This review may contain spoilers
Engaging Love Triangle
Overall, I liked this drama. I give it high marks for avoiding the worst of the gay cliches. Hai Qing (Aric Chen) is gay and in love with two slightly older men, wealthy and self-centered Fei (Tom Wang) and kind but poor and hardworking Pin Jun (Tim Huang). We're spared the usual BL agony of the characters trying to come to grips with being attracted to guys. Big bonus points for that. There are a couple of gay hate scenes from outsiders, but never more than hazing. We're also spared the cliché awkward bed scenes. Director Adiamond Lee moves the story along quickly and more or less logically. I never felt like the drama was padded with unnecessary scenes to fill time. I would have given the drama a 10 except for the abrupt and confusing ending. I had to watch the final scene a few times to figure out what happened. Apparently, Hai Qing chooses not to pursue either relationship and, instead, goes to America to finishing his schooling. Not the ending I was hoping for, but probably the right choice for the story. It does make sense that 19-year-old Hai Qing is too young to settle down just yet. In the final seconds he's writing a letter to Pin Jun, so we're left to speculate he may go back to him some day. The storyline of Fei's other boyfriend Jimmy (Charles Lin) is left unresolved. Maybe we're being set-up for a sequel? The main characters are well drawn and three dimensional, even the Jimmy and "Pinky" (Zahn Ya Han) characters. The character of Hai Qing's father could have used a few more scenes to better foreshadow the drama's conclusion. Hai Qing's apparent preference for Fei could have used some more exposition. We're left to assume it's more of a physical attraction or perhaps his wealth. It's pretty clear that Pin Jun is his soulmate, though. Happily, this is only 12 episodes so it's worth your time to enjoy the characters and their romantic encounters.
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