First Note of Love (2024)

Appreciate the effort

An average BL drama that does not feel bland yet not great either, it was just an ‘okay’ kind of show. They started well as I find the characters interesting but that’s it. I think the first to second episodes were the best ones out of the twelve episodes they had. I can see that they all did their best but the overall outcome for me was just fine, nothing less and nothing more.

I can sense the chemistry from the four of them but it lacks appeal. The way they bring us back when Neil meets the younger version of Sea is not cute at all as they end up being paired together. They should at least hired a teenager version of Neil to make their pairing pleasant since the age gap was shaking them out.

Reese and Orca's language barrier was a nuisance. They should just at least stick with using English when they speak to each other. Although the non-verbal communication, specifically the drawing, was charming. Reese is a giant cutie and I did not expect to see his hot naked body with him having a delightful young face.

When it comes to music as their genre, I just hoped that they presented more songs without repeatedly singing the same set of songs throughout the whole show. I got bored many times but still glad that I finished this without dropping. Love the cast but they should polished the script and execution prior to releasing it.

Read More

Kinda confused about the age gap

“First Note of Love” isn’t a bad watch. It’s interesting and has its moments, though I wouldn’t say it’s groundbreaking. I’ve definitely seen better, but honestly, there are way worse dramas out there. The plot is decent and moves along pretty well, but it could have used a solid villain or some real tension. Every good drama needs that bit of conflict to keep you on the edge, and this one was missing that.

One thing that did throw me off was the age gap between Sea and Neil. Sea’s supposed to be a college sophomore, which makes him around 20, while Neil, based on the flashbacks, seems to be pushing 30. That 10-year gap felt a little iffy and even uncomfortable, considering Sea is so young. I get that age gaps can add some depth to a relationship, but this one just felt a bit too much.

That said, “First Note of Love” is a chill show. It’s light, kind of sweet, and easy to watch when you just want something simple. There’s nothing particularly unique here, though, so it’s not the kind of drama that’ll stick with you long after.

Overall, it’s a decent pick if you’re into Taiwanese BL dramas and looking for something casual. Just don’t go in expecting a masterpiece.

Read More

An interesting start falling to a medicore end with lazy writing

While I always thought lazy writing is a thing for Thai BLs, it also happened here. Also to be a musician is about passion and I missed some of it. Even if you are down a lot and having a depression I would assume a musician will find help with his music. I understand stage fright but should he not have somehow mellowed it down because he has the experience after a while? It seemed like he's still a rookie.

There is no fault in the actors who did the best with a weak script they were given. Production quality was very good except the hair. Neither the wig nor the blonde extensions on Orca were a good idea. I also don't understand Reese why he has the problem to be with his love for such a long time and why both of them did not learn each others languages a bit. Did they not, because they were apart for a long time? At least they sould learn to speak english well which "Orca" did not and talk in english. I also felt there was not enough tension, longing, passion between the side couple, it felt bland. Also the actors did not convince me to be musicians, their performances with the instruments felt a bit stiff and unnatural, especially Sea on his keyboard even when the OST itself was nice. To be a music centric show needs more realism and more training for the actors.

So after a good start the show reduced intensitiy and they seperated the MLs because Sea needs to concentrate on music? Does that make sense? I don't think so. When you are in love seperating makes things harder imho. Even with some fluffy moments, this show can't be saved to be more than medicore. For a taiwanese BL that was disappointing.

Read More

Love what exactly....

It was a nice calm series and I was truly disappointed.

Six skilled actors delivering the most placid performance I would say for 2024. A nice concept, poor writing, uneventful episodes with little to no engagement. These couples didn't fall in love, they both eased into it. Their grief overshadowed everything else and made the story so subdued that I was left wondering what happened. They're all very likeable with no real drama. The healing from loss and abandonment was dealt with by all but without the bang. Where is the passion for living? The storylines were tied up at the end but very very very peacefully.

Reese finally agreed to go to Thailand with Orca. Sea finally tells Neil about their meeting years ago and how it saved him and Neil confessing how Sea empowered him to be brave. All done very quietly. Standout was Mei, working anonymously in the background to bring them together. 1 point for the casting team for choosing the actresses for Mei and Sea's blonde classmate. They brought their characters to life and relieved the boredom.

Too many flashbacks of the same scene. Magnet's one song religiously played for 9-10 episodes. First Note of Love was more like a lullaby. Charles, Michael, Jame and Min Ting were nice to look at but was expecting more. They did act well but just too quietly. Jame, blonde 1980' mullet - why, was the most engaging of all.

Watch if you've had a hard day and just want to relax without too much brain activity. Rewatch - pass.

Read More

They played with my heartstrings along with their guitars.

This was such a roller coaster of a series with how it would bring the viewer up and down and all around. There was such a tragic undertone throughout (which was beautifully done) while they still managed to make me laugh at some of their antics. And then the last two episodes had me bawling my eyes out with how bittersweet it was.

I will start off by saying if you simply want a story about a washed up singer falling in love with his new music composer, this isn't for you. While this series does have that, it does not focus on their relationship under a magnifying glass of scrutiny. The viewer isn't expected to analyze what every action means as far as their feelings for each other. Actually, there's not a lot of guesswork at all in their relationship since the show is very straightforward with that aspect. (You mean they actually communicate and there are no plot points centered around misunderstandings and assumptions?! Is it even a BL, then?)

While the main leads get equal attention, I will say it feels like the show is mostly centered around Neil and his grieving process for his brother. He has not moved on from his brother's death and only the threat of losing the last thing he had of his brother (their music) kicked his ass into gear to do something about it. That snowballed into him finally finding the encouragement to move on and live his life instead of just existing.

With Sea, we get a little glimpse into his background - absent parents, growing up alone and clinging to the idol who was likely the only person to show him any interest in his young life. His lifeline in Magnet was yanked away with the crash and affected him deeply, which is what they finally bond over.

Anyone who has ever lost a close loved one could relate to the pain and suffering and feeling of being lost without direction that Neil is going through. He was a big child who had his brother looking out for him and then he wakes up one day to find his brother is gone. Even for someone who hasn't experienced it, the way Charles portrayed it was gut-wrenching. He seriously acted his tush off for this role and I think it paid off.

The story was so well thought out and it progressed in a way that made sense. Yes, this meant it was a slow burn and yes it meant their romantic relationship was sometimes put on the back burner to simmer, but I feel like that made their coming together that much more satisfying. They each had obstacles to overcome and, while they were supportive of each other, they didn't rely on the other to fix their problems for them. They worked on themselves to improve and it was so refreshing to watch.

I like that there wasn't an abundance of side characters and that everyone who was introduced had a purpose. There was no real villain which was nice as the characters had enough inner demons to face without needing an external force to add to it.

If I had to say one thing that I wish were done differently, I wish they had more music (either as Magnet or as Neil and Sea) to play throughout the series. They kept playing the same 4 or 5 songs over and over and, while I get why they did it, it made things seem repetitive, even if they weren't. If you pay attention, you'll see there are storyline progressions with each time the play the same song, but to a casual watcher, it may be lost on them. Plus, I just really enjoyed the music so of course I wish there was more of it.

This was a very mature series without all the unnecessary NC filler. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy NC content and am a sucker for smut, but I feel like if they went any more detailed than they did, it would kill the vibe of the series and, honestly, it was perfect as it was.

Read More

An opportunity wasted

I expected so much more from this series. Having watched Jazz for Two, i thought this would turn out to be a Taiwanese version of that bc of the similarities in the plot. However, 5 episodes in and each one feels like I'm being forced to keep my eyes on the screen. I am disappointed. Poor storyline, too many flashbacks to one thing, no real chemistry between the ML and the music isn't even great. This was an opportunity to showcase how music can truly help one heal and how love finds you even in your darkest moments but it failed, abysmally. I have zero positive takeaways from this one and can only hope Taiwan does better.

Read More