Yuna

The one time everyone supported infidelity

The messiness of this show is immaculate. The way it gaslight me into supporting infidelity is honestly spectacular. Vee was someone I was so against. Boy deserved the fucking streets!!! But then... as the show went on, you just realise he's young, dumb and broke. The pain he went through wasn't explored and I'm so upset about that. He's one of those characters you either hate or you begin to understand and start liking. I'm in the later surprisingly. But he should be so gald he's a fictional character, cuz my boy Mark left his dignity at the table so many times. Cuz the way I would have thrown him to the wolves if he were real and he messed up that first time. Mark is stronger than I will ever be smh.

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An annoying character done right

Not this show being one of the best things put to page. The absolute fucking galls of the writer to create someone like Kawi is astronomical. He was so fucking annoying, irritating, hair-pulingly frustrating, and yet not once could I hate the guy. The way they wrote this character was fucking amazing, and every aspect of his personality made sense and got developed. This is a case study of a character arc done right. And the way this boy slowly started to realise how much he needed Piseng next to him was both satisfying and heart-breaking. These two went through too much. And then he goes on and says this: "For me, no matter what happens, being his and belong to one another is the rightest thing." -- And this line single handily took me out and put me back together.

And Piseng. Oh my fucking lord, this boy. I want to wrap him up in a blanket and give him the biggest hug. Boy went through to much, and not once did his heart waver. The greenest of green flags to ever green. Ain't no one doing it like him.

And special mention to Max and Pear. No friend has ever friended like Max. Give his boy a fucking award for being everyone's therapist. And Pear, my beautiful girl, I would have rioted if she didn't get a happy ending. She deserves it more than anyone.

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This was a 6/10, but I'm giving it a 5/10 out of pure spite.

I don't even know what happened in the last three eps. I broke my forward button trying to speed run it to the ending. This was going somewhere, until it totally lost itself, ran into a bus, and drowned in a pile of quick sand cuz of how fast everything went to location unknown, plot not found. The abundance of miscommunications and monstrous amounts of misunderstandings genuinely did my head in. And thats not even touching upon Pei Heng — cuz istg, if I have to hear that man say him and Qian Qian were engaged since childhood ONE MORE FUCKING TIME, I will ram myself into a bloody bus. And don't even get me started on the fact that Han Shou tried to sexually assaulted Qian Qian to scare her and get back at her, only to show he regretted it. Ummmm.... the fuck???

They actually had a good premise, only to fuck it up. The humour was there, until it got drowned out by all the stupidity. And the setting. I don't know about everyone, but personally, it did not vibe with me. Like I get the purpose, and I genuinely thought we were going to start a conversation about how the female lead country was just as stupid as the male lead country. There was nothing empowering about it, it was legit what the male dominated country is like but with roles reversed. If one is fucking stupid and ridiculous and icky, then so it the other.

Also, Qian Qian is single handily the most annoying bitch ever. The definition of go girl give us nothing. Not a single brain cell up there. She single handily ruined her own story SHE WROTE by going inside it. You'd think for someone that writes, she'd recognise flaws in her own thinking and as well as avoid all the cliches — NOT FALL INTO THEM.

This had to be the biggest slog fest ever, and the only reason I watched it was cuz of Ding Yu Xi. But I didn't vibe with his character one bit, so that wasted my time even more. It just made no sense to me.

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THEY ARE IN LOVE, YOUR HONOR! THIS IS LOVE AND NO ONE CAN TELL ME OTHER WISE!

Istg whoever says this is not a BL couldn't be more wrong. Like, what yall on about????? Who's out there acting like this with their homies and bros, HUH?! Kissing on the cheek in the dark? Lovingly gazing at each other? Saying your homie only belongs to you? Brother, what code book have I missed, cuz I sure as hell, and no one around me, be acting like this.

Addicted was a series that was basically a cultural reset, and one of the biggest things to ever exist. It genuinely shaped a whole generation. And even though I don't remember much, I remember being engrossed into the story like no fucking other man. The acting, the visuals, the story telling... everything was stellar. So this coming in and trying to remake it into its own thing under the label of "bromance" was a massive shoe to fill.

And did it succeed? One million fucking percent!!

I am obsessed with this. I am obsessed with these characters. Wu Bi and Su Yu have me in a fucking chock hold. I lost sleep over these characters. Just thinking about those last few eps and the lines they say hurt me. Even now, just writing this makes my chest ache. Am I being dramatic? 100%. But that's what these characters have done to me. I laughed with them. Cried for them. Got angry for and with them. Got emotionally invested into all these characters and their stories. Their lives were my lives. It's no over exaggeration to say that this is hands down one of the best BLs ever. They didn't even need to add any kissing or confirmation scenes to show that they love each other. The dialogue, the acting... the actors put their backs into this and it paid off. You could tell what they felt for each even if they didn't explicitly say it. That's just how good this was. These two were in love. Their love was pure, heart wrenching, possessive... addictive. And I loved every second of it.

I don't even know where to start with this, but I guess I will start with Su Yu. This boy is fucking amazing. He's a character that's hard to pull off. Because unlike Wu Bi, he doesn't show his emotions outwardly, doesn't use big words or affection. It's the small things, like small gestures or the looks of affection, and the things he does and says. Outside looking in, you'd think only Wu Bi is in love. But no. This boy is just as in love. And the actor did a fantastic job in portraying him. Su Yu isn't someone who lets people in easily. He's guarded, walls higher than the Everest, protecting his heart not only from others, but even his dad. The environment he was brought up in, the situations he was put in, you could just tell he was defensive and kept people at arms length. His studying was the only form of protection and identity — his armour. But then came Wu Bi, bulldozing his way through and slowly crumbling those walls. And you could just tell how Su Yu slowly started to open up his heart, started to trust him. And every time that Wu Bi did something to hurt him, he'd just go back to the cold hearted guy, closing himself off.

But then, when Wu Bi truly started to show that he cares for no one but Su Yu, boy was gone. He's hurt by Wu Bi, but still waits, longs and thinks about him. "He's lost. He can't find his way home." This line destroyed me. He was angry, but deep down he was still waiting. Even when that bitch Ye Wan Ying came into the picture, boy wasn't even concerned about her trying to get with him or her motives, brother got angry because he thought Wu Bi liked her. All he could think about was Wu Bi when he was with her in their last meeting. And then him telling Wu Bi: "From Today onwards, until you get married, I will spend all the holidays with you." Excuse me?!!?! Like this was a confession without it being a confession!!!

And from then, you could just tell how much he cared for the boy without even him saying anything. The looks he gives, seeking for Wu Bi when he needs comfort, looking at Wu Bi before saying "Wo Ai Ni!!" And that rain scene, STOP!!! He was starving, thirsty, nearly drowned, sitting under a fucking down pour and only his shirt to protect him, and what does he do??? CALLS WU BI!!! LIKE SHUT UP, I'M NOT CRYING. And then him acting like he didn't miss Wu Bi, but didn't even waste a second to run to the airport when he got his man's call?? I WAS SQUEALING!! He cares so much for his boy, to give him closure, and he was ready to risk his life. No, you're the one going mad, not me. Istg I could be here all day, and still not be finished. Su Yu is such a perfectly executed character I genuinely can't put it into words. And only a great actor like Zhang Jiong Min could bring him to life like he did.

Now lets get onto my man Wu Bi. This boy. Oh my fucking god this boy. I love him to bits. I didn't think I would love a character this much, but my love for him is too big to contain. The moment he dropped that banging line about calling Su Yu's mum "mum" only after she's dead, I was sold. Then you see his goofy side and I knew it was a point of no return. Xu Bin did such an amazing job that I know I would do him injustice if I don't say he was anything less then perfect, show-stopping, otherworldly. Like, I really thought he was going to be nothing but a cold hearted bastard, but then you slowly peel back the layers and you begin to see what kind of character he truly is. His complicated relationship with his dad, wanting to get any from of validation from him, to accept him as he is. His relationship with Su Yu's dad and getting that fatherly love his own father had stopped giving him. His relationship with Duo, and that sibling bond. Istg, that might have been my absolute favourite familial relationship ever. Wu Bi and Duo had to be the most precious fucking little nuggets I have ever seen before.

Then comes his relationship with Su Yu. This genuinely had to be a masterclass of story telling. You could just tell the moment Su Yu stopped being someone he was interested in and wanted to tease to someone who was unreplaceable. The love that he holds for Su Yu might be a bit possessive, but at its core, its pure. Its kind and loving. Su Yu had been the first person to ever challenge him. To push back against him and not yield to his wills. And that is exactly what Wu Bi needed in his life. And watching him go through the lengths just to keep Su Yu happy was heart breaking. The small, "I hope you happiness" to that bitch Ye Wan Ying when he thought her and Su Yu were gonna be together was devastating. Boy didn't want that to happen, but he still stood down cuz that's what he thought Su Yu wanted. Sitting outside Su Yu's hotel room from 3am because he didn't want to wake him, only to find out Ye Wan Ying was inside. The heartbreak of when Su Yu punched him, but never being able to be mad at him for too long. Everything was slowly done, but it was absolute perfection in execution. It's the way he talks to Su Yu and lets his walls down, lets himself be vulnerable and goofy with the boy. Him saying he can't live without Su Yu. SHUT. THE. FUCKING. FUCK. UP. The dedication, the loyalty, the pureness. UGH, I WANT HIM!!

Wu Bi was such a nuanced character, and Xu Bin played him flawlessly. He was just a boy looking for love and companionship, and found it among the least likely of people. Watching him grow confident in himself to pursue his dreams was so endearing and funny to watch. Him finding closure for himself about his mum's death but willing to be in the dark about it as long as Su Yu is alright was heart-breaking. And when my boy finally got his approval from his dad, oof— I was screaming!! I fucking loved everything about his character arc man, and I wish we could have stayed with him more!

And his mischievous side! I need more of it! He sometimes says the funniest shit ever. And his whacky doodle ass is something we need more of. And these writers were really pushing the boundaries with the shit he says, and I fucking stan them for that. "It's you and me, and in our relationship, I can give you something better than money." — BROTHERS, YEAH?? HOMIES YOU SAY?? Man isn't even trying to hide and yet yall blinder than bats.

Everything was perfect. The angst at the beginning, then slowly getting the character development our boys need, to the most precious found family we ever got, to them being unreplaceable in each others lives. This story was able to tell us that not being blood related makes you just as much as family as blood-families. The relationship between these characters were honest to god beautiful, and each interaction left me with wanting more.

THEN YOU GET THE FUCKING ENDING!!!

I SWEAR ON ALL I HOLD DEAR, WHEN I SEE THESE WRITERS I WILL FUCKING RUN AT THEM. WHAT WAS THIS? JUST WHY? WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU END IT THERE?

Mo Yi is my villain origin story. I will hate him. I will always hate him. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could ever make him like him. This son of a bitch needs to burn in hell and not even the 9th circle is enough. He was the cause for the accident and still demanded that Su Yu pay for the bills????? Brother, excuse me????? What the fuck, you bastard? Where's the respect? The dignity? The decorum?

"In my heart, you have always been invincible. You are always so healthy, always full of energy, always strong and independent. But at this moment, I realised that I was wrong. You can also get hurt, you can also show weakness, you can also sleep without waking up. I'm so afraid of your death, to the point that I'm willing to give everything in exchange for your life. As long as you can survive." — If I don't memorise every line of this then I'm not human. I was broken. Irreparable. Heart not found. Soul lost. This is the moment that you realise that Su Yu is just as obsessed with Wu Bi as Wu Bi is with Su Yu. AND BROTHER??? I WAS A MESS. I AM NEVER GOING TO BE THE SAME PERSON EVER AGAIN. And these being the last lines of the show?? THAT'S SICK OF THEM. SICK, I TELL YOU. I want my therapy bills paid and want my memory taken so I never remember this happened.

AND THE FACT WE DON'T GET A SECOND SEASON??? UMMM— EXCUSE ME??? I'm so upset, annoyed, frustrated, screaming, crying, throwing up. I know they get married and live happily ever after in the novel, but I will physically be sick if I don't see it on my screen. I seriously beg the universe and everything above to let season 2 be uncancelled so we can watch it. PLEASE MAN, I BEG. I WILL GIVE MY FIRST BORN UP JUST TO SEE THESE TWO BOYS LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER ON MY SCREEN.

Mo Yi: "You will destroy him. No. You already destroyed him."
Su Yu: "I will never leave him." — THIS. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE EVERY LAST SCENE OF THE SHOW. IF THIS DOESN'T JUST INCAPSULATE THE EVERY ESSENCE OF WU BI/ SU YU RELATIONSHIP THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL. THESE TWO ARE FUCKING ADDICTED TO EACH OTHER. ADDICTED.

There is me before this show, and me after this show. And the me after this show will forever be in a state of heartache in being unable to move on from these characters. Being unable to not forget that there is a scene so heart-breaking that it physically aches. I am going to rewatch this, I just know I will never be able to find something as good as what this show has given me. I am going to miss these boys with my live, they were excellent in every way imaginable, and I truly hate the Chinese censorship ban. They could have had the best dang series the world had seen, a billion bucks at their door step, and the best effing story to be told in cinema history. But alas, here we are. And yet, my boys still delivered and still felt everything down to my bones.

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Where is the platonicness?

A review that's been sitting in my drafts, so I thought I would post into the world since I've rewatched this again.

I started to this for the found family, sismance and bromance, but good god the bromance has me on a choke hold. This show has kept me up at night like nobody's business. I LOST SLEEP OVER THESE CHARACTERS. Zhuo Yichen and Zhao Yuanzhou genuinely had no right to have as much chemistry as they do, and my delulu mind could not see anything platonic.

This was a beautiful story about loss, letting go, forgiveness, giving family in the most unlikely of people, finding one's place in the world. The ost, cinematography and visuals were absolutely out of this world. The actors were absolutely fantastic in their jobs, and I couldn't get enough.

But that being said, the start of this show was lowkey slow, and it took me a while to get into it. But the moment I did? I WAS HOOKED. OBSESSED. CHOCK-HOLD. But my girlie Wen Xiao? Nah, what they do to her. I don't even care that she was weak, I care how they butchered her character. The way the writer utilised her character was ridiculous and stupid. Like Ying Lei was weak, but damn, boy was a side character and he was utilised so much better. They actually did her so dirty in this show. I love Pei Sijing. That's my girl. And Li Lun had no right to be that hot. If villain why hot? If evil why sexy?

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When I tell you I want more of this, I WANT MORE. This wasn't enough. Seo Kang Joon went above and beyond for his role, and this man devoured and left NO crumbs. Playing three roles in one show is hard enough, but playing them in such distinct ways was absolutely phenomenal to watch.

At first, you'd wonder how on earth could they make a romance between a robot and a human work, BUT THEY MADE IT WORK. I was fucking INVESTED!!! Everything about the relationship felt authentic, and the way they developed his character (yes, I am saying this about a robot), as well as Kang So Bong's, was fantastic. I cried, laughed and cheered for them. Their ending was bittersweet, but at least all hope was not lost.

As for the mother. They could never make me like her. Never. I get it. She was grieving and downright heartbroken over her son, but she made the decision to make a robot son who acted and talked like her actual son. She loved him like her actual son before the real one swooped in. I will never forgive her for hurting my boy, but I can understand her. Her death did make me cry, especially when Shin kept watching it on repeat.

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What do you get with three actors, one script and one setting? A masterpiece.

Okay... I had to take my time to collect my thoughts, but here we are. I never expected this drama to be this heavy, and heavy it was. I had to pause so many times to take a breath and think before I could carry on watching it. This show 110% deserves a higher rating.

This entire script banked on the actors delivering the emotions, and DELIVERED THEY DID. Everything was raw. The emotions, the acting, the characters. They were real. You could feel their pain and suffering. It wasn't just a script, three actors and a location. It was a tragic tale of how two people's ideals, reality and selfishness can destroy the people around them.

Wang's mother is the perfect example of a manipulative and narcissistic woman. I will forever hate her character and no one can make me think otherwise. The way she controlled Wang so his world would only consist of her, not letting him have his freedom despite giving him the illusion of it. And not even getting onto the fact that she was 100% the main reason why In blamed himself to this day and felt all that guilt. She never saw any wrong in herself, and constantly blamed everyone around her for her wrongdoings. And until the very end, she got what she wanted, and for that, I will forever hate her.

Wang and In on the other hand are like right person wrong time kinda deal. Watching Wang go from this carefree to this broken kid with no light inside him was one of the saddest things I've ever had to witness. While Uncle In was the perfect tale of a man bound by his fear and cowardice, and how because of it, he will forever be locked inside the cell he put himself in. Watching Wang call In out in his bullshit was the best piece of cinema I have ever watched.

"You're hurting because you're ashamed of the feelings dad had for you. You're hurting because you're ashamed of the feelings you had for dad. You're ashamed of what you did to dad. And now you're ashamed of you're feelings for me." — The dialogue, the acting, the emotions, the directing, the music... everything was superb. And only after the scene had ended did I get to take a deep breath to breathe again.

Wang was such an amazing character. Yes, he was flawed, and yet, he was more mature and sure of his feelings than any of the two adults in the room. Every piece of dialogue that was said by him was beautiful and heart-breaking, and watching this young man bleed because of the selfish decisions made by the "adults" in this life was pure devastation. "I may be young, I still have a lifetime a head of me. But how long do I have to wait? Do I have to wait until those people die so I can love who I love? The world isn’t even theirs . It wasn’t theirs then. It isn’t theirs now."

"From him I learned that people may live in the same world but people experience it differently. I learned from him sometimes we can’t change people because some people just don’t change. Uncle, I will never forget you. It’s daytime here in my world. But your world is it still in the evening. I will never forget about my journey to 180 degree longitude." — Tears, fucking tears. Just rip my heart out and throw it away. He deserved so much better.

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*Sighs*

This was... something. Episode one was a snooze fest, and the course of events lowkey did not make sense. But ep 2 got my attention and I was able to invest myself on this.

That being said... I do not like the first couple. At the start, their dynamic was cute. The arrogant, cocky top that falls for the innocent bottom. But as their relationship progressed, it became an eye roller. I would genuinely be rich if I received money for every time Bohn got jealous over Duen talking to someone. It was funny the first time, but when you realise that home boy can't catch a break or even breathe in the same vicinity as another dude or dudeet cuz Bohn will throw a hissy fit, and you just get tired really quickly. It's one of those, ugh here we go again, moments. These two have nothing in common, and don't even have a single meaningful conversation.

Also, the communication in this show is shit. Buddy Bohn here got assaulted and just STANDS there while Duen accuses him off cheating. How hard is it to say, "i didn't kiss him. He forcefully kissed me." He had the opportunity to. Even after they got back together he didn't clear that up!! MAD AND ANNOYED DOESNT EVEN COVER IT. And their break up... couldn't even careless. Falling asleep. And this line. This fucking line:
"I don't like men. I only Duen." That just hurt me. So glad we advanced as a society. I fucking hate this line.

But I gave this show a 7 instead of a 6. Why? For King and Ram. Those two carried this fucking show and no one can disagree on that. There was not enough screen time for them, and I wished we got more scenes. Ram may not have talked for half of those scenes, but he sure as hell had more important things to say than the main couple. They built up his character so well, and his relationship with King was so bloody precious. I really liked the slow pacing of it, the progression felt natural and Ram slowly opening up to King and starting to talk to him had me squealing. But once again, communication. King, my beautiful boy, just why? Why do we have to avoid people and not be a mature adult and just speak about our feelings? I get it, boy was hella confused, but running away and avoiding Ram like he has the plague? Bro, do better. But I genuinely cannot wait to see their progresses in S2 if we get one.

Other things... Thara and Frong was the mature couple we didn't know we needed but want more off. Thara bragging about his pet lizard will never not be funny. And finally, pls get a Thai speaker for Mek. I tried. I really did. But the actor having his voice dubbed over took me out the show so much. I thought I was bugging at first, but the moment I realised I wasn't, I couldn't unsee.

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UpPoom ate, devoured and left no crumbs.

Posting this review now after letting it sit in my drafts for so long, but... this series... was something. I told myself that I would binge it once it all came out, and yet, here I was, 5 weeks in and starting it. It's been so long that I don't even remember when the last time was that I watched a show that left me feeling either anxious, frustrated or angry at the end of every episode. I was genuinely holding my breath sometimes and biting my nails when some eps ended, and I realised that I had to wait a week. I'm giving it 9 stars for now, but maybe it will change later on to 8.5 when I dwell on this a bit more.

The premise of this show was so interesting and unique. It might have been confusing to some, but once you understand its smooth (or lack thereof) from there.

From the get go I knew Joe was going to be my cinnamon roll and the love of my life. Anyone who even remotely hurt him was in my blacklist, and they still haven't made it out. (Looking at you, Ming. *glares.*) This boy is the epitome of optimism, he's just trying to get through life and make a living. He sees the good in people, believes everyone at their core is to sweet. He deserves the world, but the world don't deserve him. And watching the universe constantly fuck with him (sometimes because of his own stupid decisions, cuz boy, wtf, sit down and think for a hot sec) was truly devastating.

"I started to realize, what love really was. It's like someone makes you feel like you're home." Him saying that was so sweet, yet heart-breaking cuz you know what's about to happen. And when it did... it still leaves me aghast.

Cuz boy, oh boy, Ming, the man that you are. The amount of anger I felt every time this man was on my screen was almost visceral. I wanted to punch the living day lights out of this motherfucker and then some. The arrogance, the narcissism, the gaslighting and manipulation... and on top of that, the fucking audacity of this bitch to come and still say Joe belongs to him! "Don't be too full of yourself, you're just a stand-in." When I tell you I wanted to reach over the screen and kill him myself. If I see him on the streets, its on sight.

Just watching this man constantly ruining Joe's life, and then other motherfuckers joining in and giving him hell frustrated and broke my heart at the same time. My baby did not deserve any of the shit he was going through, he just wanted to support his mum and life the new life he was given. And I'm not even going to start with how icky Sol made me feel. Like Ming is a blinking red flag, but he didn't make me feel icky, just made me want to murder him. Sol on the other hand... buddy ol' pal, pack it up. Your train let the station long time ago. Move. On.

But ep 9 was when my heart truly shattered. "Why are you crying now?! Why?! Why are you crying now?!" Up and Poom did so well in this scene I was entranced. I replayed it so many times just so it can break me again. The pain, resentment and tiredness all piled up and eventually exploded for poor Joe, and it was honestly so well delivered.

However, despite all the good things and the emotions this series made me feel, there were still some things that were meh about it. Hence why I didn't rate it higher, and don't know if it needs to bumped down to a 8.5 instead.

Firstly, what was Tong doing? I thought we set him up to be the big bad of the series, and yet he wasn't even present for most of it??? I was so fucking confused, and even forgot he exists for a bit. Every time this man came on screen I couldn't even look, it was that type of anger. They made him to be so hateful, but it went no where??? And May forgiving him so quickly?! Girlie that's not how you stand on business. Kick him to the curb, feed him to the dogs!!

Secondly, Ming's redemption arc was so lacklustre. There was practically nothing there for us to hold onto to make us feel like he truly deserved Joe. Everything was just shifted into his family or Tong. I can understand why Ming is the way he is, but I still don't like him. He had no love growing up, everything was handed to him but never his, and when he finally found someone who loved him, he turned into a possessive mofo with no regards to anyone's, including Joe's feelings. Even still, I will never forgive him. I just can't. He's fallen madly in love with Joe, but that doesn't change how he treated him or spoke to him. And until the very end of the series he has not changed. Which, surprisingly, I liked because it made a lot of sense to his character. He loves Joe, and only Joe. Everyone else are just pests to him apart from his family.

But that being said, the little moments they had as a couple were cute as much I hate to admit it. "I didn't know where you were, so I wanted to be seen in the public eye as much as possible. In case, one day you'd see me, you'd feel something and come back to me," I smiled and giggled on this part, okay? Sue me. I hate him, but the toxic part of me wanted him to be end game as well. Like damn, the forehead kisses in ep 10 were so intimate it felt like I was intruding.

Then again, our boy Joe here was gone from ep one. "No matter how many times I gotta choose, I still choose the same thing. Because someone is waiting for me." We lost this brother a long time ago, it was so obvious that he was going to pick Ming despite everything. Boy is as colourblind as bats are normal blind, there was no saving him.

But we finally did get the apology we were waiting for. It was long overdue, but we finally got it. "Since you'd disappeared, I prayed everyday... that I would see you again. I didn't want you to come back. But I wanted a chance to apologise to you. For everything that I'd done. P' Joe. I'm really sorry. I'm sorry about everything. I'm sorry." Mayhaps I teared up, mayhaps I awed. We'll never know.

Overall this series was fantastic, but it did lose itself a bit near the end. Tong, the redemption arc, the entire 180 Ming's mother had in her character arc. Nothing can make me like this bitch. NOTHING.

But the actors were amazing, they carried this show like no other. The chemistry was overflowing, and the cinematography and visuals were out of this world. The emotions were raw, they felt real, and I felt my hear break and enrage with these characters.

I hate Ming, but is he going into my fav bl red flags list? 100%

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DuaoOffroad never miss

This was definitely a slower burner in terms of likability for me. Don't know what it was, but the first few eps just didn't hit right for me. The pacing of everything was good, but for some reason it felt like the story was moving too fast too quick, no time to breathe. It probably had to do with San's attitude. It was terrible in the start, and I just didn't vibe with it. But as I kept watching, the man grew on me. I keep forgetting he's like 100 years old and has a narrow minded view of the world. And once I got that through my head, it was more enjoyable. His gradual progression in falling in love with Vee had me frustrated and had me kicking my feet, and once this man figured out that, yes, he is very much in love, HE WAS LOCKED IN. MAN WAS TIED, BINDED, AND DID NOT CARE FOR ANYONE. Even when the other "Miss Vad" came into play. He was legit willing to give up his life, and that last ep had me in tears. Istg this show made me tear up in ways i did not think possible. DuaoOffroad did such a fantastic job, and their acting have definitely improved compared to Love in Translation. They're so fucking sweet I can't, and I'm so gald they got their happy ending. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WAR IF THEY DIDN'T.

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What happens when a director can't let go of his famous work

I watched the Japanese version right after this was announced, and while I loved that one, this was equally as enjoyable. I think the characters were spot on and the actors did them justice with their own little touch to it. Atom was fucking adorable just like the original Aoki, and Kongthap was handsome as fuck like Ida. I'm going to be slightly biases with this review as I watched this show weekly during a stressful period at work, and it was the comfort show I needed at the end of a horrible week. I enjoyed it more than most, but even as I watched this show, and let it marinate a bit more, there were eye rollers.

First, the good stuff:

PETITION TO HAVE GEMINI WITH HIS HAIR UP MORE CUZ I WAS GAGGED. That black and white outfit with his hair like that for their first date had me on my knees. Man was so handsome in this series there are no words in the dictionary to actually express how I feel.

"It's not as fun as when we are not together. It's a lot better when I have you ...is this what you call love?" Watching Kongthap figuring out his feelings/how to tell his feelings to Atom was an adorable mess. He's so neurodivergent coded and nothing can convince me otherwise. Like man don't understand or comprehend human emotions, and was trying his hardest to figure out his feelings, and him taking everything so seriously and always thinking about Atom was so endearing to watch. This boy was legit born to be a green flag in every universe, but the patience he has with someone like Atom is astonishing. "I'm sure he can make it. Even if he can't, he will be fine because he will still have me." -- Yes, I screamed. HE IS EVERYTHING!!

And Atom. This boy had to be the most relatable motherfucker on the planet. His self-deprecating one-liners were the funniest things ever, and I wish we had more of those. But watching him grow confident in himself and in his relationship with Kongthap was honestly one of the best things ever. They way he constantly chose to be forward and always tried to better himself so he can stand by Kongthap's side was one of the sweetest and amazing things I've watched. IN EVERY UNIVERSE THIS MAN WAS JUST MEANT TO BE BY HIS MAN'S SIDE. Just please let him have a father. Like seriously, why is he always fatherless? But at least he always gets a supportive mother in return, so I guess that works out. And his acting? This series let his acting shine so much, and I'm so proud of my boy.

Mudmee and Half's story was cute to watch as well. Mudneee embodied Hashimoto's soul into this, and that slap scene was the best part.

The bad stuff:

This series could have benefited from an 8 to 10 episodes rather than 12. The Japanese version had only 8 eps, and all had a duration of around 25 mins give or take 5, and they were able to tell a full story without anything unnecessary. And now, considering GMMTV always does 45 mins or over for every ep, they could have done the story in a 8 to 10 ep time frame. Some parts felt dragged out, or not enough content to pat out the whole 12 eps.

And don't get me started on the editing. Honestly, the editing was so off putting at times, and it jarred me more than expected when I noticed it. There was genuinely so many plot lines that they could have fleshed out more. Like Atom realising his feelings could have come an ep or two later, and we could have explored Kongthap and his mums relationship dynamic a bit more. I saw some of the clips that didn't make it into the show, and the fact that we didn't get Kongthap's crying scene with his mother got me so angry. And there were other parts as well that could have been used in the show instead of all the MSP references.

Yes, I too love and absolutely adore My School President. I too loved seeing the refences and loved seeing Chinzhilla's surprise stage in the last episode. But this isn't MSP. I went and checked who the director was, and yeah, they were the same person for both shows. It's like they saw how successful GemFourth were because of MSP and decided to incorporate that into this. What was the need for the musical numbers? They didn't need that many! Yes, MSP were one of their best characters, but that is a completely different show to this one. This is about to awkward teenagers navigating their love, not a kid aspiring to be a musician with the support of his bf. And apparently the director didn't see that.

Overall this was an enjoyable experience, and the three GemFourth kisses was everything I needed. I genuinely wasn't expecting them to kiss, and I replayed every single one of them. Legit looked forward to Fridays so much, and this was the highlight of my day, especially since My Stand-In was airing during then as well, and this was the only thing keeping my sanity.

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Sometimes you just need a cute BL to get through the day

I honestly wasn't expecting this to be as good as it was. Sometimes you just need something cute, sweet and fluffy to get you through the day, and this was 100% it. Diew is the biggest cutie patootie to ever exist. Istg, every time he smiles I just feel the need to clutch my heart cuz of the cuteness overload. That smile is a lethal weapon, I tell you. Can stop wars, I say. And don't even get me started on how relatable Diew was man. He hit too close to home. Him being terrified of being himself was something I related to too much, and the awkwardness in his interactions with people got be gritting my teeth cuz I could see myself in him.

And God has officially entered the list of greenest of green flags to ever green. He's actually such a teddy man. Those muscular arms but actually the biggest softie. AND he can play the drums like a god? Yeah, Diew is one lucky man. This was just a feel good show, and the amount of times I had to pause my screen to screech and squeal cuz of the cuteness is uncountable. They have to be the cutest couple ever and they didn't even start dating when it all began. AND THAT CONFESSION?? OMFG THAT CONFESSION!!!! HANDS DOWN THAT HAD TO BE THE SMOOTHEST AND BEST CONFESSION I'VE SEEN IN BLS. TELL ME SOMETHING THAT CAN TOP THAT! I'LL WAIT!!!!

But then ep 11 happened...

I'm sorry, BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FEEL GOOD SHOW??? WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CUTIES??? That entire scene actually got me to nearly cry. They both had their reasons so I couldn't pick a side, but the moment they start wiping each others tears????? I LOST IT!! AND THEN GOD LISTING ALL THE THINGS HE LIKES ABOUT DIEW??? MOTHER, PREPARE MY FUNERAL!! They're such a healthy couple I can't. They're new to love, love and appreciate everything about one another, and are afraid their flaws will ruin the relationship. And watching them learn to grow from that was honestly so beautiful and heart-warming. Because that's what young love is at the end of the day, learning and growing. I just can't believe how much I love these two.

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When life is beautiful, but also the most tragic thing you'll ever witness

I spent close to 10 hours crying over this drama. My head hurt, my eyes were sore, I couldn’t breathe properly because my nose was blocked, and I got severely dehydrated. I want compensation for emotional damages and fees payed for the lasting scars this show has left me with. Right when I thought I had caught a break from crying, and that I had nothing left to cry, more tears would just roll down.

Everything about this show broke me in multiple different fragments, and the two scenes where his best friend broke down had to be the ones to emotionally scar me forever. Nothing can convince me this isn't a remake of Hour of My Life, and I'm so glad they didn't follow the "senior dates ex girlfriend" plot beat. And many other small changes that I really appreciated. Guang Pu is taken so I can't have him, therefore I'm taking the Leader for myself. How this man is single is beyond me. He had to be the most amazing, caring, loving person ever. The lengths he went through for Tuo was so endearing and heart-warming. He's the legit the father Tuo wished he could have had. My heart belongs to him.

And my girl Zhi Qu. I would kiss her if I could. She is an angel in human form. The kindest soul this earth had seen. Both of them are, and that is why heaven matched them. And that is also why this show is so heart-breaking. Because it's the most gentlest and kindest people going through so much and you ask yourself "what did they do to deserve this," only to remember seconds later that people will only pick the prettiest flowers. All the actors did such a fantastic job in this, and biggest shout out to Lin Yi because he went above and beyond to make Tuo's character come to live. I hope he's happy, because I'm never recovering from the emotional trauma this show as caused me.

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Woman empowerment and girls supporting girls

I thought I was going to get a feel-good, wholesome family drama. What I actually got was woman empowerment, buckets of tears and heart-ache, interstate and familial politics, and one of the cutest couples ever. Istg this drama made me cry in the most unexpected of time, and the absolute emotional wreck I was in when Hao Jia tried to kill herself. I'm just so glad my girl got to leave that toxic environment and was able to live her own life. Li Wei's character development had to be the best things ever, you wouldn't even recognise her as the girl from the start of the show. Yin Zheng being the biggest green flag ever, and him and the 5th and 3rd prince are my favourite trio of brothers. I needed them three on screen more cuz I just loved their shenanigans. 5th prince and his wife were my second favourite couple, and I was legit rooting for them since the start of the show. I'm a sucker for that kind of dynamic. Especially when the 5th prince kept "protecting" his wife despite knowing he'd fail, and his wife just being so adored by it. I just wish we got to see more of the 7th prince and his wife. Those two need the justice they deserve cuz their shenanigans/ daily lives would have been so interesting to watch.

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ML carried this show

BEWARE OF SPOILERS!!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!


I love Shen Du!!! Omfg I didn't know I would love his character so much, but I love him. He's such a well written character, and every scene with him talking to his family in the memorial room was absolutely magnificent. Episode 8 was the best ep out of the whole show. Shen Du in his family's memorial room and giving his monologue about getting justice for his family, and the small snippet of him denouncing his father, despite not wanting to, was so heart breaking. Ding Yu Xi's performance, the music, the cinematography was absolutely marvellous! I will legit go back just to watch that whole episode. And then episode 39 where he was asking Queen Dowager for justice and it being paralleled to him denouncing his father was chilling. I had goosebumps. Then that final bow in the memorial room with the ost and lighting... I WANT IT FRAMED TO MY ROOM. THAT FUCKING SCENE HAD ME.

And now... all that being said, things that I DID NOT LIKE about this drama:

- The stupid divorce. The divorce bought down my enjoyment by a lot, if I'm being honest. They could have pretended. And them still "hating" each other despite the big bag being defeated was so stupid. Yall had something great, only to mess it up into something good because of this one decision.

- Shen Du's character being regressed to a loser at the end when he tried to win the FL lead back. That was so stupid.
- The one guy that trying to hit on a married woman!! Bro, why do we always have characters like this in shows? They're married, LEAVE THEM ALONE!!

- ChuiChui... my girl... why did it take you a whole kidnapping to finally tell your bestie who the masked guy was? And she could have easily pretended to marry the guy and then back stabbed him. The dude was so delulu it wasn't even funny, he wouldn't even have noticed.

- The FL. I love Yan LiuNiang, I really do. The scene where she used ML's blood to sign off the divorce was epic. But this girl cannot keep herself out of dangerous situations. Legit started to roll my eyes every time she got kidnapped or ended up in a situation that needed the ML to save her.

Overall, it was a good experience, and I would most definitely rewatch this up until the divorce, then skip to the end where Shen Du finally got his justice. The editing at times at the start was kinda jarring for me, but luckily it didn't persist through the whole show. Either that, or I just got accustomed to it. And it was lowkey slow for me at the start, but it definitely picked up after a couple of eps. But I do feel like this is one of those shows that you either like, or you don't vibe with it. So give it try!!

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