Episode 1 and 2 will be released on 14 October 2022, 8pm GMT+8 and subsequent episodes will run once a week on Fridays same time. 12 episodes in total so all the way till 23 December! Can't wait to watch :)
With the last episode coming out tomorrow, I’ll write a review here first. To be honest I really like this KBL a lot and I know many have complaints on it due to its many imperfections and those comments are making a bit sad… However I acknowledge the imperfections and will review this show objectively.
First off, I have to agree with some comments that one has to read the webtoon first before watching the drama or else there are many missing gaps that are required to be filled by the watcher themselves. The webtoon in fact also started the story when they are already in their teenage years and have multiple flashbacks (as also portrayed in the drama). We have to acknowledge that different dramas/shows have different themes. That is what makes the show unique from others. And for this show, I think it covers the broad themes of romance (yes duh), friendship and family relationships. It is really not your typical two strangers meeting and falling for each other overtime sort of plot. CBAW involves two supposed childhood friends and the mother of one adopting the other. I saw comments regarding how the mother kept appearing in every episode but the fact is, the mother was involved in a large part of their lives and that Hae Bom was so close to his adoptive mother so it is natural that the mother still plays a huge part in the plot of the drama (as in the webtoon too).
I note how the recent KBLs are adaptations of webtoons and most of them do not follow the webtoon 100% which supports my point on how it is difficult to follow the webtoon religiously. Blueming followed the theme of the webtoon but the plot was almost completely changed with totally different scenes and a large part of the storyline wasn’t adapted. However it still turned out to be good although again, many holes that need to be filled by the watcher themselves. Secondly, I see contrasting comments that how the show followed the webtoon too religiously while some comments saying that the show shouldn’t follow the webtoon too much. Well I guess it is hard to strike an exact balance on how much should a live adaption follow the webtoon. Some scenes are suitable to be portrayed in the live version while some are not as they can become too draggy or did not make sense. I have to agree that some scenes in the live adaption felt out of place as they tried to adapt from the webtoon. For example, the bread scene at the end of episode 2, I thought the scene would continue in episode 3 but it didn’t and the shower scene in episode 4, again a stand alone scene which yes I recalled from the webtoon but felt out of place when placed in the live version. I just felt like the scriptwriter/director could have improved this part by having a follow-up scene after those scenes like in the webtoon itself.
Thirdly, the filmography. I guess the filmography suits the kind of themes (warm, fluffy, domesticated) I like when watching BLs so I like the pinkish filter it has on (also kind of describing cherry blossoms). The only criticism I have for the filming is really its continuity error. For those who do not know what continuity error is, it means how smooth the cut is from scenes to scenes. Episode 2 when they were eating the cake in continuous scenes, there was an obvious editing cut when just a second ago the fork Hae Bom was holding was near his mouth and then the next moment the fork was down. Then in episode 5 when Tae Sung confessed to Hae Bom on the way home, when both of them stopped walking when Tae Sung said “I like you” to Hae Bom, they appeared to be just 2 steps away from each other but in the next cut Hae Bom was suddenly more than 10 steps away from Tae Sung and the cut was too obvious. But overall, it still gives me a sweet and warm feeling while watching it and I really looked forward to every episode since late February up till today.
Fourthly, the storyline. As I said above, if a watcher did not watch the webtoon before watching the live drama, they will need to fill in multiple gaps so to those who haven’t watched the live drama yet, please go watch the webtoon so you will have a better impression in the drama. It actually makes me sad seeing comments talking about how the drama is very boring, very draggy but I feel like that’s really the essence of the story of Hae Bom and Tae Sung. It describes how Tae Sung has hidden feelings for Hae Bom all the while and only being able to protect him in the last year of their high school. It also describes how Hae Bom is able to step out of his years of loneliness and being bullied and now being supported by a group of friends thanks to Tae Sung, and how the relationship of Tae Sung and his mother improved ever since Hae Bom came into their lives. It covers these three broad themes and I find it really meaningful as in real life, romantic relationships do not happen spontaneously when two strangers meet and the world consists of two of them. CBAW encompasses possible real-life scenarios – friendship and family – from supportive friends, a friend who will always be there to help them (Young Hee) and strained relationships with family. I find it very wholesome and I really hope others can also see it that way rather than treating BLs as one that is only about two people. So yes, CBAW lacks depth in the BL part but it’s because it aimed to cover other aspects of a relationship too.
In summary, I just hope people don’t use other BLs as a pedestal to judge other BLs. Semantic Error was a huge breakthrough in the KBL industry in 2022 and I felt like many have been using it to compare with other BLs, especially on-going and upcoming ones which I think is unfair to them. Semantic Error has its own unique theme – campus romance but not a typical one where two extreme personalities collide, Blueming has its own unique theme too – campus romance too but discussing a very prevalent issue in our society today’s – everything is about looks and status and CBAW, again is about friendship and family. They are mutually exclusive from each other and should not be compared to one another as it will only result in unfair comparisons. It’s hard to get Semantic Error off our minds now, considering the huge impact it made in all of us but we shouldn’t allow this to blur our visions to judge new dramas objectively, considering the amount of hard work and production they put into it. Having 8 episodes of almost 30 minutes each episode of KBL is really so rare (although more are coming up already) and while CBAW has its fair share of imperfections, I feel that we ought to be thankful that it’s still there for us to enjoy and watch.
To those who haven’t watch this yet, I hope you watch it objectively and don’t judge the show and avoid watching it prematurely. I respect everyone’s opinion as everyone has their own taste when it comes to BLs and thus obviously have their own likes and dislikes for each other them. CBAW just happens to suit my taste and preference and that’s why I like it so much (+ the OSTs are amazing) but I still believe it could have been produced better in terms of the filming and editing wise.
Find it quite weird that all the episodes are going to be released at once; I thought it would be at most two episodes a week or something...
I know some ppl are unhappy because the hype may die down fast and this drama looks so promising, but why not focus on the production and the actors instead and give them their well deserved compliments! Poor marketing does not discount the fact that a show can be well produced and even if it eventually does not reach a wide audience, it's at least appreciated and loved by those who managed to find out :)
The kiss that was less than 10 minutes in totally threw me off completely hahaha I totally did not expect that too happened so suddenly but I'm not complaining :D
Not gonna lie towards the end of the episode it did felt rushed a little but mainly because the show is following the manhwa too diligently. I know some people have complained that the scenes jump too quickly and at some point didn't really link but yeah, I realised they are just following the manhwa, which perhaps the production team need not have followed it frame by frame or chapter by chapter. The manhwa literally depicts the last few scenes in Ep 5 in ONE chapter by itself i.e. from Hae Bom's acceptance of Tae Sung's feelings onwards and then immediately jumped to graduation. To some it may feel very sudden but I think the production crews are trying to incorporate S2 on the manhwa within the same season of the web drama where their college life begins and yes time to look forward to it again :)
I find it rather intriguing that they could fit S2 of the manhwa in where they begin to date officially while in college. Usually the BLs (or KBLs) spend the entirety of the episodes depicting two guys developing feelings for each other then ends up with only half an episode showcasing their dating lives etc. So I'm quite curious how CBAW will make use of the last three episodes to showcase TS and HBs' dating lives and whether the whole of S2 will be covered or not
Binged the first 4 episodes. Pleasantly surprised at how faithful it was to the manhwa (although the 3rd ep camping…
According to the trailer I think the adaptation will go into S2 of the manhwa (where they moved out together and shared a bed) but like @Lunar said there might not be much content from S2 since the drama is already at its halfway mark and the upcoming episode is still dwelling on the fact that Hae Bom rejected Tae Sung's confession
From what I project, Ep 6 might be HB finally accepting TS then they graduate from high school and 7/8 will focus on their college life... Considering only two episodes for S2 of the manhwa I wonder how much they can actually fit in
Binged the first 4 episodes. Pleasantly surprised at how faithful it was to the manhwa (although the 3rd ep camping…
According to the trailer I think the adaptation will go into S2 of the manhwa (where they moved out together and shared a bed) but like @Lunar said there might not be much content from S2 since the drama is already at its halfway mark and the upcoming episode is still dwelling on the fact that Hae Bom rejected Tae Sung's confession
From what I project, Ep 6 might be HB finally accepting TS then they graduate from high school and 7/8 will focus on their college life... Considering only two episodes for S2 of the manhwa I wonder how much they can actually fit in
He explained it to his friend when they went camping. He said he had to ignore him to hide his feelings. Korea…
Just a guess and not proven: None of Tae Sung's friends knew they lived together for so long probably because both TS and HB never went to school together, never talked in school ever and never went home together... But for what reasons they never once did that, maybe because they are avoiding each other due to the misunderstanding?
I'm so glad that this BL finally got the recognition it deserves! I've read some comments on YouTube that the casting was bad, acting was bad but honestly I disagree fully. I think some people tend to compare it too fully with the manhwa or other BLs but if you attempt to watch this drama without relating it fully to the actual manhwa, you'll really get to enjoy it even more.
Here's a mini-review for the 4 episodes which I've watched it over and over again.
Cast/Acting: Both casts and their younger versions (especially Hae Bom) are so on point. The height difference is also everything. The way Hae Bom always pouts and looks so innocent get me all the time. His crying also looks so real each time and I feel so bad for him for always having to cry 2/4 episodes so far but it's just so touching and cute and I actually wanna see more of it hahaha!
Tae Sung on the other hand really lives up to the 'cold and serious' personality. I especially liked the scene when he came out to his friend (Young Hee) in the camping scene, confessing his feelings for Hae Bom - the expressions he made were so real, showing his hidden feelings for Hae Bom all these while but couldn't let anyone know.
Music: If you guys haven't realised by now, the lyrics in the songs "Cherry Blossom After Winter" sung by Ok Jin Uk and "Precious Love" sung by Kang Hui are from the perspectives of the characters they are each playing! Each piece fits the scenes so well, especially at these moments: Ep 3 the instrumental version of CBAW when both Hae Bom and Tae Sung are talking while sitting on Hae Bom's bed and then Tae Sung saying "You have me." UGH SO SWEET Ep 3 when Tae Sung confessed to Young Hee his feelings for Hae Bom (Precious Love) Ep 4's kissing scene (CBAW) And then they keep using their songs for the trailers for the next week's episodes... I've been listening to both of these songs for repeat for the past few weeks... There is so much dedication to this BL istg
General: The filmography, music and editing really bring out a very sweet and fluffy feeling that is quite different from the general themes of other BLs I've watched so far. The interactions between each character are so gentle and cute, and it is a drama where I'll curl up in bed and watch every week after a long day. Yes the one week per episode wait is painful and as highlighted by others it couldn't hook on to the viewers but again, it gives me something to look forward to every week.
Like I said, we should watch this adaptation without linking too much to the manhwa. I don't think it's possible for them to follow the manhwa chapter by chapter and some scenes would've felt out of place/make no sense if it is directly depicting the manhwa. Watch it with an open mind and appreciate the acting and production value of the drama. KBLs are really either a miss or a huge hit and CBAW is definitely on the hit side. Each BL has its own theme and the way it tells its story and I don't think it's nice to compare both of them on the same level. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses but I think most importantly we have to appreciate the casts and crews for producing such wonderful BLs for us viewers :D
I so look forward to the remaining 4 episodes but am starting to feel sad because it's going to finish soon :( I really hope to see similar themes of KBLs in the future!!!
Oh yes and one last thing is - the pace of CBAW is spot on. It's not too rushed nor too slow and the flow of the story makes sense and there were not much missing links.
I just wish some people wouldn't go too hard on this movie. In fact, I realized most Japanese movies (or in fact just BL movies since I only watch them) tend to be very slow paced with very little dramatic effects or plot twists, but really slowly telling the story. If you are those kind of viewers who expect a fast-paced plot and with more 'interesting' plots, maybe this movie isn't for you.
I watched this movie twice already, and both times I was touched deeply. This is a realistic BL movie - reflecting our society today. We shouldn't expect all movies to have happy endings or have a non-toxic, smooth-sailing type of relationship. Some people in today's society may still not accept the fact that they are gay themselves, they are afraid of judgement by their family, friends and the society in general. Therefore they are not true to themselves but to try to put on a façade to appear 'normal' to everyone. Yet at the same time by lying to themselves, they hurt other people. And only after wasting your youth away, your young adulthood away that you realize you have been wrong, you shouldn't have lied to everyone, but most importantly yourself.
Don't hate on Nagisa's character. It is a true reflection of many unknown individuals out there. Characters like these are not there to normalize these, but to show the consequences of not being truthful to yourself. Characters like these are there to show how the society needs to change so these people will cease to exist. They are there to show how we should accept people for who they are. Only when the society accepts these individuals for who they are, then they will accept themselves. We live in a world where judgement is a thing, so we cannot blame them for being afraid.
Apart from the gay romance aspect, this movie also depicts other truths of the society - child negligence. In our work culture today and despite having a child, do the parents spend the time and effort to take care of their own child? Growing up, the most important support and love they should get is from their parents. The work culture today yet causes people to not pay attention to the child's needs. This movie really highlighted the pressing issues of our world today that we need to look into. Things may not change on a macro scale, but if more parents reflect and change their ways of life, it would perhaps slowly the change the world we are living in in the future.
This movie reminds of Restart after Come Back Home, another great BL movie but not much romance involved. It's a depiction of how one searches for his own soul after feeling lost in today's world. Also rather slow-paced, but meaningful movie. Highly recommended to watch if you liked His.
Japanese BL movies/dramas are really one of a kind. They are unique by themselves as they tell a meaningful story and do not rush into the climax. I like the internal dialogues also, giving us a sense of what the characters are thinking at each point of time, not to mention that their characters are always so cute.
Alright, guys. Look. Most people are homophobic. Even if they claim they aren't, they are. And they hide it (it's…
I agree with you fully. I don't think it's fair to shut off the entire Asian BL industry just because of one silly incident. We're talking about the 'Entertainment' industry after all. Some actors became actors because they really like acting and dedicate themselves fully into the industry while perhaps most of the rest of the actors might just be in for the money - regardless of the genre. And this is the reality, so why are some people even surprised when some actors out there are just in for the money?
Homophobia is still a thing in the world we are living, I agree. When we say our society has become more progressive, I still believe than more than half of the world population are still homophobic. But the point is, we have progressed from the past that people in some societies are no longer afraid to announce that they belong to the LGBTQ+ community. Some people accept the community, some don't and some pretend to. Some countries already are open to the community, some countries still restrict the community. Regardless of the speed of opening up to the community, we are in a far better position than we were perhaps just two decades ago. You can't possibly expect the whole world and the entire human race to be so open-minded when you wake up tomorrow.
My country still has certain censorship when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community but it's all because the society isn't fully able to accept it yet. And the only way to do it is really through education and less brainwashing by religious organizations (I mean no offence). The younger people today are obviously more open-minded than the older generation because of exposure and education on such a topic. Yet some younger people are still being influenced incorrectly because of their parents or whatever their religion tell them. And to be very honest, I don't think I will see my society completely open up to the community in my lifetime but I am ok with that. I told myself, it's ok if the general society doesn't accept me, but as long as the people around me, my friends and the people in the future I meet accept me for who I am, I will be more than grateful. Like I said earlier, I cannot expect everyone to suddenly accept me for who I am but I am confident, in the decades to come, people from the LGBTQ+ community will no longer have to be afraid of coming out to the people around them and feel welcomed like any normal person would be in our society. Here's a random analogy: Astronomers took so centuries in order to conclude that the Earth is round and for the majority of us to be convinced that it is indeed round. Yet there are still some people today who argues that the Earth is flat.
I think I might have went off-topic a bit here... But my point is, because of the information age we are in right now, our world is progressing. There will definitely still be some people who are stuck in the past but rather than getting held up by them why don't we help more open-minded people progress together?
The Asian BL industry has progressed way faster than I expected. And we're just not talking about Taiwan because of the legalization of same-sex marriage but other Asian countries especially Korea, have been producing so many BL films in the past two years or so. Yes you may argue that because they are all in for the money so they hop on this train but at least it's still providing exposure to the LGBTQ+ community. I happen to agree that some productions are not up to my standards but it's all subjective and relative in the end. The key word is AT LEAST. At least we have these productions for entertainment as well as education. Taiwan has produced so many memorable BL dramas or films like We Best Love, the HIStory series etc. Despite the cliché plots in some of the films, the acting and production is top notch in my opinion.
Sorry OP for hijacking your thread for this long rant because in this whole thread I finally found someone that shares the same sentiments as me. Our opinions may not be very popular but I feel that it's a hard truth that people have to take in.
First off, I have to agree with some comments that one has to read the webtoon first before watching the drama or else there are many missing gaps that are required to be filled by the watcher themselves. The webtoon in fact also started the story when they are already in their teenage years and have multiple flashbacks (as also portrayed in the drama).
We have to acknowledge that different dramas/shows have different themes. That is what makes the show unique from others. And for this show, I think it covers the broad themes of romance (yes duh), friendship and family relationships. It is really not your typical two strangers meeting and falling for each other overtime sort of plot. CBAW involves two supposed childhood friends and the mother of one adopting the other. I saw comments regarding how the mother kept appearing in every episode but the fact is, the mother was involved in a large part of their lives and that Hae Bom was so close to his adoptive mother so it is natural that the mother still plays a huge part in the plot of the drama (as in the webtoon too).
I note how the recent KBLs are adaptations of webtoons and most of them do not follow the webtoon 100% which supports my point on how it is difficult to follow the webtoon religiously. Blueming followed the theme of the webtoon but the plot was almost completely changed with totally different scenes and a large part of the storyline wasn’t adapted. However it still turned out to be good although again, many holes that need to be filled by the watcher themselves.
Secondly, I see contrasting comments that how the show followed the webtoon too religiously while some comments saying that the show shouldn’t follow the webtoon too much. Well I guess it is hard to strike an exact balance on how much should a live adaption follow the webtoon. Some scenes are suitable to be portrayed in the live version while some are not as they can become too draggy or did not make sense. I have to agree that some scenes in the live adaption felt out of place as they tried to adapt from the webtoon. For example, the bread scene at the end of episode 2, I thought the scene would continue in episode 3 but it didn’t and the shower scene in episode 4, again a stand alone scene which yes I recalled from the webtoon but felt out of place when placed in the live version. I just felt like the scriptwriter/director could have improved this part by having a follow-up scene after those scenes like in the webtoon itself.
Thirdly, the filmography. I guess the filmography suits the kind of themes (warm, fluffy, domesticated) I like when watching BLs so I like the pinkish filter it has on (also kind of describing cherry blossoms). The only criticism I have for the filming is really its continuity error. For those who do not know what continuity error is, it means how smooth the cut is from scenes to scenes. Episode 2 when they were eating the cake in continuous scenes, there was an obvious editing cut when just a second ago the fork Hae Bom was holding was near his mouth and then the next moment the fork was down. Then in episode 5 when Tae Sung confessed to Hae Bom on the way home, when both of them stopped walking when Tae Sung said “I like you” to Hae Bom, they appeared to be just 2 steps away from each other but in the next cut Hae Bom was suddenly more than 10 steps away from Tae Sung and the cut was too obvious. But overall, it still gives me a sweet and warm feeling while watching it and I really looked forward to every episode since late February up till today.
Fourthly, the storyline. As I said above, if a watcher did not watch the webtoon before watching the live drama, they will need to fill in multiple gaps so to those who haven’t watched the live drama yet, please go watch the webtoon so you will have a better impression in the drama. It actually makes me sad seeing comments talking about how the drama is very boring, very draggy but I feel like that’s really the essence of the story of Hae Bom and Tae Sung. It describes how Tae Sung has hidden feelings for Hae Bom all the while and only being able to protect him in the last year of their high school. It also describes how Hae Bom is able to step out of his years of loneliness and being bullied and now being supported by a group of friends thanks to Tae Sung, and how the relationship of Tae Sung and his mother improved ever since Hae Bom came into their lives. It covers these three broad themes and I find it really meaningful as in real life, romantic relationships do not happen spontaneously when two strangers meet and the world consists of two of them. CBAW encompasses possible real-life scenarios – friendship and family – from supportive friends, a friend who will always be there to help them (Young Hee) and strained relationships with family. I find it very wholesome and I really hope others can also see it that way rather than treating BLs as one that is only about two people. So yes, CBAW lacks depth in the BL part but it’s because it aimed to cover other aspects of a relationship too.
In summary, I just hope people don’t use other BLs as a pedestal to judge other BLs. Semantic Error was a huge breakthrough in the KBL industry in 2022 and I felt like many have been using it to compare with other BLs, especially on-going and upcoming ones which I think is unfair to them. Semantic Error has its own unique theme – campus romance but not a typical one where two extreme personalities collide, Blueming has its own unique theme too – campus romance too but discussing a very prevalent issue in our society today’s – everything is about looks and status and CBAW, again is about friendship and family. They are mutually exclusive from each other and should not be compared to one another as it will only result in unfair comparisons.
It’s hard to get Semantic Error off our minds now, considering the huge impact it made in all of us but we shouldn’t allow this to blur our visions to judge new dramas objectively, considering the amount of hard work and production they put into it. Having 8 episodes of almost 30 minutes each episode of KBL is really so rare (although more are coming up already) and while CBAW has its fair share of imperfections, I feel that we ought to be thankful that it’s still there for us to enjoy and watch.
To those who haven’t watch this yet, I hope you watch it objectively and don’t judge the show and avoid watching it prematurely. I respect everyone’s opinion as everyone has their own taste when it comes to BLs and thus obviously have their own likes and dislikes for each other them. CBAW just happens to suit my taste and preference and that’s why I like it so much (+ the OSTs are amazing) but I still believe it could have been produced better in terms of the filming and editing wise.
I know some ppl are unhappy because the hype may die down fast and this drama looks so promising, but why not focus on the production and the actors instead and give them their well deserved compliments! Poor marketing does not discount the fact that a show can be well produced and even if it eventually does not reach a wide audience, it's at least appreciated and loved by those who managed to find out :)
Not gonna lie towards the end of the episode it did felt rushed a little but mainly because the show is following the manhwa too diligently. I know some people have complained that the scenes jump too quickly and at some point didn't really link but yeah, I realised they are just following the manhwa, which perhaps the production team need not have followed it frame by frame or chapter by chapter. The manhwa literally depicts the last few scenes in Ep 5 in ONE chapter by itself i.e. from Hae Bom's acceptance of Tae Sung's feelings onwards and then immediately jumped to graduation. To some it may feel very sudden but I think the production crews are trying to incorporate S2 on the manhwa within the same season of the web drama where their college life begins and yes time to look forward to it again :)
I find it rather intriguing that they could fit S2 of the manhwa in where they begin to date officially while in college. Usually the BLs (or KBLs) spend the entirety of the episodes depicting two guys developing feelings for each other then ends up with only half an episode showcasing their dating lives etc. So I'm quite curious how CBAW will make use of the last three episodes to showcase TS and HBs' dating lives and whether the whole of S2 will be covered or not
(looking forward to them sharing the same bed)
From what I project, Ep 6 might be HB finally accepting TS then they graduate from high school and 7/8 will focus on their college life... Considering only two episodes for S2 of the manhwa I wonder how much they can actually fit in
From what I project, Ep 6 might be HB finally accepting TS then they graduate from high school and 7/8 will focus on their college life... Considering only two episodes for S2 of the manhwa I wonder how much they can actually fit in
Here's a mini-review for the 4 episodes which I've watched it over and over again.
Cast/Acting:
Both casts and their younger versions (especially Hae Bom) are so on point. The height difference is also everything. The way Hae Bom always pouts and looks so innocent get me all the time. His crying also looks so real each time and I feel so bad for him for always having to cry 2/4 episodes so far but it's just so touching and cute and I actually wanna see more of it hahaha!
Tae Sung on the other hand really lives up to the 'cold and serious' personality. I especially liked the scene when he came out to his friend (Young Hee) in the camping scene, confessing his feelings for Hae Bom - the expressions he made were so real, showing his hidden feelings for Hae Bom all these while but couldn't let anyone know.
Music:
If you guys haven't realised by now, the lyrics in the songs "Cherry Blossom After Winter" sung by Ok Jin Uk and "Precious Love" sung by Kang Hui are from the perspectives of the characters they are each playing! Each piece fits the scenes so well, especially at these moments:
Ep 3 the instrumental version of CBAW when both Hae Bom and Tae Sung are talking while sitting on Hae Bom's bed and then Tae Sung saying "You have me." UGH SO SWEET
Ep 3 when Tae Sung confessed to Young Hee his feelings for Hae Bom (Precious Love)
Ep 4's kissing scene (CBAW)
And then they keep using their songs for the trailers for the next week's episodes...
I've been listening to both of these songs for repeat for the past few weeks... There is so much dedication to this BL istg
General:
The filmography, music and editing really bring out a very sweet and fluffy feeling that is quite different from the general themes of other BLs I've watched so far. The interactions between each character are so gentle and cute, and it is a drama where I'll curl up in bed and watch every week after a long day. Yes the one week per episode wait is painful and as highlighted by others it couldn't hook on to the viewers but again, it gives me something to look forward to every week.
Like I said, we should watch this adaptation without linking too much to the manhwa. I don't think it's possible for them to follow the manhwa chapter by chapter and some scenes would've felt out of place/make no sense if it is directly depicting the manhwa. Watch it with an open mind and appreciate the acting and production value of the drama. KBLs are really either a miss or a huge hit and CBAW is definitely on the hit side. Each BL has its own theme and the way it tells its story and I don't think it's nice to compare both of them on the same level. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses but I think most importantly we have to appreciate the casts and crews for producing such wonderful BLs for us viewers :D
I so look forward to the remaining 4 episodes but am starting to feel sad because it's going to finish soon :( I really hope to see similar themes of KBLs in the future!!!
Oh yes and one last thing is - the pace of CBAW is spot on. It's not too rushed nor too slow and the flow of the story makes sense and there were not much missing links.
I watched this movie twice already, and both times I was touched deeply. This is a realistic BL movie - reflecting our society today. We shouldn't expect all movies to have happy endings or have a non-toxic, smooth-sailing type of relationship. Some people in today's society may still not accept the fact that they are gay themselves, they are afraid of judgement by their family, friends and the society in general. Therefore they are not true to themselves but to try to put on a façade to appear 'normal' to everyone. Yet at the same time by lying to themselves, they hurt other people. And only after wasting your youth away, your young adulthood away that you realize you have been wrong, you shouldn't have lied to everyone, but most importantly yourself.
Don't hate on Nagisa's character. It is a true reflection of many unknown individuals out there. Characters like these are not there to normalize these, but to show the consequences of not being truthful to yourself. Characters like these are there to show how the society needs to change so these people will cease to exist. They are there to show how we should accept people for who they are. Only when the society accepts these individuals for who they are, then they will accept themselves. We live in a world where judgement is a thing, so we cannot blame them for being afraid.
Apart from the gay romance aspect, this movie also depicts other truths of the society - child negligence. In our work culture today and despite having a child, do the parents spend the time and effort to take care of their own child? Growing up, the most important support and love they should get is from their parents. The work culture today yet causes people to not pay attention to the child's needs. This movie really highlighted the pressing issues of our world today that we need to look into. Things may not change on a macro scale, but if more parents reflect and change their ways of life, it would perhaps slowly the change the world we are living in in the future.
This movie reminds of Restart after Come Back Home, another great BL movie but not much romance involved. It's a depiction of how one searches for his own soul after feeling lost in today's world. Also rather slow-paced, but meaningful movie. Highly recommended to watch if you liked His.
Japanese BL movies/dramas are really one of a kind. They are unique by themselves as they tell a meaningful story and do not rush into the climax. I like the internal dialogues also, giving us a sense of what the characters are thinking at each point of time, not to mention that their characters are always so cute.
The thing about Japanese BL - very rare but most of them are some of the best out there!
Homophobia is still a thing in the world we are living, I agree. When we say our society has become more progressive, I still believe than more than half of the world population are still homophobic. But the point is, we have progressed from the past that people in some societies are no longer afraid to announce that they belong to the LGBTQ+ community. Some people accept the community, some don't and some pretend to. Some countries already are open to the community, some countries still restrict the community. Regardless of the speed of opening up to the community, we are in a far better position than we were perhaps just two decades ago. You can't possibly expect the whole world and the entire human race to be so open-minded when you wake up tomorrow.
My country still has certain censorship when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community but it's all because the society isn't fully able to accept it yet. And the only way to do it is really through education and less brainwashing by religious organizations (I mean no offence). The younger people today are obviously more open-minded than the older generation because of exposure and education on such a topic. Yet some younger people are still being influenced incorrectly because of their parents or whatever their religion tell them. And to be very honest, I don't think I will see my society completely open up to the community in my lifetime but I am ok with that. I told myself, it's ok if the general society doesn't accept me, but as long as the people around me, my friends and the people in the future I meet accept me for who I am, I will be more than grateful. Like I said earlier, I cannot expect everyone to suddenly accept me for who I am but I am confident, in the decades to come, people from the LGBTQ+ community will no longer have to be afraid of coming out to the people around them and feel welcomed like any normal person would be in our society. Here's a random analogy: Astronomers took so centuries in order to conclude that the Earth is round and for the majority of us to be convinced that it is indeed round. Yet there are still some people today who argues that the Earth is flat.
I think I might have went off-topic a bit here... But my point is, because of the information age we are in right now, our world is progressing. There will definitely still be some people who are stuck in the past but rather than getting held up by them why don't we help more open-minded people progress together?
The Asian BL industry has progressed way faster than I expected. And we're just not talking about Taiwan because of the legalization of same-sex marriage but other Asian countries especially Korea, have been producing so many BL films in the past two years or so. Yes you may argue that because they are all in for the money so they hop on this train but at least it's still providing exposure to the LGBTQ+ community. I happen to agree that some productions are not up to my standards but it's all subjective and relative in the end. The key word is AT LEAST. At least we have these productions for entertainment as well as education. Taiwan has produced so many memorable BL dramas or films like We Best Love, the HIStory series etc. Despite the cliché plots in some of the films, the acting and production is top notch in my opinion.
Sorry OP for hijacking your thread for this long rant because in this whole thread I finally found someone that shares the same sentiments as me. Our opinions may not be very popular but I feel that it's a hard truth that people have to take in.