One of the best BLs I've seen this year!

There’s never a dull moment in the 17-episode series filled with death, drama, and a forbidden romance that drives the narrative forward.

But let me talk about the BL plot. Unlike modern BLs where gay relationships tend to be normalised, 1940s Thailand is a very different world.

Tian and Jiu are from different worlds. Tian is a rich, educated heir to a powerful Chinese family, while Jiu is an illiterate worker who sells candy to support his siblings. But their compatibility and chemistry are unmistakable – the way they look at each other says everything.

Moments of tenderness with Jiu bring Tian fleeting bliss, but he quickly learns that following his heart will only bring ruin to everyone around him. This gnawing tension makes TSWL a heartachingly wonderful watch with some moments that will leave you smiling to yourself like a fool.

Just to allay any concerns that this is going to turn out to be one of those tragic gay stories, it ends pretty well. Almost too unrealistically happy but you know what? I'LL TAKE IT.

Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/12/18/to-sir-with-love-khun-chai-thai-2022/

Leia Mais

Started off troubling but finished strong

As far as episodes 1 to 4 was concerned, Kiyoi appeared arrogant, narcissistic and unkind, while Hira was needlessly reverent. How could a healthy relationship possibly result from such a dynamic? I thought. But I was completely won over by the end as the final episodes offered revelations from Kiyoi’s perspective.

The beauty of Utsukushii Kare is in how it demonstrates the communication quirks in conservative Asian societies. Reading between the lines is required to grasp subtler expressions of love.

When Kiyoi uses the term “stalker”, he really means “thank you for coming to me”. When he says “disgusting”, albeit in harsher tones, it’s because he just doesn’t know how else to express what he’s feeling.

“How did I fall in love with someone as disgusting as you?” Taken out of context, his sentence might sound terribly unkind. But in the particular context where it was said, Kiyoi doesn’t actually think that Hira is to be abhorred, but instead, he wants to say, “how did I find someone as special as you?”

Read my full review: here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2021/12/26/utsukushii-kare-my-beautiful-man-2021/

Leia Mais