warrenaa

A first-rate drama series with 50 minute episodes from the Philippines is rare indeed and this one is developing nicely. The producers have obviously learnt a lot from their Thai colleagues in how to put a decent show together, and there's plenty of Thai sports dramas to learn from. That Jared and Uno were once best friends but are no longer sets this up for the 'enemies to lovers' situation we've seen so often.

It is rare for GMMTV to produce a historically based BL series, and having done so, the results are truly beautiful, reminding me of similar dramas from One31. With the second episode, the love story of Rati and Thee is just getting started and from the outset, they will have many barriers and obstacles to overcome before they find happiness together - if they ever do. Thee probably had his reasons for keeping his true identity from Rati, but even though Rati came from lowly origins, he was adopted and became a viscount; Thee is a count, one step up. This should be taken into account later but I doubt it will be. The secondary couple's romance - presumably, the two boys who were fighting each other in the ring - hasn't even got off the ground yet. I love this kind of series. It has depth, colour, tension, much about social class structure and a solid storyline. A series to relish and treasure.

Yet another bodyswap series, this one with the flimsiest cause for the transformation I've ever seen - it barely musters any examination. That said, the two boys are undeniably cute. In the first episode, Ye Haiyuan told Zefang he doesn't like girls. He didn't like Zefang either before he 'died', as he wanted to be a girl. Now grandpa is in Zefang's body, that is no longer the case and Ye Haiyuan is suddenly able to tolerate him more. Although there is little logic in any of this, we must go with the flow and see how romance blossoms between them.

This was an excellent and unpretentious short KBL series that followed the romance of the main couple from the moment they met to the time they came out to their two friends, who provided a bit of humour and contrast to their overall calmness. What I loved about Jiwoon and Jeongwoo was their gentle natures, never raising their voices with each other as they came to know each other and develop a love that was understated but intense, seen in the way that the taller Jeongwoo would look down at Jiwoon with love in his eyes while Jiwoon, who for him was his first time being in love, found that kissing Jeongwoo was an unalloyed pleasure that only grew with time. Their two friends, who were kept in the dark about their relationship, provided a little humour and much contrast to them. These two inseparable buddies, who are such a common feature in BL series, took an intense interest in their love lives, but when it came to their own, it was an entirely different matter. The quieter, sensible one let it be known that he liked someone but to the annoyance of his excitable friend, kept it a secret. We can see that he secretly harbours feelings for his friend, yet is apparently content to leave it at that. So that's where we leave them, for I doubt there'll be a follow-up series.

This is definitely worth watching. The romance may be low key but the love that develops between them is intense in an understated sort of way except for the kissing.

Sorn's drawn on beard appeared for a couple of seconds. It was there to make a point, that's all, and is irrelevant to the rest of the drama which has so much more to offer, with the ongoing relationship in all its complexities between Sorn and Jun and other ones as well. It should not dissuade you from watching it and if it does, you have a very superficial perspective on what constitutes a good series and whether to watch it or not.

Chi Cheng and Wu Suo are starting to remind me a little of Sorn and Jun in that Chi Cheng has become besotted with Wu Suo and takes every opportunity he can to kiss him, if he's allowed to, and when they do kiss, Wu Suo responds with enjoyment. That's the end of the comparison. These two spend most of their time together playing little power games. Wu Suo wants Chi Cheng to dump his ex-girlfriend, Yue Yue, and make him his boyfriend, something I don't think will happen anytime soon.

Actually, I don't know why I thought Win is gay. There is no indication he is, so I shall amend that bit.

I've been waiting and waiting for Sorn to say to Jun I couldn't admit to myself I've liked you for a long time and find you irresistible. That, I'm sure, would help Jun to be reconciled to him. As for Tai and Champ, Tai's acting is wooden to the core, he has no chemistry with Champ and their love scenes are predictable, not erotic and fortunately are cut short. Indeed, I don't know what a cute, lively boy like Champ sees in Tai. Tai is the older brother of both Jun and Win. To keep his distance from Sorn, Jun has been spending time at the warehouse where Win works and they get along just fine, like buddies. Both boys seem to relate to Tai more as a father figure than an older brother; neither of their parents is present in their lives.

It's good to see a fifty-minute, well-written and acted series coming out of the Philippines; it's very rare. The concensus, however, seems to be this is gaybaiting - Uno, the banished basketball player who has to try out for the men's volleyball team whose members are gay, and that a romance might develop between him and the team's captain, Jared. Naturally, there's a girl inserted, Farrah, who has a crush on the handsome Uno, setting up a three-way tussle for his affections. Perhaps everyone is right. I don't think Philippino boys are as flexible as Thai boys the way they switch from girls to boys as easily as they change their underwear, but Jared is not an unsuitable partner or love interest. The question is, will Uno let himself turn to the other side.

No idea. Why would it be censored?

Body-swapping is nothing new in BL, however, with this series, they've decided to give it a melodramatic edge which takes away any seriousness. My main focus at this early stage is Nat, the boy who plays Nuea, he with the ghastly red hair and an uncanny resemblance to Plai in 'Season of Love in Shimane', particularly his mouth and the way he speaks and sounds. Aside from that, I wonder how they're going to sustain this story for 10 episodes with such slight material.

Now on bilibili: https://www.bilibili.tv/en/video/4793936563147264

Pond as Armin is getting better and better with each episode, however, it is Peterpan as Thada whose presence here is so eyecatching. He has only been in one BL series before, ' Oh! My Sunshine Night' (2022). I can't imagine why he's not been seen more frequently. His pairing with Pond is a match made in heaven. There were so many almost kisses. Next week, we'll get the real thing!

Second time this has happened recently. I didn't find the time to watch it either, mores the pity.

This is a typically slick Chinese production, full of cute, goodlooking young men, lovely settings and has a good premise for a BL romcom. Chi Chen is rich, tall, arrogant, gay and always dresses in black. Suo Wei, who is shorter, cute, quick-witted, poor, straight and is miffed that his golddigger of a girlfriend ditched him for Chi Weng, has gone from grabbing the attention of Chi Chen to becoming someone he's friends with, his ultimate intention being to make Chi Chen fall for him, though how that will make the awful girlfriend return to him is unclear and most unlikely. It will never happen because the two guys unexpectedly develop feelings for each other. It's lighthearted, amiable, has its funny moments and easy to watch, featuring 24 full-length episodes to keep us entertained for quite a while, very different in tone and style from what we get from Thailand and other Asian countries. I'm glad the Chinese are now making shows for the international market so they don't have to worry about Chinese censorship. They're not as 'spicy' as many Thai shows, but given time, I'm sure they'll get there.

Agreed.

Nup! It's 30 episodes.

Pity there's no drug test for performance enhancing drugs. Yut's score with the punching ball was higher than Thun's so he doesn't really need to use steroids. I think there's something else going on with his use that we're not aware of yet. Thun is not the sort of sportsman that would even think of cheating like that.

Yut as a character fills the same position as Willy does in Pit Babe S2, however, he has no intent of breaking up Keen and Thun even though he made a play for Keen. His close interactions with Keen since they first met at the bar certainly rile Thun but Keen, like Charlie, is immensely loyal to his boyfriend so there's no chance of anything developing.