The Eighth Sense (2023)

Too serious, I don't get the hype

I decided to watch this because it just finished airing and it was getting a lot of 10/10 reviews, but I have to say I think it's overrated.

What I liked:
- Higher budget than most BLs
- Good acting
- Good ending

What I didn't like:
- The drama felt a bit forced
- No humour at all, takes itself way too seriously
- Most characters felt two-dimensional
- A lot of filler, some episodes felt too long
- Editing was a bit weird, music randomly stopping, etc.

I think overall, it felt a bit too serious. Not bad, but not my cup of tea.

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Opinião impopular

(Não tem nenhum main spoiler, só citação breve de algumas cenas e umas coisas óbvias)
Minha intenção a princípio era dar no máximo quatro estrelas pra este aqui, mas devo dizer que os últimos dois episódios mudaram bastante minha concepção sobre o BL, o suficiente pra nota aumentar, mas não o bastante pra minha review ser 100% positiva.
Eu gostei sim, mas definitivamente não é tudo isso, eu acredito que uma das coisas mais frequentes em obras de romance é a falta de comunicação, e me irrita muitíssimo, quando toda a construção da narrativa faz esse estresse valer a pena é um assunto diferente, mas isso não acontece aqui, pelo menos não aos meus olhos.
Desde o começo da história vemos que o interesse romântico do protagonista tem diversos problemas e conflitos, e eles são retratados na sua mais realista forma, é por isso que incomoda tanto, várias pessoas conseguem se identificar com ele, acompanhamos as ações que ele toma e entendemos de onde elas vem, mas mesmo assim, uma coisa não anula a outra, você pode sentir empatia pelo que aquela pessoa está passando, mas NINGUÉM deveria se sentir na obrigação de correr atrás da dondoca até ele perceber em sua mais tardia glória que ta agindo da forma errada, e voltar atrás com uma "desculpa" meia boca, e não me entendam mal, a cena com a música DIVINA do Conan foi linda, foi exatamente por isso que minha nota aumentou, mas não me fez esquecer em nenhum momento tudo que o protagonista passou nessa história de ter empatia.
Em suma, as coisas foram muito arrastadas, e apesar da cena de reconciliação ser linda, o ambiente depois dela passa a impressão de que nenhuma desculpa apropriada realmente foi dada e que tudo voltou ao normal mais facilmente do que deveria, com o número de episódios que tem e o tempo de duração deles daria pra fazer esse final ser bem melhor, e isso tirou MUITO o peso de todo esse arco do afastamento deles.

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A Story About Freedom

I must say I was a bit skeptical about this. With the amount of dramas recently getting 40 minutes to 1 hour long runs each episode who struggled to maintain a storyline cohesive and engaging, you do get a little aprehensive. The Eighth Sense shows up and tells you that, yes, the episodes are long, but you are going to be so enthralled you will be begging for more. I mean it. I felt like time simply slipped through my hands every single time I watched this show. How did it manage to go by so fast?

The Eighth Sense is one of those projects that stand out because of how clear it is that it's a labor of love. It is a thrilling and passionate story of pain, drama, romance, yearning, and a deep and beautiful portrayal of serious and important themes like trauma, mental health and so much more.

But most of all it is a story about freedom. We follow two characters who yearn for it. Jaewon, who struggles to forgive himself and move on from past traumas, which in turn makes him take cover and shut himself off from the world and Jihyun, who struggled how expansive the world in front of him could be and struggled to break free from his own fear. The characters are full of depth, multifaceted, and most of all, HUMAN.

Combine that with oustanding acting not only from the main couple, who can communicate such raw emotion and chemistry with each other without even speaking a word, but side characters as well (Yes, I am looking at you Lee Mira as Yoonwon), an incredible and unique OST (Which, by the way, introduced me to the incredible korean band Wetter, which i've been listening to everyday for the past 5 weeks) and a superb work from the directors, who brought a distinct storytelling method and editing style to the korean BL industry.

Ok, I know I'm doing too much praising this show, but seriously! It's completed deserved.
Now I'm going to get a little personal here and tell of the impact this show can have on a person. As someone who's on an ongoing battle with mental illness and who's recently went off meds (Yay! Victory) this January after years of feeling numb and not like herself, I was, for a very long time, pretty apathetic and not exactly connected to the whole spectrum of human emotion due to some long term side effects.

Now, when I tell you, this effing show. Because of this effing show, for the first time in so long I felt literally everything rush back to me at once. I went through the whole emotion wheel, spectrum, 5 stages of grief, EVERYTHING. I finally felt like a functional human being, but also a complete MESS. Werner du Plessis and Inu Baek, I'm coming for you!
This show is a must watch, even if you don't care about the genre. I'll say it again, great acting, great sountrack, great use of symbolism, great directors.

Also, it's about surfing as well.

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Best BL korea ever made

I have so many things to talk about this masterpiece. This was so real. Everything was so well put together and REAL. I just finished watching it and went running to write a review because it deserves all the appreciation. First: IT LASTED. 40 minute long episodes for a korean BL? They finally did it and I am so happy. Second: The actors were great. Not only they were cute and handsome but their acting was impecable, since there was a lot of emotions and I got really involved. Third: It was so well written. I loved how everything the boys did was so natural and realistic. The way they protrayed depression, trauma and therapy made me really, really satisfied. I loved how patient Ji Hyun was with Jae Won, someone who suffered so much and was trying to deal with his emotions and protect others. About the soundtrack: I thought the songs were fine, I guess it went well with the surfing theme. But when they played Conan Gray I cried soooo hard.
Something very common in BLs is that women are often just there to be the ex or the girl who will be heartbroken. This one portrays women in all kinds of ways, making them very nice and supportive friends and I couldn't be more happy with Ji Hyun's friends in general.
I also liked a lot how even though some characters were completely disgusting the whole show (and I don't forgive them yet) they were able to have a fresh start in the ending. They suck but they seem to be willing to try and change. It's part of our reality to change and not be the villain forever.

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Emotional fun series

This series was a lot of fun. The two leads are good. I wish there was a little better chemistry between them I do have to say, because there are moments that feel off.
I enjoy the freshman Ji Hyun being inexperienced but yet smart. The one downside to him was there are moments that he is very pushy and over doing it. I felt he lack showing true emotion and the chemistry at times was off putting. Ji Hyun's two friends and (boss restaurant owner), were a lot of fun and so supportive. The club leader and the therapist for Jae Won are amazing characters and bring hope to someone that feels hopeless. Wish we had more side characters like them. To be honest the evil ex Eun ji was not even needed for the story and felt she has no real purpose. I do have to say a lot of the club members are horrible and toxic but sadly there are people like them that exist. The overall story is great it has depth and development and growth. It was a great series but The downside was that there were a lot of parts where you knew there was a missing story or a missing link to help you understand the story better. I wish they did a better job of piecing together each episode I would have liked to see when he ended up in the hospital from the accident and Jae Won being with him there or the back history of things. In ending the series was really good in telling the story but lacked real conclusion and episode connections. Felt rushed by the end sadly. I wasn't the biggest fan of how they ended it with trying to find closure for the ex girlfriend or the troublemaker friend I felt like it was not needed and a waste. P. S. The actor and character of Jae Won is amazing in this series with all the emotion he displayed.

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Love it

Just finished exam and not sure what to watched and happened to came across this by accident and boy was I in for a surprise. This series is reaaaally niiiice. The Storyline, The slow burn up. I love it. Am actually at episode 6 and I went back to rewatch all the others and come back to 6 🤣🤣. So far it have me hooked. First time watching these guys and they haven't disappointed . After an finished going to see what else they came down it . Take my little advice and go check it out for yourself, you won't be disappointed just my . opinion completed and a rewatch for me its that goood

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A real explosion of emotions, a true masterpiece

I don't even have the words to express how much this series made my heart beat, stumble, fall, shiver,... The production is obviously amazing, and the work in each scene is phenomenal. The colors, the sceneries, the dialogues, the acting, everything took its own place and made it beautiful. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time a real piece of moving art. The actors gave so much depth to their characters, the storyline served them well. This is truly a masterpiece and one of the best series I have ever seen.

I also have to talk about the last scene of episode 9, a work of art, one of my favorite songs from my favorite artist perfectly depicting their relationship and the way they evolved together. The music did serve perfectly the intent and I won't exaggerate to say it was the best bl moment I've seen on screen.

Overall this was everything I could search for in a piece of art, a real, raw love story with heavy subjects but with a line of healing. There are so many things to say about the details and how the whole series was thought that a review might be too short to talk about everything.
I would like to thank everyone who worked on this amazing series and encourage anyone reading this review to watch it because it really deserves a lot of support.

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The Five Senses Aren't Everything

This drama is quite simply beautiful in pretty much every way possible. The cinematography, the story, the characters, the acting, all of it comes together to create something truly enchanting. It's authenticity is breathtaking. It tells a story that is real and raw, touching on subjects that many BLs and Asian dramas in general avoid. The Eighth Sense is honestly the best BL drama I've seen in a while and it is well worth the time to watch it.

The story is amazing for all it's simplicity. This is not a big and bold drama filled with pomp and drama. It is wonderfully subtle and realistic. Every part of it feels natural, organic. It's well paced and the delivery is exceptional. Yes, it's a romance, but it's also about two people helping and healing each other. Jae Won gives Ji Hyun the courage to step outside his comfort zone and Ji Hyun helps Jae Won begin to heal from the trauma of his past. And I appreciated that it didn't feel like the pair of them getting together magically fixed everything for Jae Won. It felt like a combination of his therapist's and Ji Hyun's boss's words that finally got through to him and helped him take that first step forward. Sure, Ji Hyun is there to help and support him, but he also has to put in the work himself to continue to heal.

While the first few episodes focus more on Ji Hyun and his growth as he learns to step out of his shell and begin to interact with other people and the world around him, the latter part of the drama focuses on Jae Won as he begins to face the trauma from his past and take steps to move forward. Both characters experience huge amounts of growth in a very short time and it's done so well. They grow both together and separately. And that's part of what was so great. Instead of the pair of them existing in their own world surrounded by barely there supporting characters, they had a life outside of each other. In fact, I think they had more scenes with their friends than they did with each other. But I loved that because it added depth and meaning to both them and the supporting characters who are so often only there to move the plot forward. Here though they're fully developed characters and amazing ones at that.

The acting was fantastic all around. Im Ji Sub and Oh Jun Taek were nearly flawless in their roles. Their chemistry was just so natural and believable. The supporting actors were equally fantastic. Lee Mi Ra and Seo Ji An as Yoon Won and Ae Ri respectively were both fun and insightful as the male leads' friends. I really loved the relationship they had with the two of them and the way that Yoon Won and Jae Won supported and loved each other. Lee Mi Ra and Im Ji Sub just had a very natural chemistry that was great to watch. Jung Seo In was fabulous as Ji Hyun's boss. She was equal parts funny and the deliverer of sage advice. I loved her. Park Hae In as Eun Ji and Jang Young Joon as Tae Hyung were believably villainous. I couldn't stand either character, so kudos to their acting prowess.

One of my absolute favorite things about this drama was how mental health was addressed. The fact that we actually got to see Jae Won going to therapy, the knowledge that he was taking medication for his mental health, and that he even admitted himself that he had depression was huge. Most Asian dramas downplay mental health issues or just ignore them completely. That it was so openly addressed and delved into was gratifying and I hope more dramas do the same.

The cinematography was truly stunning. It had a very stylistic feel to it that I appreciated as well as the fact that it was maintained pretty much throughout. My only complaint was that some of the night scenes were a bit too dark which made it difficult to tell what was going on. That may have also been a stylistic choice but it wasn't one that I felt worked well.

I loved the music. It all worked very well with the drama and felt like actual effort was put in to finding songs that fit with what was going on and they really did enhance the mood for those scenes.

I did have a few things that prevented me from giving this a perfect 10. The main one was the "twist" in Episode 7. I don't know if it was a subbing issue or if it was deliberate, but either way, I really don't like having my emotions played with and that's exactly what it felt like they were doing. It seemed like they went for shock value and then jumped out and yelled, "Psych!" It really killed the mood for me and made me question why I had started this drama. The other part was the handling of Eun Ji and Tae Hyung. Both were terrible, manipulative people, so the fact that they got a happyish ending didn't sit quite well for me. Considering the way mental health was addressed, I feel like dealing with the two of them could have been a good continuation of that because Jae Won did not need such toxic people in his life, particularly Tae Hyung. I would have preferred to see something where they cleared the air between them, but Jae Won made it clear that he could no longer have Tae Hyung in his life. Actions have consequences and I don't feel like either character really experienced any kind of meaningful consequence.

I truly cannot recommend this drama enough, particularly to people who enjoy dramas that are more than just the romance. With a meaningful story and characters, you really have nothing to lose.

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Not your usual happy kind of bl series ,touches important topics like depression

Words aren't enough to express how much I loved this series ,the trailer itself caught my eye so I was very much excited to watch the series .What I loved the most about this drama was that it was realistic and not some happy fictional story .The cast were perfect ,they played their characters so well ,it's like the characters were made for them . Being in love while dealing with depression isn't easy at all ,I was totally screaming when Jaewon came back to senses and went in search of Jihyun . I could relate to his avoiding tendencies after that kiss happened between him and Jihyun . The gazes that both of them shared ,the details were small but enough to catch our eyes and it just gave me butterflies . I wasn't expecting such a passionate kissing scene between them ,it didn't feel like they were acting ,hats off to the team of The eight sense .Not only they have us scene that dealt with depression, to let us know a glimpse of it .

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Absolutely breathtakingly beautiful

Although simple, the storyline delivers a realistic depiction of young romance, friendship and transition to adulthood. The acting was phenomenal as you could really feel the emotions of the characters even without excessive or sometimes any dialogue. The cinematography and music choices were the cherry on top to make this my favourite show to date. I wish I could watch it all over again. Although I would love to see a season 2, the ending was realistically perfect and satisfactory.

TW: This show does mention depression & grief so please be wary if these are sensitive topics.

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"Strawberries, Cigarettes and Infinities."

The title is exactly how I'll 'literally' describe this one. Just like that Troye Sivan song with a twist. By the way, I strongly urge you to watch this drama first because stories like these are meant to be felt rather.

Kim Ji Hyun, a freshman fresh out of the countryside takes up a part time job at a busy restaurant near his University as soon as he lands in Seoul. There, he has an encounter with a popular university student, Seo Jae Won, while breaking up a fight in the bar. Jae Won, who has just returned from his military service, is an overly friendly Sunbae who thanks him and attempts to befriend him from the get go.
Still getting used to the scary bustling life of the Seoul City, Ji Hyun, perturbed and intrigued, decides to accept Jae Won's friendship, going to the extent of joining a Surf Club by seeing his familiar presence.
Jae Won, who has struggles of his own, finds comfort and happiness in Ji Hyun.
Their relationship begins to teeter on a balance scale as both of them attempts to come to terms with the changes taking place in their life.


Warning:
This is a full length headache inducing rollercoaster of angst, fish tanks, water, alcohol and art pencils. Maybe 'The Eighth Sense' might be enjoyable for only a certain niche audience as the characters are not the typical conventional type. It was purposefully made with the intent of resonating with the viewers and not for the sole aspect of enjoyment. Yes, there is enjoyment. But, it makes you reminisce and ponder. The directors, cast and crew put their all into this creation and their hard work is clearly reflected in the final product. So, a round of applause to everyone both behind and in front of the scenes.

The series floats on the strength of its very characters, may it be the introverted Ji Hyun or the extroverted Jae Won or even the supporting characters. At one point, we find ourselves being relatable to anyone in the drama. It's hard to talk about what the drama deals with without spoiling the plot… which is non-existent because the plot itself is the life of the characters and how they deal with what's being thrown at them. It's about the fears of opening up about yourself and fitting into the contours of the peoples' expectations about you (Jae Won) and giving away your heart and feelings that you treasure to total strangers and learning to adjust somewhere away from your comfort zone (Ji Hyun).

Their chemistry was on fire. I usually don't feel this way, but something about Ji Hyun and Jae Won just clicked into place for me.
It was not a sweep-off-your-feet romance. It was the hit-you-over-the-head-and-leave-you-muddled type of romance. Which happens to be exactly what I keep looking for. Just two people falling for each other in a natural manner without any flamboyance. It's just them and their feelings.

Friendship is another strong theme - Ji Hyun doesn't have many, but the ones he chooses are spot on - Ae Ri, Joon Pyo and his lovely boss. Then we have Jae Won, who has many, both the neutral and the good ones.
And… the scenes where the seniors forced their authority, threw their weight around, provided important advices gave me war flashbacks as I has been through a handful of situations like that, unfortunately.

Acting wise…
Jae Won was, perhaps, one of the most difficult characters to portray on screen. I'm beyond impressed by how Lim Ji Sub pulled it off so convincingly that there are parts of the drama I would not rewatch to save myself from emotional damage.
I related to Ji Hyun on a really scary level. So, his actions and responses were nothing strange to me. Also, for a rookie actor, Oh Jun Taek killed his debut. Every single character's portrayal was to a tee. Even Yoon Won, Ae Ri, Joon Pyo, Eun Ji and Tae Hyung.

The drama is also excellently filmed. Every shot, including the filters and the lighting were so beautiful. The last two dramas that managed to look aesthetically pleasing to me were 'Blueming' and 'The Forbidden Flower'. It managed to perfectly capture the essence and emotions of the characters.
The Soundtrack deserves an award as it managed to enhance the intensity of certain scenes.

The opening BGM by Unalaska will forever be engraved in my brain.

As for the representation of Mental Health. I have no idea about how accurate it was, but the last two episodes made me feel that the therapist was going to need a therapist.
Though initially planned as a drama with 10 episodes, it was mashed into a movie and I wonder if they straight up lifted scenes straight off the movie version and spliced it into this one, because there are some obvious jump cuts that can't be attributed to anything else other than poor editing. Particularly EP3 and EP4, where characters' conversations and even the BGM gets split in between.
The second last episode seemed so sudden and I felt like time sped up somewhere and I totally missed some stuff, but I still can conjecture where and what had happened. But, the timing is still confusing to me, but I shall forgive this drama for once.
I'm a jumbled mess of thoughts, but this one is definitely a solid 9/10 for me.
Imperfectly perfect and unique in it's own little ways.

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