K-Drama 
Happy for the sequel, but there’s nothing really special about it
I miss them. The prequel was lighter and tender compared to this sequel. It is more focused on the deeper connection between the couple’s individuality and their love for their craft. They went outside the box of delivering a trope of two celebrities getting caught dating by the public. This is commendable; however, the scenarios were too slow, which created a gap between the couple.What happened to my dear Shirasaki? I have adored him from the first season, but he suddenly felt too focused on himself. I understand that it is one of his flaws when he is being driven by his role. I feel pity for Hayama too. Living under one roof but being separated by their own rules was painful. The couple just needs to communicate and comprehend each other more often. The most disappointing part is that we have fewer romantic scenes in their dating era compared to their flirting era.
The additional character in the story was unexpectedly weak. I love his backstory of losing his roles to Shirasaki, but I know they can create a way better spice-up challenge for the couple. Despite the disappointments, I still enjoyed this show on an average level. The confirmation of the side couple having their own sequel was the cherry on top. The OSTs and the arrangement of the opening were the best too.
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Odajima’s unexpected journey of finding a new reason to live on
Such a classy and perfectly crafted show. And hey, it’s a Yakuza-themed BL! This show explores the uncanny life of a boy born into a family where incest is forced. This eventually became his sole reason for not valuing his own life. A few years later, he found another family through the presence of his best friend, Asahi. Who then died by protecting the young Yakuza leader and his role model. The emotional buildup for Odajima was impressive.I was expecting it to be more chaotic, but it turned out to be gentle yet endearing. Kataoka brings color to Odajima’s grey and sullen life. I just love it every time Kataoka calls him his ‘beloved wife.’ Their chemistry is top-notch! And their intimate scenes were so sizzling hot that the car scene at the finale was magnificent. Also important to mention that all the casts are so handsome! Eye-candy visuals.
This might be short with just a few EPs, but ultimately enough to satisfy my BL-heart. Them wearing a Hawaiian shirt on an island during the ending was so beautiful. The color yellow shirt signifies joy and happiness, which the two were finally able to reach together, ending the show with such a lovely kiss!
The opening OST was so appealing in both visual and audio elements. It also has the right balance of comedy, romance, and drama, which makes the series more entertaining. Absolutely love it, and I want to see more from the main couple starring in a new drama or a possible sequel.
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Divided by kingdoms, united by hearts.
A historical love story of two princes-turned-kings and how they continue to love each other despite their complicated title as rulers. Both of their background stories were saddening; Shu He lost his mother, and Zi Ang lost his entire clan except for his brother. A few years later, they meet each other, and the beginning of lies and deceptions. I love the chemistry and build-up of their characters in every single EPs.I just wish to see more martial arts scenes without the basic sword fights. Yet, I fully understand that they are more focused on the story rather than the fight scenes. The crown prince's role is too hateful, especially when he is the reason why the sixth prince's fingers were badly injured and stopped him from playing the arts anymore. Politics can corrupt one’s mind and turn their roots to evil.
The way I was flabbergasted by their first kiss in the middle of arguing was too memorable. No more China’s bromance and BL-censorship, we win. EP08 was probably one of my favorite endings from the show. The time when they realized that their royal status was a hindrance to their relationship and decided to let go.
Eventually, both of them became ruler of their respective nations. This is the most exciting yet traumatizing part. The show’s title, “Kill to Love,” is extremely presented when Zi Ang annihilated Shu He’s kingdom, then holding him like a caged bird. His obsession with being reunited with Shu He is the only thing that matters to him the most. Building a replica of the sixth prince’s residences was actually so romantic.
At the end, Xiao Shu He chose to die, with Duan Zi Ang embracing him and then following him to the afterlife eventually. A tragic ending, yet a very reasonable one for such a complex love story. Both of them died at the end, but at least they were finally able to rest peacefully from the chaotic world of power and desires.
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Lovely, but not as deep as what is implied in the title
I love Japanese BLs and their addiction to soft, tender, and somehow heartbreaking love stories. At first, I understood that the title is connected to one of the camera’s elements for capturing a nice photo, which is the passion of one of the MCs. Yet, as the story progresses, it slowly loses impact as it inconsistently maintains a well-balanced pacing.I know that both characters are gentle in their own ways, but I also want them to be more aggressive or express more emotions, especially when they are reunited after the three years' time skipped. The lack of romantic scenes, with the ending of the story right after they finally became a couple, was a wasted opportunity.
I want them to kiss so passionately, and we almost got it from the finale, yet they decided to cut it to the exciting part. The chemistry was underutilized. Nevertheless, both actors performed well. They are both so handsome and pleasing. The rooftop scenes were always so beautiful with the touch of sea and clouds as the background view.
The rooftop was their sanctuary.
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High contender for BL of the year but unexpectedly tripped midway
Its enemy-to-lovers trope, idol setup, and overall appearance evoke K-Drama vibes. GMMTV made the best decision to bring their boy group into acting, as all five of them performed well in their respective roles. The concept was already unique for a Thai-BL, which made them different from the rest.I want to re-experience those butterflies in my stomach moments when I watched the first few episodes when Thame and Po are just starting to flirt and get to know each other. Its sequence of having two parts of the story per episode was clever. Every EP begins with Thame trying to win back the hearts of his members and the last part focuses on Thame and Po’s romance. It covers my favorite moments from the show. One is when Thame memorized Po’s number. Second was the very long phone call with Thame learning Po’s favorite song overnight to play it to him. And of course, the jealousy scenes.
Throughout these EPs, I am patiently waiting for Friday to come faster. Not until they ruined Jun’s character and used him to align the romance between the main couple. I hate that they made it so evident that Jun admires Po to some extent. But select the latter to conceal his feelings and reason out of helping his dear friend Thame to realize things. I know that ThamePo will be the end game but they can make a better conclusion to Jun’s story.
Right after this EP, we’re back again with the same issue of who stay and who should leave Mars. It was too dull and repeated, together with the break-up scenes. The downfall from having a perfect ten to nearly reaching an 8-9 score was dissatisfying. At least the concert at the end was good enough for me to realize that this show still deserves a 9/10 for the overall impact.
A few more notable elements were the set of beautiful OSTs and Est and his greatness in delivering his role as a soft and gentle lover. He is so pretty even when he cries that I want to see more of his dramatic scenes in the future.
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The SkyNani Effect
Let’s begin by saying that I’ve never watched the original Korean series and solely started binge-watching this after falling in love with several SkyNani edits on social media. And now I understand the hype and became obsessed with their whatevership. This is a bromance with a silent ‘b’.When we get into the drama’s plot, we have several: tension, character development, bonding, lessons, and, most importantly, love confessions. This show gives me butterflies more than other BLs that aired last year. Saint and Shin are like a broken couple that reconciled and defines that love is sweeter the second time around. Sky showcases how years of experience hone him as an actor. There’s no doubt that he is the main character here, alongside Nani, who also carries out an outstanding performance. Their chemistry is top-notch!
Of course, the success of the series will never be complete without the excellent roles of each of the cast. Everyone nailed their characters. Mark Pakin is also the MVP as he portrayed Chadjen in the most realistic way possible. As a fan of South Korea’s school series (from 2015-latest), the primary goal of their shows is to convey to its audience the heartwarming youthful life of the students. Which, this remake version delivered it with a gratifying overall quality.
Most of us, the viewers, are students once in our life. I know that at some point, we can relate to the story. Personally, during my high school years, school is my home of peace. I will never make it without the friends that I shared joy and laughter with. Teenagers are too young to know everything and the best way to survive is by surrounding yourself with the right people. High School Fremeny is that school-based GMMTV drama that allows me to indulge in the nostalgic feeling of being a student once again.
To Saint and Shin, thank you for the beautiful story of your “friendship.”
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Great concept, weak plots
It's an interesting supernatural idea that limits the power to see the future in the span of 4 minutes only. But with a plot that should make the audience in awe but diverted to having a messy ending. This is another typical Be On Cloud’s project that only showcases a high-quality start with an extremely disappointing finale. I understand that the script is trying to give us shocking revelations but the execution was poorly done. If they had enhanced most of their scenes during the last two episodes, everything about this drama would have been a chef’s kiss.I highly appreciate and am well-devoured by Bas’ extremely outstanding performance as Korn in this series. He stole the show and uplifted the drama’s charisma. The presentation of his role was flawless. The love triangle of Korn, Tonkla, and Inspector Win is way more entertaining than the main couple. They nailed their characters and stole the spotlight even playing as supporting casts. But I must say that Bas and Bible’s chemistry as siblings is so cute that I want to see more of them as sworn brothers in the future.
The intimate scenes are also the best! It was tremendously romantic and amorous. Fuaiz and Bas made the finest sequence of passionate acts in the show. JJ became the third wheel here and I liked it better since the two mentioned paired above were explicit and intense.
In general, 4Minutes is a pretty average BL drama with a fascinating start that loses its spark from the dissatisfying scenarios established in the end. Nevertheless, the acting from everyone was great and set up a unique storyline that distinguished them from other BLs from this year. Nice work!
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In Kim Yoo Jung, I trust!
Another win for Kim Yoo Yung’s filmography! Ain’t the best but still performs pretty well. Her influence and her previous projects captured my interest in adding the show to my list. She always delivers her characters with her utmost acting performances. Indeed, one of the most versatile actresses in the entertainment field.Story-wise, it has uniqueness but can’t help but get bored from time to time. Yet, one thing is for sure, I enjoyed the touch of comedy, especially from the supporting cast. If I have to pick the most intense and memorable scene, it has to be the ending of the third episode. I was screaming and clapping my hands from the tension when Do Do Hee realized that the death of Madam Ju was not caused by a health incident but more a case of murder in which one of the family members was the suspect. The execution was that good to keep me energetic the whole scene.
Then, many things happened, some are good yet some are just average. Jumping to the finale episode, I liked how they concluded the story of each character. A happy ending for the couple and the people around them. But I get too emotional from two characters. First is the oblivious mother who lost her son at the hands of the true evil personality of the story, her husband. She misses him so much but it is too late for her to save her son. Regret and moving forward are her only options. The second and the most wholesome finale was when Jin Ga Young saved a little girl from her abusive father. This particular scene burst me into tears knowing how she has the same past as the girl she accidentally met in the present. I love this scene.
I rarely watch Korean dramas nowadays since I felt like I would never experience the same wave of feelings from the K-dramas in the past, especially from the 2016 era of K-dramas. Yet, My Demon is one of the few dramas that I gave a shot and never regretted it. It is fun, cute, chaotic, and has a lot of emotion to offer. Song Kang’s acting also improved a lot too. I am not satisfied with the fantasy element but at least I enjoy the comedy and a little bit of romance from the show.
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Casually good for a historical BL but felt bored from the lengthy episode
Not a big fan of time travel as the root cause of everything in a drama but seeing a historical Thai BL for the first time ticked my interest. Especially when a beautiful couple of handsome guys play the main characters. They have the right amount of chemistry and they did a pretty job of portraying their roles.The overall distribution of the whole drama package was just a neutral rating for me. Yet, they created a memorable scene wherein they drive their uniqueness in flourishing the olive oil massage scene with matching orchestra music in the background. It gives a sensational and erotic feeling towards the time traveler guy.
With all these, I am happy to see them end up together in the present time. But with the special clip shown during the credit roll, maybe a second season is possible which will be going to focus on the more distant past and letting the audience witness once again, another historical love story from the two. Yet, I am not sure if I will watch it or not because honestly, I hate feeling so bored watching a specific show, which I felt during the airing period of this drama.
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Toxicity never ends
Stunned. GMMTV did a great job of pulling another project with wild and extremely intimate scenes with numerous actors. There were too many problematic characters and I am well-entertained by the messy turn of events now and then. Yet, the plot twists weren’t as impactful as I expected them to be but at least they show how to properly deliver a complicated Western-like way of living. Almost all of them taste each other lips, not by a simple smack but literally in an assertive way of kissing.This show also served as Force and Book Redemption acting compared to their previous projects with bland and non-sense storylines. I guess that they perfectly fit bad boy characters and they survived with the help of the other actors who did a great job playing their respective roles. Mark Pakin once again, ate this show. He was too fragile, bold, and crazy in love with someone who didn’t even consider him a romantic partner. Boston is all about lust and I am happy that in the end, Nick realized how important self-love is, and chose to cut ties with Boston.
All of them have their red flags but if I were picking my favorite character, it would be either Sand or Plug. Although Sand is another man who is admittedly weak for Ray, compared to the rest of the gang, he is probably the least person who will cheat when he's in a relationship. Plug, on the other hand, left me an impression despite his short screen time. The boy was too sincere to be in a serious relationship with Yo, the bar owner. Maybe, he stole my attention because of his handsomeness and being someone new in the industry.
The OST is a banger too. It has an energetic vibe and upbeat music that fits the tension between the casts. The angst was somehow dynamic and cool but I still believe that they can do better. Subjectively speaking, I was hoping that either of the three couples would end up together in the finale since it was more mature and acceptable. But in reality, you can’t hide the fact that such people exist, those who re-entered a toxic relationship and tried to fight the pain of the painful past within themselves.
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Not in the king level of a show but enough to land you a smile
I must say that Lee Junho and Im Yoona’s pair are top-notch. They have already shown their romantic tension ever since their Senorita exceptional performance on a music show. That’s why when the drama was announced with them as the main lead, I immediately added this to my watchlist without even knowing what the story was. Lee Junho always made his series worthy of binge-watching effortlessly seducing the viewers to fall with his character’s charisma and vibes.They never failed, although I must say that the overall impact of the show is literally not that great. It was good enough for a fun time show with its light and romance elements but they failed to be consistent. I found myself fast-forwarding some episodes and I felt only one thing that time -boring. However, the finale episode uplifts and justifies the flop of previous episodes.
I came across a comment that the show lacks plot twists yet I feel like the show doesn’t need a more dramatic kind of appeal but needs more scenes to give to other side characters. I was hoping that the flight attendant lady would be promoted already in the last episode but it didn’t happen. In general, if you’re watching a soft and fun series, this is enough for you. But if you want more dramatic actions, you will entirely feel less about it. Nevertheless, King the Land gives me a Hermes smile with their quality of producing the whole show.
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Too average and bland
It started in a cool way; from having such a light and refreshing concept that features the way of living of three to four teenagers. However, it sticks in that way -no character development, intense and impactful plots, and even the ending is just a mere average one.Sehun is the reason why I added this show to my list. Although, I didn’t wholeheartedly feel disappointed since Go You is such a fun character. Yet, I feel pity that they wasted such a good foundation of his role. The rest of the cast feels too reserved.
The girl acting is too unpleasant; she’s just wearing a poker face the whole period of the drama. Her eyes can’t literally deliver the right emotion needed for the specific scenes. Nevertheless, I still appreciate everyone’s acting as it is not too bad compare to some dramas I watched. But again, I rarely feel disappointed watching a Korean show with a poor delivery of acting from its cast. My favorite thing from this show is the OST. It is soothing and lovely to the ears, and somehow reminds me of Meteor Garden.
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Promising start -artistic and beautiful, yet the romance gets annoying after
The first few episodes were so great, they introduce a fresh, new, and an amazing fantasy storyline. From the cast itself, I knew that the acting will be marvelous and they show cleverness in acting as I expected but sometimes Ahn Hyo Seop forgets that he’s supposed to act as a blind man. I already watched a lot of Korean historical drama and most of them bored me at some point, the same goes with this drama but I’m grateful to witness a historical inserting magical powers and believes that make the story more colorful.The best part of the show is how they highlighted the traditional skill of drawing and painting. The gathering or competition among many painters was my favorite episode of all time. The way they executed the variety of brushing techniques, the sound of papers and brush, the big factor of being able to draw an art that has different kind of impression, and the quality effects of each drawings was really a masterpiece. I have so much fun watching the episode so much plus the three best friends call sign is so hilarious and cute (troublemaker, nuisance, and frown).
The early episodes were light and comedic but then it gets serious and dramatic. It was during EP12 when I started to hate the romance from the story. Obviously, they failed to emphasize the love story in a more pleasant way. Perhaps it became another cliché story that let either one of the lovers affects the people around them just because of their undying love on each other. The girl does risky things even thou she or her beloved people can be killed any minute. Then the boy sudden change of heart is odd, I hate it when he’s loyal subordinate man sacrifices his life just to save the father of his girlfriend. Where is the years of planning for vengeance? The same goes with the girl, the antagonist was right when he called that the reason why her father was killed was simply because of her desperate love for his boyfriend.
On the other hand, I love how the second and third prince rivalry story were given an open ended story. The second prince shows explicit facial expression on acting as an antagonist, it was good. The third prince was one of my early favorite because of his cuteness and innocent character. Every royal family in a drama always have to fight for the throne all the time. The demon and all other mythical creatures explicit in the show is something I am really happy about.
Another part of the show that I love the most is the music (OSTs, background songs). Byun Baekhyun proves that he is one of the most incredible singer in the industry. Hearing his song is a beautiful perfection fit for the concept and cinematography of the show. All of the music are cool, especially the background song plays when the characters are painting during the competition, a soothing and elegance vibes.
Overall, it was really good but only the romance during the last few episodes affected my enjoyment of watching. The ending is okay as well as the epilogue. The cast are the reason I started to watch the show but I fell in love with the story which was a great experience for me as a viewer.
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The visual is only the good element
It took me too much time to get into the show, the first few episodes are absolutely a no fun for me, but midway of the series, it was getting entertaining and enjoyable. This is when the mother appeared in their house, since then I am smiling throughout the main couple’s screen time. My favorite scene is the accident kiss, it was too cute and good.Having such two handsome main actors, the show has the potential but unfortunately failed to execute the whole story.
Factors why I give the show a low rating:
- Poor acting
- Less workplace details
- Rough and messy transition
- Cringe and annoying side characters
- Too ordinary plot
- The insertion of unnecessary and excessive b-sounds
- SIDE COUPLE that has NO CHEMISTRY. The café owner is good but he’s partner is not fit for acting cute. I am watching their scenes with a totally no-emotion-facial-expression.
- Forgot to explain the past. It is when a flashback of Jin Yu Zhen meeting Shi Lei has seen but after that, no explanation has given.
- The title “I DO” is given to the side couple during the last episode and the main couple way of saying I Do is by the new rules created by Jin Yu Zhen.
Anyways, although I have a lot of complaints about the show, I have probably a good time watching it. If only they manage to show us more maybe my rating will be good enough.
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All out for their songs; grooving vibes and heartwarming lyrics
Slow-paced beginning but actually liven up the mood after a few more episodes. It was a boring start and confusing as well for some reasons, took me too much time to realize the online game setting. Another thing is, the drama implied too much sequence of coincidences like it really make the viewers patience boost.As a fan of Lin Yi, this drama is a must watch for me but I ended up not liking Lu Jing so much. Lin Yi is an eye candy actor and I really love his expressions. The reasons why I slightly dislike Lu Jing is because he is too bossy and so full of himself towards his roommates and Taro. Plus, he is also disrespectful to Jia Yun. I know his personality is supposed to be cool and cold but I’m really sometimes annoyed with his own action. He likes to look down on some people and I am happy that there is a scene in which he and his closest roommate friend has a conflict regarding the way Lu Jing treat him. Anyways, Lu Jing growth and character develop is a good thing during the last few episodes of the show.
On the other hand, I love Liang Chen’s personality, full of ambition and passion. The struggle on her career for wanting to do her own music and shifting from another genre is my favorite part. I was inspired by this to let my decision varies on my personal choices and not by what others tell me to do.
The love story of the main couple is cute and sweet but I am more into Taro and Shan Shan. The second couple love story is super fun and pure. Aside from them, the cutest boy for me in the show is Gu Fei Ming, he wears such an adorable and fancy smile. His character is also so cute and funny, I just wished that the he has at least few screen time during the last few episodes, I was waiting for him at the end but nothing appeared.
The most enjoyable part of watching this is the serve of amazing songs. It was so much fun hearing it and so loving to read the lyrics. I even downloaded the songs because it is really nice and pleasing to my ears. “Never Stop” and “You Have Me” are my top favorite songs.
Lastly, the best lesson of Love Scenery is that dreams are always been there to keep us going. Your own feelings must come first and be the key to let yourself do the things you wanted to do. No matter how hard for your dream to be a reality, one day, your hard work may pay off and give you the desired satisfaction you keep wishing on.
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