BL Ratings

Sweetheart Service is one of those BLs where I completely understand why the ratings aren’t glowing, and why it’s hovering around a 7, but I also don’t think it deserves to drop much lower than that. Is it the best BL out there? No. Is it the worst thing ever made? Absolutely not. It’s very much a “has potential, execution questionable” kind of series. Let’s start with what I liked, because there are things worth appreciating. First of all, the slow burn. And when I say slow burn, I mean painfully slow, the kind where you start wondering if the romance is stuck in buffering mode. But honestly? I didn’t hate it. The pacing worked for me emotionally, especially when it came to the kisses. When they finally happened, they were good, like actually worth the wait. Visually, the show was doing the most, in a good way. The bar scenes in particular? Immaculate vibes. Peak atmosphere. Everyone looked great, the lighting was on point, and Min U specifically, yeah, I get it. No notes. The little drawing animation storytelling moments were also a highlight for me. They pulled me into the story way more than standard dialogue scenes would have, assuming those drawings were done by humans and not AI, because if not, we need to talk. Now, unfortunately, this is where the cracks start showing, because the story is messy. Like, genuinely confusing at times. The conflict kept building up as if something big was about to happen, and then suddenly, it’s resolved. No payoff, no emotional explosion, just blink and you miss it. It felt anticlimactic in the worst way. Character relationships also weren’t handled well. Tae Ha and Yu Ha, for example, tell me why I genuinely thought Tae Ha liked Yu Ha as more than a “brother.” The jealousy, the behavior, the tension, it read romantic. So when nothing ever comes of that, I honestly felt gaslit. Like, did I imagine all of that? Was I projecting? Because it really felt like the show was hinting at something it never intended to address. The main couple, meanwhile, suffered from lack of development. Yes, they had moments, but once the conflict started, the relationship felt distant and weirdly empty. We’re told they care about each other, but we’re not really shown enough growth to feel it deeply. And Ha Su Yeon, yeah, no. She should have faced actual consequences. At first, I thought she was just going to be a diva. Instead, she turned out immature, manipulative, and annoying. The fact that she and Tae Ha teamed up to mess with Yu Ha’s life was wild, and not in a fun way. That’s not “miscommunication,” that’s just being awful to someone you supposedly care about. The second couple also did absolutely nothing for me. From the start, I felt zero chemistry. Every time the screen cut to them, I sighed. And somehow, despite barely having any development, they ended up together? When they kissed, my genuine reaction was, Did I miss an episode? Or ten? It felt random, rushed, and honestly like a mood killer. Now, I did enjoy the chaotic one minute makeout session in the final episode, no complaints there. But if the story had been stronger, that kiss would’ve felt way more impactful. The slow burn plus good kiss combo was perfect on paper, the writing just didn’t support it enough to make it hit emotionally. There’s also a laundry list of unanswered questions. What’s going on with Min U’s parents, did his mom ever accept Yu Ha? What about Min U’s friends? Why is Yu Ha suddenly working at the same company, and why are the coworkers magically okay with the relationship after gossiping the entire series? What happened to Ha Su Yeon’s boyfriend? Did he finally leave her alone? None of this gets addressed, and while I know time constraints are a thing, it still makes the ending feel incomplete. Originally, I thought about giving this an 8 because I really enjoyed the first half, but it definitely went downhill. Still, despite all its flaws, I don’t think it deserves to dip below a 7. It has three things I personally love, slow burn, solid kisses, and Min U being ridiculously attractive.

Flawed, frustrating, but not unwatchable, and definitely not the disaster some people make it out to be.
Overall: 7/10