Unpopularopinionbydemand

Unfortunate Execution

Where do I even begin? I found myself having a very difficult time rating this show because I loved it so much, but also hated it with the core of my being. I can't help but feel bad for the actors/actresses that participated in the making of this series. The production team DID THEM DIRTY. This show had such a beautiful story with actors that did so a wonderful job at portraying it, but sadly, it wasn't enough.

Let's dive in.

Production: TERRIBLE. THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE BL EXPERIENCE. Granted, I watched what I believe to be the director's cut and also on a bootleg website (but I've never had trouble with any other series, soooo..). I couldn't find all episodes with the uncut versions, and trying to search for them was like trying to find a needle in a haystack; it just wasn't going to happen. 1, the god awful cuts. The editor for this show must've been BRAND SPANKING NEW, cause they had zero clues as to what they are doing. One minute Oil and Tan are having an important moment and then the next we cut and they're back to normal. This is where this show failed miserably and it's so undesirable to watch because of this. 2, the continuity errors. Watching this series was so miserable (I'll say miserable a hundred times cause that's honestly what it was) the continuity errors happened every few seconds and with each cut. Oil would look like he was crying and then the next cut he looks completely fine. I'm okay with continuity errors cause it happens, but this show has too many where you count how many in an episode without even consciously doing it. 3, the subtitles. This might've been more of a subber problem, but it doesn't matter, I'm adding it. I understand that this show was created to cater to a Thailand audience before any other country, but good lord O'mighty, this was just inexcusable. It's so hard to keep up with a show when you're trying to decipher what was being said every minute. It got a little better by the end, but still, whoever subbed needs to never do that again in their life (but I give them a C for effort). 4, the weird-ass plot cuts. What was the point of having a director's cut? Why was it needed? Why didn't we just leave all of the CRITICAL scenes in there? For one, Tan does actually kiss Oil when he's sleeping, but in the version I watched, it shows that he didn't. BIG, BIG scene that changed my entire perspective after watching (I watched when I was already finished with the series). There were some other obviously plot cuts that were probably very much needed cause there were so many plot holes, but I didn't feel like searching up each and every moment to see what I missed. Lastly, the music. Not necessarily bad, but very repetitive. Other than the crucial song needed to drive some of the plot points, music was the best thing about the production, and I still think it was only okay. I've spent enough time writing about why this show sucks balls in the production section, let's just move on.

Story: Because some of the plot points were cut, I'm still not sure what the actual story was, but from what I saw it was decent. I still have a million questions like, how did Tan's mom die? What did Tan do all day? Did he have a job, did he go to school? What's the history between It and Voice? What exactly did Tan's mom do for a living? Sew clothes or furniture? Why did Oil's family leave him behind? Why did he leave without saying goodbye? Was he there for school? Who did he live with besides Tan? That's just the few I wrote down but there are plenty of others. The parts of the story I loved most were Tan's family situation and TIn and Sea's story that was the one that made the most sense. (I think?).

Acting: The only part of this that I can actually applaud. The acting was pretty good for what this series was worth, and it's the only reason I kept watching. Oil's actor did a magnificent job, as well as Tan and Sea. Everyone else did a good enough job for me to not write about them.

COUPLES

Oil and Tan: 9/10

I really enjoyed Oil and Tan's story. I got very annoyed most of the time cause their scenes could sometimes run long and slow, but I do love a slow burn and that's what they gave me. From the very beginning, I loved their dynamic. The way Tan teased Oil, and the way Oil had such high hopes that Tan would do the things that Oil wanted him to do. Once you get to see it slowly slide into something more, it really does make you yearn for them to already hurry and get together. After watching the cut in which Tan does kiss Oil when he's sleeping, I've started feeling a little different for this couple. It should've never happened, and I think I liked it a thousand times more when I wasn't acknowledged. Oil was so precious, and I literally shipped him with Tan and Khun. I didn't care who he ended up with, I just wanted him to end up with somebody. I would've honestly preferred Khun just because he was a darling right off the bat. Tan was technically seen to others as Oil's older brother, so that could've been a really weird story to have to tell others, but oh well. This is me being nit-picky, but why oh why did they give Oil that god awful haircut in episode 9 or 10? He looked like a character in Star Strek, and it bothered the HELL out of me the entire time. I wasn't a big fan of the weird ponytail thing he had going on, but I would much rather have that. Anyways, I also loved how Oil was a feminine gay who was actually respected and loved and not played off as the comedic relief. However, we did lose that part of him the further into the series we went. Not too big of a problem, but I would've liked to see that part of him continue on throughout the series. The confession between the two of them was beautiful. There were so many moments when I had thought they were like lowkey confessing, but the kiss confession (also something I had to look up) was pure magic.

FIRST KISS RATING: This doesn't need a rating cause it was all disgusting, don't kiss people when they're unconscious. Period.

Sea and Tin: 8/10

Not going to lie, at the very beginning I was not for them at all. Tin's actor had this very scary expression on his face like he genuinely terrified me. But, the more of him we got to see, the more I warmed up to him. I liked that they had their comedic moments, and then there really sweet moments like the one on the rooftop. It was probably that moment when I started shipping them pretty hard. Due to some of those weird cuttings and the subtitles, their story didn't make all that much sense to me. The closer to the end we got was when it started getting super hard to understand. Sea asked his old crush to date him and then she declines and then he gets really sad and then Tin breaks up with Fasai (I don't even remember him dating anybody), and then he tells Sea and his friends about it and runs off with Sea and then they meet up again and start crying while singing??????? Definitely know we're missing something there. The ending with them was so precious, Tin giving him the ring was honestly the perfect ending for them.

It and Voice: 5/10

Definitely wanted to see way more of them. I could tell there was something going on between the two, but I wish it were more fleshed out, What we did get of them was super cute. It was this super tough guy but was so relaxed and nice with this new guy. The only reason there rated so low is because we didn't get to see much of them and because of that I didn't grow many feelings towards this couple.

RECOMMEND? Definitely not. I wish I could say I would, but this series is so poorly produced, which is unfortunate cause the actors don't deserve it, but oh well. It is what it is.

Read More

Wowza

UWMA serves as the 4th BL that I've ever watched and had surpassed my expectations, quickly becoming my favorite. Even now when I'm on my 69th (haha) BL, UWMA still serves as one of my favorites and has a special place on my top 25 list. Although there are plenty of reviews, I'm dropping in my two cents for anyone willing to read.

Let's dive in.

Production: NIcely done. Not too much to praise them for, seeing as though they did not do much differently than other series, but I will say that the music was beautiful, and still stuck in my head to this day. (STAY WITH ME FOREVER, JUST YOU AND ME FOREVERRRRRRR< OOO OOOOOHHHH!!!) One thing I really truly hate about BLs is the number of ads that play. Usually, every BL has the same products to advertise (those drinks guys, I know you know what I'm talking about), but this one is the first to ever advertise Lays chips, so that was fun.

Story: Although I loved the premise of this series, it fell short in some areas. This is one of those series where you really have to sit down and get focused, cause if you don't, you will be highly confused about what's going on. I can't tell you the amount of times I had to go back and watch scenes to understand who was who's uncle, and who was related to who. Some things felt cringe and a little cliche, but it's a BL and I don't expect more or less.

Acting: beautiful acting done by Fluke. He continued to surpass my expectations each episode. He drove the series to be what it was and was so good at expressing those different emotions. Everyone else did a really good job, others that did an exceptionally good job were Earth, Kao, and Sammy.

COUPLES

Dean and Pharm: 9/10

I loved seeing their dynamic grow larger and larger as each episode went on. I'll tell you that the best thing about this couple is that they weren't forced together by those weird circumstances, and actually had chemistry and loved that was reciprocated, My absolute favorite scene between them was them in the grocery store together. I can never get over that scene. They just looked so in love. And they never dropped that expression that they had around each other. It was so intoxicating to see and I couldn't get enough of them. It was such a poetic romance between the two. There really just wasn't anything I hated about this couple.

FIRST KISS RATING: 13/10 - best first kiss ever. period. There is truly nothing like Pharm and Dean's first kiss, the music, the anticipation, the love, the longevity. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. Couldn't have asked for anything more. All romance scenes to go from there were just so good.

Win and Team: 7/10

I really did like this couple, but to be completely honest, I can't remember really any of the moments with them. It's been a while since I've seen UWMA and I never rewatch, but from what I can remember, I enjoyed them. They did the Lays chip advertisement which is what I really remember most.

FIRST KISS RATING: 7/10 - Their kiss was cute. Just a quick little peck under the mistletoe. It happened pretty fast, and if you blink you would miss it, but I still haven't seen a mistletoe kiss since then, so it serves as the best mistletoe kiss for now. I don't know how I really feel about the drunken kiss that happened between them during the trip. I didn't love it, but it was whatever I guess.

In and Korn: 9/10

Their relationship was so devastating, but it was real and Earth and Kao did an amazing job. My heart felt so full every time they popped up on the screen. Somewhere in me, I wanted way more of them than we got to see.

FIRST KISS RATING: 10/10 - Beach kisses are the best. It was a beautiful mix between the music, and their story, and their chemistry. Absolutely loved it. All other scenes after was just as magnificent.

RECOMMEND? Mmmm, I wouldn't recommend this BL to first-timers since it is VERY heavy, but if someone wanted a recommendation I would definitely recommend this one.

Read More

Standing Ovation for Nut Supanut

Wow....

That has to be the first line, because I was just not expecting to love this series as much as I did. I knew it was going to be good, but... oh my god, it was amazing. Nut Supanut , thank you for your service as being one of the first BLs with a leading feminine gay/transgender women to take the stage and nail everything on the head. Seriously, this was such beautiful work. I hope there's an award in his future for this darling role.

Let's Dive In.

When it comes to historical BLs, I typically can get bored pretty quickly or just completely zone out of the story telling, but in ITMBC, I paid attention to everything because it had my attention from the jump. The world building, the character arcs, the situation that was brought to us. And, on top of that, while also being touching, it was also extremely hilarious. The balance was just perfect, and I truly appreciate a show that can make me cry and laugh all in one scene.

Genuinely, I feel like the romance between Woradet and Kosol was not the most important plot of the series. If anything, it felt like a back burner to other, more important topic brought up in the series. Actually, I didn't care much for their relationship. I think it becomes more impactful during the end, but in the beginning, it doesn't feel as strong as they present it to be. Which brings me to my next point, the story told in this is top tier. What a lovely, complex plot that made perfect sense and went from one plot point to the next.

Moving on to my real love of this series: the friendship between Jade and Chai. I will be honest, I was hoping for more than a friendship between these two, but steadily, the show wanes you away from that, and shows that these are two dudes that have been through a lot together, and have managed to find their way out together. How beautiful. But, I do need to see someone make out with Lee, and quickly, cause that man is so beautiful.

Love the representation with get in this, and for once, I think the ending worked perfectly for the message they were trying to convey.

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10 - A beautifully told story. I do wish we could learn about what happens to Woradet's life when she doesn't decide to go back to the present, but overall, a lovely story.

Acting: 9.5/10 - Everyone did so lovely! Seriously, Nut, of course, stole the show for me. One of the best roles plays thus far this year.

Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 8/10 - PLEASE WATCH! this was funny and real and fluffy and loving. Also, Ping is shirtless plenty of times if that helps. Sculpted by god, my goodness.

Read More

Something's a Little Off

So seeing that this has a pretty high rating and nothing but positive comments, I feel a little bad going into this review. For whatever reason, I didn't really like it. Didn't hate it, thought it was a cutesy little series, but something was off, and I'm not sure how to explain it.

Let's Dive In.

So during my watch of the first episode, I was pretty elated with this series. The lead is fucking adorable, the setup of his origin story is cruel yet intriguing to see how it'll go. And the more we get into the series, the more my interest just slowly starts to fade. By the end, I was just skimming through the last few episodes to see what happens. I don't know why my enjoyment deescalated, to be honest. I don't want to say it was boring cause I don't think it was that, so my conclusion for now is that it's just one of those series that just wasn't for me.

Now, one thing I can point out that annoyed me (and this is all based on my taste), is so much fucking singing. And I get it, it's literally in the title, but some scenes were like minutes long of just singing. Beautiful voice, but urgh, I don't know, show it don't sing it.

But the leads were really cute. They had some great connection and their kisses were even more than decent. But Baram's back and forth was absolute insanity and I wanted to pull my hair out. It's obvious that Hantae likes him, even says it straight to his face, albeit drunk but still, Baram can't believe that Hantae could like him. And then once Baram confesses to Hantae and he acts all shocked and confused as if he hasn't been all over Baram like a dog on a bone *rolls eyes*. Back and forth just aggravated me and we could've focused more on their relationship than them running around in circles.

Other than that, I loved the side characters, I loved the plagiarism aspect of the series and its resolution, I liked seeing Baram stand up against Sangmin, and again, Baram and Hantae's moments were so fucking cute.

Ratings;

Story: 7/10 - Some aspects don't resonate with me all too well. Some parts are a bit dragged out and I don't like the back-and-forth between Hantae and Baram. Other than that, the plagiarism plot was well thought out and the scenes with the main leads were always nice.

Acting: 9/10 - Oh they can ACT, for sure! Doyoon (Baram) was amazing in this role, I do hope to see him again.

Music: 7/10 - he had a good voice for sure!

Recommendation Value: 5/10 - Like I said, this wasn't the series for me. Too much singing, lots of cat and mouse chasing, and some other weird stuff. But it's not terrible and this is definitely the series for somebody.

Read More

Japan Does iI Again!

Another pleasant surprise that I can add to my long reasons why Japanese BLs have been the best out of everything this year. Once again, the title-that-I-will-not-spell-out came through, delivered, and left. And while there were some hiccups here and there, this series did what it came to do, and I appreciate any short subtleties that come in, do their job, leave a lasting impression, and become only memories from there on out - good memories though.

Let's Dive In.

The only reason I will not give this series a 10/10 is that we received no kiss. At one point in my BL endeavor, I was okay with that (Keita Hatsukoi, Cherry Magic, etc). But now, BL has gone way further than I ever thought possible, with profound and rich storylines, amazing emotional and physical chemistry, and heartfelt moments. So no kisses in BL now feels like an utter crime. And there wasn't a single reason why these two MCs shouldn't have kissed. It's getting old Japan!

Other than that, I freaking loved the plot. An erotic manga writer has a fat crush on his idol friend who also has a very open crush on him. and these actors played their part perfectly. I don't think the story would've worked without them. Issei's deep smile, warm aura, and generous eyes mixed with Mamoru's stale demeanor, and cold attitude, yet such a hopeless romantic was *chef's kiss*. They had such good chemistry, even with Koudai being cold for more than half the series. The way my stomach would bubble when Issei would go out of his way to make it to Mamoru events or do anything just to see him. Also, the character development was out of the park. One thing that will drive me over the edge of being in love with a couple is if that slow burn comes with character development, and these two had that.

I'm not the one to really enjoy anything outside of the BL couple's story, but Tsubasa's story had me on the edge of my seat. I really wish that he and one of the other band members (preferably Kyou) would've been a secondary couple, but whatever. He also had great character development (or more so we saw why he was so brooding) and it warmed something in me. Koharu was also a great addition to the team. She brought a light that was desperately needed and became a companion like no other.

Overall, this was a very peaceful and enjoyable watch. No need for a second season, but I do wish we could've seen an endearing kiss between the leads. But oh well.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10: The best part out of everything. It brought some pretty unique plots to the table. It came and went with a bang. I don't think there was any point in the series when I was watching and I was bored. It flowed so naturally and at a steady pace. It was exactly my cup of tea. I'll only take off a star for no kiss scene.

Acting: 9.5/10: as close to perfect as it could get. The story wouldn't have worked if it wasn't for this cast. Amazing job.

Music: 7.5/10: I liked it more than I usually like OSTs.

Recommendation Value: 9/10: I recommend it highly. It's a quick watch, which is a downside, but it's a really nice series, with some really nice characters.

Read More

One of the Better Korean Drama of This Year

Even with this series' very short time lived, it has been able to do what some K-BLs this year haven't -- actually be memorable. And whether that's because of the story or the fact that their animals -- welp, I'll never know. Choco Milk Shake is an endearing mini-series with an irritating filter, but some much-appreciated good-looking men.

Let's Dive In.

I've said this before with Meow Ears Up, and while animal metamorphosis isn't really my thing, I'm able to look past it if the story itself is at least decent. This series teeters on that line, but I think it was good for what the length was. it suffers from its in's plot a little, but it's obviously because of the time frame they had.

Most scenes were entertaining, except when they were at the cafe doing presumably nothing but wiping tables that nobody sat at and talking. I don't know if anyone else had this problem, but there was this very irritating filter that made everybody as smooth as possible and pale as shit. Other than that, I have no other problems with the production. Obviously, this was a low budget since we only had maybe 2-3 different settings, but it's good where it is.

Onto to the characters. Milk was probably the only one with some depth to his character. Everyone else was a bit one-dimensional, but again, it's not a bad thing considering everything else about the series. I didn't see Milk and the cafe owner thing happening, but I'm not disappointed. They are more so just really good actors, but I wouldn't say their chemistry was jaw-dropping or anything of the sort (although, they know how to kiss, geez-la-wheeze). Jung Woo and Choco I would say are in the same category, but maybe just an ounce of better chemistry, or at least that's what my heart thought when I couldn't stop smiling at Choco's laugh when Jung Woo was tickling him. Also, the height difference is amazing, along with Jung Woo's smile.

Overall, it was a good watch. Somewhere halfway through I forgot about them being animals, but nevertheless, they'll eventually leave again to -- animal heaven...? I like to forget this aspect of the show, ngl.

Ratings:

Story: 6.5/10 - Animals thing is weird but it works. The story is simple but it works for this series. it's memorable because of its plot, and it's endearing because of the characters.

Acting: 8.5/10 - I really liked it. Few hiccups here and there, but it's good. Milk really stands out the most.

Music: 5/10 - too enthusiastic for my taste.

Recommendation Value: (I don't rewatch so I change it to recommendation value): 7.5/10 - It's good, One of the better watches from Korea this year.

Read More

Idk what I just Watched..

I think a lot of people might've liked this cause of the Japanese version, or maybe they're big fans of the Love Stage Manga. Maybe it's because the show stayed pretty authentic to the book, or maybe because they are deeply connected down to the roots of these characters after following them for so long. But for me, someone who hasn't done any of the former, this was chaos thrown into a blender to create a cohesive series, but they left out the most important part of the drink, and now we're left with a terrible aftertaste that we can't get rid of.

Let's Dive In.

This was...something. I went into this pretty exciting cause I had seen some pretty good reviews and comments, again, could be that those were the ones that just love Love Stage for what it is, but anyway, I went into this with some pretty high expectations. All of them besides a few were let down. Love Stage is the story of Anda who was forced to play a girl at a young age for a commercial and meets Ryou, his castmate. Years passed, and for whatever reason, Ryou just can't get that "girl" out of his head. Until he finds out that little girl was actually a dude, and goes through a mid-life crisis. Some shit happens and then it's happily ever, bonus is the brother and his secret love with their family manager.

Now we'll skip the authenticity sake of this series cause I've never read the mangas and I have no plans to. This was just a wild manga to adapt into a series if they were staying true to the original story. It could've one-hundred percent worked for the book, but here, it's just insane. The fact that Ryou, a now-grown adult who has been through the hoops of fame and fortune, is still hung up on a one-time encounter when he was a child is ridiculous. I can't even name to you the kids in my elementary school, much less the people I had crushes on at that age (and I'm only 19). The entire main plot is foolish, and once I was able to look past that, I shrugged and moved on. Then some more idiotic things occur, some of them cute, and others just plain boring, and I pretty much just wanted to skip to see the brother and the manager, the saving grace of this series.

Anda and Ryou felt stupidly rushed. one minute Ryou hates that Anda's a man and hates the fact that he has feelings for him, and then with the flick of the wrist, he's flirting and pretending like he didn't just assault Anda in a bathroom that left his tooth chipped and manhood exposed (that scene...?? was incomprehensible..?? Definitely had to be from the manga cause there's no way they put that into the series and thought, "Oh yeah, this is it!"). Then they had no time to really develop (the one thing that was getting me through the series. I love watching the build-up to the relationship), but then they go and rush for them to be in a relationship, and after their sufficient in that, they just become insufferable and the plot becomes too predictable, and I mean tooooo predictable. To the point that I skipped episode 9 and just went straight to the ending, and look at that! Exactly what I thought would happen happened!

The acting is just not all that great besides Turbo and the brother, everyone else could use some work. Kaownah was okay at times, and then it just wasn't clicking anymore. The friends were straight trash and the fake laugh that Bank give somewhere in the first episodes completely turned me off, and I actually wanted to like him. The manager was okay too, nothing great, but at least he was more appealing to look at. The parents were fine, Lala was bearable, and I skipped that lady manager cause she was perverted and screeched each second she had the time to.

I absolutely loved the brother's and the manager's story. I think the way they implemented it to where the viewer starved for more, and for just a second when we thought we weren't going to get a canon, boom, they reveal their secret relationship. I love a good secret, especially when it comes in six-packs and tattoos. I loved Thee's charismatic side and the way he played the protective older brother. While trying to secure his brother's happiness, he also had to go looking for his own, which he found in his manager. Man, I really liked this duo, they fell flat a few times, but their trip on the beach was the best part.

Great bed scenes, great kisses, something I will always applaud to. But even that got a little stale after a while, and Anda having the body of a 12-year-old didn't help much either. I'm tired of touching on non-con in BL, so it is what it is, and I'm moving on for the sake of my own sanity.

Ratings:

Story: 6.5: The beginning was a bit fun, I could play into the laughable plot for a bit, and then I wasn't really feeling it. Once they get together (which is heavily rushed) things get boring and predictable, and then I doze off and forget I'm even watching. I skipped an entire episode cause I could care less about the main couple and it just got so boring that I thought I would drop this at one point. The brother's story was cute. Anda makes for a beautiful bride, and evil Bank honestly counts as a highlight.

Acting: 7: Ehh, Turbo was their best bet, everyone else needed more workshops. The parents were okay I guess, and the brother and manager had a cute enough story that I wasn't all that much bothered with their acting, although the brother was actually good. Anda's friends were talking robots the entire time, and tried too hard to be funny, it came off forced and unwatchable.

Music: 7.5 - there was one song that played during their sequence at the beach that I absolutely loved. I watched this on YT where for some reason, during a few episodes, the music is cut out, so after that, I didn't bother remembering to listen. It was decent I guess, the brother couldn't sing to save his life, but whatever.

Rewatch value: 1 - highly unlikely unless I want to watch Thee pop out of the pool in slow motion again on a loop.

Watch this if you want, I wouldn't recommend it, but at least if you watch, the actors weren't afraid to touch one another and weren't afraid to get down and dirty. The story is a mess and not one that I'm particularly a fan of. Another BL that will be long forgetful in like 6 months.

Read More

Cute Korean BL

Out of the recent Korean BL's I've tried to sit through (Peach of Time, My Sweet Dear), which caused me extreme boredom, and slight chronic insomnia, you couldn't imagine my reaction when this series popped up next on my watch list. it's the mix of Korean BL's being hysterically short, and disrespectfully rushed that draws me out of their stories, but finally, a BL that I can give at least some type of credit to. Not for being anything different than a regular K-BL, but at least for keeping me entertained. The Tasty Florida was a simplistic plot with beautiful-looking characters and chemistry that I can support.

Let's Dive In.

The Tasty Florida was another extremely short Korean BL, that follows a similar path of My Sweet Dear, but less dull, and characters that I can actually enjoy. It starts off with the new dude falling in the arms of another dude, giving us the perfect love at first sight trope, and from there were introduced to new people, a very weak love triangle, and a rushed ending. However, this series was super laid-back and beautiful -- starting from the restaurant, to the actors themselves. But again, this series suffers from the same matters that other Korean BLs do -- which is sad to say, cause this one had such great potential to be one of the best K-BLs, but instead it falls right under being just good enough.

The things I enjoyed about TTF: Let's give credit where credit is due -- all of the actors are gorgeous. Yoohwan and Kanghyuk have sharp features and blinding smiles, not to mention their incredible build. Seungjun has such an entertaining hairstyle, that fits perfectly with his lean stature, and mesmerizing facial structure. Woomin is adorable, with a childlike aspect in his face, and windswept hair, but Zeze hits different. he's like a God. He looks so ethereal and majestic that he can't be true. so unbelievable that I had to pause the screen for a moment and just gawk at his beauty. And to add on, they all put on a really nice performance. I liked Yoohwan's the most, with Kanghyuk playing a close second. But either way, they all did a really good job. I'd say the lowest acting-wise was Zeze, but even then, he's done better than others I've watched.

I also really did enjoy the chemistry between Seo Hae Won and Baek Eun Kyu. I'm a sucker for the "realizing-I'm-falling-in-love" trope, and just watching two people gain connection and build up chemistry until it reaches its peak and it has to climax. and these two are great examples of that. I wish that it could've been developed a little longer, but then again, that would mean we'd need a longer series, but for what we got, I was satisfied. I think these two did an amazing job at showing their chemistry through eye contact and simple gestures. I absolutely loved them.

I'd have to add on that the production was really nice. I loved the scenery of the restaurant. The colorful vibes and the cool warm pastels accentuated the mood of the series. I liked the overall cinematography of it all.

Some things that needed improving: Cha Ji Soo was treated horribly. I was actually very much interested in this character and very much so rooting for him and Seo Hae Won for half a second. But sadly, the love triangle this show tries to have is so weak that it's barely even there. Of course, we already know who the lead will end up with in the beginning, but if they're going to go for a love triangle then I think they should've gone full force. Have Seo Hae Won also develop feelings for Ji Soo. Have them maybe end up kissing, or have a conversation about it. Love triangles are because the lead is in love with both choices, not just one. Also, how Ji Soo decided that he would be okay with watching the guy he likes and his best friend dating every single day at work is beyond me.

The dojo thing was very pointless. It didn't drive any plot, it didn't raise any conflicts -- it was just there. Sure, the scene with them rustling and rolling around on the mat was cute, but what other justice did it serve? Nothing! That time could've been used to add more plot, to build more connections. I would rather see more Zeze being godly than a dojo.

The ending was rushed, and the year time jump through me completely off guard. Not to mention, that there wasn't any type of character change in regards to features or just relationships over a period of time. I hate time jumps when they don't show a change of growth in characters. Them crying in each other's arms was cute, but I think just 5 or 6 months with him away would've been fine.

Ratings:

Story: 9 - From what we got in this short series, the story was good. I'll take off a star for the weird time jump, and the rushed ending.

Acting: 8.5 - Everyone did a really good job. There were some hiccups here and there, and some acting choices should've been different, but overall, it was good.

OST: 5 - I don't remember it which means it wasn't a distraction but was also not anything to recollect.

Rewatch Value: 1 - I might actually go back to watch certain parts of this series, like Sao Hae Won cuddling a drunk Eun Kyu.

I recommend this series for anyone wanting a quick and pretty lighthearted watch.

Read More

Not Confused but Disoriented

I read the comments to get an overall audience view of this series, in which most of them were negative, but I was still willing to give this a chance. I need to start paying more attention to these opinions, cause I really sat through 5 episodes of complete garbage (and I say that in the nicest way possible.) Deal Lover had to be some of the crappiest acting I've seen in a while, with an unlikeable Het couple and straight-as-all-get-out BL pairing.

Let's Dive In.

I was actually pretty intrigued by the synopsis. I didn't hate the first episode; sure, it carried on longer than need be, the first 15 minutes are boring as hell, and the acting is already atrocious, but I looked past all that so that I could really dip my toes into the characters, and I actually wasn't too disappointed. Except it continues to get worst with every episode.

First is the plot. So different, something I was enthralled about before even watching, but sadly the execution is sad -- embarrassing even. I wanted them to do more with the grandma than they did. They kind of just made her look like a crazy old woman than a person dealing with Alzheimer's. They should've dove deeper into this disease and put parts of its attributed into the series. The grandma was passed as just goofy and forgetful, and it really did hurt. More with the plot, they had such a unique concept and didn't use it like they were supposed to. So boring, I mean EXTREMELY boring. I don't care to watch Milan vlog, or do anything, to be honest. Most of the het shit is them feuding and then not. I started skipping their parts mid-third episode. (They got married.... after 7 days...??)

That's another poor decision of this series. You can't take any of these relationships seriously cause they've all started in the span of three days, two nights. No one's relationship was nice to watch knowing that they just met only a few hours before. Both couples are rushed fast as hell and try to seem so in love, but it passes as delusional and lowkey obsessive.

Onto the BL pairing. I really have no words. Both actors look catastrophically uncomfortable around each other and like they were held at gunpoint to be in this. They had a good amount of BL tropes, but all were very poorly acted, and again, cringe as hell. I'll give props to Tam's actor though -- his acting wasn't all that great, but it was inferior compared to Tokyo's who looked like his dad dragged him there. So bad. So bad that I don't know how anyone else wasn't casted. Their relationship was rushed, all their lines were so bland and boring, and their acting was just the rotten cherry on top. The only part I found seemingly cute was when Tam grabbed Tokyo's face and THAT'S IT.

Production is last cause I have to scream about this. I've seen lower-quality budget films do 100x better than whatever the freak this was. Yes, this series was also low-budget, but that does not give this series an excuse for the poor editing and terrible amount of continuity errors. this series is really something else. Usually, production is decent, but with this series, it felt lower than mediocre. Sad, just really sad.

Some other things that might just be me: did anyone feel like they cut the camera to add tears to Tam's face?? Like his tears looked fake, I can't explain it, I really can't. Din does not pass as a chef at freaking all, more like a kid in a costume. Milan being a high-key homophobic?

Overall, I don't recommend this show. Had I also realized this was a side BL, I would've never tuned in in the first place. I love seeing small series like this with new faces, especially in Thailand when they have other series to go up against like ones from Studio Wabi-Sabi and GMMTV. I usually root for the underdogs, but this was just a complete disappointment. This series needed to have done some regrouping before this shit, Lord have Mercy.

Read More

Oh Lord

I feel bad for being just another review that skips the main story and jumps straight into the BL. But, sadly, I m another reviewer that is skipping the main story and jumping straight into the BL part of this series. don't get me wrong, I tried watching the actual series in hopes that I would turn out to like it more than I thought I would, but I couldn't get past the first episode. So I just skipped for Pete and Kao's parts. Ooops.

Let's dive in.

Production: I can't remember too much ( I watched this a while ago) but I do remember that there were a lot of ads stuck in the middle of the stories. It takes away so much of the characterization when half of their scenes is them promoting a company. Other than that, just your usual production.

Story: Obviously, I didn't watch the majority of the series, but from Pete and Kao's story, it was okay. Not a fan of enemies to lovers, and they had a lot to do with that. Not that I despise it, but the thought of your enemy falling in love with you never felt quite realistic to me.

Acting: Tay and New are incredible actors and I once again enjoyed them very much in this series.

COUPLES

Pete and Kao: 7/10

Like I said, not a fan of enemies to lovers, so Pete and Kao weren't my favorites, But I did enjoy watching them. Some of their scenes did come off as being super cringe, and at times I really felt like I should just turn it off completely, but I'm glad I didn't since their story carries over in DBK. Their relationship felt a little rushed, and they got together so fast. There was just such a weird switch in them hating each other and then loving each other.

FIRST KISS RATING: 1/10 - cringe-fest. No, accidental kisses are the death of me. I only accept Ae and Pete's.

RECOMMEND? No. Absolutely not. You can watch DBK without the need of watching this one, which is what I should've done, but oh well.

Read More

Sensual in the Most Non-Sexual Way Ever, OMG

I'm so glad I waited to binge this because this was everything and more to me. Punk's Triangle, the tale of a punk fashion student's love for AE the model, is strong in it's plot, and even stronger in it's tension.

Let's Dive In.

The series kept me entertained in the best way possible. Not once was I watching and just utterly annoyed with anything. Each episode brought something new or carried another important step in our leads' connection and it's brilliant.

Sensuality. Look it up in the dictionary and this series will be its definition. I feel like it's very rare for me to come across a series that is pretty low-heat but the most non-sexual sensual tension I have ever witness. I probably watched that bathroom scene from episode 3 more times that I'm willing to admit. Enaga's way of instructing Chiaki is the hottest thing on the plant. The bathroom scene, the belly-button piercing scene, their first kiss. I mean just the way in which he looks at him, his soothing voice, his calm demeanor. Fucking sensational.

Yasunari (Enaga/AE) as an actor is just so freaking brilliant. If you told me that Enaga and AE were played by two different actors, I would believe you. I know hair and makeup and clothes play a huge role in changing someone's appearance (along with facial piercings), but it's so much more than that with this character. As AE, he's confident, he's bold with his posture, he's gorgeous and he knows it. As Enaga, he's more closed-in on himself, shy, quiet, completely opposite to his stage presence, even down to the way in which he walk. I know some people harp on the fact that Chiaki couldn't tell Enaga was AE, but to be fair, outside of their height, I deadass wouldn't be able to tell either. The costume department did not have to eat so hard, oh my god.

I don't usually hope for second seasons, but if the creators of this could give me more Enaga/Chiaki I will forever be grateful.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10 - It's short, but it's good. kept me engaged in all eight episodes (I literally finished this in a day). Loved the leads, loved the story.

Acting: 9.5/10 - Bravo, Fujibayashi Yasunari. Ryota (Chiaki) doesn't stand out as much only because of the brilliant work of his co-star, but he did good as well.

Music: 6/10 - didn't pay much attention to it, but I thought the theme song was nice.

Recommendation Value: 9/10 - I had originally thought this was going to be a darker series for some reason (idk why) but this is so cute and lighthearted with low-heat, so I hundred percent think everyone should watch. And don't think I'm not going to rave about how fucking ethereal Yasunari looks. Gave me fucking butterflies and shit like I'm some little school girl, holy fuck. Watch for him.

Read More

Lost

I must've been half asleep for this episode because I'm having a hard time remembering anything good I liked from this episode besides them being attractive.

Let's Dive In,

The guy was in love with his famous step-brother. Yay, we are once again romanticizing incest. God, I love BL.

Don’t ask me what happened in this episode cause I have zero knowledge. Meng Meng was a BL fan and was trying to deliberately get her best friend and his step-brother together. With her whole chest, she thought there was nothing wrong with shipping a brother and his step sibling. I just gave it a four cause I don’t know where my head was at during this episode, and I would go back to re-watch it, but I’m really not interested.

Read More

Stellar Story, Mediocre Acting

I cannot lie, this was probably one of the best storylines we've gotten out of 2025. The setup, the twists, the outcomes, literally everything. A horror BL done right cause it doesn't center the BL and it works so perfectly for this. Khemjira is stellar, I was kept engaged despite my dismay of the runtime, and I was thoroughly impressed. Unfortunately, the acting is where this takes a large stumble for me.

Let's Dive In.

I liked that Khem and Paran are a slow burn. Not because it's my cup of tea, but because it works so well into the scheme of things with Paran being a shaman and not allowed to really fall in love, and then we steadily see him fall for Khem more and more. I'll be honestly, I was not impressed with that last NC scene. I think there's a certain point when things are dragged too long, and that was just tooooo long. I also kind of don't really see why Paran fell for Khem. I understand for Khem because, Paran is a fucking greek god, but outside of their past soul's love lives, I just don't see what about Khem is to fall for. The fact that he's making your life harder...?

I enjoyed Jet and Charn a lot more than the leads. I liked that Jet realizes how beautiful Charn is after he gets wet and looses his glasses, and I just love Charn altogether. The topics that are brought up amongst them as they progress into a relationship are spectacular, give me more of that.

The plot was just splendid. The village, the people, the workings of the shines and the magic, the two little kids, Ramphueng. Like, wow, just so good. Obviously the CGI is a bit shit, but it's not so bad that I can't stay intrigued in the plot. We learn a lot of Thai culture which I appreciate, and I love that the longer I watch Thai BL, the more I pick up on the lingo, the honorifics, and I realized a lot of how that stuff worked in this. Bravo.

I won't lie though, this was entirely too long. There was no way I could watch this in regular speed, so each episode was watched in 1.5-2x speed, and it honestly felt like it was going a normal pace. There are moments, like always, that just aren't needed.

The acting...sigh. It's not so bad in certain part, but our main guy cannot cry for shit. You know those moment you can tell when someone is crying (real tears, red rimmed eyes, puffy cheeks, etc.) and then when someone put water drops in their eyes? Yeah... But it wasn't just Namping, I wasn't really impressed with anyone's acting outside of Firstone's acting. These guys are pretty new to this (Not Keng though, he worked with Jeff??? Jaw on the floor), so I'll give them slightly the benefit of the doubt.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10 - good and strong! Flowed nicely, some parts dragged a bit, but otherwise it was good. NAMMON.

Acting: 7.5/10 - Namping could be so good with just a little more practice, I wasn't impressed really at all with anyone's acting.

Music: 5/10 - didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 7.5/10 - This might not be everyone's bread and butter. It's a little on the scary side, kind of traumatic, and lots of jump scares. But everyone needs to see Keng in a wet white long sleeve with a back tattoo, so go for it!

Read More

Can't Get Into It

It's been about a month since the series ended and I still can't get myself to watch the last two episodes, and I think I'm done trying. I really sat my ass through this series because I really do hate dropping, but also forcing myself to watch something I don't like rather than to sit and watch something I do like is torture to myself. Never Let Me Go fails in a lot of spots for me, except for how gorgeous these actors are.

Let's Dive In.

One reason that the series was so hard for me to get into was that the initial plot just doesn't make sense. Why hire a fisherman who's amateur at being a bodyguard to protect a highly important person? Especially after the fisherman's father failed to protect the important boy's dad? Just why? I think this would've worked out better had Palm just been on a scholarship to attend the same school as Nuengdiao and they became friends to then become lovers. Maybe then I could've finished this. But I can't because nothing about this situation adds up. Either that or Palm should've been an older gentleman who was a bodyguard in his past coming back into the job to help out his dad.

I've said this in FUTS, and I'm saying it here too: something about Pond's acting never settles right with me. I will say he was at least slightly better here than in FUTS, but I can never believe his acting. It sounds like he's reading the lines off the paper instead of acting them. Someone on Reddit said his acting reminds them of a last-minute put-together high school play and I couldn't have said it better myself. And I'll probably get crap for this too, but for some reason, I can't play into Pond's chemistry with Phuwin. It's just not there, at all. They do being physical very well, but besides that, I don't feel the chemistry between them in their acting. Pond gives off "I'm straight" vibes like crazy, and while I'm not trying to assume his sexuality or anything, that's just how it comes off.

I would've stayed for Chimon and Perth, cause I was decently enjoying their side story, but it's still not enough. I'll just wait to see them in their series once it airs. The fighting sequences made me squeal with laughter, because what in the everloving fuck was that. The make-up department at least did the bruising and cuts well.

Ratings;

Story: 5/10 - Chimon and Perth's story is entertaining. Some parts of Neungdiao's story is intriguing (like his uncle trying to kill him), but I can't get over that his mother thought it was a good idea to hire a fisherman with no bodyguard experience to protect her highly targeted child, which is why this series will never do it for me. I think they even teased it in one episode, which I'm glad they acknowledged that it was dumb, but still.

Acting: 7.5/10 - I'm mostly giving this score to Perth, Chimon, and Phuwin. I think there are some parts Phuwin lacked a bit for me, but it still wasn't bad. Pond's acting is once again, mediocre if not worse than that.

Music: 5/10 - Didn't pay attention to it. So it wasn't distracting. Good.

Recommendation value: 4/10 - As I said, it might've just been me that felt this way, but there are much better stories out there to watch than this one.

Just a little bit of a rant, but I don't think Pond and Phuwin were the right pair for this series in general. I think having switched up some important plot points would've made it better, but in order to have made this series as good as it could've been with just the original story, they should've found a pairing that was older, or at least a person a lot older to play Palm's role. Someone like Joss or Earth or White or Pod or Gawin or Tul (even though he's not with GMMTV, just trying to throw out some actors that would've done this role well), anyone who seems a lot more mature than Pond was able to portray. Phuwin is fine in Nuengdiao's role, but I'm thinking Khaotung or Pawin, someone who might've been able to handle a more dramatic role.

Read More

Crushed by Poor Writing

There is no excuse for the absolute shitshow that Reloved was other than the writing. The writers arrived, decided they didn't feel like writing for real, and gave the audience a "here, damn," series. This can be the only plausible reason that this series forgets that adults have brains and can use them.

Let's Dive In.

Before I go into just the poorness of the writing, I will say; certain parts of this series works and are enjoyable. The second leads were fun, the kids were adorable, and the office dynamic had charm. But it's completely crushed by the weight of extreme miscommunication, a handful of boring episodes, and a completely idiotic death. The acting is also just eh, but the writing is so much worse that you don't pay much attention to it.

This was a very fun concept. Exes with "kids" find each other again. When we, as the audience, realize that Mawin isn’t Akin’s biological son and might actually be Than’s, it’s a solid plot twist. Unfortunately, the execution is painfully clumsy. You mean to tell me Akin couldn't use his big-boy mouth and tell a grown man that he has a kid? Imagine going years knowing that your ex has a son that he doesn't know about because of you. And then Than forgives him almost instantly? Cue the long, exhausted sigh. The emotional fallout should have been massive, but instead it’s brushed aside far too easily.

The second leads are nice. They also have nice sex, albeit, a little unnecessary, but still they're nice. The issue is that their conflict is introduced far too late, and just when they reconcile, Don is suddenly killed off. It feels entirely manufactured for shock value, The death doesn’t align with the tone or trajectory of the story. It's random and out of the blue, and just drew off a very large crowd from wanting to watch this series. I'm also not giving it the rating I'm giving it just because of his death; I think death, if justifiable, can work in a series (History 3: Make Our Days Count). Here, it just doesn't work at all.

The actual leads are extremely underwhelming. I don't hate them, I just don't yearn for them. Like at all. I also think they're NC scene are pretty cringe. But thank you for taking off your shirts, Golf and Peter, we really needed that.

Most of the side characters exist purely to fill space. I did enjoy the office friendships; those moments felt natural and added some needed levity. And as for the guy with braids, we’re collectively pretending he never existed, for my own well-being.

Ratings:

Story: 6/10 - The entire plot is ran on a laughable miscommunication that two adults should be able to talk about. The plot before it's revealed that Mawin is maybe Than's son is fun, though. The second leads are also fun until they are not.

Acting: 7.5/10 - The acting is okay. I didn't really see any performance worth noting. The seconds leads were good, but still nothing more than okay.

Music: 6/10 - Wasn't distracting.

Recommendation Value: 3/10 - Honestly, the NC scenes from the seconds leads are fun. Other than that, you're wasting your time!

Read More