Kannadin

Don't read the novel before watching this

Really enjoyed this one but I'm glad I didn't check the novel first. Once you know the original characters are in their late 30s you just can't undo it and the actors appear terribly miscast, they're just too young... At least take actors in their 30s. It's particularly true for Shu Yuan in my opinion.

Both actors are too skinny but Zhang Zhun who is acted by Shu Yuan is supposed to be thin but muscular... I would say, think Bruce Lee though probably not as muscular. Skinny asian but does martial art so beautiful body overall, pretty firm and solid... They mention several times in the drama about how beautiful he is... It's only when I checked the novel (which is much more graphic but also gives way more in terms of the psychology of the characters) that I understood why they were always talking about Zhang Zhun's beauty... He's got a very beautiful face very "uke" like, so beautiful that he attracts men but also is the reason why he doesn't get lead roles as his face is a bit too pretty, too feminine.

However Shu Yuan... Well face is all personal preference so I won't go there but he is JUST skinny. Not muscular skinny... Just skinny, his body which should be lean and honed by years of martial arts isn't there... This is not the body of somebody who exercises...

The vibe is also too youthful. The novel sells mature characters, you get two baby faced actors.

In fact, apart from the height and acting ability, they're just wrong for the role... No matter how good your actors are if their physique doesn't fit the roles given it's gonna be a hard sell.

Now... Was it bad... No it wasn't... One of the best BLs I've watched... I'm gonna stick with my 9 ratings BUT ... I would recommend to anyone interested in the novel, to read it AFTER watching the drama... Otherwise you won't be able to appreciate it for what it is.

The novel is way better though... It goes darker but both love stories are also more heart-wrenching. Truly beautiful... AND you get epilogues for both stories so that's also great.

I don't think they could have gone farther than what they did in this adaptation though, so overall, well done China.

EDIT: Rated down to 8.5 in the end... It's just that I can't with the casting choice... Again I understand the logic of choosing younger actors given the censorship in China... Might be awkward for older ones... But in that case... Well it just doesn't work for me... One character is supposed to be 38, the other 36... These two are just too young. Still worth the watch though, it was a good show.

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A Tale of a Blank Canvas caught in-between a Good Psycho, a Bad Psycho, and a Non-Psycho.

I guess binging this and not watch it weeks after weeks during the hype do change your perception of the drama.

Do I find it better than most Korean bland, sappy poorly acting BLs out there? Definitely.

But is it a good story? Well err... I'm not sure. Instead of "Secret Relationships", I would call this "A tale of 2 psychos" or "A Good Psycho, A Bad Psycho, A Non-Psycho and a cute guy caught in-between though WHY are they all obsessed with him is a mystery" (yeah I know the last title is a bit long.

I went into this one not knowing anything about the plot. The ratings used to be way higher than this, but it has greatly diminished in the last few months... probably due to more recent viewers like me.

If we consider it compared to most Korean BLs... I'd say it's definitely one of the best out there. Doesn't mean it's necessarily good given how much they suck overall but still... HOWEVER if you compare to what it produced by Taiwan, Japan and Thailand ( and I know Thailand especially have some terrible ones, but they produce so many of them yearly that you do end up with a fair share of good ones), it's pretty average. It's longer than most Korean BLs but still too short for what it wants to tell. It's about time we moved to longer episodes. You can't fully immerse your viewers with such limited format.

I'm not really sure how I feel about this one... I don't hate it. But I don't like it either...but again I had all episodes available contrary to people who had to speculate for weeks about how cray cray they both were.

You know in a typical classic K drama we would have witnessed a redemption ark for Su Hyeon and I would be rooting for him instead of the obvious right choice that was Seong Hyeon. My drama red-flag lover self might be unconsciously disappointed I didn't get to watch this ship sail... because do I love my red flags turning green ( something that let's be real... is only possible in dramas). Also I will always be weak against overly possessive male leads. I know it's toxic, but sorry, not sorry, this is my drama jam.

All in all I kept watching for the two nutcases who were the highlights of this drama. Jae Min was truly sick in the head and made for a good antagonist while Su Hyeon was the red flag I wanted to win in the end . Next to them Da On and Seong Hyeon were just too bland as characters. Completely utterly NOT interesting.

Could have been better with Su Hyeon at the center of the story. I wouldn't have preferred a drama focusing on his journey to win back the blank canvas that is Da On whom he was strangely obsessed with... But the length didn't make this possible. Sad for what it could have been.

Maybe that's why I can't like this show I don't know. Given its short length, there could be no satisfying ending except for that one... BUUUUUUUUUUT I want the hate to love, enemies to lover, the toxic overly possessive jealous red flag turning into goop and having to learn to humble himself to get his boy.

Wouldn't have bothered if it wasn't for the hype it got when it aired.

I know my heart should be satisfied with the ending, but I must be into sadomasochism, I will forever mourn that the Su Hyeon - Da On ship never was to be (also both actors had more chemistry in my opinion). Seong Hyeon is a good guy... but in dramaland, I will always root for the red flag as long as he genuinely cares ( but just doesn't know how to express his love in a healthy way), isn't overly manipulative and doesn't cross the rape line. In my head, I'm creating a longer timeline in which Su Hyeon properly redeems himself and wins back Da On who realizes it was always him, and not the other psycho. I'm sorry Seong Hyeon. You're "too good" for a drama.

I WANT THE TEA.

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