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Most gorgeous and emotionally devastating BL I've ever watched
How tf did I survive this sequel???? Genuinely??? I fell in love with these characters in I Told Sunset About You and this sequel lives up to how incredible the first series is. While I hated almost every plot moment that happened in the sequel, I couldn't deny that I was incredibly moved emotionally with the raw storytelling.I will go in saying that I did slightly spoil myself before starting this sequel because I was so terrified of these two not having a happy ending. I knew going in that Teh cheats somehow and that they would end up back together. I'm glad I knew both of those things at the start, but I did say that knowing Teh would eventually disappoint me did have me resenting him and rooting against him since the start. When it finally happened, I was begging Oh-aew to leave him.
Watching them go from happy together to drifting apart was so heartbreaking, but so real when it comes to real life adult relationships. Even though I hated Teh and would never condone his actions, I understood how he got to the point he did. Teh was overwhelmingly in love with Oh-aew since childhood and he thought that loving someone meant they had to be similar, want the same things, have the same dreams. Teh was too early on in his love life to fully understand what love actually was. He saw Oh-aew changing, even if it was for the better, and he thought it meant that he could no longer love him the same way. I understood why he was shocked and confused. What I couldn't accept was how he handled it and what he did to Oh-aew, breaking his heart once again.
Watching Teh develop feelings for Jai was genuinely sickening. Seeing him look at someone else with the same longing he'd once had for Oh-aew in the first series was hard to watch. The emotional betrayal hurt even more than the kiss itself. The notebook, the dishonesty, his continued pursuit of Jai, and the fact that Jai ultimately had to be the one to clarify that their connection wasn't romantic made everything so much worse. Teh wasn't simply making a mistake that he immediately regretted and confessed. He was actively hurting someone who loved him unconditionally, and I struggled to find any sympathy for him in those moments. I genuinely wanted Teh to fuck off.
Oh-aew's growth was easily one of my favorite aspects of the sequel. Watching him discover his own identity, build meaningful friendships, and create a life outside of his relationship with Teh was beautiful. I especially loved how supportive his friends were throughout everything. By the end, he had developed a sense of self-worth that the younger Oh-aew in ITSAY didn't have. I remember in ITSAY Oh-aew crying to Teh asking what he's done wrong and telling him he'll never do it again at the beach. Going from that, to Oh-aew standing up for himself and what we deserves was everything.
And despite how much I hated Teh's betrayal, I actually disagree with the criticism that the cheating was inconsistent with his character. Looking at both series together, I think his actions make complete sense within the context of his upbringing, internal struggles, and emotional immaturity. In the first series, Teh struggled to accept his own feelings because they conflicted with the future he'd imagined for himself. We see that when he's struggling about what his family would think that he was in love with a boy and not a girl. In the sequel, he equally struggles with thoughts of his future because he sees Oh-aew changing before his eyes. He is terrified of change and the unknown. That doesn't justify his actions whatsoever, but it makes them believable.
As painful as their breakup was to watch, it was exactly what they both needed to really grow, understand themselves, and come back together as a healthier couple. The play Teh wrote for Oh-aew and the reveal absolutely ruined me emotionally. Even though I was completely against them getting back together, what ended up winning me over was Oh-aew, not Teh.
The final beach scene and Oh-aew's speech to Teh made me realize how much Oh-aew had truly grown as a character. I as ready to accept that even if I myself am terrified that Teh is going to continue hurting Oh-aew, he's not. He's prepared to go through the tough challenges that may come with being with Teh again because they are and always will be their first and greatest loves.
I Promised You The Moon was equally as masterful as ITSAY and even though it was tough to watch and I was angry most of the time, it made me appreciate the series as a whole so much more. I hated how much this series hurt me, but I can't ever give it any less than a 10/10 top favorite of all time because of how much it affected me emotionally. This is a gorgeous sequel and it's worth the watch to conclude one of my favorite love stories of all time.
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This review may contain spoilers
Most gorgeous and emotionally draining BL I've ever watched
This is my first review ever because this series affected me so much I had to put it into words or I was gonna go insane. I genuinely don't know where to begin with this series. This is one of the most beautiful and emotionally overwhelming love stories I've ever watched, and easily one of my favorite BLs of all time.I was immediately drawn to our two leads and the emotions they were able to convey without even using words. I knew I was screwed when I found myself tearing up during happy, normal sweet moments between them. I could genuinely FEEL how much these two characters loved each other, even as friends before they realized their feelings for each other.
The YEARNING in this BL is genuinely unlike anything I've ever seen in a BL. The chemistry is off the charts. They didn't have to say a single word and you understand exactly what they're saying. The looks, the touches, the TENSION. The hammock confession not requiring an explicit "I like you" because it was already understood between them. THAT ONE SCENE in episode 3 starting with the back scratches is actually one of the most beautiful, intense, and intimate scenes in any BL ever. And Oh-aew staring into the camera as Teh walks away after was devastating, yet shot so beautifully.
Every little gesture, touch, look, symbol throughout the story felt so significant and made me so emotional. Teh hating coconuts until he smelled it in Oh-aew's hair, then being obsessed with them is one of my favorite things in this story. All of this with how gorgeous the cinematography was, the music, the quiteness of it all made this so intimate and beautiful to watch.
I genuinely believe Teh loves Oh-aew, maybe even more than Oh-aew loves him. Even though his character frustrated me to no end, I understood his internal issues and why his actions were what they were. He didn't want to accept himself, but couldn't control his love for Oh-aew. This is unfortunately how a lot of queer people feel when they first realize who they are. Even though they end up together at the end, I couldn't help but think that they wouldn't work out. I felt like Oh-aew was too easily led on, too quick to forgive and needed time to grow. I feel like even though the ending is a happy one, their love story is one where they are each other's greatest love, but maybe not the one who they're supposed to end up with.
All in all, this is an absolute masterpiece. I'm not sure how to move on to other BLs on my list after this. And yes, I watched the sequel and that devastated me even more.
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