Saikai

You'll wish you weren't single

*happy ending for both couples*
*supportive parents on both sides*

There's a lot to love and little to hate in this series. One of it is the reason I would not rewatch it as much as the other series because of the second-hand embarrassment. (edit: I stand corrected. I just rewatched it again and it did not disappoint. I noticed more details after rewatching it. And I think I will keep rewatching this.) When I watched this, there is no moment that I didn't scream, giggle or hit a pillow. I dont think it will have the same kind of effect on me when I rewatch it again. (edit: <-- the second hand embarrassment is more little when rewatching it, but the giggles and the butterflies that I felt are the same or even more because I noticed more details upon rewatching)

Now onto the things I love:
- first the friendships in this series is top tier. The support, the love, the encouragement is sooo top tier! They even cry for each other.
- the actors are very good. Not only are they cute and handsome. Especially Billy ❤️ but their superb acting makes you feel like you are a third party in their relationship. The actors' intimate scenes will not make you feel even a slight feeling of awkwardness that some male bl actors have. It feeels sooo real and sweet. (edit: upon getting to know more of the actors and rewatching it, I realized that seng (toh) is so versatile in his acting. He is a very good actor. Billy as well. Both of them. The casting is really on point and I love it. Also, BillySeng have the greatest chemistry on and off screen!)

I suggest you watch this series because it gets better every episode. Very comedic and sweet!

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Go and watch because of DueanMeen

*happy ending for both couples*
*supportive parent on one side*

After watching, I realized I love DueanMeen more than MorkPi. I watched this series after SCOY so Mork's red flags are sooo apparent. I didnt like episode 11, especially episode 12. Mork does not stand up for Pi and he keeps pushing his feelings to Pi even though Pi is still not ready.

The shippers are also intrusive, and arrogant. I felt really bad for Pi in this whole series.

With regards to what I love:
Pi's actor is really really handsome. His voiceovers are so animated and expressive as well as his expressions. Duean is a very cute tsundere top and Meen is sooo cute. He also sang the beautiful ost of this series. Sooo talented!

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Indifferent prince x adorable supportive bottom

*happy ending*

What I liked about this:
Sang ha. Only Sang ha. He is such an adorable cutie. He is also very upfront about his feelings. I love how confident he is amidst his problems. Such a bundle of joy!

What I didnt like:
The debt part is such a weird addition. I was surprised when Sang ha just started to lay on his life to Jinwon when they've just known each other and it felt like he was needing a pity party. It was also weird how Jinwon keeps pushing his ideals even though Sang ha already told him his situation. For instance, he keeps telling Sang ha to buy new shoes as his current is not fit for running but he was already told that Sang ha is in debt and is an orphan. Talk about a weird plot.

What could've made it better:
I think, Sangha and Jinwon need a few more episodes to bud their love, especially Jin won's. I think he does not care much for Sang ha and he is sooo indifferent. I liked the running sports plot so I hoped they'd focused on that.

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A must watch deaf x rich boy pairing

*happy ending for both couples*

I absolutely love the deaf x rich boy pairing in this story! One of the best things about it is how independent Shao Peng is despite his disability. He’s a martial arts expert, an efficient caretaker, and incredibly outspoken about his feelings and boundaries—something I really appreciate.

Zi Xiang is also a fantastic character, and the actor playing him does an amazing job. His expressions, especially through his eyes, are so emotive. I also love the height difference between him and Shao Peng—it adds to their dynamic in such a cute way.

But the ones I love the most? Shao Peng’s parents. They are easily some of the most supportive parents I’ve ever seen in a BL series. Their love and acceptance make the story even more heartwarming.

Now, onto what I didn’t like—the cousin. His character felt oddly written, especially with his intense fixation on Zi Xiang that just gets dropped by the end of the series. The physical aggression, especially the choking scenes, was way too much, and what’s even more baffling is that Zi Xiang just… goes along with it? Honestly, you could remove him entirely from the story, and it wouldn’t change much.

I also picked up on some GL vibes between Shu He and Yu Nong, and I wish the series expanded on that more. In fact, I feel like they could have been a stronger second couple than Feng Jie and Xin Jia. I just don’t get the dynamic between Feng Jie and Xin Jia—it feels more like lust than love. Maybe it was meant to be a timid x domineering trope, but the writing didn’t develop it well enough for me to buy into it.

The resolution in the last episode felt rushed. It lacked impact, and honestly, the story could have ended at episode 11. It felt like they extended it just to wrap up the cousin’s plotline, which wasn’t necessary.

I also wish we got more fight scenes with Shao Peng—he’s just so cool! And more focus on Zi Xiang’s growth, both in love and in his career. That would have made for a much stronger final episode instead of the cousin drama and the vague GL setup.

Overall, this is a great watch! As expected from a Taiwanese BL, there are gang fights mixed with romance, but it still manages to be sweet and unique in its main pairing. The chemistry between Shao Peng and Zi Xiang is off the charts!

Must watch!

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My boy is an uber duper walking green flag

*happy ending*

Ha ram, my man. You are now in my list of BL leads that I wish my future boyfriend would be. My gosh he is such a green flag that it is almost unrealistic, but how I wish this is real... Somewhere out there haha.

I love Lee Jun's acting the best. Very expressive eyes. The least acting in this series is DK. My gosh, its like he just memorized the whole script and read it out loud. Almost ruined Lee Jun's scene with his poor acting.

This series also has the longest kiss scene so far of all korean bls i have watched. Too bad they still kiss like birds.

For a short series, this is one of the best. Very sweet and something that you would rewatch.

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A good kind of cringe

For those who are wondering, this is a *happy ending*

First, about the things I like in this series:
- I rewatched this to put on reviews as I watched it when it came out and at that time, I loved Tossara more than the other two parts. And now I remember why. One thing is that there is no stressful situations just two people learning to love each other. A good kind of cringe because they are so honest with their feelings that it is too sweet.
- Second, I love the ost. I keep singing Baishasha baishasha even though I dont understand what it meant. It's just really catchy.
- Third. I really love a mature bottom. Typically older bottoms tend to be the one who is spoiled or childlike. However here, Bar is very mature. He really wanted Gun and him to have successful lives and still be in love. I really love how straightforward he is about his feelings in the later episodes.
- Lastly, I love Gun's deep voice in his dubs.


Next, onto things I didnt like:
- First, he keeps denying Gun's feelings just because he says that he(Bar) is a man. I really didnt like this kind of trope. Nowadays gender is not a reason to not like someone. However, in the later eps I liked how he went on a different tune to - - 'I'm a man too so I can take care of you too'.
-I didnt like the peer pressure in this series. The friends keep on teasing him and pushing him to give in to Gun that Bar's changing of feelings is not apparent. Instead, it looked like he fell for Gun because he was teased A lot.
- There is a discussion of consent within the series but Bar's friends didnt seem to do that all throughout the series. They seem really invasive and prying.
- Most of the time they're on the phone. Even the sweet moments revolves around social media. Made it seem less intimate for me.


All in all, if you wanted a lighthearted and sweet short series, this is for you. I assure you will keep smiling and laughing all throughout because of the sweetness.

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They wasted a good premise

*happy ending*

The series actually had a really good premise: meeting that person again after being rejected, only to need him on your basketball team because he’s that good — and then finding out he has insomnia and can only sleep when he’s with you? Count me in. I was ready for a solid chasing arc.

At first, I liked how pushy Dong Uk was when they reunited. It felt like he wasn’t going to let Do Hyeon slip away again. But then, Do Hyeon started catering to his every whim, and I honestly couldn’t figure out what clicked for him. Maybe he was still in love, just too angry to admit it. Up until that point, things were going well — the pacing was decent and the chemistry had potential.

Then came the big reveal — the reason Dong Uk said those awful words and left Do Hyeon. And honestly? What was that reason?! He lashed out because he was jealous? He led Do Hyeon on, said terrible things to him in the rain, just because he saw him talking to someone else? That’s such a low-effort justification. I was seething. The writing completely wasted a strong setup.

And don’t get me started on the manhwa. I tried reading it hoping for closure, but it was even worse. At least in the live-action version, Do Hyeon had a bit more backbone — that small change made him slightly more bearable.

Then, out of nowhere, the last episode adds this random subplot about Seung Ju’s love story — maybe because he’s the token second male lead who got dumped by the MC? It was so abrupt that it threw off the entire pacing of the finale.

They also never really explored Dong Uk’s insomnia or why he could only sleep when Do Hyeon was around. It could’ve been a beautiful emotional metaphor, but it just... went nowhere.

As for the acting: Do Hyeon’s actor didn’t look in love. He nailed the angry parts, but that’s it. Dong Uk’s actor, on the other hand, came off more unhinged than heartbroken — no remorse, no sincerity. It honestly looked like he wanted Do Hyeon back just so he could sleep again, not because he actually loved him. Because of that, the romance fell flat. There was no tension, no longing, and no real chase. The pacing and buildup were all over the place — though, somehow, it still managed to wrap up decently.

Overall, the series was cute and simple, but not fluffy — and definitely incomplete. I’d only recommend it if you’ve completely run out of things to watch.

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And they were friends

*happy ending*

I’ve read and reread the manga countless times long before the live-action came out. But it actually took me quite a while to continue after episode one. I already knew the story — cute, fluffy, but maybe a bit too normal. Nothing particularly new or special, I thought.

Then a few episodes in, I found myself giggling. I was glad they stayed faithful to the manga. The camping scenes weren’t in the original, but it was a nice touch. Overall, the story was exactly what I loved about the source — sweet, light, and true to its roots. They really did the OG justice.

However, Tanaka’s casting felt like a bit of a hit or miss for me. He looked good — he definitely pulled off that baseball uniform — but manga Tanaka was a bit taller and bulkier. Still, I could’ve brushed that off if the acting sold the romance. Unfortunately, it didn’t. He just didn’t look in love. And for a character who’s been pining since fifth grade, that lack of emotion really showed.

He did well in the angry scenes, though — I’ll give him that. But overall, his performance made the series feel more like a slice-of-life about cohabiting friends rather than a romance. It leaned too far into the shounen ai category that I couldn’t even see the “ai” (love) in his eyes.

Ryota, on the other hand, was a delight. He was adorable, expressive, and honestly felt like his manga counterpart. At first, I didn’t quite see the resemblance, but he grew on me. When I reread the manga after finishing the series, I realized just how on-point his acting was. His crying face was so cute, and he looked way more in love than Tanaka ever did.

A reviewer mentioned that Haruna’s actor was more handsome than Tanaka’s, and I couldn’t unsee it after that. I kept comparing them, and then I noticed Haruna’s actor has this habit of raising his eyebrows whenever he speaks — a small quirk, but once you notice it, it’s hard to ignore.

Now, onto the kissing scenes. At first, I thought this was going to be one of those BLs that rely purely on camera angles instead of real kisses — and I was a bit mad about it. But after rereading the manga, I realized... he really did kiss that way 🤣 A sort of floating, cheek-hover kind of kiss. The first one was clearly a camera trick, but the second one was so accurate to the manga that I couldn’t even complain. And that third kiss? When it actually landed on their lips? I screamed. 😂

Anyway, this series is a must-watch if you’re looking for something sweet and easy to enjoy. It’s definitely not groundbreaking, but it’s cute, comforting, and heartwarming — the kind of show you can safely watch on TV with your family around. And as someone who’s loved the manga for a long time, that’s something I really, really appreciate.

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I thought they were the last boss of communication

*happy ending*

I didn't plan to watch this before because anything with rain in the title oftentimes is a sad story and I don't want that. But, the synopsis seems lighthearted so I tried it.
I reached episode 7 before getting bored of it and started skipping scenes just so I could end it faster.
Just like other commenters, the kissing scenes are so awkwardly done that it was so damn nostalgic as JBLs before used to do this. But I don't understand why the kissing is like that. I understand if it is the first few episodes but even when their relationship develops, the kissing stays the same. I also understand if it is Kanade, because he is really an awkward introverted person, but I don't think Mashiro is a character that would kiss like that especially when he, most of the time, is so damn thirsty for Kanade. Was it Kanade's actor? Because Mashiro's actor is from Exile Tribe, an idol group well known for acting on several bls and Hori already acted in one before too. I just don't know. The plot has a lot of potential to be better with better intimacy but it became lackluster and awkward. Definitely not sweet at all. Better yet to just hug each other or kiss on the forehead type of thing.

I was also so mad on the other office worker at first. She was so meddlesome that I thought she was as toxic as Mashiro's mom. But I stand corrected. If you plan to watch this, give her the benefit of the doubt. The mom is still toxic though. A gas lighting, toxic mom. I feel so bad for Mashiro.

I thought this was a sad one but a lot of the scenes made me giggle, and toss on my bed. The shouting is also cringy but fun. First few episodes in, I loved how straightforward and honest Mashiro was that I thought he was the last boss of communication, but he was actually hiding more of himself deep within and I think the actor did fabulously that.

Ikeda, the actor of Kanade is so adorable and pretty too. So it is very surprising when he shouts haha. He doesn't pass that well as a high schooler for me though, only for me to find out Hori is older than him by three years. Haha.

This is a nice, cute watch. But definitely won't rewatch.


Edit: so I found out I already read the manga version and it's freaking shounen ai. No wonder the kisses are like this. The manga even did camera angles where you cannot see the lips touching hahaha. Also another thing to note is the emotional depth of this series is soooo good. It is not melancholic or sad but it definitely explores human relationships and puppy adult love

Another edit: please read the manga before watching or if you are in the middle of watching and you somehow feel bored. Oh em gee I did the same and they almost did the series to a tee with the manga. You can even side by side them. Some dialogues are changes but I am so happy when they do the original justice. It makes watching the series enjoyable

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Not enough episodes to show chemistry

*happy ending*

There are a lot of tropes in this short series that were not elaborated well and I am left with questions after watching it.

I admit the main couple is adorable. Especially, Dong ha. He nailed that bright sun personality. Yu Sin looks a lot like a young Park Seo Joon on some angles.

I am not clear what really took all of the 8 episodes that it felt a bit lacking story wise, but here are some parts I wish was elaborated:

- why can they eat Dong ha's cooking
- Seon Jae's secretly notorious biting of humans whenever he is away
- Ok hee's research
- Implications of Ju won drinking Dong ha's blood
- Gyu min x Eun ho love story
- I thought Song ha's background have something to do with the vampire lore, etc.

Not many vampire lore in this other than their diet really. So the whole world building is a bit lackluster and incomplete.

Plus points on the the kissing though. Especially on the library. Like, they devoured each other whole, too bad for me it didn't feel that romantic. It's like just an added scene for 'romance'.

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Na Aejoon my baby

*happy ending*


I love love love Na Aejoon and the actor who acted as him. He portrayed the character really well and he was soooo adorable that he really turned into a baby in my eyes that I so wanted that chasing arc to last 5 episodes just to see Si Yeol suffer more.

Kevin is so naturally adorable that none of his scenes are weird or embarrassing to watch. His micro expressions are so adorable.

On the other hand, Kang Min, the actor of Si Yeol is so robotic for most of the episodes prior to episode 8. I actually can't differentiate when his character fell in love with Aejoon. And the chasing arc made it seem like he didn't have that much remorse. The series is cute though and the kissing scenes although short, is not awkward or uncomfortable.

How I wish they really expanded the chasing arc more but I know the manhwa did the same. Aejoon is just so in love that way. Still, how dare Si yeol hurt my baby like that. I am still seething. I hope he makes it up with Aejoon for the rest of his life.

I also loved the second couple's story but I hope that paparazzi gets his just desserts because the series seems to gloss over that issue.

I wish this was longer. I feel like the song writing, Aejoon's career, and other plot points can be more elaborated, but I also think it was made that way in order for us to read the original instead. So here I am rereading it 😂



P.S Aejoon looks a lot like Namping in other scenes. It adds on his adorableness


Edit: naah better to rewatch the series than reread the manhwa. The miscommunication there has been stretched to season 2. Si yeol looked more like a bigger jerk there than here.

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Wasted chemistry for HillTer, became the series for JohanNorth

*happy ending for the two couples for now*

The series only featured the two couples, HilTer and JohanNorth and some glimpses of the other two couples and some side couple but did not fully completed them or expanded it further.

I loved the premise of Hilter but even with uncut or extended version, the storytelling seems a bit weird. Ter has this idea that Hil likes his sister but they separated when they are already together. They are already kissing. I hoped they used the premise of second chances more. I think Ter folded quite easily at episode 2 they are already holding hands. Let ke i wanted more angst and longing and regret. I wanted them to badly miss each other but it went bland from thereon. From thereon they started reminiscing, etc and it became so bland no wonder people started rooting for JohanNorth because it felt that the HilTer story already concluded.
Such a wasted chemistry. Though i really love Hil's loving voice to Ter and how he looks at Ter but that's it.


For JohanNorth, what I fell to love is Bas's acting. He is so lovable and he acts really great as if he is the very main actor for the series. Johan on the other hand is very fit for that rich bad boy vibe that is such a simp for North with a ton of Tsundere-ness. Their chemistry is worth the charts that I felt their story was expanded more on more episodes other than HilTer because of popular demand. I wanted more moments for them. Not the cheesy confession on the beach type of moments, but moments where Johan will show his Tsundere-simp attitude to North or show how rich he is or how bad boy he is. Like fighting etc haha. Something like mafia boss. Will rewatch only for JohanNorth moments.

Very excited on the story of the other couples!

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For something so progressive, they lack something

*happy ending for one couple*

I started watching this last year, 2022 and put it on hold because of how weird the issues kept popping up that I felt always bad for Fiat. But finally, I finished it and it felt watching it better now than last year.

When this was released it became so known because it is almost the start of very hot and steamy NC scenes in BL industry. It's like Mame tested waters in Tharntype and this became it's progression. However, amidst its well known name for its NC scenes, JaFirst in this series is soooo lackluster in their NC. Maybe because I finished watching it after already watching the current latest BLs who are already so realistic in their love scenes, but I can really see how they peck kiss even in the most hottest moments and hide their face and lips away using camera angles. Most of the time it just looks like Ja is smelling First's neck.

Even though there are a lot of love scenes in this series, it just irks me how lackluster it was. The execution is most of the time really bad.

I know this is the first main couple series of JaFirst and they have come a long way now. I saw that their acting is ahead of its time then. Especially First. Ja on the other hand is sooo damn handsome. His character is written such a green light as well. Though a bit possessive, it works well with Fiat's personality.

Dont get me started with Aek. He is the best I tell you. Handsome, smart, and I love how cool he is in this series. I love his every scene. The twins are one of the best castings here and also An too. Sooo pretty.

LeonPob have such a good story and chemistry that all fans, including me, are still thirsty for Just Say Yes. It has been a long time and I hope Mame produces it already. LeonPob's kisses are 100 times better than LeoFiat's really.

For the story, I sorta liked all conflicts so far except the sleeping with the afro guy conflict. He looks weird to me. I guess they did great in casting someone creepy. Fiat's mom is also so damn scary. Instead of a restraining order, I just hoped Fiat's dad hleped her get therapy as soon as possible before. Same with Fiat. Not getting him a new mom.

Overall, you can see that this series is ahead of its time but also lacking in great execution.

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I feel a bit unsatisfied?

*happy ending for two couples*

Dont get me wrong. The acting was superb. Especially Gun my gosh. I think this series showcased his acting really well. It made me even think that Black is really another actor. I completed watching this just because I really loved Gun's acting in this one.

The ost? The best. I thought I will never find a more better ost than never let me go, but my boy. This got the best. They also incorporated some songs I also heard in never let me go. Save the spotify playlist. Def recommend.

The story is 10 out of 10 as well. The conflict the suspense, the cinematography, everything is the best.

However down to the last episodes, I had to skip some scenes? I dont know why it became boring in the latter episodes even though the romance and the action is in the last parts.

I think OffGun's off screen chemistry is not much shown in the series unlike TOL. Maybe because this series focuses more on the plot of fighting for what is right. Rather than the romance part. It became so not focused that I dont mind leaving the romance between OffGun. Heck, I felt more on screen chemistry with YokDan.

Another reason I think that I am unsatisfied with is becauseI didnt see or realized when Sean fell in love with White. I felt how conscious White is to Sean but not the other way around. There are some moments but I didnt feel that it was tense in a romantic way. Next thing I know he already kissed White.

I just felt overall that the romance and the plot is unbalanced in a way. I just hoped the build up is introduced all throughout the series and not just the almost last part.

Overall, this is one of the best series out there in terms of plot and execution. Must watch but know that the romance is not much the focus of this series.

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Unnecessary mating horse

*happy ending*

I love the food bl genre, don't get me wrong. But, this is still not IT. The only good thing i liked in this series is the handsome casting and the cooking.

But the actors cannot act in love really. The intern looked much in love then the main characters, that they are better off acting in a bromance series rather than a bl.

This serie also tried to put too many plot points in a short series. A mating horse (the ex and intern) is unnecessary to add in the plotline, as the main couple's struggle in work and life is enough as a conflict really. I really wished they focused more on that. Especially since dohoon is overworked and yon soo is still getting the hang of owning a restaurant. As shown in episode 6.

Dont get me started with the kiss. I don't mind pecks, bit i can see how one sided the kiss is in this serie and it is making me cringe. The falling action is also sooo mediocre that i had to skip scenes in episode 7 and 8.

I love lee jo woon's cameo, but i think his character is unnecessary too.
I wish the build up on their romance was more focused on as well. Sigh.

To all readers, this is still a recommended watch, i think.

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