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hit and a Miss
this was "OK" and just cause in (almost) every episode there was one Very funny moment - that would make u LOL - literally. But i really can't ignore the behavior that Golf and Kim displayed throughout this drama - and "saying" is was for comedic effect or just a joke - it aint funny! - sexual harassments Never is!!seeing both - mainly Golf force himself on younger guys (that looked like kids) cause he was horny and thirsty for some "c*ck" was revolting - especially when u saw how those kids reacted - they were uncomfortable and didn't know how to deal with this horney "ticking time-bomb". and they just had to sufferer in silence cause what else could they do??
how has this become "ok"?!? where cause u like what u see, u invade that persons privacy and get all touchy-feely with them - when y'all basically strangers?
what cause Golf is a "bottom" so its ok? cause NAH! even if a woman acted this way it would be "unacceptable behavior" and its just gross to see and infuriating -
this could've been so much more, cause Gus on the whole was an interesting character, that represented the feminine gay without the usual moronic stereotyping . even had Natty the sweet feminine lesbian, that was into female-Tomboys and there were serious issues that were being dealt with - but then u had all this garbage that took away from every episode. so nope! this was a hit and a miss - and its a shame cause just to make this drama funny a lot of bad stereotypes were exaggerate and that in itself is a Huge disservice to the LGBTQ community - as even in this day and age they have to deal with a lot of prejudice - no matter which country they live in. and the behavior displayed here strengthen the homophobic point of view about, what being gay is all about -
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but have to say didn't like Maki much in the drama and don't like him any more, here... he a total drama queen that is all about the drama - and he rather run away and keep quite, then voice his thoughts / doubts and do anything that would further the relationship, he supposedly wants with Haruta. while Haruta who is the bumbling idiot, that is new to life in a relationship, let alone a gay one, does all the hard emotional and psychically work - giving his all. even if he "fall" he gets up all on his own, and owns up to his faults - asks for forgiveness and works at trying to keep them together, and yet he isn't cherished by Maki.
if anything Maki and everyone around Haruta (like his best-bud Arai, his own mother, not to mention Maki's dad) act like Maki is "slumming it" and thus Haruta should be so grateful - that no matter the reason or who is at fault, he is the only one who needs to "work" and either accept sh*t as is, or be better - and if there is any development (like in the drama) it came/comes only from Haruta... and the little Maki offered here, didn't endear him to me, as it didn't compare to what Haruta's brought to the table.
the character's that really made this movie for me - other then Haruta of course - Chief Kurosawa, brought his A-game like in the drama and gave it his all.. and have to say cause of him - i laughed so hard my stomach hurt - but i also loved him, cause he was the only one who stood-up to Maki , like i though he deserved - he called him out for not appreciating Haruta, belittling him, let alone running away when things got tough or cause he couldn't handle his feeling - so how could i not love the Chief ???
Justice the new addition was a breath of fresh air - in spite of him resembling Haruta (personality wise - they might as well have been the same dude) and seeing them both interact, really gave me life - it wasn't "heavy" and a lot of manipulative, mind games like when Haruta and Maki interacted. i for one so wished something came out of that relationship - but this was taken in another route - still stand by my though, that Haruta deserves better then Maki - he might not thing so - but that's cause Maki is his first and only love and so he doesn't know better... but in spite of me getting annoyed at Maki, i enjoyed this very much cause of everyone else and even liked the little side stories - which i usual zone out on...
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not that i'm dissing the sides, they also did a phenomenal job - everyone made u feel through expression, not only the dialogue how visceral their pain, grief, guilty and happiness was - u couldn't sit watching and not feel that in ur heart and soul, it was that good .. for sure a rewatch! loved this!!!
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breath of fresh air
this is my first Pino BL drama and what can i say... quite a few commenters have mentioned this, as a "must see" and thought WTH as is wasn't fairing well with the regular drama's or BL's (finding reasons to drop them cause of "reasons"...) but have to say, hooked from the sec it started :Ddonno the actors and how experienced they r - but they brought their A-game. it was fun and funny, light where it needed to be and yet it dealt with real life issues, in a mature way.
but for me the best part was no overly sexualized B.S passed of as gay romance and more importantly, there was respect shown for each individual, in that partnership, no invasion of boundaries or forcing unwanted advances.. for sure the one interested didn't get his crush blind-drunk and then "oopsh" they woke up gay and loving it...
even the kissing scene's were so natural and sweet it didn't feel cringey, like watching someone who wasn't comfortable being forced into a intimate scene. even their body-language, showed comfort and kinship. as a viewer watching this made my soul smile. cause it felt like they were a real couple, not as if i was watching actors being forced into uncomfortable situations.
this was just good and for sure a rewatch! donno if there's gonna be a season 2, and considering how it ended - there is more then enough ways to develop this.. would be happy either way -
from start to finish Karl was my favorite, so i for one would hope / be happy i get to see him grow and find the strength with-in himself to explore his new found sexuality and stand-proud.
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until that ending, i was thinking of rating this 3 stars
well this was "interesting" for lack of a better word, disappointing is a more fitting word & given the cast we got here, will say that again - idk what the writer's/director were thinking - but this was a mess at parts & at others, just illogical b.s.used to seeing incompetent cops that can't find their head with their own 2 hands, let alone shoot a gun when needed. but can/will lookover most of the glitches - even the plotholes until that whack end - like seriously?!?
Alpha the invincible machine was taken out, in that insiginificant way? why?!? why he the only test subject to get his eyes wired shut?!? how it go from japanese guys doing human experiments, to the test subject runing the show?!? just to make a antiaging drug? and if that wasn't enough, we got that rotten cherry on top (finding out Lee Do Il's son survived) but he being kept locked-up - why? why that CEO keeping the successful experiments confined, to what end?!? and as Lee Do Il doesn't know this fact, why we got this reveal?!? so "they" can make a part 2 - to this mess?!? (ノへ￣、) plz...
pity, this had potential. it was ridiculous with the water-slide of blood used in every kill, let alone the cruelty at how each kill was implemented - overkill IMHO - just revolting (get it, they were bad-guy, still just nauseating). or those exaggerated foot falls of Alpha ¯\_(ツ)_/¯(like plz) so much could've/should've been cut short, so we get more of a story to the main plot. ironically or not the only one i rooted for (even before he came on scene) was Alpha. the rest were meeh (also the one i wanted dead from the start was the nurse (¬‿¬) OMG she got under my skin, i applauded her kill).
anyway like i wrote above, this plot needed to be rewritten, with a clear end & some answers about the main charecter's/plot, that would be appreciated (let alone make this a good movie), as is - it was fine for a 1 off. but still a bummer
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know this was made in 1998 and most of the actor's were newbies (which shows) donno about the director / producer - but this was lacking. the Narrator was needed cause without her "hand-holding" = telling us what was going on, we would be clueless. usually in good movies the acting is enough to convey the plot (sometimes even without words) so donno whom to blame, as this turns not only boring, but unbelievable. calling this a love story is a reach, i didn't get anything but attraction from Jet - heck the dude was more interested in his own image in any reflective surface, then in Sam. same goes for Sam - he wasn't a narcissist but he wasn't in-love either, or the plot wasn't thought out. cause from them meeting (Sam suddenly bumping into Jet - nothing to do with that add) to suddenly jumping to Jet becoming part of the family, sitting in on every meal - was weird. and the woman on the poster is very misleading, she nothing but a minor character. that was Ah Chin "place" - heck even KS would be logical, as there is No fiancée / gf - they both a "beard" for each other...Sam for sure not a good-guy, the dude pimped out his then bf Ah Chin (who was a freakin clerk) but cause Sam/Fai was funding his lover (the one he was cheating with) on the side, KS (who was a freakin man-whore, ironic saying that here) and as clerk's neither he nor his bf earned enough to sponsor the rising star, K.S - so Ah Chin goes and sells himself and that not enough so Sam does the same - and then (cause he has enough? idk) he bails not even a goodbye, leaving Ah Chin heart-broken and living a pretty bleak life.
most of this movie Sam treats Jet like his new buddy (even though the dude is gay and not even confused about it, considering Kana), while Jet keeps hustling at night and supposedly acting love sick in the day idk - until the 3 finally meet. as Ah Chin talks about his fated-ex Fai and Jet refers to his new infatuation as Sam, so when the 3 come face to face - and the roommates "get" they talking about the same guy. Sam bails (which it typical of him) only to have Jet follow (and considering everything he gets up too, i get why he is fast to forgive and understand), finally confessing to their sexual attraction - the combustion takes place in Sam's house and of course someone walks in and then quietly leaves.
frantic Sam keeps his cool, trying to understand which of his parent knows - and when he sees his fathers quite destress he goes into his room and dots a line to Jet ?!? i guess that someone kind of explanation or "goodbye" note, but found it lacking considering the magnitude of his choice - felt really bad for his parents. i get that in that day and age, how hard being gay was.. but considering everything it just fell flat - even Jet reading the letter was like a meeh moment - cause i didn't get the undying love, yearning that existed between Jet and Sam. Ah Chin was more infatuated with Fai, heck KS was more into Sam then Jet was. so maybe this should be "forgiven" for its imperfections, cause of the time it was made - but seen short movies with less budget but better acting, that conveyed more - idk, not my cup of tea ....
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don't get all the hype about this movie
reading some of the comments u would think it was verge-ing on porno, which it isn't - mildly erotic at best. but that is besides the point. this was beyond aggravating - to say the least. like what the hell kind of female teenager will act like an airhead tease around any man, no matter his age?!? what is her damage??? that was the main question on my mind, like appearing at his house in the middle of the night conveniently dripping wet, and asking to spend the night. what?!? why????? then going to another guy's house to get him medicine, cause he's sick - supposedly. but blindly walking in - again WTF... no one teach this stupid girl basic sh*t - a female is taught, so she wont get molested / raped?!? or the message of the day is, all teenage girl want sex cause they're bored??? the whole "Lolita" vibe was vomit inducing...add to the annoyance is the whole dynamic between the men. like kill me if i understand why someone would write a book and gift it to someone else. you need to be a genius to know this won't be a one-off deal???? especially when the other (younger) guy has no means to support himself, but to now be a writer. or the old dude thought by gifting him one book he would magical get the ability to write?!?
until the middle it was fine, cause u go with the follow of the story and it isn't jarring. didn't think it was weird or unnatural for an old dude to fantasize about a teen, that was prancing around his house in a flirty way, and even if she wasn't being a flirt - men will be men, age doesn't matter and even if he can't get it up, his mind still works fine. u can't arrest or judge a man for fantasizing - that's idiotic. but after the confrontation with the younger dude - everything turned weird. like her showing up at his place, asking him if all writer's take each others stuff. i thought that meant she heard and got that the old dude was the one to write "Eungyo". but nope - got it wrong.
or the old dude coming to the award show for the younger dude's plagiarized work, and not saying anything - or inviting the younger one to stay for his birthday, when he appeared uninvited - why???
all this and more just pissed me off. the only bit that made me smile was him making sure the younger dude had to use his car and the younger dude almost getting into an accident and then getting into one. well deserved. but won't say this worth the hype or the time watching it. still angry about sh*t.
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well what can i say, this was sad, just don't get people like Do Yeon's character that r so self sacrificing, doubt what she felt was love - cause if what motivated her to sacrifice herself time and again, and keep going back to a man that kept adding to her debt. if that's love - glad i have never experienced love like this.the cops in this were as bad as the bad guys, i find it ironic that Gil's character said that the worst thing he was afraid of, was not being able to differentiate if he was the good guy or the bad. the things they got up too and spoke about, were revolting. and these were the good guys?!? shudder inducing!
movie was pretty dark, so i guess the title was fitting, but the ending was a WTF moment. get that even though Do Yeon's character now cause of the cop killing her love, would be able to not only repay her debts but also not accumulate new ones. but i guess, either blinded by the loss of her love, or so furious about the betrayal (cause Yj turned out to be a cop). she chose to hurt/punish him... but as the wound was in a place that was survivable - him going "walkabout" was like a WTF moment.
maybe he didn't want her to get into trouble? or maybe he thought he should pay for him betrayal so he's "paying the price"?!?
this time the "open ending" korean's love in their movies, was annoying.
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the pluses = the whole movie (i don't like sports, it bores me). u will Never catch me watching any type of sport where a bunch or people (regardless of gender) r running after a ball. the only sports i've watched to date (if u can call them so...) r movies/drama's themed around them. so as far as i am concerned, this was a gem of a movie.
usually in movies like this, the underdog comes out on top & does a 180 by the end - this is a bit different in that accord, but still really enjoyed this movie, very funny & yet touchingly realistic at points. don't think there is a character i disliked. there a load of character's with heartbreaking backstories & i teared up more then once.
know everyone was waiting to watch this was cause of the mains (which were the ones that brought this movie to my attention) but i loved that even though Park Seo Joon & IU r the mains (& do play a main role) they don't take away from any of the other character's screen time - everyone gets a time to shine.
a feel good movie for sure, wholeheartedly recommend & this going on my rewatch list 💖
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guess i'm the odd one out cause i didn't get it, like i got what i was seeing, it's about two people that in-spite of being in a relationship weren't verbal with their feelings(?!?) enough to keep one from going, or make the other one tell 'them' to stay(?!?)cause leave everything aside (like the quarantine, COVID-19, work-related move, friends, vlog etc...) we talking about 2 people who have feelings for each other, but didn't communicate that importance too their partner? and that reason enough to not only break-up without a word but delete that person from ur life like they don't exist and never mattered to u?!?
one just upped and left without a word and now that he's back, she is regretting not being forthcoming about her feelings(?) and that is her wrongdoing(?!?), so she feels they equally at fault or cause she still in-love is ready to forgive and give him a second chance?!?
idk i don't get how 2 adults can be together and not communicate or know, how the other feels, without the need to freakin verbalize it! then how/why they even together in the first place?!? just cause one doesn't want to come visit u in another country or isn't offering to up-root their lives n follow u. means it's ok to end thing with a text message and cut off all contact like he did? i for sure wouldn't be waiting with open arms.
this too short IMHO to 'get' what's what and i need a bigger picture of their relationship, not so i can accuse one or the other, but understand why she feels her lack of telling him "i care, so even if i can't follow u. i will be waiting for u..." or "the fact ur moving doesn't mean we have to break-up..." idk, there is something missing - to get her still caring to the extant of rushing to the airport to look at him from afar, when he lands back in Korea, u can chalk it up to "love is blind" or "the heart wants what it wants" but then meeh . so this ok, but not blown away like other reviews i've read.
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first off totally impressed with Earth, the only character's i've seen him portray r the standoffish, cold, douche-bags with a Huge chip on his shoulder, let alone the short-fuse. so seeing him act so young and carefree without me cringing that a 27yr old is "acting" the teen, was wow - guess the dude does know how to act - plus he was so freakin vulnerable and loveable in this - so unlike his usual roles, i'm a bit dumbstruck... positively the plot all in all was short and sweet - very simple and yet i kinda didn't get Talay - idk if it was a translation glitch or what, but cause he was worried/scared to face his true feelings rejected (rather brutally) Whale - so why he going on about them both suffering and being in pain? and not that i didn't get his pain / insecurity - but that was his choice. he knew why he pushed Whale away and treated him like a pervert, then adding insult to injury ignoring him - basically pushing him away.
get why he did that, but his thought process wasn't logical - one would think Whale was the one that rejected and abandoned him... so this was so so - i for sure didn't think he deserved Whale to rush back the sec he was ready - plus he didn't indicate that he was ready for a relationship - he just wrote he waiting for his friend, so they could travel together. and that the grand romance end we get?
guess i'm the only cynic here... that thinks this a really sad ending - cause this doesn't make-up for Whale's suffering and it for sure doesn't insure he gonna get love this time around (and i aint talking the platonic kind).
so it was cute and fun up to a point and the acting was good - but one off
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aish - well redundant to point out, i didn't like this - and until the half way point i was bored or rather uninterested in everything going on - the mains didn't help me like this any better. get Tozaki is the sweet imbecile in love, or rather blinded by love (and he not that unique, a lot of people men and women alike - let themselves be used, abused and taken for granted cause their emotions r involved, and they can't seem to think straight). so yeah he was sweet, but the way he let Kurata treat him - all cause he was his first love - just frustrated me. seeing how at first Kurata treated him like a one-night-stand and then a booty-call, didn't help me like either character - especially when Tozaki always welcomed him with that stupid, innocent, expectant smile, i wanted to slap some sense into him. the point i really started liking and connecting with this movie, was when Tozaki lost it and point-blank asked Kurata what he considered him - that was a moment of growth - where Tozaki at last demanded some respect. he stopped being an enabler and forced Kurata to come clean...
the fact that little by little (throughout this movie) u get that Kurata was as infatuated with Tozaki, when they were teens - and they were each others first-love doesn't sweeten or justify Kurata treatment of Tozaki. and u didn't get any back-story as to why he was the way he was - just cause he didn't want to be "out and proud"?!? and his fits or rage where he almost raped Tozaki (twice) - cause he was jealous was ridiculous.. especially when we talking about grow-ass-men not teens with raging hormones. so enjoying or liking this is beyond me, and i didn't have any problem with their looks - but have a major problem with the character's personalities and the plot in general - this screamed more abuse then romance - so a one off
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way better then the first movie
even though watching them back to back, why they even connected?!? cause the director is the same? cause one of the mains is the same actor? he for sure not the same character - so how this connect?!? just cause its about boys that fall in-love??? bit far-fetched if u ask me, and going by this logic - every other movie made by this director should be BL3, 4 ,5 etc if its about boys in-love¯\_(ツ)_/¯ weirdanyway this story was way more relatable and had more substance then the 1st one. maybe cause of the positive ending? idk this just felt more cohesive - things made sense (even though the teacher breakin-up with his gf is written in the description - cause movie wise - with the subs i saw - he broke up with a dude) this movie involved zero females, other then some teachers and nurses - basically background dressing.
and Sora was in no way, shape or form was infatuated with Aoi. if anything going by his back-story this poor kid was (in-spite of being adopted by a rich family) all alone - fending for himself trying to reunite the family he lost 10 yrs ago. was wondering if he from a rich family, why stoop to sell his body. what happened in that family that he would chose such a profession - and then the more u see, u get how sad of a life he is really living - if u could call that "living". his connection with Aoi is accidental and cause he needs help in buying his family home, he turns to Aoi - there is no love involved. yeah he jokes about "comforting" him cause of how they met, and Aoi's hysterically intimidated attitude, whenever he was around Sora. does make for great comedic material for a teen - but it doesn't amount to anything.
Aoi cause of his position as a teacher, it was logical him being that paranoid not knowing if and when Sora would use the info he had and how he would "out" him - that is a legitimate threat - he wouldn't just get kicked out of that school considering Sora a teen he could get blacklisted, so i got his fear.
but most of the character's introduced r suffering - and its like the teachers r there but not - as bullying is rampant and cause its done by the kid whose father is a big donner - its over-looked. Ichiyo who is basically an outcast in that school cause of his childhood bff Riku (who from the sec u notice him, u get he is obsessed / infatuated with Ichiyo) but like the immature moron that he is, his go to is to ostracize and alienate Ichiyo - constantly bully him - like some imbecile that hasn't matured enough so he pulling on the "girls" ponytail cause he likes her - same here.
the problem is at last Ichiyo feels he found a friend, as Sora stands-up to Riku for Ichiyo's sake - and they get along as roommates - which in turn gets Riku jealous cause he doesn't want anyone around Ichiyo . so he bullies Ichiyo into forgoing his bed and then tries to get it on with Sora, who has enough on his plate so he distances himself from both Riku and Ichiyo.
isolated, segregated Ichiyo feels the withdrawal of Sora's friendship acutely - he becomes fixated on him trying to get close - to beg for forgiveness. his desperation and naivete - plus him seeing Sora meet up with a guy and his own confused past (cause Riku and Ichiyo's friendship wasn't platonic - and as Riku is the aggressor and Ichiyo the introvert - not hard to figure out that Ichiyo might not have wanted what Riku did . and cause of that rejection Riku wouldn't let Ichiyo exist in peace. once u get this everything else kind falls into place - very sadly but a lot makes senses...) so Ichiyo who has been suffering all along and his current loss, is just the last straw - he snaps. even after his finding out that Sora sells himself - is a last ditch effort to get back the one friend he found - but Sora has his own problems to deal with and is incapable of recognizing Ichiyo cry for help. in desperation he turns to Riku - who takes him to bed and as Ichiyo doesn't want or need sex - the outcome is heartbreaking but not shocking.
the rest is Riku the spoilt brat needing someone to blame and venting his anger (of course in a perfect world he would more then just an ass-kicking for what he did. but it is what it is) - Aoi ironically after Ichiyo's suspension, find's out about Sora's back story and starts to clam-down, as he sees Sora for the hurting forsaken kid that he is. and when he gets hurt that's when Aoi's heart gets involved - the ending was positive in-spite of how Sora ends-up, cause they have each other and a hope for a future. so a way better movie then the 1st one and this for sure will rewatch
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then u have Jimiko and Kyapiko, who r best friends from kindergarten, one is a nerd and the other a needy promiscuous airhead. and even though u see the connection at the end - its seems more like a side story of two good friends - and how they r there for each other - Kyapiko the needy promiscuous one jumps from guy to guy dumping them before they can dump her because she was more or less deserted by her single mother, and u see how lonely she really is, and how the only one she can rely on is Jimiko her bff.
then last we have Nadeshiko who is in a one sided love with Yachiyo, she constantly keeps confessing even though he keeps shutting her down. until their story develops and u see what is going on in each's mind, and how they seem to connect..
read comments that its a "must see" won't go that far, but it isn't ridiculous, stupid or some weird - out there sh*t that u can't "get". its stories about teens, love and even death (which comes out of nowhere, and was a bit shocking - as it was so unexpected - but that's a spoiler so wont go into it)... i enjoyed this and would've liked a better ending, but it is what it is...
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movie was good, the beginning - hell until he made a run for it - it was a tough watch, especially knowing he was innocent and the sh*t he had to go through. was horror inducing for me, reminded me of a few movie (The Fugitive (1993) Ready Player One (2018)).. was at the edge of my seat on a few instances, and glad everything worked out in the end.the villain was psychotically evil, f*cker, no conscience at all - the guts to represent the person u incriminated and then add insult to injury u kill his mother, like no conscious at all. even after seeing how he was suffering in prison, really scary. and even though he was caught, the chick that was working with him is free and from what was said - if he is replaceable, she as guilty as he is and she will restart the operation and this insidious machine will be back at work. this kinda open ending is annoying.
have to say usual don't like FL's (in korean dramas, sometimes even movies) but Mr.Hairy was the bomb - no bellyaching and crying, acting cutesy and vulnerable, demanding attention and seeking help cause she a delicate flower. yeah she was an introvert, but she was strong and kick-ass and the sec she knew he was out - she was ready to help. even though cause of her being an introvert, pretty sure her contacting all the other players in the group and meeting up with everyone was emotionally grueling.. but really great watch
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