BL Compilations

First Impression: Hold on, Harutora-kun

Overall: I can see my final rating going in either direction depending on the writing. 10? (10 is the MDL placeholder) episodes about 24 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/8571/hold-on-harutora-kun-2026-e01 (not in Japan or Korea) ; Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/41670c-hold-on-harutora-kun and TVer (Japan)

Content Warnings: past & present homophobia, dub/non con kiss

What I Liked
- caring MLs*
- easy to understand premise
- realistic how smiles can hide pain

Room For Improvement
- not happy with what a ML did at the end of episode 1 since he could see that the other ML was dealing with some stuff

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historical, lakorn style romance

Overall: hope to see the leads again in another series. 11 episodes about 50 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/7908/the-edge-of-horizon-2026-e01

Content Warnings: classism, violence, blood, deaths/murders, manipulation, homophobia, vomiting, dub/non con kissing (character was drunk), kicks, manhandling, non con kiss turned consensual, punches, beaten up, attempted murders, deaths/murders

Watch Suggestions (to take out most content warnings and focus on the m/m relationship)
- episode 1 watch beginning-11, 14:35-end
- episode 2 watch 5-10, 17-23, 39:30-45:20
- skip episode 3
- episode 4 watch 16:45-17:20, 21-28:45, 34-39:20
- episode 5 watch 7:30-9:40, 36-40
- episode 6 watch 9-28:45, 32:50-37:20, 41:30-end
- episode 7 watch 7:30-11:50, 25-30:25, 38:45-40:05
- episode 8 watch 38:30-40:30
- episode 9 watch 58:35-1hr7
- episode 10 watch 14:40-21:30
- episode 11 watch 1hr4min-1hr8min and 1hr13mn45-end (can watch in between for resolution with his dad and brother)

What I Liked
- historical setting, 1914 and then later
- chemistry, sweet moments
- the grandma
- supportive women
- the ending

Room For Improvement
- there was overacting though I'm sure that was what the director wanted
- the drunk kiss and then the non con kiss after the time jump
- the first long time skip
- comedy sound effects
- the dad and brother should have been the only ones apologizing at the end

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First Impression: The Missing Piece

Overall: a character will need to have a fantastic redemption arc. Based on the book The Missing Piece (貌合神离) by Kun Yi Wei Lou (困倚危楼). I have not read the source material and am reviewing the series on its own merits. 15 episodes about 35 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/9032/the-missing-piece-2026-e01 ; YouTube https://www.youtube.com/show/VLPLGOvxXmhie_0?sbp=KgtpYW1QbUdFU1R5Y0AB ; Heavenly (S. Korea) & more.

Content Warnings: several, I'm keeping this spoiler free for now

What I Liked
- visuals
- got right into things at the start
- sister is nice

Room For Improvement
- confusing, a series should not expect all views to have read the source material
- a character will need to have a well done redemption arc because right now he's abusive
- likely there was a stupid "plan"

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First Impression: Gelboys season 2

Overall: I wasn't into the first episode as much as I had hoped to be, but I'm giving this the benefit of the doubt. 8 episodes about 1 hour each. Airing on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/gelboys-2-episode-1-1ax2cmfaea8?lang=en_us

What I Liked
- styling
- sniff/cheek kisses/sweet moments
- the first recap*

Room For Improvement
- *I did not need that much screentime to be recap
- a bit confused with time jumps in the beginning
- I like apologies but the apology tour was too much for all at the same time in episode 1
- not into what the 2054 characters revealed

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strong start that fizzled (watch suggestions)

Overall: I rated this higher until the end of episode 4, where the plot then circled with way too much poor communication. 12 episodes about 24 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/7994/my-summer-of-you-2026-e01 (not available in: Japan, Korea, Taiwan orThailand)

Content Warning: punch

Watch Suggestions (if you aren't a fan of the poor communication trope)
- watch episodes 1-3
- stop episode 4 at 11 min
- watch episode 12 17min-end

What I Liked
- the characters felt realistic, the less popular guy wasn't a caricature
- made fun of the car beep and how it was like a movie in episode 1
- communication at the end of episode 1
- supportive friends

Room For Improvement
- not a fan of the flash forward montage intro
- annoying how the classmate wouldn't take no for an answer
- way too much poor communication, the plot did not need to be 12 episodes
- episode 11 with the 3rd and 4th wheels though I appreciated their support
- dead fish lip presses

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can start at episode 5

Overall: there's nothing terrible, yet nothing really draws me. I suggest starting at episode 5 if you're not hooked in the first episode. I watched the Thai Your Sky series, but am reviewing this series based on its own merits. 9 episodes about 25 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/8455/your-sky-hare-nochi-koi-2026 (not in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Korea) and TVer (Japan).

Content Warnings: drugging?, non con touching, punches

What I Liked
- easy to understand premise
- visuals
- his family

Room For Improvement
- the pacing was slow, you can start at episode 5, watch the montage and be up to speed on their relationship
- love rivals (at least she was fine once everything was clearly explained)

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historical series with a heart (watch suggestions)

Overall: a character's conversation with her dad put this into an 8.5 rating. 8 episodes about 24 minutes each. Aired on Final Draft Creation YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKKpOS7I2FuuT-WpSyl4LwS9KS2SmTO6A (the playlist was missing 2 episodes but they were available on their channel)

Content Warnings: violence, death, grief, homophobia, sexism, coercion

Watch Suggestions (to cut out content warnings and love rivals)
- watch episode 1
- skip episode 2 parts 2 and 3
- start ep 3 part 1 at 5 min, watch parts 2 and 3
- skip episode 4
- skip episode 5 part 1, watch episode 5 part 2, stop part 3 at 5:45
- watch episode 6 part 1 1:05 to 2:05, skip part 2, watch part 3 beginning to 2:05 and 5:05-end
- watch episode 7 part 1, stop part 2 at 2:40, skip part 3
- skip episode 8 parts 1 and 2, watch part 3

What I Liked
- antagonists had their reasons and a woman's conversation with her dad that it was his and society's fault was stellar
- costumes
- historical setting
- learned about Khon
- realistic ending in the past (see the spoiler comment)

Room For Improvement
- no clear distinction between present and past (think it happened at 3:45 in part 1), it was more clear to me with later time jumps
- love rivals (though I appreciated how they weren't cookie cutter and had reasons for their actions)
- wish the present day was less of an open ending

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better than the first season

Overall: I liked the second season more than the first, but wish they had had more screen time together https://kisskh.at/profile/blcompilations/review/380647 - 10 episodes about 24 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6153/cosmetic-playlover-2024-s02e01 (not available in Japan or Korea)

Watch Suggestions (to focus more on the couple's relationship)
- watch episode 1
- episode 2 watch 8-9:40, 15:30-23:20
- skip 3 and 4
- episode 5 watch 17:45-end
- episode 6 watch beginning -3:45, 6:30-10:40 and 19-20:50
- watch episode 7
- episode 8 watch beginning-6:15, 15.40-18.30
- episode 9 watch 23:10-end
- watch episode 10

What I Liked
- kiss was realistic for an established couple (ie no dead fish lip press) in episode 1, (there was an odd lack of hands though in the finale)
- sweet and caring moments
- episode 7
- avoided a cliche (they actually communicated with each other in episode 2) and I was happy with the ending

Room For Improvement
- neutral on interspersed flashbacks from season 1
- love rival
- hanging out with the dad when he knew his boyfriend didn't want him to

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First Impression: Fourever You Part 2

Overall: 3 separate stories 8 episodes each. It doesn't seem that viewers need to have watched season/part 1 to understand this season/part. Episode 1 uncut on WeTV was 54 minutes https://wetv.vip/en/play/pzk4qf2zu5td6gr/i4101vqq2o6-EP01%3A_Fourever_You_Part_2_(Uncut_Ver.) and cut on WeTV was 47 minutes https://wetv.vip/en/play/4uq2ihehg6vxvbl/l4101vmnija-EP01A%3A_Fourever_You_Part_2 (I could not tell what was cut in episode 1). Wish they aired 2 episodes each week.

1st Arc - Phoon & Fah (dynamic: childhood friends, separated and then reunited)
Content Warnings: a major one that happened in the past, I'm keeping this review spoiler free for now, episode 1 start at 31 minutes uncut to skip most of the warnings
I can tell this will be a heavier plot and I'm wondering why there was no contact for 4? years. Enjoyed the first episode

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okay vertical series

Overall: it was a confusing/slow start and the plot never grabbed me. Could start this at the eps 61-68 compilation. Aired 77 short (couple minute) episodes on the VBL Series YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsvZaVybjXZcytdex6AFISdzKixXOTguq

Content Warning: manhandling, non con kiss

What I Liked
- the leads from Fight For You (they had good chemistry)
- visuals

Room For Improvement
- the first 7 episodes didn't hook me (it was a flashback to a movie they filmed, not a good way to start)
- the plot never grabbed me
- side couple had past poor communication trope

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want to see the actors in something else

Overall: what happened in episode 4 (YouTube version) made a future romance not work between them. Airing on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhRSqpTQ1MD2qGC-AiqP7ti9QIz9p_2pb&si=LcSE08aSkSEDjH-W

Content Warnings: kidnapping/held against will, violence, near murder, past attempted suicide, blood, manipulation, rape shown (in episode 4), kidnapping, choking, attempted murders, suicide shown

What I Liked
- the one actor played the twin brothers well (in that they seemed like different people)

Room For Improvement
- I was hoping we'd see some major character growth with the leads but the rape in episode 4 sank any desire for them to be in a romantic relationship with each other (and then it happened again!)
- a character could have easily gone on social media to see what the other character was saying was true
- power of love woke someone from a coma
- a character refused to forgive the other character but instantly forgave his brother

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First Impression: Be My Player Two (uncut version)

Overall: the humor was hit or miss, giving it the benefit of the doubt. 10 episodes about 45 minutes each. Episode 1 was 48 minutes. Airing on WeTV uncut https://wetv.vip/en/play/xi5rkwzl3ytaphi/s4102vq3tsf-EP01%3A_Be_My_Player_Two_(Uncut_ver.) and cut version https://wetv.vip/en/play/h744e3d4hzqgs3r/c4102dqtj4b-EP01%3A_Be_My_Player_Two (episode 1 cut version was about 5 minutes shorter than the uncut version)

Watch Suggestions: if the humor doesn't work for you, you can start at episode 5 to focus more on romance, skip episode 9 except for 35-39:50 and start episode 10 at 28 minutes

Content Warning: in game violence, punch, scary images episode 6 from 7:30-8:45 (characters were watching a scary movie)

What I Liked
- their dynamic/opposites attract
- caring moments
- fairly forthright character
- I did laugh a few times
- supportive friends

Room For Improvement
- not all of the humor/style worked for me, one character had a very exaggerated style
- in episode 5 he could have cleared things up in the room, he didn't have to do the whole "I can explain" and didn't explain thing
- side couple did not work for me, did not feel chemistry and one character said for the other guy to not jump to conclusions but in the past and present he admitted to doing a crappy thing for a non-reason?!! and the other guy was suddenly completely fine with that???

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