dodoubleg1785

People are too literal

Nothing about the series was amazing or groundbreaking. The acting was okay and the storyline was somewhat unique but not overly new. It follows a very basic BL formula, complete with eye candy, mediocre kissing and an ex plot thrown in as a "oh, by the way, this happened" afterthought.

But was it a decent watch? Yeah, actually. I think it deserves more than 5.8 (as it sits currently on the overall rating.)

It seems like everyone's big gripe with it is the lack of cats since cat is right in the title. Really? That's what we're going to go by? And also, the language difference *was* actually addressed... like, a lot. They didn't just have Mew speak Thai and everyone else speaking Korean without mentioning it, as other cross-country series have done.

Also, I wish there were more reviews that gave a head's up about the dog having to be euthanized. Yes, it made sense in the storyline why it needed to happen and it was a peak growing point for Mew's character. But as an animal lover, knowing it was going to happen would have been nice to be able to prepare myself.

There was also a good point to be made about illegal breeding and buying puppies from puppy mills/farms. Seriously, don't do it. It's horrific.

While I would have thought there'd be more dogs at a dog cafe, I understand it's probably not a common thing to have trained dogs in show-biz, especially on a low budget, which this seemed to be. In that regard, I can forgive a few things and not let it take away from the overall idea of the plot.

I thought the length of the series fit really well as I'm not sure if I'd have rated this as high as I have with a longer series. I could see them either putting in ridiculous side plots or unnecessary filler with anything longer and that would definitely change my view on the quality of the production. I think they did just fine with what they had and thought the progression felt pretty natural, overall.

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a quick, no-brain-required watch. Again, it's not spectacular but I'm glad I gave it a try, despite the low rating and all the hate in the comments. I came across this as I was in-between longer, more intense series and figured I needed a quick palate cleanser. I would say it was mission accomplished and I can now move on to the next more involved series.

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Desperately needed some polishing up

This series was hard to watch because there were times it was engaging and interesting, showing promise of a decent series. And then the next moment, there's something happens that is so incredibly random that make me think I missed something or that they were trying to make it suddenly exciting all too quickly without context or preamble. Many things were done without reason or, really, we don't get a reason right away or even in the near future.. more like an afterthought like "Oh, that's why this person acted this way" kind of thing. And these questionable actions are done by people we are later supposed to root for to be happy? I don't really buy it.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Let's first talk about the couple of Him and Nail. It started off interesting and looks like a random hookup from a night of clubbing after a broken heart. Then we get a glimpse of Him having an ulterior reason for chasing Nail other than initial interest and lust. Nail was a great character in my opinion... shy at times but super flirty and hella sexy when he turn on the sass. That in itself would have been a good enough storyline for these two as they worked things out. Him would find himself falling in love again and realize it had nothing to do with the fact Nail resembled Blue and Him was not trying to replace his dead lover with a replica model. Nail would move on from his broken heart and find a new love in an unexpected place.

And then they added all the rest of the characters and intertwining storylines and shtuff hit the fan.

The side couple was okay enough but again suffered from being in the middle of everything else going on around them and interlaced storylines. Pie was a former lover of Him's cousin, who he simultaneously had beef with though we really never know why.

Actually, it seemed like everyone had it out for Him, who was also grieving the loss of his lover. Te wanted to destroy his life just because Him and Blue had relationship issues? Their dry spell was the least of what Blue was going through but Te acted as if Him was the sole reason behind it. Seems to me like Blue had no actual friends or family he could talk to and didn't try to seek help. So Te's solution is to hurt both Nail and Him. And then we're supposed to believe he feels bad about it and moved on to this random Peach guy who shows up out of nowhere? (If you're dizzy reading this, trust me, watching it unfold will not be any easier.)

The best friends at the school probably made the most sense throughout the whole thing. And, I know a lot of people say the "mean girls group" was so unnecessary and ridiculous - which is kinda true - but I will say this... I really like that they weren't actually "mean girls." I like that the show depicted that the popular pretty girl clique could still be supportive and root for their friends. They were ready to fight the pretty boys because Nail was hurting and I can't help but give major props and respect for that. Sure, they were kinda OTT and unnecessary but they weren't the typical villain type a lot of these roles are. Even the one friend ended up with one of them which is usually unheard of unless it's something like Hana Yori Dango.

So would I recommend this series? I mean... I never say "don't watch this" but this one really was rough. Instead of suggesting to steer clear, I'll just say keep what I've said above in mind and be prepared for not everything to make sense. There's some decent NC scenes, if that helps. And Nail being a subtle sassy queen is amazing.

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Such great acting from the main cast

After seeing a lot of the different adaptations of the F4/Boys Over Flowers story over the years, I couldn't help watching this while comparing them to the others. This version held its own and I think it captured the key points without putting too much filler into it while simultaneously including some side stories that I don't recall being in any of the other versions. (It's been a long time since I watched the older versions so maybe they were there and I don't remember them.)

Right off the bat, I really liked Bright's portrayal of Thyme. (All of the F4 guys were phenomenal but Bright in particular.) I thought the series did a good job at showing Thyme's personal growth and change over the course of the episodes, especially showcasing just how far he had come when he reverted back to his old self after losing his memory. Bright did a great job showing the many complicated sides to Thyme and how different he acted around different people.

Kavin and MJ reminded me so much of their Taiwanese counterparts in the 2001 Meteor Garden adaptation. Like, at times, I felt like I was literally watching Vanness Wu and Ken Chu. They even had the same basic look which, yeah, it makes sense since it's the same character. But it was just so bang on that I could immediately tell who was who when the series started.

I was kind of hoping they would have gone further into Kavin and Kaning's relationship (I guess I'm so used to series having multiple couples now) but I understand why it was left the way it was since that's how it was in the original manga. Their story was kind of left open ended.

For a series that I knew what was going to happen and what it was about, I wasn't prepared to be so invested or emotional about it. Especially the rage I felt over the bullying. The series is literally based around bullying but it's still so frustrating to watch which I guess means they did a great job at showing it. I did like how they included the bit about them going to all their victims and apologizing and, even though it was like a montage with narration over it, you can still see how the victims could finally let go of it, even if it doesn't fix what happened. Sometimes, that's all they need.

This was also a better showcase of how kids mimic their parents' behavior and the effects it can have on their life early if they don't recognize it themselves and change before it's too late. Thyme was on a fast track to being as cold and heartless as his mother and, while he wanted to please her, he didn't take a moment to step back and realize she had zero love around her and that was how he'd end up in the end. On the other side of the spectrum, you have Gorya who has basically nothing but love and yet she's happy and has healthy relationships with her close friends and her family. From one extreme to the next, they needed to find a middle ground which came at the end of a long and bumpy road.

I don't know if I could watch this again, seeing how frustrating the overall plot is. But I did enjoy it and I think it's a great addition to the Boys Over Flowers catalog. I would recommend it but just keep in mind, it's not for the faint of heart or if you want a light and fluffy romance. The characters are flawed and sometimes have to learn the hard way from their mistakes. But it makes the ending that much more satisfying, in my opinion.

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I was NOT expecting that..

When I saw that this was going to be a high school drama with relatively new actors as leads, I was preparing myself for an awkward, juvenile story with mediocre acting and entertainment value at best.

But what I got couldn't have been further from that. Honestly, I'm glad I binged it because I would have hated waiting each week for the next episode, for sure. It was just that good and I needed to know what happened next after each episode.

In that respect, the story never lost momentum and interesting happenings to hold my interest as many series do. Or, rather, it didn't have a lot of random storylines coming in and out of nowhere to mess with the couple and the entire series flowed seamlessly from start to finish.

At the very beginning, I was a little worried that I wasn't going to like Moo's character because he came off as a whiny brat who was going to hate his mother for trying to do right by him. But it soon became evident that he was going to have an arc of self growth after he had his ego knocked down a few pegs by realizing he really did not know how to do anything for himself. I was also a bit concerned that his high energy, Golden retriever nature was going to become annoying. But Keen did a fantastic job of keeping it endearing instead of distracting and I feel like whenever he was on screen, it was very hard to look at anyone else. It almost made Sea look stiff next to him but I feel like a huge part of that was due to the character as Kang was supposed to be this gruff, bad-mouthed guy that people mostly stayed away from except when he was working.

The supporting cast was just as entertaining and I feel like any and every character who had lines was important in some way at one point or another. The side couple was fine for the most part but they did ruin the shows track record for having THE BEST communication in any series I've ever seen before.

This was a drama done right in regards to showing you don't need miscommunication or misunderstandings to create tension or problems for the couple. You also do not need a villain in every story as life in general throws enough punches to mess with relationships, as seen perfectly well here.

I feel like the writers were playing with the idea of making Shone into a bad guy but honestly, I see no real issue with what he did. Throughout that whole scene in the hospital, I got the vibes that he didn't really think he had a chance with Kang, but more like he was defending himself from Moo's verbal attack. After all, Moo and Kang had already been apart for a year yet Moo made it clear he felt entitled to claim ownership of Kang, even though the guy had ghosted him all this time after their very clear break up. Every time we see Shone and Kang together, it's clear that every time Kang shoots down Shone, he's not surprised or overly upset. I don't think he ever really held out any tangible hope that Kang would be with him but he also didn't appreciate Moo's attitude of saying "You said you wouldn't go after him when I was with him." It was definitely a moment of... yeah, it's a bit of a crappy move on Shone's part but really, he did keep his promise and waited more than enough time before showing interest in Kang again. In a way, I almost felt bad for him for trying to toe the line of being respectful of his family but also wanting to follow his own heart.

Speaking of... Hooooo boy, this series totally hit the feels hard. And so quickly too! One minute, my heart is pulled one way and the next I'm laughing at something else. An example off the top of my head being when Moo tries to stay away from Kang to focus on school, and Kang keeps trying to get his attention, it hurt. But then they show it from Moo's perspective of him trying to keep his cool and it was the funniest thing ever. Like, smelling the jacket after Kang washed it and he says to his friends "Guys, he made it smell so good!" and they're just like "Dude, keep it together."

I know I said it before but I really liked that Moo never lost his playfulness. I feel like, a lot of the time, when a series has a very forward character like that, they always seem to come off strong in the beginning but then either mellow out or lose that spark at some point along the way. But Moo was very consistent and I think that's why it never became a bad thing.

Also, special shout out to all the adults in this series. The teachers, the parents.. they were all beautifully written and acted. Honestly, there's not much I didn't like about this series. I'd almost prefer they didn't put any kissing in it because the kissing was distractingly awkward but I get it.. new pairs, first major role, high school adolescence. But it kind of took away from the idea that they supposedly wanted each other. But really, other than that, they had good chemistry bouncing off each other and reacting to each other in a way that felt natural.

Very solid series and it makes me excited to see where these actors go next.

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Interesting premise that needed more time.

This was one of the rare Thai series where I'd say a few more episodes would have really helped. Normally I say this about Korean series as they are notoriously shorter and try to cram so much in 6-8 episodes. Usually with the longer Thai series (10-14 ep at 40+min each) they contain so much unnecessary filler that the story becomes boring, silly, off the rails, etc.

But there was so much going on in this series that, while they probably should have made it longer, I still feel like they did very well with the time that they had. It's a complex concept, to say the least. And then as the series goes on, I can see how some people may not like all the "coincidences" and how things are connected. But I thought it made the series more enjoyable.

I also wish I hadn't seen some of the spoilers so I will refrain from saying any of them myself.. as much as I can while still writing a review on the series as a whole.

It seems like a lot of people did not like the last couple of episodes. All I can say about this (as someone not trying to spoil anything) is that, if you are in it for the shipped actors, then yes, you will not like the last couple of episodes. But if you like the story of the characters, then the last bit is VERY satisfying and downright heartwarming. Also, do yourself a favor and ignore the age with the math. It's better enjoyed at face value.

That being said, the story has a lot of depth and makes one question a lot (I mean, come on.. we're talking about parallel universes and quantum physics here) but as far as the main couple is concerned, I enjoyed the lack of questioning how they felt toward one another. There were no secrets or hiding of feelings and I LOVED that they were open with each other when feelings started developing. Maybe they needed the impossible concept of them ever being together to make that honesty happen, who knows? Maybe they felt safe in being honest because they knew they had nothing to lose, being on opposite sides of the mirror. That was their obstacle and I liked that about the series.

While the acting could have been better, I understand that this was a first lead role for these two so it's understandable and forgivable. They were still good performances in the end. I also liked how there wasn't an abundance of side/supporting characters as there really wasn't much time to focus on anyone else. Everyone who was introduced had a clear role and was essential in some way to help the story along. But then they were put on the back burner instead of trying to make things complicated. That was handled well, in my opinion.

I really would recommend this series and encourage everyone watching it to stick it out to the end. It really is a well-rounded story and I like how everything was wrapped up to completion.

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Practically perfect.

This is one of the most interesting concepts for a BL that I have come across. It took the typical high school setting and flipped it right on its ear with this twist akin to "alternate reality." The idea that Myung Ha could be sucked into a to-be-made game based on a work-in-progress story where he had a few ideas on how to change it was interesting enough. But add to it the subtle (almost hidden) aspect of his depression and the fact that Yeo Woon was based on Myung Ha's life added so much emotional depth to the story. While it may seem like a BL on the surface, underneath it was more like a "learning to love yourself" story.

There were hints from the very beginning, what with Myung Ha said he would change Yeo Woon's story because it was "too much like my own," hinting at the regret he felt for his own personal discontent. Everything the game made him do was a way to validate Yeo Woon's life in a way that Myung Ha thought his own life was lacking. Then the game began to glitch when Yeo Woon was beginning to have romantic feelings toward Myung Ha because the objective was simply to make himself happy and love himself, not necessarily have romantic feelings. But then this is where the fun, BL aspect comes in and I personally think it worked well.

The only downside to this series was the short amount of time they had to tell such an in-depth and complicated story. In the first half of the series, I was impressed with the pacing and thought this series was probably the best I'd seen at making things clear and moving things along at a pace that made sense. (The "likeness meter" was a big help with that.) Then, somewhere around the middle, things were happening where I though to myself, "Did I skip or miss an episode?" And then there were a few things introduced or mentioned that never really were explored that was a shame since they were interesting plot points to me. (Kyung Hoon mentioning his BF and how he was supposedly coming for a visit soon; Sang Won getting into that fight while no one seemed to notice.. to name a couple of examples.)

While I understand and appreciate that they did not try to have a secondary couple with the limited amount of time they had to resolve the main one, I do also wish the two primary side characters got more screentime/storyline because they were done really well, both in writing and acting. I also wish the ending was a bit more clearer (did Myung Ha die and was given a second life or maybe the game was a form of afterlife? Who was Myung Ha's senior, really? )

But, overall, still a very solid series and, minus the few questions left unanswered, it was a satisfying and thought-provoking story. I would definitely watch it again and recommend it to any BL fan.

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Mixed feelings but overall good watch.

I'm kind of torn how to rate this series because it was really good in some parts and then others, I found myself fast forwarding because it was either repetitive or unnecessary.

Starting out with the cons, I really couldn't stand about half the characters. I pretty much only liked Ace, Sky, Jam, Kim and Jake. Sky's parents were sweet and I loved how supportive they were but they sure didn't intervene when they should have a lot of the time. I mean, I can understand that Sky is not a child and he needs to make his own mistakes and all but he really could have used some tough love in some areas. I liked how his brother was supportive as well but his entire purpose was to sell the products of the sponsors so it got annoying pretty quick and I skipped almost every scene of his. He had one sweet moment with Sky and then everything else was all about product placement. Same with Miss Becky. She was a good support for Ace but honestly, there were way too many montages of her twirling around the mansion that added absolutely nothing to the plot or series in general.

Moira was an over the top baddie that was somewhat well written but, in my opinion, if you're going to make them THAT bad, they need to get their just rewards. And unfortunately, everyone hugged it out in the end and forgave her horribleness. Now, granted, I know nothing about law in the Philippines but she must have committed at least 3 crimes with her shenanigans. She did a full on B&E, kidnapped (dognapped) ChukChuk, planted a hidden camera without consent then released the video illegally.. oh and almost committed murder by putting peanuts in his food to purposefully trigger an allergic reaction. So then she comes to their house and sobs that she loved him and wanted to be with him while she was the one who broke it off in the first place. And we're supposed to feel bad for her? Honestly, they should have been hauling her ass to jail instead of hugging and apologizing to her.

There was a lot of time spent on her and other "time wasters" that really could have been skipped over (which I did). It would have easily cut down the series to maybe 9 or 10 episodes but it also would have gotten a higher rating from me...

.. because the pros of the series were actually really good. The story for the main couple was believable for the most part (crazy ex aside) and they had really good chemistry together. I actually liked that there were no side couples because Ace and Sky deserved all the focus on the romantic front. Their progression felt natural even if the acting was a bit over the top at times. It also felt like they bounced off each other well. In some parts, it seemed like there was no real script and they were just told to act a certain way and they ran with it.

I like how Kim was a good friend to Ace throughout and didn't turn into an ex like Moira. Granted Ace and Kim were never technically an item, but when she finally realized Ace would never feel the same way toward her, she didn't turn into the crazy, vindictive ex that Moira was. She supported Ace and his feelings.

While Ace's father was horrible and also pretty over the top, he did present a more realistic hurdle to their relationship which was worth watching. And even at the end, when he said he would work on himself, it was also good to see the more realistic portrayal of a parent not quite doing a full 180 turn overnight (because that kind of thing wouldn't happen in a "eureka" kind of moment in real life either) but we see the effort and the regret he has had for his previous way of thinking and realizing that it will cost him his relationship with Ace if he didn't change.

I think this is also the first series I'd ever seen where there was a reverse - or maybe it could be a double? - coming out conversation where Ace's mother explains her past with Ace's father and why she left.

While there was a lit of filler, I feel like the core conversations were really important in this series (like when Ace's father has his self reflective moment near the end.) There were a lot of poignant moments full of truths that I wish more people would grasp.

While I'm not certain if I would watch this often, I could see rewatching this again, especially as part of the trilogy with other people. It was enjoyable and I would recommend it as a lighter series with a few serious dramatic moments that will certainly hit all the feels.

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Better than I thought it would be

The idea for this story was intriguing for me as I've seen a couple of mafia series now and have enjoyed the added suspense aspect it brings. This series was definitely more on the lighthearted side of the serious spectrum mainly because the main characters are not in a business of "questionable legality." Even the mafia boss is not in illegal activity so it's a nice change from the idea that we root for a bad guy, despite what he does for a living.

I was concerned that as soon as the bodyguard showed up that Sky was going to become a whining brat and purposefully get himself in danger just to defy his father. It didn't really happen though he did at first become very defiant and stubborn against Sun. But the fact was, Sun nor Father told Sky the severity of what was going on so he was just trying to live his life like he normally does. I mean, I can't really blame him because I would have probably done the same if I lived a certain way and then all of a sudden had a babysitter when I'm an adult with no explanation why. But I was pleasantly surprised when Sky found out the threat against his life that he immediately became more careful; listening to Sun and even asking his permission to do things. And the threat felt very organic.. the way the two bosses were going back and forth with their attacks. And I really liked how Sky was saying it's a never ending cycle that someone has to break by not retaliating. That was very mature of him to see that when the adults didn't.

One of the things that brought down the rating for me was the acting... it was sometimes distractingly amateurish even though the bulk of the mains have a decent acting history/background. And while the MC had good chemistry, they almost looked uncomfortable whenever they had to kiss. At that point, I wish they just wouldn't put it in at all and let us fill in those gaps with our imagination because otherwise is pops the chemistry bubble they had going on.

While I didn't like the way Sky used the girls to make Sun jealous, I also couldn't believe that they never picked up on Sun and Sky's attraction to each other nor did they get the hint when Sun always shot down the advances. I mean, come on, if a guy is into you, he'd be thrilled at how much you touch him and cling to him but he always had to pry her hands off him... was that not obvious enough? I'm glad that all they did was cry when Sun and Sky announced their relationship because if the girls had gotten pissed or wanted to cut ties with them because of it, the rating would have gone down more for me. I'm glad they were all friends still in the end and can be mature about it.

Which is more than I could say for Father... seriously.. as if the boys' actions of putting the others' life before their own was not a testament of their sincerity, he makes them live apart for 6 years and waste precious time together? So silly.

Anyway, overall I thought it was an enjoyable watch and I would recommend it for anyone looking for a series with a progressive, interesting plot that doesn't require too much brain power.

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Entertaining watch

I honestly don't understand all the hate this series gets. It was highly entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery aspect of it in the search for Enchanté's identity. It filled the time of the series really well (especially since we already know who Theo is going to end up with anyway) by creating the drama somewhere else rather than constantly throwing things at the MC like other dramas do. Yes there was a little bit of potential crushes looking to get with Theo but I personally liked how all the 4 Enchanté's had different reasons for claiming to be him.

The fact that Akk was willing to help, despite his surfacing feelings for Theo, also made us wonder if perhaps Akk was in fact Enchanté and hoping to prove to Theo that he was there all along. It helps showcase the care and investment Theo and Akk have in each other while teaming up to solve the mystery while also realizing their feelings along the way. And, personally, I didn't see a hint of it coming when they finally revealed who the real Enchanté was. I was even going so far as to guess it could be his father trying to anonymously befriend him to sway his feelings on trying to keep the literature program going. (Spoiler alert: it's not the father.)

I thought the acting was well done, especially by the supporting cast. I felt like everyone bounced off each other really well and all the clashes of personalities and motives made for an entertaining watch. In truth, I think they probably could have gone on with the different stories from all 4 Enchanté's a little longer, which is rare for me. Normally, I'm thinking a series could have been a lot shorter because most of the "filler" is unnecessary or boring or repetitive or a combination thereof. But here, I was so curious in all of their reasons and would have been just as happy to see more of it explained. I feel like out of the 4, Saifa got the least amount of explanation but it kind of makes sense once you find out his involvement.

(Can you tell I'm trying really hard not to say who Enchanté is?)

Speaking of which, I would suggest, if possible, watch the series without finding out who Enchanté beforehand. I admit, normally I am one to check spoilers and such but with this series, I managed to hold myself off and I think that really lent itself to the enjoyment of the watch. That being said, I'm actually looking forward to watching this series again in the near future to see if I can spot extra hints, now knowing what I know.

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The rare case of misunderstanding done right

Normally when the main obstacle for the couple is miscommunication or misunderstanding, I spend the entire series internally screaming at them to just talk already.

But at least in this series, there was a reason for Namnuea to feel torn about Lom's flirting with him when Lom is supposed to be getting married; there was also a reason for Lom to keep the truth hidden as it meant protecting Yiwa's secret from her parents. As much as we, the viewers, want them to clear the air, there was reasons to keep their true feelings hidden and I felt like it really worked in this series.

It's interesting how, when there's a well written story for the MC, there isn't as much of a need for a secondary couple. I didn't miss the constant change of pace when looking at one couple then the other as they tend to have very different experiences. There were other couples in this series but they were already established and firmly in their relationships with pretty mild drama. I think it also helped that the series was only 7 episodes long as they didn't need to fill in time with unnecessary BSing.

I don't know how Me Mind does it but they tend to have great luck with relatively newcomer actors who are actually really good, considering. Their production quality is always really good too, whether it has a strong story/plot or not. It adds to the overall quality which makes for an enjoyable watch. I know a lot of people have issues with MAME stories but I personally find them entertaining and consistent with the acting and production.

I would definitely recommend this series. I hope more series take notes from this to show how you can still have misunderstandings but make them less annoying/frustrating to sit through.

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Misleading from the very beginning.

I won't say this series was bad but it certainly wasn't great. For the most part, I was confused and getting whiplash from all the different plot points they were trying to throw into a 10 episode series which really did not flow well together. And there were a lot of choices made that didn't feel like it would fit the character, whether it was a good or bad choice. The whole thing was just misleading from the get-go.

Let's start with the first impression aspects: The movie poster and the synopsis. The dark, night-time city look of the poster gives off a dark, serious vibe akin to Big Dragon or KinnPorsche but the series was anything but serious or dark. The synopsis makes it sound like Dino is a bully type who stalks his prey when in reality, he was the nice guy protector to counter Rak's "helpless boy" type.

But even that didn't make sense because, actually, Rak was very vocal about his boundaries and his limits. If there's one thing I will say this series did right it was that Rak actually stood up for himself, at least verbally if not physically. He said "no" to the ex, he cut off the best friend after he found out about them, he set boundaries for them as well as himself when he continuously stood his ground in telling Dino "I'm not ready." And this kind of became important when Dino was clearly trying to get intimate and Rak was having flashbacks to the ex forcing himself on him. But this time, when he tells Dino to wait, he listens, unlike the ex. It's pivotal in how Rak sees Dino and it shows that Dino respects Rak and his boundaries.

All that being said, I couldn't help but feel bad for Pepper in this role. I mean, he is a great actor and they paired him with someone who was.. well, not. I don't know if it was a director's thing or Kong's attempt as seeming insecure or if it was Kong himself, but his constant looking off to the side as if he's looking at a camera or crew member off screen was breaking the fourth wall, and not in the "funny because it was intentional" way. It made me think Kong was uncomfortable himself instead of it being a Rak, as the character, trait.

The entire cast, in fact, seemed to be a mixture of highly seasoned actors or the very basic first-timers with little in-between. The cameos made zero sense whatsoever and felt like they were just introduced for shits and giggles. Much like many of the short-lived storylines that were introduced for the drama then completely forgotten without much of a resolution. It felt like a young teenager, at best, wrote this with all the experience a teenage has with life and relationships.

I will say, the best cameo and character in this entire series was Pepper's tongue. Whenever it made an appearance, the show got 10x better each time. It was almost enough to make one ignore how obvious the difference was in experience between Pepper and Kong, and not just in acting.

It was clever, though, how they gave a bit of an intro to the other Buddy Line stories at the end because, at least for me, it made me curious how their stories would go. I just hope they get to work opposite actors that fit them better than Dino and Rak did.

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This series has everything

I was not expecting to like this show as much as I did but it was truly fantastic. It was funny, sad, frustrating, satisfying, goofy and serious all in one. As someone who started watching Eastern series because of BL, I had put this one off for a long time since it's not BL. But honestly, I should have watched it sooner for how great it was.

There were so many great elements to it that didn't even include the abundance of skinship of hot men dancing and grinding. Actually, besides the fact that they are hosts in an adult bar, there wasn't much about the show that I would consider 18+ besides some colorful language. Even the romance aspect with the different couples don't get more than one, maybe two kisses in and that's it. But if stripping men make you uncomfortable then sure, there's quite a bit of that. I wasn't a fan of Magic Mike but I did like this and didn't feel uncomfortable during those dancing for money bits.

There is a lot of second-hand embarrassment in this as the guys figure things out and get their footing as well as a lot of cringe-worthy moments (Mostly from Kampan) however it becomes quite obvious really early on that it is intentional and it's meant to add a lighthearted and silly tone to the show. Kampan's cheesiness in particular was over the top and sometimes ridiculous but it still somehow worked and I absolutely loved how Earth played the role. It just did camp and obnoxious so well, I was surprised at how different it was from other shows I've seen him in. And when he and Tina team up and have screentime together, I liken them to Izma and Kronk from Emperor's New Groove with how much comedic chemistry they had.

I found that in general, all the actors played their roles well. Everyone has such different personalities that it added a lot of depth and substance to the show. Probably the only character I was tempted to fast forward through was Fifa because i just hate whiny, bratty teenagers who disrespect their parents. Although, I kinda get it because we've seen her mom say multiple times to her daughter's face that "my life would have been so much better if I didn't have you" and that shit stings. She mellows out a bit when she's wth Mikhael though so it gets better. And Mikhael is so stinkin' cute and adorkable that I was rooting for their happiness anyway.

And Chen is relationship goals, that's all I can say. He's the most lovable cockroach (you'll get it soon enough) I have ever seen.

Last but not least, Annie is such an interesting protagonist... she's not a good person by any means yet you can't help but root for her. We see her character grow over the course of the series and ultimately get her act together but it is a long, winding and bumpy road with more than a couple of detours along the way. She's an interesting puzzle because, while she helps out her boys and tries to do right by her daughter, she is still very self-centered and thinks the world revolves around her pretty much right up until the second half of the final episode. And, while some of the resolutions seem a bit sudden, I do like that all loose ends get tied off and there's not a single aspect that is left as a question mark.

The ONLY thing I wish we had gotten was a dance battle between the ex husband and Chen...

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Deserves more recognition..

..although I understand that part of that is due to the fact this series is pretty hard to find, at least on official websites. Even the ones on youTube are a cut version that is missing a lot of key parts. When each episode should be just over an hour and the cut version is 45-48min each, that's quite a bit left out.

And the thing with this series is that every moment has purpose. There was no unnecessary filler or drawn out drama.. the story moved along and anything you see is crucial in understanding what is going on. It made for a slow burn as far as the romance was concerned but I didn't mind it in this case since the story was intriguing and engaging enough on its own. And, really, it made the moment they finally got together that much sweeter in my opinion.

I also liked how there was really no villain in this story. Everyone has their pros and cons and most have made mistakes that they regret. I was actually really happy that they showed the consequences of bringing your child up with certain beliefs in the character of Nuan. Her parents put pressure on her to marry and carry on the family name and, while they passed away thinking it wasn't as important anymore, Nuan was stuck with that mindset because they never told her otherwise. The series also showed how keeping secrets, thinking it's less cruel than knowing the truth, can lead to further misunderstandings and overthinking. It was a bit extreme in this case, with Phob essentially committing suicide because everything was going wrong from what he saw, but still it is a very poignant message that communication is important, even if the truth isn't pretty.

I found the acting hit and miss throughout the series though the two mains (Nut and Plan) did a great job in my opinion. A series like this that has some light-hearted funny moments woven into the more serious nature can sometimes be hard to pull off and seem disjointed but I thought they did a great job with it here. Part of that is the writing which flowed nicely and carried out well by the actors.

One sequence that really stood out to me is when Ben's play is going on and it switches from what's being shown on stage to the actual memory of what really happened. I thought the visuals and use of the stage lighting worked well in communicating which was the play and which was the memory. Especially with the fact that you have Nut playing Phob who is supposedly being portrayed by Win in the play but as Phob is watching from the audience, he sees himself in the character on stage. I know it sounds confusing but trust me, it worked.

This is one of those series that I feel bad for seeing as it doesn't have the same kind of reach as other ones but it definitely deserves a watch. I think it even has re-watch value in the sense that once you know what's going to happen, you can go back and look for hints and foreshadowing.

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Mixed feelings

Let me start off by saying this was a fantastic story and there were so many things I loved about it. But it really did drag on with a lot of repetition for a 14 episode series.

The main reason I'm torn is because I loved how there wasn't any unnecessary drama (love rivals, jealous ex's, homophobia, misunderstandings, etc). But when a show doesn't have any of those components, I can see how it could feel slow and uneventful. There were so many episodes where I felt like there was little to no progression in the storyline. The first half while they were in high school, it was basically Eiw pining for Cake while Cake was oblivious. Then the second half was Cake being jealous of anyone who comes near Eiw and Eiw being oblivious.

There were so many great moments during the "slow parts" though which had me feeling all the feels. Like, Eiw's realization of how he loves Cake more than a friend/brother and his struggle to accept himself, thinking he's abnormal. Then all the moments between the siblings were so heartwarming, especially in the last couple of episodes. I feel like all the relationships in the series, whether they were romantic, family or friends, were really well portrayed and developed, especially with the lack of "exciting drama."

Santa really blew me away in this series. I was surprised to find out how young he really is after watching this. He really conveyed every thought and emotion so well and it was hard to look at anyone else whenever he was on screen. I love Earth and have liked everything I've seen him in so far though I feel like he tends to play the same type of character every time. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing but I would just hate for him to get type-cast because I believe he's more capable than that.

Overall, this was an enjoyable watch and, while I may not keep it in the constant rotation, I could see watching it again at some point in the future and I'm glad I gave it a chance.

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Better than I remembered

I watched this a while back and I think I saw it right around the same time as KinnPorsche. That, unfortunately, didn't work in this series' favor as, out of the two, I personally think KP was a better production overall.

However, after watching this again, it's actually so much better than I remembered. As it's own story, without comparing it to anything else, this is actually quite good.

I don't want to say Unforgotten Night is "more simple," because it is certainly complex in its own way, but it didn't have as many plot points trying to war with each other like KP did. It was very straight forward and the storyline flowed together with progression pretty well.

One of the gripes I remember having with this series the first time around was the chemistry between the MC. I felt like, for a story that is supposed to be centered around instant love and obsession and melding of preferences, it lacked that aspect upon first watch. This time, however, I realized that the version I had seen previously was a cut version where they didn't show much of the intimacy or full version of the NC scenes and boy, does it make a difference. I mean, come on, if you don't know what you are getting into just by the movie poster and synopsis, then you are not paying enough attention. It didn't make sense to skimp on the smut so might as well enjoy it.

I liked that the main couple was the focus throughout which helped understand the characters better. There was enough of the mafia element to add the suspense without becoming stereotypical and there was enough intrigue with the supporting characters to keep things moving along. There was sort of a secondary couple but they didn't force too much time on them to make it awkward and left it open in a way to make us wonder will they or wont they.

I thought the acting was slightly above average though there were a few times I was like "okay, that was a little cringe." But there weren't awkward pauses or people standing around waiting for the next line and felt like a lot of it was reactionary as it should be. Yoon did a great job in keeping his stoic persona and when his emotions threatened to overtake, you could see the struggle he has to keep them at bay. Cherry was an interesting character where you love her one moment and hate her the next. I thought her arc was just as meaningful and went hand in hand along with the MC well.

And last but certainly not least, the lack of miscommunications and misunderstandings is a friggin breath of fresh air. Actually, the communication between the MC is bang on right from the start where they clearly state what they want and what they are looking for and go along accordingly. There were no hidden motives, no catfishing, none of that stuff and yet they still had an interesting story that made me hit the "next episode" button every time. There needs to be more shows like this where they can have dramatic storylines without the "silly drama," if that makes sense.

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