i was indifferent to this drama but the arguments in the comments make me wanna watch it hahahaha
kdramas should not be limited to vanilla romance simply because they are kdramas - that comes across as infantilising and places filmmaking within a restrictive box, which is a death sentence for any creative arts industry
also royalty and the upper class across all historical contexts, times and places were known to get freaky deaky with it, so why the uproar if its somewhat factually accurate? The show is rated 18+ for a reason, just skip past the scenes if you dont like em
i felt like they could have made the story, plot and characters a bit more elaborate and with a bit more depth, especially since the show had a full 44min x 12 ep format but im genuinely happy this show was made and hope it is successful so we can get more chinese bl stories produced in thailand!
i wish they didnt go with the route of romanticising the hell out of their relationship towards the end, it just felt too contrasting to the way they were at the beginning! i would have preferred if they kept the intense thriller vibes and made the story about joe being forced to escape the clutches of his possessive, obsessive ex after being given a second chance at life - something that keeps the suspense going rather than moping about, dropping an apology and moving on to lakorn melodrama in the last few eps
i was so surprised by how hooked i was to this!! i love a good ol fashioned rise of the underdog type of story!!!
the action in the first half was soooooo good and the more sentimental parts of the second half was also really good. overall, it was entertaining as hell and makes for a really good binge if you're a fan of revenge, friendship and justice. loved it! wished we got more se kyung in those last few eps tho, felt like he disappeared!
when i think about it, im kinda glad they turned the bl into bromance for this series. it doesnt make sense for the gangster to be so righteous and passionate about how kids/teens need proper parental guidance to become good adults and then for him to be romantically involved with a high schooler. that kinda storyline is a bit too unconventional for mainstream tv imo (although it was super minimal, they shouldnt have straight washed them either out of consideration for the original source) - however the justification made by the creators about bl not being profitable was totally unnecessary and deserved its backlash
Is there any other historical drama recommendations like jol with smart characters and great plot but not too…
nirvana in fire is a great show thats somewhat similar to jol in politics, family, action etc. but its got quite a few episodes! around 54 - but its soooo worth it, especially if you like smart characters and revenge plots
it was so bloody good!! had the perfect mix of comedy, mystery and politics sprinkled with a little bit of romance! just the way i like it tbh! i've heard that s3 will feature a lot more action so looking forward to that!
fan xian is probably one of my top 3 favourite fictional characters of all time ! i love the fact that he is cunning and intelligent, yet so very human!! its not often you see a character as compassionate and empathetic as this guy while he rightfully fucks with the monarchy. his family is so loveable too!!
loved the lil jokes sprinkled in the show about the 5 year long gap between s1 and s2, as well as all the other meta bits at the very very end ahah - looking forward to the next season!!
I think this version made a big mistake in the evolution of Achi, who is much more passive and social than Adachi
i think it works for a thai adaptation tho. that too shy to speak, doe-eyed, innocent way adachi acts is believable in japan but not in thailand, where community, friendships and socialising are more at the forefront of their culture.
i love the jap version but this one was brilliant in its own way! the exploration of the 2nd couple was so cute!! and achi's lil plot on bettering his self-esteem and confidence in his career was soooooooo appreciated!! those were 2 things i felt were lacking in the original anyways and this show built on them so nicely
its charming and so damn cute, overall a great adaptation of an already great show
lmao a total blast - starts off a tad bit slow but the second half is so soooooo goood !!! the mix of action and comedy is just so entertaining!! i'd love a sequel!!
towards the end, its hinted at, but in a very veryyy lighthearted manner - nothing ever progresses. Bromance is great but in a friendly way, there is more focus on the friendship between all 3 than just the dudes, but they care about eo and it shows.
defs a happy ending but it ends on a cliffhanger if i remember correctly? i think as a segway for the 2nd season? dont really remember the exact ending but pre sure it was happy
K-Drama 
kdramas should not be limited to vanilla romance simply because they are kdramas - that comes across as infantilising and places filmmaking within a restrictive box, which is a death sentence for any creative arts industry
also royalty and the upper class across all historical contexts, times and places were known to get freaky deaky with it, so why the uproar if its somewhat factually accurate? The show is rated 18+ for a reason, just skip past the scenes if you dont like em
the action in the first half was soooooo good and the more sentimental parts of the second half was also really good. overall, it was entertaining as hell and makes for a really good binge if you're a fan of revenge, friendship and justice. loved it! wished we got more se kyung in those last few eps tho, felt like he disappeared!
when i think about it, im kinda glad they turned the bl into bromance for this series. it doesnt make sense for the gangster to be so righteous and passionate about how kids/teens need proper parental guidance to become good adults and then for him to be romantically involved with a high schooler. that kinda storyline is a bit too unconventional for mainstream tv imo (although it was super minimal, they shouldnt have straight washed them either out of consideration for the original source) - however the justification made by the creators about bl not being profitable was totally unnecessary and deserved its backlash
maybe play around with the mdl filter options, you might unexpectedly find something fitting your taste
fan xian is probably one of my top 3 favourite fictional characters of all time ! i love the fact that he is cunning and intelligent, yet so very human!! its not often you see a character as compassionate and empathetic as this guy while he rightfully fucks with the monarchy. his family is so loveable too!!
loved the lil jokes sprinkled in the show about the 5 year long gap between s1 and s2, as well as all the other meta bits at the very very end ahah - looking forward to the next season!!
more explanation and plot would be nice but its satisfactory as a quick lil binge
its charming and so damn cute, overall a great adaptation of an already great show
defs a happy ending but it ends on a cliffhanger if i remember correctly? i think as a segway for the 2nd season? dont really remember the exact ending but pre sure it was happy