a real chinese BL, an emotinal rollercoaster

After the first four episodes:

While I am not a fan that this show starts with the ending in the first scene, it's ok when the story makes up for it.
The dynamics of the characters is interesting, including marginalized people like a nearly deaf boy is also a plus.
While the story may not be as polished as I prefer it, it is much much better compared to all the Thai crap we get now. We get a serious mature story with some funny and fluffy moments as well. Acting is also good and cinematography is also well done. The only downside is a still one-dimensional abusive father.

So far this show is a must watch and done very well.

Update:

First, we were lucky to get this BL completed, after the snafu after 4 episodes. Why they need to get censored so heavily while all the thai shows are shown in China without censorship is beyond me.

Second, the only flaw of this show is that Tan is able to speaks too fast and too easily after getting his hearing aid. If you have not been able to hear, it would not be that easy to learn to speak.

After watching the first four episodes I thought we got the outcome of this show in the first episode, but that's not the case. It was just a flash forward to happy times but this show is mostly not happy at all. All leads did an incredible job conveying their characters and emotions to give this BL a realistic feel.

It was an emotional rollercoaster with lot's of very sad moments, especially the disgusting Father of Qi Lu who is abusive and such an disgusting asshole that words can't describe him. Both couples are leads here and both couples had their own story and neither was an add-on like in some other shows. The final left a bit to be desired story-wise and it is a bit confusing to know what really happend to Qi Lu if you don't read the text AFTER the credits. I would have wished they would have altered Tan for the final scenes, because he looks the same. The first couple sacrifices for their partner and the second couple have their happy end a bit earlier after overcoming some traumatic past of Liu Ming Yang.

Overall this show was a must see and due to the acting I rated it with the highest rating even when story-wise it was not perfect. Regardless the show was well thought out, well scripted, amazingly acted and with great execution, cinematography, OST and casting. I also appreciate the inclusion of a handicapped character, who is a minorty of a minority.

If you have not seen it yet, I highly recommend it even if you need some tissues over the course of the twelve episodes.

Leia Mais

Overacting made it cringe, besides being boring

This is one of the few japanese productions I could not enjoy at the least.

Takahashi constant overacting ruined this movie for me completely. I bet it was not his fault and they director wanted it this way, but it resulted in a cringe fest for me. The story is boring as fuck as well. There is no real progress and there is no real story told. They should have confessed to each other in the beginning because they should already knew from the first movie how they feel. And then maybe we would have a chance to see them grow together and overcome all the obstacles life throws at them. And after they confessed near the end, they do not change, they do not kiss, it's just the same.

So all in all the skip button was my biggest support for this movie. I could not stand to watch some scenes several times. That's the disappointent from Japan in 2024. Why some people like a non-story movie I have no clue, because while the actors look pleasing, the acting was only cringe and there are only about 10minutes of cute in this movie. I guess female viewers will like it more but for me it was just crap and the pretty cinematography can't save it.

Leia Mais

OMG, they ruined the story....

While the first four episodes were entertaining and interesting it falls apart in the fifth and sixth.

Why did they need to do a timejump? I don't get it, especially if the actor is looking more or less the same. Secondly could they not have adapted the original story so they timejump would have been shorter so it would make more sense. Or if the timejump had to be that large, they would need an other actor and four episodes to explain if Aksorn a) recognizes Songjam and b) can love a twice as old person.

So for me, they ruined the series and I don't get a 10 review at all. Also even a 7.7 which is the rating now while I'm writing this is much too high. I can't understand why a director and screenwriter does not make the effort to keep that part of the story as realistic as possible and I also don't understand why the producer does not say "stop it, that does not make sense". I have to say, I'm really pissed that they wrecked this show which had so much potential.

Leia Mais

Much better as "Cooking Crush" but still wasted potential and not a real BL

The lazy writing is a trend 2024. Conflicts will be resolved in matters of minutes, the story is "safe" without much of controversy or social critisim, I am still not a fan of the Thai version of romcon, especially episode 4 was soooooo over the top I was barely able to watch it.
The story also lacks of a real BL story, they meet in passing, they get in love in passing, the have two episodes to get closer but with many misunderstands inbetween (because there must be drama) and then Jane left for five years. I find it a bit unrealistic that someone leaves, does not contact his love interest in that time and then everything goes back as it was before when Jane returns, Because the writing is lazy they have also a hetero couple, where they injected drama by making the girl lesbian for an episode. One episode and one meal later, everything is as it was before but the male part is more considerate now. Think what would have happend if they taked about their feelings and grievances before, we would have four episodes less!

We had worse shows this years, but to rate this show with a 10 is beyond me. It's just a safe bet for GMMTV to produce something tame without any really interesting story plots. When I compare this to "Not me" nobody can tell me that this show is in any way better or deserving a 10. So the fangirl overrating continues and it's one more reason why lazy writing prevails. This show could have been so much more, but it isn't, I am not even disappointed because I do not expect anything anymore from GMMTV.

Overall the story is shallow, the acting is good, the overacting is cringe, there are some truly funny moments, there is a lack of fluff but the series is at least not boring. It's an ok show with too less BL and too much time spend on the hetero couple to call it a BL.

Leia Mais

Bad acting, bad story, just bad

What I felt after the first minutes was that this show is "steril"... It feels like the desinfect spray they use all the time (because the story plays during/after Corona). The acting is lifeless, except Cakes brother (Tee). Many actors are too old for their roles or at least look too old, especially Cake. After the first episode you will get the gist of how the story will end, when the "bitches" appear. It was so predictable and so lazy again. And whats with all the reverb in many scenes? While the production quality itself is mostly good, there should have been also audio-editing for removing reverb. But with such bad acting and no chemistry at all there was no chance in hell this could be good.

So in short, just skip this show and watch something else, it's just a waste of time. How this show can have a rating above 7 is a mistery for me. Is it ok for people watching this crap just because it's BL? It's beyond my mind. The year 2024 is a sad year for Thai BL, producing crap en masse with only a few really good shows and mostly just medicore ones.

Leia Mais

Great acting but clichés and cowards

While it's good to see a prequel to Unintentional Love Story I'm not completly happy with the story.
First, I don't like clichés like "we are both guys, so it does not matter" 🤮 When can screenwriter just skip such BS.
Second, I am not a fan of cowards, in my eyes both of them are. Kim runs away from his love of his life and Go does not admit his feelings and does not communicate them. Because of the non-communication the end is what it is, even when both understand what they feel.

So I am a bit split If I really like this movie... Production quality was top notch, the acting was also top notch but the story left a bitter taste in my mouth. While not every love story does need a happy end, this end is especially unsatisfying.

Overall it's worth watching even when it will not satisfy everything.

Edit: After some reflection, this story is inconsistent with the original series "Unintentional Love Story", because if you see ULS you will recoginze; a) Did Kim really go to an university in Seoul and if so, what did he study? He should be a doctor in ULS but he owns a coffee shop. b) Go tells Kim, that he always breaks up with his girl which means they never have kissed or had any closer than friends relationsship before. He did that in this story too, he knows his feelings, so he would not have dated a girl again imho. If that would be a famous franchise I would say this story is not canon.

Leia Mais

Not as bad as some reviews make you believe...

After two years I watched the series again to review my initial rating and it's better than I had in my recollection.

First of all the master question: Are they all in a toxic relationship. The answer is no. It's not a toxic relationsship for both couples. In the beginning it's controlling and harsh but not toxic. You may feel that way, but they are not constantly fighting, there is no abuse besides some harsh words in the beginning. The big problem for them is communication and insecurity. All of them are insecure of themselves.

While they dragged the story out a bit and they resolve their issues close to the end, this story is better than most crap we get nowadays. The story has a logic to itself, it goes not out of bounds with silly things which would not fit, and even the ads are not that much in the face as nowadays. Yes they do a lot of fan-service but in a sensual way and not just for doing it, it fit's in the narrative. They also did not overdo the comedy bits, so the series has a good flow. I only feel sad, that the third couple did not get enough screen-time. Many say there was no character development, but I would disagree. The conclusion of the show is to be yourself, to not hide yourself from yourself or others and they just accomplished it. It's a very positive note for me.

The story itself is not stellar, but again compared what we get in 2024 especially from Thailand, the production quality is stellar, the music is great, Nunew's singing is exceptional. All in all an entertaining show, which does not try to give you only good vibes. I was surprised, that I find this show now much better compared when it released, but that's ok for me :)

Leia Mais

Every year a top notch production from Taiwan

Last year Taiwans BL industry had "Kiseki Dear To Me" with the highest production value and this year it must be "Unknown". They also had a troubled background story with some mafia elements and general hardships for at least one character. While the story is not perfect the series conveys all the feelings very well. Chemestry between the leads was also top notch imho and they kept the intimate scenes to the story where it mattered. Only LiLi left something to be desired, not really grown up to the end.

To read a review where I'm told I'm weired because of "incest" even it isn't "incest" was even more weired for me. Does incest even count between same sex? Incest is only not allowed because of gen deficits the children will get, see Europe and Habsburger :)

While not perfect this show transports all the feelings in an expectional way, with a top notch production value and cinematography. I can overlook all the the little story problems especially at the end. I would have prefered to see the surgery and not LiLis baby. Regardsless a show to recommand.

Leia Mais

Much better compared to Middleman's Love, but stil lazy writing

Some positives first: chemistry, costumes, and the better episodes later in the series, not romantising to try kissing a sleeping person and calling it out, sensible intim moments, some fluff, making the writing in a book play out.
Some negatives: Cringe, forced funny moments which were not funny, weak writing and no "battle" at all, bad adlib for the chinese actor, weak ending.

Maybe it's my guilty pleasure but I personally found it not that bad compared to other shows and they outdid themselves with the visual presentation. Lazy writing still prevails in Thai shows, so that was a given, but an improvement of the last show for the MLs.

Leia Mais

Man that dragged forever

A typical turn off your brain GMMTV show with shallow, lazy writing, only one story arc quite interesting and an abundace of overall childish scenes which were not funny at all (and no soundeffect will help it).

Even when a setting is located around students, they should have some more mature attitudes even when some childish elements have it's place, but they overdid them.
So for me it was a very disspointing show especially for the lead characters because their story run in circles.

This show in only half the episodes would have been even better because it dragged on for too long. The only highlight was Winny and Satang (Q and Toey) with an interesting arc. So, for me, it's a medicore show, most of the time nothing interesting happend. I was disappointed in the director who can deliver much better shows, I expected tons of annoying soundeffects and the lackluster kissing in many scenes in a thai BL show.

Leia Mais

Starting slow, heating up...

This was a nice surprise... what started like a boring series (story-wise), got more intense as the episodes got on. The depecition of Inspector Chas past was done very well and the spidernet of corruption layed bare. Due to the end of this series I expect we will see a second series where they root out the corruption at the police again.
They did find a nice balance between action and detective work, also one case is interwoven most of the time with the next case is a novum of such series.
The cast was great, just the stereotype bad guys where a bit much, except Lee Taeju of course, he is just a very slimey but intelligent villain.
Overall a very enjoyable series.

Leia Mais

simply mostly cute.

I don't understand all the low ratings this show received.
While it's not perfect, it's watchable, with some laughs and some tears.
It's by far not as bad as "The Middleman" or the absolut horrid "Crazy Handsome Rich".

This show has its cute moments, also it's serious moments.
While some of the effects looked cheap, you have to consider that this was not a high-budget series, so you should not take that so much serious. The effects in "Law of Atttraction" were much worse, but I didn't see 1.0 ratings.

For me this show was enjoyable even with some overacting on the comedy parts and with the stupid noises, but the gist of the story and what the director wanted to transport was positive and the acting ranged from cute to good. I don't understand why people have expectations regardsless of who is acting or writing or directing. Regardless, reviews with 1.0-3.0 ratings are unfair compared to many other worse shows.

Leia Mais

Why is it sooo bad?

Oh my god, that script.
I can't help it but thinking this is script has nothing to do with real gay life.

A man confessed to a boy (just visually, not implying the boy is not a man) and the man get a confession from a girl and then decided to date her even when he is loving that boy. Where does that happen? In a heterosexual woman writers fantasy? Then all the drama with the ex who is just an asshole happens and it felt sooooooo forced. And then they cut kissing scenes especially in the finale where the kiss is part of the story. While I have no problem with cutting fan-service, it's a no go if it is relevant to the story.

So overall I feel sad for the actors who did their best, even if they are inexperienced and felt a bit stiff at times. We can only hope the next series will be more realistic and not just fantasy. It's not the worst show this year but still bad alone from the storytelling. If you have not seen it, you can safely skip it.

Leia Mais