This review may contain spoilers
Well… at least it wasn’t boring.
I actually tried watching Love Mechanics a while ago, but dropped it because I couldn’t get past the rape scene in the first episode. These days… my standards are so low that I just accepted the fucked-up beginning and decided to give the series another chance. So here are my thoughts.
Let’s start with the positives.
• Yin and War.
They are absolutely perfect. Their acting and undeniable chemistry are the only things keeping this show from being completely unwatchable.
There’s something about their on-screen dynamic that just feels… natural. Somehow they manage to make even the cringiest dialogue sound believable, and trust me, this series has plenty of those moments.
• The drama is repetitive, but it’s also weirdly entertaining. It’s definitely not for everyone, but as an Only Friends enjoyer, I was living for Mark and Vee breaking up and getting back together every other episode.
• I also loved the final episode, especially the family storyline. Sure, it was a little naive, but I genuinely enjoyed watching Mark’s and Vee’s families slowly find common ground.
• The production was surprisingly decent, too. Nothing spectacular, but at least it didn’t assault my eyes with excessive blur or that awful overexposed white filter so many BLs seem obsessed with.
Now for everything else.
• I’m not going to spend much time talking about the rape scene. Yes, it was rape. And if you still think it wasn’t, rewatch the scene where Mark jokes that Vee would never have the guts to make a move on him unless he was blackout drunk. The show itself practically acknowledges what happened. Moving on.
• Prepare yourself to ask the same questions for ten straight episodes: “Seriously? Again?”
The amount of repetition (and the relentless use of the miscommunication trope) is honestly ridiculous. I love messy, dramatic relationships, but eventually it started feeling like the writers had no idea how to create conflict anymore, so they just kept making the characters magically appear in the wrong place at the wrong time.
• I understand that Vee was written to be messy, confused, and selfish, but there’s a limit.
He constantly yells at Mark, lovebombs him only to turn cold the next day, shoves him around, basically calls him a whore for no reason and repeatedly chooses everyone else over him. Yet somehow we’re supposed to believe that by the end of all this he’s grown as a person. I don’t buy it.
Every conflict follows the exact same formula:
Vee acts like a complete asshole → reflects for about a minute → apologizes → everyone’s happy.
Rinse and repeat.
• I’ve seen so many people say Nuea would’ve been a better boyfriend for Mark, and… bffr. Yeah, he’s nowhere near as toxic as Vee, but that doesn’t automatically make him a good love interest. He too can’t take “no” for an answer and spends half the show chasing someone who’s clearly not interested. Beyond that, he barely has a personality. His character exists almost exclusively to trigger Vee’s jealousy whenever the plot needs another conflict.
• The entire boxing match episode felt like a fever dream. Literally what the hell was that?
Overall, this isn’t a show I’d recommend for its writing. I’d recommend it for Yin and War. If you’re curious about them, I’d still recommend giving the series a chance (just watch Jack&Joker first). Their chemistry alone is enough to carry ten episodes of questionable decisions and recycled drama. Just lower your expectations:)
Let’s start with the positives.
• Yin and War.
They are absolutely perfect. Their acting and undeniable chemistry are the only things keeping this show from being completely unwatchable.
There’s something about their on-screen dynamic that just feels… natural. Somehow they manage to make even the cringiest dialogue sound believable, and trust me, this series has plenty of those moments.
• The drama is repetitive, but it’s also weirdly entertaining. It’s definitely not for everyone, but as an Only Friends enjoyer, I was living for Mark and Vee breaking up and getting back together every other episode.
• I also loved the final episode, especially the family storyline. Sure, it was a little naive, but I genuinely enjoyed watching Mark’s and Vee’s families slowly find common ground.
• The production was surprisingly decent, too. Nothing spectacular, but at least it didn’t assault my eyes with excessive blur or that awful overexposed white filter so many BLs seem obsessed with.
Now for everything else.
• I’m not going to spend much time talking about the rape scene. Yes, it was rape. And if you still think it wasn’t, rewatch the scene where Mark jokes that Vee would never have the guts to make a move on him unless he was blackout drunk. The show itself practically acknowledges what happened. Moving on.
• Prepare yourself to ask the same questions for ten straight episodes: “Seriously? Again?”
The amount of repetition (and the relentless use of the miscommunication trope) is honestly ridiculous. I love messy, dramatic relationships, but eventually it started feeling like the writers had no idea how to create conflict anymore, so they just kept making the characters magically appear in the wrong place at the wrong time.
• I understand that Vee was written to be messy, confused, and selfish, but there’s a limit.
He constantly yells at Mark, lovebombs him only to turn cold the next day, shoves him around, basically calls him a whore for no reason and repeatedly chooses everyone else over him. Yet somehow we’re supposed to believe that by the end of all this he’s grown as a person. I don’t buy it.
Every conflict follows the exact same formula:
Vee acts like a complete asshole → reflects for about a minute → apologizes → everyone’s happy.
Rinse and repeat.
• I’ve seen so many people say Nuea would’ve been a better boyfriend for Mark, and… bffr. Yeah, he’s nowhere near as toxic as Vee, but that doesn’t automatically make him a good love interest. He too can’t take “no” for an answer and spends half the show chasing someone who’s clearly not interested. Beyond that, he barely has a personality. His character exists almost exclusively to trigger Vee’s jealousy whenever the plot needs another conflict.
• The entire boxing match episode felt like a fever dream. Literally what the hell was that?
Overall, this isn’t a show I’d recommend for its writing. I’d recommend it for Yin and War. If you’re curious about them, I’d still recommend giving the series a chance (just watch Jack&Joker first). Their chemistry alone is enough to carry ten episodes of questionable decisions and recycled drama. Just lower your expectations:)
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