questionable

i watched some of this series back in 2022, but never came around to finishing it. after revising in 2024, it's still just as messy as when i left it.

some of the saving graces for this series is the actors. looks, yes. chemistry, yes. erotic (though unecessary) sex scenes, yes.

but. acting can't save a messy plot. honestly, towards the end, i was just asking myself, "what..?" i sat down and finished it in one sitting, because every new episode was crazier than the last. the entertainment value is there, but it's kind of sick.

kim and porchay. didn't like it, definitely didn't love it. but, i didn't hate it. it felt forced, rushed, untouched, and messy. they meet up, we see them on screen together maybe five times, and porchay asks kim if he loves him? kim's whole reasoning for being there gets revealed by other members of the family regardless, so it was all pretty meaningless. no tension, no chemistry. and this could be due to acting issues, but there was no room for them in this messy plot. i don't know whether their relationship was supposed to go a specific way, but they were robbed of any kind of happy ending. felt like angst just to be angst, no actual meaning behind it. the only time i felt convinced was when kim was kicking some ass for porchay without him being aware of it.

vegas and pete. jesus christ. what the fuck was that? others who are into that kinky idea, be my guest. felt like some sick form of stockholm syndrome, where love doesn't even look like it would fit. but somehow, that's where we ended? vegas is shot and he still gets to live? it felt really sick, i tended to fast forward their scenes.. but they still had more than kimporchay had to me, and yet they probably got less screen time. if pete truly feels he belongs as vegas' pet then hey, i guess i'll let them have their moment.

kinnporsch... well. it was the main couple, they started out great, and i was definitely into the idea of them. porsche is a loveable guy, handsome, and seeing him interact with a rich mafia boss? yeah, i was down. but it just got worse and worse, especially considering all the horrible things kinn did to porsch, and yet.. "let's start over", "i forgave you a long time ago." it wasn't awful, and their scenes together outside were actually some of my favorite. we saw kinn smile, they seemed happy, with no real expectation of eachother. but i still felt underlying sickness, and their relationship truly never got to a solid, reputable point.

this story is definitely erotic, but it got to the point of being too much. the ending was pretty terrible, but it left room for more. if there was another season at some point, i think i would watch out of curiosity. it's rare to see a series get the "mafia boss" persona right, but they built kinn up really well, and he embodied a lot of what other series try to be.

for everything this series did right, there were so many left turns and wrongs. it's not the worst one i've seen, but the storyline gets pretty gross at some points and simply brushes over some really important themes. i don't know whether id recommend it per say, but keep these things in mind when watching it.

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charming and well produced

i have a lot of good things to say about this series. its plot is well fit into the amount of episodes. i enjoyed the quick pace of the series; there was always something developing as time went on.

the acting was fantastic. i think everyone did their job excellently, especially considering the chinese censoring. the chemistry is undeniable and sweet. chinese "bromance" series' usually leave me wanting more, but this one had me full through until the end. the production is also really high quality.

the plot is a bit unrealistic; it's unusual for a wealthy man to take on someone as his son with good intentions. but that's what makes this series so charming. it's unique and i can't say i've seen anything like it.

overall, great series. i enjoyed it and i would rewatch it again over the course of the year. it gets to the point and i enjoyed every minute of it. i also enjoyed the product placement. it's hard to successfully promote a product without it being cringy, but this series pull it off quite well.

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this series had me coming back each week to watch more. the love triangle was done in such a satisfying way. no one couple overshadowed the other; both had good chemistry; and both made sense.

i enjoyed the acting, and i think the awkwardness fit into the series really well. i think it portrays the "first love" in a really raw, innocent way. you can tell that all the boys are inexperienced when it comes to love, but they find themselves along the ride because of each other. i think that's really sweet.

i don't enjoy the idea that the only female became the antagonist, but she did, and i can't change that. the way her character came off was very childish, and without namgung's guidance, i don't think there would be a lot of hope for her. i think society in general could've gone well as the antagonizing factor, but that's also overdone, and for that i'll give this series credit.

overall, it's nothing new as a story, but it sure is cute, and it's worth watching. it's definitely up there in my list and i recommend giving it a watch if you're into the kdrama scene.

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i like how easy this series is to binge. i'm big on sitting down and watching a show all the way through, so this series was really refreshing.

i like the historic timeline! i think it fits really well, and although i'm not very knowledgeable on the topics brought up, everything was fairly easy to understand. the acting was also fantastic. i never got bored of the story because i couldn't get into a scene. all of the actors are very talented and i'd love to see more from them, especially a season two. the series ends with a lot more questions than answers

i think overall, the storyline at the end was a little rushed. the last two episodes probably have the most going on on them. i wish it were more spread out, rather than all of these characters suddenly getting detained. the plot is quite unrealistic as well, so it can be a little difficult to relate, but i think that makes so unique.

i really liked the second "couple" and really wished they got more screen time. i think their chemistry was really cute; especially the target practice scene. i wish we got to see more of them, but i understand why we didn't.

i liked this series! i would definitely recommend for a quick watch. i'd love to see another season and get all of these questions answered! looking forward to it.

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this series was beautiful. i found myself waiting with anticipation for every episode. i love this series a lot; and it's risen to be one of my favorites from 2021.

i love the way the story is set up. i love the way the characters have background and meaning behind their actions. though some of the main couple's moments can feel silly, it never feels overly unnecessary at any time. i especially love how the female characters aren't written as evil; and i even love the ex and how he isn't necessarily the bad guy.

when it comes to acting, i think YZ and ZT have more chemistry. it could be because ZT is easier going in romantic settings, but their scenes are filled with emotion. it almost feels like the love YZ and SL portray isn't as strong (as much as i love them together). the ending didn't hit as hard as i wanted it to; the bed scene seemed sloppily added and i didn't love the proposal from ZG and SQ. BUT i understand why they happened and i do love a happy ending, even if it is rushed.

overall i recommend this. i have endless good things to say about it; good things that outweigh any of the bad. the slow burn feels so.. correct. it's done really well for a slow burn. if you're into that kind of thing, this is right up your alley :).

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the perfect bite-size story

this series is right up my alley. its main focus is that romantic tension and buildup to becoming a couple.

the story was really enjoyable considering how short it is. i was addicted from the first episode. the relationships are beyond healthy. thai dramas are known for their over-the-top editing, but this series was calm and sweet; really different from some of the other recently produced shows. i was definitely more into the main couples than Near and M; their story felt rushed and last second. though it was still entertaining, i wish they would've scrapped this third couple and spent more time on the other two.

i can't stress enough how happy i am that the female roles weren't obnoxious or in the way. all of the women were supportive; especially jeno's sister. i really liked their characters; they were all very unique and true to themselves. i didn't mind the fact they were loud or semi extravagant. i think it fit all three girls really well. they didn't fetishize or monopolize on any of the relationships in the story. they were there to support all of their decisions, and lead them to making the right ones.

i also love how nobody is afraid to own up to their mistakes. there's no beating around the bush with these couples; there's always something going on with one of them, and it keeps the story interesting with each episode. i really like how being gay and/or having crushes on guys isn't a big deal whatsoever. nobody gives it any special type of treatment. that's what makes it feel so natural.

i would absolutely recommend this series. it's sweet and healthy. it'll have you hooked from the beginning.

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