This review may contain spoilers
Great Concept, Poor Execution
It's wild how completely opposite ML is to its prequel, Bed Friend, especially since ML is a direct continuation of BF just with a switch in the main couple. Same characters, same lore, same locations.
I saw someone state that ML feels like they tried to lessen the seriousness and angst of BF and decided it was somehow a great idea to crank the craziness up to damn near 100. It's a shame because I really enjoyed Jade's character in BF! He's a little skittish in that one, sure, but not as bad as here.
I don't mind a show that has a weird, cartoony feel to it. In my opinion, Secret Crush On You executes this aesthetic very well- despite how I feel about the story in general. I think a major part of the reason why it works so well in that story is because the main character wasn't the only weird one: his friends were weird too, just not as bad as him. The actors pulled off them off VERY well. The overexaggerated personalities extended to the clothes they were and the use of colors in the entire sets. It's my favorite thing about SCOY, and I found myself rewatching episodes for the aesthetic alone.
Unlike that story, Jade in ML is the only one who's so over the top. Him being so isolated in that really highlighted how uncomfortably weird he was. And I'll go ahead and spoil something for you real quick:
We learn waaaay later in the story that the reason why Jade keeps himself in the middleman role and is so self sacrificial to a fault is because he dated years prior and the guy who dumped him basically said he was boring and overbearing.
Oh how I WISH they gave us this info sooner. I wholeheartedly believe that if the audience learns of this in the first episode or two, then most of us would be willing to sympathize with Jade's character. We'd be more willing to pay more attention to his antics.
But instead we get a solid 5 or 6 episodes (out of 8!!!) where he's borderline unbearable most of the time. Some might argue the show isn't worth watching because of him alone an d I wouldn't blame them for that.
I'd say his actor yells more than he talks. His expressions are so weirdly forced. And like...I don't necessarily blame his actor. I blame the directors and writers for this. They could've had him dial it down a bit but no they thought this was a great idea.
What makes things worse is that Jade's love interest, Mai, is so chill compared to Jade that he comes off as very one note. Mai, if the story was written well, could've been a great way to balance out Jade's character. But because Jade is so...well, *Jade*, Mai is unfortunately quite boring.
Which is such a bummer because like I stated previously, I was so looking forward to Yim and Tutor together. A friend of mine told me to skip ML and watch the show they did a year later called Battle of Writers. I just started it and let me tell you, I love them here way more than in ML.
Another major issue with the show is the pacing. It's 8 episodes long and yet they could've- *should've* had it be 4 or 5 episodes. The slow burn works in theory for both pairings, but in execution it felt like the story dragged a lot of the time. I do love slow burns, but this was not it. By the way, if you want a good slow burn story, watch Monster Next Door!
Other bad things:
1) I really did not like how fly-on-the-wall Uea and King were in this show. They do next to nothing to the point where they might as well not have been in the story. A big reason why I hate this is because I loved how much Jade helped them with their relationship in BF. I loved how Jade constantly offered Uea help with dealing with gross men. So I was hoping they would, to some extent, help more with Jade, but they barely did anything.
2) The audio quality was bizarre at times. In one of the later episodes, the music kept cutting off instead of seamlessly transitioning.
3) The side couple was more interesting and I hate when that happens.
-------------
Now some good stuff:
Unfortunately, this is yet another story where the side couple is more interesting than the main couple. Gus and Tong were very cute. Their actors also looked cute together and their chemistry was pretty good! I do love a good Extroverted Bottom x Introverted Top situation, so I was pretty hooked from the get go. Unlike the main pair, I'd say their story was fairly well paced and the tension was good. A lot of what happens with them simply makes sense. Bare minimum, I know, but with this show, it must be mentioned.
I thought the small reveal that Gus isn't actually all that extroverted worked very well. Even I found myself surprised by it. I don't necessarily think giving him Dead Mother Syndrome was needed, but eh there's worse in this show.
Also, I loved the bit of nuance with their sexual roles. Like, normally it's the top chancing after the bottom but it was opposite here. The bottom was the one openly flirting with the top. I was convinced that Gus was the top- which I would've loved. A cute top with a serious bottom is another one of my favorite tropes.
At the end of the story, one of the characters states something about the 3 couples (one of which is from BF). He said it in a way that almost implied a sequel? I really don't think this story needs one, but if they do have one and the main couple is Gus and Tong, then I may watch it just for them.
Other good things:
1) Casting was very well done. A lot of the actors that played family members legit looked related in some ways.
2) Despite the mistakes in audio quality at times, I thought the choice of music overall was okay.
3) Mai's actor looked so pretty in every scene.
4) There definitely isn't as many sex scenes in ML as in BF- which is fine! But the couple that are in this show were well done. I didn't expect Gus and Tong to have one, so that was a very pleasant surprise. Both couples did a great job.
---------------------------
Summary:
I'd recommend watching this if and only if there's a pair of actors you wanna watch for. I stuck it out to the end simply because I like Yim and Tutor together. Otherwise, I would've stopped a long time ago.
I saw someone state that ML feels like they tried to lessen the seriousness and angst of BF and decided it was somehow a great idea to crank the craziness up to damn near 100. It's a shame because I really enjoyed Jade's character in BF! He's a little skittish in that one, sure, but not as bad as here.
I don't mind a show that has a weird, cartoony feel to it. In my opinion, Secret Crush On You executes this aesthetic very well- despite how I feel about the story in general. I think a major part of the reason why it works so well in that story is because the main character wasn't the only weird one: his friends were weird too, just not as bad as him. The actors pulled off them off VERY well. The overexaggerated personalities extended to the clothes they were and the use of colors in the entire sets. It's my favorite thing about SCOY, and I found myself rewatching episodes for the aesthetic alone.
Unlike that story, Jade in ML is the only one who's so over the top. Him being so isolated in that really highlighted how uncomfortably weird he was. And I'll go ahead and spoil something for you real quick:
We learn waaaay later in the story that the reason why Jade keeps himself in the middleman role and is so self sacrificial to a fault is because he dated years prior and the guy who dumped him basically said he was boring and overbearing.
Oh how I WISH they gave us this info sooner. I wholeheartedly believe that if the audience learns of this in the first episode or two, then most of us would be willing to sympathize with Jade's character. We'd be more willing to pay more attention to his antics.
But instead we get a solid 5 or 6 episodes (out of 8!!!) where he's borderline unbearable most of the time. Some might argue the show isn't worth watching because of him alone an d I wouldn't blame them for that.
I'd say his actor yells more than he talks. His expressions are so weirdly forced. And like...I don't necessarily blame his actor. I blame the directors and writers for this. They could've had him dial it down a bit but no they thought this was a great idea.
What makes things worse is that Jade's love interest, Mai, is so chill compared to Jade that he comes off as very one note. Mai, if the story was written well, could've been a great way to balance out Jade's character. But because Jade is so...well, *Jade*, Mai is unfortunately quite boring.
Which is such a bummer because like I stated previously, I was so looking forward to Yim and Tutor together. A friend of mine told me to skip ML and watch the show they did a year later called Battle of Writers. I just started it and let me tell you, I love them here way more than in ML.
Another major issue with the show is the pacing. It's 8 episodes long and yet they could've- *should've* had it be 4 or 5 episodes. The slow burn works in theory for both pairings, but in execution it felt like the story dragged a lot of the time. I do love slow burns, but this was not it. By the way, if you want a good slow burn story, watch Monster Next Door!
Other bad things:
1) I really did not like how fly-on-the-wall Uea and King were in this show. They do next to nothing to the point where they might as well not have been in the story. A big reason why I hate this is because I loved how much Jade helped them with their relationship in BF. I loved how Jade constantly offered Uea help with dealing with gross men. So I was hoping they would, to some extent, help more with Jade, but they barely did anything.
2) The audio quality was bizarre at times. In one of the later episodes, the music kept cutting off instead of seamlessly transitioning.
3) The side couple was more interesting and I hate when that happens.
-------------
Now some good stuff:
Unfortunately, this is yet another story where the side couple is more interesting than the main couple. Gus and Tong were very cute. Their actors also looked cute together and their chemistry was pretty good! I do love a good Extroverted Bottom x Introverted Top situation, so I was pretty hooked from the get go. Unlike the main pair, I'd say their story was fairly well paced and the tension was good. A lot of what happens with them simply makes sense. Bare minimum, I know, but with this show, it must be mentioned.
I thought the small reveal that Gus isn't actually all that extroverted worked very well. Even I found myself surprised by it. I don't necessarily think giving him Dead Mother Syndrome was needed, but eh there's worse in this show.
Also, I loved the bit of nuance with their sexual roles. Like, normally it's the top chancing after the bottom but it was opposite here. The bottom was the one openly flirting with the top. I was convinced that Gus was the top- which I would've loved. A cute top with a serious bottom is another one of my favorite tropes.
At the end of the story, one of the characters states something about the 3 couples (one of which is from BF). He said it in a way that almost implied a sequel? I really don't think this story needs one, but if they do have one and the main couple is Gus and Tong, then I may watch it just for them.
Other good things:
1) Casting was very well done. A lot of the actors that played family members legit looked related in some ways.
2) Despite the mistakes in audio quality at times, I thought the choice of music overall was okay.
3) Mai's actor looked so pretty in every scene.
4) There definitely isn't as many sex scenes in ML as in BF- which is fine! But the couple that are in this show were well done. I didn't expect Gus and Tong to have one, so that was a very pleasant surprise. Both couples did a great job.
---------------------------
Summary:
I'd recommend watching this if and only if there's a pair of actors you wanna watch for. I stuck it out to the end simply because I like Yim and Tutor together. Otherwise, I would've stopped a long time ago.
Was this review helpful to you?
