Niniane

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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Beautiful but lacking substance

Our MaxNat have returned and take on a fantasy time jump theme. This line would make any serious BL-fan salivate and so it did. And it's a good watch. Max and Nat are improving their acting every next show, and there's not a lot to criticize, apart from the mannerisms of mostly Nat. What I do criticize is acting of the supporting cast (awful) and the lack of screentime for the second couple. I would've liked to see them interact more after that night in the cabin, but alas. The main lovestory is meant to be an epic one spanning dimensions. Unfortunately, while the love is certainly there, the whole epic-ness is underwhelming. This is mainly due to sloppy writing. The story is second to almost everything else. I was more impressed with some of the scenery (beautiful trees and caves).
This means that although acting, background and theme are great, it falls a bit flat because it lacks the substance of a real epic tale that fits all that.

Special note for the NC scenes. These are amazing. I would even say epic. And also note the kissing.. Especially TaiKram and how that's different from PhuphaKram.

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Good overall, but Barcode award worthy performance

For this drama, the title alone would compell me to watch it. The fact that it comes from BOC, the company who gave us KinnPorsche and ManSuang, makes it a mandatory watch. And it was a good watch, but was it up to standard? Well, yes and no. The theme (revenge thriller) is an original choice in BL-land. and for this kind of theme I expect a solid story, taking me to a climax and having me root for one or more characters on the way.

The story is solid enough, theres a clear line, even with the flashbacks and - forwards. But i could not root for any of the characters. They were either too shitty or too obscure to identify with. In the friend group there are a few identifiably archetypical characters, but not all of them are written in to be a real part of the plot. The ones that are essential to the plot are lacking in detail so we're left wondering about motives and patterns, What made Tan/New go so insane? What about Jin makes Phee fall for him?

The only character I could "feel" was Non. Barcode seemlessly goes from sweet and innocent to dramatic and psycho and then to mysterious and sad. It was a thrilling experience that he can do that t such a young age with so little experience. Can't wait to see more of him.

There were some annoying plotholes. What happened to the opening scene? This scene is not in the movie they made and is never mentioned since, What happened to Tee's father? and the most important question: who killed mr. Keng? Since Jin keeps seeing him in the hallucinations, could it be him? And speaking of hallucinations, what kind of stuff is this? And it has an antidote? And it works with just a whiff of it in your nose? But not if you're wearing half a mask? Like I said: annoying and sometimes distracting from the story.

I'm left feeling that if Barcode did not do as well as he did, I might not have enjoyed this series half as much. Go Barcode!

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Everything I love in 1 show!

This long awaited series did not disappoint. It has so many elements to love, that the only thing that keeps it from being rated a 10/10 is the fact that it did not have double the amount of episodes, so some scenes could have been elaborated on an the last episode did not feel a bit rushed. So sad it ended!

Elements to love in this show: BL (obviously), chemistry, amazing storyline, supernatural, SFX, crime/mystery, good comedy, beautiful NC scenes, great cinematography, well outlined side characters, amazing score/ost.

Elements that could be better: ending felt a bit rushed, underexposed side couples, not enough episodes.

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Epic love in just 6 eps!?

Please make sure you watch "The Boy Foretold By The Stars" movie before you dive into this series. The movie tells you the start of the romance between Dominic and Luke.

The series is a very welcome and well executed addition/elaboration to the movie. I watched it all in one sitting on YouTube. Every time I watch a Philippine BL I remind myself to watch more of these, but because they are not widely available I don't get around to watching them often enough, which is a shame shame shame.

This one is another example of how good these can be in their simplicity. No distracting side-stories, just the main couple and their love story. But it's evactly that storytelling that is so good. We get swept in their world and we live every moment with them. The love, the fear, the parents, the teachers, the friends... perfect. So real.

HIGHLY recommend!

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Fluffy and light feelgood

This movie is a great watch. It's well-paced, with humorous notes and some emotional scenes at exactly the right timing. The chemistry between the two leads is very present, and you can really feel their falling in love through the screen.
Representation is usually done well in Phillipine BL, and this one is no different. It's scenery is a typical high school environment, where competition, bullying and teen-angst are omnipresent. Furthermre, this is a catholic high school, with actual clergymen as teachers and headmaster. It's a delight to see that there is no condemnation from the faculty towards the openly gay community in the school, they are even welcomed as organisers of some kind of bible-camp where the students learn about the love of Chist.

The feel of this movie is very fresh and light, with some more serious notes here and there. Above all, it's a movie about falling in love for the first time and what that does to a person.

Highly recommend that if you watch this movie, you watch "Love Beneath The Stars" the series right after, where the story between Dominic and Luke is explored more deeply.

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Purpose unclear, mildly ok parts

This series consists of 12 2-ep stories of love. Most of them are about the beginning of love, but in some the failure of the same. I was left with the feeling that these were all stories that could at some point be made into a full series, but were not due to lack of funds or otherwise, It all feels rushed, low budget with unknown actors thet we have either not seen before or only in supporting roles. Some themes really deserved more time and attention, such as Friends Forever and Pisces Of Me. Some should be fast forgotten, such as Marry Go Round and Fake Love. Some are really good in this short form, like You Are My SoulMate and Lucky Love. On average it was a 5,5/10 for me.

Casanova Begins: 5/10 huh, why?
Marry Go Round 4/10 Cringeee
Right Time, Right You 7/10 Great chemistry
You Are My So(ul) Mate 7,5/10
Lucky Love 7,5/10
The Camp Fire 6,5/10 (reveal ruined it, wth)
Friends Forever7/10 so sad
Fake Love 4/10 bad directing bad editing gaps, repetitions
Pisces of Me 5/10 heavy subject too rushed
1626 7/10 what happened next?
Refund Love 6/10 fun concept, badly executed
I Wish You Love 6/10 melancholic

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Problematic but addictive. One to binge!

I binged this after airing, and I'm convinced that's the way to watch this.

For those who like a dominant man, I get you. But should you ever meet someone like Shangzhou irl, I would strongly recommend running in the other direction. This man has "unprocessed bagage" written across his forehead. That being said, Shunyu is no kitten either, although it seems otherwise in the beginning. The combination of these two is nothing short of FIREWORKS. The chemistry is banging. and that chemistry is what makes this 10 ep. series absolutely worthwhile.

If you are sensitive to non-consentual touching, pushy innuendo and powerplay, you should proceed with caution. Shangzhou uses all these techniques to get what he desires. At first, Shunyu is not having it, but as soon as his boss shows a sliver of heart, he starts falling for him. Like I said, don't expect too much reality-based interactions. While Shangzhou is convinced he is clearly showing Shunyu he likes him, the object of his desire is convinced his overbearing strict boss hates him. There is a rather large communication gap here. Only after a drunk interaction Shunyu starts to understand Shangzhou's feelings. But that just ushers in further misunderstandings and issues, since Shunyu is totally spooked and runs off.

Shangzhou sees no other way than to pressure Shunyu into staying, which complicates and cools things between them significantly. What turns this around you ask? Well, of course there should have been a heart to heart between them to clear the air, or lawyers should have been involved to break this insane contract. But no, Shangzhou's older brother steps in to make Shunyu understand how troubled a man his little brother is since he's been so mistreated since childhood. He just can't properly express his feelings!

This is all Shunyu needs to set aside all his misgivings and give Shangzhou another chance. He even stands up against Shangzhou's mothermonster, with Shangzhou himself not uttering a word...

While all that I've written before might give you the impression that I didn't like the show, that is not the case. I wanted to hate it because of the insane actions of Shangzhou, but I couldn't.

There is so much to hate, but also so much to love. As I said, the chemistry, but also the side characters are very well done. little details like the stress doll of the head secretary are hilarious, Shunyu is cute as a button, the pace throughout is perfect and the ending is so so sweet.

Go binge it. Now!

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So sweet but why so short

Come on, what are we supposed to think of all these potentially amazing stories that get cut into 15 minute eps when it could have been a nice movie or a longer more elaborate and captivating story?

Add a build up, a back story or 2 and some more sweet scenes and it's a hit.

Don't get me wrong, I didnt rate this series an 8 for nothing, there's true gold to be found in this. The acting is good, the music is amazing and the story is very sweet. The last scene brought tears to my eyes, the sincerity and chemistry was fantastic. It's just that I'm a bit done with these series that are wasted as fillers. They could be so much more.

It will get a nice place on my re-watch list.

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