Just a Commercial for Line

You could literally go without watching this one.

If you're fans of any of the actors it's a short and fun watch, but nothing too special.
You could go without watching it.

All it is is two friends messaging each other about what happened at the reunion that one of them couldn't attend. They reminisce about their high school life and talk briefly about their current lives.

It's literally text on the screen with the background as memories that we get to see.

Maybe if we knew who the characters were it would be a fun watch, but because we don't there is nothing to love or hate about it.

It's literally just a commercial for LINE.

Leia Mais

Already My Favorite

Be My Favorite is definitely one of my favorites.

•❅✧❅✦ Story •❅✧❅✦

Always an introvert and outcast, Botkawi has been in love with Pearmai for over 10 years. At the age of 30, his life isn't going that great, but everyone else's lives are amazing. While weeping over his sorry life, Kawi receives an invitation to Pearmai and Pisaeng's wedding. Kawi has always had a hatred for Pisaeng for not only being hot and popular, but also stealing away Pearmai when they were in college. While on a hunt for a wedding gift, Kawi receives a special crystal ball from a strange old man which sends him 10 years back in time. Kawi takes the opportunity to fix his mistakes and get with Pearmai, but he also unknowingly forms a friendship with Pisaeng, who wants more than a friendship with Kawi.

While the time traveling is not too unique, I really love how Be My Favorite pulled it off. Time travel wasn't too much of the focus, but rather the series was character centric. It wasn't about fixing situations and scenarios to better suit Kawi, it was all about Kawi learning to be more assertive and voice his opinions and thoughts that really drove the story forward. It was really nice to see from the first episode that all Kawi had to do was be more assertive to befriend Pisaeng and to learn that he really had no bad intentions when he "ruined" Kawi's chance to give his gift to Pearmai. Kawi could literally have had a better life he wanted and would be happy if he just had confronted Pisaeng and Pearmai.

That being said, the series could have gone with 10 episodes rather than 12. The last few episodes did feel a little bit draggy.
The storylines about Pisaeng going back in time, or even the minor storylines about Max, Pisaeng's mom, and even Pearmai's family backstory could have been cut. Pearmai's storyline wasn't really necessary as she wasn't really a main character. Instead of her, I would have loved to see Pisaeng's backstory, which we got a little bit of, but not enough. Pisaeng's mom's political story was a little confusing to follow and really didn't push the story forward as there wasn't really any big drama or issues with her politics and Pisaeng and Kawi's relationship. I was kind of expecting her to be against the relationship despite advocating for LGBT rights, but that never happened. As for Max, his story kind of felt incomplete since he was advocating for LGBT rights throughout the whole series but never once was seen with boyfriend. Still a great series though.


•❅✧❅✦ Characters •❅✧❅✦

Pisaeng x Kawi

Pisaeng and Kawi are that couple that's perfect for each other, but seems to have never had a "honeymoon" period. Every time I see Pisaeng and Kawi, they remind me of an old couple that are soulmates, but constantly bickering with each other. They are definitely a new take on a romantic couple.

Pisaeng is so adorable. He's literally the perfect man. He falls for Kawi after talking to him for a few days and becomes loyal and dedicated to him soon after. Pisaeng's love is so loyal and strong despite Kawi pushing him to the side for Pearmai so many times.

Fluke, who portrays Pisaeng really stepped up his acting game and was amazing. I couldn't stop watching him. I want to see more of him.

Kawi is annoyingly adorable. When he starts being true to himself and starts being more assertive, people are naturally drawn to him. The only thing that was stopping him from being happy and successful was himself, which he soon realizes after traveling to the past.

It was nice to see Krist back in a BL, but I wasn't quite sure what to think of his acting. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't eye catching. I haven't seen any other Krist series or movies aside from SOTUS and SOTUS S, so I can't comment too much on his acting, but it didn't feel as great as he did in SOTUS. I honestly found Kawi to be annoying during the first few episodes, and as the series continued on, scenes where Kawi should have been nervous around Pisaeng came off more as Kawi being "repulsed" and "turned-off" at the thought of sleeping with Pisaeng. Maybe Krist is better at playing the more "stoic" and "masculine" characters, but Kawi was definitely not his best character. He still did a great job though.

•❅✧❅✦ Overall •❅✧❅✦

I really enjoyed Be My Favorite. It was a different take on the time travel concept and I loved what they did with the character growth. Pisaeng will definitely be on my mind for a little while now. Where can I get a person like Pisaeng?

Leia Mais

Prince really is the Prince of this series

While this series can draw comparisons between Tale of a Thousand Stars, honestly, leave your opinions behind because this series isn't as dramatic as TTS, but is just as romantic.

Also if you've watched Star and Sky: Star in My Mind, then definitely watch this because this series is just as romantic.
Daonuea and Khabkluen also make occasional appearances in this series.


•❅✧❅✦ Story •❅✧❅✦

A spin off from Star and Sky: Star in My Mind, Daonuea's older brother Kuafah arrives at a remote village in the mountains with his two friends after the three of them get into a drunken car accident on the way home from Kuafah's ex's wedding, as portrayed in the original series. The three are sent to the village to do community service as Kuafah is a doctor and the village is in need of a doctor. At the village they meet Prince, who is working there as a volunteer teacher. At first, Kuafah and Prince don't get along as their personalities clash. Kuafah is more impulsive and a disorganized with his life, while Prince is rational and orderly. While they hate each other at first, as they live in the same small village, they end up getting to know one another.

Honestly Prince and Kuafah have a very romantic storyline. It's very beautiful and straightforward. Their storyline isn't overly dramatic, but rather two people who spend lots of time together falling in love. I honestly found all of the shenanigans Kuafah and his friends bring to the series to be hilarious and poor Prince is always the one to walk into it.


Kuafah x Prince

Kuafah and Prince have a very healthy relationship. They fall in love naturally rather than through some very dramatic methods. They always though of each other as good looking, but annoying. However, after spending time together and seeing different sides of each other they fall in love. The way they fell in love felt very mature and realistic, unlike lots of other series out there.

The best part of the series has to be Prince. He actually is the one who seems to be carrying the series. I'm not saying that the other's are not good, but Kuafah's character is a little to stereotypical and less memorable compared to Prince. Throughout the series, I kept wondering about Prince and why he acts a certain way, or why he does certain things. Even though Kuafah is the primary protagonist, Prince had more of my interest than Kuafah. I don't want to be the one to point fingers, but I have noticed that Mek, the actor who portrays Kuafah, always tends to get outshined by his acting partners when he is the male lead. That doesn't mean he is a bad actor, as he does have lead actor qualities, However, unfortunately Mark, who plays prince, definitely carried the series. I hope to see Mark in more series, however, with a new partner who can push his acting abilities further.


•❅✧❅✦ Tale of a Thousand Stars vs Star and Sky: Sky in Your Heart •❅✧❅✦

I know there is going to be comparisons, so let's get it out of the way.

At a glance the scenarios are similar, two guys are stuck in the mountains. One guys is more adapted to the mountains, while another is a city boy. One is a volunteer teacher. They have different personalities that clash. They fall in love.

Yes, at a glance the storyline is similar. However, if you take a step back and watch this series without comparing it, you'll find that it's a very different story. Think of it as high school/college based romances. How many high school/ college based romance series involve the popular kid and the nerd? Do you compare all of them together? Probably not.

TTS is more dramatic and very unrealistic. It's everyone's soulmate fantasy. On the other hand, Sky in Your Heart is a little more realistic, and is very light-hearted. Both series are amazing in their own right and shouldn't be compared with each other. Of course TTS is going to have more of an impact as it came first and is more dramatic. But Sky in Your Heart is just as romantic, just with a little less drama... and less episodes.

Please watch both series as they both are great!


•❅✧❅✦ Overall •❅✧❅✦

This series is beautiful and romantic. It's something to watch then you don't want to watch series that are dramatic and complicated. The straight forward and lighthearted romance is beautiful. And Prince is also a feast for your eyes.

Leia Mais

A Romantic Story with Couple Goals!!

If you're looking for a series that has lots of romance with less dramatic moments, this is the series for you.
It's really a feel good drama that leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside after finishing the series.
I think we all need a lover like Khabkluen or Daonuea after watching this series.


•❅✧❅✦ Story •❅✧❅✦

Daonuea has been crushing on Khabkluen since freshman year in highschool. However, it's a one-sided love on his end as Khabkluen has a girlfriend he is very committed to. After leaving to study abroad for his senior year of highscool, he returns to Thailand to start college. On the first day of the Star and Moon Competition Practice, Doanuea is reunited with Khabkluen. Daonuea hasn't really gotten over his crush, but has to room with Khabkluen during the duration of the competition. As they room together, Daonuea and Khabkluen start to getting closer together. Khabkluen is and has always been the epitome of kindness, that Daonuea can't stop his feelings even though he knows Khabkluen has a girlfriend... Or does he?

One of the best things about this series is the "Will they? Won't they?" tug of war that Daonuea and Khabkluen have throughout the series. It's not so dramatic and unrealistic that sometimes you end up shouting "Just kiss already!" at the screen. It's a light-hearted and romantic series, so there isn't any frustration while watching. Just pure romance.


•❅✧❅✦ Characters •❅✧❅✦

Daonuea x Khabkluen

Daonuea is you typical normal guy. He's adorable and funny. There isn't anything really special about him aside from his undying loyalty to Khabkluen, so there isn't much to comment on him aside from gushing over his cuteness.

However, Khabkluen, on the otherhand, is a little more stereotypical with the hot and kind popular kid troupe going for him. He also falls into the anti-social, can't really saying my feelings well, troupe that the male leads tend to have. However, something that makes Khabkluen different from the others is his his undying loyalty to Daonuea before and after their love confession. Also, his personality isn't as masculine as you would expect those types of leads to be. You can really see Khabkluen's real self after he starts dating Daonuea and I love the 180 shift in how he acts around Daonuea and other people.

On a side note, the actors who protray Daonuea and Khabkluen have so much chemistry. If someone told me they were a real couple, I wouldn't be surprised. Nothing looked fake or awkward. These two need to have more acting work, be it together or separate, because they are really great actors. I honestly would like to see them do something more dramatic just because I really think they are amazing and really need the opportunity to prove themselves as great actors.


•❅✧❅✦ Overall •❅✧❅✦

The series was amazing. I feel in love with Daonuea and Khabkluen from episode one and I never got bored as the series progressed. If you are looking for a drama-filled series, this probably isn't for you. But if you are looking for a feel-good romantic series then this is a must watch!

Leia Mais

It's a Filler Drama, so Don't Watch with Any Expectations

All I can say about this drama is to watch it without any expectations. It's not too bad if you watch it without any.
However, if you are going to watch this after watching other Japanese dramas like Utsukushii Kare or Cherry Magic, you're going to be very disappointed. It's a decent watch, but it's not anything spectacular.

Similarly, if you are coming to watch this because you've already read the manga, then you will also be disappointed. I think you need to watch this as a standalone drama without comparing it to the manga. Don't worry, I'll explain below.

That being said it's not a terrible drama. However, it is mediocre and definitely a filler drama. Don't bother to watch this if you want a good quality drama. Do watch this if you need a filler drama with good looking men falling in love.

•❅✧❅✦ STORY •❅✧❅✦

Onoe gets transferred to the stake-out team of the weekly gossip magazine he works for. His new partner is Kaburagi, who is the magazine's best cameraman. While Onoe is very serious and well mannered, Kaburagi is notorious for being a lady's man and Onoe finds him to be very rude. At first they don't get along, but the more cases they take on together, the more closer they become. Onoe learns there's more to Kaburagi then meets the eye.

Honestly the story is not too bad. It is based on an older manga so it is a little bit cliché, but it's not terrible. I personally found myself interested in the antics that the two were getting into. The only part of the drama that was strange was the bed scene that the screenwriter's crammed in at the end. Honestly, we could have gone without that.

While not the best drama, the biggest issue with this drama isn't really the story, but rather the acting. Honestly the acting wasn't great, but at the same time I preferred how they portrayed Onoe and Kaburagi in this drama rather than the manga.

ONOE X KABURAGI

Onoe is a very serious writer for the weekly magazine. He is more of a bookworm that's not really good at lying. He also doesn't seem to have much luck with the ladies. In contrast, Kaburagi seems to have a double personality. Usually he's stoic and doesn't seem to care about others, but other times he suddenly becomes a lady's man. He also is very good at lying and manipulating people. At first, Onoe hated Kaburagi because of his seemingly twisted personality and his lack of care when lying and manipulating people. However, once Onoe learns that Kaburagi actually hates lying and is actually more sensitive than he lets on, his whole perspective of Kaburagi changes. He also ends up falling in love with the sensitive side of Kaburagi.

•❅✧❅✦ ACTING •❅✧❅✦

Even though it's not that bad, the worst part of this drama is the acting. Every actor, from the main to the side characters, is on a different wave length and it's just a mess.

Kimura Keito, who plays Onoe, unfortunately is very stiff when acting. While not terrible, it is obvious that he's acting and it doesn't look natural when compared to Yamanaka. It looks like his acting is forced and that he's putting on a show. Again, it's not bad, but it is obvious that he needs more practice. (On a small note, Kimura is part of Exile's FANTASTICS with Yagi Yusei, who plays Kiyoi in Utsukushii Kare. It makes me wonder if Kimura's management is trying to ride the BL wave that boosted Yagi's popularity. Also, I can't help but compare the two. I haven't seen Kimura's other works, but I wonder if Kimura actually wanted to do this BL or if it was the management's choice.)

Yamanaka Jyutaro plays Kaburagi. Now, some people might not like his acting and say he's non-expressive, but I beg to differ. There are times where his acting is a little stiff, but for the most part I thought it was okay. As a character, Kaburagi is stoic and non-expressive, so I liked how Yamanaka played him. His acting felt more natural as I have met guys like Kaburagi in Tokyo and they do act like how Yamanaka plays Kaburagi, so I had no problem with his acting. Again it's not perfect, but it is hard to play a stoic and non-expressive character so I will give him some credit.

Lastly, the side characters. All of the side characters were on different wave lengths as well. I found that the older cast were better at acting than the younger ones. All of them are not on screen for very long so it's not too noticeable, but they are stiff. The actor who plays Masayan was probably the worst offender out of all of the actors. While his acting wasn't terrible, it was very exaggerated. His acting might be more suited for comedies, but I just couldn't watch any scene he was in because it was overly exaggerated.

•❅✧❅✦ DRAMA vs MANGA •❅✧❅✦

Something to note is that I had read Ameiro Paradox as a manga a few years before this drama came out. I didn't fully remember what the story was about, but I had a basic knowledge about the plot before watching. After watching the drama I went back and I reread the manga. This is how I am analyzing the drama, so I might be a little less biased toward the manga than others who read the manga first and went into the drama with the manga in mind.

As a drama, Ameiro Paradox is completely different from the manga. While the drama adapted most of the storylines and changed some aspects of the plot to fit the drama, the biggest change made was the relationship and personalities of the Onoe and Kaburagi. This change made the drama completely different from the manga as the manga fans might not like the new version of Onoe and Kaburagi, and their relationship.

The manga has more of a cat-dog relationship between the Onoe and Kaburagi, while the drama is more romantic. In the manga, Onoe is more feisty and stubborn, while in the drama he seems to be more innocent and just putting on a strong front.
As a character, Kaburagi also is different. In the manga he is stoic and non-expressive throughout their whole relationship. Even after they begin dating, Kaburagi doesn't really show many facial expressions aside from getting angry. On the other hand, in the drama Kaburagi is stoic and non-expressive only until they begin dating. Once he is in a relationship with Onoe, Kaburagi begins to show more emotions. Even then Kaburagi gives off a more softer, sensitive, and sympathetic vibe compared to the manga where he is never sensitive, always horny, and acts like an old man trapped in a 21 year old's body.

All of these changes made to the characters' personalities change the dynamics of Onoe and Kaburagi's relationship, which in turn might throw off fans of the manga. The manga is all about the fighting and weird antics that the cat and dog relationship brings to this couple. The drama however, is all about Onoe learning about Kaburagi's sensitive nature and how love with make a stoic man more loving and emotional.

Now, I personally like the drama version of Ameiro Paradox more than the manga as I do like my men to be a little more sensitive and mature. To me, Kaburagi in the manga is just an old man in a young man's body and he doesn't really express his love to Onoe. I don't understand how Onoe can love someone that doesn't really act like he loves him back, but again the manga is all about the antics that they get into. I prefer storylines where the characters grow to love each other based on what they learn about each other and their personalities rather than storylines where it's all situational, which the manga is situational.

•❅✧❅✦ OVERALL •❅✧❅✦

I didn't really hate Ameiro Paradox. It's not bad, but there are better drama's out there. It's definitely a filler drama and a one time watch.

Also, if you liked his drama don't bother reading manga since the characters' personalities are different and the relationship between Kaburagi and Onoe are completely different as well.

Similarly, don't bother watching this drama if you are a fan of the manga and want to see the weird antics that Onoe and Kaburagi get into in the manga. This drama is all about their relationship, so if can't watch this drama with an open mind, then you should probably skip this manga.

Leia Mais

Wasted Potential! Would Have Been a Great BL if it Wasn't a UWMA Spin Off!!

Between Us would have a higher score if it wasn't a UWMA spinoff. As an individual drama, Between Us is better than most of the BLs out there, however, since it's a spinoff, we can't help but make comparisons to UWMA. When compared to UWMA, Between Us fails to meet our expectations.

•❅──────✧❅✦ Between Us as a Standalone Drama ✦❅✧──────❅•

As a standalone drama, Between Us is superior to most of the BLs being made today.

The storyline is not cliché and the main characters, as well as most of the supporting characters, are not your stereotypical BL characters. Between Us has a dark storyline about mental health and childhood trauma and chooses to explore it in a very realistic and mature way. If this were a typical BL, the childhood trauma arch would be finished in an episode or two, in a love conquers all kind of way, and would focus more on how Team and Win fall in love, rather than focusing on how Win helps Team through his trauma. That is by no means saying that Between Us is the next Until We Meet Again, but the way that the drama is presented and the characters deal with their issues is what makes Between Us stand alongside some of the better underrated BL dramas like Not Me.

If you take away any relation to UWMA, Between Us is a must watch drama. How Win and Team deal with their issues, especially Team's mental health, is phenomenal. Their love isn't connected by a red thread like most BL couples out there. There wasn't instant attraction and sweet love from the beginning. Win and Team started off with a toxic relationship and they built their relationship into one that can be accepted by others. Regarding mental health, Win doesn't just magically erase Team's trauma. He tries, but Win doesn’t erase it. So again, love doesn't conquer all in this drama, so it’s interesting to watch.


•❅──────✧❅✦ Between Us as a Spinoff to Until We Meet Again ✦❅✧──────❅•

As great as I think this drama is, Between Us is a spinoff of UWMA, and it fails to meet our expectations as a spinoff. UWMA is a phenomenal drama, and any follow up would obviously be compared to it. The expectations were high, and Between Us failed to deliver. Why? Because there was a genre switch, and the side couples did not meet our expectation.

First, let’s talk about the genre switch. UWMA is every romantic's dream come true. Dean and Pharm are reincarnated lovers, bound by fate. They are soulmates. Dean and Pharm's love is very unrealistic, but we all want that kind of love. Between Us, on the other hand, is very dark and realistic. No one wants to deal with a love that isn't fated, let alone complicated. Win and Team's love is so dark, realistic, and depressing it doesn't bring us to the happy place that UWMA did. Win and Team are not soulmates connected by a red thread. There isn't any proof of it, so when we see them we don't cry or sympathize with them. We don’t want their love like we wanted Dean and Pharm’s.

Lastly and probably most frustratingly, the side couples were not up to par with UWMA. In UWMA, Dean and Pharm were the main couple, but we got Korn and Intouch as a beautiful side couple with an interesting storyline. Even Win and Team, and Mannow and Pruek were appealing side couples. Win and Team’s storyline about the swim team's resident bad boy falling for the innocent and naïve freshman was the stuff of dreams. Mannow also had a storyline about always being a supporting character and finding love. When the spinoff was announced, we looked forward to the relationship Win and Team. Maybe even get to see Mannow and Pruek's love blossom! However, in Between Us everything changed. The swim team's bad boy and naïve freshman storyline was thrown out to accommodate a darker story about mental illness. Which is okay, it has potential to be another amazing story, which it was. However, the side couples in Between Us, did not meet our expectations. Mannow's storyline, which many fans were looking forward to, wasn't in the spotlight. Dean and Pharm? They were barely in the series. All of the UWMA characters that we grew to love were replaced by a brand-new set of side characters and couples. Which would have been okay, if they felt like they were part of the UWMA universe. Bee and Prince's story felt like it was coming from Love By Chance. Even Waan and Tul's story felt like it came from another drama despite Waan being Win's older brother and Tul being a very, very minor character in UWMA.

It's a shame that Between Us has wasted its potential this way. Even if Between Us switched genres from fantasy to realistic, maybe if Between Us kept the original cast from Until We Meet Again and just expanded on their storylines instead of giving us a brand new set of side characters and couples, the spinoff would have been just as great if not better than the original.


•❅──────✧❅✦ CHARACTERS ✦❅✧──────❅•

~~~ Win x Team ~~~

Win is the boyfriend we all wish we had! Sure, he has commitment issues and is afraid of love, but he takes care of Team without any expectations of a return. Due to his issues, he doesn't really communicate his feelings well verbally to Team, but his facial expression usually gives away his thoughts and Team is able to pick up on it, even if it does confuse him sometimes.

Team, on the other hand, is a ball of confusion. He is too naïve for the world and the life he was given. His childhood trauma makes him unable to mature into the person he has the potential to become. It seems like while he's grown up and can handle himself, he also can't handle conflict because he couldn't forgive himself after his childhood accident. He could never get past that accident, and it affects him to this day.

As a couple, Win and Team are not soulmates. While the drama tries to make us believe that they are soulmates, they are not. Win is clearly in love with Team and has been from episode 1, however, it seems like Team is clinging to whoever was the first to help him through his trauma. Yes, Team loves Win, but there is no proof to show that it's not because Win was there to help him sleep through his nightmares. Team depends on Win a lot, but in the drama, Team is never given a chance to be there for Win. Win's commitment issues are swept under the rug for Team's childhood trauma, that unless someone tells you it's because he's the middle child and had to sacrifice so much in his life, you would never know just from watching the drama. However, they are cute together.

~~~ Bee x Prince (and the ABC trio) ~~~

Bee or Bumblebee is Team's clubmate and part of the comedic ABC trio. He falls in love with his classmate Prince, who is a famous actor. They end up having a secret romance because as a famous actor, Prince can't disappoint his fans by having a lover, let alone a male lover.

While I like Bee as a character, and am curious about his love for Prince, these two and their relationship have no business being in this drama. They give off Love By Chance vibes that as soon as I saw Prince, I thought he was Pete (Saint) 2.0.

Bee and Prince do have an interesting storyline, but it has no business being in this drama and should be a new drama all together. The screen time given to Bee and Prince's storyline should have been given to Mannow or Waan's storyline.

~~~ Waan x Tul ~~~

Waan is Win's older brother, while Tul is Win's clubmate. Waan meets T-Rex, Tul's username, while gaming online. T-Rex accidentally overhears Waan's father scolding him while gaming which leads to Waan unloading his issues to T-Rex. T-Rex becomes Waan's safe space, but he never wants to meet T-Rex in person.

Waan and Tul have an interesting storyline and it's nice to see their romance on screen... However, as a spinoff to UWMA, myself and most of the audience wanted to see more of Mannow's relationship with Pruek, so their relationship came out of left field. I still want to see more of Waan and Tul though, since their storyline is very interesting.

~~~ Mannow x Pruek ~~~

If you've watched UWMA, you know Mannow ends of dating Pruek. Between Us just fills in some of the gaps of how they got together... However, maybe because this is a BL and Mannow and Pruek are a straight couple, the screenwriters chose to focus on the other gay relationships. Once again, Mannow and Pruek get very little screentime and are pushed off to the side. We do get a little more detail into how they got together. But unless you watched UWMA, you could care less about this couple. Their storyline is given in bits and pieces that you need to watch UWMA and Between Us to get their whole storyline. If you don't and are watching Between Us as a standalone drama, you won't understand why Mannow is so important and why she is in the drama.

~~~ Dean x Pharm ~~~

Same with Mannow, Dean and Pharm are there to remind us that this is a UWMA spinoff. They mostly just are a cameo and are just odd reminders that this is a spinoff.


•❅──────✧❅✦ OVERALL ✦❅✧──────❅•

While Between Us wasn't the best as spinoff to Until We Meet Again. It is a good drama. I recommend when watching this drama, that you think of it as a standalone drama rather than a spinoff. If you leave the UWMA aspects out, Between Us is a good drama, so I enjoyed it. Boun and Prem gave amazing performances and I will probably rewatch it a couple times since I really enjoyed Boun's acting here.

Leia Mais

Interesting Commentary on Social Media from an Actor's POV

~~~~~ Synopsis ~~~~~

Two Japanese actors, Shison Jun and Kamiki Ryunosuke have a casual talk about SNS (social media). They discuss how people use SNS and how it affects other people. During their discussion, Ryunosuke reveals himself to be a wizard and does a body swap with Jun.

~~~~~ Plot ~~~~~

This mini drama isn't winning any awards, but it does make an interesting point about social media. The drama is a commentary on social media and how people use it. The actors talk about how people use SNS to attack people while hiding behind their computer screens. They also talk about how despite hiding behind a screen, that SNS might be filled with people's true thoughts that they can't say out loud be it for good or bad. They also compare SNS users to actors because on SNS you can be whoever you want to be.

The mini drama also dives into the topic of "triple personalities" in SNS during the second half of the drama, which is represented by the body swap. I think it's supposed to be about how you are "you", but you also have your idealistic "you" and the "you" you portray yourself to be. This part was a little confusing because it is an abstract concept and unless you fully understand what they are saying and the analogies they are using, it makes it difficult to completely understand the context of their conversation. They also used body swap to visualize it which is also a little confusing.

~~~~~ Overall ~~~~~

The mini drama is an interesting one time watch for Kamiki Ryunosuke and Shison Jun fans, but it can be skipped.
They don't do any big time acting in this mini drama and there really isn't a plot. The ending is also vague.
The most this mini drama does is open a conversation on the use of social media, but the commentary isn't something new or special. It also doesn't dive into the real pros and cons of social medias and just touches on the subject.
Overall, there is nothing to really hate or love about this mini drama. It's quite forgettable.

Leia Mais

Very Short But Cute

My Type is short and sweet.

~~~~~ STORY ~~~~~

The whole story revolves around Lin Yang trying to figure out his feelings for Gao Yan Zhi. It's very straight and By-the Numbers. No real twists and turns. It's great for a short watch.

Lin Yang x Gao Yan Zhi

Lin Yang is like a puppy following around his new favorite human trying to be adopted out. Gao Yan Zhi is a little more hard to read. He has girls constantly around him, but doesn't seem to care. Because it's a short watch I'm trying not to read too much into it, but he comes around. They have a few cute moments, but nothing too fancy. I honestly wish there was more cute moments so I can confidently say they are a cute couple, but I can't.

~~~~~ PRODUCTION ~~~~~

The quality is pretty bad. It looks like it was shot on a phone since it has a vertical angle (Unless it's the version I watched on youtube.) Either way, the production quality wasn't amazing.

~~~~~ OVERALL ~~~~~

My Type is a short BL to watch when you have only a few minutes, but you want to watch a BL. It's nothing fancy, but it's cute.

Leia Mais

I Don't Know if I Love it or Hate It

Despite my headline, SOTUS S is BL to watch if you've watched SOTUS. It takes a closer look into Arthit and Kongpob's relationship after they have been together for 2 years. It also focuses on the difference between love as a student, and love in the real world.


~~ STORY ~~

Taking place 2 years after the original series, Kongpob is a 3rd year and the head hazer. Arthit is just starting his first day as a working man in society. SOTUS S focuses on how Arthit and Kongpob deal with bringing their relationship into the real world, while comparing it to their days as a student.

Personally, watching this series was hard. The contrast between the real world and school was too different. Kongpob and Arthit's days in University was fun and exciting, while the Arthit in the workplace was boring. While realistically true, SOTUS S is a fictional drama, so they could have spiced things up a little more. The series was a little boring at first, leaving the audience wondering why Arthit is giving Kongpob a hard time when there is nothing to have a hard time about. Even if Kongpob goes out of line and starts interning at Arthit's workplace and moves in next door, it seems like a non-issue. You get to see your boyfriend more and he's not bothering you. What's the problem? It's only when rumors spread about Kongpob and Arthit dating does the drama finally get interesting.

While very realistic, I felt the series was too realistic that it took away from the fun while watching it. I ended up skipping lot's of Arthit's scenes because it was too boring and mundane. Kongpob's university life and all of the students were much more fun to watch than Arthit's scenes. However, as a fan of Arthit and Kongpob, you have to watch the series because it really does give a peak into their day-to-day lives.


ARTHIT x KONGPOB

Taking place 2 years after SOTUS, you can see that they are indeed a couple that will last the test of time. Arthit is comfortable enough with Kongpob to show his weakness and Kongpob is still only thinking about Arthit. The only issue I had with them is that they both still have communication issues... Which they are more than comfortable with, so it's frustrating. Arthit is always thinking about Kongpob, so he doesn't want to bother him with his own issues, which is similar to Kongpob. The worst part is that they know that about each other, so they are willing to forgive the other for not communicating properly. I guess it's okay since they know and understand that, but most of their dramas could be resolved by communication. Kongpob could have told Arthit about the internship and moving next door, while Arthit could have asked for more space from Kongpob, or even asked Kongpob to move in with him.

Either way, they are a couple that's going to last. Kongpob has stopped being as cheeky as not to fluster Arthit too much, while Arthit is more expressive of his feelings to Kongpob. Arthit is still shy about being open about their relationship, but he is learning to open up more to make Kongpob more comfortable.

~~ OVERALL ~~

I really loved how they showed Kongpob and Arthit's relationship, but I really found Arthit's workplace storyline to be super boring. I don't know if I liked it or not because of it.

Watch SOTUS S for Arthit and Kongpob... But you can skip anything and everything at Arthit's workplace until after the company beach party where Arthit and Kongpob's relationship is exposed. After that it's amazing.

Leia Mais

Beautiful Love Story if you can get past the Hazing

SOTUS might be confusing if you're not Thai, but if you can get past understanding the hazing it's a beautiful love story.


~~ STORY ~~

According to the series, S.O.T.U.S. (acronym for Seniority, Order, Tradition, Unity, and Spirit) is a system at the University where 3rd year students welcome the freshmen students by hazing them with different types of teamwork related activities. The freshman are punished if they cannot complete the tasks.

If you are unfamiliar with the S.O.T.U.S. system it might be hard to get through the first few episodes. Arthit and Kongpob are literally in each other's faces since the first episode, and to top it off, Arthit and the other hazers are quite mean. The hazers are supposed to be encouraging teamwork and unity, but the hazing doesn't come off that way at all. It looks like the 3rd years are just abusing the freshman. Even after the big teamwork angle was revealed it doesn't come off that way at all. Due to this, those that are unfamiliar with the S.O.T.U.S. system might be put off by the hazing.

If you can get past the weird hazing, then there is a beautiful love story. Kongpob, a cheeky freshman, has caught the attention of Arthit and the other 3rd year hazers due to constantly standing up for himself and his classmates. Dubbed the "hero," Kongpob is always challenging Arthit's authority as the head hazer. Without either realizing it, Kongpob and Arthit take a liking to each other, even if Kongpob is always a cheeky little torn in Arthit's side.


ARTHIT x KONGPOB

Arthit is a 3rd year and head hazer. He is initially very hard to approach since he has a cold exterior and seems to always be looking for ways to torment the freshman. In reality, Arthit is easily flustered, self-centered, and can't express himself well. Meanwhile, freshman Kongpob is very confident, and believes in doing the right thing. He has been dubbed "the hero" by the hazers for constantly standing up to them.

Arthit and Kongpob's relationship starts off very rocky. They are the epitome of the "enemies to lovers" troupe in BL. However, after Kongpob's famous, "I'll make you my wife," speech and seeing Arthit get flustered, he takes a liking to Arthit and does everything he can to catch Arthit's attention. Arthit, on the other hand, just wants to avoid Kongpob since he keeps ruining his image. As the series progresses, you start to see why Kongpob grows on Arthit. Kongpob is the only person who can really keep up with Arthit's self-centeredness. He's also very cheeky about it, so it's hard to hate Kongpob.

Arthit and Kongpob also have the "opposite's attract" thing going for them as well. Arthit isn't very open with his feelings, while Kongpob is very expressive. Arthit would prefer no one knows about their relationship, while Kongpob doesn't care who knows. Kongpob won't go around flaunting his relationship, but he won't hide it. His only concern is that Arthit is comfortable, so while he won't openly kiss Arthit in public, teasing and constantly being around Arthit is fair game.

Kongpob is probably the best boyfriend anyone can ask for. He's caring, understanding, and not afraid to flirt in public. However, how he considered Arthit's feeling and comfort is what makes him first class. Realistically, while Kongpob could do a lot better than Arthit, Arthit needs to get some credit for how he deals with Kongpob's constant cheekiness. He also deserves some credit for accepting Kongpob's feelings without going through the "Eww you're gay! Get away from me!" phase. Arthit takes Kongpob's feelings and just accepts them without going through much drama. They really are a great couple.


M x May

The hetero sexual couple of the series, M and May are adorable. It's cute watching M get flustered and jealous of May's interactions with Kongpob and the other boys. They give off the typical college couple vibes and it's adorable.


~~ ACTING ~~

Krist and Singto are amazing!! They are really great actors. There was never a moment where they broke character. It's amazing to see such young talent!!


~~ OVERALL ~~

Go watch SOTUS!

SOTUS is the BL that started the BL drama trend and brought it to the mainstream.

If you can get past the hazing and just focus on the couples, you won't be disappointed. Some of the troupes might be cliche now, but this is the start of BL dramas, so they are the originals.

Leia Mais

We Need to Start Normalizing Dramas Like This!!!!

Love is Science normalizes all types of love and is romantic!!!


~~ STORY ~~

Love is Science really came running for gold. The drama focuses on Love is Science, a match-making company. At a glance, the story seems clique. The rich CEO of the company falls for a poor, good-looking, younger man. However, when you start analyzing the characters, their backgrounds, and everything in between, you find that everything is not as it seems. All of the characters and couples, are not the norm in romantic dramas.

Since Love is Science has quite a few couples running different plots at all times, I decided to talk about each couple and their plot separately.


YAN FEI x HSUAN YU

They are the main characters of the drama, and have the most screen time.

At a glance, Yan Fei is beautiful and rich. She is the CEO if Love is Science, and she seems to be one of those women who have everything they want in life... But in reality, Yan Fei is divorced and in her mid-30s. According to her statistics, she is considered part of the undesirable percentage of single women.

Hsuan Yu is a 26 year old hair stylist. He hasn't been able to pass his apprenticeship at the hair salon he works at to become a full-fledged hair stylist. That being said, his is popular with the women and all of his customers keep coming back to have their hair but by him. At a glance, he seems to be desirable by all the women out there, but he has never been able to get the attention of the one girl he likes the most because he has trouble saying his true feelings. He also has a secret... He used to be fat when he was younger.

As a couple, Yan Fei and Hsuan Yu are a match made in heaven. They click with each other since the first time they appeared on screen together. They each have their flaws, but the compliment each other. The have major communication issues, but they both know that they need to start communicating more with each other. With each episode, they grow closer together and it's great to watch such a positive couple on screen.

The real issue with this couple is that they have so much unnecessary drama. Between Yan Fei's mother and both Yan Fei's ex and Hsuan Yu's ex, there is so much to unpack. Yan Fei's mother only wants what's best for Yan Fei, but she comes off as annoying every time she is on screen. She lives in her own fantasy world and doesn't even listen to a word Yan Fei says. Whether it's supporting her ex or cheering on Hsuan Yu, we don't know that team her mother is even cheering for since she's giving off mixed signals all the time. As for Yan Fei's ex, he shows up half-way through the drama to give some competition for Hsuan Yu... We don't need that. He already divorced Yan Fei, so he should never have shown up. He was painted as a cold-hearted man that only cares for his image, so bringing him back in Yan Fei's life just to suddenly be "caring" and love Yan Fei again was so left field. I honestly skipped most of his scenes.

Now to the most problematic and unnecessary drama... Hsuan Yu's girlfriend... err... ex? According to this drama, Hsuan Yu had a girlfriend the entire time he was pinning after Yan Fei for 5 episodes... I just don't see it in Hsuan Yu's personality to be unfaithful to his girlfriend the entire time. Also, his family not mentioning her to Yan Fei is odd too. Not to mention how they treat Yan Fei badly after his girlfriend starts accusing him of cheating on her with Yan Fei. Wasn't the older brother Yan Fei's classmate? Why are they treating her so badly just because the ex is psycho? Even after Hsuan Yu breaks up with the girl, they still treat Yan Fei like shit... She wasn't even dating Hsuan Yu too! Hsuan Yu clearly made the decision to cut his ex out of his life and keep Yan Fei, so the family should just stop. Yan Fei didn't even treat them bad. She just treated them like normal.

Anyways, this couple had a lot of unnecessary drama. The two clicked together right from the beginning that we spent most of the series shouting at the two to just date already. Maybe if the couple didn't get along so well some of the drama wouldn't have been unnecessary, but oh well.


OWEN x MARK (x QIAO AN NA)

Owen and Mark are the secondary protagonist and probably the most interesting couple.

Owen is a proud and confident gay man who works under Yan Fei at Love is Science. There he works as a love consultant and matchmaker. Owen meets Mark at a cafe while matchmaking. Mark is Hsuan Yu's friend and he is also a hairstylist. He is a player that gets around quite a lot, but when he finds the right girl, he is very devoted and loyal. Mark is also has a little homophobia. When Mark and Owen meet for the second time, Owen announces he is gay leading Mark to get visibly uncomfortable. Mark doesn't do anything extreme or straight out attack Owen for being gay, but he does take a few jabs at Owen since he is jealous of how manly and cool Owen is for a gay guy.

As a couple, Owen and Mark are couple goals. They never do anything to hurt each other and they are always communicating. We get to watch them grow from complete strangers into a loving couple.

Now to the drama... Qiao An Na.

Qiao An Na isn't a terrible character. She is a great character and the drama she brings to Owen and Mark is really good drama to watch. The only issue I have with her is that the drama she brings to Owen and Mark is something that I would like to have seen in a separate drama. In this series, Owen and Mark are not the main couple. They are a side couple and don't get as much screen time. With Qiao An Na and the drama she brings to his couple, I would like to have seen it in a separate series with Owen and Mark as the main character. Qiao An Na's drama is very interesting and makes a really powerful statement to the LBGTQ community and to the world. Giving it to the side couple is really a waste of a good plot because we don't get the full story to the drama and we are left curious as to what is happening. Also, when the Qiao An Na drama hits, Owen and Mark end up taking the spotlight off Yan Fei and Hsuan Yu, which doesn't make them look good as the main characters.

Overall, I just wish Owen, Mark, and Qiao An Na get their own spin-off because I like the drama the trio had and I would like to see it as a stand alone series. I think the series would be a good point of discussion in the LGBTQ community and send a message to the world about normalizing gay love.


YOU FU x NAI HUI

You Fu and Nai Hui are the third and final couple of the series. They have the least amount of screen time out of all the couples, but make an impact.

You Fu and Nai Hui are two clients of Love is Science. Nai Hui is a bank director with lots of money and high credentials. She is in her late-40s and is considered part of the undesirable single women according to the Love is Science statistics. Nai Hui is highly educated and has very specific aspects she desires in men, like men needing to have a PhD, leaving her choices of men limited. She accidentally meets You Fu when You Fu's date tries to stand him up and makes him wait 3 hours. Seeing the young women treat You Fu with disrespect, she stands up for him and scolds the young woman. You Fu notices Nai Hui's injured foot and buys her band aids, leading her to become interested in him. You Fu is a poor farmer with no college aducation. He is the opposite of Nai Hui in all aspects. When Nai Hui asks Love is Science to match her with You Fu, only Owen thinks their love with go well despite statistics saying they have a low love matching score.

While Nai Hui and You Fu have limited screen time, it is fun to watch them get to know each other. Both Nai Hui and You Fu learn to understand each other and each other's background. It's great to watch an independent woman like Nai Hui learn to depend on You Fu. Similarly is nice to see You Fu gain some self-esteem through Nai Hui.

Overall, this couple is great because it's rare to see an elder couple fall in love on screen. Usually it's teens or young adults falling in love, so seeing Nai Hui and You Fu, who are clearly adults slightly past their prime fall in love is refreshing. I also liked how Nai Hui was such an independent and confident woman. She is someone that all women should aspire to be.


~~ CHARACTERS ~~

Love is Science has the best combination of characters I've ever seen. Almost all the characters have a beautiful love story and there is no real "bad guy." In Love is Science, from the minor characters to the major characters, everyone is desirable despite their flaws.

Representation wise, here is the breakdown.

Straight: Hsuan Yu
Masculine Gay: Owen
Bi/ Player: Mark
Lesbian: Sheng Ying
Divorced: Yan Fei
Player: Qiao An
Educated/Independent Women: Nai Hui
Uneducated/Unconfident Man/Over 50s: You Fu

When looking at the characters and thinking about the common Asian ideals of who not to marry, all of the characters fit the list. However, Love is Science fights the stereo types and gives everyone a happily ever after.


~~ OVERALL ~~

Love is Science is an amazing series that normalizes all types of romance. I think that there needs to be more series like this that normalizes different love without making a spectacle about it. It's not the best series out there in terms of plot, but it is interesting to watch and normalizes all types of love.

Don't sleep on this series and watch it now!!!

Leia Mais

Best Reincarnation Story To Date!

Until We Meet Again has the best reincarnation storyline I've ever seen between all BL and Het dramas.

~~ STORY ~~

UWMA's plot revolves around Dean and Pharm, who are the reincarnations of Korn and Intouch. Korn and Intouch's love story was a tragedy since they were born in a time when homosexuality wasn't widely accepted. In the present day, Dean and Pharm are instantly drawn to each other due to being the reincarnation of Korn and Intouch, yet they struggling to cope with their past lives that still haunts them.

UWMA did amazing portraying how Dean and Pharm's past lives haunt them in the present. Everything that Dean and Pharm do is a result of their past lives. UMWA does a great job at showing the parallels between Intouch and Korn, and Pharm and Dean. Having all four characters being portrayed by four actors instead of just changing the appearance of the two actors for present day and past was a really big help. It really helped drive the fact that yes, they are reincarnations, but they are actually all very different people. The reincarnations plot was really tragic and intense that there was never a dull moment. However, there was a very clean distinction between the moments where the reincarnation plot was happening and other things were happening... And it's not a good distinction.

Any great series would be able to juggle the main plot and side plots, however, UWMA seemed to have a hard time mixing them together. Every time the reincarnation plot was on screen, it was very interesting, but when the plot shifted to just present day Dean and Pharm, just being Dean and Pharm, it was very boring. Dean was a little to stoic and once Korn's influence on him fades, he is boring. Similarly, Pharm's obsession with cooking is just annoying after a while. At first, the cooking is interesting since it has direct relations to Intouch. However, it later just becomes foodporn and really takes away from the story. If Pharm isn't crying over Intouch's influence on him, he only talks about is food and cooking. Even the other characters just start to see him as a food machine, so all they talk about his Pharm's cooking. It's really boring and annoying after a while. Also, using Mannow and all the girls as commercials to advertise their sponsor's beauty product was really unfortunate. Mannow just ended up being a commercial and it really took away from her as a character and the plot. They should have found other ways to advertise discreetly rather than being so obvious about it.


DEAN x PHARM

Dean and Pharm have a really good relationship with each other. Dean respects Pharm's boundaries and never crosses them. He's willing to take things slow and at Pharm's pace. He's also a very supportive and protective boyfriend. Pharm can only think about Dean and is clearly in love with him. Pharm's only real charm point is his cooking, which Dean (and everyone else at the school) when enjoys.

As Korn's reincarnation, Dean feels very sorry to Pharm, which comes out as being more caring and overprotective; all things that Korn couldn't do for Intouch. Dean is the person that Korn wanted to be for his lover.

As Intouch's reincarnation, Pharm is very sensitive. Pharm seems to be more in-tuned to Intouch's feelings and emotions than Dean is to Korn. Pharm sometimes confuses his Intouch's emotions with his own due to his sensitive nature. While Pharm is a better cook than Intouch, Pharm is less likely to take action, while Intouch is more outspoken and quick to act than Pharm.


KORN x INTOUCH

Korn and Intouch's relationship was very sweet and loving before tragedy struck. Intouch was able to bring Korn out of his shell and Korn was able to fall in love and be himself with Intouch. They would have been the ideal couple if their families didn't tear them apart.

After death, Korn feels responsible for Intouch's death and wishes he could have done more to help Korn. He searches for the reincarnation of Intouch to be able to fulfill his promise of finding each other again after they die. Intouch, on the other hand, blames Korn for giving up on them.


WIN x TEAM

Win is the vice-captain of the swim club and Dean's friend. Team is Pharm's friend and on the swim team. Team is very awkward and a bit childish. Win has a thing for Team as soon as he laid eyes on Team. Win tends to flirt and tease Team constantly. Their storyline is very cute, but they progress very quickly and it's very clear that things are happening in the background that we aren't seeing. They will get a spin-off called Between Us which will explain their relationship.


~~ ACTING ~~

The acting is amazing!!!!!

Fluke, Ohm, Earth, Kao really set the bar high for BL actors. They definitely were not hired for their pretty faces. All four actors were able to portray the complexity of their characters naturally.

Kao (Korn) and Earth (Intouch) are the best actors of the series in my opinions. Some might say Fluke (Pharm) was the best, but I found that all he did was cry. The other scenes with him weren't as eye catching compared to his crying scenes. Kao and Earth's scenes were very emotional and were the most complex. Their scenes in the flashbacks were the diving factors of the plot, so despite having very few scenes compared to Fluke and Ohm, they were able to make a statement. I cried every time they were on screen.

All four actors were amazing, but I did find that Ohm was the weakest out of the four main characters. He was able to cry on cue, but he didn't really invoke as much emotion from me compared to Kao, Earth, and Fluke.

~~ OVERALL ~~

UWMA isn't perfect, but it is a must watch. If you can get past the food scenes and Mannow's obvious product placement advertisement, then it's a really good drama. The way they did the reincarnation plotline is what really makes this series a must watch drama!

Leia Mais

Thailand's Best BL to date!!!

Drop everything and go watch it now!!


~~ STORY ~~

Thailand has created a lot of BLs, but all of them have been very repetitive and easily predictable. Not Me, however is different. Not Me is mysterious, thrilling, and romantic all at the same time. There are so many twists and turns that I was left on the edge of my seat the whole time!

Unlike typical BLs that are more light hearted and romantic, Not Me is very dark and gritty. There is some romance thrown in, but the series could have gone without the romance aspect and still been a fantastic series. Not Me primarily deals with a lot of social issues and politics without getting too preachy. It also does BL without too much fan service. It's a great series in that aspect.

Not Me does have it's flaw and plot holes, but it's really irrelevant in the long run as they are hardly noticeable. If there is any big complaints about the plot, it's that the final episodes were a little too jam packed with action that story did get a little lost in the commotion. While the ending was satisfying, if you start to think about the parts of the story that got lots in the action, then you might be unsatisfied since technically the gang's fight with Tawi and Todd haven't actually ended. I do think that the series ended where it should have, sans the Dan and Yok couple. Everyone got together with their respective lovers, and got the public to start looking at Tawi's corporation in a bad light. It's really the calm before the storm type of ending where you know the fight isn't over, but it's still a satisfying ending since realistically fighting corruption is never ending.

Black & White

I am a little confused about Black and White's relationship. I understand that they are twins and that White cares for Black, but Black is confusing. At first he seems to be upset that White is back in the picture, but then he does a 180 into caring big brother. I really think that the writers really didn't put much thought into who Black's character and his motifs. Because Black's character wasn't put together well, his relationship with White wasn't as impactful as it should have been. They have a strong 6th sense where they can feel each other's pain. Utilize that in the plot!! Don't just use it in the beginning and forget about it later!

White x Sean

I enjoyed their relationship when White was pretending to be Black. I wish I could have seen more of Sean's relationship with Black before White started pretending to be him. I also would like to see Sean being more suspicious of "Black" and how White broke down that barrier. Without this, White and Sean seem to get romantically together a little too quickly. That being said, Sean and White are adorable together.

Yok x Dan

They are my favorite couple. I honestly want to see more of them and I want a full backstory on their relationship. While I don't want a sequel for Not Me, I wouldn't mind a spin off with these two. Dan seems to have a lot going on that I think would make for a good spin off. Similarly, Yok's issues about his mother being discriminated for being mute also hasn't been completely told. I would love to see more of them.

Gram x Eugene

I appreciate how their relationship blossomed from beginning to end. They didn't overshadow the plot, and I'm glad that Eugene wasn't portrayed as a toxic woman since most BLs portray women very toxically.

Black & Todd & White

I'm so confused over Todd. He's the mastermind behind everything, but his story isn't told properly. The entire backstory as to why Todd ordered his men to beat up Black was confusing, especially since they are supposed to be best friends. Also, Todd just forgets about White as soon as Black wakes up. Why? Is Todd in love with Black or something? Are we supposed to read between the lines?


~~ OVERALL ~~

Not Me is an amazing series. The acting was fantastic. The cenematography and music were also superb. I really appreciated how Not Me told a BL story in a genre that wasn't normal for BL stories. I want to see more of these non-student, darker genre BLs.

Leia Mais

Too Many Manhwa Concepts for a Live Action Adaptation

Cherry Blossoms After Winter is a nice BL drama, but it has too many manhwa style plot points that it's better left on paper than in live action.

That being said, while most of this review will be a little critical, the drama isn't bad, especially the ending. The drama would be a better anime, rather than a live action.


PLOT:

As an young child, Haebom was left orphaned. However, he was adopted by Taeseong's mother, who was his mom's best friend. Despite Taeseong and Haebom being friends when they were children, after the adoption they grew apart. Taeseong is handsome and very popular, while Haebom feels he is inferior.

In their senior year of high school Taeseong and Haebom are put in the same class, where Taeseong learns that Haebom is being bullied at school. Despite the fact they live together, Taeseong hasn't really communicated with Haebom since his adoption. He feels the need to protect Haebom, while Haebom rejects the offer for protection, saying he only has one more year of high school. Haebom feels very grateful to Taeseong and his family that he doesn't want to cause them any more trouble, and is thinking of moving out after senior year. Taeseong isn't exactly happy about Haebom leaving, nor is he happy that Haebom doesn't mind being bullied.

As stated earlier, this drama has a lot of plot points that are better suited for manhwa or webtoons.
- Childhood Friends to Adopted siblings
- Adopted Sibling Love (Not really incest since they are not blood related)
- Bullying
- Non-con Kisses
- Popular Boy loves Bullied Nerd
- One-sided Love for over 10 years'
- High School Lover's Storyline
- College Lover's Storyline (My favorite!!)

While the plot points above don't hinder the drama, it does feel make it feel unrealistic, especially when you look at how each of the characters are portrayed. Haebom is innocent and naïve. He takes in all of the bullying and is surprisingly positive about it. Taeseong is stoic and has all of the girls screaming at him. He also is very attractive, strong, and rich. Even his mother is kind, caring, supportive, and totally not involved with her children's lives that she doesn't know Taeseong and Haebom haven't spoken to each other in ages and don't get along very well.

However, the magic of BL is still there and this drama is a good one time... or maybe two time watch. Taeseong's love for Haebom and all of the ways Taeseong protects and stands by Haebom is really the stuff of dreams. While I wasn't a fan of the high school storyline, I really enjoyed it once they got into college. In college, Taeseong is more expressive and really becomes a prince. Even Haebom surprises everyone by standing up to Taeseong's mom, and even proposing to Taeseong. Haebom, who had been hiding under Taeseong's love all this time, decided to wear his big boy pants and express his love to Taeseong! Finally!! Haebom makes the ending so adorable and sweet. I wish we had more time to see how them as mature adults, rather than as students.


Haebom x Taeseong

Haebom and Taeseong are adorable as a couple. During the high school storyline, they are very 2D, stereotypical manhwa characters, but in the college storyline, they grow out of it and become more expressive. In high school, Taeseong wasn't really leading man material. He did have the usual high school kinkga/princely thing going for him, but the moment he non-consensually put his hand on Taeseong, that really ruined his character for me. In college, though, he did redeem himself by being completely devoted to Haeboom without being very overprotective of him, so I enjoyed his character a lot. Haebom, on the other hand, doesn't really have a big character change, so in the ending when he puts on his big boy pants and expresses his love for Taeseong is a little left field for me. It closed the drama nicely, so all's well, but if we got to see him being more expressive leading up to him standing up to Taeseong's mom would have been great. Either way, they are a cute couple.


ACTING:

The acting here isn't very terrible, but Haebom was a little too mousy to be realistic. Other than that the acting was decent. Not terrible, but not great.


MUSIC:

I hated the music choices for most of the drama. The music itself isn't bad, but it felt like the production staff hired a high schooler from the 00s to choose the music. The music choices felt very amateur compared to the rest of the production.


OVERALL:

Cherry Blossoms After Winter was a nice BL. It was fun to watch, but it definitely didn't feel realistic. I would love to see an anime version of this instead though. Taeseong was very cute and adorable once he matured, so I want to see more of him. Also that ending!! I really, really wish we could see more Taeseong and Haebom as adults. Their student lives were dramatic, but their adult lives look like it would be a dream come true. I really would like to see it. We really don't need a second season, but maybe a special episode just to see what happens after the finale episode.

Leia Mais

Great Adaptation of Who Can Define Popularity? with a Film School Twist

Blueming is an adaptation of the webtoon "Who Can Define Popularity?" but it strays quite far from the source material that it has become it's own story.

As a BL drama, it is an amazing example of a textbook BL drama. However, because it is too perfect and is an idealistic BL, it loses some points in the realm of realism. Still a must watch BL.


STORY:

When Si Won was a child, he has a tough childhood. He was teased for being fat and his home life wasn't stable. His father cheated on his mother and left. Since then, his mother has forced her views of being in shape and looking beautify onto her children. As an adult, Si Won is no longer fat and very self conscious. He is also quite popular due to his good looks.

During Si Won's first year of film school, he meets Da Un, who is perfect in every way. Da Un is handsome, smart, rich, and is nice to everyone. Si Won hates Da Un because he finds Da Un to be the perfect person that he strives to be, but will never achieve. Si Won tries to stay away from Da Un, but that proves impossible when they are paired to work with each other in ever class. Da Un also seems to have taken a liking to Si Won and follows him everywhere.

As I stated earlier, Blueming is a textbook BL. Every plot point, character, and scene has meaning to the drama; and there is no fillers. There is also no plot holes. Every question we have is answered. However, whether the answer the drama has given us can be up for debate. For example, when Si Won gets upset at Da Un for having his mother give him the grand prize for his script, Da Un says he's sorry, but he just wanted to be perfect. What does being perfect have to do with helping Si Won win the grand prize? If he said he just wanted to help get Si Won's name out there, or something like that I'd get it, but what does perfect have to do with it? I was so confused that I decided to read the webtoon and that's where I learned where Da Un's answer of being perfect came from. In the webtoon Da Un struggles with good child syndrome, so he struggles to be perfect. In this BL adaptation, however, Da Un's struggles with good child syndrome are not touched upon, so his answer made no sense. Other than that this drama is a must watch. It's not as overly dramatic as your typical Korean drama, but it's a nice drama nevertheless.

Si Won x Da Un

Si Won and Da Un have really good chemistry together. Si Won is very high strung and narcissist, but he knows that and isn't afraid to admit his shortcomings. In front of others he tries to maintain a good image. Da Un, on the other hand, is kind, caring, and a people-pleaser. He's understanding of Si Won's short comings, but seems to have a hard time opening up to anyone about his problems. He knows he is rich and more blessed than others around him, so he forces himself to swallow his own pain and pretend he doesn't feel it.

Si Won and Da Un are really great together. They balance each other out and talk through everything. They have the best communication skills out of any couple (BL and non-BL combined.) They help each other through their problems and support each other. They really are relationship goals.


BLUEMING vs WHO CAN DEFINE POPULARITY?

As I stated earlier, Blueming is an adaptation of the webtoon "Who Can Define Popularity?" but it strays quite far from the source material that it has become it's own story. While the drama does follow the same plot of the webtoon, the situations, motivations, and scene are completely different.

For example:

Blueming
- Characters are all in Film School
- Da Un's family are famous in the film industry, directors etc.
- Da Un's mother and father seems to ignore Da Un's existence
- Si Won's mother is self-centered and cares about her kids' superficial beauty
- Si Won's storyline is the focus
- Da Un's storyline is cut. He doesn't really open up to Si Won.
- Ba Woo & Hoon's storyline is cut. Ba Woo is just a small side character that's barely memorable. Hoon makes a small cameo in the last episode.
- Yun Jeong and Si Won's sister's storyline is significantly cut. Seems like this could is queer baiting with their love storyline. Si Won's sister has a very small role in the drama. Yun Jeong is also a side character.


Who Can Define Popularity?
- Characters are all in the Student Council in University
- Da Un's family is Chaebol and Da Un is heir to his father's business
- Da Un's family really care for him, especially his mother, who is concerned about Da Un's good child syndrome.
- Si Won's mom is supportive of her family and doesn't care much about superficial beauty.
- Si Won's storyline is expanded, especially about being bullied in elementary school and later again in college.
- Da Un has a storyline about his narcissism and his good child syndrome. He opens up to Si Won.
- Ba Woo & Hoon are the secondary couple with lots of interactions with both Da Un and Si Won.
- Yun Jeong and Si Won's sister a small storyline. Both characters play a bigger role in the webtoon.
- Yun Jeong has a big love triangle with Si Won and Da Un.

Blueming still follows the main storyline of Si Won, but just changes a few things around. While a great adaptation, Who Can Define Popularity? is still the superior story as the audience is able to gain a better understanding behind the motivations of all the characters. Maybe if Blueming's episodes were longer than 14 minutes, the drama could have expanded the storylines and become the perfect BL that it was striving to be. I really wanted to see Da Un's struggle with good child syndrome on screen, but it was not covered at all. I hope to see it one day.

OVERALL:

Blueming is a must watch BL, but I still recommend watching Who Can Define Popularity? before or after. I think that Blueming is a great adaptation that can also be considered a stand alone BL.

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