A great disappointment

After watching 'Until We Meet Again', I think I'm not wrong in saying that, like many other people, I became a fan of the secondary couple. So I was delighted to learn that a sequel centered on this couple was coming out! But unfortunately, 'Between Us' failed my expectations.

I was looking forward to seeing one of my favorite ships together again, but I was quickly disappointed. Even though I like seeing Win and Team on screen together, I didn't find the dynamic that made their charm in 'UWMA'. Neither Win nor Team are like they were before, especially Team, who sometimes acts like a more cringe version of Pharm. For me, what made their couple strong in 'UWMA' was the simplicity and the playful bond of their romance. But these aspects were almost removed in exchange for a more complex and poorly managed romance. The evolution of their relationship is very messy and repetitive.
In addition to the romance, Win and Team have personal issues to resolve in order to move their relationship forward. But once again, the stakes are handled very clumsily. It's good to want to explore different topics, but it would have been even better to do it well... From what I understand, 'BU' was adapted from a novel, but it's up to the drama to properly adapt the source material by improving its shortcomings (as it was done with consent, for example). So, good ideas, but very poor execution.
All of this is not helped by the introduction of secondary couples that impede the already very slow pace of the drama. With a few exceptions, I find the new characters empty and sometimes unbearable. I tried to enjoy them, but I quickly ended up passing their scenes even though they are very few (which doesn't really help to create a connection with them).
Finally, I find the production looks quite cheap. The sound and editing alternate between average and poor quality and don't really help the pace of the drama. Sometimes the editing even makes certain scenes very confusing. Fortunately, the acting remains decent even if it is unbalanced depending on the actors. Win and Team are convincing in the majority of their scenes, especially the sad/tragic ones.

In conclusion, all of the problems mentioned above converge on what is, for me, the biggest flaw of the drama: the pace. 'BU' is only 12 episodes long, and yet I was bored watching the weekly episodes, which seemed both very long and empty. In addition to that, the drama has suffered from the great disappointment it inspired among fans.
I sincerely would have liked to enjoy the drama 'BU' and the new things it offered, but the promises made don't live up to them. I feel like the writers wanted to do something new while remaining too attached to the formula that made the success of 'UWMA' with Dean and Pharm's dramatic romance. Although the drama is still quite average and watchable, I'm not sure I would recommend it, even for new BL fans. However, what I am certain of is that I don't recommend Win/Team fans watch 'BU' (stick to the special episodes of 'UWMA' instead).

Read More