4
10
1
1
This review may contain spoilers
dancing and romance with some serious parts
Overall: there are aspects I really enjoyed about the series such as the ex and how it was handled, but there was a very jarring part at the end of episode 7. Based on a book with the same title which I haven't read and I am reviewing this series based on it's own merits. 10 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on Let Me Into Your Heart YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAtoaKETK9kContent Warnings: vomiting (episode 4 part 3), murder, blood and grief (episode 7 part 4)
Watch Suggestions (to focus on the main m/m couple and side m/m couple sweet moments)
- watch episode 1 all parts for the set up
- watch 2/3 beginning-7:45
- watch 3/1 if you enjoy watching dance
- watch 3/2 beginning-7:30
- watch 3/3 3:20-5:10 and 8-end
- for episode 4 stop part 4 at 9:30
- watch 5/2 and 5/3
- watch 6/1 9:50-end
- watch 6/4 beginning-3:15
- watch 7/2 10:45-end (is emotional but explains some things)
- watch 8/3 5:30-end
- watch 9/4 3:20-8
- watch all of episode 10
What I Liked
- the costume/dance aspect
- clear premise
- non cliche ex, and another non cliche love rival
- Jack was mature about things in episode 7
Room For Improvement
- did not always feel the chemistry between the two
- the side m/m couple dynamic switched very fast and then they disappeared for several episodes
- Ja could have communicated more clearly with Jack
- what on earth was episode 7 part 4, it did not seem to fit with the rest of the story and came out of nowhere, I took .5 off my rating for this
- very cringe to have a tribute concert to someone who has died and then say what Jack said
- nonsense, some people would support them from the announcement
- not sure who that woman was in episode 10 but fairly sure she didn't deserve such fast forgiveness
- unsure of what the ending left us with, he could definitely still perform if he wanted, it didn't need to be the end of his career
(note: I watched episodes 9 and 10 with auto translated English subtitles)
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The Story of Bi Hyeong: Enchanted Master of the Goblin
8 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
interesting premise with underwhelming execution
Overall: I really liked the fantasy elements, but the rushed/choppy storytelling lowered my score. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/the-story-of-bihyung-enchanted-master-of-goblin-episode-1-1zvs3hjpsvs?lang=en_us (in the Americas Oceana, Spain, UK and Portugal); GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5817/the-story-of-bihyung-enchanted-master-of-goblin-2025 (in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau or the rest of Europe); Heavenly & Watcha (South Korea) and FOD (Japan)Content Warnings: non con kiss, dreamed sexual assault at the end of ep 2, slaps, attempted suicide (it's complicated), jump scares/scary make up
What I Liked
- premise
- though I didn't love world-building/exposition dumps, the drawings/animations were nice
- visuals
- quirky vibe
Room For Improvement
- many characters introduced, confusing start
- started with the present and then jumped back 36 hours
- didn't understand why it was bad that a ghost didn't get the 1st guy
- between 1 pair, have they not communicated in hundreds? thousands? of years??! then towards the end, more bad communication and suddenly they make up
- didn't feel the chemistry with the main pair, I think goblin was reluctant for too long
- should have shown the background earlier than halfway through episode 9 so I could better root for them as a couple
- 1 year time jump for the finale, rushed/things not fully explained
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This review may contain spoilers
accurate title
Overall: I enjoyed the setting/styling and darker premise. Ending explained in a spoiler comment. 12 episodes about 35 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala (not available in Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Thailand or Korea) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5680/kill-to-love-2025-e01 and YouTube (not available in Japan, Thailand or Korea) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhd4wr2gniAIyI4nj00zP9hz_PNnJ41FnContent Warnings: mass murders/deaths, blood, violence, manipulation, drugging, kidnapped/held against will, near suicide, suicide, past: murders, blood, manipulation
Watch Suggestions (me trying to take out the angst and violence in this series would be like taking out all the scenes where Pharm says P'Dean in Until We Meet Again). Here are suggestions for the last few episodes to make it happy.
- episode 8 watch beginning to 3:30, 12:50-13:40, 15:10-16:20
- skip episode 9
- episode 10 watch 26:10-31.25
- skip episode 11
- episode 12 watch 16:30-26:10
- episode 13 watch 37:30-end
What I Liked
- setting
- chemistry/tension with the leads
- styling, visuals
- that they did explain why some of the villains became the way that they did
- the ending made sense
Room For Improvement
- with the side couple, they framed it as mutual love when it was clearly about power and control which is abuse, I wanted the writers to stay consistent to the end and not try to make it mutual romantic love
- nonsense, many nonsense character actions, an example is a cordial family meal in the finale when several characters should want to kill other characters
- world building/information dumps
- a ton of characters/plot and rushed at places made it a bit difficult to understand especially in the beginning.
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could have been a 9 or higher
Overall: once again needed to focus on the leads and their relationship development and this time give a trash character some consequences. 60 episodes 1-2 minutes each, episodes 1-10 are free on the Shortime app and you can watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzMzx8JLRJA Aired on Shortime app which also has: Double Play, Please Teach Me, Falling For My Boss, Summer Indigo, The Secrets of Male Students, Accent, Influencer Love and Buddy Boy. App information is below. 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)Content Warnings: physical abuse, bullying, near self harm, blackmail/coercion, punch, manhandling, non con recording/sharing, unwanted public outing, slap, cyberbullying
What I Liked
- dream kiss in episode 1
- sweet moments
- martial arts backdrop
- the bully did apologize
Room For Improvement
- there is a truly awful character who seems to have zero consequences, he should have gone to jail
- really stupid plans, is the team a gang, why can't people just quit?
- two noble idiot/refuse to communicate tropes
- a camera angle blocked kiss
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)
- turn on notifications = 30 (1 time bonus)
- 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
Note that there are other 1 time bonuses like following on social media
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Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan Special Episode
8 people found this review helpful
great to see Boss & Fort again
Overall: seeing Boss & Fort was a highlight in what should have been a fun vacation special episode. Aired in 2 parts about 1 hour total on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4936/love-in-the-air-2024-e09 and https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4937/love-in-the-air-2024-e10Content Warnings: maybe non con touching/kissing (it's complicated)
What I Liked
- intimacy
- cute moments
- Boss & Fort
Room For Improvement
- 7 minutes was too long of a recap though if someone wasn't feeling the series I guess they could just watch that
- directly after the recap there is a random character and what felt like a random scene (does make sense later)
- the cliche thing at the end of part 1 was confusing with how Fuma & Arashi acted as if it was on purpose, so I ended up disliking them most of the special until that was explained
- the woman playing ping pong part
- Rei and Kai who generally feel like they have less power in their relationships continued to have less power during most of the special
- Fuma's hideous suits
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what a special episode should be
Overall: we had 27 minutes of new content that was a progression of their story and fluff which is exactly what I was looking for in a special episode. Available on GagaOOLala & Viki (country dependent).What I Liked
- sweet/fluff moments
- intimacy/physical affection
- styling
- continuation of their story
Room For Improvement
- the 2 cringey fall, catch and awkward holds
- some of the camerawork felt low budget/shaky
- needed the production to include the 2 characters at the end into the special's intro sequence to refresh viewers' memories, per the review comment they are the cousin/colleague and the driver from the series, I'm likely not the only person who had no idea who they were so their appearance felt random
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rushed with some cute parts, loose adaptation of Why R U (Thailand, 2020)
Overall: This is a remake of the 2020 Thai BL Why R U (which in turn is based on a book) but I will review it on its own merits. 8 episodes about 25 minutes each. Note: there is an extra scene after the next week's preview in some episodes. Aired on iQIYI & Viki (depending on your country). Idol Romance also produced: Roommates of Poongduck 304, The Tasty Florida and Kissable Lips.Content Warnings: manhandling, non con touching, non con kiss?, slap (part of acting)
What I Liked
- I did laugh a few times (swearing at each other with their fingers)
- cute moments
- Max & Nat cameo
- the original Why R U series playing in the background in a scene
- the perspective change in ep 2
- Sun Woo & Yoo Kyeom (up until the end of ep 4 when that reaction made zero sense to me)
- good kissing
Room For Improvement
- the intro felt like a trailer/exposition dump, it didn't hook me
- another bad "plan" that belongs in middle school (from Ji Oh), however Ji Oh had a personality change around episode 5 and I liked his character more/the dynamic
- confusing, did not clearly differentiate the flashback from present (the widescreen is flashback, full screen is present), several fast cuts
- was too choppy/rushed, should have cut out the sister/book thing entirely
- interjecting women/love triangles, (she had such a stupid plan, why wouldn't she tell her friend?)
- why didn't Yoo Kyeom tell Sun Woo about the girlfriend situation, he knew that they are friends
- cliche overhearing something and not telling the person what is wrong, and then a few days later he says he believes in being clear and finally tells him
- long recaps
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a more realistic countryside BL
Overall: this is a shorter movie (first part was 30 minutes) in two parts from a small production company Wayufilm. Their stuff is kind of hit or miss for me, I did enjoy Country Boy (both parts) and Country Boy 2 (second part). This ended up on my 'hit' list. I graded a bit on a curve because this is a small budget production. Watched on YouTube.Content Warnings: fight, vomiting, past tragedy
What I Liked
- the actress for the mom did a great job and I appreciate how a mom character doesn't look like the moms we typically see in series/movies. Was also really happy with her response at the end.
- I think they acted realistically drunk (though not sure about sobering up that fast for the one character)
- a nice 'getting to know each other' montage
- the color grading
- the countryside setting and music (one of the actors sings the OST)
- the behind the scenes clips (though they were unsubbed)
Room For Improvement
- I am not a fan of toilet humor
- it felt a bit close to "I don't like men, I just like you" trope but that line was never specifically said
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This review may contain spoilers
Plot Rushed
Overall: They tried to make the plot too complex for a short runtime and I don't even think I'd call this BL. Because they did a 'Yoo Han is kidnapped' plot, Yeon Woo is not available to pair with anyone else romantically. Watched on Viki.Content Warnings: bullying, side character deaths, fight scenes
What I Liked:
- good production value
- good acting
Room For Improvement
- very confusing/rushed/overly complicated plot - there's a secret bar, tea, pills, vantablack, fake candy factory, grayscale, probe surgery, a bunch of new characters introduced
- I really enjoyed season 1s vibe that was kind of dangerous/obsessive, this does not have that same vibe
- that kiss was mostly camera angle tricks and it was in a dream
- what idiot characters take drinks or pills from very shady characters, at least one could have faked taking the pill
- odd/non logical things such as: Yeon Woo just happens to leave around his very important notebook, also his aunt leaves something really important in a place that Yeon Woo can easily find (when has keeping secrets ever worked out well btw), if telling her bullies about her brother would stop her from being bullied why wouldn't she do that?, she suddenly dies (I'm sure there's a plot twist in that but it felt so random), the grandpa would know the truth wouldn't he tell the classmate? better to say nothing at all then a totally unhelpful "run away", the brother knew his sister was being bullied wouldn't he intervene?, no way the mom's headband would look brand new after years in the water, what exactly even happened with the mom? why would they do that elaborate candy factory thing when they could just go and kidnap monos?
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This review may contain spoilers
Well that took a turn....
Overall: I'd rate the first part (until 8min 25sec, just end it there, trust me) an 8. It felt a bit contrived but the NSFW was done well and steamy (no fake kissing there). But the 2nd part just took such an unfortunate turn. Also I think a better summary is "a security guard meets a bartender and things go down south" (or was he actually a police officer? I don't know the uniforms...). Watched on Gagaoolala.Content Warnings: stealing, trespassing, violence, murder?
What I Liked
- the first 8min and 25sec
What I Disliked
- everything past 8min and 25sec, this all seemed so unnecessary and done for shock value
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This review may contain spoilers
beautiful and heartbreaking
Overall: this is not your typical BL romcom, it's beautifully done but heartbreaking. I wasn't sure about the dynamic with the cold/low affect guy and the happy go lucky guy but we get important background information and their dynamic grew on me. Airing on GagaOOLala and Viki (depends on your country).Content Warnings: death, grief, threatened suicide
What I Liked
- cute moments like the studying
- the younger siblings were adorable
- consent scene
- the perspective flip in the final episode
- production value
Room For Improvement
- not a fan of flash forwards/flashbacks right away as it makes it more confusing, but I followed this one pretty easily
- the part at the end of episode 1 is not realistic for how he looked based on what happened
- some unrealistic parts/confusing world building
- should have made the previous summer flashback more clear
- I wasn't happy with the end but not for the same reason as maybe other people, I liked what they were talking about with the teacher and wanted them to go that route
- the happy intro and outro was a stark contrast to the story
- there were several large plot points that were revealed right at the end of the series and would have liked more time to develop these
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Content Warning: dub con, very explicit sex scenes
What I Liked
- the Italian music
- that really muscular guy was so sweet (and he made me laugh a few times)
- showing the stress of caring for an aging/ill parent
Room For Improvement
- we needed more explanation, why did he go away for 7 years? I wasn't even sure why he returned/his relationship to the couple until I read the summary. I'm all for NSFW scenes, but they could have removed a couple and built the plot more.
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This review may contain spoilers
groundbreaking in some areas and reinforced stereotypes/terrible in others
Overall: I liked how they brought up several current social issues but episode 6 pretty much wrecked the series for me (see more info in my comment). It is obvious that the 2 directors and 3 writers were all men, this thing will age like milk. Aired on YouTube.Note: there may be words/discussion in this review that people find triggering.
Content Warnings: rape (beginning of episode 6 more info in my comment), violence/beaten up, kidnapping/held against will, bullying, homophobia, transphobia, non con kissing, non con photo taking/posting, body shaming, sexual harassment, unwanted public outing
What I Liked
- bringing up and educating about social issues, ones I thought they did well include: school having sex education class, abortion, body shaming, non penetrative sex, educating about HPV, addressing transphobia
- sexual orientation and gender diversity (m/m, f/f and m/f couples; non binary character, a trans woman character who isn't the comic relief cliche)
- that they didn't shy away from showing NSFW scenes
- I enjoyed a lot of the music
Room For Improvement
- the writer/s really messed up on several issues:
1. more information under a comment with spoiler tag but the whole Alex and Jean thing in episode 6, they should have focused on the part with the pictures. The fact that people can't agree that Alex raped Jean (which he 100% did, you can say stop at any point for any reason at all) shows how badly the writers messed this plotline up. And that he continually violates her boundaries by talking to her. His friends come up with the plan to retraumatize Jean by again contacting her and then kissing her in order to get his orgasm back. His friends don't know that Alex raped Jean but Alex definitely knows this and yet he goes along with their plan WTF?!? And I predicted they would end it as they did, vomit.
2. BDSM conflated with cheating and poor communication - I was so happy to see consensual puppy play but was disappointed they went the poor communication, her not really being into it and him cheating (and yes he emotionally cheated and lied by omission). I didn't want her to take him back (welp update, guess what happened bleh)
3. Open relationship conflated with poor communication and not as good as monogamy - again I guess it was too much to hope we'd see a healthy open relationship. Instead we got them fighting/hitting each other and really bad communication before they eventually made up. And now it appears they are getting married and end up in a monogamous relationship.
4. Army and Jo - I really wanted them to work through their differences but once again in episode 11 Army is ignoring/pushing Jo's boundaries with what he feels comfortable with. I'm not saying their relationship couldn't work but I wanted to see more communication and mutual decision making. I also didn't like how they made Army violate Alex's boundaries a few times, this felt like the stereotypical gay guy who can't keep his hands off of others.
5. Kat - again they are positioning monogamy as superior to non monogamy
6. The workplace sexual harassment - eventually they showed the boss as a douche but some people are really touchy feely in a non-sexual way. I wanted the writers to make it more clear cut. So have him make an inappropriate remark "your breasts look great in that shirt" or Liu tell him to stop touching her and then he continued. As I later state, it annoyed me that Alex and Ew had to be involved at all/come to the rescue. Instead of Liu punching him, what about getting the boss other consequences like suspended without pay/fired? I would have written this plot differently.
- that Alex continues to be a gynecologist with his only training being a short tutorial on giving a pelvic exam (because that obviously is sufficient instead of years of medical school/internship #sarcasm). He should have taken vacation or a leave of absence. It's insulting that he continues to give (perhaps dangerous and incorrect) medical advice to his patients.
- whatever happened with Jean's endometriosis? (in a comment someone said that this was not endometriosis but was from a poorly done abortion, however, they never explicitly state this so I feel that a very serious medical issue was not resolved/explained well)
- Kat, why did it seem like she was having her mug shots taken? There is 1 line about him being arrested but I would have liked them to actually show him arrested and put into jail.
- too many characters/plots meant not enough screentime/not fully developed characters and plots, I also think they should have reduced the number of social issues and brought them up more organically, it felt like an after school special at some points
- Alex positioned as everyone's savior so that he can climax, this was annoying and shallow. Army even specifically asked Alex not to talk to Jo and Alex ignored him and talked to Jo. Then Alex starts yelling at Liu's boss and ignores her even though she repeatedly asks Alex to stop. They should have focused on going back in time and left the whole orgasm part out of it.
- Ew proposing at his friend's wedding, I thought this was a universal no-no, Ew it isn't your day!
- the writers tried to have flawed/complex characters but instead they made a**hole characters that I don't want to watch/don't want to see certain couples be together
- not satisfied with the ending, obviously the writers haven't heard of the butterfly effect....
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This review may contain spoilers
wish it was told in chronological order
Overall: I was intrigued with the set up, but felt disconnected from the romance because it was not told in chronological order and the plot dragged at times. 11 episodes about 45 min each. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/interminable-episode-1-15snedolols?lang=en_us (spoiler for the ending under a spoiler comment)Content Warnings: past (murders, suicides, violence, blood, held against will, unwanted public outing, slap, manipulation); current (attempted murder, near suicide, manipulation, sexual harassment/assault, drugging, near murder, beaten up, death)
Watch Suggestions (to focus on the romance, in approximate chronological order)
- episode 1 watch 15:45-19:40
- episode 2 watch 7:30-9:35
- episode 3 watch 23-25:40
- episode 4 watch 25-28
- episode 6 watch 37-45:10
- episode 7 watch the beginning to 11:25, 12:45-15:15, 16:20-18:45, 22-29:48, 32-35:55
- episode 8 watch 34-42:30 and 46-49:20
- episode 9 watch 28:40-31
- episode 10 watch 13,15-14.45
- episode 11 watch 36-40:30
- episode 12 watch 4-11:25
- episode 12 watch 23-24:30
1947
- start episode 3 at 30 minutes and end at 51
- episode 4 watch 17:30-20, 43-49:15
- episode 5 watch 36-40
- episode 12 watch 59-1hr 1min 20 (or can watch until the very end for another time jump but I think it's better before the time jump)
What I Liked
- historical eras (1912 past, 1947 present)
- styling
- mystery element
- a supportive female character
Room For Improvement
- the biggest difficulty for me was I couldn't connect to the romance because we just kept seeing small little snippets of their relationship in the past instead of the full development of their past relationship. Then we spent such a long time in the past that I couldn't connect to the present 1947)
- had a slow start and dragged, then the finale went really fast
- the odd grunting in ep 5
- multiple love triangles
- wannabe evil wife cliche
- a character in the past was way too pushy and ignored boundaries multiple times
- a character almost always wore shorts and suspenders so he looked child-like in 1947
- in 1947 they made an odd choice but at least the couple talked about things
- side couple went nowhere
- the political drama was resolved off screen
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intimacy done right, a very enjoyable BL
Overall: all the feelings (hurt, hope, shyness, giddiness, happiness) feel natural in this series. 8 episodes about 15 minutes each. Aired on Viki and GagaOOLala.Content Warnings: workplace bullying
What I Liked
- what happened at the end of episode 5 was well done and included some of the original sounds!
- ongoing affection/playfulness (hand holding, hugs, quick kisses, etc)
- that communication issues didn't drag on in the present and were addressed fairly quickly
- integration of computer/gaming animation, including the ending sequences
- according to my expert, the computer stuff was mostly realistic, especially the stuff in episode 5
- end of episode 4 was very well done
- workplace dynamics and that they were actually working/busy
- production value
Room For Improvement
- I struggled with this premise but things took a turn for the better the end of episode 4 once I understood that a character was hurt/upset
- strange that the beginning of episode 5 didn't start at where the story was at the end of episode 4
- wanted a bit more transparency but I'll pretend they had a serious conversation about the decision off screen
- was really happy at the end of episode 8 but it was awkward their hands were both at their sides instead of on back of neck, back, arms or chest and also the distance between their bodies was strange
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