4
10
1
1
This review may contain spoilers
a lot of potential
Overall: I wish this was released on an official international platform with high quality subs but even then, the story would still have felt choppy - too much was left unexplained. 50 short episodes between 1 and 2 minutes.Content Warnings: murder, attempted murder, blood, beaten up off screen, past intimate partner abuse
What I Liked
- the premise
- tension
- visuals
Room For Improvement
- too much was not explained, what exactly defined 'scumbag', did he keep doing it?, scenes sometimes jumped from one scene to something totally different
- nonsense stuff: how did he not have any money because it seems that he would have money if it was requests from people, police hadn't caught him?
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enjoyable enemies to lovers vertical series
Overall: I gave this a rating bump since it's from China and it has good kissing as well as the best execution of a miscommunication plot I think I've ever seen. Episodes 1-4 are free on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XZKGQbzA70 Watch all 19 episodes on the DramaBox app which also has: The Mafia's Obsession, My Secret Agent Husband, Summer Indigo, Kiss Me With Unspoken Love, Desired by My Unknown Husband, Mafia Lover, The Forbidden Flame and My Serial Killer Lover.Content Warnings: non con picture taking/sharing, vomiting, public outing, homophobia
What I Liked
- for once I wasn't super annoyed at the miscommunication, felt more realistic
- their dynamic
- kisses
- supportive colleagues
- story centered on the MLs
- production value (nice transition with the umbrella opening)
Room For Improvement
- some of the dialogue was too quiet
- wish he had first brushed his teeth/mouthwash
- perhaps a bit fantastical for how the CEO reacted
To watch for free (each episode costs 50 coins, need to get 15 episodes/750 coins): watch the series and if you don't have coins click off the coin prompt, you should be able to watch 10 episodes by watching an ad each, claim the coins you get for watch time 70 (or can watch another series free episodes (be careful it doesn't go to paid episodes or you'll lose your coins), do the check in (20) and watch an ad for a bonus (30), watch some of the ads for 20 each to finish the series in 1 day for free (the 15 adds in total will be 300 coins aka 6 episodes). There are also bonuses for logging in, getting notifications, following them on social media.
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too many characters/love rivals - also deja vu???
Overall: though I was excited for a gangster romance, this vertical mini series was a let-down. Originally watched unsubbed on ShortMax (also has Kiss Me With Unspoken Love and My Uncle, My Ex-Boyfriend). 70 episodes under 2 minutes each. Watched May 2025 on Shortime episodes 1-10 free to watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTFqKh1zTrY Upon re-watch, I realized it has several plot similarities to KinnPorsche to the point that if someone had said it was a Korean adaptation, I would have believed them.Content Warnings: murder/death, blood, sexual assault, non con kiss, beaten up/violence, non con picture taking, blackmail?, past murders, rape?, kidnapping/held against will, torture, victim blaming, manipulation
What I Liked
- the tie pull
- sweet moments
- a few actual okay kisses
- good he didn't kiss him when the other guy was passed out in ep 27
- visuals
- good ending
Room For Improvement
- way too many love triangles/love rivals
- several camera blocked/cut to black kisses
- jumpy between episodes at times
- one character needed to stop drinking
My Watch For Free Plan (updated Feb 2025)
1 friend referral code = 20 (1 time bonus) My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)
On the Rewards (popcorn bag icon page)
- check in = 5 (increases over 7 days up to 25)
- create a login = 20? (I did create a login because otherwise you only get 1 Always Win box instead of 3 per day, I think this was 20 popcorn)
- do the 3 random popcorn from the daily Always Win box = 30 (I'd normally get 5-15, around 30 in total)
- Watch Ads, watch all 10 ads each day, have to wait 30 seconds in between ads = 110
When you run out of popcorn while watching, you can watch 5 episodes each day with ads
App Information/How to Watch for Free ShortMax
- you don't have to create a login for the app
- daily check ins were between 20-30 coins plus ability to double if I watched an add
- watched 6 ads for 25 coins each (wait time in between) plus 10 bonus for having watched all 6
- watched 10 free episodes per day (if you are out of coins, on the pop up on the lower right there should be an option to watch an ad to watch an episode)
- episodes cost 50 coins, you can't watch out of order, once unlocked they stay unlocked
- I was able to watch about 14 episodes per day, if starting at zero coins, that would take about 5 days
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want the actors in something else (skip ep 5)
Overall: there was potential with an angstier story but the writing got progressively worse as the series continued. Skip episode 5 and start episode 6 at 43 minutes. 6 episodes about 30 minutes each. Aired on Youku's YouTube channel, first episode link https://youtu.be/B36ryCeKxUw Rookie Thailand has also produced: 21 Days Theory, Future and The Best StoryContent Warnings: past death, grief, homophobia, bullying, punches, parental verbal abuse
What I Liked
- some sweet moments
- they explained what happened 5 years ago so the time gap made some sense (but 5 years was too long)
- funny with the friends hiding behind plants
- glad she finally stood up for herself though she should have told Night he needed to figure his stuff out asap before someone else started dating Dream
- Dream seeking communication at the beginning of episode 5
- Namwan in the second half of the series (though I didn't hate her in the first half)
- production value was good for what I assume is a low budget series (except for the too loud background music at times)
Room For Improvement
- time skip needed to be 2 years instead of 5 to feel more realistic
- cliched writing, unnecessary love triangles, drunk kissing, etc
- not clear when flashbacks started/ended/were flashbacks
- the multitude of flashbacks made the episodes feel choppy, would rather they had shown everything in the past and done 1 time skip to the present (similar to ITSAY), there were even flashbacks to scenes we had just watched like with the professor (also what on earth is you fail a university class if you can't write an amazing novel? does that really happen???)
- nonsense stuff (who doesn't know their best friend has a sibling, they've never met in person or seen a picture? they could have made this a step sibling during the time gap to make sense)
- failed redemption arcs for the dad and brother
- unclear of how much time passed in the last episode
- hardcoded English subtitles were a little difficult to read (didn't take off points for this)
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a first love high school romance
Overall: this gave off Heartstopper vibes with its animations and tone but I wish they had chosen something less serious (I'll put more information in the spoiler). Aired on 2 episodes per week on Regal Entertainment Inc YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7SneaZWMW0otehz3rmR_7xVEaoW8yNVAContent Warnings: bullying, transphobia mentioned, mental health struggles and a major one in a spoiler comment
What I Liked
- cute moments
- funny moments
- acting/chemistry
- how the nerdy character defied stereotypes/character cliches, he stood up for himself, had visible tattoos and the character talked about his tattoos as well
- production value
- (neutral) the animations add a sense of whimsy but it's odd because I don't think this script is based off a webtoon/graphic novel so it feels more like copying Heartstopper rather than it making sense based on its source material
Room For Improvement
- the love triangle
- some parts were a bit choppy, at the end it took me a minute to figure out where they were
- I reeeaaallly wish they had chosen something not as serious, of like all the things to choose they chose...that, ugh
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a solid rom com
Overall: this was an enjoyable rom com and with a few changes I would have given it a 10/10. If Mek annoys you the first episode, please keep watching. Watched on YouTube.Content Warnings: non con video recording/posting, non con/dub con kisses (sleeping), blackmail, punch
What I Liked
- Mek's parents are adorable and the discussion of blended families and marriage equality line were absolutely amazing
- funny moments
- sweet and caring moments
- managed to balance four couples pretty well but I think if they had cut it to three it would have been even better
- an established couple
- some character growth with Mek but I did still get annoyed at him a few times in the final episodes
- the ending was lovely
- realistic and continuous physical affection (instead of 1 kiss at the very end)
- Jeff Satur's OST/singing
Room For Improvement
- the chancellor was stupid/not funny, I wish it had been the guys' idea like in the original pilot and they removed the chancellor character entirely
- the cliche drama point at the end with Mek/Kim
- Kim didn't grow as much as I had wished
- the sisters were involved a bit too much at the beginning but then they oddly vanished at the end
- unknown time passed in the time jumps
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a travel ad with very explicit scenes (watch suggestions)
Overall: this had very slow pacing and then some of the most explicit NSFW scenes that I have ever seen from Thailand. Note that this has nothing to do with the Taiwanese BL Kiseki Dear To Me and Love in Shimane aired in 2025. Aired on Viu (need to VPN to Thailand) and GagaOOLala. Later re-aired on 9NAA's YouTube channel (cut free to watch, uncut for channel members). The production company 9NAA also made: Venus In The Sky, Check Out, Skinship and I Am Your King.Watch Suggestions (unless you like a lot of eating, drinking, taking pictures and singing/guitar playing)
- read the synopsis
- skip episode 1
- episode 2 watch 8-12, 16-24, 28-31 and 33:30 to the end
- episode 3 watch 19-25, 40:25-45:40, 50 minutes to the end
- skip episode 4 (unless you want to learn about Japanese bathhouses which is in the 2nd half)
- episode 5 watch 22-24:30 (very NSFW) and 27:50-31 (very NSFW)
- episode 6 watch 22-24 and 27-30:30, could also watch the last few minutes
What I Liked
- centered on 4 characters with an easy to understand premise
- twins as lead characters
- the scene where a character splashed water on his face and pretended to be happy/smile
- the actors did a good job with their explicit scenes, they used some tongue which was realistic
Room For Improvement
- slow pacing, a lot of time spent hugging trees, singing, drinking, eating and taking pictures
- an actor said that they were totally naked in their NSFW scenes which made me worry about how comfortable they were (and apparently the director said he'd go naked to make them comfortable but that sounded more like a threat than being helpful), however, we saw a cord around 1 actor's waist, I'd rather they let the actors wear underwear and use creative angles/shots because the viewer's imagination could fill in the rest; update, the cord might be something religious (let me know if anyone knows more about this)
- wanted them to move from the stairs to a bedroom and I wanted to know what the character was going to say
- toilet humor/scenes
- in episode 3 I wish they hadn't shown a character as extremely drunk before what happened
- they didn't take out the chapter 2 from the title when chapter 1 might never air or if it does it would air after chapter 2
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This review may contain spoilers
infuriating writing, hope to see the actors with a better plot (watch suggestions)
Overall: the refusal of a character to communicate with the other character was infuriating and I cannot believe what they did in episode 8. 10 episodes about 50 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/reloved-episode-1-1p5zs0832d8?lang=en_usContent Warnings: vomiting (ep 2 around 47 min), non con kissing turned consensual, blackmail/coercion, manipulation, non con kiss, death, grief
Watch Suggestions (to focus on sweet relationship parts)
- episode 1 watch 4:25-7, 25:45-27, 42:25-45:10
- episode 2 watch beginning-5:20, 18:15-24, 28:15-30:30, 39:35-42, 48-50:45
- episode 3 watch 4:15-9, 14-17:20, 50-51:20
- episode 4 watch 24-40
- episode 5 watch beginning-10:50
- episode 6 watch 9:30-13:05, 15-19, 28:40-34:15, 38:30-52
- episode 7 is skippable
- episode 8 watch beginning-3:30 and 48:50-end
- episode 9 watch beginning-6:15, 12-16:05, 37:30-53
- episode 10 watch beginning-3:30, 17:30-end
What I Liked
- adults who were taking care of kids
- past intimacy and sweet moments
- visuals
- supportive parents
Room For Improvement
- terrible communication in the past (a 5 min conversation would have fixed everything) as well as the present, the other guy repeatedly ignored boundaries/looked so desperate/had no self respect
- the blackmail/coercion with the side couple was not appealing though they grew on me, but then episode 7 made no sense since their relationship was casual up to that point and then 8 came out of absolutely nowhere and was awful
- nonsense, who goes to the scene of an accident instead of a hospital???!!!!
- I wanted to throw my computer with the writing in episode 8, one "I'm sorry" and everything was fine, 5 YEARS!!!!
- tonal shift in episode 8 from grief to fun gym photo shoot
- love rival (and I felt bad for him, they should have given him a love interest)
- the sound effects didn't make things funny
- they dragged the bad communication way too long and then rushed the finale with an alternate timeline and a ton of time skips
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This review may contain spoilers
Cute Moments Between Team & Win
Overall: Cute, short episodes (between 4-6 minutes) with two or three skits per episode.Content Warnings: body shaming, kicking a person off of a bed
What I Liked:
- the "warning" is really funny at the beginning of each episode
- many of the skits are cute
- the product placements were pretty well done (that baby powder one lol)
- the second skit of the 5th episode was awesome
Room For Improvement: (minor spoilers)
- even those these aren't meant to have a continuous plot, if they had put the last skit in the first episode as the first one, it would have made more sense
- I really disliked the 1st skit in the 3rd episode, Win continues to poke at Team's belly after Team asks him to stop multiple times. This skit was major cringe in a bad way, leave Team and his belly alone!
- disliked Win kicking Team off of the bed
- the comedic song for the final skit in the fourth episode didn't fit the vibe of that skit
- I wish Team was more into things, didn't like him wiping off the kiss in ep 5
- it is definitely lower budget camera/camerawork, I'm sure it was done with a very small crew
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disjointed with little payoff
Overall: there were too many that flitted in and out and the writing didn't make me care about any of them. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on SC Flourish Entertainment YouTube channel worldwide cut version https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRPu3eZdevD0uneOl67QZkO__MzzMLdeU&si=Uee0jqd9j2s36QMr and VIU Thailand uncut.Content Warnings: murder, attempted murder, scary images, blood, past: deaths/murders, suicide, drugging, theft, manipulation
What I Liked
- visuals
- supernatural element
Room For Improvement
- the character/world building exposition dump
- was confused by a character introduced in part 2 and then another new character in part 3 of episode 1, characters flitted in and out
- love triangle
- did not feel chemistry
- comedy sound effects didn't make things funny
- character actions/reactions didn't make sense
- even at the end, a character didn't believe what another character experienced
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This review may contain spoilers
unnecessarily slow/too many flashbacks
Overall: all of these stories could have been told in half (or less) of their time and they needed to air two episodes per week instead of spreading the series out over 6 months. Some episodes had way too many flashbacks as well. Aired on iQIYI and re-aired on YouTube.You Are My Soul Mate eps 7 & 8, 8
A standard Thai BL. Had some stupid poor communication but decent kissing.
Lucky Love eps 9 & 10, 7.5
Standard enemies to lovers. Wanted the new partner to be less aggressive with someone who just got out of an abusive relationship. Content warnings: intimate partner violence, sexual assault, punches/fight, vomiting
Fake Love eps 15 & 16, 7.5
Start at 38:30 in episode 15 and then watch all of episode 16. Standard aggressive pursuer/reluctant pursuee with some nonsense plot things. Content warnings: blackmail, stalking, vomiting, manhandling, non con touching, fight off screen, blood
Marry Go Round eps 3 & 4, 7.5
Nice to have an established couple but we needed more of them and less of the invasive fujoshi character. This is a crack comedy that didn't make me laugh. Note there is an ending scene after the initial credits. Content warnings: homophobia
The Camp Fire eps 11 & 12, 7.5
Slow pacing with some jump scares throughout (you could start at 30 minutes in episode 11 and miss basically nothing). I'm not sure how to feel about the end. Same actors as Love Stage (Thai version). Content warnings: brief scary images/jump scares, death off screen/death/blood (it's complicated)
Right Time, Right Love eps 5 & 6, 7
Bad that his friend asked him to talk it out with his abuser. They really needed a time skip to give some healing time between starting a new relationship. Content warnings: past intimate partner violence, manhandling, mental health struggles
Pisces of Me eps 17 & 18, 7
The incorrect subtitles made this more confusing than it needed to be (ie should have been "our mom" instead of "my mom"). The two guys are fraternal twins, I didn't get incest from the plot. Start ep 17 at 47 minutes and then start ep 18 at 35 minutes. Content warnings: non con kissing, blackmail, fight, a little blood/small injury
1626 eps 19 & 20, 6.5
Way too many flashbacks/forwards. Not a BL unless they were saying "I love you" in morse code.
I Wish You Love eps 23 & 24, 6.5
A guy gets a magical mirror and tracks down the guy who he sees in it, start ep 23 at 25 minutes. No idea why 2 people can't contact each other for years (social media, common friends, going to old addresses, etc) but I set that aside. Confusing way to start the second part. Wish they had made the ending more clear but I can guess what happened. Content warnings: illness, death (implied)
Refund Love eps 21 & 22, 6.5
Flashbacks made up 75% of the plot. Skip all of ep 21 and just watch ep 22. Did like that there was some GL but needed to have more sweet moments/relationship development and less constant flashbacks.
Casanova Begins eps 1 & 2, 6.5
Very confused with who was who and their relationships. Good attempt to try something different but the exposition dump and some nonsense things didn't hook me. Content warnings: death, attempted suicide, manhandling
Friends Forever eps 13 & 14, 6
This is not a romance story but a morality tale. I would have rated this higher if they had tightened the story up and removed the never-ending flashbacks. For the good, a character got actual consequences for his terrible actions. Content warnings: murder, intimate partner violence, coach/university student, drugging, manhandling
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The Best M/M Reality Dating Series So Far
Overall: This is my favorite "reality"dating series I've seen, understanding that "reality" can include producers telling the guys what to do/say and that editing can be extremely misleading (not showing things, change the order, etc). My goals were that the guys have some fun and being on the show helps (or at least doesn't hurt them) in their personal and professional lives. Note to Eun Chan and Chan Kyu - don't change yourselves, you are amazing as you are! Series aired on both Gagaoolala & iQIYI.Content Warnings: discussion of homophobia
What I Liked
- the interviews and them discussing more serious things in episode 7 was excellent
- I like how they actually started with a date. The 30 second phone thing/letter writing was a good idea but only once.
- mix of choice vs no choice things
- smart decision to not let them say their age or occupation right away. I think people get fixated on those things when in reality personality, values and goals are much more important compatibility-wise.
- production value such as nice music, set design, editing, etc
Room For Improvement
- they needed more group dates or getting to know you games (Never Have I Ever would have been fun)
- the second phone call was repetitive and boring, it took almost all of episode 5
- the varying lengths of episodes (37 minutes to over an hour) was bad because then viewers thought some episodes were being censored. In the future they should keep episodes a consistent length.
- either there was a rule for no skinship or they edited it out, because 8 guys lived together for 1 week...
- the illegible subs on Gagaoolala because Korean subs were hardcoded on the video
Comparison to other m/m dating shows
1. Bromance (Thailand) is also on Gagaoolala. This is the typical Bachelor/Bachelorette set up with a bunch of people competing against one another to be with the 1 bachelor. I didn't like this because they could have all been hitting on each other and we have multiple couples! I got kind of bored and skipped a bunch.
2. Love House seasons 1 & 2 (Vietnam) on YouTube (most have English subs, this is ep 1 of season 2 no subs though https://youtu.be/TKzT_nHfVTA ). I liked this set up more than Bromance because the guys could all pursue one another. I didn't like the "secret couple" aspect and dividing them up based on sexual position seemed odd (can't they discuss that in private???) Season 1 was also the most brutal "rose ceremony" I've ever seen in any dating reality show. Season 2 was better.
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Poly & Ace Representation!
Overall: Though there are areas they could improve on, I'm giving this a 9 because it has poly and ace representation which is rare. I really wish this was a whole series and we were able to see how their relationship started and what happens after this short film because 18 minutes was definitely not long enough. Also, the filmmaker received $638 USD to make this film as part of a Matchbox competition and I'm extra impressed with that budget. Purchased for $3.88 USD and watched on Vimeo.Content Warnings: none
What I Liked:
- they did give some information about asexuality, especially Minho's conversation with his friend (though the acting seemed a bit wooden there)
- I liked the times that they had good communication*
- the reference to Long Time No See (it was the movie that they were watching, I've watched it so many times I recognized it just by the sound lol)
- production value is good considering they had almost no budget
Room For Improvement:
- I didn't really like that quote at the beginning which makes it seem that polyamory is almost here. It's here and it's been here since the dawn of time.
- it was an odd way to start. I don't like when people take pictures of sleeping people and I wasn't sure how the two knew each other.
- *on the couch at the beginning, do the other two not know what Minho likes/dislikes/boundaries??? Why haven't they had conversations about this? Also, that conversation in the bar seemed odd. Wouldn't the two of them discussed it beforehand? (though I did like the follow up conversation they had later).
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This review may contain spoilers
gorgeous vistas, underwhelming script (watch suggestions)
Overall: I enjoyed the countryside setting/cinematography and it was okay as a coming of age series but failed with the romance aspect. See my spoiler comment for how it ends which might help you decide if you want to start it. The series was based on a book which I haven't read and I reviewed the series on its own merits. 7 episodes about 40 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5169/lost-in-the-woods-2025-e01 and Viu.Content Warnings: past slap, alcoholism?, animal death, blood, non con kiss
Watch Suggestions (to focus on the romance aspect)
- watch episode 1
- skip episode 2
- episode 3 watch 3-5:30, 22-32:30, 39-47
- episode 4 watch 11:45-12:30, 19-24:30 and 26:30-40
- episode 5 watch 4:30-9:30 and 17:30-end
- episode 6 start at 16 minutes or if not interested in the het side couple skip to 28 minutes and watch until 30:30, 34:25-end
- episode 7 watch 9:30-16, 29:20-41:45, stop there and pretend they had a totally consensual kiss
What I Liked
- setting/vistas
- black nail polish
- Fifa is shown to be musically talented and academically intelligent
- clear premise
- two supportive female friends
- that Fifa stayed true to himself/his life goals
- production value (cinematography*)
Room for Improvement
- starting with a flash forward/voice over though at least it was just 2 days in advance and not months or years
- a parent acted comical in a scene where it seemed they were going for serious/angsty in episode 1
- episode 2 a character had so much flack for total nonsense stuff
- the grandma's plan didn't make sense, she should have eased him into things, I'm sure she was not staying in that type of accommodation and she chose the most prickly person to be his guide?!!!
- the scholarship application timeline seems a bit late compared to what it would be in the real world but I didn't deduct points for it
- not much chemistry, just started in episode 4 but they didn't even have a scene together until 16 minutes into episode 6
- *some night scenes were too dark
- what happened at the end of episode 4
- the ex plot took up way too much screentime, in episode 5 it was 10 out of 43 minutes or about 25% of the screentime!
- in episode 6 how Hem apologized for doing his job and Fifa was immature
- the non con kiss and how they never properly communicated
Note: in the series the younger guy Fifa graduated high school so the character should be 18 (played by Ton who is 25); they said that Hem is 30 (played by Arm who is 30). I did not have any issue with the age gap between the characters in the series.
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more melodramatic series that didn't stick the landing
Overall: this first episode really hooked me, but similar to most of GMMTV's series, the existing plot would have paced better at fewer episodes and I was especially disappointed at the last 2 episodes. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GMMTV's YouTube channel.Content Warnings: violence/beaten up, see my spoiler comment for another one, fights/punches
What I Liked
- how the intro notice was blurry to make the viewers feel how Day felt
- the premise was explained/shown well
- sweet moments
- laughed a few times
- enjoyed several of the supportive side characters
Room For Improvement
- pacing was too slow for me, I watched most at 2x speed
- I couldn't get into some of the conflicts because I saw easy(ish) work arounds for most of them
- ep 11 curse/cliche plot point, time jump and a rushed ending
- it felt like Mhok was doing more of the heavy lifting in their relationship and Day's fast change of mind felt unrealistic
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