All worth the wait

1000 Stars indeed didn't disappoint. In fact, it has exceeded most of the viewers' expectation and become this year's first contender for the best BL series.

The first episode was a bit long but it showed us just enough details to keep our interest and curiousity. The last scene of the first episode when Tian arrived at the village and saw the chief was a fitting ending and the same time beginning of their journey together.

We have seen how well the development of characters were shown. It is light-hearted and funny, but it was never corny. The teasing and flirting between the two main characters were perfectly acted that no 'I love yous' were needed. Their personalities also were perfect for each other. The gaze of the chief really makes everyone's heart melt. It's subtle yet it showed so much love.

The simplicity of life is the village is such a beauty in itself. The sunsets, the cliff and the mountains made the scenes even more romantic as they already were. Paired with the music of a traditional wind instrument, this series truly let all our senses experienced its beauty.

The last episode was indeed a rollercoaster ride. Viewers got frustrated and devastated at first. I would have settled with that 'ending' if it would make the story more realistic. However, the director really know how to play with our emotions. It was not until the last part when they were finally 'together'.

'Dont waste your life up here. You have your life ahead of you.'
'I am building my future here. With you.'

I know I didn't get the exact words right but that's really sweet. And the kiss, we didn't even think that it was coming but there it did, and it was a very romantic kissing scene with the sunset at the background.

Thanks to Phupha and Tian for a very wonderful story that will be remembered for a long time. To the whole team of 1000 stars, congratulations. It was all worth the wait.

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Masterpiece

When the trailer of this series was released, I knew something big is coming up for us. I expected highly, and what I've seen and experienced when watching the series is far better than my own high expectations.

The series especially the 1st episode was fast-paced and even then there was already a roller-coaster of emotions and it could be an entire film in itself. That very critical first episode was beautifully done - from the acting to the cinematography to the script. That critical first episode made viewers want to continue watching it.

The series made use of the beauty of Chinese characters. For learners and speakers of the language, it gave us a new perspective in looking at those characters now. Relating those Chinese words that they are learning in the plot makes the script even more creative.

The actors were superb. They don't even have to say anything. You can already feel so much emotions just by looking into their eyes. You can feel the confusion, the pain, and the love as they look at each other. Their acting were even more poetic than the script. And the way the director created the tension that builds up from one scene to the next, it was incredibly real. I felt my heartbeat raced while watching those scenes.

Being a coming-of-age series, it talked about the many different struggles of a teenager that all of us actually can relate to. All our wrong decisions, all the people we unintentionally hurt, our fear of unconformity and how unable we are to control our feelings are all painfully real.

That's why we don't blame Teh anf Oh-aew for all the mistakes they made. It's a part of their growing up.
(Now I'm talking like those two characters really existed)

Thanks to all those people who created this masterpiece, I Told Sunset About You. Thank you for telling us Teh and Oh-aew's story. They are those characters who will have a place in our hearts for a very long time.

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Five Course Meal

I am surprised by myself because I really love this series. Good thing I put it in my PTW couple of months ago, or else I would not have watched this because the ratings and reviews were not very promising.

I was biased towards this series mainly because it's about food. However, when I started watching I was immediately hooked. The eye to eye contact between the two main characters conveyed a lot of emotions. The music was soothing and the slow pace was necessary to enjoy and experience the moments. Like chewing your food slowly and enjoying the different flavors in it.

For me, watching 'Bite Me' was like eating a five course meal. The soup would be the all actors with impressive acting skills. The appetizer would be the different subplots and relationships between and among the support cast. The salad would be the wonders of Thai cuisine and history that were perfectly merged into the plot. The main course is of course the budding relationship of Aek and Aue (I still don't know how to pronounce his name). They can stare at each others eyes the whole time, I really won't mind. The kiss at the end of the series was the dessert.

I am full satisfied and so full (of love) after watching this.

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Like any phenomenal BL series, the last episode is always a bittersweet experience.  It's sad because it has ended; it's happy because everything is resolved and you can finally remember the characters in their sweetest moments.

Bad Buddy was aired after almost a year its trailer was released on YT. The first episode didn't actually had that impact to be honest. However, main leads Ohm and Nanon magically made the series really fun and enjoyable to watch. 

Of course Ohm and Nanon are great actors. Ohm has been in the industry for a number of years so he knows his craft.  Although it's Nanon's first BL series, he played his character very well. Their being good friends really helped their on-screen chemistry. Even the kissing scenes were realistic.

Another main factor that made this series different from others is that Pat and Pran already were flirting with each other early on.  They became boyfriends way before the last two episodes. Because of that, they had a lot of sweet moments together. You can also see how their characters and relationship develop.

Thank you Pat and Pran for making our Fridays special for the past weeks. We will surely miss both of you. Of course, thanks to Khun Aof for creating characters that will be remembered by BL fans for a long time.

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I have already been warned that this series doesn't make any sense. I still took the risk of watching it and indeed it's true. Not in a bad way though.

I waited for each episode every week. The chaos, the silliness and the love story all complimented each other making the series truly unique.

However, I think no one was ever prepared for the last episode. It had a more serious note from the beginning. Who would have thought the main characters won't end up as couples? But it didn't seem to be a sad ending. With such a small number of actors, you can see and feel their closeness to each other. I ddn't expect to cry at the end but I actually did. And of course, to live up with the craziness of the series, the spaceship had to be there. The heart-to-heart conversation between Nott and Pun in spacesuits, that's iconic.

At first, I honestly didn't expect a lot from this series. Now I am reminded not to judge a book by its cover. Thankfully there's a second season.

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I love this Chinese series. In fact, this was the first Chinese drama that I watched, the first series that I bought in CD (yeah, that's almost 20 years ago), and the only series that I'd rewatch everytime it's shown on TV. I can say my Mandarin improved from watching this so many times.

From a simple love story of Yi Ping and Shu Huan, the plot brought us to a family drama, friendship, a love triangle, war, redemption and ultimately back to love. The songs by Vicky Zhao were classic. Acting was also excellent. Even if it has 40+ episodes, I never got bored in watching this. How many times have I seen this? I didn't even count the number of times.

I miss this series. Maybe it's time for me to watch it again.

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This series is truly a game changer. I never expected something like this can come out from a BL genre. Its uniqueness captured audition in the first few episodes, the acting and story kept us drawn towards the series. There was never a dull moment and each episode gives you a different feel. The emotional rollercoaster ride was never too dramatic. Everything felt so real, you even feel the actors are your actual friends.

Most people say this is the best BL series this year, but for those people who have been watching BL series for a long time, this series is simply the best, ever.

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Once in a Lifetime Love Affair

Happenstance is truly a one of a kind production.  It shows two different worlds in two different time periods.  It is an irony in itself, also showing the same weakness and vulnerability people from both periods suffer from.

The plot is interesting as it implored idea of multiverse.  The story managed to compare and contrast the two different periods in the Philippine history both in politics and in sexual and gender identity.  It is philosophical at one point and just outright funny at another point.

The series is in fact very poignant. Their lines feel like poetry to the ears. And all those titles at the end of each episode is just brilliant.  All those complex human feelings about love and longing are all experienced and represented by words from different languages around the world. 

Like the word 'Mamihlapinatapei' (Ep 5) from the Yagan language in Chile.  It refers to the look shared by two people with each wishing that the other will initiate something that neither one wants to start.  Like the Japanese idiom 'Ichigo Ichie' (Ep 8) which describes a cultural concept of treasuring the unrepeatable nature of a moment.

Cinematography is great; with the tone and the camera angles adding more drama to the series (poetry) itself. The inclusion of the local myth is somehow cliche but on the other hand, it is good to know that such stories exist in this part of the world.

Although I have to admit that the last few episodes lack something, overall I still consider this series a great work of art.  I am sure I am going to watch this again soon.

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We shouldn't judge the book by its cover.

This is a gem. The development of the characters of Judah and Rocky were beautifully shown episode after episode. Acting was great, and music also complimented the scenes. It was funny and cute at the same time it showed different challenges of being closeted, of being a breadwinner, and of being in love. The script was beautifully written. Episode after episode there's always a roller coaster of emotions involved. And the ending? It was a build-up of the different possible endings (that the viewers can think of) and was shown in such a climactic way.

I'm sure I am going to watch this again very soon.

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I took the risk in watching this series with 50 episodes and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. This series is a saga about the different cultivators, power rivalry, friendship and most importantly the unspoken love between the two main characters. Acting, cinematography and costume are excellent. Although the BL part was censored, the eye contacts and the smiles said much more that the normal exchange of ' i love you' and kisses.

I was watching several other series before I started The Untamed. But right after the first few episodes, I was drawn to this that I decided to temporarily stop watching the others. This series made me laugh, angry, be thankful, excited, cry, and fall in love with the characters.

It's never too late to be a part of the world of Lan Zhan and Wei Ying.

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This series broke my heart big time. I appreciate tragic endings but this one really caught me off guard. After building the characters and the different conflicts in the story, then suddenly you feel a different mood in the last episode. It is one of the most unexpected endings I've ever seen. Surely we should 'Make Our Days Count'.

The actors did a great job. They were very natural and were successful in portraying the roles they played.

I just don't understand why viewers had to suffer from this series. I'm sure I'll still be sad in the next few days, I'm sure I won't be able to watch other series yet.

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