Redwillow

Derailed

This show had so much potential and I really enjoyed much of it. But it had too many annoying characters and just derailed completely in the end. This is all just my opinion.

The second ML, Phupha, was entirely too emotionally introverted and selfish for me to enjoy his character for ten episodes. His silence, horrible communication, and actions hurt Nan over and over again and that's just unacceptable, to me, in a romance drama. What got me is that he very rarely apologized which means the writers didn't see his actions the same way I did - as being selfish and utterly lacking in self awareness. This would have all be cleared up for me if the character showed growth from this negative place and earned redemption by the end. But that is not the case. Phu remained a selfish, emotionally introverted, bad communicator until the end. I don't feel his character had much growth at all.

Side character issues
- Gei Gei is supposed to be comic relief but I found her to be extremely annoying. The many times she stuck her foot in some mess and did absolutely nothing to get herself out of the mess but run away. That means somebody else had to clean it up. I just can't with that character theme. It's always a turn off.
- Party and KK - Lord have mercy. I understand persistence when you trying to get a man but come on! I was very close to fast forwarding through all of their scenes. I held on by a thread.
- Phupha's mother - WTH?? This woman managed to have a whole family in Melbourne and not exchange even pictures between her children?? She supposedly loves Phupha so much and yet there isn't a single piece of evidence to support that. Even knowing her child was traveling to Thailand for work, she never bothered to get in touch with Phupha and have them meet up?? I mean, she may not have been able to afford to go to Thailand but who would miss the opportunity to connect, in person, their children?? Make it make sense. This was weak writing at best and somebody should have caught this in production and made some changes.

While all of these are pet peeves really, the fact that the show derailed right at the last episode top the cake for me. I couldn't make it through episode 10 without fastforwarding. The fact that after nearly 30 years of knowing each other and ten years and sooo much emotional turmoil, they finally get together just to have Nan be offered a job in China and Phupha tell him to go!! I was utterly done! Horrible writing. This couple's relationship was given zero time to blossom and the audience zero time to get to know them as a couple. Even to the very last when they couldn't even have a night to themselves without the writers throwing in KK to cockblock them. That would have been fine if it was 2-3 episodes earlier but at the end?! This isn't a teenage BL, these are grown adults. You have to put more into building the relationship. The writers failed and turned it into silliness for no damn reason. It's upsetting.

In conclusion, this show was on a good pace to be a solidly good drama but it lost its way by the end and it badly handled some of the characters. It didn't show enough character growth especially for Phupha, and it didn't invest in the couples actual relationship. The ending was cluttered and took away focus from the main couple which is the opposite of what should be done in a romantic drama. I was left feeling frustrated, disappointed, and very close to feeling like I wasted my time.

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Pathetic ending

The series was short and mediocre at best. I wouldn't write anything but for my annoyance at the ending. I think it's disrespectful to keep making BL's where the relationship finally gets going just to have one of them suddenly have to move across the country, or the world, for God knows how long. This plot device is old and tired and I just don't know why it's so frequently used nowadays. Writers need to be brave and write conflict without taking the easy way out by using distance or death. Come on!
So, yeah, the series wasn't all that good but the ending just tanked it further in my opinion.

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Watch it!

I went into this not knowing what it was about and I'm glad. I don't like time travel plots. For some reason they annoy me and make me anxious. So, generally, I avoid. But if I had followed course I would have missed this absolute gem! I am loving GMM's productions. They keep getting better with age! I love an assemble cast that's well balanced with storyline and acting skills. Everybody in this cast was Good! Steady, consistent acting skills. Able to give humor as needed but also able to carry the heavier moments equally well. Great group chemistry as well as couple chemistry as well. I highly enjoyed watching each storyline.

Secondary, everybody is gorgeous and sex scenes are done very well with different degrees of NC. That, for me, let's me know that the creators incorporate the sex scenes as needed for the story as well as titillating the audience and not just for tacky attention grabbing.

I strongly recommend this series for anybody. I watched the whole thing on YT.

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Absolutely loved

Oh, this gave me all the feels! From the warm fuzzies to bawling. I loved this show. The writing was poignant, the acting was on point! The romantic chemistry was beautiful and so was the family chemistry. The show, of course, talks a lot about death. The way it talks about it, though, is like a complex, deeply layered painting. So heartfelt even when painful and incredibly rich in its depths. This is one of the best cdramas I've ever seen. It was so incredibly well done!
On a slightly petty note: I was so HAPPY to watch a show with a FL who is mature and acts, sounds, and DRESSES like a grown woman. And a relationship that was also mature and equal. No patronizing behavior from the ML to FL. It was so refreshing. I hope to see more shows like this going forward.

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Love!!

I don't know why this show wasn't on my radar sooner!! I thoroughly enjoyed the hell out of it! The chemistry between the leads was so organic and unstrained. To be honest, the chemistry was more palpable than their acting abilities. What a fantastic casting and direction. I loved how their relationship was best experienced through just how they looked at each other and the subtle touches. The moments that Jin would sleep in Bbomb's arms were so lovely and sweet and powerful.
And adding to all that, is the great friend chemistry between the friend groups. I loved watching the friend scenes. Simple, nothing too over the top, just damn good cast chemistry to go with the direction. Rewatch value is definitely a 10 though I don't rewatch hardly anything. And also, I'm the type who really enjoys NC scenes and this didn't have nary a one and it didn't matter at all. They seriously didn't need anything more to make the audience feel the loveliness of this couple. Who, btw, from episode 2 gave off long term relationship energy easily! So hard to do that and these actors nailed it. I soooo wish that there was a season 2!

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