mikimika101

They Dragged the Cheating Boyfriend Storyline for Way Too Long!!

My Ride would have been great.... If they didn't drag out the cheating boyfriend storyline.

~~ STORY ~~

My Ride honestly could have been a contender for a memorable BL. It has a new and interesting pairing, a motorcycle taxi driver and a doctor. Also, Mork, the motorcycle taxi driver, is so adorable and cute. He is the perfect boyfriend! However, what hurt this BL was dragging out the cheater storyline. Also the side couples were not really amazing, but we'll talk about that later.

Before meeting Mork, Tawan ends up dating the doctor he's always had a crush on. That doctor starts ignoring Tawan and complains that Tawan is too clingy from day 1. We also learn that he is cheating on Tawan with his on-again-off-again ex. Meanwhile, Mork and Tawan are getting closer and closer by the day. It gets to the point where Tawan is clearly in love with Mork, but refuses to cheat on his cheater of a boyfriend despite the fact that his boyfriend is always ignoring him.

Anyways, that cheater storyline goes on for more than half of the series. It's annoying because we can clearly see Tawan falling for Mork, but choosing to let himself be manipulated by his cheating boyfriend. This cheating storyline should have been 2-3 episodes max, or have the cheating boyfriend have more screen time and become a major character. Because they dragged out the cheating storyline, the last few episodes felt rushed.

Also, if I could add my slight annoyances with this series before talking about the positives... They spend 3 episodes at the fair!!!! 3 WHOLE EPISODES!!!!!! Great because it felt like we were third-wheeling their entire date night, but did we really need to spend 3 whole episodes on one date night at the fair? Also, Mork having a "son" at the end was so random. I can see Mork actually taking care of his son and what not, but it was weird. Also, the girlfriend returning at the end was really unnecessary. Should have scrapped that drama and given it to Mork's son's storyline. We got too little information on Mork's son even though he's is going to be part of Mork and Tawan's family.


MORK x TAWAN

Mork and Tawan are absolutely adorable together. They really hit it off from day 1. Mork slowly falling for Tawan as the days pass is a beautiful. They don't have to being doing anything romantic to show they are in love. Mork always being there to listen to Tawan and to help him speaks louder than any of the romantic moments they had. Mork is really the ideal boyfriend despite being uneducated. The fact that he adopted his brother's son and works hard to make money for his son's education is amazing. Tawan still has a lot to go in terms of being the ideal boyfriend, but you can see that he is always thinking of others and puts his boyfriend first... Which is unfortunate for Mork until Mork takes that role from the cheater.

Overall Mork and Tawan were very cute together and I wish they got together sooner.


BOSS x TOY

I don't know if I like Boss and Toy together. Boss seems too stuck up for Toy. Boss is clearly not ready for a relationship and only thinks of himself. Toy, on the other hand, is an amazing character. He is interesting and fun. I'm sad that he likes Boss and they ended up together. I think Toy could do much better than Boss... or Boss needs to work on himself. He's slowly learning to be human and I hope Toy can help him with it.

NADIA x MAYOM

Skip this couple. They were boring and dragged on for no reason what so ever.

TAWAN x POR (x Kanghan)

Por is a piece of work and so is his on-again-off-again boyfriend Kanghan. The fact that Por started hitting on Tawan for fun, then getting annoyed with Tawan gets serious is annoying. Also Kanghan being petty and messaging Tawan to show up while he and Por are having sex is a nightmare. They should have just let Kanghan be the side piece and let Por dig his own grave. Making Kanghan petty and purposely message Tawan was unnecessary drama. We know Por is a piece of work, but Kanghan didn't need to be one too.

~~ OVERALL ~~

A nice watch. I'm not sure if I will rewatch this, but it's still a nice drama. I just wish they didn't drag the cheater storyline. Mork and Tawan are so cute! Mork is officially my ideal type of guy.

Read More

Typical Japanese Rom-Com with a BL Twist!!

Mr Unlucky Can Only Kiss is one of the many recent BL dramas that Japan has been making. In the past, Japan was known for low-budget and B-list BL films, but lately Japan really has been stepping their BL game up by making dramas. While Japan is still lacking in making dramatic and memorable BLs like the Thais and Koreans, Japan is starting to make BLs like their usual rom-com style of mangas to dramas. Mr Unlucky is a very typical Japanese rom-com, but with a BL twist!

~~ STORY ~~

Mr Unlucky is based on a BL manga, so I recommend reading it before watching, or reading it after. I remember reading the manga a few months ago, before the series was announced. I remember going, "Oh yeah! I read this before." but I actually don't remember much of the story. The manga was your typical BL manga. It's a fun read, but nothing special that makes it memorable. The drama is the same. It's your usual Japanese style rom-com following the "Hatsu Koi/First Love" aspect that Japan loves so much.

Mr Unlucky follows the story of Shinomiya and Fukuhara. Shinomiya is very lucky, but Fukuhara is very unlucky. At first, Fukuhara uses Shionomiya for his luck, but eventually falls in love. It's a very typical rom-com trope that has been used thousands of times. Mr Unlucky doesn't really do anything to make their story memorable, so it follows all of the normal tropes. The only thing that makes Mr Unlucky memorable is the fact that the guys are hot, and it from Japan, who is finally starting to make big-budget BL films. Other than that there is nothing really memorable about it. Honestly, as someone living in Japan, Mr Unlucky isn't really all the hyped up here. Cherry Maho, Kieta Hatsukoi, and Zettai BL in Naru definitely got more public spotlight than this series.

~~ OVERALL ~~

Mr Unluck is a cute rom-com, but it's nothing special.
It's a great one time watch, but it's not something that I'll be watchin again any time soon.

Read More

All Visuals, Nothing Special

At a glance The Tasty Florida seems to have a nice premise and the first episode makes it look promising, but there is absolutely nothing special about this BL. It's made for the fujoshis that simply want all hot men get together. It's really infuriating to think about.


PLOT:

Freshman Haewon arrives in Seoul and is heading to his guesthouse. While absentmindedly admiring his new town, he falls into the arms of Eunkyu. Eunkyu helps Haewon to the guesthouse and disappears after. Haewon begins to look for a part time job and discovers the restaurant The Tasty Florida, about his guesthouse. When he goes up to take a look he sees Eunkyu again, along with Jisoo who co-own the restaurant together. Jisoo is instantly and openly smitten with Haewon, while Eunkyu sneaks glances at Haewoon.

Haewon ends up working at the restaurant thanks to Jisoo, but Eunkyu isn't very happy about it. Desperate to get Eunkyu to like him, Haewon starts helping Eunkyu, much to Jisoo's disappointment.

Honestly, the plot seems to he written by a high schooler. All the men are heartthrobs and the two main leads are into each other from the start of the drama. The characters are all poorly written, with Haewon being the most boring protagonist. The stars seem to just align for Haewon and he has all of these hot men chasing him from the moment they see him. He also doesn't really do anything to get the man of his dreams. Haewon also goes from a painfully shy and quiet guy, to being so open with his feelings right after he gets hired at the restaurant. Eunkyu is also painfully one-dimensional, always brooding over his unfortunate backstory. Even when he gets together with Haewon and is supposed to have his happily ever after, he is still brooding.

The worst offense is the climax of the drama, when Jisoo and Eunkyu confess they love Haewon to each other and fight over Haewon... In front of Haewon... Without even confessing to Haewon... And Haewon instantly getting together with Eunkyu after Jisoo and Eunkyu have a small pity party of "poor me, you said you'd do anything for me," "poor me, because of my family life, I never had anything I wanted, but now I want Haewon." Even having the two boys do that "if I don't run to the protagonist, I will miss my chance to be with him" chase scene that kdramas are known for.


HAEWON x EUNKYU (x JISOO)

At first, I was really rooting for Haewon and Eunkyu. They way they first met and interacted was really a Cinderella moment. However, after Haewon started working in the restaurant and had a personality change, I stopped caring. Haewon's actions before and after is so different that is throws me off, especially after Eunkyu gets burnt. Is he the same person? Also, Haewon is literally just eye-candy. His character does nothing to make Eunkyu fall for him.

Eunkyu has so many brooding emotions, I think he needs to be in another drama with another leading man that can actually do something for him and take care of him. Even his best friend Jisoo would be a better match for him than Haewon. Yes, Haewon is good on the eye and encourages Eunkyu to open up, but Eunkyu does all of that on his own without Haewon's help. It's literally talking to Jisoo that makes him open up.

Jisoo... You can do so much better than Haewon. He literally just sits there ogling Eunkyu.

Eunkyu and Jisoo, don't even bother ruining 15 years of friendship for Haewon. Haewon's not worth it.


ACTING/ CINEMATOGRAPHY/ MUSIC

The cinematography and music was amazing, and it's really a waste to spend it on such a bland drama. Even the actors' talents are wasted on this drama. Eunkyu and Ji soo's actors are amazing in their roles. Eunkyu's actor was amazing to the point, I really think he needs to be given another role in another drama where he can showcase his talents. His brooding scenes were wasted on a bland plot. Any scene that he's in really feels like a great drama. In fact, I decided to watch this drama because I saw a clip of him in this and thought it was going to be good... It wasn't... Because of the plot, and I was very disappointed.


OVERALL:

Just watch the first episode and imagine the rest yourself. You'll be highly disappointed by the amazing cinematography, acting, and music that was wasted on a bland plot. If you choose to continue to watch this... Just skip the scenes to the scenes with Eunkyu and Haewon in bed together confessing their hears out. Those 2-3 scenes are really the best part of the drama.... Along with how they met. The rest isn't worth your time.

Read More

Must Watch!!!

Live by the Gun, Die by the Gun!!

The synopsis for this series doesn't do any justice. There is so much more to the story than three kids on the run from the mafia. In this series, the mafia are not just one dimensional bad guys with no motives for life other than the mob. The mafia men here have lives, feelings, and motives. There is so much more to this than just guns, money, and killing. It's a must watch!

Also this is not a polyamory story, nor does it have a love triangle between the leads. This is just about three people, who learn to love each other for who they are and become a "family." It's more of "the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb" relationship. There is really no romantic love between any of them... Just a few kisses, hugs, and one night stands though... I'll try and explain it a bit later in the review.

STORY:

Neo, a pansexual stripper with some debt, ends up sleeping with Mafia Boss Thana's new wife. Thana sends some men after him. While on the run he runs into Shin, Thana's gay son, and Miw, a hostess at a strip club. During the scuffle, Thana's wife is killed and Miw accidentally kills, Phon. one of Thana's right-hand men. The three of them go on the run. Ter, Thana's right-hand man who accidentally killed Thana's wife in the scuffle, puts the blame of her death on Neo and informs Thana. Furious, he sends his men after Miw and Neo, believing that they kidnapped Shin and killed his wife. Thana also secretly orders Ter's death for his failure as well. After receiving his orders, Ter goes to inform Mae, Phon's transgender girlfriend about his death. Mae decides to go along with Ter to avenge her boyfriend's death.

Meanwhile, on the run, Neo, Miw, and Shin seek help and shelter from not only others, but themselves. They learn more about each other's lives, their ambitions, and the struggles they've faced. They also learn to love and accept each other for who they are. While Neo, Miw, and Shin's lives are turned dark and upside down, they learn to survive, so that they can one day be free.

This is the long story short. There is so much more action, violence, carnage, and depth to this story it's so hard to explain. Almost every character has a motive and a drive. There is really no character that is just there to push the story forward. Every character has a background that is explained nicely to the audience.

Neo

Neo is one of the main trio. He is the catalyst of this entire plot. He grew up in the forest and moved to the city with big dreams. He has financial issues leading him to work as a stripper and to sell his body to pay for his debt. He is pansexual. He tends to follow his heart rather than his head, which often leads to more trouble. Neo respects and cares deeply for his older brother Leo. When Leo is killed due to his actions, he seeks revenge.

Miw

Miw is the second of the trio. She is accidentally dragged in when she hears a commotion and walks in to Phon and Neo fighting. She picks up the gun terrified and accidentally shoots Phon dead when he tries to retrieve his gun. Unbeknownst to anyone this is her second body count. The first is John's brother, her stepfather, after he raped her. She accidentally stabbed him dead with a pool cue while fighting him off her. She has a bad relationship with her mother because of this and the many men her mother brings home, and was on the run from John when she accidentally got involved in this. Outside of her family issues, Miw is just a normal girl trying to survive and will do anything to survive.

Shin

Shin is the last of the trio. He is Thana's son and was literally just using the bathroom when Neo ran into the bathroom to hide from Phon and Thana's men. Like Miw, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, Neo was Shin's first love, so he just followed Neo to help him out. Unlike Miw and Neo, Shin grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he never felt genuine love. His mother was killed when he was young and his father always rejected his artsy and non-masculine ways. His father always wanted him to be strong and mainly to take over the family business. Shin always had to follow rules and was never given much freedom. Due to always being controlled by his father, Shin is naive and introverted, seeking genuine affection and love. Since no one is keeping him hostage and since he really hasn't hurt anyone, he could walk away from the situation and return home at anytime. Instead he chooses to help Mie and Neo escape from his father wrath since he disagrees with his father's ways.

Neo & Miw

Neo and Miw's relationship built on the fact that they are both struggling to survive. They come from similar backgrounds, yet they do things very differently which causes them to butt heads often. While many may think that they have a romantic relationship, their relationship is very platonic. They are each other's rock and comfort, but nothing more. They grew up in an environment where they can relay nobody but themselves, so when they find that they can relay each other, they seek solace in each other.

Miw & Shin

Miw sees a version of herself in Shin. She looks at him as a little brother. While she will do anything to survive, she wants to set Shin free since she knows what it's like to feel trapped by your family. Miw comforts and gives advice to Shin as an older sister. Similarly, Shin views Miw as a sister. She is his family and he cares deeply about her. She was the first person to really understand him and he values her dearly. Because of this he wants to give her the freedom she deserves after such a hard life.

Shin & Neo

Shin is Neo's first love after they met in art class. Neo views Shin as a friend, rather than a lover. As they go on the run together, they grow closer as Shin learns more of Neo's past. As Neo and Miw grow closer due to their similar backgrounds, Shin gets jealous, but he does see that Neo is happier with Miw, so he backs off. Deep down, rather than getting jealous of Neo and Miw for having a relationship, Shin is more jealous because all of his love and affection is one-sided, but between Neo and Mie it's mutual. Miw often has to remind him that they love him back as well and love is mutual between all three of them. Neo does treasure Shin deeply, but it's very familial.

Neo & Miw & Shin

The relationship between Neo, Miw, and Shin is very complex. While most people will understand that they learn to grow and love each other because of the circumstances they are thrown in together, I don't think many will understand how deep it goes. Only those who have hit rock bottom might understand them well. Working as a stripper or hostess, selling your body, being in debt, putting yourself in a vulnerable position to make money to survive. There is more to this than just watching it on the screen and feeling sympathy for the characters. If you've ever been buried so deep in the mud that you can't breathe, you would know how the characters feel. It's not just about surviving, it's literally life or death. Neo, Miw, and Shin are trapped not only in their situation, but in their lives as well. The small happy moments they share together are the small gasps of air they can breath while they drown. When any of the three characters get intimate with each other, it's the only time they can be themselves and breathe freely. They can't trust anyone else. They can only put their shields down, relax, and be vulnerable to each other. None of them are seeking romance from each other, they are seeking solace. They are looking for a light in the dark.

Ter & Mae & Phon

Ter and Phon are Thana's right-hand men. Unlike most mafia stories where the henchmen have no backgrounds, we learn through them that they are not replaceable robots, but that they have lives too. Through Phon and his love for Mae, we learn that killing and doing bad things have consequences, not only to themselves, but to their family and friends. Mae tells Phon to get out of the mob, Phon is torn between both. He ends up getting killed leaving Mae distraught. Ter is guilt ridden and wants revenge. Mae accompanies him as she has nothing left to live for. As they chase the trio, they start to seek solace in each other, which slowly leads to understanding and romance. Ter, however, still lives by the gun and is eventually killed for it. Mae hits rock bottom and she needs to make a decision to survive.

Ter and Phon's backgrounds show that even our enemies have lives and people who care about them. No lives can be killed without consequence. They even have motives, money, revenge, guilt, etc. Mae, however, is an interesting character. She is transgender, but that is irrelevant to the story. She could be male or female and her role would be the same. She is just like the trio, struggling to survive. While her situation isn't as extreme and dangerous, she is shown to be a normal civilian like us. She is unsatisfied with life and thought she found the right man. When hell burned over, instead of looking for greener pastures, she chose to go down a dark road. Mae shows us that our actions do have consequences. She could have mourned Phon's death and moved on like the average person, but when she chose to avenge him, she chose a road that's hard to return from. Mae hits rock bottom and by the end of the film she's in the same boat as the trio, but instead of having someone to lean on, she has no one.

Leo, Luang, PP, Motel Owner, etc. (All Characters the trio meet)

When you watch this series, pay attention to all the characters the trio meet. Every single person has a background and motive. It's very different from a usual series. They all have motives and desires. They are all struggling and doing what they can, in their power, to survive. I won't explain it all since it'll take too long, but definitely keep your eyes open for all of it.


ACTING:

All the actors were amazing! Every character felt real and you could feel every emotion they felt. Everything from the little gestures, to their clothes, to their movements, were amazing. There really was no weak actor here. They all were in sync with their roles. Even the trio, who had a hard task of portraying such complex characters had amazing chemistry. My favorite part is that any role can be replaced by any gender and the outcome is still the same. There is no overly masculine or overly feminine characters. They are all gender neutral.

OVERALL:

3 Will Be Free is an amazing series with so much depth to it. Not only in the storyline, but in the characters as well. You don't have to over analyze it like I did, but watch it and enjoy the emotions it brings.

Read More

There's So Many Cliffhangers You'll Be Left Unsatisfied

Just another BL to kill time.

Nitiman has your typical BL plot that could have been the next Love By Chance, but there were so many issues that killed it's chance. Even the ending leaves you unsatisfied.

STORY:

Jin is the hottest guy on campus. He breaks up with his girlfriend Aim, after assuming she is cheating on him with BBomb. However, BBomb is actually her cousin and has had a crush on him since freshman year. When Jin goes to get his gear from Aim, he meets BBomb. At first he wants to tear BBomb apart, but he soon learns that his circle of friends actually are friends with BBomb and his circle of friends. On top of that he learns that BBomb is Aim's cousin. He can't really trust BBomb, but he tries to be civil. Meanwhile BBomb starts to step his game up in courting Jin since his cousin is no longer dating him.

Jin & BBomb

Jin and BBomb literally had everything set up to be the next Love By Chance, but they miraculously flopped. Why? On top of having no chemistry their storyline was too slow, too annoying, and too bipolar. Jin and BBomb didn't even interact until Jin and Aim broke up, yet right after Jin nearly picks a fight with BBomb for hitting on Aim, BBomb instantly starts hitting on him. The way BBomb hits on Jin isn't even cute. It boarders on annoying and creepy. I don't see why Jin likes BBomb. I got Stockholm Syndrom vibes even though Bbomb didn't kidnap Jin. Jin literally just started allowing BBomb to hang around him without putting up a fight. BBomb forcefully invites himself to events and follows him around a lot. Also the way BBomb stares at Jin when he's sleeping is creepy. Lastly, when Jin starts accepting BBomb into his heart he takes his so long to accept BBomb even though he tells BBomb that he has feeling for him, he doesn't know if they should date. Then when they start dating they can't even trust each other to hang out with other people. It's just an overall toxic relationship. I see them breaking up in a year or two.

Jin & BBomb & Aim

Now let's talk about Aim's relationship with them. She's set up to be a nice person trying to get them together, but I don't see why she would date Jin if she knew BBomb liked him. She's his cousin so she should know! In fact, she's shown knowing that BBomb likes him, so why would she date him! Also she gets upset that Jin breaks up with her and cuts the string on his Engineer Gear, yet later she's seen trying to set BBomb and Jin up. Again, what is she trying to do? I'm so confused. I'm also confused as to what her exact role is when getting Jin and BBomb together. She gathers all of their friends together and seems to be the ringleader in the team to get them to date, but my questions are one, why is she doing this? And two, what is this sudden team up? And three, was she manipulating everything from the beginning. And four, I'm just so confused with her. Aim is just another huge plot hole.

Song & Jay

The best couple with the best chemistry with every little screen time. Song and Jay had a minor plot where Jay seemed to be in love with Song, but we get no conclusion from them as the series ends with no build up or anything. We literally end on a clifhanger for them. Jay is in love with Song, writing love songs about him, yet we can't tell if Song feels the same way about Jay. We also don't know why Jay acts so mean and distant from Song despite having feelings for him. I'm just so confused about this couple since I enjoyed this couple the most in this series, yet they got nothing.

Keam & Ball (& Keam's girlfriend)

Keam's character and storyline is so confusing. I can't tell if Keam is in love with Jin, Ball, Singh, BBomb, his girlfriend or everything. His character is the big brother type of character, but it seems like he has a secret crush on everyone. I'm so confused. Also, they would he date his girlfriend if he has a crush on Ball? At least it seems like he has a crush on Ball. Ball literally has nothing to do with the story and interacts with no other character other than Keam. Even so, there Keam's storyline indicates he has a crush on Ball and that's how it ends. Ball has maybe 10 minutes of screentime with only Keam, so why bring him in as a character? He should have been cut along with this storyline because it just left another big plot hole to the story. Also Keam seems to have a girlfriend throughout all of this, yet she's barely mentioned and she brings nothing to the story as well. She's shown for a split second then seems to disappear. Another random character that creates another plot hole.

Jin's Engineer Friends (Singh & Jack)

I liked Jack's character. Jack is one of Jin's friends that actually has a role to play other than Keam. Singh on the other hand just has girlfriend issues that he brings to the table that does nothing to enhance the storyline. It just makes me wonder why he is introduced as a character in the first place. We don't even get to find out the conclusion to his girlfriend issues too!

BBomb's Law Friends (U & Ultra)

What is the point of U and Ultra? The only role they have to play are to literally piss BBomb off. U is such a terrible friend. He's criticizing BBomb's crush/ friendship with Jin to the point I thought he was jealous and in love with BBomb, but that didn't seem to be the case. Ultra on the other hand, seems to be U's mother, always chastising him for criticizing BBomb. Bomb's friends honestly aren't that interesting. BBomb should have just had Song and Jay as friends and but out U and Ultra. They aren't a couple and don't bring anything to the table. BBomb and Jin don't fight over anything that U says, so there is no point in his character. Lot's of screen time is wasted on U and Ultra fighting about BBomb and Jin's relationship for nothing. U and Ultra aren't even a couple! I would understand if Ultra was jealous that U was thinking so much about BBomb and his relationship that's why he always scolded U about it, but there isn't even a hint of that. Ultra is literally just a good friend to BBomb, but in the context of the storyline we don't need that kind of extra drama if it doesn't do anything to BBomb and Jin's relationship.


ACTING:

The acting here isn't terrible, but it's not the best. Jin and BBomb's actors lacked chemistry together and BBomb's actor was too stoic. It was obvious that this was their first acting gig. A lot of the side characters like Song, Jay, Keam, and Jack had great acting, but because they are side character they can't really save the show. I think if Jin and BBomb's actors had more chemistry they could have saved the show and made it a decent watch despite the flawed storyline. Quite frankly I don't understand why the producers would go ahead on cast inexperienced actors as the leads when they had quite a few actors who have some acting credits to their name. They really did Kaownah dirty by putting him as a support character with Turbo, yet gave them a terrible storyline with little screen time. He's probably the most experienced and famous actor in the series. It's very sad.


OVERALL:

I know I wrote down quite a few things about the series that makes it seem like a terrible series to watch, but honestly if you can get past the plot holes it's not too bad. I'd watch this series as a filler series while waiting for a new series, or just watch it if you're bored.

Read More

BEST THAI BL TO DATE!!!!

Love it or Hate it, KinnPorsche is the best Thai BL to date.

However, from gore to sex - to unconventional relationships - KinnPorsche is filled with a lot of adult content.
If you're into cutesy, first love type of BLs or just handsome men falling in love with each other, this is not for you!


~~ STORY ~~

Just read the summary, but I will say the best part about KinnPorsche is Kinn and Porsche's game of cat and mouse. Neither Kinn, nor Porsche are willing to give in to each other and they are constantly trying to one-up each other. Even when you think that Kinn and Porsche have finally confessed to each other and are now going to become an item, they still play cat and mouse with each other. One moment they are the perfect couple and the next they are at each other's throats.

However, most of their game of cat and mouse might come from the lack of trust they have in each other... Which might be Korn's fault. Kinn's father is the most mysterious character, and possibly the villain of the entire story. Korn has so many secrets and never reveals them until he is forced to, that nothing really is as it seems. Porsche's tragic family background is one example. Korn is hiding so many secrets, in turn making Porsche weary of Kinn and his entire family. It's the mafia, no one can be trusted.


~~ CHARACTERS ~~

Kinn x Porsche

Kinn and Porsche are an amazing couple. While they are a little toxic because they have trust issues, they still are loyal to each other and try to make things work. Kinn's hot-headed and impulsive, while Porsche is more sensitive and understanding than he lets on. They both are two alpha males, who constantly butt-heads, but they fill in the missing parts of each other and that is all that matters to them.

Vegas x Pete

Vegas and Pete were a surprise couple, yet they are very controversial. While not the ideal couple, Pete and Vegas are an interesting couple. There are layers to their relationship, which I will discuss later.

Kim x Chay

If you actually read between the lines for this couple and the limited screen time they have, you can see that Kim was actually interested in Chay from the beginning. It's once he learned that Chay was Porsche's brother, that Kim put on his mafia mask and approached him. After Chay finds out the truth, Kim pushes him away, but is still constantly taking care of him behind the scenes and always calling him. Kim probably has some hidden agenda, like wanting to keep Chay away from the mafia or something like that, but who knows.

Time x Tay

They are the most minor couple in the series, but they are interesting. They maybe got around 20 minutes of screen time in total, but I wish I could see more.

Tay and Time are Kin's friends. Time is a big time politician's son, while Tay is the son of a high ranking officer and hotel chain owner. Time is always cheating on Tay, taking an interest in Porsche's friend Tem. Tay, however, is loyal to Time despite not liking Time's unfaithfulness.


~~ ISSUES IN KINNPORSCHE ~~

Because of the many mature topics in KinnPorsche, there are many people with many different opinions on the many mature topics. Many BL fans live in a fantasy world where they want their favorite BLs to be the utopia they dreamed of. Hot guys, consensual and romantic sex, men being the epitome of Adonis and breathing romance down their loved one's. However, reality if far from utopia. There are many different types of love. Some are romantic and sweet, while others are toxic and crude.

When you look at KinnPorsche and the mafia background, it should be a no-brainer that this world is not utopia. You know the rumors about the mafia, so why should the mafia in KinnPorsche be any different?

KinnPorsche decided to go for a more realistic approach to the mafia, therefore the romance in the series also had to be more realistic. Like it or not, there are many different types of romance. Some are sweet and innocent. While others are more toxic like Kinn and Porsche, and Kim and Chay. There are even some that are downright vile, like Vegas and Pete. And as toxic as these relationships are, KinnPorsche doesn't fetishize these relationships.

1. Consent/Rape - Kinn and Porsche

In the first part of their relationship, you can see there are issues with consent. Kinn takes advantage of Porsche when he is drugged. Fortunately, in the end Porsche was okay with it, but rape is still rape. It's not okay, just because someone is okay with it. Porsche also loses trust in Kinn due to this.

2. Manipulation - Kim and Chay

Kim manipulates Chay's feelings and uses it to dig into Porsche's background. When Chay finds out he is heartbroken, as he should be. Even if you read between the lines and think that Kim is taking care of Chay after everything, the damage has been done. Chay can't trust Kim.

3. Is it Stockholm Syndrome? Vegas and Pete's relationship

At a glance, Pete might be experiencing Stockholm Syndrome. Why else would Pete fall in love with Vegas after Vegas tortures him?

Well, I beg to differ.

It's hinted at multiple times that Pete might have a thing for Vegas, and vice versa. Also, if you look at Pete's defiant eyes, you can tell he hates Vegas, even after he is tortured. His eyes change slightly after seeing how Vegas's father treats Vegas. He sympathizes with Vegas, as his own father beat him too. He understands Vegas's feelings of self-worthlessness. Pete, himself, overcame that to become who he is, so he hopes Vegas can do the same and walk out of his father's shadow.

Feeling emotion for your kidnapper is Stockholm Syndrome right? Well, not in this case. There is a clear distinction between Vegas in mafia-mode and Vegas when he is being his true self. First, mafia-mode Vegas wears really bright and flashy clothes. Vegas, when he is true to himself, wears his hair down and wears more pain clothes. Pete's eyes and demeanor change between who he is talking to. When Pete talks to Vegas in mafia-mode, Pete glares at him and has a clear hate for him. When talking to Vegas being Vegas, Pete relaxes and softens. This is made very clear if you pay attention. Also, even after Pete's escape, he doesn't forgive Vegas or want to have anything to do with Vegas, when Vegas is in mafia-mode. Every time they meet and Vegas is wearing his flashy clothes and holding a gun, Pete holds his gun to Vegas. It's only when Vegas is not in mafia-mode, and is being true to himself, does Pete hold and care for Vegas.

Pete doesn’t have Stockholm syndrome. Why else would Pete escape of his own volition? Would he knock Vegas out and escape if he has Stockholm syndrome and desperately in love with Vegas? Vegas promised that he wouldn't lock up Pete anymore, so why would Pete knock him out and escape? Why?

Anyways, let's talk about Vegas and Pete's very toxic relationship without the Stockholm syndrome angle.

After Pete's capture, we learn more about Pete and Vegas's family background. We learn that Vegas's father mentally and physically abuses Vegas similar to how Pete's father did the same to him. It's when Pete and Vegas learn that they have similar experiences that they start to sympathize with each other. Vegas slowly starts to open up to Pete. He sees that Pete is much stronger than he let's on and starts to emotionally depend on Pete to get him through his troubles. Pete, on the other hand, sees that Vegas isn't all that strong as he makes himself to be, and sees that Vegas has low self-esteem.

One of the controversial scenes... Aside from Vegas torturing Pete... is Pete and Vegas's sex scene. Vegas projects his frustration and in turn, his heart, at Pete. When Vegas shouts, it seems like Vegas is asking why doesn't Pete escape? Why doesn't anyone accept him in mafia-mode? Why does Pete want him to be vulnerable when he's supposed to be strong? What does Pete see in him that he and his father don't? Pete is initially scared of Vegas's outburst, but seeing that Vegas is just confused, he follows his heart and they have sex. It's after their sex scene that you see Vegas regretting his actions towards Pete. After they have sex, they are on the bed talking. Vegas turns to look at Pete and he looks sad. He knows he can't undo his actions towards Pete. He knows he hurt Pete. It's a short moment, but it's there.

After Pete escapes, Vegas seemingly goes back into mafia-mode with his flashy clothes, but Vegas acts different compared to before. Every time he meets Pete, he apologizes and asks Pete to kill him. Vegas doesn't know any other way to redeem himself and what he did to Pete aside from dying. Vegas knows he did wrong and keeps apologizing until the end. He knows Pete is too good for him. Pete, on the other hand, is haunted by Vegas because he saw the good in Vegas. He saw how hurt Vegas was, yet he couldn't forgive what Vegas did to him even after they became one. Pete needed time to think about whether he truly could trust Vegas or not that's why he kept his gun drawn on Vegas. Until Vegas could open up to him and be himself, Pete kept his gun drawn on Vegas.

Vegas and Pete's relationship is very toxic, but when you read between the lines, there is more than meets the eye. They probably will never be able to fix the past, but if in season 2, they can turn over a new leaf and make amends, then maybe they can turn their future relationship into a healthy one. It will take lots of hard work, but Vegas is already trying his best to make amends, so to me, they seem to be the closest couple to be fixing their toxic relationship.

~~ OVERALL ~~

Go watch KinnPorsche.

KinnPorsche can speak for itself, and I don't think I need to beg you to watch it. If you don't watch it, you're missing out.

KinnPorsche really is the best BL to date!

Read More

Short and Sweet

Beautiful love story mixed in with delicious looking food.

STORY:

Do Gun is a Michelin chef and the head chef at Laura Dining, however, the owner suddenly decides that she wants the restaurant to be more trendy and SNS ready. She hires Jung Woo, a chef whose talent lies in copying other people's dishes rather than creating his own. Behind Do Gun's back, the owner orders Jung Woo to learn his ways and his dishes, so he can take over Do Gun's position as head chef and she can fire him. However, as Jung Woo follows Do Gun around, he starts to develop feelings for him.

The series is very short and simple, but it's beautiful. Here isn't much drama and it's quite fluffy compared to what the synopsis makes it out to be. It's literally two people naturally falling in love, putting the rest of their troubles on the back burner. What makes this series great is that everything is naturally falls into place and there is no big drama. Even when Do Gun confronts Jung Woo, he is rational about the situation and doesn't turn it into a soap opera. Do Gun is a mature adult and deals with Jung Woo and the owner like a mature adult should. It was climatic, yet in Do Gun's character. I loved it.

Also, another great thing about this drama is that the word "gay" or anything related to it isn't even mentioned. It's like this world doesn't differentiate between gay and straight. They fall in love and accept it, no questions asked. Jung Woo and Do Gun even had a thing for each other before officially meeting. It was beautiful.

If there is one flaw to this, it's that the ending felt rushed. The owner brings up Jung Woo's past as a way to force him to screw Do Gun over, but we really don't get much explanation on it. It seems like Jung Woo grew up poor based on the dialogue, but it's not outright explained. Also, what does Jung Woo not traveling outside of Korea have anything to do with Do Gun? Why would Do Gun get upset if the owner revealed that Jung Woo hasn't travelled? Do Gun already knows that Jung Woo has never created his own recipe. Also, I think Do Gun hates her more than Jung Woo because as the owner, she's the one who hired Jung Woo to screw him over and is trying to fire him. How does she think that Do Gun is going to hate and blame Jung Woo, when she's the one who is royally screwing him over? I don't understand.

Anyways, after this whole fiasco is solved in a hot minute, Do Gun leaves Laura Dining. We learn that he built his own restaurant, but that Jung Woo and Do Gun hadn't met in a while. When did Do Gun leave Jung Woo? Why? And how long? We're not told anything. We just jump ahead to the ending and finish! It's not the worst rushed ending, but it is rushed.

Jung Woo X Do Gun

These two are made for each other. Do Gun is mature and reserved, while Jung Woo is more outgoing and playful. From the start they had a thing for each other, and when they got together they levelled each other out. I really appreciate how Do Gun helps Jung Woo be more confident about his cooking, while Jung Woo helps Do Gun relax and let himself go. They really do suit each other. Their chemistry was as beautiful as the dishes they make.

OVERALL:

My Sweet Dear is a beautiful drama. It's short and sweet. It's not original, but it's nice. It's definitely worth the watch is you have 2 hours to spare.

P.S. Look at the photos during the ending credits. They do show some extra "scenes" that are not in the series. It won't hurt if you skip it, but if you want a glimpse of their dates and interactions, it's nice to look at.

Read More

Great Potential, but it's Chinese Bromance more than anything

I'm not a big fan of Chinese films or series and I've only heard rumors about Chinese BLs, so I wasn't expecting too much. This was the first Chinese BL for me and the only Chinese film I've ever managed to completely finish that isn't some Kungfu film. I mainly watch Japanese, Korean, Taiwan, and Thai films, so if my review turns out to be a little biased because of my lack of understanding for Chinese films, I apologize.

STORY:

It's pretty much as the synopsis says, however I wouldn't call Chenghan girly. I would say he's a romantic that wears his heard on his sleeve, while Yuwei is stoic and doesn't really express himself well. That being said, Yuwei is a popular romance novelist online, but his pen name makes it seem like he is a woman, which of course he doesn't confirm or deny. Chenghan is a fan of his novels, although he doesn't know that Yuwei is the author and believes that "she" is his ideal wife and is a beautiful woman. When Yuwei transfers into Chenghan's class they are seated next to each other. Yuwei initially finds Chenghan to be lazy and annoying, but they soon become friends. Yuwei tutors Chenghan in Chinese, while Chenghan tutors Yuwei in Math. As they become closer they find themselves slowly attracted to each other.

Personally I found this story to be innocent and cute at first. I was very interested in seeing them fall in love, but alas, this is a Chinese BL. There is no real kissing or hugging, just lots of Bromance. There are a lot of things that are implied via visuals, but are not really spoken. Even the ending isn't clear.

The first half of the film is great with lots of potential. Yuwei and Chenghan have lots of attraction towards each other and it feels like a genuine BL. However, the moment Yuwei's mother is introduced everything goes downhill. She forbids him from seeing Chenghan and Yuwei obediently agrees. She then tells him to meet his female cousin(?). Chenghan sees them together, gets jealous, but forgets about it later because he is preoccupied with Yuwei ignoring him. Suddenly out of nowhere Chenghan's grades drop. His teacher calls his mom. His mom calls Yuwei's mom. Chenghan's mom gets all preachy to Yuwei's mom about not controlling their kids and let kids be kids. Yuwei's mom, who was so against Chenghan, suddenly tells Yuwei they can be friends again. Yuwei and Chenghan make up, only to be separated again because they are going to different colleges....

Are you lost? I am. It's a rollercoster.

Anyways, the ending is so annoying. It's just your typical Chinese Bromance BL. There is no clear answer for the future of these two. Clearly Chenghan is in love with Yuwei, but we don't know if Yuwei is 100% on the same page. He gives hints, but there is no definite answer. (I'm sorry, but if my boyfriend doesn't confirm or deny is love for me that is a big red flag!) This is annoying because the first half of the film had so much potential!

Acting:

I really enjoyed the acting of both Yuwei and Chenghan. It wasn't Oscar worthy, but it was decent. You could see and feel what the characters were feeling. I especially liked Chenghan's acting.

The only issue I had with the acting is BAD DUBBING! I understand sometimes dubbing is necessary, but do you need to dub the whole film? The dubbing had practically no emotions, not to mention that the dub was so clear and sometimes didn't match their lips it was obvious that they were in a studio to do it.

(On a side note: If you watch Give Me to the Wolf Director which has the same actors as a couple again, I think their voice dubs/pitch switch. Chen Henry who plays Yuwei has a lower pitched voice here, but is higher pitched in the other. Tan Jun Ho, Chenghan, has a high pitch here and lower voice there. Why? Is it signaling who is more dominant than the other? Now I'm wondering if these dubs are even their real voice!)

Overall:

It's a nice film to watch if you like Bromance, but if you like to watch Thai, Korean, Taiwan, or even Japanese BLs with characters actually getting together and sharing a kiss (or even a hug would be nice!), than this might not be for you.

Read More