It was okay and then it was not.

VIP Only is a BL love story about a writer who is struggling to find his inspiration for his next book and a restaurant owner having problems with his own mother. I think this is a decent enough love story but it is not perfect. I will have to say that the partnership of Stan Huang and Chen Xuan Yu as the lead characters Gu Jing and Liu Li is actually quite interesting since we have a mature love story and the characters are playing their parts well. I mean, they are interesting in a sense that they are characters who have other priorities aside from finding love and that is a good thing here because it helped the story move forward but the story is slowly shrinking in a sense that there is not much happening that is not new or interesting to their stories until we got buried in the cliches of the genre and they were never to pull away from it which is a bit of a sad thing because the show started as something that is more into itself. It is as unique as they can be while properly managing the expectations of the viewers. It is not bad at all. I actually can say that the first few scenes had the grip on the audience but the story started to go out of control after the middle portion because it became repetitive so they are trying their luck with whatever they can but this led to aggressively quick storylines especially the one with Boss Gu’s mom. I feel like that is a storyline that they just wanted to getaway from and they did. It is a bit bad writing for me or they are at least finding it hard how to continue a story that already seemed finish in the first five episodes.

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Could have been so much better but it is not.

Naughty Babe is where the side couple from Cutie Pie is taking a center stage and the main couple is taking more of a back seat. The story follows Khon Diao and Yi as they are navigating their relationship which they had for a very long time now. They are a seasoned couple and the main problem here is that they have been together for quite a long time that Khon Diao feels and suspects that Yi is already cheating on him while it is also projecting itself to be a family drama where the family of Diao is really getting money from the family of Yi. Now, this is a story that we have seen more than a couple of times but I do not hate the show because I feel like the execution is not bad at all. You can easily see that this show has budget because it is a well-made show but I am hoping that they were able to put some of that in the writing of the series because they really pushed for this one and added as many things as they can like an amnesia arc, a family fight, and a fighting couple. There are so many things that are happening that they pushed it all in one episode which I feel like did not led to good pace for the story. The stories especially the family that had some issues against each other was more hinted rather than anything else that would merit something enjoyable to watch. The family drama is there but they were able to handle it so quick that I am wondering how it took so long for them to really handle it and the supposed villains of the story just were suddenly gone in the story. The chemistry of the main couple is there and it is undeniable but the story is not there supporting what they could have done with it. Instead, it felt a mediocre job for a story just to gain money from the love team. It did not feel like a commercial but more of an audition for another series which is okay if they made it shorter or if they could have put it in a more concise packaging. There is potential with the stories if they were just able to handle all of them slowly or if they decided not to put all possible hindrances and do nothing about them. Again, it is not a bad show because the chemistry is good and Max is hot but the story and the show is, unfortunately, bad and lackluster.

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AMAZING ROMCOM

I Became A Lead in A BL Drama is another Japanese outing and I am all for it. The story follows two actors who are on their way to stardom. Hajime started as a child actor and is haunted by the commercial that he did when he was a kid and Akafuji is this fresh new heartthrob and they were both chosen to lead a new BL series but things got awkward when Akafuji can’t tell Hajime that he is a fan of his and Hajime thought that he does not like him. Now, this is one of those misunderstood tropes where they are already slowly falling in love with each but are too afraid to tell each other about but what I love about this is the approach. I love that the show decided to slowly pull the covers on this one and create such lovely interactions between the characters.I have to admit that both actors in the lead are extremely handsome but I have to give it to Akutsu Nichika who is playing Aogiyama Hajime because he is a really hot human being and I was really building a crush on him. He gave this role a really good portrayal and he was so attractive. I actually think that both actors did an incredible job in playing these characters because you can clearly see what they are thinking by looking at their movements and, of course, the inner thoughts are spoken too. I feel like this drama is specifically catered to BL fans and that this one right here will make BL fans fall in love with the industry again. We all have been shipping our actors when they are playing these gay characters but it is very rare to see them really falling in love but we tend to overly wish for it that it can be dangerous in real world so seeing a fictionalized idea of what we want is pretty amazing because we are seeing the actors of a BL story fall in love. It is like seeing what we have been wanting to see happen in an alternate reality and that is comforting in its own way. I know that this is still a work of fiction but it is really comforting. At least, for me. I will not be shipping these actors in real life but it is to nice to it happen still or to have a version of it. This is only a three-episode show and I am not really mad at that because I still think that we got so much of what we needed from it. I feel like the characters had amazing interactions not just with each other but with the supporting cast as well. We have an amazing set of secondary characters here and it worked. Personally, I wish we got to see more of the relationship of the managers. I feel like they are very cute too and they had so much energy between them. Luckily, the love story of Aogiyama Hajime and Akafuji Yuichiro is enough to make me in love with the entire story that we got to see here. I am wishing to see more of these couple now that they are honest with their emotions and there could still so much story that they can put in this narrative. Anyways, I am just daydreaming here because I still believe that what we got in this show is a satisfying story for a lovely couple.

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A romance that is quiet but lovely.

The Eighth Sense is a BL story about a countryside boy meeting a man who just came out of the army and is going back to his old life. You can see that there is so much happening here with this characters and I was not expecting that in this BL. I feel like to story is really about these characters finding peace in another person and making it work as they face the new day. To be honest, I am impressed with this BL because the story is interesting as they are highlighting the importance of having someone by your side to help you with the difficulties of the world around you and I think that it is a very nice theme to have. The lead character is Jae Won played by Lim Ji Sub. He just got out of the military and he is handling the death of his younger brother whom he saw die in front of him so when we got to the shocking episode 6, I know how hard that will be. Actually, Episode 6 of the show is a real highlight for me because it is where the relationship of these two peaked so good. I mean, we have been seeing them thread the friendship and relationship as lovers quite often and I like that they are not rushing into things but what made it so good is that the romance slowly exploded in the sixth episode and we got to really see them be a part of each other’s’ lives as they slowly open themselves up and I think that is what a good start to a relationship so I was so gagged when the accident happened. I was shocked. I am shocked. It happened after the sweetest scenes and this led to Jae Won doubting himself again. This is a guy suffering from depression and he had this happen again can really be a scary thing so that opened a lot of his wounds so he begun closing himself up again and it was now Ji Hyun who needs to take the initiative and I am glad he did. I think the relationship is bumpy because these people are not clear-cut characters who are having the best time of their lives but they are individuals who are trying their best to survive this world and I like the realistic approach of this story to these kids transitioning from the student life to working. I have to give it to them because they are adding a realistic element not to be a blunder to the relationship but instead be something that is just there happening to them. To be honest, the last few episodes had moments in them that dragged on for a bit too long and I really wish that the characters would have just talked to each other but at the same time I was so happy to see a Korean BL that is more than 30 minutes per episodes. We even had an episode that more than 40 minutes so I really do think that this is a good and positive way for them to continue with these stories and I love this one. I have to give it to the chemistry of the characters here because they really looked cute together and the moments where they are supporting each other are really beautiful and honest to God, the sweetest. I love the chemistry and the acting. The stories about adulthood are important to highlight and they did that. I think this is a pretty good BL. The cinematography is another strength of this show because it really looked good and I love how some shots stay with the characters instead. They are focused on the characters and it was good to see them focus on the smaller gestures like walking silently while holding hands. These moments are what makes it so remarkable and memorable. I really loved and enjoyed watching this show as I hope that there will be more.

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The Sign worked on this one and gave us a cute couple.

The Sign is an action BL drama that I was not very sure at the beginning if it is a BL or not because there is so much action in the show. Luckily, I stuck with the show and the results were actually good because I did not expect myself to like it as much as I did. The story follows Tharn and Phaya. This follows the usual trope that they have met already when they were younger and they are now not very close at the beginning but things changed when they learned that they are actually very much familiar with each other. You can already tell that they are in love and Phaya is not even hiding it but they are in this group of friends that are solving this big case as well and things will soon entangle. Did I mention that there is a supernatural element to it? There is and it is actually very much satisfying that it initially was. This show can easily be what you can consider as too much but I was surprised with the story as it actually started to get a bit more interesting as the show continued and I am now glad that I did because it was really fun. I was so invested with the storylines and I feel like that the action part of the series will be coming together with the more supernatural aspect of the story I must say that it is working out flawlessly for them and they are still giving the romantic aspect of the show some time to breath so we can still fall in love with Tharn and Phaya. I have to give it to Billy and Babe because they are effective with their roles. I love their chemistry and Billy is really pushing for the romance aspect here and it is working. I love the scenes where he is being chummy with Tharn because it is what the show needed. I feel like they already did such a heavy material that it may be hard for them to really highlight the other aspect of the story. I think this is what’s important for me. I think the fact that they were able to really mix the storylines really well is pretty good. I have to admit that the ending is not very good or it was a bit boring but the way that we got to see the relationship is pretty watchable. I feel like chemistry of the lead actors is actually pretty good and the supernatural element of the story helped in adding to the romantic side of the storyline which is a good thing and not a lot of BL stories actually did that so I was pretty excited to see them do well in this. This is one of the BLs from Thailand where they were able to make it work. I may not fully like the villain because he was mostly not there but I can forgive them. The secondary couple is Khem and Thongthai and Khem is the only one of this couple that had a good character run. He is very funny and I was hoping his partner was given a chance to do something as well. He is there but was not given much to do. At the same time, I want to highlight that despite this show being talked about a lot in BL forums, the reason why I watched this show is because of GAP JAKARIN and that marvelous body of his. He is such a gorgeous specimen of a man and he is also very funny in the supporting role that he has. He is very good and I have to admit that I really like him in this show and that I have a huge crush on him. He is so sexy. The scenes where he is shirtless or just seeing his biceps onscreen makes me thank the BL gods for this fine piece of man. He is also a very good actor so I have to give it to him. He is funny and hot. He is very funny. To be honest, I really enjoyed watching this BL and it worked on so many levels. We were given such a good BL and I feel like Billy and Babe is a good couple and they were able to make the chemistry work out well. We needed that and we got that in this couple and in this BL story.

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Come on, Jun & Jun is a BL story from South Korea that will just make you so happy because everything about it is just light and pure love. I would usually slam them from having such storylines but the execution is what they always have a good route with. The story of Jun & Jun are two childhood friends reuniting in their adult years. Choi Jun is now the general manager of a company owned by their family and Lee Jun is a failed K-Pop Idol who is now an intern in the company where Choi Jun is the general manager. They met again but things felt different and it was later revealed that they somehow liked each other and my main concern in this show is that the love story felt a bit slow. Yes, I do think that focusing on the individual lives of these characters is a good thing but what it lacked are moments to really solidify that chemistry. It is there but we could have used more moments of them together. This is considering that there are two hot men pining for Lee Jun as well. Luckily, those two hot men ended up together in a way that did not shock me but it felt like a weird cop out from the writers. I feel like the chemistry there is a bit random considering that they are supposed to be in love with this guy and they ended up together instead. So, yes, there are some parts of the story that are not well thought of based on my opinion but I have to say that the ending gave us everything that they lacked like we got an insane amount of kissing scenes from Choi Jun and Lee Jun. By the way, they are portrayed by Ki Hyun Woo and Yang Jun Mo, respectively. I like their chemistry and I really do hope that they had more scenes together. I would also like a shirtless scene from Ki Hyun-woo. That would be highly appreciated. Before I sound bad, I really did like this show mainly because of the attractive cast. I like a confident top and that is what Choi Jun is giving. I very much like that and the chemistry when they are together just works well. I just wish that they had more good scenes together. The show would benefit from that. I am sure of that. This could easily be longer considering that they focused too much on the product that they are developing that did not even feel relevant to the story. Anyways, I still enjoyed watching this show and I think that is what matters most to me.

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21 Days Theory is a special miniseries in Thailand. It is a BL story about two guys in their high school years as they enter a bet that soon became them falling in love with each other. It is something that we have seen so much of already but what I think is the strength of this BL is that they only have four episodes so they did not have to add so many details in the story that will just confuse the viewers. My usual problems with Thai BL is that they are adding to many things in the story that it can easily get confusing but 21 Days Theory did not have that because it is representing a BL story in a much shorter period. There are three love teams here but the main character is of the same sex while the other two are of the opposite sex. They did not have to overly complicate the love stories due to the runtime which became their strongest suite here. They are not actually bad because of it. Instead, they just used it to show the theory and worked on the main relationship instead. Luckily, it worked. I like where they went with the story and I like that they are just giving us a cute and innocent couple. It is always nice to see that. Q and X are actually very fun to look at. Yes, the acting is not the greatest in the entire cast but I think it is enough to really watch them all and enjoy the experience.

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A good show is a good show.

Ototo no Otto or My Brother’s Husband is one of those really rare gems that you might fully know what you are going into but watching it is so much refreshing because it portrays gay people realistically. This is why we need to represent people in the most realistic possible way. There is a lot to unpack in this 3-episode series and that is amazing. The things that I want to talk about is the way that it handled grief and homophobia in Japan. These things are important but I want to start with the character of Kana because let’s be real here. Kana represents the young generation that is not yet polluted by the societal prejudices that we teach kids. I think what is important to note here is how the kids are actually more open to the idea of love and this is reflected on what Yuki said that people should be married not because of their gender but because of love. This is a beautiful sentiment and I wish that a lot more kids are like Kana and Yuki. Kana is such a kind soul. She is probably the best character in this show because of how she handles basically everything. She is so mature for her age so seeing some glimpse of the kid that she is makes my heart feel so full. Personally, I would love more people to be like her because this is what we forget when we turn to adults. We forget to be the better person who always try to understand other people and to always be open. I just really wish that by seeing this show, more and more people learn to tap into that inner child of theirs and find a way to be kinder to everyone around them. This would make the world so much better. Speaking of which, the story is about Yaichi whose twin brother died and his husband from Canada is going to meet them. The important thing to note here is that he is a good host and accepted Mike as his guest. He is processing the death of his brother while he is trying to fully understand what the situation means to him. There is a lot for him and one of the things that struck me is his homophobic tendencies at the beginning of the show. He is not rude and all but he was really homophobic with his thoughts. I have seen how common this is in the side characters as well who are meeting Mike. There is a certain level of silence that they will make you feel unwanted by them because of you being gay. There is no violence but instead there is silence. This, for me, is a harder way to handle because what can you do about It? I don’t know. This is why choosing to have his thoughts be transparent to us is important because we got to see him question himself as well. One of the things that shouted super homophobic is when he thought that Mike would also like him because he is a man and Mike is gay. This is super homophobic. Luckily, the writing is impeccable in this show. We got to slowly see his thought process change as he is exposed to Mike. He got to be more comfortable and realize a lot of things that he had never thought of before. I think these things are always important to do because we got to present him as a character but the development of this character is immense from how he is talking to Mike up to how he is handling his brother’s death. There is so much to unpack in this show but they are doing it so beautifully that we are reminded of how important giving people time to accept us. We cannot just ask someone to accept us immediately. It takes time to refocus one’s ideologies especially if this is something that they were taught. There are homophobic characters here but the show never judged them because the show is not about judging people. It is about understanding them and learning that these differences does not make you or them a lesser individual but instead it just makes you unique. This story was handled so well that the ending just felt like a great big warm hug that one can just feel. The attention to details and the writing is impeccable. It is unique yet it felt very familiar.

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I am quite proud with GMMTV right now because they are really showing surprisingly good BLs now and they are doing it in a very fast pace. My Ride is not an exception. I know that you may not totally like this or get this one but I really dig the story. It is a simple story of two broken hearts finding solace in ecah other in this really funny BL. They also have an older couple living together as lovers. This is what struck me the most because we do not see it as often. We have an older couple who is a side character that made it work and showed us that it is possible. The relationship that they have was at center in certain moments but they are mindful of how they will characterize both of them. They may always fight but what I love about this is that they are treated just like any other couple. The story handled sexuality in a more logical sense. We already have an out gay lead character in Tawan and a man who is still trying to figure out who he is in terms of who he wants to love. I know that the story is simple but the execution is a success. - The relationship of Tawan and Mork my kind of meet cute. It is simple and we got to see their characters develop a bond as friends that would turn into lovers. There is this certain level of familiarity between the two of them that happened naturally that I wanted to put emphasis on. The days are also a bit blurry since Tawan is like working continuously in certain episodes that some days pass by so that is a bit unreliable. I do not mind that because I think it just make sense that it is how they are towards each other. I like the concept of their relationship too. There is something so charming about Mork. He may not be rich but what I have felt all throughout the series is how much of a good man he is. He is this sweet guy to a lot of people around him and he is surely the definition of boyfriend material. Those dimples are everything. I think the humility of the character of Mork is what I have missed in BLs. We see it every now and then but he is at front and center. He is not the super-rich top. In fact, he is trying his best to live every single day. He was not able to finish his studies but he is trying to earn his own money to help his family. He is now showering Tawan with gifts but he is understanding of him being a doctor and he is supportive of what he does. This is something that Por was not able to show Tawan. I can get that but he is also a doctor and they are working in the same hospital. I kind of wished that he was more considerate but Tawan is lucky to have Mork as well. The show did not end with something but just Tawan and Mork together in the province trying their best to live every day. There is something beautiful with how it ended so peaceful. Mork struggled with his sexuality as he tries to rationalize what he feels for Tawan who is already openly gay. This is where his uncles have been such a huge part and friends. There is a good set of side couples in the show and a heterosexual couple. The story of Toy and Boss is more on the cliched type of BL with someone uptight and the other one can be obnoxious. It is sweet. There are a lot of really good things and funny things in their story. It does not have much air time but I think they are a good couple. I would not mind watching a series for them. Nadia and Mayom had a more interesting story. One is a woman who is searching for the one and the other one is really shy. I think they could have had a really good love story at the beginning if they just tried to listen to each other. This would have been lot shorter for them. Luckily, they have good chemistry. I don't think a lot of people will enjoy it as much as I did but I would really recommend it still for the chemistry and comedic moments. It is one good show to watch. It is not perfect and there may be things that they can do better but I will commend them for giving a decent story with a lot of charming characters. I think the strength of the show is in its more comedic moments. There are a lot of really funny moments from the side of Mork. His circle of supporting characters are the funniest. I want to give a special shoutout to Feung who is the funniest character in the show. His mastery of physical comedy and timing is what elevated his character for me that I really enjoy watching him play it out really well. Dej and Cheep are also really funny from the way that they bicker. I want to highlight what they said about being honest with each other to make sure that the relationship would work. I think that is something that should have been highlighted more. It is good. It is worth rememberig, The simplicity of the show is what I really liked and enjoyed about it. It felt like I am watching a simple and good love story. It is so decent and pure that I find it cute.

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I am IN LOVE

I would like to thank Tiktok for introducing this show to me because I have seen multitudes of spoilers of the show but watching it is a really different experience as I soon got the experience to really understand the context behind those clips. To be honest, I know no one who is watching this show so I am entering this with no recommendations except the ones from Tiktok. I am glad that I did tho because Yumi’s Cells is just really at the top tier of the Korean series that I got to watch because it is so freaking relatable. I have mentioned a lot that South Korea do know how to create the best love stories because they go deep into the psyche of the characters instead of just focusing on the idea of them being in love to each other. I think this is where Yumi’s Cells is winning because they managed to combine the character-driven story that we usually see in Korean series and love stories with the more romantic-centric Western movies. The result is one heart fluttering show that just made my heart melt whenever they focus on love and breaks it when the character is experiencing the same thing. I have read online that this is focused on the relationships that Yumi will be having so I am kinda digging the idea that there might be a second season.
The story is about Yumi. I think that is a really good synopsis for the show because it is truly about her. We got to see how her mind works as we meet these animated characters who play vital roles in making decisions about her but one thing that I would command is the portrayal of Kim Go-eun. She is doing a lot of facial expressions because there are a lot of internal dialogues played by the voices in her head. She is not crazy. The idea is that we have these cells-type individual living inside us participating in different decisions that we commit creating one hell of a person. This may not sound so original since we watched something like this in Cells at Work or Inside Out but what really elevated this story is that it is not really focused on being criminally accurate like Cells at Work or as deep as Inside Out but what it is trying to do is to just introduce us to Yumi. We are shown as to how she thinks and we got to see how her mind works through these cells. Kim Go-eun is what helping all of this because she is really nailing the facial expressions of the internal monologues while keeping a very strong presence in the show. She is the main character and she is giving us what she is being asked for. It is a very cerebral performance and she is giving us that. It is also a romantic comedy and the way that her character Yumi is written is a bit different because she feels like someone that we can all relate to. Honestly speaking, I see myself in different characters so that is something that I really enjoy. I feel like Yumi is someone that I know or is me. Go-eun really brings life to her. Yumi, on the other hand, is a good character to follow because she is a complicated female character in a romantic comedy. I know that we do not usually get this kind of words for a romantic comedy but Yumi’s Cells captured that thought process that everyone has and they kept on going for it. They are committed making this show such a lovable one to watch. She is also the titular character. I like that she is not the typical female Korean character because she objectifies Goo Woong too. I am not saying that objectifying is good but it is a difference that I am actually interested in. Her story is more matured than what we usually see and this is a perfect character study of who she is and how one’s mind works. The scene where she had to call it off with Goo Woong in the 13th episode of Season 1 made me cry. It is such an overwhelming scene because I spent most of my time falling in love with the love. My heart flutters whenever I see them together and them breaking up is something that I expected and knew of but the execution is impeccable. Go-eun’s facial expression and the way Yu-mi’s mind worked in that particular moment is amazing. I love how that sequence was made because we got to see a side of her that is a bit different. We saw a version of her that we did not want to see because we all have been in that situation and we knew how heartbreaking it would all feel. This is a genius moment of the show and I approve what they did.
For the first season, we focused not really on her first love but the love after she got dumped. The interesting thing about this love story is that the way it started is really good. She met Goo Woong when she was set up for a blind date by Chae U-gi who is the guy that he actually wants to be with. Side note, before I talk more about Goo Woong, Chae U-gi is played by Choi Min-ho. His character is actually gay and I am quite surprised with this twist since that is something that we do not usually see in a Korean series. We have a very handsome character who is gay and I am in love with this idea. I wish to see more of who he is as well. Now, let us go back to Goo Woong. He is played Ahn Bo-hyun. He is a game developer who happened to be insanely ripped and one of the hottest Korean actors that I know but his character seemed very reserved with his emotions except when he first met her. I love their first meetup because we got to see another character’s village of cells and how they work. The good thing about this is that they really followed a strong narrative with this character by really building his character as this slightly shady character who is also very sweet with Yumi. There was this scene when they fought during Yumi’s birthday that is resolved by a very romantic exchange. This is something that I enjoyed in this show. The relationship of Yumi and Goo Woong is almost an ideal type of relationship that I am really digging it to a point that I want them to be the endgame and I kinda hated Sae-yi. I love their banters tho. Again, Ahn Bo-hyun is such a hot man and I loved the scenes where Yumi imagined him taking a shower when she first came in his house or the one where she booked the glass wall. Those are really sexy. I love Ahn Bo-hyun and I love Goo Woong but we have to admit that he is also a very complicated guy and we got to see a lot of different sides of him. I felt like he is a very sweet guy but at the end of the day, we got to see that he is still a man that we all know. He still got his pride and his extreme self-love became a hindrance for him to go through with what he wanted to say and do. We can all agree with that. We all have that voices in our heads and we can all agree that being in a relationship is hard because of it. Nevertheless, the relationship that he and Yu-mi had is such a beautiful experience that one can only hope for. It is beautiful. It is real and the ending where they met for the last time in the front of the fountain where they first met is such a nostalgic moment that gave us the same level of emotions but with different emotions with the characters. At the end of the day, we have to choose ourselves and be happy with the decisions that we make even though we know the pain that it will cause us. This is an amazing example of what love can be. It will not always be nice and beautiful. We have to face the reality for it will not always be what we expect. I truly commend the writers of this series because they knew what they were doing and they did an amazing job in highlighting this aspect of the story.
I also enjoyed seeing Jinyoung in the show. He is so handsome and I feel that he will be YHu-mi's next boyfriend and I love that they started as work friends and not romantically involved immediately.

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Simple, Lovely, Golden Retriever

Monster Next Door is probably one of the sweetest thing that I have watched. I know and you can clock me on this one but I am a sucker with a good love story that does not overly dramaticize or sensationalize stuff but instead they are trying to just be as normal as they can. This is why I really loved it. Basically, the story of the show follows Diew who is the stereotypical example of Introvert and God who is a stereotypical example of an extrovert. They fell in love with each other with the efforts of God to really push himself to be loved by Diew. I think we can say that it is a love at first sight and the romance is more or less what we can consider to be easy because they are already felt something towards each other but the main hindrance to their relationship is their difference in personality. We have a character who is more comfortable with speaking and I really understand this character so much but I think what I love with the character is that even though they marketed him as a stereotypical introvert, we also got to see a different side to the character as he is trying his best to really relate to the people around him. I think this is a big plus because we need this kind of representation that they may prefer to be alone but there are also those who seeks comfort in the people that they are close with. This is why I love that he is given a friend with Game who is also an introvert but is more flexible. I applaud that they did not just make him a stereotype and made him into a more realized character. He is played by Park Anantadej Sodsee or Park. I was actually trying to figure out his character as well but we got to really see him shine in the moments that are more quiet. I have to give it to him because he was able to show range with his facial expressions with a character that is usually not speaking. Then, there is Big Thanakorn Kuljarassombat or Big who plays God. First and foremost, I already have a huge crush of this guy even before I watched this series so I am so happy that I get to see him as a lead character. He really deserved it and I was so proud for some weird reason because he was good. He is a golden retriever in this show and I love that he really tried to understand Diew and he is not just forcing him to follow his values or his ways. I respect that. Seriously, I think I have watched stories where the introvert had to adjust to the extrovert but they really decided to slowly let each other into their lives without changing who they are. This is the main thing that the show is doing and I love that they did not try to overly complicate such thing and instead just focused on the romance that we are supposed to watch and it worked. I loved their interactions as they try to understand each other better. They are respecting their boundaries and even though they had a big fight in the show, I will have to say that I am glad that the directors and the writers did not make it into something so much bigger that they cannot resolve in one episode or just by talking, they had to separate for awhile but they are trying their best to respect each other’s boundaries and to not let their emotions get the best of them so when they talked, they felt more honest and mature with each other. I LOVE THAT. Also, I love Big so much as God. I mean, the guy is the most attractive human being with that fucking smile that will just make me swoon. The body, PERFECTION. He is so perfect for the role and it worked so well. The secondary characters are okay. I think this is where the miss is a bit. They really focused on the main characters and the secondary characters are not given stronger narratives except for the secondary couple. Wan and Beer are okay but I was happier to see Game and Win so much. Win is just so cute and I would not mind if they will have their own BL series. I will watch it in a heartbeat. I really enjoyed watching this BL because the pacing is good and the story is easy to watch. I like that we got really good sweet moments in between that really accentuate the love they have for each other. I love that there is good character development for the main characters not just as a couple but also as individuals as they are trying to also fully accept who they are and what they are for each other. There is a certain love that makes you feel comfortable and that is what I felt watching this show.

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It was okay.

Addicted Heroin is the Thai adaptation of the most controversial BL story in the history and it is from China so that says a lot already. I have so many emotions about them adapting this story but what I want to highlight here is that we are going to at least get a closure to one of the best love stories that never happened. I love Addicted and even though I came in late to the Addicted train, I feel like I still have so much love for the show and it did give me so much love when I was watching it. I feel like the show deserve so much more and it did not but I am excited to see what they will be doing here. The story is still very much the same as they are still step siblings who, unknowingly, got closer when they did not know that they are actually step siblings. They are those souls who found solace in each other that led to them really falling deeply in love and dependent on each other but things were not easy for them because they have ex—girlfriends and family to deal with. Now, I was really not expecting much from the series. I will be honest and I know that there is not much that they could do here that would make me fall in love with them as much as I loved the series. This is what I was initially thinking but I was so damn wrong. I mean, I don’t think that they were able to fully get the pull and the chemistry that the original series had but what they did is to create their own identity instead and to make the lead characters have so much chemistry that it fucking worked. It did and I was so impressed with the way that they did it. The lead characters here are named Hero and Poppy played by August and Mac respectively. Now, the chemistry of these two just really grew on me and I was not even expecting that much from them. Initially, the acting was okay but it did not really stand out but the very moment that series played longer, I feel like we got to really got a more rounded group of characters here that are worth watching. I was soon enjoying what I was watching and the characters had so much growth that I am not comparing them to the original anymore. This is like a totally different show now with teenage kids so, in a way, I understand where they are coming from. Well, I would not agree with how Hero handles thing all the time especially when he kidnaps Poppy. I am strongly against that. This is why him slowly learning to be more mindful of other people and the constant jealousy from his side was played out really well. I don’t think that they do have a mature relationship yet but what they do have is a lasting one where they are learning together what they are wanting in life. Hero is a character that one can consider to be impulsive but he is also very direct with his emotions. He can be a bit selfish considering that he knows what he wants and that is Poppy. Poppy on the other hand is more mature with knowing what his role in the bigger world is. I think this difference in personality is what made them a solid couple because there is so much room for growth in both of the characters but by being together, we can see them slowly embrace improvements into who they are. I love the relationship where they are learning and are improving. We have seen this happen so many times in the show and I like how it was not villainized nor romanticize. Instead, it just felt a normal thing that they could overcome. It was initially a very silly show for me but it slowly got more serious with the story of their families and I do agree with Poppy that his mother really was disappointing for thinking Hero and his father in that way and I agree with Hero for thinking that his father is abusive because he is. We got growth these characters in the end but the ending is a bit vague still with what their stance are. I hope we will get more from the story though. I think that the weakest part of the story is not actually the main couple but the secondary couple. Hear me out and you can disagree with me on this but the secondary couple of the show with Tiger and Only is just too forced to be interesting. The very moment that they did a redo of the introduction of Only is the very moment that I know that they will be a hindrance in this show to go so fucking smoothly. Again, it is shitty to say the least and I am being kind with my words right now. I feel like we have a main couple that surprised me and was actually good but the secondary couple was just forced right there. I feel like they really forced Only to be a handsome guy he is not that very good-looking nor interesting at all. It is such a fucking failed attempt and the scenes they shared can all be removed from the story and it will actually be so much better than it is. I heard that there might be a second season and that might help them give us a more solid ending for the family storylines but Poppy’s father is such a good man. He is so awesome. At the same time, I like that the show really had opposing views from the parents which is always understandable. I do believe that it is not always rainbows and butterflies so seeing that be portrayed on screen is as important but the show is a relatively good show. I mean, it is not the most fascinating show out there and I don’t think that they were able to bring the kind of heart we expected from the original series but what we got is pretty interesting as is. I don’t think that it is a bad issues and I do think that it had good moments. It can be improved so much better but we got a decent adaptation.

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Finally, Love in The Big City is already out and I have been waiting for this show for such a long time now because a KDrama that is led with a gay character and I have been hearing the outrage that the show is getting just makes me want to watch it even more. I have not read the book or watched the film. I am planning to do all that after watching this series because this is the easiest to access but I am actually quite excited with this show. As I mentioned, I have been waiting ever since the conception of its idea an it was revealed online. I mean, a series in South Korea, an extremely conservative and outdated country, is showing a series led with a gay character. On top of that, the lead character is played by Nam Yoon-su who is a relatively famous actor and is someone that I have seen many works of. He is a really good actor and he is such a brave guy for doing this. I know that he is not gay in real life but he is a really good actor and he portrayed the character really well. I will not be considering this a BL because I feel like there is so much more to the story of the show and it is heavily focused on just one character. Basically, it is an exploration of how a gay man lived in South Korea. The story is set in modern times and what I like about it is that it is not just focused on showing one side of the society as it will be exploring a side of South Korea that we have never really seen before. The show is episodes and they are separated into 4 parts tackling different points in Go Young’s life. The first is the beginning of the story and it is focused on how he was able to build a lasting and friendly relationship with Mi Ae who is regarded as an outsider in their school as well. I love this storyline because it really showed us how good life can be if you have someone who you can truly trust and be friends with. It is such a sweet beginning to their friendship but you can also see the characters continuously grow as well as individuals. They are both labeled to be outsiders but they were able to find their footing in life and were both able to find solace in finding another person who can still be their soulmate even though it is not a romantic one. We also have the first boyfriend of Go Young that is presented in the story. It is a photographer named Kim Nam-gyu. He is a guy that seems more mature. To be honest, this is the kind of my guy that is usually my type but I can see why they were not perfect for each other since they are looking for different kinds of relationship at the time. Nam-gyu feels like someone who really is looking for his forever love and he is a splendid guy but he tends to move a bit too fast while Go Young is still trying to enjoy his young life as much as possible. I was a bit heartbroken with how Go Young broke up with him and how he just moved to someone who cannot love him as much. On top of that, he died and Go Young kind of realized that the kind of love that he offered him is what he might soon be looking for. I would want to have that kind of love actually. This is also a really good start for the kind of story that we are going to witness. It is immediately established that our main character will not be a clear cut of a good person but it also showed us his humanity. The second storyline focused on his mother and the man named Noh Young-soo that he met in a philosophy class or group. Shit is getting serious in this one and I was not expecting it. They are really going for the jugular in this one but let us start with the relationship that he had with Noh Young-soo. He is played by Na Hyun-woo and he seems to be the most good-looking out of all of them. The body is insane. The abs in fucking hot. I mean, I can understand why Go Young really fell in love with him. I feel like Go Young is more ready for a relationship now and he really fell in love with Young-soo but he seems to be someone who grew up differently from him. He tends to be more lowkey and I think that his story is focused more on internalized homophobia that some gay people have. Personally, I do have this as well when I was younger but Young-soo never really grew out of it as he is still someone who is not out to the people around him. You can sense how hostile things can be if the topic is being opened up and he changes. He is like two different individuals when he is outside the house and when he is in and the way that he handled it is just heartbreaking. The dinner scene was just sad to watch as Young-soo really loved him despite seeing the extremely homophobic paper that he is writing. I hated that scene so much and I have so many emotions that went in when I watched it. I am not sure if I hate Young-soo but I pity him so much. This is also happening when we got to finally meet the mother of Go Young, Eun-sook. It was already revealed that they do not have a good relationship but it was revealed here that she actually put him in a conversion camp or something related to it when he was younger after seeing him kiss another boy. This must have been heartbreaking for him and I disliked the religious mother in that scene. I think the best thing that came out of this portion is that he was able to have a more loving relationship with his mother which is something that he never had because of what happened. It is sad to see that things like this still happen to people out there and I can now understand the character of Go Young even better. Nam Yoon-su was able to really play this character well so far that he was giving us the range that is needed. He is such a good actor. I am so impressed with what he is putting into this role. The scene with him and his mother may seem like a very simple scene at the end but it was such a warm ending to a heartbreaking story. It is that mother’s love that he truly deserved so much. The next storyline involves the aftermath of his mother’s death and as he tries to start again by finding a job but it is really about him finding a more stable relationship with Gyu-ho who is a bartender in the bar that he and his friends go to. This is a different pace from all the relationships that he had so far as this feels more like a two-sided relationship as they have fallen deeply in love with each other but we also got introduce to another girl in his life named Kylie. I was so surprised to learn that Kylie is the name he gave his HIV when he was detected and how he admitted this to Gyu-ho is such an important part of his story. This show is tackling so many things at once but his relationship with Gyu-ho is representing gay people in a mutually loving relationship and how it sometimes grows stale as the time pass by. They ended up breaking up at the end and that hurt me so much because they really wanted to be together but they are kept on being pushed outwards each other with the decisions that they are making. Gyu-ho is like the one that got away and the man that he is destined to be with but it never worked because the timing is not just right and I really wished that they ended up together because they are so good. It is not a perfect relationship but I know that they could still fight for their relationship but they are doing unnecessary sacrifices so that they could save each other that it ended tearing them apart. This is where Go Young’s past experiences are haunting the hell out of him and being a relationship that is as comfortable as the one, he had with Gyu-ho scared him. Gyu-ho deserved so much more love. I think this story also highlights the fear of those living with HIV and how it affects so many things in their lives. It is such a sad story and there are more people who have this mindset. Unfortunately for Go Young, he never really got the support that he needed because he was so scared of the taboo from the society that it hindered him from having open conversations and to ask for help about it. It is just so sad. I was so heartbroken with the scene at the airport when they finally said goodbye to each other. There is something so raw about that scene and Nam Yoon Su and Jin Ho-eun gave exceptional performances. It is just beautifully heartbreaking. There is so much love between the two of them and they had a hard time to navigate alongside each other and I feel like I have seen so many relationships fall in that pit may it be a homosexual one or a heterosexual one. We got to watch the aftermath of this story in the last part of the show where Go young is now more successful with his writing that he got to resign from his work but he still remembers and misses Gyu-ho. We got to see him start a new relationship with Habibi but I don’t think they were able to do something here but what is interesting is that he is still in the process of moving on from the relationship with Gyu-ho so Habibi is more of a side character in this sense. I think at the end of it all, a part of me is wishing that he was able to find someone to love and I hope that he will be able to rekindle his relationship with Gyu-ho whom he really made a wonderful connection. On the other hand, I am happy that he is becoming more mature especially with how his story really went. I think it is easy to say that Go Young is a character that is not easily as likable as you want him to be. He tends to do things that are not what we would consider to be good or right but he is at an age where he is a bit more impulsive and we got to really see him improve and find his very own path in this crazy world as we explore loving someone in this big city called world. Nam Yoon Su is such a trooper for all the things that he did in this show. I feel like he gave a much believable performance from start to finish showing the character growth and development that his character needed. It is a good exploration of what love really means and how we sometimes tend to ruin it for ourselves. It is such a good story with a sad, perfect, individualistic, and I have so many more adjectives for this show. I think, at the end of the day, Love In The Big City is as what the title suggest, it is an exploration on love what is and what it can be. It might not always be what we are expecting or we might not be seeing it when it is there because we are all living in a world so big that it is easy to miss. It can be maternal love that learns to accept you for who you are. It can be a platonic love between friends that are meant to be together forever. It can be about the love you receive or the love that you take. It can be a love restrained for a certain amount of time. Love is just whatever you expect and don’t expect it to be. It can be anything. It can be found anywhere. It can be with anyone. You just have to learn to open yourself up to receive it and learn to give it as well to those who matter to you.

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Kim Hyun-soo

One Ordinary Day. I think it is time to finally talk about this masterpiece and I think more people should be talking about it. Seriously, this is a bleak topic and I am even surprised that a big mainstream name such as Kim Soo Hyun will take on such role is just interesting for me but to say that I was blown away of his performance is an understatement but what is this show about. I think the way that we can describe this show is a thriller and a really good one at that. Kim Hyun-soo (I have to admit that I was a bit confused with the name of the character of Kim Soo Hyun here because it is just basically his name where the first and second were just interchanged. This is surprisingly my biggest issue with the show. I feel like they did not really do much here) is a student in his twenties. He is the usual kid who is studying while trying to enjoy his life but one night, he decided to be more of a rebel and take his father’s taxi without permission ad he also met this woman that he later hooked up with. It is a pretty normal night but things went awry when he woke up and she is dead beside him. They had sex and the girl had some weird shit that she did but things went south and he was caught. This is where a series of unfortunate events happened to the character and the story is basically a huge jab and blow to the justice system that they have. Let’s be honest as I am in that point of my life where there is nothing that the government can do to make me trust them as much as I distrust them now and this is applicable to any countries out there. This is why seeing how flawed the justice system works not just in my country but also in other countries does not fully surprise me but it also still infuriates me. I am not sure if this is making sense and I do get why he is the main suspect as there were so many evidences that are pointed towards the character but the blatant refusal of the head detective to not accept any other possibility to what happened to this girl bothers the hell out of me. I am seriously fucking gagged and gooped with how many details he did not take into consideration because he thinks that he killed her. I mean, I would also think of him as a prime suspect but the possibilities are right there up there noses and the evidence that really proved his innocence was already in there possession if they just really looked at the photo. The evidence to the crime committed was literally right there. We have a photo of who did it and that is just so heartbreaking to know and learn that these things do happen more often than not to people who cannot afford to properly defend themselves. Let’s be real here and that attorneys like Shin Joong-han are as uncommon as they will come in reality. He is a character that is extremely flawed but he is a character that is standing up for the good. You can see how hard he fought for this man to be freed from the shackles that he was forced to be in. It is nice to see Cha Seung-won portraying the role because he was able to play the character’s nuances and to give him the humanity that he needed to be interesting and relatable. The scene he had when he finally delivered the good news to Kim Hyun-soo at the end was just a beautiful moment but he had so many good scenes in this show as he acted as someone who really invested his time to help the guy. He is someone that we need more of. I just want to give a special shoutout to Kim Young Ah because I know that she only had few scenes and was a supporting character but she delivered one of the strongest scenes when she testified in court. She is such a marvelous actress. Another thing that we got to explore here is the inequal treatment of inmates in the prison system. This is a problem that we have heard of but since it is not affecting us directly, we have kept on looking away from it. The immersion of Hyun-soo in that place is where the important transformation in his life happened with the help of Do Ji-tae played by Kim Sung-kyu. He was like the person who helped him get his way there. He is certainly not perfect as he is running the prison cell but I love the depth that Kim Sung-kyu was able to put in this character. I kinda fell in love with him too but that is not the point here. He is someone who was wrongly accused and saw that in Hyun-soo too. I actually get why Hyun-soo started to get as confused with what is happening to him because it is hard to be in that position. His life is ruined and I have to give it to Kim Soo-hyun. I binged watch the entire show and what really struck me with his performance is the transformation of his character from a young boy to a more matured man. The crying scene in the first few episodes and to see them slowly be fading as he is turning into something different and more cynic about life is just sad to watch. I was struck with how this event have redirected his entire life. This is not something that he envisioned himself to be in and no one did but he had to forcibly redirect his life and turn himself into something that he never wanted to be just to be able to survive and I wish that to happen to no one in this life because you can see how this drastically changes everything in that person. You can see that young boy be gone in just a matter of months. At the same time, we are also shown how this drastically changes the lives of the family of the person. I do get and understand why Hyun-soo had to change but this affects so many other people too. It just hurts to know at the end of the day that he is not the one who killed her because I feel like his life was stolen from him and he will have a hard time to get it back. The scene at the end of him standing on the rooftop of the building does not fully say what he will do but one can just hope that he will try to reclaim his life. It is heartbreaking to know that these types of stories are not as uncommon today than it was. I really do hope that the justice system would be so much better that instead proving yourself to be right, we will do what is right. I think that the murder of Hong Guk Hwa was not even resolved immediately because of this. I feel like they have focused more on pinning Hyun-soo down that they have forgotten the true victim of the crime which is Guk Hwa. The injustice that she had to still go through even after her death felt like the true crime in all of this. There is a really thin line here and they all have crossed it. One Ordinary Day is just any other shows out there as it shines light on something that we prefer not to talk about. It shines light on something that we should be talking about. It shines light on these very dark cells and see how we sometimes create the monsters that we fear most of. The story of Do Ji-tae is a prime example of that and, even though Hyun-soo was able to get his freedom back, the real question still remains – Is he REALLY free?

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Wholesome, Lovely, and YECHAN

Love Tractor is a Korean BL that is so famous before that I have really been wanting to watch it but I was not because of reasons that I will never understand why. I have seen the trailer and how hot the characters are and I, immediately, wanted to watch it but it took me some time to actually do so. The story is about this law student who is giving away his opportunity to study abroad despite being the smartest guy in the room because he is going back to the province where his grandfather lives. His grandfather is now staying in Seoul for health reasons and he decided to be the one to stay there instead and this is where he met THE RAY OF SUNSHINE named YECHAN. This is where their relationship started and it is a slow development. Well, I think we can all say that YECHAN fell in love with Seon Yul in the few moments that he shared with him and that love is what interested me because Yechan is an interesting character. He is giving off that Golden Retriever vibes and he is such a warm person to be around. He is honest with his feelings that even though his feelings were not immediately reciprocated, he really pushed for doing his best to really woo him and it worked out. I am in love with characters that are just pure and full of positivity that they are trying to give their best despite the world really not giving them a chance to do so. Yechan makes use of what he has and uses them to his advantage. I think we can say that he is a simple man and that is the best thing about him. He met Seon Yul during his Yul’s time where he is having difficulty with himself and is not very happy with where he is as he is torn with what he really wanted to do. Then, there is this guy who is completely opposite of him who is unafraid to love him and support him no matter what. I mean, this guy is just a dream to begin with. Personally, I would easily fall in love with this guy. I know some would say that he can be annoying at times but he still listens to him. You can see him respect his decisions and his wants. He is supporting him of his dreams and respectful of his actions too. There is something so sincere with their dynamics that I was instantly a fan of their relationship as they are providing something that the other is needing. At the same time, they really gave us so many cute and lovely scenes. I am a sucker for good romantic comedies and Yechan really delivered in the romance and the comedy aspect. The scene where he went for a check up when his heart beats fast for Seon Yul is really funny. The facial expression of Yoon Do Jin who played Yechan is incredible and he really is the star of the show. It also helps that he is good-looking. I easily fell in love with Yoon Do Jin’s face and skin plus the shirtless moment that just proved how gorgeous this man is. He is manly man and I love that but he is also a very soft man to say the least. He is so gorgeous. I love him so much. Do Won who played Seon Yul also did a good job. I love his change in demeanor as the story went on. I love that. It is really entertaining to see him become this nicer and sweeter person. The bickering of these two characters is good and the relationship started with so much love in it that my heart will just burst with happiness. I love a good love story.

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