jojoce

And the sad thing is, I had no issue with the show until the scene where it revealed what actually happened with Tian’s father. Up to that point, it kept implying he intentionally burned Tian with cigarettes. (Walking in on any parent having sex would be traumatizing). There are a few scenes with these weird disconnects, like the implication that SW fakes being afraid of the dark to get Tian to share his bed, because he is scared.

Your last sentence is absolutely spot on. I’ve faced backlash from straight viewers for criticizing shows that use homophobic content or internalized homophobia as plot devices, telling me I don’t understand it or its history, despite growing up as a gay man in an extremely conservative and religious country.

Yip, a heads-up would have been nice. I was watching the last few episodes realizing there was no way the show could be resolved in the amount of time left, and still was not prepared for how abruptly it just stopped.

I could not agree more with your last paragraph.
As I do not follow any of the social media concerning the show I'm only commenting on what is discussed here and how it comes across.

I do have to say the show confused me in how it presented itself.
The consistent 'very moment' lines. The 'cute' opening credits. The way the older two men were initially introduced (I thought they were already in a relationship as that is how it is initially played off).

I do not see a possibility of a second season (how many shows has it been already?), I agree with you to just see it as a YA 'slice of life' show and move on.

I don’t have any issues with the storyline and agree with much of what others are saying. However, calling it an open ending is incorrect. For an ending to be open, there should be conflict that the characters confront, which doesn’t happen here, instead, it is a textbook example of a cliffhanger. The show builds towards said conflict but ends abruptly before reaching it, opening the possibility of a second season where said confrontation happens.

The description states, “neither of them expected that romance would begin to spark between them!” This is alluded to but never actually happens.
The production’s decision suggests they hoped for a second season, but it hasn’t been greenlit. There are many ‘confirmations’ about this, but no definitive proof.

Relying on the audience to sign petitions, without knowing if it will work or if the actors will be available, is insulting to me as a viewer. It is lazy and comes across as an attempt at a money grab.
It SHOULD have been made clear from the start that this is a multi-seasonal show. And if (and this is a big if) it happens, there is no indication of when this will happen.

I watched an unfinished product that didn’t match its description at all. People are misunderstanding my criticism as an attack on the show itself.
To be clear, the show is well-made; that’s not the issue. My criticism is that the show has no ending and no indication or confirmation of a second season. It doesn’t have an open ending; it just stops abruptly, like reading a book with the last third of the pages missing. I wish someone had warned me before I invested time and emotions into something that offers no resolution.

Could not agree more, the first few episodes had me hooked, but as it progressed it just lost any semblance of what it advertised itself to be. It's literally sold as a romance, even in the description on the platforms it was shown on, only to start floundering after the first six episodes . It's infuriating that it is even considered pro LGBT+, when it starts relying on some serious homophobic imagery.

It sells itself as something it's not. And a show that has no resolution to any of its plot lines is not something I need to respect, whether it is based on a novel or not.

Not surprised that a show that suffers from a complete lack of identity, dips it's toes into homophobia, lies to itself and the audience, gets a high score on MDL.

He had a lot to lose, if the video was released that clearly shows that she did not close the gate, she would have lost all support. Her emotional state at that point was extremely fragile, she would not have been able to handle it.

I have to add that the entire 'cheating' subplot makes no sense, as they separated and she insisted on divorce. I found it infuriating to watch how callously she treated him, with no consideration for his pain or what he went through. By episode five I had lost all respect for her.

Your last line makes no sense. He did and still tried to. Everyone conveniently forgets that he lost his child too.

I'm always surprised to see the lack of critical thinking when reading the comments section of shows that contain dark themes.
People that fail or refuse to understand that a work of fiction cannot romanticize violence or abuse, as it's just a story.
The same people would rather assert their authority over what is acceptable instead of recognizing that they have the power to simply not watch a particular show as do everyone else who has full autonomy to make their own decisions.

I think the ratings for this show here are wildly inaccurate and also sad to see a reviewer give the brilliant storyline a 6.5 score. However, I can see that viewers expecting a standard BL romance would find criticism, and the fact that it is marked as a romance does not help.

(Although, in the strictest sense of what romanticism is, it does succeed brilliantly.)

The show is a lush tapestry of vibrant colour and sound, beautifully interwoven with its framing and the almost too-intimate cinematography.

In addition, the dialogue between the leads is some of the best I’ve seen in a Thai show. The MC’s interaction throughout the series and Sun’s monologue in a particular episode are a testament to the fantastic writing.

The show moves incredibly fast for its twelve episodes run, as the tightly written story takes you on a journey with the two main characters. The symbolism used to convey specific themes and parallels in the show is incredibly well done.

This is a ‘Christmas Carol’ with a Gregg Araki twist, a beautiful, almost tragic tale of redemption and I highly recommend this show to anyone who appreciates quality storytelling.

It seemed like the showrunners gave up on the show. I felt as lost as First at some point. Some scenes had no purpose or connection to the plot.
They left cliffhangers unresolved and skipped over important details. Some scenes lacked context and time frame. The dialogue was reduced to barely a few words and grunts.
The final episodes were full of irrelevant and unsatisfying events. Zee became the most annoying and unlikable character of the entire show.
The show had potential, but the directors and writers wasted it.

I have to give the show props for owning gay relationships and portrayal of the toxicity that sometimes comes with it. It is surprisingly relatable, every character is nuanced enough and does not become a caricature that a lot of recent shows have been portraying gay men as.
It's not heavily reliant on tropes and ends up being more of a queer show than a BL.

Acting was good and I have to admire the coherence of the story. The atmosphere, soundtrack, and feel of the show are very warm and welcoming. This is what it’s like when trying to find yourself in your twenties.
Solid 8.5.

Sadly, as has been the theme of Thai BL's this year, I can only describe the show as adequate.
Good story, but the editing was all over the place. Subtitles are a absolute mess.
At eight episodes I would have expected more fluid and steady pacing, but some of the storyline just happened with no explanation.
As for chemistry? I failed to see that, when your leads hug and their body language screams uncomfortable, it does not come across well.
'Chains of Heart' would have been the far superior show if it was not for the mess the production caused during the last episodes.
I have no idea what is going on with Thai BL's this year.
When even a 'Mame' show makes you cringe, abandon ship.

This is such as solid, well written show that the rating here makes zero sense. Add another reason that the ratings on this site should never be taken seriously. The show also has one of the most satisfying finales I've seen in a K-drama.

Honest question; who decided it was a good idea to make Joo In Hae such a self-centred character?
My dislike of her just kept growing. Every episode there's a glimmer of hope and then she just reverts back to being the most ego-centric person in the entire show.

I hope so. As it is, I'll be genuinely surprised if a second season happens.
It's getting too much attention for the wrong reasons at the moment.
If it does happen, maybe then I will be more comfortable.