4
4
want to see the actors in something else
Overall: the leads' excellent chemistry couldn't save Twins' poor writing. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3782/twins-2023-e01 ; re-aired on Lovemedia Thailand YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIFuZIdAgzTjbXN2ypTCNBGNY0PQQTgxG&si=TmjC1-YF7k_mWZTdWatch Suggestions (unless you enjoy slow pacing, stupid decision-making and poor communication)
- read the synopsis/watch the trailer and skip episodes 1-3
- episode 4 watch up to 10 minutes, then 29 and then at 36 minutes
- episode 5 start at 17 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 6 watch 18-20 and 23-24 minutes
- episode 7 start at 18 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 8 start at 10 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 9 watch 24-25 and 29-31 minutes
- episode 10 watch 15-30 minutes
- episode 11 watch 12:20-15:20 side couple
- episode 12 watch entire episode
Content Warnings: violence/fight/beaten up, manipulation, non con picture taking/sharing, cyberbullying
What I Liked
- a sports based BL
- good chemistry with the main couple
- a side couple grew on me
Room For Improvement
- needed the twins to be better differentiated similar to Not Me, even if one was dressed like the other, the voice and mannerism should have immediately signaled to the audience who it was, there were a few times I wasn't sure who was supposed to be who in a scene
- slow pacing, entire first episode was set up, watched most of the series on 2x speed
- Sprite needed to say something way earlier, his brother Zee was a nonredeemable jerk and all the characters shared 3 brain cells
- way too many side characters introduced quickly, took awhile to figure out who was who and then several plot threads weren't developed well
- toilet humor at the end of episode 3
- for one couple, the pursuer was a bit too aggressive and the pursuee was a bit too reluctant for too long
- choppy editing
- in episode 10 the fictional 'so drunk can't remember in the morning what happened but was an active participant during' cliche
- final episode rushed several character endings
- terrible characters that didn't get any consequences, just the "leave us alone/don't do this again or else...."
- plot holes/nonsense writing
Was this review helpful to you?
is love better the second time around?
Overall: there was amazing tension but I needed more character growth and less love rivals. 6 episodes at 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala. ; re-released on Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/40574c-love-is-better-the-second-time-aroundContent Warnings: manipulation
What I Like
- tension/chemistry
- clear between what were flashbacks and the present
- end of episode 2 they explain what happened in the past and the time gap/why they each reacted how they did makes sense to me (unlike the majority of these types of plots)
- production value
Room For Improvement
- kind of an exposition dump in the first episode, but they didn't have much screen time so I understood why they did that
- too many love rivals (3) in just 6 episodes
- not enough character growth, I needed to see 1 character be real, everything had this fake veneer
- cliche plot point at the end of episode 5
- lack of consequences for some characters "gave me freedom" is NOT how I would describe what happened in high school
Thoughts on Grey Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I'm thinking about.
1. was there a realistic reason why the character/s acted the way they did in the past (yes)
2. were both characters grey or was one squeaky clean (they both had character flaws)
3. was there some kind of apology/amend making (kind of)
4. was there character growth (not really)
5. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (maybe)
Was this review helpful to you?
extremely adorable and sweet - green flag guys
Overall: this is an exemplar of a romance series. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4626/monster-next-door-2024-e01 and WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/album/y1ocjz3bjta0prmContent Warnings: past death, grief, manipulation
What I Liked
- their dynamic was lovely, very considerate of each other
- mutual want and ongoing physical affection
- sweet and caring moments
- respecting boundaries
- good consent
- supportive friends
- supportive mom/grandfather
- characters were fairly intelligent
- funny moments
- the short flashback in ep 2 set up a character's reluctance well
- Almond & Latte cameo from Knock Knock Boys
- how Diew looked at the book Monster Next Door in the library
- good calling out infantilizing a romantic partner
- the drama between the leads was realistic, they both made mistakes
- talked about how introvert/extrovert are not fixed traits, it depends on who you are with/the situation you are in and can be flexible
Room For Improvement
- bad voice over to set up a character
- plot felt a little drawn out in some places
- nonsense stuff: I'm sure those working in the library would notice students doing that and put a stop to it (and then the explanation in ep 12 was cringey), a university class with 3 students
- some choppiness
- continuity errors, complete daytime and then night in what was happening at the same time, messy hair to perfect hair
- not a turtle expert but that cage looked pretty small for that turtle
- a 3rd side couple was teased but we didn't see their relationship development
- the 'did you get your period' line
- 17 minutes of moping in episode 11
- too much drama in episode 12 should have cut it to just 1 issue, the mom having the epiphany from the random mom/daughter when it could have come from talking to grandpa/Diew
- time jump in the finale was not needed and felt they could have had a better ending scene for the 2nd couple
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
promising start that fell apart
Overall: I laughed several times in the first episode but the plot just fell apart as it went on. This is based on a web comic (of which I read the beginning). Aired on Viki and GagaOOLala (SE Asia). Eight episodes total, about 15 minutes each.Content Warnings: manipulation, non con kiss
What I Liked
- the sense of humor and funny moments
- good intro credits
- the female editor was funny and I was okay with the fiancee as well
- that they re-cast the glasses guy and re-shot stuff
Room For Improvement
- they changed something from the web comic and it makes no sense here, why would the assistant make all those demands if he really wanted to work for the artist??? Wouldn't he have zero demands and just agree to whatever working conditions the artist wanted? Why would him acting cold make the artist fall in love with him???
- way too much of the short screen time was spent on the "friend" with glasses (who can't recognize his feelings for 10 years??) speaking of dumb dumbs
- that assistant was super stupid, why didn't he ask the artist what his relationship was with the editor? Even after she was giving them finger hearts and left them alone he thought they were dating????
- in episode 7 the whole confession felt really stiff and the artist was looking in the wrong direction
- bad kissing (aka dead fish lip presses)
- they were dating, since when? the final episode really jumped/skipped around
- I dislike silent simp characters so that letter actually made me mad
- the stereotypical effeminate/trans character at the bar in the beginning (this did not add to the story at all and they could have used that time elsewhere)
Was this review helpful to you?
a coming of age story with 3 protagonists
Overall: the first half of the series had me hooked as a romance/coming of age. However, the addition of a 3rd protagonist and the lack of romantic progression changed the focus of the story which I did not enjoy. I think I read the first volume of the manga a long time ago and I've seen the prior 2017 movie but I'm basing this review on the 2024 series' own merits. 12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4485/i-hear-the-sunspot-2024-e01 and iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/i-hear-the-sunspot-episode-1-2556woqrs6s?lang=en_usContent Warning: punch, grief/mental health struggles
Watch Suggestions (to focus on the m/m leads)
- watch episodes 1-6
- skip episode 7 (can watch the 40s recap the beginning of ep 8)
- start episode 8 at 14 minutes
- start episode 9 at 7 minutes
- in episode 10 skip 19:30- 21:40
- watch episode 11 beginning to 4:20 and 15 to the end
- watch episode 12 at 12 minutes to the end
What I Liked
- dynamic between the leads (in the beginning half, then they needed to communicate)
- acting
- representation with a character who has hearing loss, showing how even people who are trying to be kind can isolate a person
- generally not a fan of extended flashbacks but episode 2 and the beginning of episode 3 gave us critical background information to understanding the characters and I'm glad we had this towards the beginning of the series
- that Taichi sought communication in episodes 2 & 5
- sweet moments like fishing together
- production value (some really gorgeous shots in the beginning episodes that conveyed things by showing like opening the curtains or how the basketball court went dark and empty, also good shots in episode 11)
Room For Improvement
- started the series with a flash forward and also some of the ominous voice overs
- the camera blocked kiss, I don't care if that's how it was in the manga, we are at a different time and place from when the manga was written and I expected a non camera blocked kiss
- Taichi was written to seek communication but then was unbelievably dense and didn't communicate any more
- Maya's backstory was way too late and the way she was written did not evoke empathy, the writers did her character dirty
- too many flashbacks in episode 9
- anti climactic ending, the finale had a protagonist talking with other characters for the entire first half of the finale
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
started with a bang, ended with a whimper
Overall: I was hoping for two flawed and aggressive characters having a lot of consensual BDSM NSFW scenes with eventual character change/growth and...I got none of that. Based on a book which I haven't read. Eight episodes at about 45 minutes. Aired on YouTube (cut), GagaOOLala and iQIYI (uncut).Content Warnings: drugging, attempted sexual assault, non/dub con, death in a flashback, grief, manipulation, blackmail, slap
What I Liked
- that the two main characters were not innocent/angels
- the intro and OST
- I did laugh a couple times with the two bodyguards
- some of the content warnings weren't as bad as I feared (from watching the trailer)
- color symbolism (one character frequently wears red and the other wears green)
- good discussion about marriage equality
- a f/f couple though they didn't have much screen time
- production value*
Room For Improvement
- I heard the novel was 90% nsfw and 10% plot and I honestly would have liked it better if they had kept it that way because the plot they created was cliched and boring
- the BDSM aspect oddly vanished
- the NSFW scenes were mainly flashbacks/short
- multiple dead fish lip kisses
- awful communication skills
- their relationship dynamic kept shifting rapidly for no reason
- the flash forward start was a bit confusing, I'd rather they had shown a flashback from a year ago to set up why they hated each other so much, they kind of explained it later on but not really
- confusing things, they seemed to spend too much time in some parts (like the interviews) but then went too fast/didn't properly explain other things (going from bedroom to the bar, are they on the same level???)
- unrealistic stuff: a super rich person has two incompetent bodyguards, keeping your supplies like that, not stepping on broken glass all over the floor, seems like it took too long for what they ingested to take effect
- them getting frisky with two women and pursuing a woman makes this feel like a "gay for you" trope is around the corner, would have liked if at least one, preferably both had been with other guys
- comedy sound effects
- *bad camera angles
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Confusing/Boring Solution (interesting premise let down by poor writing/editing)
Overall: although episode 6 finally explained things, they ruined Ryou/Mai. It could have been a masterpiece with solid writing but I regret watching this. Aired uncut on GagaOOLala (1st episode was 1hr11min), cut on YouTube PTG Entertainment channel (1st episode was 45min). September 2024 they released the uncut version on their YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLwO0HIPrzVqg8pOveOEbzGzubh0XVs7D&si=YWn1lSeK9Yv-oWbn I watched the uncut version.Important Plot Points to Know
- the very first scene is a flashback, there are flashbacks several times but they don't indicate they are flashbacks, the woman in the flashback is a character in the present
- the sandwich dude is playing two characters, himself in the present and his dad in the past
- the world building is explained in the final episode
Content Warnings: non con touching/attempted rape, punch, bullying, manhandling, non con turned consensual, slap, manipulation
What I Liked
- an established couple with realistic relationship issues
- decent solo NSFW scene (only in uncut version)
- camerawork where everyone else moves at a faster speed but the main character doesn't, to show how he's stuck
- the high school storyline up until the 2nd half of episode 5
Room For Improvement
- the way it started was confusing (note, this is a flashback)
- scenes jump with no explanation of how a character got there/when, for example, when/why/how did he get that business card? they never show the one guy being locked in the locker room? (explained in ep 6) why does Patis get a key from that nurse? why didn't they actually show the wish asking scenes in more detail (explained in ep 6)
- they needed to do more world building/hints prior to episode 6, they should not have included that grocery store scene
- episode 6 ruined Mai/Ryou, Mai should have stopped right away, also Ryou's wish was so awful, so we don't even know if the love was real or just because of the wish
- I don't want Thana and Patis together for many reasons
- I'm not sold on that level of tame kissing with an established couple and then how Patis is reluctant many times
- stupid wishes, why ask for a job when you can ask for a trillion dollars???
- cliche female character
- the pink transition effect was distracting
- open ending
- confused why they age restricted their youtube episode themselves as the cut version doesn't have anything in it that warrants being age restricted
- episodes are odd/out of order on their youtube channel
Was this review helpful to you?
one of the best m/m couples of all time, watch this!!!
Overall: it's important to know that this is a Thai lakorn i.e. soap opera. So there is a lot of family drama, exaggerated acting and a bunch of content warnings. It has one of the best m/m couples with amazing chemistry and my main complaint is we didn't get more screen time with them. I could write essays on several of the main characters because they had reasons for what they did even if I didn't agree with their actions. Watched on One31's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXopbKxiivxpBd7rbwDldPMmtdoclonyk updated 2024: Jam & Film were leads again in "Laws of Attraction" however, they stated that they would not be romantic leads together againContent Warnings: multiple murders, attempted murder, homophobia, slaps/beaten up/violence, blood, corporal punishment, manipulation, drugging, kidnapping, self harm, suicidal ideation, unwanted outing, and there is a maaajjjjor content warning towards the beginning of episode 1 that is a spoiler and I listed it in the comments
What I Liked
- the half brothers' relationship is my favorite fictional sibling relationship of all time (10/10)
- the m/m couple is one of my all time favorite m/m couples, they have amazing chemistry (10/10)
- there is some really great communication and misunderstandings don't drag on forever
- one of the only times where a character (Jiu) makes a promise and works extremely hard to keep that promise
- the women have major agency, I didn't always agree with their actions but they got sh*t done
- Pin could have been a stereotypical passive female character but was not, and I really enjoyed her character
- the martial arts/fighting scenes were fun to watch
- clear on when the series takes place (starts in 1931 and then a 12 year time jump so 1943); also enjoyed the historical setting
- understandable actions for most of the villains
- Tian dad's character arc
Room For Improvement
- the m/m romance needed waaayyy more screen time (they get only about 5 to 15 minutes per episode out of 1hr+)
- the initial drama dragged on too long, I was hoping for more plot twists and drama to pop up, it really improved at episode 7
- the exaggerated acting from some of the characters was not my thing, it got better towards the end
- the screaming from multiple characters
- lower budget, like with that cgi and the magical glitter
- unrealistic (talking during the major content warning, how a wild animal would behave), I didn't really deduct that much for unrealistic stuff because it's kind of part of the soap opera genre
Was this review helpful to you?
enjoyable content (update watch it on Shortime)
Overall: this was a well done short series, I was frustrated that it took 13 days on TopReels but later it was picked up on ShortTime and would take 5 days to watch. Aired 64 episodes less than 2 minutes each. I originally watched episodes 1-5 on the TopReels YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9f1q9tF6gKx3gxFXFjxdfmSZtHIlrWDa&si=JmwUArr3ARBWhrBh (they also have episodes 6-9) and then the rest on the TopReels app https://topreels.com/Content Warnings: non con picture taking/posting, stalking, blackmail, manipulation
What I Liked
- clear premise
- sweet moments
- mystery aspect
- production value (thought they framed things well for the vertical format)
Room For Improvement
- the addition of the (realistic) drama was good but too much time was spent on it, wanted more with the leads
- episode lengths were just too short for a drama, wish they released longer combined episodes or even a 2 hour movie version
- no or not enough consequences for two characters
- Siwoo had an odd lack of reaction to learning something about Doyun, wanted them to have even a short conversation about it
TopReels Different Watch Options/Costs (as of April 2024), bonus check in/7 ads reset every day at noon EDT
All - watch the first 0-5 on YouTube or app which are free (can watch 6-9 on YouTube but will have to re-watch 7, 8 and 9 because you can't skip to certain episodes in the app). All paid episodes 7-64 cost 2900 coins in total.
1. $24.99USD - buy the 2500 coin and 1000 bonus, if the bonus isn't all given at time of purchase, you will need to watch a few ads or watch over 2 days
2. (1-3 days) $21.99USD - buy the 4400 weekly pass (2000 coins immediately and then 2400 with daily logins) to watch episodes 7-64, will either need to watch a few ads or watch over 3 days
3. (6 days) $7.49USD - watch episodes 7-16 for free with ads, do the bonus check in and watch the bonus ads to give you episodes 17-19 (then need 2300 coins), Day 2 do the bonus check in/ads 20-23, Day 3 same thing 24-27, Day 4 28-31, Day 5 32-35, Day 6 check in/watch 4 ads then watch episode 36, 37 then buy $7.49USD first time recharge to get 700 coins and 700 bonus to watch all the way to the end
4. (13 days) Totally free option will take you about 13 days to watch all 64 episodes, need to do the daily check in (unfortunately resets back to 10 after day 7) and the 7 daily ads every day, on the last day you need to check in and watch 2 ads in order to get enough coins to watch the final episode (assuming you've done the check in/ads every single day previously)
App Pros
- there is a totally free option, it just takes longer
- didn't need to create a login, remembered where I left off
- episodes remain unlocked once you have unlocked them so you can re-watch episodes
- episodes will auto-unlock/play once you have enough coins
App Cons
- the daily check in bonus resets after day 7, should keep it at 50 coins after day 7
- the 7 free daily ads and check in bonus were not enough, people should be able to earn at least 6 (I'd say 10) episodes each day since the episodes are so short
- you can't skip to certain episodes, must watch all episodes in order the first time
- have to wait 30 seconds in between the 7 daily ads
- it was a bit buggy, I closed the app a few times and re-opened it which seemed to fix the "ads not loaded" message
Was this review helpful to you?
a thriller/horror turned into an examination of how awful people can be
Overall: I struggled with how to rate this as there were parts that really worked for me and others that didn't. I was also disappointed but not surprised when some viewers victim blamed the character Non. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI. Production company is Be On Cloud which also produced KinnPorsche.Content Warnings: murders/death, blood/gore, decapitation, animal death, vomiting, bullying, manipulation, coercion, mental health struggles, suicides, attempted suicide, parental abuse, beaten up, grooming, teacher/student, non con sex, non con recording/sharing, cyberbullying, drugging
Thoughts on Victim Blaming Non
- consent is multifaceted, one part is non-coerced and Non was definitely coerced, he was groomed by someone he had respected and felt he owed that person, Non did not deserve the terrible things that happened to him
- for people who said "why didn't he just switch schools", we don't know the cost/transportation difficulty with doing that, also I think Non was an abuse cycle with the friend group, Jin was the little bit of sweetness that made Non hope for things to get better and then when they were terrible it was difficult to break free, viewers also forgot that Non had been lied to/manipulated and believed the first thing was his fault and that he was mainly responsible for all of the awfulness happening to him (update in episode 11 around 7 minutes Non says "if you didn't see me as a friend I could have moved to another school" which confirms for me that Non would have left if all of them had been terrible all the time but Non had glimpses of kindness an that kept him at his current school)
Watch Notes
- if you like horror/thriller (and don't want to see a ton of bullying/people being awful), watch episodes 1-4, then watch the beginning recaps of episodes 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 which are all flashback, watch episode 10 thru the end
- if you like sweetness, watch the first 5 minutes of episode 7 and watch episode 11 33-41:25
- if you like spiciness, watch the scene at 26 minutes of episode 9
What I Liked
- mystery aspect
- the NSFW/intimate scenes in the first episode and episode 9 were well done
- character actions sometimes felt realistic
- that they talk about not splitting up like in a horror movie
- sweet moments beginning of episode 7
- fleshing some characters' backstories out
- flawed characters
Room For Improvement
- slowly paced for being a thriller, flashback episodes 5-9 provided important context but they also interrupted the thrilling part of the series, they could have condensed them or interspersed with the thriller part in the present
- there were 9 main characters and it took me quite some time to figure out who they all were and their relationships to one another
- Jin got off the hook way too easy for something absolutely terrible that he did, it felt unrealistic and was disappointing
- episode 10 was an exposition dump/reveal with some scenes (wandering around the woods) that dragged
- one character did not deserve what he got (wish there had been some kind of twist with this character)
- ending felt rushed and too much fantasy (no way would hallucinations have been exactly like that), wanted more/different twists and then the 31 minutes onward didn't work for me
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I loved the second couple
Overall: I absolutely adored Ai Di and ended up enjoying their dynamic/story more. Aired 13 episodes about 25 minutes each on iQIYI, GagaOOLala (not in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, or SEA), Viki & WeTV. Later aired on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk2gvyPpHLRfpyBmdMhePR2ntRNk3GqGs&si=hjJj5M5ZwqmJN7Rm Watch the post credit scene in episode 13.Content Warnings: murder, attempted murder, blood, violence, past parental abuse, trauma, non con kiss, dub con sex*, blackmail, manhandling, held against will, 17 year old/22-25? year old** (also teacher/student), stalking, manipulation
What I Liked
- more unique premise
- clear timeline (first scene starts in the present then the rest is 4 years before)
- sweet/caring moments
- styling, especially Ai Di
- secondary couple's dynamic
- cameos of HIStory actors, Be Loved In House actors and Plus & Minus actors
- Bai Zong Yi's family, and liked how they knew about most things regarding his decision/actions
- intimacy/nsfw
Room For Improvement
- overall it felt rushed, this covered a long time span but didn't feel that long, they could have removed some parts like the cliche wannabe girlfriend and spent that time explaining things more/showing time passing
- the ending felt especially rushed with cliche plot points tossed in and one plot point left open ended
- comedy sound effects in the beginning didn't fit with the very serious scenes/tone
- villain should have been smoking a cigarette not sucking on a lollipop (it's explained in episode 9 which was too late for me)
- evil wannabe girlfriend cliche
- I got pretty lost with the the gang plot stuff but I also fast forwarded a bit
- not a fan of manipulation/stupid "plan" between romantic partners
- *with the main couple, one was super drunk/on sleeping pills but it was the fictional scenario where he was an active participant and then seemed sober
- **I really wanted them to have aged up Bai Zong Yi but it actually was important to the plot that he was 17 and I do think 17 year olds can be mature enough to enter into relationships with those over the age of 18 so in this instance it didn't bother me and I didn't take off points, though they could have removed the teacher/student element
Was this review helpful to you?
Pluses and Minuses
Overall: I enjoyed how we had working adults (I think these are the first lawyer characters that I've seen). Unfortunately a very cliche plot point towards the end was unnecessary and disappointing but the numerous cameos (especially the enjoyable final episode) knocked my score up to 8.5. Watched on Gagaolala/Viki.Content Warnings: 2 slaps (kind of acting), fight scene
What I Liked
- the opposite personalities, Fu is more serious and careful, Zheng is more goofy/player and carefree (but I did like that they showed he isn't always super happy go lucky because in real life even really positive people have times when they are sad/angry)
- that they have less common drama jobs (lawyers, laundromat owner, bartender)
- how Zheng apologized to his dad
- the acting, especially you can see how Fu is conflicted and not sure what to think/react
- good production value
- episode 12 moved quickly but was great
- the daughter did a good job and the story she read in episode 12 was adorable
Room For Improvement
- that the sister was recording them
- the cliche of forgetting doing a certain something when drunk
- the cliche plot point at the end especially after Fu talked to Zheng about never doing that (and what terrible timing too)
- the female bartender's cliche plot point
- sometimes the pacing was too slow
- the side couple didn't really hook me, I didn't like the aggressive pursuit/attraction for virtually no reason
- some nonsense things, like tons of lights when camping, lounging around at home in suits
Was this review helpful to you?
slice of life done well
Overall: this is a slice of life series set in 2005/6 and follows the characters from age 16-18. The writer is the same writer as Addicted (and the book it's based on). The plot/characters are extremely similar but I'm going to rate this on its own and not as compare/contrast. 24 episodes 30 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala & Viki.BL, Censored BL or Bromance? the answer becomes more and more apparent as the series goes on, I really hope that "lip balm" was brand new lmao
Content Warnings: past murder, attempted murder, attempted rape, sexual assault, torture, mutual bullying/pranks, violence/fights/beaten up/punches, blood, manipulation, intimate partner violence, side couple under 18 and over 18, non con picture taking/posting/cyberbullying
What I Liked
- clear characters/motivations (and showed realistically why characters' feelings towards one another changed, showed why the cousin made the decision that he did)
- showed why Wu Bi was immediately interested
- Wu Bi was impulsive/hot tempered but he did apologize for his actions (later in the series he says that he acts tough but is soft hearted which is true)
- sweet moments
- some funny moments
- happy Wu Bi did that to his uncle
- episode 3 fight scene was not realistic but it was super fun
- Wu Bi and Su Yu clearly communicated at the end of episode 4 and several times during the series
- production value (some really beautiful use of light and reflections)
Room For Improvement
- should have taken out that whole bizarre doctor playing/injuring thing with the kids in episode 4
- nonsense things: could have given the thugs a reason to target Su Yu (like his dad owed them money), also no one called the police with a group of thugs running with weapons in broad daylight? the guards just walked behind Wu Bi, how did Wu Bi know it was that 1 guard out of all the guards
- I disagree with Su Yu's dad, not all parents love their children and even when they love them, if they are awful people then the children do not owe them love in return
- the dubbing, especially with that Taiwanese character
- not a fan of the song with the little girl singing
- the series covers 2 years and it felt a bit choppy at times/more like vignettes
- the green screen at the beach
- although I understand the ending is true to the book, a second season is definitely not guaranteed and that's not a good way to end a series (maybe they could have made a short special episode in case season 2 didn't get made or something)
Was this review helpful to you?
please give us a season 2 of this fun romcom
Overall: what a fun comedy with a supernatural element. Need a season two with a bunch of fluff and to show us in detail their kinky side which was hinted at several times. 10 episodes total 20 minutes each. Watch the extra scene after the initial credits of episode 10. Aired on GagaOOLala & Viki.Content Warnings: stalking and mutual pranks, dub/non con kiss, non con picture taking/posting, vomiting
What I Liked
- funny moments (was the sustainable on their basketball jerseys on purpose or no lol, the fighting over the remote, potato chip eating, etc)
- sweet and caring moments
- their dynamic (mutual enemies to lovers) and eventual chemistry
- world building was understandable
- sibling dynamics (except she shouldn't have lied to her brother later)
- end of ep 1, I screamed
- how they have fights but communicate/make up relatively quickly
- cameo of Anti Reset couple
- ongoing physical affection, good kissing
- a favorite line in ep 9 "I am responsible for my own choices"
- that Jiang Chi doesn't want to do things with Bu Xia when he's drunk
- production value
Room For Improvement
- too long of an intro in ep 1
- the whole campus taking/posting their photos/shipping them was not for me
- the group chat of asking who is top and bottom in their relationship
- ep 9 was choppy at times, why not show us what happened in the shower?
- ep 9 gross kissing after what happened (brush teeth first please)
- the writers kind of threw everything but the kitchen sink in episode 10 including an overused cliche, however the chemistry survived
- Jiang Chi should have taken his own advice about the importance of communication (lying by omission is still lying)
- not clear if Jiang Chi actually did what the sister hinted at or not
Was this review helpful to you?
a unique masterpiece - brace for emotional damage
Overall: a vibrant glimpse into the ups and downs of teen love. 7 episodes about 55 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/kknyn3lik4?lang=en_us&sh_pltf=4Content Warnings: dub con kissing, non con video posting
What I Liked
- how a character's house looked like a typical house inside, and outside felt realistic
- being aware of a crush but not directly acting on it, the push and pull dynamic
- appreciated that instead of an exposition dump, the writer/s found a natural way to tell us what grade a main character was in
- the nail art was a clever way to show time passing (nail art growing out)
- the shifting viewpoints (some episodes were told from different characters' perspectives but they didn't re-hash plot that we've seen)
- good kissing
- happy that Bua decided to not change his looks for another person
- production value (cinematography, music)
Room For Improvement
- the very beginning made me think that it was filmed during lockdowns
- that bathroom shot in ep 1 was a choice
- though being on phones/social media a ton was realistic, I needed more face to face conversations in some of the episodes, it also dragged the plot at times
- did not feel as if 2 years had passed
- I wish it had been a bit more clear with two characters at the end
Was this review helpful to you?
