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Star In My Mind, one of the best soft mellow BL story with touching symbolism :)
I think this is one of the best soft mellow BL story I watched. For those who wanted a soft BL storyline, this series is for you. It is indeed a story of hope and inspiration for love, just as the theme song sung by Louis Thanawin. When Dao stopped loving Kluen because he was gently rejected when they were in high school, which is typical and normal in high school life. Kluen was a cold-hearted guy unable to express freely his emotions, but until the end, the North Star shined and guided them which gave inspiration and hope to both Dao and Kluen. Dao believed in the North Star guidance as a shine of inspiration and hope while Kluen had a change of heart and started loving Dao. What I liked in the story, is when Kluen took care of the sunflower in which Dao gave to Kluen and watered it when he was sick, that is when, Kluen started to open his heart to Dao. Sunflowers symbolize unwavering faith, admiration and unconditional love. Unwavering faith, admiration and unconditional love is always coupled with hope and inspiration, Kluen opened his heart and continued loving Dao just like a blooming sunflower no matter how many times Dao wanted to move on from his past but the North Star shined within Dao's mind and relive the hope of his first love and guided Kluen to open up with his feelings. The story used the North Star and the sunflower which both symbolizes a beacon of inspiration and hope in which this series depicted. It is difficult to include symbolism in a storyline since the flow of story should coincide with the symbolism they used. Dao believed in the North Star while Kluen believed in the sunflower's bloom.For those who said that the series was a waste, storyline was boring, worst and trash BL. I respect their opinion, but for me, I liked the storyline so much, the actors' depiction of the story and the most striking are the symbolism they used.
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Once Again - Best Korean Time Travel BL (Praying for Special Episode)
Story - 9.5 out of 10 stars, I loved the storyline, how the series told a past and present story of a 10-year old kid young Shin Jae-Woo saved by Kang Ji Hoon from the kidnapper/murdered. 15 years later, the history repeated again, (thus the title "Once Again") for the 25-year old Shin Jae-Woo when he traveled back in time 15 years ago, that time when Kang Ji Hoon was still alive in that dormitory and the same events in the past also meant to take place. Kang Ji Hoon saw the future Shin Jae-Woo traveled in the past. The story was nearly 100% perfect and realistic although there are some unanswered questions that is lingering into my mind like the following:1. Did Kang Ji Hoon anticipated his death in EP 6?, how did he remembered that he was already dead in those episodes?
2. How did Kang Ji Hoon revealed to Joo Hyung Jin that the 10-year old kid was the 25-year old Shin Jae-Woo in Room 308 who time traveled back to 15 years ago, when Shin Jae-Woo was actually 10 years old at that time? (Hoping for a special episode to fill in those gaps). I think there was an event from the past 15 years ago that was changed.
3. How did Joo Hyung Jin still recognizes/remembers Shin Jae-Woo, The "Room 308 guy" he calls, 15 years after Kang Ji Hoon's death? Did he knew that 25-year old Shin Jae-Woo time traveled back to the past to save his friend? I think there was an event from the past 15 years ago that was changed. I mean 15 years is quite a memory storing moment, I bet Joo Hyung Jin would not recognize the 25-year old Shin Jae-Woo as the 10-year old kid grew up who admired his Ahjussi Kang Ji Hoon. It started to make sense why the dormitory woman still recognizes the good-looking guy in Room 308 15 years after January 30, 2007. (Related to my questions above)
Acting - 10 out of 10 stars, I was impressed by the emotions of Kang Ji Hoon and Shin Jae-Woo in the story. The most touching of all are the following:
1. When Kang Ji Hoon realized that the 25-year old Shin Jae-Woo in Room 308 was the 10-year old kid whom he saved from the kidnapper/murderer through the photo given by Joo Hyung Jin to Shin Jae-Woo and when he realized that the 25-year old Shin Jae-Woo felt the guilt of his death and time traveled, still Kang Ji Hoon did not change the outcome of the past when he saved 25-year old Shin Jae-Woo for the 2nd time. (Reality: Indeed you cannot change the past but you can change the outcome of the present and the future)
2. When 25-year old Shin Jae-Woo revisited the site of the murder during his time travel (EP 4) and the last will of Kang Ji Hoon gave to him through Joo Hyung Jin, 15 years after his death. He tried to change the outcome of the future but then Kang Ji Hoon was meant to sacrifice his life for the 10-year old Shin Jae-Woo. Really impressed by the out-pour of emotions portrayed by Kang Ji Hoon and Shin Jae-Woo.
Music - 10 out of 10, the OST of the song was really touching, I felt the song soo much.
Rewatch Value - 10 out of 10, even though it had a sad ending (although I already expected it), I will definitely rewatch this a thousand times due to the storyline, the emotions portrayed and the life lessons that the series imparted to us.
I just realized that our life in this world was only borrowed to us, this series provided a realization to me, we always learn to value what we loved so much, whatever the past (painful memories) that haunts us, we always learn to move forward for the betterment of the present and the future. Although we cannot change the outcome of the past, we always have the power in our hands to change the present and the future.
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I love Past-senger the series from BEGINNING UNTIL THE ENDING (with some improvement points)
I WILL BE AN OUTLIER from all the negative comments this series received.Story - I liked the overall story of the series, it is a mix of 1990's and 2022 era. I, myself, a 90's kid. This series reminded me of the casette tapes played in the radio and even the phone booths wherein cellphones/mobile phones are not yet existing at that time but obviously the main symbolism of this series is the pager of Kiew. When he was transported to the future, that pager survived for 27 years which means that the memoirs of the past would never fade. What I liked so much in the series are the dance scenes by the friends and their the funny moments (Kiew, Prach, Ann, Keng, and Art), Priest Phuang Ngoen punishing Kiew and the fortune teller in EP 8. However, the Bamee's amnesia plot from EP 9 could have shortened to one or half episode so that other scenes may have been showed. As for the ending. I did not see any creepy moments at all between the present-day Kiew and Bamee, In EP 6, when Kiew followed Bamee in a bar where Bamee had his part time job, Kiew lusted for Bamee. But anyways, it only proved that love knows no boundaries even the present day Kiew will exceed beyond the extra mile to make his May-December romance with Bamee work. When Kiew got back to his time, he remembered Bamee until he grew old in which the present-day Kiew appeared which I find it very touching. This changed the course of the future. By the way, the actor who played the role of older/present-day Kiew was award-winning actor Utt Uttsada Panichkul from the well-known 2016 BL movie "Fathers" with Nak Sakdatorn and a former MTV VJ Host. The title "Past-senger" is also a unique title. I also liked the effects and visuals as it gave an oldie vibe.
Acting/Cast - I liked the chemistry of Cooper and Marc and the combination of old and young actors. I am also a fan of May-December romances, I think Marc and Utt may be a good pair.
Music - I loved the theme song so much. "Unthinkable Bond (Relationship)" by Ice Sarunyu. It has a vibe of an oldie to early modern themed music. As a 90's kid, I appreciate this type of themed music and very compatible with the title of the series.
Rewatch Value - I will definitely rewatch this series since I want to reminisce the oldie to early modern vibe of this series, but I would appreciate if there would be a Season 2 for this series because I want to know how will the present-day Kiew and Bamee will continue with their May-December romance and the reaction of Art and his friends if they will discover their May-December romance.
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