Niniane

Great story, not the best adaptation

Maybe its my fault for having seen all other adaptations of the story, but I found this one lacking. This story should be a story of love conquering absolutely everything. The universe seems to be against them. Every time a crisis is overcome, another is at the corner. It's desperate, its fated, it's BIG LOVE. And that's exactly what I missed in this one. The feeling of desperation, of having to be together despite the odds. Bright and Tu both give a great performance and Ren is so lovable it's almost a crime. The other F4's MJ and Kavin deserved more story and screen time. It's still a good story, and I liked the pace and the original take on certain topics but it did not really get to me as much as the other adaptations do.

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Great start culminates in drama overkill

i really loved the first few episodes of this drama. The period setting, the ostracizing of gay people and the harm this causes to entire families, the family status that must be upheld at all times, the falling in love, the plotting, the shame, the secrecy... It was done so well!
The disappointment could not have been bigger when halfway all this gets pushed to the background to deal with just the war between the former business partners. The emphasis on this particular story line makes that everything else is in service of it. Characters are molded to fit the narrative, dramatic fight scenes and battles are dragged on to infinity... it's a mess.
The last 2 episodes were just me hoping somebody would die already to make this end. The final scenes are so sweet it made my teeth hurt. Everyone who was ready to drink each others blood in the beginning is now lovey dovey with the world and it's just not it. I wish they had stuck to the line from the first 5 or 6 episodes. If they had done that, this would have been a fantastic drama. I call for a do-over!

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What BL can be when it has matured!

I'm absolutely floored by this masterpiece! But where to begin explaining why? Ok, I will start with the fact that I went into this a bit apprehensive. Did not really know what to expect with 2 ML that I've seen in previous performances but never expected together. Ben is known from the (also quite good) Step By Step, while Boy, who is quite a bit older, has not done a BL role before, but has a ton of experience in other acting fields.

Mandate is about the plot, the story is being told low-paced and deliberate. While we see tension between the ML, it is a slow slow burn, that takes a backseat to the political scenery and the changes that causes in Dr. Nhong. From a sincere and upright country doctor we see him change into a political beast who appears to have some secrets under his belt.

The political climate, lead by Vee's father and ex-lover makes it all too easy to throw away your principles and scrupules to hold on to power. While telling yourself you're doing it all for the good of the people.

When someone shows even a little sign of weakness, the hungry sharks won't hesitate to immediately come out with manipulation and blackmail, escalating throughout the series.

It all culminates in a smoking heap of mistrust and misunderstanding, forcing a desparate decision that breaks the cycle and opens the road for a fresh and cleaner start.

We end with an emotional scene where grief and relief battle for the prime emotion.

Boy and Ben are delivering the performance of a lifetime. Flawlessly executing the struggles, emotions and fear that belong in this environment while also falling in love and wanting to hold on to that.

If you are a (perhaps younger) bl-fan, you might initially feel that this is all too slow and political. I beg of you to watch till the end. You won't be disappointed i promise!

I do desparately need a S2, because i'm enough of a bl-girl that I want to see them take it all down and finally be happy and together.

This S1 has somewhat of a bittersweet and unfinished ending. Not a bad one, it just left me needing more closure. And revenge. That too.

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Why?

Body switch drama's are a treaturous thing as it is. This execution was the absolute worst I ever saw.
I love both Max and Nat, mostly for the fact that although they do lack in the acting department, they are adorable, have great chemistry and amazing kisses. All of these could not save this drama (pun intended). The plot is stupid (why turn to a shaman for ED? Consult a doctor dammit!). There is no real story, no real drama points, nothing. It seems to build on the previous series where they played the same characters, but that was so long ago that I forgot most of that. A little refresher would have been nice. There is chemistry/tension at the wrong moments (Kaeng and Sun) that doesn"t lead anywhere. A late addition problem (the money) is not really a problem. Some strange conversation about virginity... The list goes on.

I had my hopes up for the secondary couple but their first kiss was the cringiest thing I ever saw. I don't think they even touched lips. Please cast people that actually want to kiss each other!

I hate Nat's red hair. I hate the over the top wardrobe, I hate the senseless trip mr shaman makes to Japan (or was it China) which just prolongs the misery. I hate the fake crying. I hate the attempts at humor. I hate the music (don't let actors who can't sing for shit sing the OST!)

Anything good? Yes. Earth (Cooheart) as Madam. The only one with everything on point. Acting, wardrobe, hair. But very much the golden ring on the monkey. It made up for nothing.

I'm so sorry for Max and Nat, but this BL goes to the absolute bottom of my completed list.

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Green flags don't have to be boring. Here's proof.

This modern romance drama has my whole heart. There. That's the review.
O, right...I need to add more to persuade you to watch this as well.

Let the men in your life know that this is what we mean when we say we need them to be a green flag. Carrying a torch for years and years, while never crossing he line, staying in her life (either seen or unseen) and making sure she is ok and protected. And when he finally meets her after a long time apart, he remains the calm, but strong force she needs. Giving her a shoulder, a home. Never pushing her boundaries, never expecting anything from her but to be herself.

All this while never really hiding his feelings, but in a way that is totally safe. He is passionate though, and we can see how he craves to be closer. But he never lays that on her. He cherishes her completely, supprting her in whatever she wants to do. Not one of us deserves such a man.

In the meantime, our girl is working through STUFF. Bad stuff. Traumatizing stuff. But she hides it all, to the point she leaves once again to not be a burden to him. Because that's how she has been treated all her life. As a burden. To her mother, her aunt and uncle, her teachers, her employers... No wonder she just wants to disappear. When she finally decides she will no longer be played or afraid, she takes the control back and has the courage to love our man like he deserves (As does she, btw!)

The best thing in this drama is that in all 32 episodes, it never gets boring. The pace varies, but even in the slow-paced parts it's still completely captivating. This is mostly thanks to the sub-plots and side characters, which are all equally well written and wonderful. The dialogues are chef's kiss, there's humor, drama, cuteness and passion. Nothing NC, but great kisses and a lot of them.

Go watch! Now!

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This is how you do a remake!

This was so much fun!! From the first notes of the theme song on the first episode (this EPIC theme song) you know this will be a Ride (capital R).

The story is not too deep, but with plenty of twists and turns to either lol or yell at the screen in frustration. How dense can a person be? Heng is utterly clueless about, well, everything. His Boss is the perfect 2ML. Sweet, caring, forgiving. I felt so bad for him and wish he'll meet his prince someday. Mo is a treasure forgiving Heng and not eating his shoes in anger. Their love is sweet and our EarthMixx dreamteam is overflowing with chemistry.
Comical BL is not my favorite BL subgenre but if they're this well made, with well dosed puns, situations and acting, I'm absolutely sold.
The OST is fantastic, I got a smile on my face and swayed along as soon as Earth started yelling. This is ultimate feelgood!

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No plot. Good kisses

First ep I was a little apprehensive, not sure where this was going. A typical college BL maybe? It's certainly a 'love at first sight' thing, at least for one of the main leads.
Ep. 2 Story got a little clearer, I kinda cringed at the oops I had drunk sex with a guy thing, And what the hell was with these stuffed socks?? I felt relieved when Nhai confesses he actually liked it and that he was the one feeling guilty towards Ai. Ai is so in love he likes everything Nhai does but I think Nhai is not as great as he looks and might be chaotic af. Ai better brace himself. Curious to see where this goes.
Ep.3. I´m really not sure about this tbh. Although there are many things I like, there are at least as much things I dislike. Ai puts an unfair amount of pressure on Nhai, and although he has asked for time, Ai is trying to kiss him not 2 seconds later. Nhai is all over the place and says he is confused, but he seems anything but. I am really hoping for the dialogue to be more consistent and the subs being as bad as they are is not helping...
Ep 4-8 I am getting more and more worried about this drama and frustrated that the writing is not what it could be. Scenes and even full episodes seem to be made just for screenfilling and visual. There is no development. In fact, just exactly in the scene where you think something happens.... The episode is over. The next episode starts with that promising scene, but does not fulfill the promise. Characters remain flat, without any depth or real emotion. We see Nhai get jealous but who knows why. No motives, just nothing. All thats left is the fluff and the chemistry. But that falls totally flat when the rest is so severely lacking. This hurts and I do not see it getting better. Rating dropped to 6.
Ep. 9. Every time the end credits start running, I'm like: what? But nothing happened yet!. It is sooo boring! Ai's birth mother is the worst evil mom I've ever seen. She can't even get the expressions right. Also.. Usually with 'bad' bl's we can get at least some solace from the side couple. But there is none here! We are being robbed. The award for saving the ep. goes to Arm for doing the only good acting. Thank you Arm!
Ep. 10. Birth mom got slayed by Nhai. That was the best thing to watch. Rest of the ep was boring
Ep 11 and 12. Meeting the parents, being cute at night, going on a camping trip, bei g cute again, getting sick, getting orange peeling tips, getting better, being cute and promise forever. The end.

There was never any plot. Here and there are sparks of story but all of them bled out and died silently. This was Ai and Nhai being cute for 12 eps straight. Could have been half that. Got really boring in the end despite good kissing. There was no more tension, no real passion, no obstacles to overcome. No ingredients to make a good series.

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Underrated gem

I have been putting off watching Into The Woods for a long time, since I was told it did not have a happy ending and there's hardly any skinship. While the latter is true, i don't agree with the first.

The actors playing Fifa and Hem/Third have both been around for quite a while but this is their first BL. They have amazing skills and chemistry together and although this is a very slow burn, it is a burn nonetheless. I am very impressed with the portrayal of the high school graduate coming of age vs the love stunted and jaded 30-something and how they slowly come to understand each other and fall in love only to have to part just when they're finally accepting their own feelings. The ending to me meant a promise to meet again and explore more. Not that i need an s2, i think the story is well rounded as is, but on my mind they go on to be happily living together in Pokpa. Fifa took over from grandma and Hem is still his fierce lion protector. Call me stupid romantic, but i know that's how it went.

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Good storytelling and tension arc

This second season is proof that consistency in storytelling between multiple seasons is possible in BL. The character development picks right up where it left off and the tense moments of the first season are being rivalled by those in this sequel. Great watch, never a dull moment. The only disappointment is in the development of the couples besides CharlieBabe and UncleJeff. PeteKriss falls flat at a certain point where it was sizzling just a moment before. KimKenta is not really explored and NorthSonic... Well maybe they're keeping these stories for next seasons.

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Raw, Rushed and Rare BL

This is not a typical BL. The focus is not on the romance, but on the drama. The romance seems to have been written in after the fact. Not that it was bad, the chemistry between Sun and Peace is definitely there, but it could have been better. There was very little communication about stuff that really needed addressing (like when one beat the other to as pulp). We all understand why things happened how they did, but it needs to be said out loud sometimes. As BL watchers we are used to seeing tropes. I think we got the worst one in this drama, the accidental fall-and-kiss, and that was it. no other typical BL tropes. That's refreshing, of course, but also left me wanting. There is one NC scene, which is really more NC-scenes rolled into one. I would have preferred all that being evenly distributed instead of in one episode.
The crime story takes the lead in this drama. And it's a good one. many plot twists that we never see coming. The villains are well written, with just enough added depth. I'm still confused on what a lobbyist is, however. And what the hell was that last scene? This absolute baffling cliffhanger begs for a S2. Let's see if we get it so we can get a well rounded story.

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Standard but sweet

Another 10 min/8ep K-BL. Do we really need another? No. Do I like them? Yes, kind of. It's sweet, uncomplicated and soft. Good to binge and not toxic. What more do you want? Well, sometimes I want a LOT more than this, but other times this is just what the doctor ordered. Story is 100% standard: boy meets boy accidentally, they can't forget each other somehow and have shared life ingredients that brings them back together and they fall for each other in lightning speed. There are 2 or 3 hickups we see coming from miles away, and of course they forget that communication helps solving insecurities. The hickups arrive, leaving heartache in their wake but after a nice mandatory time jump everything works out. We've seen it dozens of times before. No surprises, just pretty faces, nice music, a little butterfly action (3/5), solid acting, happily ever after. Done.

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PROVISIONALLY rated depending on future development

What do you expect from a person when they have been treated like an asset, a robot, and not allowed to live their own life for even a minute? What do you expect them to do when they fall in love (at first sight) with the first person that speaks kindly of them? What standard of person should they be in the short period of time they are allowed to live on their own before returning to the discipline and slavery at their "mother's"?

It's a miracle Cirrus didm't turn out to be a serial killer or at least violent bully. Instead he became a stalker. One that admires his beloved from afar and secretly does what he can to make their life easier. Leave an umbrella here, deliver some flowers there, prevent a car theft... All very innocent. Until he gets the chance to actually meet and court the object of his desire. After getting into a car accident he dreams up a world where he and his love Phukan are together. When he wakes up, it takes him a while to realize this was a dream and in the meantime he meets Phu and tries to convince him they're together in another world.

Motivations aside, this main part of the story is already crazy. But we know crazy comes from Mame, so we bare with it. but then we get introduced to a boy who can read minds. until he falls in love with someone, then he can't read their mind anymore.

So, we had a supernatural thing (parallel worlds) that was fake. And now we have a supernatural thing (mindreading) that is real? Are you confused yet? because I am.

But it gets worse (or better, depending on your view). The parallel world thing seems to be real after all! at least, that's been hinted at. We never get a definite answer. Just like we don't get a answer why Cirrus'brother suddenly decides to step in for him (they have had a minimum of interaction before that). Why Cirrus'mom is like that (a divorce is not a good enough reason for this level of psycho). Why Phu is upset about the lying but not the stalking and many more strange and peculiar choices.

That being said, Boss and Noeull are on their best performance. The cinematography is phenomenal. The music amazing and Boss and Noeull are the best kissers in the industry. If this is all we will get to see of Cirrus and Phukan I will be hella mad and I will adjust my rating to the 6,5 it deserves on it's own. it's just that I have the feeling we have been looking at a very elaborate trailer or pilot for one or more series to come next in this universe that could be created from this. DO NOT SKIP THIS OPPORTUNITY DEAR MAME!!

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Extremely cute, but....

Disclsimer first: I did watch the original series years ago, and re-watched it several times. It gave me a feeling of true teenage angst, anguish of firts love and jealousy and really hit me in the feels. I never read the book

So, now that we have that out of the way, let's get into this. As far as remakes go, this one was a very good one. It stayed very close to the original series in terms of character porttrayal and atmosphere. However, this remake feels much, much lighter than the original. There is still a lot of jealousy, but it is brought with a sense of humor that the original lacked. It is stil angsty, but much less intense. This lightheasrtedness benefits the story greatly. Situations and relations are clearer, characters more balanced and teenage-like. We are watching a coming of age that is both cute and scary.

I do have some points of critique, though. The biggest one being that the only kiss (if you can even call it that) is from a ghost ship. In the last scenes, it is hinted at that Noh and Phun have done "much more", but we never get to see any of that. While I understand the age of the actors has something to do with that, why did we get that ghost kiss but not the real thing? That being said, the last take with the glass door is ever so sweet.

I'm scoring this an 8. woukld have been higher if we had a tiny bit more (age-appropriate) skinship.

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This was friggin beautiful

This story and the way the actors portray their characters pulls on my every heart string.

Seldom was a couple this level of made for each other. In all their trauma, poverty and toxicity they manage to complement and fulfill each other while being healed (well, sort of).

This is by no means a fluffy cute BL. It's a story of abuse, friendship and love against all odds, while dealing with an almost unhealable trauma.

The actors (all of them!) portray their roles so perfectly they seem like they've been doing this forever. From the smallest looks, gestures to grand and grotesk, it's all equally awesome.

I binged the series in one night. Admittedly a bit much, but this also allowed for being completely submerged in their world and processes. It was a ride. One of the best of this year for sure!

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Ultimate feelgood!

As soon as the theme song starts, my brain switches to 'happyfeels'. This is the most feelgood BL I've ever seen. Everything comes together. The main couple is incredibly sweet, but they manage to just stay on the right side of cringe. They balance each other out perfectly, both in the story as in their acting. The dramatic element is brought by balancing the difference between extroverted and introverted, an overly protective mom and the side couple, who had just enough screen time and had a very interesting story arc themselves.
The show makes you feel like love is possible for everyone, as long as you allow for each other's differences and be open to each other. Love can enrich your life in ways you never imagined. This show goes on my re-watch list!

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