Nashiqt

yea, better dodge that bullet then.

but what about the wind chime? it's the same one as in the first scene in e1. and I'm that scene, they film an intimate scene in FC's bedroom. I interpreted it as ZZ and ZX are real, and everything in between that first scene and that final post credit scene is them playing themselves, playing FC and GZ in a show based on the novel/script they were discussing.

I interpreted the post credit scene differently. I thought it just added a 3rd layer on top of it, not turn around which of the stories was real.
in the final post credit scene, there is this little wind chime that is also in the very first scene of e1. and that scene is when they film a intimate scene in the doctors bedroom. so I interpreted as them playing themselves, playing fang chi and gao zhun. and the show we watched is basically the script/novel they were talking about at the very end.
did I get it wrong?

while watching this show, I remembered this one quote:
"She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."
I didn't like this show because it was nice. definitely not wholesome. I liked it because it made me feel something. uncomfortable feelings most of the time, yes. this lasting impression makes it stand out even among non-bl shows. crazy to think that it is a Chinese show.
the only other bl I can think of, that had a comparable effect on me is Shine.

everyone praises the story within a story. but did nobody notice that there was a 3rd layer the entire time?

I actually did read a few more of your reviews, mostly of the shows I've watched as well.
I think there were only 2 I disagreed with and most of the time I had a similar opinion a you. but honestly, you wrote them so well, I still got some new perspective on some things and it was nice to recap the ones I couldn't fully remember anymore.
kinda makes me wanna write a small review for myself for everything I watch, so I can come back and remember what I thought about it.

I gotta say tho, you're a tough crowd. prosecutors proposal only 8.5 😭
I'm currently half way through deep in and I saw you wrote a review for it as well. can't wait to read it after I completed it 🙏

it defo is one for me. it's not terrible, just not delivering the serious mood the pilot promised and the screenwriting is lacking.
if you came for oat/boat and omegaverse, and can overlook the flaws, you'll probably still like it. they did not hold back with that, that's for sure.

I was ready to drop this after episode 1 or 2, thinking it was that standard low quality type of bl, centring around abuse in the acting industry, forced proximity and sex sells. but the fact that almost all the reviews are 10/10 made me bear with it.
now I'm 7 episodes in and straight up baffled how heavy some of the topics are. I'm grateful that they didn't shy away from addressing it. and not just by spreading awareness, but by depicting the situation unvarnished and as the invasion it is. and arguably more importantly, by rexploring the aftermath and the complexity of the emotional landscape that comes with it.

though, that said, I sincerely hope, that people who are sensitive to this have read trigger warnings beforehand. some of the scenes so far have been difficult to watch, even for the more seasoned audience.

regarding jay knowing, I'm still debating a bit. i thought I remembered from the manhwa that jay kinda knew from the start, when sun threw the money on the rooftop and just needed to confirm it for good. and on the other hand wanted to make sun remember it by himself, that's also why he always asked him these specific questions about being topped once, instead of just asking him directly. and also the reason why he is interested in sun in the first place, whereas he has never shown interest in anyone else before, or been willing to back someone.
I thought I read it the same way in the show and it's also the way it makes the most sense to me. but in that bunny scene, he is very clearly surprised as if he had no suspicion at all until then.
I might have to revisit the manhwa for that part.

we can only hope that shows like that keep raising the overall standard and discourages studios from producing these half baked shows. well knowing that there aren't a lot of shows to live up to, so the audience will eat it up anyway 🥲

Ty for this review!
I dropped the show after episode 2 or 3 because the trailer made me expect a serious vibe with moral dilemmas and interesting characters. but the first few episodes delivered over the top "funny" scenes, cringe dialogues and stereotypypical character.
when I saw the high rating, I was considering picking it up again, in the hopes that it will get better as the show progresses.
is my takeaway from your review correct, that the things I disliked won't improve throughout the show and that I will most likely remain disappointed?

otherwise, great review! I'll follow you and will check out more of your reviews

yes, the knife scene came from the source. and by source I mean the manhwa, because I haven't read the novel, so no idea how different they are.

idk I had to drop it after episode 2 or 3. i just can't stand these kinds of over the top "funny" scenes. alone in the first episode, the dildo and the open mouth scene gave me the rest.. if I wanted to see something like that I'd opt for a commedy show.
some the dialogues also felt too cringy to me and the main characters were way too stereotypical. especially the "innocent good guy, misstreated by the universe" trope, isn't what I wanna see in a show with a more serious story.
I just saw that it has pretty good ratings, so maybe it gets better towards the end. I might pick it up again at some point.
In comparison, the prosecutor's proposal hit the vibe I was looking for. it had some funny moments, but more through implication than through dialogue or action. and only at times where it didn't interfere with the serious undertone.

it's pretty faithful for the most part. I'd say like 80%?
ofc some changes had to be made or it wouldn't work as a show. but they didn't change the plot at all and a lot of the key scenes are almost identical with the manhwa. Min and Toptap also managed to capture their characters incredibly well. I'd say Jay is maybe slightly more affectionate in the show, but still true to his character.
I think the major difference is hat some of the support characters got a lot more depth and actual story, but in a way that complements the story super well and I appreciated it a lot.
naturally it's less smut (I think they cut out 1 scene from the manhwa and ofc the others are a bit toned down). the setting in Thailand is also a slightly different vibe than korea, but I think it worked out well.

**I think** I remember from the manhwa, that jay also had trouble feeling emotions, especially sadness. and when sun cried during that ONS it affected him for the first time and left a lasting impression on him. that's why he asked to repeat it. but sun's gesture with the money infuriated him. and that's how he became obsessed with finding him.
iirc, in the manhwa it is also more about obsession/desire (jay) and revenge (sun) for the better part of the story and less about falling in love with each other. I think it takes almost til the bonus chapters when sun is able to leave his emotional baggage behind and allows himself to actually fall for jay. Jay is defo more affectionate and lovey dovey in she show, whereas in the manhwa he is a lot more pushy and shameless.
it's been a while since I read it though, so I might not remember it 100% correctly.

real 🥲
crazy good actor tho. for me, his performance was actually one of the highlights in payback

it has me in a chokehold, ngl.
but knot pilot had that effect on me as well and we all know how that ended. praying that this one will not end in disappointed 🙏

if this is another clickbait that presents itself with a serious/dark/mystery/high stakes trailer but ends up with a shit ton of this poorly written commedy scenes in the finished show, I'm gonna loose my mind.

looking at you, dare you to death, love of silom and knot

it's crazy how well they fit the characters. especially Min captured the role perfectly. I was honestly surprised that none of them had any major acting experience so far. toptap hasn't been part of a single show or movie according to MDL. and then they nailed it as main roles in a show that was executed so well overall.
I'm curious what other kinds of characters and dynamics they could act out

yea I remember being a bit disappointed with that as well when I read it, after all the build up. but the manhwa had a few more extra chapters afterwards which got me over it quickly 😌