This review may contain spoilers
Remember 5 Love Languages
The storyline sucked you in and each episode kept you hooked. Episode 16 had me worried. The FL and ML were outstanding. The little girl bears watching for future performances.Now, the spoilers. The ML was raised by a deviant who tries to replicate himself in his son. The progession of the MLs emotional development may have been the genius of the scriptwriter, but anyone who has grown up in an abusive home can relate. Wether nature or nature he responded like a psychopath. Emotions in general and especially strong ones confused him. He had an inability to feel or express genuine emotions. Strong emotions frightened him. I'll say no more, but if you consider the abuse he suffered the storyline is conceptually believable. I will definitely rewatch this one.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Fun in BL
The actors were excellent. The initial story "episode 1" was just plain fun.The only citicism is the easy acceptance of non consenual sex being justified by love. The story did try to down play this screen by the unwillingness to kiss until character was sober; however, the man being severely drunk in my opinion means he was unable to give consent.
I was capitivated by the 2 main couples and their interactions. This is the 2nd time to watch series and I will rewatch it again soon.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I feel like "pick up sticks"
The theme song is wonderful. The ML and FL have terrific chemistry and excellent acting skills. I would love to see them in a more conventional drama as well.I understand these vertically filmed dramas are a new genre. They seem to have their own rules. They remind me of the old fashion soap operas--overly dramatic but emotionally engaging. They're fast paced and somewhat shallow in content. They are immensely addictive. I would prefer seeing this particular drama as a more lengthy series and not chopped up into short segments. I am, however, binge watching this which says something for how hooked I am, but the frequent stops and starts kind of irritate me. I'm glad I'm watching this after all the episodes have aired.
Gaozheng Dai is totally hot. I will definitely watch more of his dramas. His kissing is off the charts. I like very much that the FL is sexually assertive and that their PG13 interactions are sensual. I do like that the drama is unashamedly sensual in nature and that the ML looks gorgeous without his shirt--over and over again. Thanks for that. Made my day.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Love is worth waiting for
Leo's constant love for Fiat was touching. They had the insecurities of a blossoming relationship but still they discussed how they felt and their expectations. Fiat wasn't a weak person but he was broken due to childhood abuse. Leo was protective and tried to involve himself in Fiat's life without being invasive.The secondary romance has real potential for a sequel.
They have a genuine love and respect for each other. Leon and Pob obviously we're passionate. It would be disappointing not to have their follow up story.
I really liked how accepting the parents were of their relationship. Their attitudes supported the normalcy of a loving relationship regardless of gender.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Love with a twist
The story is intriguing and the two male leads definitely have chemistry. There's action, romance and suspense.The emotional intensity immerses you in the relationship of the leads. The intimate scene in episode 7 had a good combination of passion and tastefully portrayed sex. I'm looking forward to seeing more of this series. This 500 word minimum is a very poor construct for decent reviews. Sometimes you say what you say and that's it. Grrrr! Really I have to say meaningless things just to fill a quota!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
More!
Both the male leads are hot and their chemistry is simmering explosiveness.I can understand both leads perspectives. Uea was raised by a cruel homophobic mother. He's undeniably gay but not openly comfortable with expressing it. King is flirtatious and seemingly shallow. However, I'm getting strong undercurrents of unrequited love and definite sexual interest. He does thoughtful and responsible things for Uea. I really don't get the comments about "rape". Uea ask for his attentions. Morally King should have denied him due to how drunk Uea was but the sex was still consenual even if Uea was cognitively impaired. While King could have taken the "high" road and just held Uea instead of having sex, there is a degree of responsibility on Uea's part to not drink to the point he is passing out.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Promising and dynamic
(This was after episode 2). So far this has been a candid portrayal of modern youth both heterosexual and gay. The uncertainties, the joys, the friendships, the sadness of irrevocable mistakes...all these occurred in just the first two episodes. I'm really looking forward to the rest of this series. Without being overly graphic we're given a glimpse of how it feels to be gay in a society that is very traditional. Even those that were critical of this series would say "well done".(Continuation of review after completion.)
I binge watched this series. It is indeed a masterpiece!
This was a unique series...a bl with "slice of life" moments. I loved the friend group that remained supportive throughout the series. There were so many variations of an eventually failed relationship. I think the flashbacks in Bangkok of Go Young's romantic relationship was enlightening. The lantern scene seems to indicate his deep love for his boyfriend which would imply he released him from their relationship when he moved to China to pursue career opportunities. However, from a different perspective whether a relationship is heterosexual or gay a long-term relationship is going encounter struggles and varying degrees of excitement. Any healthy relationship requires nurturing, compromise and communicating. It seemed sad that in a passive way none of the gay romantic relationships portrayed a healthy loving long term one. It seems that all of the relationships were transitory and brief except the four friends. This movie definitely made you reflect and, also, included the element of risk in unprotected sex. After recovering from the sadness of the ending, I think rewatching this would bring discoveries of new aspects in the story. This brought the "bl" of this movie to a different level. I guess what I'm trying to say it was superbly produced and ended up being a drama more than a typical "bl" series.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Expectations fulfilled
When the trailers were released initially, the storyline was action filled and intense. The actual end result is still very intense with more comedy involved than originally projected. The acting is excellent. The comedy interjects a change of pace between the more intense moments. I understand employing Porsche as a fresh element hopefully not influenced to spy on the "main" family. The first kiss and the first sexual encounter were both under the influence of alcohol and later drugs. The lack of clear consent in the sexual encounter was concerning, but the sexual tension and sensuality were intoxicating. Porsche's frequent drunkenness is somewhat unbelievable since his role of bodyguard is so critical to Kinn's well-being. However, Porsche's playfulness and mild contempt for authority is an appealing part of his character. Kinn seems narcissistic but occasionally the storyline gives an impression of a deeper story. I'm only 5 episodes into the series, but I'm definitely hooked.Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Waste of time
I liked the concept of the janitor protecting the leader's daughter. However, the plot was weak with little character development. The actual villains were greedy and cruel. This story had more potential, but there was just not enough to make it a good movie. So, why did I watch it? I kept hoping something about it would have real merit. It never came to fruition. Anyone who has a child in the daughter's situation that they don't teach basic self defense and personal safety is stupid! The high school students looked like middle-aged wannabees who acted like morons. This is the first truly contemptuous review I've posted. I really think it did a disservice to the Japanese people.Was this review helpful to you?
Families Grow Up
This series betrayed a devotion towards your family that was admirable. The sacrifice and hard work that the male lead performed was filled with bravery and persistence. The whole script was beautifully crafted. The actors did a phenomenal job performing the different nuances of their character.By the end of the series your heart was so full and ultimately so glad that the two male leads became an item. I just can't say enough about this. I will rewatch it many times. Also, it's made me a believer in reading any translated writings of Priest.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Well done anthology
I was impressed by the skill of the actors in this 8 episode anthology. Each individual story was well executed. Episode 4 gutted me! In the conclusion episode 7 and 8 there was a serious grinding of gears. It took a while to adjust to the paradigm that the episodes prior to seven were supposed to be individual television productions not representations of "actual lives". The acting was phenomenal! It was amazing to see how each storyline created characters with different physical characteristics and attitudes.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Values versus reality
This was a very well written series. It had a complex developed plot for only eight episodes. The series presented the dilemma of a palliative care healthcarer.On the one hand you have the sanctity of life and on the other hand you have the compassion toward continued unnecessary pain in a terminal patient. This is probably one of the few BL series that dares to address a controversial societal issue.
The sexual tension and attraction of the two male leads was palpable. Unfortunately the relationship between the two men was doomed from the beginning. Both the palliative care doctor and the policeman had unwavering convictions related to their respective professions. I will definitely watch this again because the quality of this series was excellent.
Was this review helpful to you?
Too real humanity
When I began watching this, I have to admit I was shallow. The male lead is just gorgeous! The pace of the series was plodding. I checked " my drama list " for the reviews ratings and was shocked to find how high the ratings were on the series. Out of curiosity I persevered through the entire 16 episodes. I'm so glad I did!The series was true to its name "Lost ". The entire series had a prevailing sense of sadness and of unreconciled failure. But as the series progressed the complexity of human relations and the ambiguity of what might be right or what might be wrong drew you into the story. It reminded me of a Charles Dickens book. It's repeated silences portrayed depth of both the characters and the story. It was superb!
One of the quotes in the series was "Life without illusions is close to death.". Then, it destroyed the illusions. There was such a prolonged emphasis on reality verses illusions that depression seemed inevitable. But, somehow through the slowness of the development of the story and the development of the relationships , a sense of honesty and possibly hope was created. I think ultimately by the end of the 16th episode the following quote was more applicable:
"Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend it trying to look good and creating the illusion that you have power over people and circumstances, or whether you are going to taste it, enjoy it and find out the truth about who you are."
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Beyond excellent
This story was magnificent! The acting was superb!The two ML's had so much chemistry.
This was not a fluff filled story. It was complex and presented some serious societal issues. Being from an abusive home I emphasized with Dohoe. He did some things that were over the line, but growing up he lived in daily fear. Some of his choices reflected his turmoil and lack of acceptance and esteem growing up. The second ML was delightful. He loved without reservation. The entire production has relationship building moments. This is a classic. I will watch it as well as "I Feel You Linger in the Air" numerous times.
Was this review helpful to you?

