Niniane

I cried. A lot

How great to watch Earth and Santa again. Earth is an amazing actor who does very well in emotional roles. In this production he hit the jackpot. How to process the realization that not only are you gay, but also in love with your best friend? This was the best part of this series. How sad and wholesome at the same time. We don't get an insight to when Santa's character Cake falls in love or realises this, at least I didn't notice. He tells his friends after he has been away for years (a time walk instead of a time jump. Well done!). I would have liked to see more exploring of feelings.
What I liked: The wholesomeness. Great families, siblings and friends.
Good chemistry but little sexual tension. Just love. Loads of butterflies. The emotion is not too much although it's a lot. Earth is a beautiful cryer. Great side roles and an adorable side couple. Peak does not give up but is so sweet and respectful.
What I liked less: The lessons in disease and their causes. And how the father is to blame. Besides being blamed, he has not been in his kids life for decades but is welcomed back quite easily. That doesn't fly with me coming from a broken home. Santa/Cakes hair after he returns. Bleach gone bad.

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Best Taiwanese BL 2022

This was a joy to watch every single second. I was hooked from the first ep. Everything in this production is so good. The setting, the acting, the writing, characters, story development. While is most series there is some sort of lull in the middle, this one was never boring. Always something to be curious about, always a new surprising scene or development.
The actors are on another level. The chemistry is completely natural, like they've been a ship for years. The love radiates off the screen in every action. It's a joy to watch. The natural development of the relationship is another point. Insecurities and obstacles are handled with care and logic in the most romantic way. Inconvenient situations are not shyed away from and the way the biggest argument is portrayed and shot is just.. *chefs kiss*.
The side couples (3 of them!) are not getting all the screentime they deserve, but that's because these also are sooo good. They are all very different, express and experience love in different ways and each of them is great to watch. The way the parents react hurt a lot, especially the father. I hope this is not something that is normal in Taiwan and I did not like the way is was just glanced over and not really addressed. The little dance at the end of the episodes was so cute. I'm really hoping for a second season to give the side couples a chance to blossom and the main cp to solidify their relationship.

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Major trigger alert would have been nice....

Let me start off by saying this movie should have come with a trigger alert. This includes suicide and (attempted) rape. If you have seen Thai movies or dramas before, this may be no surprise to you, but still was kind of a shocker to me.

That being said, I really enjoyed the movie. The story itself is not too complicated. 2 surgeons and longtime besties start working together to uncover the truth behind the existence of ghosts. One of them is griefstruck by his mother's death and the other is obsessed with ghosts since his father appeared to him after death. They find that the ghostworld is not accessible to living humans and decide on drastic measures to finish their experiments. It all culminates i a eye opening and emotional climax, with neither getting what they wanted or deserved.

The acting of both leads is fenomenal, and the scene setting (hospital, abandoned lab) although cliché still very fitting.

The overall moral to the story; don't dig into things you are not sure you really want to know.

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Different and interesting

A series starting with an NC scene and ending with a cute scene. What's in between was, well, interesting. The story is layered, with flashbacks, family scenes and character development. Sometimes things are a bit confusing or choppy, and the inexperience of the actors shows from time to time, but Mos and Bank have great chemistry together. They make a fantastic couple. The NC scenes were not the best, but the cute scenes are amazing. The banter is just right and the looks they give each other would melt a gletcher.

I am looking forward to the 2nd season where we will see what happens when Bank finds out they knew each other when they were kids and they come out to their families. And who's that boy at the door?

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The problem with BL: Storytelling!

If only we could have better editing and production in BL... So many times everything in a BL makes sense but the storyline. Plot holes, weird transitions, time jumps, sloppy characters, inconsistencies... It takes away so much, while it could have been sooo good. In this case, the chemistry between these rookie actors is off the charts. The plot is original, supernatural themed bl's are rare. The build up of the romance is stormy and messy but it makes sense. The problems are not with the main plot line in the beginning. It is the side stories that mess it up. There is an ex boyfriend that we know died, but we miss a full back story, as with the gl couple they seem to have thrown in there without telling us exactly where this came from. Since we BL lovers are romance and drama addicts, we need to know what exactly transpired to make them fall in love, how was their relationship and how did they die? The way these stories are brought is dangling a carrot, and then stuffing our nose with it. It comes down to bad choices in editing, wanting to put in too much while there's just not enough airtime assigned. It's a shame. Rating would have been at least 8 without these issues. Finally I want to add how beautiful Tod is. This boy is ethereal.

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One of those you remember forever

I knew getting into this it was going to be emotional. I had seen some spoilers and I thought I was prepared. I was not. This drama reels you in with the charm of Wang, gets you hooked on the sweetness of In, chews you up with the selfishness of Mol and spits you out with the heartbreak of all 3 of them. I really don't mind emotions, sadness or even bad endings, but I dread them since watching MODC. This one is not THAT bad, fortunately, and the ending is fitting the mood and feel of the drama, but I still hated it. I so much wanted In to get over his hesitation and fear and for Mol to get over her selfishness and think more about her son's happiness. Mol has very narcissistic tendencies and this triggered me a lot. In never gets angry with her, he never calls her out. Probably because he feels so guilty, but there's therapy for that, people!

Suffice to say I was really invested in this drama and I binged it in a day. The acing, cinematography, music, it was all on point. The fact that we are actually only dealing with these 3 people without real side characters is a great choice, we really get into their motivations, conversations and emotions.

There were some inconsistencies and unclear parts, but maybe that's just that I missed it because I was crying too much. I don't know.

I dare not hope for a 2nd season where Wang and In find their way back to each other, but, you know, just saying....

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Wish granted and then some!

We got a 4 episode series of the same title in 2020, with mostly the same cast and this left us wanting, no, needing more. These 4 episodes will hence forth be treated as extended preview and this series of 10 full episodes (first 3 eps also available in Director's Cut) will be the OG. I was so looking forward to this one and I was totally hooked from the first second. The chemistry between the leads is off the charts, even more than in the extended preview. The drama has been taken down a tiny notch, but the butterfly dial has been cranked up to the max. There were some humorous scenes added and parents that are more relatable than before, Ploy is very likeable and I even felt sorry for her, although the way both she and Vee handled things is stil annoying af. But hey, we need at least some drama, right haha. Some scenes made me actually squeal in joy or burst out laughing. The sass of both of them, but mostly Mark is amazing. The murderous looks he gives Vee are hilariously scary. The heart eyes they give each other are next level lovey-dovey.
I could have done with a little less obvious tropes, but the execution of these is so good, it is only mildly annoying. I pity Nuea, who seems such a great guy who just came along too late. The scene of him comforting Mark while they both cry is so touching. There are many iconic scenes in this series, not the least of which is the end scene. I cheered when I saw Mark come out from behind that curtain... I will not spoil any more. Just know you will absolutely not regret binging this one.

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Magic Mike but funny

I was drawn to this series because I liked Drag I love You so much. It is not as entertaining as that was, but it has plenty of hilarious scenes. The comedy comes from the over the top acting, which bounders on the cringey side, but just manages to stay away from it. It gives feelgood and pretty ripped man bods. What's not to like? The main character Annie is a powerhouse who stands her ground surrounded by predators. Her ex, her former partner, a creditor and her daughter are all asking for something from her. Suddenly a golden opportunity in the form of an inherited host club falls in her lap and she decides to make the best of it to make money and improve her life. While recruiting men to host at her club, she meets a colorful set of guys who all bring their own set of issues and talents to the club. She manages to make her creditor fall for her by giving him a sexy dance (LOOOL, this scene is gold) and as a bonus riles up her former partner, who then decides to also start a club to annoy and compete. Everyone falls in love left and right, some couples lasting, others failing miserably. I love that, although all relationships are heterosexual, they are not standard at all.
There is plenty of women's liberation and feminism, great music and a serious note here and there. I was entertained every second and regretted that it ended. I don't know if I will re-watch, but I will certainly not mind a sequel.

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Endearing and lovely

What a lovely story! This quite unlikely scenario (nobody in your wedding party knows you are marrying someone of the same sex) is brought is such a way that it is never ridiculous or slapstick. Instead, it is endearing and touching, with understandable reactions and actions from all characters.

Of course Ryoku is an absolute idiot not to tell anyone about Mizuki, but we get to understand his motives when we meet his family and friends and see why he just wanted to please everyone and avoid the issue. Mizuki is understandably disappointed and furious when Ryoku's indecisiveness persists. The weddingplanner makes a brilliant move to get everyone in touch with their feelings and the heart-to-hearts in this part were so well delivered and sweet that any heart would have melted from it.

I loved this movie and will surely watch it again when I need a feel good moment.

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Hilariously cringy

Although this is a very (very) lightweight movie, I had a few laugh out loud moments. The lead actresses (it's one role played by 2 girls) are very funny.

The boys are incredibly beautiful and look like they stepped out of a manga. Since the lead girl is a fujoshi, this is just perfect for her to ship everyone with each other.

As happens in Japanese dramas, there's a lot of emphasis on looks and that's fine. They kind of tried to work in a message of 'it's your heart that counts' but it falls a bit short.

I would have loved if she ended up with the one guy who really seems to get her and know her heart. But no-one ends up with anyone. Shame.

There are some loose ends (why does the guy just get up and leave, what happened between him and his former gf?) but I really had fun watching this.

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So cute but why so short!?

This BL was not cliche at all, despite the school setting. The acting was amazing, I was totally invested in every character.

I loved the fact there is 1 BL cp, 1 straight cp, and Frank just wants Mild to be his sister. This was so endearing I gasped!

Why was it only 4 eps though!? This deserved so much more screen time! Was it a funding issue? Props to the makers for being able to make such a good BL out of it despite whatever cause. But I wanted more!

The back story of mom and uncle deserves to be told in more than just subtext. I want to see what happened at Mooks event. I want to know what happened in the 2 months X was in Japan. Did they stay in touch? How did they make up over text/phone? And last but not least, a few seconds could have been spent on the kiss.... Right?

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Nailbitingly good!

This action packed drama had me on the tip of my seat the entire time.

The actors, especially the 3 main leads put down impressive performances individually. But when they combine their efforts in some scenes, the chemistry and sync are truly amazing. These 3 were so well tuned in to each other!

Mostly for this reason I was a bit disappointed with the ending. What the hell was this baby faced guy PP doing back with Shin? Are they not happily living with the 3 of them?

The inner conflicts and struggles are well portrayed. Neo with his feelings of guilt and revenge, Shin with his difficult relationship with his father and Miw with her troubled youth and mother. The complexity of feelings and how to deal is a theme throughout.

This drama is not a BL, or even a romance drama. For me it handles much more the struggle to becoming the person you want to be, despite your environment pushing you in the opposite direction. It is about survival, relationships, how far you are willing to go to protect yourself and those you love.

The scene where dad threatens Miw and Neo while locking Shin in the office looked rushed and unfinished. There could have been more logical, dramatic choices. The surprise at the end of that scene redeemed it somewhat though.

Best performances are from Jennie and Mild. These are women who stand and fend for themselves. Look into their own heart for guidance and take responsibility for their feelings and actions. Real strong women. I love to see it.

Tay and Joss put down the best performance I have ever seen from either of them.

I would love to see a sequel to this. There may be a task here for whoever feels brave enough..

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Averagely Cute or Cutely Average

Here we are with another University BL. No engineering this time, but still university. The lead cp are forced into a BL series by their college professor and fall in love after initially disliking each other. Their chemistry is good, but not consistent, there are scenes that really did not look sincere to me. Besides the main cp, there are 3 others, 2 consisting of the club members of the main cp (oh, coincedence...) and another of a former suitor with his best friend. All these 3 cp are cute and lovable. There is nothing exceptionally good or bad, just cute. ParkLee and MaiTim had the best chemistry. Mai's performance is great, he stands out regarding acting skills.

The series is riddled with clichés and tropes, but most are not annoying as in some others and quite well worked out:

- university
- accidental kiss
- Enemies to Lovers
- Best friend to Lovers
- Jealousy/suspicion of cheating
- secret love (of course)
- femme fatale
- breaking up for the other's sake
- Bad boss
- proposal gone wrong
- wedding
- drunken confessions
- overhearing key conversation
- denying relationship / feelings

The series is saved by the chemistry, the acting (above average), the multiple cute couples and last but not least, great kisses!

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Sweet and cute, but too fast!

I watched this drama before watching Love Mechanics 2022. I really enjoyed it and the leads have immense chemistry together. I do have a few issues however, that I hope will be resolved om the 2022 version (but I fear....). For one, we never get any explanation on how Mark went from liking Bar to Vee. The first scene gives us the impression that Mark mistakes Vee for Bar, but afterwards we learn that he has liked Vee for months? Second, al of a sudden we have skipped a year, where it first appeared to be just one or a few months. Thirdly, there is no making up scene. Vee confesses and the next scene is Mark with his friend questioning him on why he gave in so easily. That's what I wanted to know!!!
And lastly, there is no real ending. Yes, the story is sort of wrapped up, but there is no real "end scene" and that bothered me. So, why rate it a 7.5 after all that? That is all due to the acting, butterflies and chemistry, mostly on Vee's part. The heart brokenness really got to me and my heart ached for him. There was just too much goodness to put in just 4 eps.

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Medical & fantasy in BL

There are not a lot of medical bl dramas. I never really miss that, since I'm not a fan of that particular genre. This bl has done an attempt at it and paired it with a fantasy soul reaper trope. The fantasy part came out much stronger than the medical, since the hospital staff does all sorts of things that are completely illogical. Scheduling surgery right on the ward floor, no clear roles for any staff member, medical terms are neatly explained, but why they come up remains unclear most of the time. It's a mess.

The fantasy part was done much better, although also in this part stuff is just left hanging. Why does Sanya come back after (only) 7 months? Or was is 2 + 7 months? How was he punished? Why didn't P die when there was a ticket? They could have done a lot more and better with this.

On a positive note, The slow bloom of the main cp is executed perfectly and they gave me butterflies. The other bl cp gave me very uncomfortable feelings. Their kisses all end up in the air or chin, while they supposedly had a hot ons...
The story for the boy/girl couple was rushed, happens all too often in bl.

It did leave me feeling warm and happy, so despite its flaws in rated it 7.5. But I'm not sure if I will re-watch.

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