A Decent Attempt but the Manga is Much Better
I just finished watching the live action adaptation of the manga I Cannot Reach You and honestly, I have a lot of mixed feelings about it. The series is 8 episodes long, each episode running about 22 to 25 minutes, which already felt way too short for something that’s based on an 8 volume manga.The story follows two childhood friends, Yamato and Kakeru. Yamato has a crush on his best friend and is trying to figure out how to confess without ruining their friendship. It’s set in high school and explores their relationship as Yamato sorts out his feelings. You do get that vibe in the show and I was happy to see some of those sweet and emotional moments come through.
But they skipped a lot. Some of the most important emotional moments and character development from the original story weren’t included. If you’ve read the manga, you’ll probably notice a few key scenes missing that would have added more depth to their relationship. It really only covers the beginning of the story and ends before things get more heartfelt and meaningful.
It felt like the adaptation only covered the first half of the manga and ended right when things should have gotten more emotional and meaningful. So the ending? Yeah, I didn’t love it. I was hoping for more. If you’ve read the manga, you’ll know what I mean. There was just so much potential they didn’t follow through on.
That said, I didn’t hate it either. I was excited to watch it and I think the acting was solid. I’m not the best judge of acting quality, but the actors seemed to capture the soft, awkward tension between the two characters pretty well. There were definitely sweet moments and I appreciated the effort they put in.
So overall, I’m 50-50 on it. The live action isn’t terrible, but it feels like a missed opportunity. I’d absolutely recommend reading the manga first. It has way more depth, emotion, and closure. Watch the series if you’re curious, but just know the manga is where the real heart of the story is.
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My Honest Review… Don’t Waste Your Time
I watched the whole thing. Start to finish. I really thought maybe it would get better at some point, but nope. The romantic development between the two main characters was just bad. Like, how do you mess that up? It felt so empty. They kept trying to make it seem like they were in love, but I didn’t feel anything. Nothing. I kept waiting for that moment where it clicks and you actually start rooting for them, but it never came.They rushed everything when it came to the romance. One minute they’re strangers, and suddenly they’re acting like they’re in love. Boi, he didn’t even work for it. There was no slow burn, no build up, nothing. They didn’t give us those cute moments or any chemistry to make you believe in their relationship. It felt so forced. I wanted to feel something, but they gave me nothing. Just skipped all the important stuff and threw them together like it was supposed to make sense.
And seriously, if you’re going to adapt a webtoon, at least put in the effort to make it good. Some of these stories are amazing in the original, but when they get turned into dramas, they lose everything that made them special. This one felt rushed and messy, like they didn’t even try to give it depth. Just pushed it out to say they did it. They need better writing or they shouldn’t bother adapting it at all.
I wouldn’t recommend this one to anyone. If you’re looking for a solid BL K-drama with good romance and characters you can actually care about, this isn’t it. Don’t waste your time unless you’re bored and just want something to put on in the background. I’m kind of mad I even finished it, honestly.
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