, jumps in without a second thought even though at the time they were arch enemies. The passion between KlaoWarit surpassed all the others and realistically displayed with every look. As an onscreen couple for many years, their bond can be felt almost immediately on meeting. The proposal made my eyes moist when I took into consideration all that they endured to reach to this point.

On viewing the bonding between Yotha and Faifah at the end, I'm a little sad that Newton wasn't included. Though older, he too must have felt hurt. Watching this as a whole, it was not bad at the ending. The final scene ended perfectly. The series was not perfect by any means. How many times is Arc is going to tell Arm he wants him in every aspect of his life? How many times characters are cute? How many times over the top asinine behaviors unbecoming a young adult is displayed? Does Arm speak on shout or only with Arc? Irritating. While the actions of Yotha and Faifah were a direct result of past trauma by their mother, this was dealt with superficially and all is forgiven and well again. The extras were used like a pop up service. Except AouBoom, they all kissed like their lips have castity belts on.

It is worth the watch and for the most part entertaining. Re-watch no. Thai productions can be shortened and still be fun. Something that eludes their production team. Suggestion: Watch the first 10 episodes at 2x speed, nothing will be missed and be more enjoyable. Lesson learned the hard way.

Read More

Cute Disappointment

What started as a cute coming of age series soon turned into a snooze fest around episode episode 4. Other than waiting to see the evolution of his initial attraction for his teacher, there was nothing interesting to see. There was no drama to propel the story or keep the viewer engaged. UH revealed his feelings for his teacher, who after a brief flight, gently turned him down in the most caring way possible. After all UH was his favorite student. It's at this point an overwhelming urge to sleep took hold of me. I actually felt at some point this series was pulling a Benjamin Button. Two teenagers in their final year at school before college with as much exuberance as that of 80 yr olds. Seriously. Writing this, I actually yawned. Yes, it was that dull. The emotions expressed were so contained and soft that even the ending held no real happiness for the viewer beyond them being together. So Ri, his friend, called him clueless and he lived up to it. Very quietly.

DH, his friend and eventual partner, made a bet with him. They would date until graduation with the hope that UH would get over his feelings for his teacher and fall in love with him. The only issue I had with this was that DH was setting himself up for failure and when this happened, proceeded to act very hurt by UH's confusion. Who among us can turn their emotions off and on like a switch, was never in love in the first place or very fickle. Let's go with the former. Their reunion later held no impact. Their admissions of missing each other saw no passion or desire beyond a light kiss.

Was the story told in entirety? Yes, albeit very serene. Did the actors make the roles believable? Yes, again, very softly.
Was anything learnt that wasn't done before? An underwhelming, no.
Will I rewatch? In keeping with the tone of the series, I will gently write, no.

Read More

The acts of fate or faith?

It's been a while since a story as realistic as life has been told. The complexities of relationships and the motives propelling the willing and unwilling participants to their ultimate fate. Somehow, this series is very cathartic. Processing the reasons why each individual acted in the manner they did, brought what was a one sided relationship to full circle, laid open by honesty, kindness and forgiveness.

Nakarei Sei and Hagiwara Kazuaki both cohabitate with their significant person. Cohabitate is used correctly as neither receives any warmth reciprocated at them. For varying reasons, they live emotionally isolated in their homes. Any form of intimacy is rebuffed or easily side stepped under the guise of being occupied or of tiredness. Though throught to be an error, NS and HK start sharing their thoughts on their similar plights via email. I am reminded that NS views on life changes what was thought to be an error to destiny. He resolutely believes that no one is to blame for the death of his parents. They were to die at that time. We, the viewer, must then believe that the first email was fate. NS and HK were always going to meet.

HK's girlfriend's actions were duplicitous and selfish. She desires the title of wife but doesn't share with HK the reason she no longer wants to be intimate. Stringing him along, she feigns tiredness and preoccupation. Unwilling to share with him, she tells a friend who is in the same predicament. Falsely entrapped into marriage by a husband who doesn't desire sex with her, she knows the pain of her existence and reveals the partial truth to him. He is stunned.

NS desires his roommate and as this is not returned, in essence this is what they are. Predetermined events place them in each other's lives. There is a nonchalant detached coldness that NS displays in every action. This is his armor. He appears disinterested with life beyond his home but cannot escape the fact it is in his home that his armor is essential to his survival. He knows a secret is being kept and wishes to return the hurt he has felt. He rebels.

It is at a point of mutual frustration that NS and HK meet. The culmination of their desires both shock and release pent up feelings of rejection. NS places boundaries on their meeting but it is HK who makes the bold move to seal their fates. In their tender moments, he rocognizes what he feels and acknowledges that he has bonded with NS. This is just a moment, he wants a lifetime.

Returning to their homes, their meeting sets off a ripple effect of events fated to happen. Eventually, they both learn the reasons for their partners attitudes. HK's girlfriend admits, she cannot maintain desire for her partner beyond a certain point as it has happened before. Selfishly, she forces him to break up with her to appear as a victim to their acquaintances. HK does so as he really wants to be free of the relationship. His other motive is his kindness and decency to everyone. His secrets are for their protection.

NS has to face his demons also. The unwilling partner reveals the pain and guilt he feels towards NS. He believes that NS only grew to have feelings for him as he was cared for by him after NS was left an orphan. He believes he was the reason they were killed. He becomes twisted mentally and shuts out NS. He feels some pleasure in knowing he has created a vacuum that seals them in and allows no one to be close to NS. The pain he inflicts on NS is his internal struggle projecting at him. In one scene, he presses NS swollen toe, inflicting more pain to get a reaction.

I feel no sympathy for the girlfriend. She shifts the blame to avoid scrutiny and to seek help. She is too proud to admit she is at fault for the distance between them. The roommate hides his guilt, and makes NS feel vulgar for wanting more from him. They could have had happy lives had they been honest at the beginning. After his revelation, we see how his methods caused his loss but the kindness shown to him, he is thankful for it and vows to do better.

I applaud the writer for tackling adult subjects in a mature fashion. Here, we see:
The effects on relationships when true feeling are not expressed.
The lack of desire for sex can affect both parties at any given time.
Under the weight of a lie a relationship will not flourish. The prejudices that can still cloud the judgement of a supposedly modern woman.
Two hetero males entering a gay relationship without fear of the outer world's perception. Previously, NS says to HK that until he fell in love with his roommate, his desire was for the opposite sex. It is with HK that he delves into gay sex. He feels safe.
Truly loving someone will allow you to forgive, give them grace and encourage healing.

I will remember this series for its use of the actors and the script. Every interaction and word was necessary for the propelling of the story. None were wasted. The actors were utilized skillfully. HK's declaration of his growing feelings for NS at the office was very descriptive. The pain etched on his face was believable. I especially loved the ending as both intending on sacrificing their personal feelings for the other, meet again by fate at the museum.

This is worth every moment of viewing pleasure. Trust fate.

Read More

And that is what they did...

In San's and Xiaowen's minds they are father and daughter and looking at them from the moment they met, no one could say otherwise.

San, a mortician, meets Xiaowen upon her grandmother's death. Xiaowen, not fully understanding what death was, kept looking for her. San was given the task of keeping her as her closest relatives refused her. San, an ex-con, and Xiaowen, still lost, fought every moment they were together. Ultimately, over a period of happenings, misfortunes, and death both smoothed out each other's rough edges and a fierce bond was forged. Each fighting for the other and selflessly becoming each other's protector. The heartbreak would come but so too the immediate forgiveness. He would not fail her again. After all he was BaBa.

Zhu Yilong deserved this win. He gave his all with this performance and it showed. His vulnerability was laid open and with Yang Enyou brought every emotion out. It's fast paced, angry and rough. Yet, still the genuine love between the two was evident in every act. Every gut wrenching emotion was felt.

Go watch!

Read More

Our Damn Business

This was fun. It was light. It was humorous. It was also very predictable. One thing it definitely wasn't, it wasn't boring. From the moment Jin laid eyes on Su An it was off to a great chase of how to get Su An interested in him. From massages to stretches to after work drinking. He tried it all. He was his late night bestie, bad mouthing Su An's exes as if he knew any of them. The one thing he was sure of, he was lost to Su An and the only solution, was to make him his. Su An, fearful of being hurt, was not going to be rushed or played with. Hwang, their office co-worker, resigned himself to be the unwilling viewer and with his penchant of walking in at the wrong time, provided some of the comedic charm.

Jeon Yu Bin (Su An) is a good actor and together with Jung Jae Bin (Jin) had great connectivity. It was a pleasure seeing them interact with each other. Su An's blank stoic expressions were the exact opposite of Jin's continual happiness. Even when angry, his face still invited Su An in.

What I truly liked about this short series was that it knew what it was and didn't have grandiose plans. It kept within the boundaries of a light comedic office romance and every moment wasn't wasted. JYB seems to fit well into these shorts and anyone viewing any would not be disappointed.

It's worth the watch.

Read More

Keep Going South

It took me a while to write this because I was angry. This film affected me to the point of wanting to reach through the screen and punch Young. Tae should have been the one with the rock above Young, smashing his skull in. Yes, I was that angry.

Perspective:
It's 2012 and homosexuality is still considered a crime. So it's understandable that Young would be hesitant to continue a relationship with Tae for everyone to know. It's 5 months since Young was discharged and Tae still has some time to complete his service. On his last leave, he visits Young. Young, driving Tae back to compound, tells him coldly, "Don't contact me again." Tae, hurt and grappling with the change between them, decides to drug him and desert. It is revealed through a series of conversations and tussles, that Young had sent a letter telling him that he liked him as a "person". How much more humiliating could he have been? Young was the one who approached Tae. Enticed him and encouraged him to have sex. Young was the one who told him he liked him. Tae believed. He fell deeply in love with him. During the 5 months they were apart, Young is denying his homosexuality, their relationship and has a girlfriend. He says to Tae, "he feels nothing for him, it was the army." Here, he as heartless as they come. The denial, selfishness and cowardice Tae endures, finally rips through him. He has a point to prove. He asks for sex for the last time, in exchange for the letters Young had wrote to him. Sitting on top, Tae rides him and as he senses Young about to ejaculate, he reaches for his small camera and snaps Young's face. He has his proof. He would not have enjoyed it, if he did not feel anything for him. After another hard to watch scene of them fighting in the mud for the camera, Young gives up. After all this, he still chooses to be 'straight'.

This is what causes the anger. Had he taken the time to break things off properly with Tae, rather than discarding him like dirty rubbish, Tae might have had a better chance of handling it. The film ends with Tae
telling Young to get lost. Dancing defiantly and more than a little drunk, with the music glaring, he chooses himself. It's as if he's saying, I know who I am. I will live true to myself. You didn't break me. Young, continues to walk in the opposite direction. Going back to the army would only remind him more of Young and what he thought they shared.

Tae's anguish and emotional ride he took us through was felt. Kim Jae Heung shines. He carries the film. Jeon Shin Hwan had the easier role and I'm still left wanting to see when he would show up to fully deliver. He seems flat against Kim. His true rage only evident when he raises the rock to hit him. Here, Kim steals again, crying in the mud, controlled by the betrayal and pain he feels, he cries out, " Don't treat me like I'm invisible. You had a hard on!"

The short is good and worth a watch. At least once.

Read More

Taboo or To be

Gay teen goes to a bar, mutual attraction occurs, later it turns out to be his homeroom teacher. No hook-up was implied, just eye contact. In the light of day, teacher Hoon sets boundaries but over a year, teen Woo sees every act of sparce kindness as Hoon's continued attraction for him. Woo stalks him. Hoon's job is to interview the parents at home of all the students. Finally, Woo forces the situation to come to a head by physically inserting himself in Hoon's care and doesn't leave. Woo wants an admission from Hoon. Does he remember their previous encounter? Will he admit that he is attracted to him? Will he give in and let Woo into his life? I should mention here, Hoon is 35 and his pursuer Woo is 18.

Before 2020, the legal age of consent in South Korea was 13. The film was made in 2012.

Hmmm, gray area or no?

Woo doesn't take no for an answer. He relentlessly pursues Hoon, blackmailing him into spending time with him with pictures he took of Hoon in the gay bar. Hoon is searching for another teaching position to escape as he recognizes that Woo will not give up. He knows that Woo is forbidden fruit. Woo knows himself. He is gay and he wants him. He understands the position well as his mother knows his orientation. Hoon viciously rebuffs him, and Woo hurt by his words, leaves the car in anger and cries. Finally, Hoon is free. He looks down, finds Woo's forgotten headset and carries it home. He sees Woo enter before him and on his steps he waits.

Gray area:
Though legal, what can an 18 year old teen bring to the table?
Should Hoon resist further as Woo is still in school?
Can 18 form a stable relationship?
2012 gay relationships were still no fully accepted, what would they endure as a couple, being gay, age difference and social status?
If Hoon gives in, how will his job be affected?

The film brings these thoughts to mind and only answers one. You will have to watch the entire film to get it. The actors did a commendable job with their roles. Hoon's frustration with himself and Woo is believable. Woo's dogmatic focused attitude towards the situation is dealt with an 18 year old fervor. I will recommend this film for the questions posed and the actors themselves. Though I liked it, more could have been done. Rewatch - maybe not. In 2024, this comes across more like a period piece from 2012.

Read More

I Want One

Yup, I said it. I want my own personal AI Ever 4. I want to wake up every morning next to someone who will love me for me as I age, until the day that my bolts get rusty and I leave this earth, peacefully of course. My AI has to be a replica of Sam Lin tho, my Taiwanese perfection. No offence to Kevin Chang. You see, I do understand why Bu Shi fell in love, yes it was love, with him.

Bu Shi was frustrated with his world as it was. He was tired of depending on people who saw him as a nuisance or a walking atm. He rebelled as any person would confined to the expectations of a father who had no time for him. I can not say that he didn't love Bu Shi, as he displayed immense patience with his rude reckless behavior and the best thing he could have done is to unknowingly find his son a partner for life. Someone who will be there for him, protect him, always have his best interest at heart(well really it would be the centre of his AI life force) and under no circumstances would he leave him.

So the burning question is, how can AI love a human and vice versa. Here's why the script worked. Ever 4 was the latest model of AI and the most expensive but like every program, he was governed by set rules. He warned Bu Shi early on that the removal of his glasses would change his programming. Bu Shi didn't listen and found out the hard way. Yes, sitting was an issue until he got accustomed. Up until this point there is no difference between the AI and a human. We are all governed by our environments laws and precepts and when we do F around, we do find out.

Petulant, full of pride and willful as ever, Bu Shi runs away, not before giving his best friend all his cash to help his boyfriend clear his generational debt. At no time did the script say Bu Shi was smarter than the average person. Even those with the lowest wattage would know, the streets are unforgiving and if you do not have life skills, you will starve. Here Ever 4 steps in and patiently step by step, walks the path with him. He could have just as easily, man handled, well robot handled him and forced him to go back home. He didn't because he had already begun to care deeply for him. He shifted from his protector mode to partner and lover.

How can he care? All of his AI is artificial and limited to the input info. He gets upgraded as new info is inputted and adapts to said info. He sees Bu Shi for what he is with all his faults and integrates it in his responses to him. So where is the difference between Ever 4 and a human who is deeply connected to their partner? He said I love you. What would AI know about love? He was programmed with the knowledge of love and loyalty. As humans, we are shown what love and loyalty is by those who nurture us. Same info different methods.

He allows Bu Shi to go through his emotions while he provides the means to do so. Albeit, the highest level of intelligence should have known better than to do manual labor but again what professional proof of his abilities did he have. No high school diploma. No college degree. Why then a love motel? No questions asked and cheaper than a standard one. He then becomes an escort and at this point, I have to agree, he knew his worth.

Here is where the script diverts into a bit of nonsense and lost points. Why include a plot of trying to kill the young master when it abruptly stops as it starts after Ever 4 steps in. This should have been woven throughout and not just verbalized by the father. The second couple, though cute in their own way, really wasn't necessary to the plot. Was it to show Bu Shi's heart of gold? Was it to elongate the episodes to 12? Was it to show the loyalty and love between two humans? We liked Anti-Reset because it dealt with the relationship between AI and a human. Why wouldn't we like the same here? If it was used to show that there was no difference in how love is given and received, then it succeeded. We are all caught up in this feeling we call love.

There were moments that the acting was not the best and the lengthy professions of love at the end detracted rather than added to the series. I did like the part where they adopted an AI son. Bu Shi, matured by then, truly thought of Ever 4 as his partner and lover. He didn't want him to be lonely should his demise happen before Ever 4's. How could he love an AI? The better question is, how could he not. He met him intellectually, he always spoke from a place of care and concern, he showed him that his feelings were valid and made him happy. As a human who wouldn't want that? Have you seen what is passing for hoomans lately? Yes, one Sam Lin replica to go, please.

Lastly, Ever 4 began to think independently hence the reason he defied his previous protocols and followed Bu Shi. If this isn't being human, I don't know what is. Bu Shi went against the expectations and chose Ever 4. So a pair well matched. The only deterrent to the pairing is Ever 4's eternal youth. Just as humans age and adapt to the changes in their relationships, so would theirs.

Did I enjoy it? Yes, to a degree. Would I re-watch, probably not. Lately, Taiwan standards are being lowered and providing stories that do not capture your attention for long periods. Their plots have always been a bit outrageous but captivatingly so. This was not so, at all. If you are not looking to be dazzled but welcome a few chuckles inbetween, give it a watch.

Read More