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Not sure...
I was trying to discern how I felt about this movie.I could relate to the FL trying to find her sense of self-esteem again... but the ending was rushed into 5 minutes and a credits montage.
It kinda was written like Goldie Locks & the Three Bears... first one too old, second one too young, third one just right... but he left, so forget it... I'm an independent woman, who don't need no man!
This movie made me think about post-break-up recovery and my favourite line was:
"Can a boiled egg become raw again? Can a broken relationship be restored back to its original form?"
Nope. But you can find a new egg and take a leap of faith...
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I Enjoyed This Far More Than I Expected — Despite Moth
On paper, You Maniac should not have worked especially well for me. It is relatively low-stakes, relationship-driven, and often feels almost slice-of-life. Yet after a fairly “meh” first episode, I became genuinely invested and ended up enjoying most of the series much more than I expected.A huge part of that was William as Dean. Dean begins as the stereotypical promiscuous playboy with commitment issues, but he quickly becomes far more interesting than that description suggests. William gives him warmth, vulnerability, humor, and a wonderful wounded softness when Dean realizes that what he feels for Moth is very different from everything that came before.
Unfortunately, my biggest problem with the drama is Moth.
This is not a criticism of Est’s performance. Est played Moth very well. My problem is with how Moth was written and, especially, how the story framed his behavior. Moth is closed-off, judgmental, selfish, frequently rude, and repeatedly hurts Dean while demanding levels of openness and reassurance that he rarely gives in return. Dean apologizes when he behaves badly. Moth almost never does.
The show gives us plenty of reasons to understand why Moth is wounded, but understanding a character is not the same as giving that character a redemption arc. Moth cries, struggles with his artistic identity, and eventually breaks free of his old attachment to Mes, but he never meaningfully acknowledges how poorly he has treated Dean. Somehow Dean repeatedly ends up positioned as the one who needs to learn, apologize, pursue harder, or prove his love.
That imbalance became increasingly frustrating, especially because Dean was such an easy character to love.
Ironically, my favorite romance was the second couple, Ten and Pun. Barcode and Kin were absolutely delightful together. Their relationship was sweet, funny, mutually supportive, and refreshingly communicative. Ten’s insecurity and Pun’s growing certainty about him gave their romance real emotional payoff without making either character miserable for ten episodes first. I literally clapped when they finally got together.
There were also several things I genuinely loved: Dean’s family storyline, Moth’s Beautiful Chaos painting, the exploration of loneliness in very different personalities, and Mes ultimately being one of the few people who accurately recognized just how loving and devoted Dean really was.
The ending worked in the basic sense that everyone ends up where the drama clearly intended them to be, but I wish the writers had required more accountability from Moth before giving Dean and Moth their happy ending.
So this was a strange one for me: I enjoyed the drama, loved Dean, adored Ten and Pun, appreciated both William and Est’s performances—and still finished annoyed at the way the central romance was written.
Much better than the premise made me expect, but the main relationship needed a far more balanced emotional reckoning.
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A Heartwarming Story of Growth, Trust and Teamwork
I really enjoyed Gate 24: The Border from beginning to end! One of my favourite characters was Mori. Although she initially struggled with social interactions and understanding social cues, she was incredibly intelligent, observant, and excellent at her job. I loved watching her character develop as she gradually became more comfortable with her colleagues and found her place within the team.Another aspect I appreciated was the team’s development. Initially, everyone operated within separate sections, with strict boundaries around information sharing. However, as the story progressed, those divisions slowly disappeared, and they became one united, supportive, and effective team. I particularly loved how they learned to trust and depend on one another.
And I must admit, I was really hoping Hayama and Mori would fall in love! Especially after the episode where Louis called them Mommy and Daddy. That was the moment I thought, wait, I can actually see these two together! Their growing trust, mutual support, and the way they came to rely on each other throughout the series made me feel they would have been a lovely couple. I genuinely wished their relationship had developed into something romantic.
Overall, I loved the character development, teamwork, and relationships. It was wonderful watching people who initially seemed so different and disconnected gradually become a close-knit team. Such an enjoyable and heartwarming series!
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illogical messed up story.
An unrealistic storyline that is psychologically damaging to viewers. I’ve lost count of how many different genres the writer has tried to cram into this drama. The story keeps going in completely different directions, with no clear sense of where it’s heading. I honestly hate everything about it. None of the four main characters is worth rooting for. They are all equally frustrating and annoying. This is hands down the worst drama I have ever watched in my entire life. I sincerely request that whoever wrote this drama never write another story again. Please, just stop writing.Was this review helpful to you?
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"If I look down, it's to make sure I'm following the right path."Such a sweet and cute romance, yet still mature. It feels so good to see such a touching and simple relationship blossom right before our eyes. The 24 episodes fly by in a flash. I tried not to binge-watch too many at once.
Everyone supports Flora/Shang Zhitao/Sun Qian ; she works hard, and people recognize her good qualities. It's the complete opposite of the real world.
Luke is a fake villain with a big heart, a knight in shining armor who will question himself without needing anyone to hold his hand. He shares his emotions and knows how to be sincere with the people who matter to him, rare qualities.
They're both so touching, and even funny !
It's a bit saccharine and naive because it's written and performed in a straightforward, literal way, but it also serves as a sort of mirror to 'Love Story in the 1970s', starring Sun Qian, the same actress. (That's my conspiracy theory.) This C-drama played on a double meaning. It sought to address the end of Mao's era in China without doing so head-on. The romance served a different purpose than it did in 'The Early Spring'.
Episode 20, though... I wasn't expecting that at all… it's just too hard to take. I loved that character ! it's heartbreaking. You shouldn't pull stunts like that on your viewers. We had our guard down, and you landed that uppercut without warning.
This whole section is really heartbreaking. We wish all these characters the best. It’s both incredibly sad and very realistic. We thought everything would turn out okay in the end, despite the obstacles. There were still challenges to overcome.
The two protagonists evolve for the best and, in the end, I end up happy for them and their adorable little dog. We come out stronger.
"I want to be there for your every wish, I want to build this dream with you"
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Had more potential but I enjoyed the ride! (WilliamEst my goats)
You Maniac is a BL that felt like a roller coaster to me: sometimes I loved, sometimes the flaws were hard to ignore. But would I say it's a bad BL? No. Definitely not. It won't please everyone, but it has both positives and negatives sides.One of You Maniac's biggest triumphs is the chemistry between WilliamEst, and for a story that's 90% about the leads, it's important that the actor’s chemistry is convincing. If it weren't, it would have been a complete disaster. Their chemistry was totally INSANE. The naturalness and intimacy they showed in the scenes were beautiful to watch, and there wasn't a single moment that felt forced to me. They're good not only with intimate scenes but with dramatic ones too. Angst? A feast for them. They're a relatively new couple within GMMTV, but I think they have enormous potential. For me, they were definitely the best thing about this BL.
BarcodeKin are nice here and I liked TenPun as characters. They're cute as a couple too. But I think I'm part of the minority who didn't get that attached to them. Mainly because I didn't feel the script gave us room to really get invested in the characters, and their relationship was developed extremely fast.
Speaking of the script, it doesn't have big plot twists and may even seem boring to some, but the fact that the characters could be exactly like someone you meet at a club or someone close to you kept me interested. They're realistic. I even identified a lot with Moth at some points, and that made me more immersed in the story. That said, there are certain inconsistencies and a lack of depth in the characters that it can't be ignored at times and the flow of the story gets a little messed up because of it.
The portrayal of DeanMoth as red flag characters was one of the most debated things on social media and they’re definitely not the conventional red flag we often see in series, but that doesn't mean they aren't red flags. People need to deconstruct a bit of the image that's so often presented to us, because Dean and Moth are exactly the type we should avoid in real life. Being inconsistent in your actions, having a difficulty in committing, and having an emotional and affective block in your relationships IS a red flag, and I think it's interesting that we have a serie that shows something different from the conventional. Them not being the kind of red flag you expected isn't exactly a flaw of the serie.
Visually, the cinematography and production team were a win for me! I thought the sets were beautiful and each room had its own essence, especially in the character’s house. I really liked it!
Now, one of the things that bothered me most about this serie was the inconsistency in the script (as I pointed out above) and the director’s directing, especially in the romantic scenes. The problem itself isn't a lack of intimacy between the couple, they actually have a lot. The problem is that the director simply doesn't know how to develop scenes and has a need to cut them at moments when she should let them flow. WilliamEst, for example, gave their all and the chemistry between them is visible, but the director stops them from showing more. They themselves even complained about the cuts in the scenes, and there were SO many unnecessary cuts.
BarcodeKin's first kiss scene was also super weird. Could it have been the actor’s problem? Yes. But I feel that it was intentional too and the director wanted in that way because the angle itself was weird. Some scene transitions also didn't make sense and my impression was that the montage and editing were done in a rush. I think this production also lacked a bit more boldness and it's a shame they couldn't break away from the GMMTV standard.
Overall, You Maniac is a BL with certain inconsistencies in script and direction and I believe it could have been much better than it was. But the actors chemistry and the characters being so realistic kept me immersed in the story and I ended up enjoying the experience for most of the serie.
I wish to see WilliamEst in a better serie next year tho because they deserve something that is in their level. And I’m curious to see more of BarcodeKin!
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The kinship with Light Shop is obvious.There's a recurring theme of human sacrifice : working yourself to death. I think it’s pretty clear… female workers, like Go Min-Si, who rebel and are simply "erased" from history. Then the boss of the recruitment agency shoots the woman who identifies herself as a member of a labor union…
The film also takes us back to the 1980s, the end of the South Korean dictatorship. Finally, we see the protagonist taking over from his employer after having laboriously tried to fight that system; from now on, he’ll uphold it in a different way... Does that make sense ?
To the people who complain about not getting any explanations at the end: there's nothing we can do for you. Or maybe you're still too young to have had a crappy, low-paying job that's way below your academic qualifications. That moment when you realize this system really is a deadly joke.
The 5-star cast complements a well-crafted production. The CGI scenes aren’t too bad for a short series. Kim Min-ha delivers an excellent performance in every role. Seriously, she’s an actress who never disappoints. And she was in Light Shop, as well.
I'll add that it's always funny to see amusement park mascots beating the crap out of each other. Episode 7, while frankly violent and even cruel, still manages to be a lot of fun.
I'm ready for the second season.
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this series is a masterpiece in so many ways. (in my book)
okkk wow, now that the part about the episode in general is done, i'll quickly sum up how i feel about the series lmao !!!you maniac for me as a series is a sign of learning how to grow, it is allowing yourself to see and experience a couple of guys struggling through their lives due to past trauma and hurt amongst other things as well as attempting to figure out how to love one another. the red flag is there, there was love bombing, there was lack of communication, there were harsh words being thrown around and criticism however, there was no crime. and i think that's where a lot of people's judgement is a bit fogged up too because a lot of the comparisons i've seen in terms of red flags has always been chinese bls and their 'toxicity' when in reality most of those are just crimes, sa, rape and so on isn't being a red flag, emotional coercion is not being a red flag - it's a crime. and you maniac doesn't fall under that therefore it is labeled as 'boring' and 'wrongly marketed'.
that also comes where i judge the direct use of 'red flags' and flags alike. describing someone as a certain flag according to traits is always a bit off to me, there'll never be an understanding of a mid-point, of a gray area and the middle where something can be this bit truly, is it. that's also where i say that i've seen a lot of people say 'dean isn't a red flag, moth is" and so on, they both are. matter of fact, they all are, in their own ways? why, because they're the type of people who hide their feelings, who don't communicate, some love bomb, some do not appreciate the friendship they hold with others, some may even use others for their own benefit but at the root of it all, they're the type of people you're told to stay away from and like i've seen, plenty of people personally saying they would never date someone like them. there you go, you cannot date someone like them if they don't align with your views, if their behaviours constantly piss you off, if their words get on your nerves. the baggage that they carry emotionally pours out physically and verbally onto their actions therefore, they're not the type of people we'd engage ourselves with or if we do, they're the people we go "how the hell did i deal with _??".
the other thing that i love about this series in general is the fact that deanmoth were never portrayed as 'good' or 'bad', neither were good nor bad, they both had their issues, they were both morally grey, some actions we understood, some actions we defended whilst others not but at the very end, it was never about that as an intention, it was to show that no person is just fully good or bad, there's always going to be something complicated and messy about them that wouldn't align with a lot of us therefore we'd condemn them. i would give the example that many people crucified moth in the later episodes like crazy until the very end, some with dean, others ten etc. showing that everybody's different and their own experiences will project onto the behaviours and actions of these characters.
other than that, the series is definitely not for everyone. i wouldn't call it a series that requires too much emotional maturity nor a series that requires you to have direct experience but it is a human series with human characters and that's what it focuses on, it's not a series that just acts as a series, it's almost like a placeholder for experiences in life and for the learning curves we go through. if you feel like you can't relate to it, it gets harder to feel like it's an amazing series but for me personally, as i've said before, i relate to and understand these characters on so many levels and their experiences in different ways which is why this series is one of my favourites and will continue to be.
that's also where i say that it does make me sad seeing so much criticism, down-voting, low ratings for the sake of low ratings and so on and where i'll reiterate my hope that one day, this series will be appreciated more for what it does and what it tries to do. like i said, it wasn't perfect and i don't think there's ever been anything that was perfect and that's fine because perfect doesn't always equal good and good doesn't always equal perfect, it's almost a fickle descriptor when cinema and media is something for everybody to interpret in their own way and appreciate in their own way.
if you don't like you maniac, that's completely fine. if you liked the beginning but not the later half, that's also fine. if you liked the last half better than the first half, also completely fine, however, what isn't fine is calling the director, scriptwriter etc. names and belittling them because the story didn't go your way, belitting the actors or assuming they don't even like the story they chose, that's not okay. it's never okay to say such things, constructive criticism is something that will always exist but downright disrespect towards the cast and crew will never be and i hope i don't see it again because it's disheartening.
anyway, i just wanted to leave this off saying that i enjoyed writing reviews for you maniac so much, i know i wrote some very in detail ones and sometimes not, overall, it's been such an enjoyable time watching this series and sharing my viewpoint of every episode and everything being said or done, some might be far off, others close but at the end of the day, this series is beautiful and i'll hold it close to my heart for everything that it made me feel and go through, even though i got irritated so much sometimes seeing the way people talked about it lmao, but that happens and it's a normal thing that we live and move on from, look back on and laugh at our behaviours.
that's you maniac. a story of growth and love where you look back years from now as dean or moth and say, damn, we were messy and chaotic but we still ended up together. because being human means being dumb and being dumb means understanding that we make mistakes and stupid decisions but also, it's how we live to learn and learn to live going forward.
sorry for the very long yap lmao but i hope if anybody reads this freaking almost novel sized review, you enjoy at least a little bit of it and my chaos, thank you so much and i'll see you all in the next williamest series ! 🌸
"will you be my boyfriend? you're already kneeling down to ask me to be your boyfriend, so what are you going to do when it comes to proposing? i'll figure that out when the time comes. after everything i said, you still haven't got your answer? yes."
fucking kick me.
"can you please not go? can you? i'm begging you. can we stay together? you won't leave me, right? you won't, right? let's stay together."
dean is fucking insane thank you, bye.
"i'm grateful to you too anyway for choosing to stay in my life. i'm greatful to you too for making me realise that i deserve love too."
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An Exhausting and Unnecessarily Complicated Drama
As someone who has watched countless dramas and films, I can honestly say this was one of the most frustrating viewing experiences I've had.The concept was interesting, but the execution was dreadful. Endless staring, dreaming, thinking, walking, running, crying, awkward silences, lingering expressions, dramatic pauses, rain, music and characters looking at each other without saying a word. And just when you think something is finally happening, here comes another flashback repeating a conversation or scene we watched barely five minutes earlier!
The constant jumping backwards and forwards through time, multiple identities and overlapping timelines made an already complicated story unnecessarily confusing. Who is who? Which year are we in? Who is actually alive? I spent more time trying to work out the timeline than enjoying the drama. Eventually, I felt as though I'd become trapped in their time loop myself!
The pacing was painfully slow. Even when the story reached a crucial turning point, the characters continued staring, hesitating, remembering and doing practically nothing. There was so much unnecessary filler that I ended up fast-forwarding through countless scenes just to find some actual plot development.
A good mystery should challenge the audience, not exhaust them. Complexity is not the same as clever storytelling, and repeatedly withholding information does not automatically create suspense.
This could have been a gripping, much shorter drama with tighter writing, better editing and more purposeful direction. Instead, 13 lengthy episodes felt like an endurance test.
I watched until the end because I'd already invested so much time, not because I was enjoying it.
By the time the characters escaped their time loop, I was simply relieved to escape the drama.
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A beautiful Story!
This drama was beautiful. Must watch if you are a fan of Shen Yu Jie like I am. The lady can act. Loved al lthe characters both the FL & ML and the supporting characters they all had depth to them. Had this drama been longer there could have shown more of some of the supportign characters (my wishful thinking). This is how characters should act given that our FL is just a normal person who has lost her memories her reaction when she learns the truth is spot on! The dangerous situtations that happen the joyous occasions are well acted. Same for the ML the sorrows the joys well done, same goes for the supportign characters. No fluff this being a short drama, no jealous sister etc. The music is good but too loud throughout the dram so keep that in mind and still go watch it. You will laugh you will cry! Trying not to spoil the story for those who have not watched it. Do so.. this is a hidden gem! Sometimes hero's good deed's are not always seen.Was this review helpful to you?
Best Drama Ever
Sotus was a really good BL, because of the mutual attraction betwen the main leads, its not like other dramas where they are constantly crossing physical boundaries (that straight up looks like grooming someone). Kongob liked arthrit first and he liked him back too in a quite way. They are not over the top. Also i loved that they are character with other friends as well and their life just doesn't revolve around their partner. Arthrit has his own friend group , he hangs out with so does kongob. That was such a well balanced bl and even better than many other straight romances as well.Also a really good campus romance, there was also bits of angst and pretty light hearted as well. Also the acting by the main leads is so well done, that feels so natural. Also because its an old drama, so the cosmetics procedures are not that visible and their faces are quite natural to look at. I don't think there ever will be another one which is better than this.
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Not Your Everyday ChBL with Red Flags and Emotional Torment – Sometimes, Comfort Is Enough
This is not the kind of Chinese BL tormenting red-flag situation we are dealing with here. Part of the charm is in the delivery: how the two main leads say and do what they are supposed to, how they embody their characters, and how incredibly cute, adorable, and dream-come-true the whole thing feels.Do we still make a distinction between a dream come true and a realistic type of series? Because this is not a realistic series. This is a comfort series. The kind you put on knowing it is going to end well, and you get to watch two adorable people navigate dangerous situations, come from completely different backgrounds and have entirely different personalities, only to gradually realize they are into each other. And then we get to enjoy the question of how they are going to bridge all those differences.
I honestly don't know what the discussion surrounding this series is all about, and I don't particularly care to find out. I am not going to dig into it. For me, this series is the embodiment of sweetness and cuteness. I could analyze it if I wanted to, but I simply don't want to. And that is where it ends for me. The actual result of this production is exactly to my liking. I think it appeals to the very spot it intends to reach, and it does that well.
It has also been a great counterpart to the other two currently airing series, both of which have considerably higher ratings, or at least the potential to receive them. And I honestly don't understand why.
One of them is *Police in Love*, which I would genuinely love to love, but there are some major fuck-ups that make it difficult. And hearing the actors talk about the investments made in their last two BL projects makes me wonder whether those "investments" = read sacrifices were worth it. Anyways, the talk about it from the main leads is offputting to say the least.
Then we have the Domundi Project's *Mr. Fanboy*. Having seen Zee and NuNew in their previous work, I feel like I am watching the same creative patterns being recycled. The first five episodes have incredible drive, and then we get these beautifully executed, step-by-step love scenes where the the build-up excels (they are truly done here beautifully) but everything else gradually becomes something you stop being interested in. It turns boring incredibly quickly (and feels as if the people with different faces did the same kind of job over and over again).
I am starting to feel that this is becoming a recurring issue with their projects, including some I liked the most. They seem to customize the first few episodes, deliver their beautifully crafted intimate scenes, and then have very little left to keep the story engaging. The momentum just disappears.
At first, I thought perhaps the problem was with me. But then I realized that Chinese productions can maintain tension, intrigue, and interest from the very first episode to the very last. They know how to keep a story moving without creating such a huge discrepancy between the initial promise and what follows.
Even when I tried checking out another highly praised and acknowledged series from them, I found myself bored already in the first episode. And it wasn't just because we were getting another student setting. It was because I could see Zee and NuNew in everything ("style of humor" you can call it, I guess, only the style isn't Zee's and isn't NN's). Their style of doing things has become so recognizable that I keep seeing the same patterns reflected in other actors, even when the production quality itself has improved.
I don't want to see Zee and NuNew in every single project coming out of that company. I don't want to anticipate everyone's moves because I have already seen them performed elsewhere. I want variety. I want change. I want creative evolution. Please learn from the fuck-ups of previous projects instead of repeating the same formula.
And then there is this series, where I simply don't have those problems.
That doesn't mean I think it couldn't be improved. If we wanted to examine certain aspects more critically, there would certainly be room to take things up a few notches. But when you take the series for what it actually is, I feel they have done a genuinely great job.
So, whoever is disappointed or doesn't like it, I honestly don't know why. And I am not going to dig around trying to figure it out. You are probably looking at aspects of the series that I am not looking at at all, and that's perfectly fine. It's good to have different perspectives so we can identify weak points, discuss them, and hopefully learn from them.
But I also feel like someone is already after these people's throats, so I don't need to be the black sheep and join in just for the sake of criticism.
I liked it. I really liked it.
I think this is one of the projects I have gotten the most out of recently. It doesn't make the major mistakes I keep encountering in the other two aforementioned series, and I am genuinely grateful for that. I wasn't asking for anything more.
I love the actors' style, the way they portray their characters, and how naturally everything seems to fit together. Their performances are so in tune with the characters, the storytelling, and the overall tone of the series. It just works for me.
And that is a big plus.
I am a critical person, so take that for what it is. This was one of the GMMTV projects I had actually been looking forward to after quite a long time, and I am very happy with what I got.
Sometimes a series doesn't need to be more than what it promises to be. And this one delivered exactly the kind of sweetness, comfort, and adorable dream-come-true experience I wanted.
I love it.
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This is incredibly good!!!!!! ( ignore the haters)
Saw many bad reviews here from people who might have watched one episode or parts of it. Im glad i decided to ignore them and give it a go. What a wonderful series it is !!The storytelling is solid and there is excellent attention to detail with respect to the original novel. The slowburn romance is so refreshing to watch in this season of toxic stories. Here there is love, longing and genuine buildup of a relationship. There is no toxicity.
The actors are beautiful, people confuse them for ai lol.
Ignore the bad reviews and give it a try. Its so damn good.
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Utterly fascinating
Against the CurrentI was utterly fascinated by this series. It is concerned much less than is often the case with public politics and bitter wranglings for favour, though this aspect is present to some extent. Overall, it is a story, or succession of interlocking stories, conveying the inner lives of many women in a single family over several generations. This is often figured through the images of the interior of the main house: lives, lived inside, reflecting inner experience.
Though set in some undefined past, all the women’s experiences resonate strongly with issues today. Though we are certainly in a better place now, we have to admit that even the world’s more ‘developed’ economies are not immune to the sorrows, challenges, injustices, setbacks, as well as the joys and triumphs, that are so clearly set out in the various women’s stories here.
The main interest is of course the love relationship, intriguingly implemented by a clever wife with her initially charming yet arrogant husband, which is beautifully interpreted by the two lead actors. Congratulations to both, but perhaps more especially to Liu Xue Yi for admirably embodying the varying changes his character requires of him over the 47 episodes. For me, he is an actor who never disappoints.
This is a long series to engage with, but I never felt the time dragged. On the contrary, I was thoroughly invested in all the developments, and individual motivations of each character.
The character of the wife with her sharp wits and everlasting compassion, a saviour to so many people, is remarkably embodied by Tan Song Yun, whose work I was not familiar with.
The photography is also very carefully composed, whether the group compositions which had a very painterly feel, or the very dramatic action scenes. All supporting characters are perfectly cast. Costumes and sets are a real visual feast. This is a series which will stay with me for a long time.
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