A Shoulder to Cry On (2023)

The ending explained and likely, why they didn't kiss on the lips...

I, too, was initially confused by this lack of a lip-to-lip kiss, which is present in virtually every other BL. I kept waiting and waiting for one, but it never happened, which struck me as very odd.

And then it dawned on me that this must have likely been made during the height of the CoVID pandemic, which is why they didn't kiss, probably. I remember reading on some other shows, even in the US, which took CoVID less seriously than South Korea, that at the time, writers of shows were trying to figure out how to do a romance without a kissing scene.

Or perhaps, it is as others suggested that they weren't quite in a relationship, which wasn't made clear as it could. They looked like there were in the process of getting into one. Still, given the one's fear of commitment, it wasn't going to happen until he was absolutely certain he wouldn't be abandoned, so for him, a kiss on the lips was taking that very last step, which he wasn't quite ready to make on their first vacation of away together. So when the other kissed him on the ear when he was sleeping, it was like him saying that he could wait. So in that way, the writers had them taking their commitment to each other seriously.

When they were on the bed at the end, they spent most of their time learning more about each other, which also goes to indicate that they were still building the foundation of that last step. The pajamas were the commitment-phobes protection trying to take the relationship one step at a time rather than rushing into it. I don't believe for one minute it is because the writers themselves were homophobic. But rather, they followed what the characters would actually do, rather than forcing the two to kiss, just to kiss.

So then the question becomes, why didn't they take that last step before the show ended? Why go for an open ending where the viewer has to assume they would? I blame that more on South Korean BLs not being very long in general. I've read the webtoon on when the show is based, and yes, they kiss there, and even at the very end, hint at having sex, but this only happens once they are living together. However, even though that webtoon is only 30 episodes, it still covers more territory than this show could in the 3.5 hours. They went for quality over quantity focusing on scenes and letting them develop rather than trying to cover everything from the webtoon to the point the two were living together.

These two had a complicated relationship, and I think the writers did a good job conveying that, for them, a kiss was more than just a normal kiss. It was a deeper commitment. I believe if they had more episodes, they could have explored the second half of their relationship rather than relegating it to a single episode that flew by.

So I think given the likely restrictions of CoVID, even preventing the classic accidental kiss you sometimes see in BL, and the character's motivations, it's not unreasonable we didn't get the ending kiss we hoped.

Given that, I rate the series as a 10/10 since it's better than most other BLs of comparable length for South Korea. Though it's not on the level of "Semantic Error" or "The Eighth Sense," which both blow away almost any other BL stories, this is still quite good. It definitely is within the top ten of all South Korean BLs. I don't compare it to either Japanese or Thailand BLs since those have different feels and are often longer, especially Thai BL that can go on for 12 episodes, over an hour long each.

If these BLs could be broadcast on regular TV as they are in Thailand, then we could have much longer BLs from South Korea, and we wouldn't have to be stuck with relatively short ones for the amount of source material they are trying to cover when based on webtoons. This BL does better than most in hitting the essential scenes but not having enough time for quite enough to conclude their relationship, leaving a more open ending.

I also wish to say that I found a lot of the romantic lines between the two males lead much truer to life than most other BL. They kept their semi-antagonist dialog throughout, partially as a defense mechanism and partially due to their general inability to handle intense emotions, relying on humor instead.

So, in conclusion, I hope that others that read these reviews will understand that this BL is still very much worth watching. Don't let all the other negatives review, mainly due to people's issues with the ending, prevent you from watching this BL that gets a lot more right than wrong.

Leia Mais

Je ne sais pas pourquoi j'ai regardé jusqu'au bout

Je n'attendais pas grand chose quand j'ai commencé le drama, mais il m'a déçu. Après dès le premier épisode j'ai su qu'il y avait de grands risques que ça me plaise pas : tourné autour du harcèlement, rien de très intéressant niveau perso... Mais très vite arrive une petite nuance, qui est le passé d'un des ado, qui rajoute du drame à ça, et qui dépeint un personnage profondément dépressif, ce à quoi je peux relate à un certain degré. Mais je trouve qu'il insiste beaucoup trop sur ça, et en font des tonnes. Je n'ai pas réussi à m'attacher aux personnages, et même l'intrigue sportive n'est pas palpitante, alors que pourtant, le tir à l'arc... Mais je voulais savoir si ça allait devenir plus profond, alors j'ai continué, ce n'est jamais arrivé. Ce qui sauve le drama pour moi ce sont les acteurs qui eux sont bon et interagisse bien ensemble.

Leia Mais

this show started off nicely only to have not a very good ending

the first two eps of this show.. I loved them a lott.. it had a really good start
altho in the first eps i was kinda annoyed with how taehyun literally accused da yeol kf a rape attempt because taehyun said to the teacher "j said no but he still attacked me".. and j also hated how the adults dealt with this.. like da yeol was literally accused of a rape attempt and he was let off with just a few scolds???.. like wtf imagine if the accusatiin was real??

and the second episode.. j lived how da yeol went to check upon taehyun at his place 😍😍

in the third eps as well the emotions were so nice and u derstandable(altho it took me a while I could u derstand what da yeol was feeling).. like he has always been focused on archery but then taehyun sways him and now he can't focus (prob no 1)..da yeol stilll thinks taehyuns a murderer(prob no 2) and da yeol can't understand the true intentikns of taehyun coz one time hed bully him but the next sec hell act friendly so yeah I loved that too

in ep 4 tbh I didn't understand why taehyun hit himself like that.. but apart from. that we see quite a lotta development between these characters and i loved that

now j didn't understand why taehyun pushed away dayeol like that.. like he said he couldn't accep dayeols lkbe for him coz he was afraid of losing him but then taehyun pushed away dayeol.. like didn't he lose hi. after all sk what's the point??

okay upto this point, (ep 6) everything was greatttttt but then they just had to fuckkk it up with that 2 years gapp whatt the fuckkk!??????? whyyyyyy j mean considering how they two parted ways.. it was impossible for them to reunite and reconcile so quickly but stilll!!!! why the two year gapp?? I hate gaps I don't support em at all... and ep 7 wth?? it felt truly like mehh..and j couldn't connect with it at all.. why?? well because they never showed us how the two characters patched up w eo.. like dayeol said I'll wait for you taehyun and that's it.. what truly happened and how taehyun made up for his bad behavioie was not shown.. directly we were shown that they are sating eo now and are al loveg dovey.. wth!? and i think there was a total 4 year gap...

first when they parted in high school the 2yrs later they met in university then after that 2yrs later they were dating I'm not sure tho...

so yah this is def good (except for the yrs gap)
I wd have rated this a 10 possibly if not for the 2 years gap... n i wd def recommend this

Leia Mais

A heartfelt and warm love story

Okay listen, I will be honest and say that I am a VERY big fan of Omega X so was already familiar with Jaehan and Yechan and obviously loved them a lot before this series came out BUT I can honestly say that despite really liking an actor, if the show is disappointing I can and will be objective and say I didn't like it. I've watched shows with actors/idols I love and found them lack luster and have said so (Jun baby i'm so sorry but Tinted With You was lacking a lot, you did your best with what you had). Now getting that out of the way I'll move on to my review of A Shoulder To Cry On.

I don't want to go into too much detail as that's not necessarily my style of review but I will say that the main leads had very good chemistry which does not come as a surprise to me seeing as they are band mates and have known each other and lived with each other for a while. However, it really shined through in this series,

I hadn't read the manhwa before watching so I had no specific expectations going into this. The plot line was pretty interesting to me and while a high school BL isn't exactly something fresh or new, especially in Korean BL, I think this one was executed fairly well and made fresh with Taehyun's background. I think that Taehyun's tragic background and his psychology as a result of it was an interesting point to have and also I think the problems both boys faced are problems that the youth and even some adults can relate to and it was nice to see the boys slowly grow closer and become a safe haven for each other and push each other to be better people. I really enjoyed the story line, acting and directing for this series and it has a high re-watch value for me and will become a comfort series for sure!

Now, this section of the review is going to be a rant ,so sorry in advance but honestly i'm not sorry. The relationship between Taehyun and Daeyoel started out rocky and we gradually saw them warm up to each other and become a comforting safe space for each other. Let's remember that they were both in high school when they met and since neither of them had been in romantic relationships before they were clumsy and immature which is to be expected from teenage boys experiencing love for the first time, especially with someone who has the emotional trauma that Taehyun has. They had a huge falling out in high school and they hadn't kept in contact so when they first met again years later, them not automatically getting in a relationship together is understandble as they needed to get to know each other again and build back trust in their relationship and probably build back the friendship that was there before as well. With the next and final time, I want to remind people that previously, when Taehyun confessed, Daeyeol did NOT ask to date him or anything, he asked for Taehyun to wait for him until he was mentally/emotionally ready to be in a relationship with him so with that, the second time skip didn't really tell us how long they had been in a relationship with each other at that point so considering their past and the fact that neither of them really dated anyone in the 2 years that they were seperated from each other and the fact that their relationship could be more recent I think their bashfulness or "awkwardness" is understandable and even realistic to a certain degree. Not everyone loves the same way, not everyone is comfortable with physical affection and everyone has different paces they are comfortable with in their relationships. Both of them being men has nothing to do with physical affection and it is a stereotype that all men are horn dogs who can't keep their hands to themselves. I don't know the reason we didn't get a kiss, if it was the directors choice, if it was the fact that they are in the same group so their company didn't want them to, or if it had anything to do with their ex CEO, who was often on set wreacking havoc and being the psycho that she is. In any case, I don't think a kiss is that important. A controversial opinion to have in the BL sphere apparantly but if the story is good and the chemistry is there then I'm not mad about not getting a kiss. I've seen many straight drama's with no kiss but were great still as well so this is not just a BL thing but an East Asian drama thing. Besides, I'd rather have no kiss than an awkward dead fish kiss. The reviews that are saying this is just a bromance or queerbaiting are very narrow minded and some of y'all are telling on yourselves that you're here only for the sexual content and not the actual story because I see y'all rating crappy shows high just because the NC scenes or kisses are intense and steamy, just say you fetishize gay romance and go. How in the world can you see two people save each other as their lock screens, go on a spontaneous overnight trip, hold hands or link arms, stare at each other lovingly, flirt openly, wear matching pajamas and use matching toothbrushes, sit in the others lap wrapping their arms around each other, sharing a lollipop, and stay up all night talking while laying next to each other in bed and low key cuddling and tell me that they are just friends and not boyfriends? Who are you to judge their relationship in the first place? You have to kiss someone to be dating? Do you do all those things with your friends? Because I never have, even friends I've known for years. Romantic relationships are different depending on the individuals and there is not one specific way to show and express love, as people watching LGBTQ+ content, this should be something you're aware of more than anyone else and yet the ignorance is glaring. As someone who is Asexual, maybe I relate more to this or can at least understand it. I'm alright with kissing, holding hands and cuddling with a significant other but anything more than that and i'm uncomfortable and gain nothing from it anyways. Of course i'm not saying either of the characters are Asexual but i'm saying that everyone has different levels of comfort with physical affection. If we go by crazed BL fan logic, if I don't have sex with my significant other does our relationship not count? If i'm dealing with anxiety or depression on a specific day or even just a day where i'm feeling fine but need my personal space and don't want anyone touching me, even my significant other, does that mean we're not in love or not in a relationship because I don't want to kiss or cuddle them in that moment or on that day? This logic is ridiculous, narrow minded and ignorant as hell. It's 2023, lets open our eyes to all the different forms of love.

Leia Mais

MY FAVORITE BL SERIES!

One of the best BL series I have ever watched! I will never get tired watching this over and over again. It's just so good. Perfect choices of characters, they're very handsome too, and a really well-done storyline. The chemistry of the two male leads is very obvious, they're just perfect for each other. I always can't wait for the next episode to be updated and finally... I just love everything in this series. Aaaahhhh, I really don't know how to express it all, I just love this so much... Thank you to all that is involved in the making of this... this, and other BL series, really makes me happy everyday. Highly recommended! You'll surely love it!

Leia Mais

Wasted potential

I was really enjoying this show until near the end. I think there is a trend now in 2023 where Korean bls are now avoiding the bl in bl dramas, like they will keep the two men liking each other but will avoid them getting romantic with each other. They made it obvious that the two male leads liked each other and they even admitted it near the end, but they added an unnecessary villain where Tae Hyun friend was jealous that he started to hang out with Da Yeol more often and he felt neglected and it seemed that he liked Tae romantically. He kept interfering so much that he ended up getting Yeol to drop out of school when Tae lied to himself when he told Yeol he didn't like him like that and he was using him which we knew was a lie. Cuz I didn't read the manhwa I don't know how the plot was before it got changed for the drama but I feel like the ending for the drama was supposed to have a sad ending and saw it was going to do bad and had to refilm the ending. I need to read the manhwa to be sure, they had 2 yr jump from when Yeol dropped out and both Tae and Yeol are in university. This time jump seemed so rushed too. After 2 yrs passed they are both in university both Tae nor Yeol haven't seen one other. The ending implied they got together but they never said they were in a romantic relationship. They just started hanging out again after they got reunited again and Tae told Yeol he made a mistake, so Yeol said he would wait for Tae to confess then all of a sudden they are going to the beach and stay at a rented house. They flirt a lot and talk throughout the night. Tae doesn't want to sleep cuz he doesn't want to lose any more time while being with Yeol which was cute don't get me wrong. They had a lot of cute moments together but I feel like the director was avoiding intimacy between them.

Leia Mais

Few BL series give me such a feel for the characters

This series seems to be rather under-appreciated. In terms of plot, it is not the very best, but it is pretty good. In the last two episodes, there could perhaps be more scenes showing how Da Yeol and Tae Hyun become a couple. However, I think there feelings towards each other are pretty clear even if not spelt out directly. Da Yeol is the one who is quite frank (to himself) about his own feelings for Tae Hyun, from the early episodes where he finds himself paying attention to Tae Hyun. Tae Hyun, on the other hand, is confused--not so much (I believe) because of gay panic like in some series but really because he has psychological issues related from the time he was a child. He is afraid of being loved as the adoptive mother who loved him came to harm, and he does not dare to love others out of fear that what he treasures will be lost.

Tae Hyun's feelings for Da Yeol are shown fairly early when he looks somewhat jealous when he sees Da Yeol walking with a female classmate.. While some viewers wish to know how Tae Hyun comes to realise that he is really in love with Da Yeol, the answer seems quite clear to me: almost immediately after he tells Da Yeol to stop liking him. He wants to make up with Da Yeol but is unsuccessful even on Da Yeol's last day of school because he still needs time to overcome his issues. With Da Yeol gone, he realises how much he really wants to be with Da Yeol. Tae Hyun misses Da Yeol, but it is only two years later that he gets a chance to see Da Yeol again when Da Yeol gets drunk with a mutual friend.

The first time jump of two years occurs near the end of Episode 6. The second one occurs at the start of Episode 7, and we can infer that the two guys have been in a relationship since their last meeting. Episode 7 adds practically nothing to the story, but it is so full of sweetness that I can overlook it.

I love the way the series is moving without being sappy. As a coming-of-age series, it portrays the young people's lives without exaggeration. Whether it is Da Yeol's archery rival, Tae Hyun's ambiguously jealous friend or the female classmate who is carrying a torch for Da Yeol, Some may find issue with how Tae Hyun sets Da Yeol up, claiming that Da Yeol is sexually harassing him. The relative lack of action on the part of the school in response to such a serious allegation may also be questionable (although it might well be a veiled critique of society). the emotions and relationships are interestingly nuanced.

The series may not be every BL fan's cup of tea, but if I can judge it by how much it manages to make me care about whether the main characters end up together, it ranks quite high.

Leia Mais

This series has a special place in my heart!

When I first watched it I was just binging all episodes and loved it. It was an emotional rollercoaster.
I loved the atmosphere, the chemistry between the protagonists and the acting.

I would like to say something I have to get off my chest:
I don´t think I have a problem with the non-kissing part. I rather have a problem with the storyline that leads to the relationship they have in the last 2 episodes. I read some comments about the possibility with them being asexual. If that is the case I wish they would have potrayed this kind of sexual orientation (or more so non-sexual orientation) different. Without them communicating their needs and talk about their feelings their behaviour come off weird and unnatural. At least that is what I felt especially in Episode 7.
For that reason I was really disappointed in the ending. It had so much potential. I just needed to see how they realise and confess their feelings for each other. That could have been perfectly done in episode 6. Episode 7 was not necessary at all. As a result the non-kissing thing would have never been such a big topic because without more time jumps the ending would have been them confessing their feelings for eachother for the first time. There is no need for a kiss in this early stage of their romantic relationship. (In case they are not asexual).

Leia Mais

Edit: After typing my review, I found the review from Zelme and I pretty much agree to their opinion too, so feel free to check it out, because they put things differently into words and I feel like they did well. :D

https://mydramalist.com/profile/9837639/review/267273

Well... We have a bunch of eye candy, decent acting, a catchy OST and a story that's not that bad. I was pretty committed, liked the characters, and some moments were really sparkling... but the last two episodes were just pure nonsense.

We have 2 time jumps of 2 years each, and while I liked the first jump and understood why they would write it, the second time jump of another 2 years took me even more out of the story. They were suddenly together, apparently for a long time, and behaved even more awkwardly than at school, which made no sense.

So everything feels far too rushed because important milestones are simply not shown (confession, come together).

Apart from the fact that kisses are constantly teased, there are never any. No couple behaves like this, especially if they felt so comfortable with skinship before. I already knew there was no kiss (that's why I stopped watching the show the first time), but people who don't know must have been massively annoyed by it.

Until the last episode, the series was a good 8.5 for me, but this hiccup at the end - being awkward/uncomfortable, even though the two were very close to each other at school, including skinship, doesn't make sense to me and therefore depresses the series to 6. My frustration scala just exploded. I've rated A Breeze of Love also a 6 and plotwise I found A Shoulder to Cry On way more interesting and fun to watch, but oh boy, this last episode really killed my mood.

With one less time jump and without that regression in terms of their closeness, plus a fleshed out confession and how they eventually come together, the series would probably have stayed at 8 or 8.5.

Especially the last episode is frustrating. It feels like I wasted a little bit of my time. Not because there is no kiss, but because their behavior is actually quite unpleasant with each other, all of a sudden - because... while they were going to school, they were so comfortable with each other! Ugh! I just don't understand why they decided to write the characters like this, because theres no logical reason for this, omg.

Leia Mais

i wish I could rate it higher than 10

the parallels, the way they made u connect and get attached to the characters, the focus on mental health, the way they depicted how it is to get to know what and who u like, the acting, everything. It was so good I loved it so damn much and I like it more the more times I rewatch it.

Leia Mais