Reviews

Probably many of those curious about this film are snooping around this review because of some morbid curiosity about the relationship between one 70-year-old man and a student of 17. You want to know how it goes? Well, I'll tell you that it's not so much that kind of film, there are inevitably parts with some sexual charge, but in my case, what I felt after two hours was a sensation of beauty, spontaneity and, ironically, purity.

STORY:
Of course the premise is as good as controversial: two men who after an hour of film are attracted to a high school student, one more than the other. However, contrary to my expectations, the strongest reason to fight is not the girl but the literary talent of both men. Nevertheless, Eungyo does play an important role, because she is the straw that broke the camel's back (red ink involved, I warn you). And that's very interesting, although a little disconcerting if you expect a film with a strong erotic charge. What this story does have, and is meritorious, is a tour through very realistic and human feelings and doubts.
(Also, brace yourself for some graphic sex scenes)

ACTING:
To be honest, nothing to say "Hats off to you", but I understand why Go Eun received many awards for Best New Actress, I've seen this movie before "Cheese in the trap" (maybe a bad idea) because I wanted to know the actress, and I have to tell you that the girl's talent itself is obvious. Also, Park Hae Il is notable for his portrayal of an old man when he is not old at all.

In conclusion, in my humble opinion, the highlights of this film are the beautiful framings, the morbid-pure relationship between the old man and the student, the obvious talent and beauty of Go Eun, and that the bad things do not happen to whom you imagine (something I enjoyed).

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When a remake does what the original couldn’t

The Korean remake was much better than the Thai original, at least in my opinion. While there are many differences between the plots, I found this one much more interesting and enjoyable to watch. The original dragged on forever, there were too many couples and no logical continuous story. Korean remake of the series had a much better structure and story development, it also only focused on the main two couples which gave the two relationships time to develop. I also found the two couples in this drama much more interesting.

I think the visuals and the aesthetics are very nice. I really enjoyed the locations as well. I liked the change from engineering students to something a bit more artistic, I think it fit the whole overall vibe of the drama better. I do believe it has a lot to do with the cultural differences between the two countries, but I don’t know enough about that to actually say anything. I still think it was a smart move.

I think the pacing was not the best in certain parts, and scene cuts and changes were not the best at times. But I didn’t find that too bothersome.

Kim Ji Oh & Jung Lee Won: I absolutely loved them! I might be in the minority, but I actually really liked their bickering. I find it cute and funny, it’s not obnoxious or feeling awkward. Kim Ji Oh was obviously the first to realize he is enamored with the other boy. Jung Lee Won was just as in love but was living in denial. I mean, who would want to admit that their sibling was right about something? No one. Jung Lee Won’s reactions whenever something happened that was similar to what his sister wrote were everything! I think the two actors had great chemistry. I loved seeing the two on screen together, either being cute and adorable or bickering and annoying each other.

Ko Yoo Kyeom & Woo Sun Woo: I found the two cute. It was very obvious that Ko Yoo Kyeom was struggling with his feelings. He wasn’t sure how to act around Woo Sun Woo, but he knew he wanted him close. Ko Yoo Kyeom remembered a lot of little details about him. And don’t get me started on him wanting him for his project. Woo Sun Woo didn’t seem to struggle that much, but he still felt very guilty about possibly taking his friend’s boyfriend. I liked the slow progress between the two of them. The chemistry between the two actors was really good too. The longing glances and soft looks. How sweet!

I liked the side characters too. We didn’t really see that much of them, but what we did, fit well within the whole plot. Woo Sun Woo’s relationship with his sister was so adorable! I was really enjoying their interactions. Very typical siblings stuff, I assure you. The friend group was fun too, even the acting teacher!

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A Romance of the "FOUR" Little Forest

A Romance of The Little Forest (两个人的小森林), is another sweet basic romantic-comedy drama narrating around a bubbly girl with her cold eventually turned warm lover. But what makes this drama stand out is the chemistry and adorableness between the two leads and.... when the main couple is actually not the main couple.

The drama narrative revolves around an internet beauty influencer chasing a botanic professor and eventually, both of them fell in love. The drama has any other cliche troupes you can find in other rom-com dramas, but the female lead's bubbly personality, adorable antics, and sweet funny and witty dialogues will make you want and unknowingly enjoy the drama!

Yu Meiren, the internet beauty influencer as well as a professor in ornithology (study of birds) is played by Yu Shuxin. This character is made especially for her, she is able to embody the character, and nobody can pull it off so accurately than her. All the adorable antics, carefree attitude, bubbly expressions and more. Though her character may come off as a 傻白甜 (those sweet, innocent, gullible female leads), but she is not. She is sweet and cute, but she has the brains and courage - she is willing to take risks for what she believes in and what she loves; she is not afraid to express herself. Especially during the end of the drama, where she finally comes to terms with her appearance and make-up.

Zhuang Yu, the botanic professor, is played by Zhang Binbin, and he did a great job, he manages to infuse himself into the character! Zhuang Yu is a cold and serious professor, but rather than making him a totally cold person, he uses subtle micro-expressions in the earlier episodes when Yu Meiren is around him or doing something funny. The subtle expressions definitely help the audience to understand and see the process of him falling for her.

What I loved about the drama is the chemistry of both leads and their character development after meeting each other. Zhuang Yu always reassures Yu Meiren - reassuring her that she is pretty the way she is, reassuring her well-being and more. And after meeting Yu Meiren, Zhuang Yu also became more lively! He can speak romantic words, that maybe cheesy but it is also romantic at the same time.

What I find lacking (irritating) from the drama and I believe most people find it too is... the second couple has more screen time (and probably a kiss scene) than the first couple. The second couple's narrative is also very classic, a village girl falling in love with a CEO and so on. The drama dragged the second couple's storyline so long and draggy causing the main couple's scenes to be cut by a lot. In addition, a lot of the main couple's kiss scene and sweet scenes in the drama is also cut short, the scene kiss scenes are even longer and more 🔥 than the one that made it into the actual cut. However, if you are craving more for their chemistry, you can watch the behind-the-scenes! Their behind-the-scenes are full of fun, sweetness and comedy!

A Romance of The Little Forest is truly an enjoyable drama, maybe not the best romantic comedy drama but it sure has its charm! Overall, if you are looking for a sweet romantic-comedy drama that will make you squeal do watch this!

P.s. this drama also has really good and enjoyable OSTs

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My Country is a bit like Six Flying Dragons, and Warrior Baek Dong Soo had a beautiful angsty baby together.

Six Flying Dragons since the story takes place in the same time period and a lot of the characters who were the main characters there and secondary characters in this one. And Warrior Baek Dong Soo that is also drama about two friends who end up fighting against each other and the sad and angsty bromance that comes with that. Yet I feel like My Country managed to be its own show despite all these comparisons.

I recognized and knew about the events that took place here, I knew where we were heading all the time. However, it did not damage the story in any for me. There was plenty of other parts within the story that surprised me.

The main story is so much more than the power of the Lee family as Goryeo changes into Joseon, which was the center story in Six Flying Dragons, but here the story of friendship and relationship between Hwi and Seon Ho is the center of it all – their love story even, if Korea had daring enough to go there. How their friendship and love for each other pulls them apart and back together and then apart again and so on. That is what draws you in and keep you there as the story goes along. That is the emotional core of the show. The politics and all of that is just the structure around it.

Each episode was over an hour in length, but all of them had a rather quicker pace, things didn’t really drag on all too much, things were rather action packed - there were some cool fight scenes in there from time to time – and it continued to surprise all the way until the end. I always found myself really engaged within the story, I was always excited about the next episode and each episode made me feel something; anger, horror, sadness, etc., which is what I'm looking for in a tv show. It really hooked me in and didn’t want to let me go, which I liked.

My Country is quite heavy on the politics, as well on the battles and blood and all that good stuff you can find in a drama such as this. This is no picknick at the park. This is a drama about men fighting their troubles and feelings away with swords, are usually covered in blood at some point in each episode, and nobody is really truly happy outside maybe the first two episodes. I am a rather simple soul when it comes to these things and My Country gave me my fix for handsome warriors in period dramas who are somehow always covered in ether blood or sweat or both.

You can pretty much predict how it ends before you get there, the story isn’t super subtle about it, but the story still takes you on a wild ride. The story sort of just gives you what it promised in the beginning, and I can respect that.

This drama gave you what it promised in the beginning, when it opens with the two main characters about to fight each other. It set the tone quite well. This is not a drama that starts as a cute and fluffy little tale in the first ten episodes and then does a switch and the last six episodes are almost a Shakespearian tragedy, as many other kdramas tend to do.

It’s not for everybody, but I rather enjoy the bloodbath, the politics, the sword fighting and all the other stuff that comes with this type of show. A bit on the heavy side, rather male-dominated or male centric story. But most stories, no matter what form they come in, kdramas or not, are sometimes rather male-centric. Having grown up oh those kinds of stories I don’t have a problem enjoying them, though over the years I have learned to be more watchful and critical over such things.

My biggest (and possibly only) gripe with this show exactly how much space the male characters took in comparison with the female characters. The females started of strong, they mattered and they had their own thing going on, but a little by little most of them kind of seemed to either die or almost disappear as we went further into the story – and I almost did not notice it until the very end, because the story had sort of swept me away from them.

I have said it before that I do not necessarily need to see female characters in these stories fighting with sword (though I do like it when that happens) and being a complete badass like Hwi or Seon Ho. But getting to see them have more influence within the story. See them give advice, solve problems, even cause problems, and in general have something significant to do within the story that helps the plot along is always appreciated. Even requested (from me).

This took place in a very male-centric world; a lot of decisions were made by men and they fought in wars and all that. But I have still seen stories that happen at a similar time, or other period dramas from Korea that seemed to achieve doing so much more with the female characters then this drama did. Like the Six Flying Dragons or even the Rebel Hong Gil Dong did (both rather male stories on their own way) for example. I know it is possible, so I expected a more from My Country then I got in that respect.

My Country isn't really a drama for the average or newbie kdrama watcher who shuns away from most sageuks and especially this one who is more on the heavier side with very little romance - but a whole lot of bromance - and political intrigue. But I do feel like it gave me my sageuk fix and I do think it could appeal to some of other people who might not be too keen on the average kdrama because of the romance and all of that. Like Tree With Deep Roots and Six Flying Dragons (even if 50 episodes us a lot).

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I never realized how given to fairy tales many Hollywood films were until I started watching Asian cinema.

Films from this region can be so painfully true to life, not prone to sugarcoat or providing even the narrowest of escape from the unpredictability and cruelty of human existence. There's no compromise. I don't know what to make of it. I both love it and hate it.

The Intimate Lover poignantly unveils our contrary nature as human beings. When it comes to matters of the heart, we want security and stability, but also a constant supply of that heady rush of new love, of being in love and seeing the stars in our lover's eyes. But it's impossible to attain both at the same time, with the same partner for the long haul.

So where does that leave us? Pretty much between a rock and hard a place.

To not chase that high is to commit yourself to a life of probable unfulfillment and what ifs, and to chase it would be like chasing a rainbow. You'll be going around in circles. If you leave one partner for another just to experience the high of being in love, eventually you'll end up back where you started with the same irrational need to begin the process all over again.

So really that sweet, intoxicating love we all want to experience can only last for a lifetime in our memories; and what this film imparts on us is that it's better to experience that love and end it while you're still on a high rather than let it wane from the onset of familiarity. It is the memory of this intoxicating love that will cradle us as we're delivered into the bosom of death.

It's a powerful message, if a little depressing.

All in all, though, this was a good exploration of the human condition. I think the actors did a good job, especially the female lead. I was happy to see some good physicality between the characters. None of this brushing of the lips nonsense or people who are supposed to be intimate acting like strangers around each other.

I've seen where this film has been described as "erotic". Perhaps by Asian standards, but this was just an average film to me. Explicit, yes, but erotic, not really. Because of the subject matter the film attempts to analyze they HAD to show that level of intimacy between the characters. To not do so would have been unrealistic. When you meet someone and you fall in love with them, you want to be intimate with them. Film, being a visual medium, has to show that intimacy to strengthen the story being told, otherwise the movie would have defeated its own purpose.

I must admit even though I had an idea where the movie was headed, and was okay with it, I held a small hope for a different ending. What can I say? I am a romantic. I know how life works. I know we're powerless to its whims. But I don't need to be reminded of that constantly in my entertainment. Be that as it may, however, I'm glad no one had a terminal illness. No one got hit by a truck. No one died or was dying. Thank goodness.

The ending was appropriate, poignant, but not gut wrenching. If you're in the mood for a film that will make you think and or spur an intellectual conversation afterwards, this is a good choice.

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I started this drama with no expectations, I was very impressed with the writer’s ability to maintain such thrilling moments and cliff hanger endings all the way to the final act. Each character felt like a key player in the story no matter how minor their role, when they had their moment on screen you are waiting for them to take action against the Cult. As the conflict and pressure to save Sang Mi became the focal point and as the title describes “Save Me” the boys from her brief past in what was her new high school, rise up to the occasion. There are many unlikeable characters scattered throughout this drama that may really make a viewer frustrated and anxious to see the good guys appear and use their smarts in this game of Religious Cult vs. Normal citizens who can see through the facade of the Cult's conman ways. This is not a romance drama, but there is a strong sense of friendship, and just how strong a child’s love for their parent can be is theme throughout but sadly also mixed with a theme of betrayals by parents you trust.

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"CHEAK OUT" ON RISK OF LOSING YOUR BRAINCELLS!!!

I Officially CROWN THIS BL AS 'the bane of my existence and the object of all my regrets *100000'

GIVE ME A FREAKING BREAK!!!!!

THIS IS REALLY FRUSTRATING!!!! AND I WILL BE BLUNT HERE!!!!!
I HAVE SKIPPED THROUGH 80% OF IT, EVEN THE NC SCENES!!!!!

I LOST MY Remaining braincells Watching this AND had to put bleach [3 TRUCKS FULL OF BLEACH] in my eyes to forget this horror>>> rip braincells💀. RIP EYES AS WELL☠️

Where do we register for our "I SURVIVED "CHECK OUT"!!" t-shirts???

WATCH IT ONLY IF YOU LIKE-
Cheating, like the actors, basic story, just want NC scenes, want something other than high school BL's, attractive guys, toxicity, bitchy female character, liars .

WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM ACCORDING TO ME-
bland music, Bad NC scenes, Cheating, Long and cringy dialogues, No character development, No chemistry, boring/slow paced[ I watched at 3x speed], jerk characters.

Seriously, I’m proud of those people who are wasting their time into this long and messy af series. The characters were too problematic in many ways.

A FRIENDLY ADVICE TRY TO IMPROVE THE PLOTHOLES OF THE SERIES NOT FOCUS ON SEELING US PORNO!!!

*Nine- Narcissist in a way. It wasn’t sexy at all to covet other people’s boyfriend. SUCH A CHARACTER 🚩🚩🚩
*Daonuea- Childish af! This character is probably one of the worst BL characters of all time. Naiveness to its highest. CHEATER!
*Tee- A BOY WHO LOVES A NAIVE BOY. Ughhhh also a character. I can't stop laughing at how Tee was all like trying to guilt trip Ice to give up his dream job, and Ice was ice-cold!! Literally, Ice was like I'm gonna have a hot makeout session with you, but that's about it. I'm totally leaving you tomorrow. And I couldn't stop laughing.
*Boat, Ice and Candy- MESSY AND IRRELEVANT CHARACTERS! Dust of the series. only good thing here>
*Preaw- A GIRL! SHE ALWAYS SPILLS HER TANTRUM ALL OVER THE PLACE. DESERVE TO BE CHEATED FOR HER ATTITUDE.

The series was too long and too messy. Not recommended for those people who had heart failure due to its boringness. Expectations was far from fair. ALSO IN EP8, THEY COULD’VE JUST MADE A FOR NINE AND PRAEW!

I really really DO NOT understand the need to complicate things. Put the damn uncut version on IQIYI and finish it!!!!!
FAN ONLY???? 25+??????? UNCUT??????? BRO are you giving us a BL or selling us PORN.

8 EPISODES IN AND I WILL SAY IT MAY GET BETTER BUT FOR NOW ITS NOT WORTH IT!!!! TRY TO WATCH IT AFTER ATLEAST 10 EP ARE AIRED!!!! FOR ME NOT WORTH WASTING TIME!!!
ONE LINE WARNING- "It is so bad I want to give you a zero, but that is not possible, so I give you a 1."

This is by far the worst drama I have ever watched, and if you look at my list you will see that I have watched a lot over the years.
Story: BAD
Acting: BAD
Directing: BAD
Editing: BAD
Product placement: BAD
All of it was bad. Am I sorry I watched? YES. YES. YES. I LOST MY BRAINCELLS HAD TO BLEACH MY EYES TO REMOVE THIS HORROR AND BASH MY HEAD TO A TREE SO THAT I COULD FORGET I EVEN SAW THIS EVER>>

Better to remember the name of the director and the screenwriter in order not to lose another 12 hours of your life.
note it>>> for future references> fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me>
"Unforgotten Night" and "Check out" were in a competition for the most ridiculous Thai BL of all time. PEOPLE ARE really not sure which one will win.
I think check out won with flying colors >>>>>


WORST BL EVER>>> EVER>>>

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Buns of Steel.

Blossoms in Adversity / Xī Huā Zhǐ/惜花芷 is the story of superwoman Hua Zhi's feel-good romp through feudal China. When Imperial Censor Hua dares to criticize the monarch, he is exiled along with all the men in his family. A bevy of helpless women and young children are left to fend for themselves. Hua Zhi takes charge and rallies the women together to triumph against overwhelming odds. When she flexes her buns of steel, no feat is beyond Hua Zhi! She parleys a candied hawthorn business into a pastry and restaurant empire, picks up stray royal children, foils a few palace plots, build schools and a canal, rescues the Hua family men and even manages to find time to fall in love! All in the space of a 2-3 years!!! Phew! Even superwoman would surely stagger from sheer exhaustion!

This narrative paints a distressing picture of how oppressive life was for women in hierarchical ancient Chinese patriarchal society. The best part of this drama is how in order to survive, the women defy social conventions, set aside petty differences, learn to trust each other and work together towards shared goals. While the sheer scale of their financial and other achievements are preposterous, there is something very cathartic and satisfying about how flamboyantly they flourish. The storytelling is squarely centered on Hua Zhi and speeds through many of the supporting character arcs, leaving their motivations and struggles under-developed. This is a pity because family dramas like this are most compelling when important supporting characters are given enough agency to be the main characters of their own arcs.

This is one of those dramas that is best enjoyed superficially and with heavy suspension of disbelief. Upon closer scrutiny, the overarching empowerment theme is contradicted by some of the sub-plots. I was disturbed by the different treatment of domestic abuse in Hua Jing and Hua Xian's case. But what I disliked most was what happens to Hua Rong and her child. It is as if she learned nothing from her family's struggles about resilience in the face of adversity. There are a few poorly developed sub-plots like this that the writers raced through without thinking carefully about the messaging.

As much as I like Zhang Jingyi, this is not her best role. Her interpretation of Hua Zhi is too perfect, too calm, too understanding and too reasonable. This has led to many Mary Sue comments about the character. But Hua Zhi is actually written to have many flaws - she can be over confident, she cannot mind her own business, she is reckless and like her grandfather, she cannot hold her tongue. In the canal arc, she is the architect of her own downfall but because everyone unites around her, she never suffers any consequences for her actions. This character has too much plot armor and is already so smart and capable that she shows virtually no growth from beginning to end.

Hua Zhi's relationship with Gu Yanxi is similarly whitewashed to the extent that it appears too ideal to be true; it lacks passion, conflict and intensity. Hua Zhi lets Gu Yanxi off too easily for deceiving her in the beginning when any normal person would be at least a little bit angry at him. She also never communicates any discomfort with his role at the Security Bureau; indeed she seems quite happy to use his authority there to serve her purposes. Thus, it came as much as a surprise to me as it must have to Yanxi that it could be a deal breaker for her! So much for their so called mature, open and communicative relationship! I don't know why young actors like to make their characters so perfect all the time and have such a hard time embracing more complex but perfectly natural human relationship dynamics and emotions.

Hu Yitian delivers a more nuanced portrayal of Gu Yanxi as the emperor's sharpest knife. His fight scenes are phenomenal and he is menacing and ruthless as the commander. He shows us he is a different person; more open, at ease and happier when he is with Hua Zhi. While this is one of Hu Yitian's better roles to date, he shies away from showing us the true extent of his affection for the emperor and his inner conflict. This is a missed opportunity because Hai Yitian delivers a compelling portrayal of the lonely, paranoid and manipulative emperor. Because Hu Yitian's portrayal of Gu Yanxi does not meet him halfway, the emperor's affection for his nephew comes across as borderline obsessive and a lot more one sided than it really is.

Even though it seems her character Shaoyao is dumbed down from the novel, Lu Yuxiao is once again a scene stealer in this drama. This kind of beguilingly innocent, simple minded savant kind of character is extremely difficult to portray well but Lu Yuxiao pulls it off brilliantly. She doesn't get enough screen time to steal the show but I was more invested in her character than I was in Hua Zhi who is too perfect to be relatable.

The ending of this drama really cracked me up. It is one of the few times that the villain actually saves the day by doing what Hua Zhi and Gu Yanxi could never have done. Although it is also possible that Gu Yanxi learned his lesson not to look for needles in hair stacks and had the good sense to show up a just a tad late at the ceremony. Despite some flaws, this is a very appealing feel-good drama for those seeking light entertainment. My rating 8/10.

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They did us dirty with the way it ended

I’ll preface this by saying I haven’t seen Addicted, nor have I read the piece(s) the series is based on. I am not going to compare it to anything, but I will simply judge it on its own.

The plot is interesting. It’s not something we often get in BLs (yes, I know this is a censored version, but it’s still a BL), and even if we do, it’s rarely done well. Stay With Me has executed it amazingly! The plot is not nearly as simple as it seems at first, which was a really pleasant surprise. While the development of the relationship (romantic or not) between Wu Bi and Su Yu is at the front of the series, it’s not the only focus. We also get to follow how other relationships change and develop over time, mainly those of their family members and close friends.

Wu Bi & Su Yu: I love seeing them together. The two might be quite different but they have an amazing influence on each other. Wu Bi might appear cold, arrogant, short-tempered and uncaring, but in reality, that’s all a front he puts up to protect himself. We get to see him open up more once he gets closer to Su Yu and his family. Su Yu lives only for school because that’s his ticket out of poverty. He is not a demanding child, he never asks for help or anything from his father, because he knows his father is trying his best. He does become more carefree as he gets closer with Wu Bi. He becomes more open and willing to talk about his wants and needs, especially with his Wu Bi. The two might have started off as enemies, rivals, but the way things change was done very well. It was well thought through. Their actions had clear intentions and reasons, as did the way their relationship progressed. I think both actors did great in their roles, they had great chemistry.

Now, this might have been a censored work, but it didn’t really hide what kind of relationship the two have. Their looks, their touches, the little kisses, the way they gravitated towards one another, the innuendoes that were being thrown left and right… they might have left a lot up to our imagination, but they made things as clear as they could.

I absolutely love Su Yu’s dad, miss Zhou and Duo! With all the flaws that Su Yu’s dad had, he has always been immensely proud of his kids – Su Yu, Wu Bi and Dou – and all of their achievements, no matter how big or small they were. He was incredibly supportive of them and always there when they needed him. The same goes for miss Zhou. As for Duo, she was a little ray of sunshine who is always ready to share her words of wisdom with her two older brothers. This was the found family all of them needed to thrive, not just the boys. Not all of them were blood related, some not even by law, but they truly showed what it means to be a family, to love each other, to support each other.

On the other hand, I don’t think Su Yu’s mom and most of Wu Bi’s family have any redeeming qualities. There is something about the cousin that I disliked from the start. Might be his arrogance or just the overall vibe he had, but I don’t think he cares about anyone but himself. His uncles are horrible. They treat everyone around them like dirt and that didn’t really sit well with me. Wu Bi’s father lost any right for redemption once we learned he has been abusive towards his son after his mom passed away. And Su Yu’s mom lost the right for redemption the moment she decided to abandon her child. I don’t care how much they tried to make us sympathize with the two, I think both of them are bad parents.

Which brings me to things I disliked. One thing was Su Yu’s dad saying how all parents love their children. Not all parents do and not all of them deserve to be respected as parents. Children do not owe love and respect to their parents if that is not something they received from them. I know Asian cultures are big on respecting your elders, but it’s actually a very damaging idea. I think certain scenes were very bizarre and didn’t make much sense or were done in an over dramatic way that just made them hard to watch. There are also certain things that I feel lacked proper closure or explanation why it happened like it did. Or how it was even possible. And I am not even talking about the ending here.

That ending though… they better give us a S2, because I am not happy with how it all ended. It does feel like it was a setup for another season, especially how it was all left in the air in the end. It was a scene I knew was coming based on the trailer, but I did not expect it to be left unfinished like that.

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Overall, this is a really lovely drama but it won't suit everyone's taste. It has a very laid back feel and has strong indie vibes. It's not really a rom com, but on the other hand there are some parts that are absolutely hilarious. It has some melodramatic tendencies, but the drama as a whole is very uplifting and encouraging. The character's are very down to earth and very likeable. I like the fact that the character's weaknesses show, but that they also grow as individuals, learn about themselves, get happier and grow stronger as a result.

The romance is unique. In many ways I find it extremely realistic. The actors made the romantic scenes look fun and the chemistry was strong. The type of love they portray is very meaningful too, because it's a couple that was first friends, and really consider each other family. It's not a flighty love, but a deep rooted love of loyalty and understanding. But even knowing this, love is challenging and there are often obstacles.

I think the re-watch value of this drama is high, because there are subtle things that can be missed. A lot of imagery and symbolism is used. The side stories and side characters were also really good.

I think if you're in the mood for a very artistic style drama which focuses on characters, it's a good way to go. If you want something fast paced where you don't have to think too much about it, Bubblegum might not really hold your attention for all 16 episodes. There's so much love and beauty in this drama though. I personally feel it's worth watching. I really enjoyed it a lot. I guess what I really loved is, it doesn't feel like every other drama I've watched; it has it's own lovely vibe. It pops and makes you feel happy, want to smile - like bubble gum.

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Don't judge a series by its rating

"Playboyy" is its own genre. There is "BL" and there is "Playboyy". You can't compare these genres at all.
I'm not a fan of NC scenes in series. I don't like it when such scenes appear in a series, just to show that the main characters have moved on to the next stage in the relationship. It doesn't add anything to the plot, it's just there to please the eyes of some fans.
This series is different. The creators themselves have written that this series is about "relationships of "human" through various definition of sex". And that's what this series is about. It doesn't glorify sex. It doesn't show it as something romantic. It doesn't make us believe that it must and should only occur in monogamous relationships. It shows that there is no such thing as "normal" sex. Everyone has different desires. Everyone has different needs. If these desires are fulfilled by mutual consent, give pleasure to all participants, there is nothing wrong with that.
Sex in this series isn't there to attract the attention of fans. It shows the characters' personalities, their traumas and their fears. Here I must add that the characters aren't crystal clear. They all have their flaws, some so serious that we feel bad rooting for them. There is no black and white in the real world. There are only shades of gray. And that's exactly what this series is. It shows all the shades of gray, not allowing viewers to easily judge which character did the right thing and which didn't.
This series had the courage to address difficult topics without wrapping them in a pretty package - drug addiction, prostitution, sex addiction, sexual abuse.
While watching this series, you have to keep thinking about why the characters acted in a certain way. You can't just turn on an episode and relax.
And for all the haters who are always talking about one thing - as someone pointed out earlier, this is a series about sex, so there must be sex scenes. They can't just talk about it for 14 episodes. Watching a series about sex and complaining that there are sex scenes is like walking into a bakery and complaining that there is bread.
I love this series. I'm hoping for a second season. Maybe then more people will discover this hidden gem.

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Why a 10/10 ?
That's actually quite simple. At one point, I thought « Wow ». I was already hooked from the start (or rather around episode 3 because that's when the main leads actually meet for the first time) but later I really fell in love with the characters and the story. I was impressed, which nearly never happens. I was so eager to see the next episode that I ended up reading the novel... only to be frustrated by not being able to finish it. Yes, unfortunately for now, you'll only find the first half translated in english on internet. (EDIT : now completed! Advice: watch the drama before reading the novel.)

Story :
It's a little difficult to follow at first because there are a lot of characters and informations to remember. When it started, I thought it would be roughly one case every three episodes. So I didn't really care about the criminals identities and that's where I was wrong. It's actually one big case. The first case leads to the second, which leads to a third even bigger, and so on. Episodes are short but intense on informations. You have to stay focused to follow this drama, be warned.

Drama vs novel
Personnaly, I love them both in a different way. In the novel, I love how intense the main leads relationship is. We don't have their inner thoughs in the drama, so the focus is more on the investigation, which gives off an intense feeling too. Hence, I did not mind the difference, but I'll surely see a lot of things in a different way when I'll rewatch it. For instance, Ji Bai feelings are less obvious in the drama. He smiles at her, confides in her, stays by her side... They just made Xu Xu realization of her feelings more obvious than the novel through her drawings. Still, I think you'll appreciate the drama more if you watch it before reading the novel.

Acting and characters reactions
Realistic. I have to word it that way because, when it's a romantic comedy, chinese and taïwanese dramas tend to exagerate situations. Fortunately, they choose to focus on the investigation for this drama, so the acting is also very serious. The one thing that actually doesn't feel right is Xu Xu drawing cartoons. I felt the way she was portrayed in the novel, being someone really mature and logical, was more realistic.

Music and cinematography
I loved the opening song and even more its clip. So beautiful and kind of sensual, even with animals drawings. It goes well with the cinematography. Some sequences are beautiful. I loved how they make use of some silent moments. One little thing bothered me in the first few episodes. At times, the camera trembled too much, probably to give a suspens feel. But overall, it was really well-done.

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Usually i don't write reviews, but i had to do it for this movie!

I wanted to see this movie because of Lee Joon, his acting in this movie was brilliant, amazing, like let me stand up and clap, you just can't dinied that it was awesome.

i read some comments about this movie, that this movie is a mess, only beating up each other, sex and nothing more.

this movie is about how a fame can ruin a life, starting from nothing, becoming something, and in the end again starting from beginning.

if you want to see how good is Lee Joon, then you can watch it, but be ready for a lot of sex scenes and fights.

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The drama that felt like the most beautiful poem!

Was it the plot that caught my eye? was it the acting? was it the ost? Well none of these. While browsing through reels I found a reel of this drama of the first episode when Sou and Tsumugi meet again. Without even knowing the context, I cried. Later, I searched for the synopsis of this drama and boy, did my heart wrench! I decided to wait for more episodes but after sometime this drama still found itself in my reels. I binge watched the available 7episodes and those 7 hours I cried 14 times. But honestly, it was not the tragic element that moved me but how beautifully the drama was written. Sometimes, when you find something beautiful that makes you think so much and calms you down, you cry.
There was not any stress element but I liked the conversations between every character. I felt myself to be in the pov of every character. Every small detail of the drama holds a beautiful meaning and when you will reach the last episode you will see a loop of beautiful and brightening elements. However, to bind such a precious creation needs comprehension from the actors' part and indeed every character justified their roles, its emotions and every part of it.
A memorable drama that taught me so much and maybe when I will watch it again, I will learn more.

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