a thriller/horror turned into an examination of how awful people can be

Overall: I struggled with how to rate this as there were parts that really worked for me and others that didn't. I was also disappointed but not surprised when some viewers victim blamed the character Non. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI. Production company is Be On Cloud which also produced KinnPorsche.

Content Warnings: murders/death, blood/gore, decapitation, animal death, vomiting, bullying, manipulation, coercion, mental health struggles, suicides, attempted suicide, parental abuse, beaten up, grooming, teacher/student, non con sex, non con recording/sharing, cyberbullying, drugging

Thoughts on Victim Blaming Non
- consent is multifaceted, one part is non-coerced and Non was definitely coerced, he was groomed by someone he had respected and felt he owed that person, Non did not deserve the terrible things that happened to him
- for people who said "why didn't he just switch schools", we don't know the cost/transportation difficulty with doing that, also I think Non was an abuse cycle with the friend group, Jin was the little bit of sweetness that made Non hope for things to get better and then when they were terrible it was difficult to break free, viewers also forgot that Non had been lied to/manipulated and believed the first thing was his fault and that he was mainly responsible for all of the awfulness happening to him (update in episode 11 around 7 minutes Non says "if you didn't see me as a friend I could have moved to another school" which confirms for me that Non would have left if all of them had been terrible all the time but Non had glimpses of kindness an that kept him at his current school)

Watch Notes
- if you like horror/thriller (and don't want to see a ton of bullying/people being awful), watch episodes 1-4, then watch the beginning recaps of episodes 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 which are all flashback, watch episode 10 thru the end
- if you like sweetness, watch the first 5 minutes of episode 7 and watch episode 11 33-41:25
- if you like spiciness, watch the scene at 26 minutes of episode 9

What I Liked
- mystery aspect
- the NSFW/intimate scenes in the first episode and episode 9 were well done
- character actions sometimes felt realistic
- that they talk about not splitting up like in a horror movie
- sweet moments beginning of episode 7
- fleshing some characters' backstories out
- flawed characters

Room For Improvement
- slowly paced for being a thriller, flashback episodes 5-9 provided important context but they also interrupted the thrilling part of the series, they could have condensed them or interspersed with the thriller part in the present
- there were 9 main characters and it took me quite some time to figure out who they all were and their relationships to one another
- Jin got off the hook way too easy for something absolutely terrible that he did, it felt unrealistic and was disappointing
- episode 10 was an exposition dump/reveal with some scenes (wandering around the woods) that dragged
- one character did not deserve what he got (wish there had been some kind of twist with this character)
- ending felt rushed and too much fantasy (no way would hallucinations have been exactly like that), wanted more/different twists and then the 31 minutes onward didn't work for me

Leia Mais

when hurt people hurt and love each other (we need a season 2)

Overall: an angsty series with good tension, but a few too many unanswered questions for my taste. 5 episodes about 20 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI, first episode link https://www.iq.com/play/gray-shelter-episode-1-1yzhwhotbkc?lang=en_us

Note: see a comment with spoiler for my thoughts on the ending

Content Warnings: parental abuse

Timeline Notes (the flashbacks weren't very clear)
- episode 1 starts in the present and then at 6:05 the rest is flash back
- episode 2 starts in flashback, goes to present at 10:30, flash back 19:25-20 and then returns to the present (the package is from his bio dad at the beginning, not step dad)

What I Liked
- a more serious vibe
- tension
- good for the girlfriend for not putting up with that
- acting
- production value

Room For Improvement
- there were 2 main issues that were alluded to but never directly explained that I wanted the answers
- that friend was a huge a**hole for ratting him out to his dad, can't believe the main character apologized to him
- could have shown things a bit more directly, I thought that beep was his phone going off, didn't realize someone was leaving the apartment which gave important context and showed 1 character was slightly less of a jerk than I thought he was
- they needed to make the flashbacks/present differ more, it made things needlessly confusing in the beginning
- pacing was slow at times and then the end felt rushed/incomplete

Leia Mais

That's A Failed Parody

Overall: I have really enjoyed parodies like The Boy Next Door (bromance) and A Man Who Defies The World of BL, but this was confusing and I did not find it funny. It looks like the company that funded the series is a live streaming app. They could have built a story just around that... an anti-fan and a livestreamer, a livestreamer and his manager, etc. Watched on Viki.

Content Warnings: manhandling

What I Liked
- an established couple with a realistic problem (instead of a stupid miscommunication)
- a medical professional being realistically busy
- that they did show some skinship like the hug in public*
- I laughed...twice

Room For Improvement
- *I think it's a bit odd for one person in an established couple to be reluctant to kiss when asked by the other person at home. Also their kissing was really awkward for two characters in a long term relationship and actors who have worked together several times previously.
- many things that were nonsensical but not funny, i.e. potentially leaving someone who is injured on the side of the road, hugging someone while wearing bloodied scrubs, saying abracadabra while someone is likely dying...
- confusing things, Guy gives up but then they reconcile? Why introduce a fantasy element but then don't use it until the very end? Jing knew about the candy? WTH was that ending????
- many scenes were too long like the brushing teeth scene at the beginning, I watched on at least double speed
- I dislike both main characters, one was extremely immature (what a waste of medical resources) and the other apparently can't set phone reminders
- confusing relationship between the side couple, they were a fake couple and then became a real couple? Though he did clear things up relatively quickly, that's still being a jerk with your arm around your brother and making it look like you are dating.
- 5 minute introduction, with the recap and preview, episodes were about 15 minutes shorter than the listed time

Leia Mais

a coming of age story with 3 protagonists

Overall: the first half of the series had me hooked as a romance/coming of age. However, the addition of a 3rd protagonist and the lack of romantic progression changed the focus of the story which I did not enjoy. I think I read the first volume of the manga a long time ago and I've seen the prior 2017 movie but I'm basing this review on the 2024 series' own merits. 12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4485/i-hear-the-sunspot-2024-e01 and iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/i-hear-the-sunspot-episode-1-2556woqrs6s?lang=en_us

Content Warning: punch, grief/mental health struggles

Watch Suggestions (to focus on the m/m leads)
- watch episodes 1-6
- skip episode 7 (can watch the 40s recap the beginning of ep 8)
- start episode 8 at 14 minutes
- start episode 9 at 7 minutes
- in episode 10 skip 19:30- 21:40
- watch episode 11 beginning to 4:20 and 15 to the end
- watch episode 12 at 12 minutes to the end

What I Liked
- dynamic between the leads (in the beginning half, then they needed to communicate)
- acting
- representation with a character who has hearing loss, showing how even people who are trying to be kind can isolate a person
- generally not a fan of extended flashbacks but episode 2 and the beginning of episode 3 gave us critical background information to understanding the characters and I'm glad we had this towards the beginning of the series
- that Taichi sought communication in episodes 2 & 5
- sweet moments like fishing together
- production value (some really gorgeous shots in the beginning episodes that conveyed things by showing like opening the curtains or how the basketball court went dark and empty, also good shots in episode 11)

Room For Improvement
- started the series with a flash forward and also some of the ominous voice overs
- the camera blocked kiss, I don't care if that's how it was in the manga, we are at a different time and place from when the manga was written and I expected a non camera blocked kiss
- Taichi was written to seek communication but then was unbelievably dense and didn't communicate any more
- Maya's backstory was way too late and the way she was written did not evoke empathy, the writers did her character dirty
- too many flashbacks in episode 9
- anti climactic ending, the finale had a protagonist talking with other characters for the entire first half of the finale

Leia Mais

Pluses and Minuses

Overall: I enjoyed how we had working adults (I think these are the first lawyer characters that I've seen). Unfortunately a very cliche plot point towards the end was unnecessary and disappointing but the numerous cameos (especially the enjoyable final episode) knocked my score up to 8.5. Watched on Gagaolala/Viki.

Content Warnings: 2 slaps (kind of acting), fight scene

What I Liked
- the opposite personalities, Fu is more serious and careful, Zheng is more goofy/player and carefree (but I did like that they showed he isn't always super happy go lucky because in real life even really positive people have times when they are sad/angry)
- that they have less common drama jobs (lawyers, laundromat owner, bartender)
- how Zheng apologized to his dad
- the acting, especially you can see how Fu is conflicted and not sure what to think/react
- good production value
- episode 12 moved quickly but was great
- the daughter did a good job and the story she read in episode 12 was adorable

Room For Improvement
- that the sister was recording them
- the cliche of forgetting doing a certain something when drunk
- the cliche plot point at the end especially after Fu talked to Zheng about never doing that (and what terrible timing too)
- the female bartender's cliche plot point
- sometimes the pacing was too slow
- the side couple didn't really hook me, I didn't like the aggressive pursuit/attraction for virtually no reason
- some nonsense things, like tons of lights when camping, lounging around at home in suits

Leia Mais

Overall: a more accurate/understandable title would be "My Wish" (just replace when they say 'blessing' with 'wish'. I gave it a .5 boost because this is apparently a student project and it's better than a whole bunch of other things not written by students. Watched on WeTV.

Content Warnings: kick, maybe kind of something at the end?

What I Liked
- the friendship
- some of the humor was funny like the failed flirting with that girl
- cute moments
- that poor communication didn't drag on
- good kissing
- music, especially the rap song at the end

Room For Improvement
- the relationship/romance felt rushed, I think they could have cut out some other scenes and fleshed out more how/why they developed feelings with each other
- the ending is a bit open/wish they had gone a different direction with it
- how wearing glasses was considered less attractive

Leia Mais

the writing did not support the interesting premise

Overall: I was super excited for a twisty action thriller but the nonsense/cliche plot turned this into just another teenage GMMTV BL series. Aired on GMMTVs YouTube channel.

Content Warnings: murders, attempted murder, beaten up/violence, bullying, blackmail, manipulation, unwanted public outing, drugging, kidnapping

What I Liked
- that the first scene wasn't a flashback or flash forward
- the beginning/first episode hooked me
- Chopper and Ben (Perth did a great job)
- production value (minus my quibbles in Room For Improvement)

Room For Improvement
- there is a lot of nonsense plot things, some of which could have been explained with a few lines or a short scene and that makes it even more ridiculous (one example, a highschooler is a full time fisherman and he happens to fight and shoot a gun really well)
- characters don't feel realistic or have realistic reactions (Palm's interaction with his mother as an example, both of them just chillaxing on their beach vacation instead of how I think most people would be feeling)
- I wanted some plot twists or for this to be different but it's a standard GMMTV romance with window dressing
- the night scenes were too dimly lit, a couple of times the music was too loud over the dialogue
- it dragged in many places, I wanted an action/thriller and this was not it
- Chopper and Ben felt very rushed at the end
- overall I just didn't end up feeling much of anything, scenes that were supposed to make me sad didn't because of the huge plot holes

Leia Mais

could have been a 10/10

Overall: there was potential to tell a story well that we never see; however, the title, trailer and plot synopsis all misled viewers into what this series would be about. Bed Friend is not a steamy series about friends with benefits and more about coping with trauma. I am basing this review by the series itself and not based on the novel as I believe series should stand on their own. 10 episodes about 40 minutes. Aired on GagaOOLala (cut version, 1 30 second deleted scene per episode is listed separately up to ep 6), iQIYI (uncut version) and YouTube (cut version). Later aired on Viki (uncut?)

Content Warnings: *dub con kissing/touching/sex (I'll put more in a comment marked with a spoiler), attempted/beginning sexual assault, trauma, past: parental abuse, grooming, molestation; homophobia, victim blaming, manhandling, punch, sexual harassment, stalking

What I Liked
- frenemies to lovers premise (though they needed to show more why Uea hated King so much)
- child actor did an excellent job
- supportive friendship although Jade didn't make me laugh
- caring/sweet moments
- styling
- NSFW scenes (although they are a bit too choppy for me, the actors actually kiss each other and do a good job during them), liked the consensual kitty play
- episode 3, setting clear rules/boundaries, people might not agree/like some of the rules but I appreciate being upfront about what is acceptable and what is not (though I think they both later violated at least 1 of the rules)
- 1 terrible character had consequences
- showed them going together to get checked for STDs
- referenced therapy and medication*
- some good camerawork/cinematography like at the beach

Room For Improvement
- choppy/difficult to gauge how much time has passed, it's never a good sign when a series changes the number of episodes mid airing, scenes would jump quickly, in episode 10 they were in the car and then immediately in different outfits in the office, also what cheapskate stunt was that, don't combine those two events!
- King is not all green flags, starting at ep 1 around 25 minutes, but it continues with him pressuring Uea to move to his condo, victim blaming Uea, also him doing that "plan" without consulting Uea first (though he checked on his second plan)
- Uea's lack of agency, I really wish Uea had initiated some of the plans, it felt that stuff was constantly happening to him or people were doing things on his behalf
- *still felt a very unrealistic "love cures all trauma" message, especially with episode 10 and the scene about turning off the lights
- I realize this is based off a novel but it's just too much trauma, it's trauma after trauma after trauma, I wish they would have focused on 1 aspect and fleshed that out really well
- why did they make every male character in love with Uea???
- the NSFW scenes were too short/not enough/too artistic for a series called Bed Friend and with the premise of friends with benefits, that glass in episode 10 came off as weird instead of sexy
- several terrible characters had no or little consequences, also they didn't clearly show that the half sister didn't know because if she suspected or knew and still pressured Uea to return home, then she can disappear along with his mom
- the office humor and the comedy sound effects were not funny and the tonal shifts were jarring as well
- King's approach/plan in the beginning felt like a very fictional way to go about things, I couldn't tell if his feelings changed or if they were that way from the start
- ep 1 not a fan of an exposition dump for an intro
- both violated the "rules" they set up
- nonsense stuff, he didn't know there was a camera in his office, who put the camera there??? nonsense computer code/screen
- production value issues including odd camerawork, poor editing

Leia Mais

could have been amazing

Overall: imagine if Muffin was actually a police officer and we saw her beat up some baddies in one of her outfits, or what if the mafia boss was actually a secret huge romantic at heart? There were so many ways the writing could have been innovative with this premise, but the cliche writing really ruined it, especially in episode 6. It is based off of "The Ideal Relationship" which I have read but I reviewed the series on its own merits. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI.

Content Warnings: deaths/murders, non con touching/attempted sexual assault, violence, drugging, manhandling, stalking, attempted murder, kidnapping, manipulation

What I Liked
- the intro credits style was an homage to the source material
- how Guy was set up as a queer character from the beginning
- the video gaming sequence, unfortunately we only saw 1 sequence
- cute/sweet moments
- Guy showed agency
- laughed a few times (although mostly at huge plot holes/nonsense writing)
- Wahl's girlfriend in episode 6
- (neutral) comedy noises

Room For Improvement
- cliched/nonsense writing (i.e. Tew's idiotic "plans", Guy probably had 6 bullets in his revolver but seemed to shoot waaaayyyy more than that in episode 8)
- Kenji's backstory makes zero sense, maybe if Tew had used him as a human shield then it would have made sense, they made him into a cliche cartoon villain with nonsensical actions/motivations, even episode 7 didn't make enough sense for his motivation, also way too much screentime taken by Kenji
- the voice over was a fast way to set up a character/beginning but not my favorite way to start a series
- the music was sometimes not what I would have preferred, also think they could have removed the comedy sound effects and just let the comedy come through on its own
- tropey (ie multiple accidental fall and catches)
- avoiding physical affection in episode 5 (although Guy was better by the end)
- cliche plot point in episode 6
- Wahl had way too much screen time, needed to devote some of that to Guy/Tew building their relationship

Leia Mais

well done countryside K-BL

Overall: although I wish it had more episodes to more fully flesh out the plot/characters, they did a good job in 8 episodes. Aired 2 episodes per week about 20 minutes each on iQIYI.

Content Warnings: colorism, blood, vomiting, manipulation

What I Liked
- intro/OST
- bubbly guy Ye Chan and more serious guy Yul weren't unrealistic caricatures (though Ye Chan was maybe a bit too dense for my taste as a 20 year old)
- cute & funny moments
- the writers efficiently gave us important information about Sun Yeol without using a voice over or an exposition dump
- horror music/tone at the beginning was funny
- supporting characters (including the ex who wasn't a 1 dimensional villain)
- how Yul sought out communication in episode 6 and also they avoided something cliche towards the end
- decent kiss
- sound effects/music

Room For Improvement
- needed more screentime to fully develop the plot and the characters, could have made it more clear about what happened in high school with his dad and music
- the colorism remarks, I know this happens a lot in real life but that doesn't mean I want to see it in my fiction, both guys are gorgeous
- why did he throw the water? seemed to be a 'because the writer said so', they could have explained this a bit (there is more information in a comment so this could happen in real life)
- unrealistic, Yul didn't notice that harmonium on the ground immediately and comment on it???

Leia Mais

enjoyable m/m reality dating series

Overall: pretty well done, however there was definitely some misleading/confusing editing (especially in the finale) to create additional drama which I could have done without. When watching "reality" series, I always keep in mind that producers might tell the guys what to do/say and that editing can be extremely misleading (not showing things, change the order, etc). My goals were that the guys have some fun and being on the show helped (or at least doesn't hurt them) in their personal and professional lives. I have zero problem with them promoting their businesses as being queer has likely given them personal and professional disadvantages (and perhaps more so after appearing on the show). 14 episodes about 1 hour each. Aired on Gagaoolala & iQIYI (depending on your country)

Content Warnings: discussion related to homophobia/life experiences

What I Liked
- I like how they started with a date and the twist gave a bit more drama
- the 30 second phone call thing was good (I personally think it's best if the guys say who they are and call someone they are romantically interested in to avoid mixed signals/increase the odds of a mutual match)
- the twists were well done
- once again a good decision to not let them say their age or occupation right away. I think people get fixated on those things when in reality personality, values and goals are much more important compatibility-wise and it will make a good reveal in ep 3
- jenga game was a good way for everyone to learn more about everyone else, and although it got kind of serious, it seems to have brought them together and is an important thing for viewers to see/learn about
- production value such as nice music, set design, editing, etc

Room For Improvement
- too many phone calls, would have liked to see some more larger group games
- needed a graphic at the end of each episode to see who called who/was interested in who because I get confused and wanted to see if there were mutual matches
- needed nametags or nametag necklaces at least for the first few episodes to get familiar with all of their names
- there was confusing/misleading editing that I don't think was needed

Life Advice: I really want to have heart to hearts with a few of these guys, but here are my main takeaways/advice
1. Being "nice" is frequently much more hurtful if you are leading someone on verses being honest and saying you aren't interested in a person romantically
2. (related to number 1) Honesty is the best policy - make it clearly known from the beginning who you are romantically interested in, I know it can be embarrassing, but if you aren't mature enough to be honest then you aren't mature enough to be in a romantic relationship
3. Be careful of changing yourself for a romantic partner - it's fine to change things that you want to change, but don't change yourself to fit someone else's desires for how you should be, otherwise you're at risk of losing yourself and your happiness
4. Work on your own self esteem - don't expect another person to complete you but rather complement you. Using another person to prop up low self esteem is likely not going to end well.

Comparison to other m/m dating shows
1. Sparks Camp (Philippines) on YouTube. 10 guys, anyone can pursue anyone else, too many group games that are not getting to know you types, but overall done well
2. Love House seasons 1 & 2 (Vietnam) on YouTube (most have English subs, this is ep 1 of season 2 no subs though https://youtu.be/TKzT_nHfVTA ). I liked this set up more than Bromance because the guys could all pursue one another. I didn't like the "secret couple" aspect and dividing them up based on sexual position seemed odd (can't they discuss that in private???) Season 1 was also the most brutal "rose ceremony" I've ever seen in any dating reality show. Season 2 was better.
3. Bromance (Thailand) is also on Gagaoolala. This is the typical Bachelor/Bachelorette set up with a bunch of people competing against one another to be with the 1 bachelor. I didn't like this because they could have all been hitting on each other and we have multiple couples! I got kind of bored and skipped a bunch.

Leia Mais

What If It Had An Actual Ending!?

Overall: I initially rated this short and sweet series an 8.5 and could have even rated it higher, but what was that non-ending??? Aired on WeTV.

Content Warnings: none

What I Liked
- young actors did a good job
- the transition/time jump was clear and well done at the end of the first episode
- cute and sweet moments
- I like that the hyper/younger one is more studious
- the subverted trope in ep 2 when they were celebrating and alcohol was present
- outro song (there isn't an intro)

Room For Improvement
- wish they didn't play other music when the guys are learning/playing guitar so we could hear the original sound on those scenes
- for the short run time they spent their time poorly, that whole jealousy thing could have been cut out and they could have actually had Peach confess/do something non-platonic...
- Peach and his friends are idiots, they really didn't know who that song was about???
- this almost seemed like an acting workshop instead of a series
- it's odd that the production company released this at the same time as My Only 12% as they have very similar plots

Leia Mais

standard Thai romcom elevated by Off & Gun

Overall: this is a pretty standard Thai romcom, it was nice to see Off & Gun again. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GMMTVs YouTube channel cut and WeTV uncut.

Content Warnings: past death, grief, mental health struggles, stalking/harassment, bullying, dead body covered, slap, homophobia, unwanted outing, punch, non con video recording/sharing, cyberbullying

What I Liked
- reverse personalities/dynamic from their previous characters
- laughed a few times
- sweet moments
- dream sequences
- motivations/responses of the main leads make sense
- how Prem checked in about Ten's boundaries
- Prem/Ten's mutual and ongoing affection, being supportive of one another
- supportive grandma, Unky's parents and the stepmom
- Ten apologizing for what happened in ep 10

Room For Improvement
- started with an inner voice exposition dump
- not a fan of an aggressive pursuer/reluctant pursuee for the side couple (liked them more starting in episode 7), and then there were some unwanted relationship games in ep 8
- quite a lot of the intended humor was a miss for me
- choppy at times, heard the uncut is less choppy
- the long press and hold kiss with zero lip movement, need more energy in their kissing
- comedy sound effects made things less funny
- could have condensed into 8 episodes, felt slow
- ep 8 the friend going as the in between felt very immature instead of funny
- was disappointed about the Unky arc/telling others without first checking in with the person
- punch was unneeded and then the scene after was jarring with the different tone
- a dad who slaps his son then lecturing him about using physical violence made me roll my eyes
- episode 12 time jump

Leia Mais

awesome setting/styling, slightly confusing plot (watch suggestions)

Overall: while I loved the setting/styling, there were way too many characters/plot for 12 episodes and I was ambivalent about the romance aspect with the leads. Because of the collaboration, actual kisses & wide release, this got a bit of a rating boost. The series is based on a book but I reviewed the series on its own merits. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired 2 episodes per week on: YouTube, GagaOOLala, Viki, iQIYI, WeTV, Loklok & Heavenly (more info at the end of this review)

Content Warnings: murders/deaths, rape?/non con turned consensual?, suicide, non con kissing, strangling, manhandling, fights/violence, blood, torture, manipulation, drugging, theft, kidnapping

Watch Suggestions (focuses on the leads, takes out love triangle, most violence/angst/pain)
- watch episodes 1-5 (beware episode 1 has non con/dub con)
- watch episode 6 at 31 minutes if you want a plot explainer
- skip episode 7 (angst and torture)
- episode 8 watch 5m30s-9 for a side couple, the rest is angst, pain, love triangle stuff
- episode 9 start at 29 minutes and watch to the end to get more plot developments
- episode 10 skip 7:30-20 or watch the whole episode
- episode 11 start at 11 min to 14:40, 18:30-20:20, 23:45-25
- episode 12 watch 7:45-18, 26:30-30, 34:10 to the end

What I Liked
- an opposites attract dynamic
- sweet moments
- setting/style
- really happy that a character convinced another character not to see/forgive a truly terrible character in episode 12
- got actual, shown kisses
- the production really made an effort to get this on as many platforms and to as many people as they could, they also wrote out the countries on their social media that had access to each platform
- collaborative effort between China, Taiwan and Thailand; hope this was successful and we see more collaborations

Room For Improvement
- exposition dump to start the series
- too many characters and plot given and I was confused until finally in episode 6 at 31 minutes they explained the plot more clearly, spent too much time on the leads apart
- wish they had modified the scenes in episode 1 and in episode 6
- how no one was concerned about the sister's fate
- wanted more relationship development shown of the side couple, it seemed that it mostly happened off screen
- Su Yin was infuriating and had way too much screen time
- the dubbing especially with 1 character (I guess he was speaking Thai and then they dubbed over it)
- odd camera angles

Thoughts on Grey Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I think about:
1. was there a realistic reason why the character/s acted the way they did in the past (Huai En was tortured/abused/manipulated his whole life but that doesn't forgive what he may have done in ep 6)
2. how bad was/is the treatment (because this is fade to black and based on reaction afterwards, I'm not sure if episode 6 was rape or turned consensual but it was still terrible, and in episode 9 he was choking the other lead)
3. were both characters grey or was one squeaky clean (Xiao Bao was pretty squeaky clean, he's very dense, Huai En was a cold blooded killer)
4. was there some kind of apology/amend making (I don't think Huai En apologized, he did save Xiao Bao and his family and risked his life to do so)
5. was there character growth (episode 9 and Huai En was still physically violent, in episode 11 he did have a revelation of the tighter he tried to hold on to Xiao Bao the more he slipped away)
6. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (maybe)
final verdict: I'm nervous that the first time Xiao Bao looks at another attractive person Huai En will rape/kill him, but they did seem pretty happy at the end


Airing Platforms/Links/Countries (country info was from the production company)
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkzvQsQu-ofvkwO5v1gax9jqOYNYvhWN4
Airing everywhere except: Thailand, Japan and South Korea

GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4541/meet-you-at-the-blossom-2024-e01
Airing everywhere except: Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong China, Vietnam, Philippines, Canada, Australia, India, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Brazil.

Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/40650c-meet-you-at-the-blossom
Airing: Americas, Oceania, Middle East, Europe, India

iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/meet-you-at-the-blossom-2024-1689d4pr2sl
Airing: USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Macau China, Brunei, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Brazil

WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/album/c5o1ffdwm6yhwy5
Airing: Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Macau China, United States, Canada, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal

Loklok - airing: Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, India, Mexico, Spain, Russia

Heavenly - airing in South Korea

Leia Mais

enjoyed the second half more

Overall: I'd really like to see these actors with better writing. If I were to start this at episode 4 and think they had just started dating, then the terrible communication and reluctance would make sense. But their characters' ages were 25 and 32, they were dating for 5? years (engaged for 3), they had known each other for 18 years (age 7 and 14). Their relationship dynamic didn't make sense to me even with a traumatic past event. This is based on a book which I didn't read and I reviewed the series on its own merits. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on YouTube and iQIYI (uncut). Mandee also produced: Bed Friend, Cutie Pie 2, Cutie Pie and Why R U

Content Warnings: past death/gore, attempted murder, maybe held against will, dub/non con kiss, manipulation, manhandling, trauma/mental health struggles, stalking

What I Liked
- Kuea & Diao's friendship (and Diao and his friend group)
- Lian & Kuea's scenes
- Lian & Yi dream sequences/their dynamic
- cameos from characters in Cutie Pie
- couple funny parts like that dog's costume in ep 3
- sweet moments
- mystery aspect
- good kissing/intimacy (note, this is cut down in the YouTube version)
- Diao's evasive skills in ep 8
- Max's real mom played Yi's mom
- the ending of episode 8 was absolutely adorable
- production value (everything looks beautiful except too much blur filter, the actors, the sets, the cars, etc)

Room For Improvement
- I struggled with the characters and the relationship dynamic, we had an attractive, taller, stern, controlling character paired with a cute, shorter, avoiding physical affection character. The relationship felt more parent/child than equal partners, though thankfully this did start to change a bit. However, Yi said that Diao couldn't go to his own sister's party in episode 4 which was not cool. Also in episode 1 it appeared that there were security guards in their home to keep tabs on Diao/prevent him from leaving and security cameras inside the house for the same reason. And then the writers could have had Diao (an expert in martial arts) fight off those dudes but he got like 1 hit/punch in and then was a damsel in distress. Also him getting around on his bicycle further infantilized him.
- the manipulation/lying to Diao starting in episode 2
- poor communication, they didn't have sex in over a year? they've known each other for over 18 years and can't say what is bothering them, what they need from a relationship, problem solve together how to fix their problems? (I did like that one scene when asking about their honeymoon and future family plans), in later episodes they both say the importance of better communication but then don't communicate well
- the writers didn't make it clear that they had collaborated on their plan
- should have cut out the whole love rival side plot and explained character motivations more
- how Diao frequently avoided physical affection from his boyfriend
- too many time jumps in the first episode
- fart joke humor (and they've known each other for 18 years so what Yi said never happens in front of people was a total lie)
- comedy noises including the goat bleating
- cliche plot point at the end of episode 1
- maybe it was supposed to be funny how the dad prefers Diao because I found it really sad, Yi's dad was awesome in some ways but he was overly harsh to Yi at times
- terrible tiger cgi
- nonsense plot things: in 18 years, Diao didn't know that Yi has sisters (even if the marriage was recent that is something you would know about), Diao had never met Yi's mother in the 18 years that he knew him?, assuming someone is cheating because they smile/hug the opposite sex

Leia Mais