This is my happy place
I loved this so much! It was cute and funny. The actors took their job seriously but didnt take themselves seriously. The support roles were also well done. I want a tutor this cool and I also want to be friends with Toru-san and his delinquent crew. Even the grumpy teacher won me over! I watched every episode twice. True comedy. Can't wait for special episodes, which seem almost certain.UPDATE: special episode #1 has arrived and I'm very excited to see where this is headed! I know folks are saying this isn't BL. Maybe that's true for the main series, but unclear that that will continue to be the same for the extra episodes. And I'd make the argument that it is, in fact, BL in the main. Read on if you're interested in my take, but know that there's a spoiler involved.
SPOILER ALERT--STOP HERE IF YOU CARE: Also, I would argue that it's BL in the main (albeit unfulfilled) because they already established mutual attraction that I think goes beyond bromance. Toru-san at the very least wants a kiss (and probably more, although that doesn't have to mean physically) and Kishi-kishi wants...well we don't know exactly what he wants but he's clearly smitten because he already confessed--つきがきれいですね？(Tsuki ga kirei desu ne? Translation: The moon is beautiful, isn't it?) That phrase is a poetic and indirect--and beautiful--way of saying I love you. Right now, Toru-san, Kishi-san, you, and I are all on the same page about that. Let's see where that leads.
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There better be a second season (and third?)
What just happened? Not one issue resolution in the entire finale!? This is killing me! I hope we get season 2, because otherwise I'm going to pine for closure for the rest of my days.This show has me hooked. The leads are adorable. They have amazing chemistry and comedic timing. Liuyi's facial expressions are everything. The character is great. The actor, He Yan Zhao, is fire. He should change his headshot to the caramel-colored deliciousness that we see in this series. He looks divine. I don't know if the asian entertainment industry generally has figured this out yet, but many of us prefer a little melanin.
He Chusan is great too. Sweet on the outside and a fierce protector on the inside. And since were talking about beauty, actor He Chang Xi is also truly handsome.
I dont know how to feel about the second couple. But we can sort that out during season 2.
I love the supporting actors. The dad is great. The main lackey is great. The number 2 is great. I want more of them all.
So go ahead. Start production on season 2. I'll wait. And don't feel like you have to resolve everything there. I'll watch season 3, too. I'm just saying...
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You had me at cats...
This is a combination of a few of my favorite things, so maybe I can't write an unbiased review!First, I love cats! A drama based in a cat cafe is calling my name. It's cute and cutesy. Everyone had fair warning of the silliness to come right there. I'm here for it.
Second, I'm a kifujin. So now we have cats in a cat cafe with men kissing? Yeah, let's do this. Who knows the Japanese word for old cat lady that watches yaoi?
Third, while I'm not the biggest fan of all the ships, I do enjoy this one. They can convincingly do hot and sweet. This was such a silly story but their portrayal was never cringe. Good job, guys!
Honestly, I probably wouldn't watch this a second time. But I'm glad I watched it the first time around. I like dramatic, emotional, intense BLs too, but sometimes you just need a cleanse. This was perfect for me! Happiness restored!
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It needed more time to tell this many stories well
Overall I liked it and I was invested in the characters. But there were some ham handed elements and places where it felt rushed. All drama is setup, tension, resolution (repeat). But there were so many story lines and so little time. It got garbled up.One of the highlights for me was anytime the family came together to support or just enjoy each other.
The main couple is good, but I wanted them to grow more. Theres a lot of trauma, which they lay out but then dont exactly work through. (Honestly, they might want a trigger warning because as someone who is NOT an SA survivor I still felt some kinda way about seeing all that pain.) Sailom stays a little more doe eyed than I wanted. Pi Doc is the greenest green flag and I loved that.
Tawan and Dindin are my babies. And in a lot of ways thats the story I enjoyed the most. But there were a few ridiculous plot lines that I could have done without. I really could have watched a lot more content with the two of them. I liked the actors' chemistry the best of all the couples (with the mains as a very close second).
Sky and Nava had a somewhat tortured story arc. I like them a lot too, but some weird unearned moments happened with their story.
The daughter and the mom! Yes please! Loved them both. More substance from them would have made me happy. I really like kids and family storylines in bl. It changes the dynamic.
Thanks for dealing with the mental health issue even if not entirely to my satisfaction. And thanks for making this about grown men! (Anyone who reads my reviews knows I appreciate seeing mature adults in bl series.)
Overall it needed more depth and finesse. The writing could have been better, and some of the director decisions were questionable to me. There was a lot to work with and they missed some opportunities and blew others. That said I'm not mad I watched it. I'd even say I enjoyed it!
But there's a lot of bl out there, especially in Thailand. And, again, Khemjira is making y'all work for it!
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That's how it's done, son!
This series has ruined other shows for me! I get to the end of another program and I'm like, why wasn't that resolved as well as Khemjira? Why wasn't the music as good? Why wasnt the acting as good? Why wasnt it as visually appealing? Why wasnt the chemistry as fire as Khemjira? You know, maybe don't watch it because it will set the bar so high you cant enjoy other series!First couple is obviously great, but the second couple had me living for every interaction. The actors seemed really comfortable, which made the chemistry between the onscreen characters 10 of 10. It was chemistry so good I can't wait to see them in a future project.
And the music! OMG! I almost never comment on the OST, but this time I gotta. Mantra? Just wow. The version with Keng singing lives in my soul now. The instrumental version may be even more transcendent. It sets the mood perfectly, and when I rewatched the series I was filled with anxious anticipation each time I knew it was coming. It may have outflanked Why Don't You Stay from KinnPorsche and the OST for Thundercloud Rainstorm (both of which I really love).
Bottom line, I need a shaman, an amulet, and friends like these in my life right now! I'll pass on the vengeful spirit, though.
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Good chemistry, weak storyline that had potential to be better
There really was sufficient material here to make this way more interesting. And it started much stronger than it finished. I liked the mains and I'm a sucker for a vampire story. (Yeah, I went there.) The story didn't explore many things that could have made it more satisfying. More about their individual histories. More about the conflict with the brother. More about vampire v non-vampire issues. And they took time (precious time in a short format like this) to do things that didnt really advance the plot. Its actually harder to make a short format piece, imho, because you have to be really efficient with the time you have. No filler at all.It was cute. I'm not mad that I took time to watch it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Watch the second couple through episode 8 then bounce
Ugh. This was so painful. And let me be clear, it was painful before the writers completely gutted the best part of the story.The 3 best things were the second couple, the Black support character, and the kids.
I liked the main couple's acting but I hated their story. It was a strained premise that was made worse by drawing out the unearned resolution for almost the entire series. Ridiculous.
The second couple gave me life. I tuned in specifically to follow them. But the writers destroyed it unnecessarily but literally killing their relationship. The same point about cherishing the one you love in the moment could have been made without offing one of them.
My other complaint was the misses on the NC scenes. Don't act like we are seeing everything because the timing is too short to be the real deal. It feels weird. And dont get into impossible positions. Its distracting.
Overall, blech. Decent to great acting was wasted on a crap script. So annoying.
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This pulled me in more than I was expecting and didn't let go
This popped up while I was looking for my next Netflix watch. I loved BKPP in I Told Sunset About You—the acting was incredible, and their chemistry was almost unbearable in that series.I haven’t seen the Taiwanese original of this one, so I didn’t know what to expect, but it ended up being a really satisfying watch. The comedy worked well, with strong timing and natural chemistry, and the drama hit the right emotional notes without feeling overdone. I especially enjoyed watching the gradual warmth develop in their relationship. Grandma was a standout and added a lot of heart.
The story included a few twists, but nothing felt out of sync. Even when I knew what was coming, the emotional moments still landed because of how thoughtfully they were handled (and the acting).
I enjoyed this from start to finish, and no scene felt wasted. Highly recommend. I’m only taking off half a star because it came a little too close to body‑shaming one character, which stood out in an otherwise enjoyable film.
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End of mission is so important...
I was so ready for this. Vampires. Men kissing. BounPrem. Barcode. And the rest of the cast as well. And I was totally into it for most of the series. But the ending was so rushed and unsatisfying to me! It was building, building, building then BOOM...over.I was invested in the main characters. I was invested in the side characters. I enjoyed the plot twists. But then it just stopped.
I'm rating it fairly high because I really did enjoy the ride...until it abruptly ended.
I need a second season or sequel.
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I wasn't sure I liked it at first but I've returned to rewatch many times
This isn't scintillating or cutesy or hot or overly dramatic. But I guess I liked that because I keep rewatching it. The story softly undulates around these two characters who seem to just crash into each other. I really appreciate that it doesn't lean into the coming out trope. It's just quietly telling the tale of two grown men falling in love and navigating obstacles. There are a few cringe acting moments but overall they did well. I enjoyed it.Was this review helpful to you?
Could have had a more thoughtful ending
Full disclosure: I watch way more BL than straight drama so this was already at a disadvantage. But that's also part of why I gave it a fairly high rating; opposite sex, same race couples are boring to me yet I kept coming back to watch this one.I'm surprised by the amount of hate this is getting, but I understand why some folks are disappointed, especially with the ending.
I like the idea of this show. The representation of the devil as having emotions, a backstory, and a sincere purpose. The evil that men do, and the price of complicity (duplicity? ). Families are complicated. Etc. And I didn't totally hate the execution. But, there was room for improvement.
I wanted more of the assistants story. I really liked them a lot. I wanted more of some of the other characters too. It was so focused on the mains that we missed out on some of the interesting and fun side stories. I wanted a better ending. I'm all for the happy ending, but don't pull it out of thin air. It needed to be stronger and more grounded in the weight of the story. They wrote a suspenseful drama and gave it a rom-com finale that was tied up a little too nicely even by that standard.
Also, I don't know why, but it took me a VERY long time to finish this one. It was months of starting and stopping, but not for any particular reason. I think I just found other shows that were more interesting and this is the one that got paused. Again, I'm more likely to be watching BL so this is probably a me thing.
Overall I enjoyed it, but I doubt I'll re-watch any of the episodes.
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A little wonky but I keep going back
This is a great little series. There's something about the love between the mains that set exactly right for me. Its not often that you get a series involving mental illness, especially where it gets this treatment. No tear farming with tragedy, but also no sure coating. No big reveal or magical cure all. Just people living their lives. I dont feel bad for the character struggling with mental health issues, but I see him clearly as well. I really like him. And I like his partner.I agree with others that I could have used a lot more episodes. I wanted more about the mains. I wanted a LOT more about the second couple. That was disappointing but not devastating to my enjoyment of the show.
Also, the timeline was a little choppy. I wasn't disoriented, but it didn’t seem necessary or artistically helpful to do it that way. Just show their chronology with necessary flashbacks. That's it.
But overall I really liked these characters. I liked their imperfect love story. I liked watching the care they showed each other. And I liked that they were grown-ass men! I liked the theme song.
It's a short series, but even if it were much longer it would be worth your time.
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You should watch this one
Not mind blowing but a solid entry in the sparsely populated gl space (compared to the booming bl market). I like the gl couple a lot. There were some annoying narrative problems where some characters acted, well, out of character. I dont like when the writers manipulate the story to drive certain outcomes when it makes everything seem unbelievable and ridiculous in a not fun way. There are a few of those moments in this one.Overall it was a good watch. I have enjoyed MuTeLuv. This isn't the best installment (which for my money is Love Me If You Swear), but it's still pretty good.
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I wanted more of the love story
It was an interesting series with lots of twists and turns. The drama part was pretty good, but I wanted more of the romance. Not raunchy NC scenes, just more physical indications of their closeness. It felt a little like they (the writer/director, not the characters or the actors even) were a little squeamish about going all in. Its too bad because I think it would have balanced out the tragic or violent aspects. A little more love would have gone a long way! That said it was a good watch.Was this review helpful to you?
The yearning nearly killed me
This made my whole body ache. The persistent longing between the leads was so intense. Sometimes with a series where the mains are yearning but not giving in, I lose interest or start rooting for another coupling. I never strayed from the path with this one.Also, this series has one of the hottest intimate scenes I've ever watched, but its not explicit. Just raw emotion. How do you even do that? Good writing, good acting, good production.
My shallow side would also like to report that the mains are both very attractive and have great chemistry.
Definitely watch this one. It's a classic.
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