labcat

Starts with good potential but the development isn't always good

First of all, the time-travel premise is fun but not very well done. Why would a spirit transport Kiew to the future as a punishment? Nevertheless, there is a compelling conflict: Kiew falls in love with Bamee in 2022, but is also morally obliged to return to 1995 or his mother will die of grief, so it is going to be a poor decision whether he decides to stay in 2022 or return to 1995. (Yes, he actually does have a choice because he can return to 1995 as long as he fulfills his promise to the spirit).

Unfortunately, neither the time-travel premise nor the conflict is fully exploited. Sometimes the story veers into illogical or frivolous developments. For instance, the about-turn in the character of Bamee's stepmother is not logical at all. Then there is the time when Bamee suffers from amnesia--it's understandable that he would become cold to Kiew because he can't remember him. However, it does not make sense that his character would be so different that he would do things without thinking about the feelings of the brother he dotes on and still remembers. The beginning scene in which Kiew dreams of kissing Bamee even before he has travelled to the future where he meets Bamee is also not explained.

Overall, Past Senger isn't a totally bad BL series, but I would find it hard to come up with a strong reason to highly recommend it. If you are bored and have watched all the better BLs, why not? But there are probably more interesting things out there.

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Gay-themed short film, not BL

Warning: not a happy ending

It is easy to tell what is happening in this short film, but it is much more difficult to say why everything is happening.

We know it is practically love at first sight for Soon-ho, the delivery boy who frequently delivers Yu-jin's meals to him. In contrast to how transparent Soon-ho is as a character, Yu-jin is very much opaque to the end. Perhaps it is meant to be this way--the intention could be to show the struggles of a gay man who won't know the attitudes of other people towards him when they find out he is gay. There can be a 180-degree change in attitude.

Yet the film is can be rather baffling. The simplest reading is probably that Yu-jin is homophobic and turns nasty when he realises that Soon-ho is gay. But it is anyone's guess when Yu-jin discovers it--does he assume that Soon-ho is gay when he sees Soon-ho sniffing his (Yu-jin's) shirt? If so, why does he have no apparent immediate reaction to Soon-ho (whose action actually is admittedly inappropriate)? In fact, he proceeds to start eating his meal without seeming affected until he picks up a piece of friend pork and pauses . . .

Perhaps Yu-jin is put off by Soon-ho's action (not necessarily because he is homophobic but because he finds it disturbing). Or perhaps he is actually homophobic. Or perhaps he is trying to repress his own sexuality and emphasize his supposed heterosexuality by getting a woman to go to his apartment at the time when he knew Soon-ho would turn up, acting intimate with this woman AND even telling her about the delivery boy who is gay. Things would be easier to grasp if we can see malice or cruelty in Yu-jin as the woman taunts Soon-ho, but he keeps quiet and appears quite expressionless (perhaps even coldly hesitant). After closing the door at Soon-ho, he says something sexual to the woman (despite not even showing any interest in her while Soon-ho is looking at them), but is he deliberately saying it loudly enough for Soon-ho to hear?

It is easy to focus on Soon-ho's heartbreak and his friendship with his employer. However, Yu-jin is ultimately the truly intriguing character. I do wish there were more in the film to nudge us towards a more concrete interpretation of Yu-jin's character. He is either a really poorly written and acted flat character or an unsuccessful attempt at creating a truly interesting character within the span of 20 minutes.

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Good at the start

If you turn this series into a graph, you will see a line going up for a short while before it plateaus until the last episode.

17-year-old (almost 18) Shin is in love with Akira, a man about ten years older. Shin is totally Akira's type, but of course, the age gap and the fact that Shin is not even 18 yet stops Akira from accepting Shin's love. Of course, there isn't really a big issue if nothing happens between them until Shin has turned 18.

Perhaps Akira's attraction to Shin is toned down drastically to avoid controversy, causing his reactions to Shin's advances to seem somewhat silly. But to avoid controversy, why not just start the story with Shin meeting Akira after he has turned 18? The age gap could hold Akira back, but there probably won't be a major ethical issue there.

Instead, the story meanders here and there, even revealing Akira's crush on his teacher when he was a high school student. The turns in the plot are largely pointless, and I think the only significant thing is Akira deciding not to be with Shin so that Shin can pursue his studies elsewhere.

Perhaps the series would have been better if it had only been 4 episodes? The characters are rather cute, but the story drags on needlessly.

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Cute and sweet without being frivolous

I was at first a little put off by Ye Guang's schoolmates fangirling over him in the first episode, but I was quickly hooked. There is a lot to love about this series. Yes, the story isn't very strong, but it manages to rise above fluff enough to be quite moving. The people behind it manage to do a rather good job when things could have gone quite wrong.

The scenes of the main couple are often beautifully shot. The tenderness between them and the developing romance is effectively conveyed without resorting to the exaggerations that mar many other series. In the scene where Ye Guang unbuttons Qizhang's shirt because the latter has been scalded, the scene could have been overly sexualized and Qizhang's shyness and fluttering heart could have been exaggerated, but the scene is suitably understated. It brings out the growing intimacy between the leads and their concern for each other without exaggerating the sexual undertones or the characters' emotions.

In another scene where Ye Guang falls asleep while getting a motorcycle ride from Qizhang, I can think of countless other series where Qizhang would just secretly plant a kiss on Ye Guang. However, we see him gently supporting Ye Guang's head and then placing Ye Guang's hands around his waist. This is one of those shows where the emotional intensity is powerful without resorting to sex scenes or non-consensual kisses, and the romance is so much cuter this way. The characters' behaviors are also very much in line with their personalities and the different "stages" of their romance.

I also love the part where Ye Guang says something insensitive to Qizhang when he agitated by his parents. While it could have easily degenerated into some childish quarrel, Qizhang looks fleetingly hurt but continues to try to console Ye Guang. Ye Guang also soon apologizes for what he has said.

Despite all the strengths, there are parts of the series where scenes seem to have been skipped and things are left unexplained. I think there is a lack of explanation of why Ray dresses up as a girl at the start but stops doing so: is he into cross-dressing, doing it to please a man or doing it because he identifies as a woman? The portrayal of Ye Guang's parents, particularly his father, is also a weak aspect of the series. I can take it that the father is rather awful in the sense that he is more concerned about the son's grades and achievements more than anything else and is guilty of rather appalling class discrimination. Yet, his awful behavior is glossed over as being motivated by concern that his son might do down the wrong path. Additionally, it is not clear why, after installing an app on Ye Guang's phone to track Ye Guang's location, Ye Guang still roams around without being tracked down.

There are also some logical inconsistencies in the series. For example, when Qizhang is taken by Jian to meet his boyfriend (Ray), Qizhang seems surprised to see Ray and Ye Guang together. However, Qizhang should already by then know about Jian and Ray's relationship, having helped Jian convey a message to Ray earlier on. And Qizhang also knows that Ye Guang and Ray are close friends, so there is no reason for him to be so surprised.

Had the series been twelve episodes instead, some of the problems could perhaps have been avoided. It feels like certain things had to be left out or rewritten to fit the story into eight episodes. There is potential for a second season because there are still things left hanging. Despite the flaws, I love the main couple and side couple enough to want a second season.

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Entertaining, lighthearted short

The premise doesn't sound all that original at first: a gay couple pretend to be roommates when one of their brothers visits. But if you are expecting the short film to be about the couple trying all sorts of ways to hide their relationship until they give up and come out, you would be wrong.

The couple is loving and cute throughout, and their relationship isn't strained by one getting upset with the other because they have to hide the relationship. This makes them really sweet and lovable. In a way, the joke is on them (not in a cruel or nasty way) because, ultimately, they don't realize that they really do no need to hide their relationship. This is also a way of making the statement that a gay couple can be a perfectly normal, loving couple, and the stigmatization of gay relationships is really unfortunate.

A good, lighthearted short film that doesn't pretend to be deep or anything. It's simply entertaining and cute.

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Not good for escapism, not good for in-depth exploration of themes, but a rather engaging story

Boy (human, Phat) meets boy (ghost, Phob). They fall in love. I liked this BL series quite a lot, but I won't put it amongst my favorite BLs. I'm not exactly sure why, but here are some possible reasons:

1. I appreciate that there is a ghost but there isn't much horror. In fact, there are quite a number of light-hearted and humorous moments. However, it doesn't work that well as a BL series that satisfies my need for escapism because the situations can be rather saddening at the end. It is not really an unhappy ending, but it isn't exactly a series like My Ride, for instance. The ending isn't quite as satisfying as, say, in He's Coming to Me (also a human-ghost love story, and one that's quite underrated).

2. It is a BL series that makes references to BL series and it's quite common for BL series to become self-reflexive nowadays, but I think the references to Lovely Writer are somewhat pointless.

3. It attempts to make a point about (Thai) society's attitude towards gay people, but it is somehow not consistently hard-hitting. It can be rather poignant (as we see in the last episode when a much older Phat says that he has failed to change society. However, the theme lacks development.

4. There are several plot elements that don't make that much sense or are under-utilized. For example, the mystery of what really happened to the father of Dream (Phat's friend) and Luck's supposed encounters with aliens seem a little pointless. Given the way the series ends, a Season 2 is unlikely unless the ending turns out to be a dream or something, so I don't think they are meant to be loose ends that can be used in Season 2. I also find it hard to believe that Phat's landlady, Nuan, is able to do so many things.

Despite the flaws listed, the series is quite enjoyable. The flaws are not really major, but nothing really stands out either. It is a fairly interesting watch, especially in the way Phob slowly finds out about his past. There is enough suspense to keep me watching. However, the series also doesn't quite dare to take things as far as it could have. Possibly very dark characters in the end turn out to be . . . well, not that bad.

If you only want a BL that makes you feel good and happy, I won't recommend this because the ending may not be what you are after. If you want a BL that explores themes in a hard-hitting wat and don't mind an ending that can make you feel unhappy, I would recommend The Miracle of Teddy Bear. If you are open to watching any sort of BL that has an at least okay story, by all means go ahead and watch this.

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The main BL couple's story is the weakest link

Paint with Love started off with a funny first episode that sets things up for an enemies-to-lovers story. This worked for me though it may not work for everyone. Unfortunately, what makes it less likely to work for many is the inconsistency in tone for much of the rest of the series. The comedy isn't maintained, and there is something lacking in the BL story.

There is something inadequate about how the main couple became attracted to each other, and when they have sex for the first time, I was left wondering if it would simply turn out to be a one-sided fantasy or a dream: I wasn't sure if Maze was even sufficiently attracted to Phap at that point. Oddly enough, the story of the main couple is developed quite decently until the beach scene when Maze is drunk, and, after that, becomes rather messy.

I prefer the side couple, Tharn and Nueng. I think this is really thanks Yacht, who has portrayed the character of Tharn sensitively. Yoon, who plays Nueng, however, seems to be placed in the series solely for star appeal. Most of the time, he just seems to be going around looking good. This isn't really the actor's fault for there isn't much depth to the characterization of Nueng.

He does seem to be a genuinely nice person most of the time, especially in his interactions with Tharn. What I find perplexing is why he would sometimes go out of his way to irritate Phap, almost as though there is a dark side to Nueng that is waiting to be revealed. Another thing that isn't convincingly portrayed is the relationship between Nueng and Maze. They are more like brothers though Maze has done something in the past to cause a rift between them. Why, though, does Nueng behaves nonchalantly, neither speaking with Maze on particularly friendly terms nor acting in a particularly cold way. It doesn't seem to make sense given the close relationship that they have had.

Eventually, the tension between Maze and Nueng seems to have been written into the story just to give the other characters (and the audience) the impression that Maze and Nueng have been lovers in the past and to have a revelatory twist that shows otherwise. Even then, it is baffling is why Phap gets jealous of Nueng even though he has already found out that Maze and Nueng have a brotherly relationship. The turns in the BL plot for the main couple ultimately seem rather forced.

In fact, I find the other relationships in the series more interesting to watch. This includes the straight couple in the company run by Maze as well as the friendship between Maze, Tharn and Nae. Maybe less is more in this series--it tends to be the characters and relationships with less screen time that are more likable. Even for the Maze/Phap story, a different cut with scenes that serve hardly any purpose would have made it better even though the series would be a few episodes shorter.

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Somewhat entertaining, but inadequate as either mystery or comedy

I started watching thinking that this would be a detective series but was soon convinced that it was a comedy, then I ended up being unsure what it really is, It is a rather entertaining series in some ways, but it is neither here nor there.

It is best not to watch the series with the expectations one has of one to do with detective investigations. This is not a series that grips the audience with an engaging mystery even though there are different cases of crimes connected to the same mastermind. The focus is, instead, on how the detective exposes some seemingly supernatural phenomena that are used as a cover for criminal activities. This is also where the weakest link of the series is. The detective's revelations do not really astonish--in fact, the explanations for the fake supernatural phenomena often makes it quite unlikely for people to be able to deceive others with them.

There are many examples of how unconvincing the solutions to the mysteries are. One of the bad guys' fake ability to levitate is (more than once) explained as a trick using wires although it is likely that people present at the scene would be able to see the wires. A gigantic water monster is also explained as a huge manmade creation operated by machinery, but I can't fathom how anyone setting up the machinery and the fake monster would be able to do so without attracting any attention. There are also phenomena for which no explanation is really attempted, like how the bad guys managed to make many people dream of the same thing. In the final "mystery", there is no proper explanation for how the bad guys manage to transport so many of the characters into a mansion (which the bad guys claim is a place inside a painting) without having them taken out of a particular venue. In the end, there are too many gaping holes for the story to be a solid entry in the mystery or detective genre.

It is better, then, to appreciate the series as a comedy, perhaps an absurdist one. The series, especially the first half or so, can be rather funny. There may be unintended anachronisms like the protagonist having watched a King Kong movie even before the end of the Qing dynasty in China, but this may well contribute to the anarchy at the start of the series, which includes scenes where a thoughts inner thoughts are revealed in a voiceover. Unfortunately, the series isn't that great as comedy either. It could have been if it gone steadily down the road of absurdist comedy and focused on exaggerated character expressions and actions, but it is somewhat self-restrained in this regard, as though it doesn't dare to attempt something like this.

When the story takes a more serious turn, it has neither the allure of a serious mystery nor the charm of an truly enjoyable absurd comedy to hold itself together. I wish the creators of the series had gone all-out nonsensical and made the series a comedy that is clearly meant to be enjoyed without taking anything too seriously. Perhaps even a less dogged insistence on the absence of supernatural phenomena would also add on to the fun: imagine if the protagonist had encountered some real vampires while trying to expose the fake vampires.

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Quite a good period drama with a few significant flaws

There is a pretty interesting story about a conspiracy and the gradual unraveling of the conspiracy is nicely done. One thing that is nicely done is how our suspicion of one of the characters to be the main conspirator is aroused but we are kept guessing whether our suspicions are founded. The main characters, Gao Bingzhu and Wu Siyue, are the most nicely developed and most interesting characters while Baili Hong Yi (Wang Yibo playing yet another not-very-sociable character) is somewhat more bland but still likable. Various aspects of the production like the set design point to high production values.

Still, there are a few flaws that bring down the series as a whole.

First of all, many viewers are irritated with the character, Liu Ran. I don't think it makes a story or a series bad because a character is irritating because there are irritating people in stories, just as there are annoying people in real life. The problem, however, is that Liu Ran doesn't blend quite well into the story as a character. Sometimes she is an example of an intelligent and strong-willed woman, but sometimes she acts stupidly and her sole function seems to be: (1) to create trouble for Baili Hong Yi, and (2) to show that Baili Hong Yi is someone with affections despite his cold exterior. The character doesn't seem to exist as someone interesting in herself but as a function in the story.

And the chacterization of Liu Ran is inconsistent. She is supposedly intelligent and devoted to Baili Hong Yi, but sometimes she is a little petulant and doesn't see the sort of trouble she is creating--it's like she will be whatever suits the story at whatever time. And the romance between her and Baili Hong Yi isn't exactly necessary to her story. The only time the character worked very well--unintentionally, I think--is towards the end when Wu Siyue relies on her to do something important. Having seen how she creates trouble despite her best intentions, the suspense regarding whether she can do whatever Wu Siyue asks her to do is enough to give one a heart attack.

Another flaw of the series is the editing technique that doesn't always work well. There is frequent intercutting between scenes that are happening at about the same time in the story, often with flashbacks thrown in. At times, this is effective in building tension. However, there are times when the intercutting seems too frequent and purposeless, and maybe it is done just so that some scenes will be broken up into shorter parts or so that there can be some suspense (not a very good way of creating suspense, if you ask me).

There are other points in which the series relies on inelegant techniques. The death of a main character at the end of the series seems totally unnecessary and seems to have been worked into the story simply with the hope of creating some emotional intensity.

Finally, the portrayal of the political situation could have been more nuanced. There can be a better sense of why the conspirators are so bent on overthrowing the emperor. The fact that the emperor is a woman seems to be a complaint of at least some of the characters, but there needs to be more than that (especially since the emperor is based on an actual historical figure). And I think the conspirators are too negatively portrayed--in many ways, they are straightforward villains except for those whose loyalty to the movement is shaken. However, I would imagine that the historical political situation is far more complex. For a series of almost 40 episodes, there could have been effort to portray the complexity.

There is a lot to like about this series, but it would have been much closer to perfection if it had avoided some of the above flaws.

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Decent basic story and acting, but the series falls short of the expectations it leads us to have

I won't summarize the story, but if I were to do so, it is likely to sound like a fairly good story with a good measure of suspense and a nice twist. Yet, there is something underwhelming about the series.

To be fair, the basic story of a serial killer out on the loose is quite good. The actors have also done quite a good job overall. Shen Yu is probably the most complex character, and I appreciate the ambiguity in her character, which helps with the building of suspense.

On the other hand, the ambiguity in Shen Yu, which does not go away even at the end of the story, may not be handled very deftly. At times, she seems almost psychopathic, like how she smiles when she deliberately gets a woman (who has killed her husband after years of abuse) agitated. Perhaps because she a main character, there was a decision not to make the character tilt too much to the dark side eventually, but there is a need for more overall coherence even if there is ambiguity in the characterization.

Then there are also the peripheral cases that don't seem all that relevant to the main story about the serial killer. The case of the murder of a pet killer does not appear to have been resolved very fully. In the end, it seems to have been written in solely for the purpose of showcasing Xia Mu's sleuthing ability (something that is emphasized at the start but ultimately does not play such a huge role) and casting doubt on Shen Yu's character. This is an instance of how the details in the telling of an otherwise decent basic story lacks finesse.

Somehow, the story also contains distractions that border on the implausible and they don't even qualify as red herrings (which can sometimes be impressive if done properly). The way one of the characters is (almost) scapegoated by the serial killer stretches one's ability to suspend one's disbelief. The sheer number of coincidences, the arrangements that need to be made and the psychological tactics that need to be employed with the exact effects intended (when there is no way to be sure of their effectiveness) weaken the story as a whole.

The serial killer is supposed to be someone really intelligent, meticulous, resourceful and probably has plenty of free time on his hands to watch some of the characters. Then when the identity of the killer is revealed, it is a bit of a letdown. He seems delusional (though inconsistently so) and does not exude the aura of a killer who has been able to conceal his crimes for almost three decades. The extent of his cruelty (such as placing a clock in front of his victims so that they see the clock ticking as they die slowly), the chosen method of killing (using a mix of anesthesia and muscle relaxants) and how he obtains the material needed for the killings are all unaccounted for. (To make matters worse, what does get explained, like how he learnt to give injections, can be rather bizarre if you think about it.)

Finally, although there is supposed to be a lot of emotional intensity, I somehow don't feel it. I know the cop (Leng Xiao Bing) who misses a chance to shoot the serial killer is supposed to be guilt-ridden, and the actor does a good job portraying it, but the scenes don't really convince me of it. We don't really see the psychological depth behind his inaction; neither do we really see much of his struggles with guilt over the years. Xia Mu is supposed to be suffering from PTSD firstly due to the murder of his teacher (who is like a mother) and later due the fact that grandfather is killed, but we get too few glimpses of how attached he is to these two people in his life. (In fact, he doesn't even seem to have witnessed the grandfather being killed, but it triggered a relapse of the PTSD?)

There are elements of the story that can make for a relatively good sales pitch. A serial killer is on the loose. A cop wants to correct the error he has made as a rookie. A young man becomes a cop to nab to solve a cold case because his loved one is a victim. A doctor who may or may not be abetting or even instigating crimes. Unfortunately, the series makes one expect so much only to deliver so little.

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A classic that stands out amongst other excellent dramas

There are some dramas that are excellent and popular in their time but end up being forgotten soon enough. This series, however, has the makings of one of those classics that can well get remade again and again with room for a different interpretation or emphasis on different things, kind of like some of Louis Cha's novels that have been repeatedly made into new series. The complexity of the plot, the intertwining of the plot and subplots, together with the nuances in characterization make this a series that truly stands out.

There are some series or movies that become famous because of the stars, and there are actors who become huge stars because of a particular series or movie. But this is one of those instances in which it works both ways. Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo have become really famous because of the series, but, at the same time, it would be hard to imagine anyone else playing the two main characters. It is one of those series where, if there is a remake years down the road, people are going to look back and say that it can't match up to the Xiao Zhan/Wang Yibo pairing.

The series is adapted from a novel with strong BL elements, but it does not tell the story simply for the sake of showing the relationship between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. This distinguishes it from a lot of BL series in which the relationship between the main characters take primacy over all else. For instance, the attention paid to Wei Wuxian's relationship with Jiang Chen and Jian Yanli (more like siblings to him although he isn't really an adopted son in the family) also makes the story really moving. Although I see commenters who don't seem to see the depth of Jiang Chen's brotherly love for Wei Wuxian, the series actually portrays Jiang Chen's emotions with nuance. Sure, there may be resentment because of some misunderstandings and even a bit of jealousy, but even when Jiang Chen seems determined to kill Wei Wuxian, he still doesn't hate Wei Wuxian thoroughly. When Wei Wuxian is able to fall off the cliff, Jiang Chen seems to hate him enough to want to stab him to death, but he ends up stabbing the rocky cliff instead (it's rather hard to miss his target, so he probably couldn't bring himself to end Wei Wuxian's life at that crucial moment). From the start, even when they are on good terms, Jiang Chen's bark is worse than his bite, and he is very harsh with his words when talking to Wei Wuxian. But he really cares about Wei Wuxian--even after the Jiang Sect is exterminated and he seems to blame Wei Wuxian for it, he still has enough trust that Wei Wuxian will not turn evil and *pretends* to fall out with him when other sects are out for Wei Wuxian's blood.

The brotherly relationship between Jiang Chen and Wei Wuxian is a nice contrast to the relationship between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. In a way, the feelings between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji cannot simply be bromance. Although Lan Wangji usually maintains a cold and emotionless exterior, his feelings are shown quite early on through his brother (who seems to be able to read his mind), through how he keeps everything related to Wei Wuxian, including Wei's favorite wine (which is contraband in his sect). On Wei Wuxian's part, he also quite early on seems to like to get Lan Wangji's attention and be close to him, trying to talk to him when others try to avoid him out of fear. He also asks Jiang Yanli at one point about what it's like to "like" someone (who else could be be referring to?). He just doesn't seem to realize how much Lan Wangji loves him. Then there's also the symbolism of Lan Wangji's headband, which he is not supposed to let anyone but his beloved touch.

Perhaps in the future, in a more open-minded world, we will have a remake that showcases the censored BL more. But the censoring of the BL elements isn't necessary a bad thing. Of course, if everything else remains the same, it would be at least a bit better if the love between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian had a chance to be shown more clearly. Yet, the series seems to do better than the novel (which I have read only snippets of) in showing the emotional bond between the two characters, and the relationship is more romantic with the sexual aspects taken out. (I can totally do without softcore-porn scenes although I would appreciate a clear portrayal of them as a couple rather than "confidantes".)

The Untamed has often been compared to Word of Honor, which is also one of my favorites. But Word of Honor really doesn't come close in terms of developing a good story with a range of complex characters with interesting development. What Word of Honor does better is passing and bypassing the censors simultaneously, but I think this strategy probably started with The Untamed and is pushed further in Word of Honor.

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Good story but the delivery isn't consistently top-notch

I can't quite articulate why I took such a long time to watch this series; in fact, I almost forgot about it after watching till Episode 25-26 and only resumed watching months later. This is odd because the series does have quite a solid story. However, somehow, some aspects of the overall delivery didn't work very well for me although most aspects of the production are impressive. Perhaps it was the rather exaggerated behavior of Bai Ying, a sort of villainous splinter of the female protagonist, Si Teng. Perhaps it's the somewhat confusing portrayal of Bai Ying, which required some patience to continue watching to understand. Perhaps it is how some parts end up being a little too draggy (particularly Episode 26 onwards) and it felt almost as though the series was stretched a few episodes beyond what was necessary without really succeeding in enhancing the emotional impact.

Still, there are merits to the story, I find the first two-thirds of it much better that the rest, especially with the range of characters contributing to both heights of tension as well as lighthearted moments of comic relief. The story of mutants and the supposed battle between the humans and mutants (hybrids of life forms on earth and aliens) is interesting enough even if it ultimately resembles more conventional Chinese folklore about animals/plants cultivating themselves into demons (think: Journey to the East sort of demons) except that the setting is China in the 20th to 21st centuries. The last one-third or so of the story has a somewhat different personality, and this is where it may lose some fans.

The historical setting spans from China in the early 20th-century to contemporary China as Si Teng reawakens in the 21st-century after being "killed" by her splintered self decades ago. The unraveling of the circumstances that have led to her conflict with her splintered self and with the anti-mutant humans is the best part of the story. What I didn't quite like, however, were the borderline propagandistic messages about how utopian contemporary China is compared to the past.

We have a 30-episode series, but there is an Episode 31 that features an alternative ending. The ending in Episode 30 is more coherent, and the crowd-pleasing alternative ending in Episode 31 would have been good if it had not left too many things unexplained: how does Si Teng splinter another self when her powers are practically exhausted (there's something about a seed, but ...), how does Qin Fang find her after her disappearances, how does Si Teng manage to survive and why doesn't Qin Fang age? Perhaps the two main characters don't exist in a physical form anymore? (But then why would they talk about meeting up with their old friends, who have literally become older?)

The series does deserve a lot of praise except that I find it hard to praise it effusively. The concept is good, the story is interesting, and the overall production values are good. But it lacks a little something that would make it an unforgettable classic.

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Contemplative, if not everyone's cup of tea

Maybe it is best to start off with what this film is not. It is not a movie with an engaging storyline, full of suspense, twists and action. And while it may be classified as a film with LGBTQ+ themes, it is not too focused on LGBTQ+ issues either. The film may not live up to expectations because of what it is not, but it is also beautiful in its own way.

The film has quite a number of characters though the ones who take up most of the screen time are the old man and the teenager. It is just that there isn't that much of a narrative where these two characters are concerned. The old man takes buses and inexplicably spits in the buses, to the chagrin of the bus drivers and other passengers. A teenager, who is trying to record evidence of her father having an affair, sneaks into the old man's apartment without permission because it offers a good view of the adulteress' apartment. However, she accidentally leaves her phone in the old man's apartment and when she tries to retrieve it, the old man damages it, so she keeps harassing him for payment or to let her use his apartment for her self-imposed task of catching her father in bed with the woman he is having an affair with.

In many ways, the film foregrounds the distance between people in society. There is so much going on in the lives of people around us, but do we really ever stop to care? If we see the old man spitting in a bus, do we stop to wonder if he may be someone with a sad story or do we simply feel disgusted and wish that he does not bother us? The teenager does not make an effort to understand her mother; neither does the teenager's brother and father. She is feeling dissatisfied with her life, envying a friend who has some sort of a career while she only gives piano lessons to a young man hoping to be a star. On the other hand, perhaps people also prefer to keep things to themselves. The teenager's mother does try to find out what she has been doing, but she is impatient and irritated by the motherly questions. The teenager's brother and the mother's piano student are gay and in a relationship, but the mother has to find out in a most awkward way--just as she starts taking a romantic interest in the student (perhaps psychologically explainable as a sort of a bid to re-live the youth she has lost). So lonely as we might be, there are probably things that we prefer to leave unsaid. After all, we live in a society with people who can mercilessly gossip about and judge others, such as when people speculate that the teenager is an underaged prostitute who has been going to the old man's house to provide her services.

The film, nevertheless, is humane in its portrayal of the plethora of characters, showing their dark secrets without judging them. Perhaps there is a personal risk in opening up to others, but it can also forge a connection between people, as the old man does when he reveals to the teenager that he is transgender when he tries to advise her not to hurt herself more by exposing her father's adultery to the rest of the family. The film ends ambivalently, with the old man seeming to be on the verge of suicide when the teenager appears and calls out to him. She walks towards him, stops some distance away, and the film ends. Is it the connection between them that is emphasized or the distance between them that is emphasized?

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Had the potential

As it is, the short movie is can be rather touching in how it portrays the plight of Light, the main character, who has been through a lot in life, including being abused by his stepfather and having to prostitute himself for money (which the same stepfather demands for). He longs for love, but will he get it from the person who shows him concern, and will it last?

Light is a character who is easy to sympathize with. There are some moments of overacting, but Jed Chung manages to convey the character's vulnerability and yearning. Unfortunately, while there are commendable attempts to be economical in fleshing out his back story, sometimes the character ends up incoherent. The way he taunts a customer and the fragility he displays as he gets beaten up, for instance, don't cohere very well without more shown about how he has changed over time as he has to deal with a life in the streets.

The gaps in the portrayal of the other main character, Shuo, are even more obvious. I could only make sense of what is going on because I had read the synopsis of the film, and a lot more needs to be shown about his struggles and his feelings towards Light. The film appears conspicuously incomplete when we see how there is obviously supposed to be a lot more about the Shuo that is somehow not filmed or not included in the 44-minute cut (more likely the former).

I was very much prepared for a tragic ending in this film, perhaps ending with Light's death under yet another person who is violent to him or Shuo's death as his job as a policeman puts him in danger (something which is hinted at). It was a pleasant surprise for me to see the film having a happy ending though the ending appears a little too hurried, like so many aspects of the film. This is a shame for we clearly have a team that is capable of doing more and exploring the nuances of emotions. For instance, when Light first initiates sex with Shuo, why did Shuo refuse to do it even though he was clearly aroused? Was he in denial or his own feelings or did he not want to treat Light as a prostitute by letting Light "repay" his kindness with his body?

This is a film one would love to be able to love more, but it feels incomplete, leaving one dissatisfied while craving for more.

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Unconventional, possibly in unintended ways

At first, this series seems like it would be firmly in the crime thriller genre. There are criminals, including a serial killer on the loose from the time the main male character is a child to the time he is grown up and has become a criminologist. There are different criminal cases, but there is a connection between the cases even though the crimes are unrelated. Yet, it does not go very heavy on the solving of mysteries. As some viewers have noted, the investigations don't even seem professional. The story is pretty good fiction, but if you are expecting a solid criminal investigation story or even a realistic portrayal of psychopathic serial killers, this series will defy your expectations. The police don't seem to be very good at their work and requires the expertise of the male protagonist, and the male protagonist himself has to rely on his resourceful friend (a wealthy art dealer of all things) to find out information. Eventually, his reliance on the friend becomes a self-conscious joke in the series as the friend observes how the male protagonist would keep on giving him orders to investigate things. (And yeah, it's not very nice to blackmail your gay friend into doing things for you by threatening to out him to his father.)

I think there are several narrative threads left hanging: I found myself asking at the end, "Wait, so is the guy who flees to the Philippines and gets arrested there a serial killer or has a serial killer made use of him to kill?" Also, what has really happened to the main female character's father? And perhaps the oddest of all: why does the story end with the identified (main serial killer) still on the loose in a drama that sets itself out to be some sort of crime drama? I can't really tell whether it is merely an attempt to have some sort of cliffhanger for Season 2 (which may not happen) or if it is a daring deviation from genre conventions.

A deviation from what one may expect from the crime genre seems plausible because the deviation is present way before the ending. Sometimes, the deviation is interesting. For instance, one might already guess from Episode 1 who the "monster" referred to is, but even when one guesses it, one may watch on to find out how the dots are connected. Also, the fact that the main serial killer has someone in the police force helping him secretly is strongly hinted at (together with the precise identity of the person helping him), but even upon getting the hint, one may want to watch on to find out exactly why the person is helping the killer. This makes the story more fun than merely having sudden revelations that no one would expect, something that I think too many series try to do.

On the other hand, there is awkwardness in the way the series defies genre conventions. For one, the serial killers (yes, there is more than one) are "humanized" a little too much. They seem to be psychopaths though I don't recall the term being used in the series at all. The term "monster" is used, perhaps because the series is meant to explore human nature without pathologizing certain behaviors. There is allusion to a story about how there are two wolves in every person (one good, one evil) and how the wolf that one is fed will govern the person's behavior, and the duality of human nature seems to be the focus here. Yet, the series seems to take this a little too far in showing the humane side of people whom we might understand to be psychopaths, showing them to be highly capable of true empathy and affection. Yes, there is the nature vs. nurture debate, but is it possible for someone to have the capacity for love and empathy when both nature and nurture have worked together to efface the person's good side (assuming there is one) from a young age, as in the case with the male protagonist's brother?

The depiction of the male protagonist's relationship with his brother is also quite unconventional. I'm pretty sure it is not my BL-fan imagination shaping my perceptions, but there are points when the brothers are depicted almost in a way one might expect lovers to be depicted. It might well be possible to do a montage of their scenes together and convincingly present it as a trailer for a BL series that does not exist. It's not that I mind the portrayal of brothers being really chummy and not exhibiting any toxic masculinity towards one another--after all, it is not as though there is actually any incest going on in the story. But what is the point of it all? Especially if we remember that the younger brother is actually rather selfish in telling their father not to believe what the older one says, his longing for brotherly affections can't possibly be as innocent and sympathy-inducing as the series eventually makes it seem. I would guess that the younger brother just wants to be loved without loving anyone, but this doesn't seem to be the case eventually. In other words, the story seems to venture into a rather dark terrain and then suddenly chickens out and heads the opposite direction instead.

Many seem to hate the main female character, but she isn't really that bad. There are some points when she is a rather badly written character. For instance, she is supposed to be a rather feisty person and a daring police officer who will investigate and stop crimes even when there is danger, but then she would suddenly behave like an idiot afraid of ghosts when exploring a house. Unfortunately, the character seems to be quite unnecessary (especially with the lack of elaboration on what has happened to her father) and seems to be placed in the drama for some obligatory romance though some scenes between the male lead and his brother seem more romantic than her scenes with the male lead.

Overall, the story is quite intriguing even with its flaws. I don't know how faithfully it has followed the Korean original, but assuming that it has followed the original story closely, I think it should have taken liberties to correct the inherent flaws in the story.

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