Our hero Inukai!

I think I haven't watched such a heartwarming story in a long time. The plot is just great, pure wholesomeness. Watching it made me feel the same as when, in my highschool years, I watched teen dramas! And that's awesome in my opinion because the emotions and feelings in this drama were truly genuine.
Shoutout to Inukai too, the man of the century, for he impersonates a new BL character every two minutes ahah (and we love him for that). He's like a guarantee to me at this point. Hiroki (Minoru) was just way too sweet to handle, he immediately gained my support.
I don't know the manga but this series definitely has a special place in my heart now, especially since I had to deal with loss and coping during last year. I spent one tear or two here, not gonna lie. There's not much I can say if not that I totally recommend it, especially if you're looking for a peaceful series with good ending.

Leia Mais

Wish I watched it earlier

First of all, I want to say that I watched this after the mini series. So I came prepared (not for the end though) and I already had deep feelings toward this story. I wish I gave it a try before watching the series for two reaons:

1. The director's cut flows waaay better than the single episodes do. I don't know how to describe it but it felt different. This way, the whole plot makes a completely different impact on the viewer's experience. The logical thread is easily perceivable and somehow even clearer. The viewer's experience is definitely on another level.

2. The final part. In the series, they don't really show an epilogue, or at least the way it would deserve. I read comments of people saying you won't regret watching those 10 or so extra minutes at the end. And oh dear if that's true. In the series, everything is so rushed I didn't even have time enough to realize what was happening/the scenes per se. In the director's cut they put what I think is THE ending. That was what I (didn't know I) needed to see and it also made me cry (both of sadness and joy). THAT final part is totally worth it.

I took advantage of the situation to rewatch it and this time I received something even more precious in return. I highly recommend it to both people who already watched the series and those who yet have to. I think you can just jump to this movie. If I knew it earlier, I probably would have watched this instead.

Overall, this story is so honest and realistic, that it really left a mark on my soul. This could easily be my fav BL of all time and, honestly, it easily went straight to my top 3. An imperfect love story but somehow perfect at the same time. Their love surely is strong and deep. That kind of love that unites the souls in a special way. That kind of love that's indescribable.
Applause to the actors too. They fit so good with their roles! I enjoyed the soundtracks too.

I would probably rewatch it for a hundred times, and never get bored or tired of it.

Leia Mais

Officially my N.1 BL

I came to this season with very high expectations. I was afraid to be disappointed because, you know, "second seasons" often feel like a let down. There's this saying that the first is always the best and then what comes after might even be pointless.
Well, I came prepared, but ended it with a big smile on my face.

At first I wasn't too excited to see what would happen after, their new lives and all the possible changes that might occur.
But I found myself attracted to each event or incident and of course I would have never stopped. This season deserved attention regardless, considering the masterpiece that the first was. Giving it a chance felt like due.
I enjoyed seeing their uni lives and the way their relationship proceeded. As always the filming was great and the music too. Everything was perfect again, so I enjoyed it pretty much the same as the other one.

The sudden couple problems didn't feel forced at all to me, it seemed human and realistic. And I can understand what happens, this season was very very personal to me, the dynamics and the environment meant a lot to me. So I really think the script was good once again and the way they made all the events, insecurities, reasoning of the protagonists flow, just felt fluid. It made perfect sense to me, everything happened for a reason and the characters really showed effort. It wasn't all thrown there without a process. And that's what impressed me the most. This drama is seriously God tier for a long list of reasons.

I'm gonna keep it shorter this time because my impressions are the same as the first season. I found the same amazing quality in every detail and it still leaves me speechless for how beautiful and well built the scenes are.
From the soundtrack, the music in general, to the ambient sounds and the visual effects, the lighting, the compositing, the choice of perspective, it was all amazing. A true masterpiece. I kept admiring all of these details and was literally captivated. Also, I will never forget the soudtracks, they are so beautiful I will never stop listening to them and remisce every time. And the moment they inserted here the songs from first season...damn that hit me hard! It brought back so many feelings!

In the end, overall, this season is another work of art, both for the storytelling and the filming. I'm so so happy for the ending and the path that Oh-Aew and Teh had to walk to reach it! It's so much of a spiritual journey that it pushes you to introspection.
Last thing: I cried at the theatre scene with Teh's thesis. It was so emotional, thinking back to their growing process. Pure bliss.

I would erase my mind just to see it for the first time and feel the same emotions again. Even though, to be honest, one day when I rewatch it, I'm sure I'm going to ride this rollercoaster again.

Leia Mais

It deserves tens of awards

I needed to take my time before writing this review because I felt quite overwhelmed at the end, for many reasons, and wanted to think it through a lil. So, the first thing I feel like saying is that this drama is superior for a huge amount of reasons. It's literally perfect, I can't think of one single flaw. The story is a bit classic, not the first on screen for sure (two best friends arguing and becoming lovers is quite common) BUT they were able to make it amazing. It almost felt like the first time approaching such plot, when actually it wasn't.

The level of storytelling here is so high I can't even bring to words how much it was well thought. Everything flows perfectly, the dynamics are so real it's unbelievable, not mentioning the actors' talent. In my opinion Billkin is on a totally different level, I find it rare. The way he expressed his character's emotions was incredible. The way he moved, the tears, the sobbing, laying around whit his mind full of uncertainties, using the objects around him, tapping on surfaces, the gaze...a mix of details that was sooo real. Insane. PP Krit was amazing too, especially in the way he showed frustration. AND not to talk about the sexual tension! Got to say that those parts and many others were greatly supported by good music/sounds, showing a great research was made. The sound director, sound editor, sound designer and all of the other professional figures did a very good job. The choice of rhythm was clever too, in some parts nothing special happened but you could feel either anxiety or the tension in all its intensity. Going from slow to fast, and alternating these tactics while adding the right music, resulted in a masterpiece.

The cinematography was so good too! Some shots were visually impressive. Overall every actor was good, everything about this drama is hella good!
I knew this drama by name but decided to try it after knowing about the award it received. And it was the best choice I could ever make. This is definetely on the Olympus of dramas. Absolutely.
The chance of me rewatching something was never so high.

Leia Mais

It absorbed my attention

There's literally not a single thing that I disliked.
The plot is so good! Interesting, captivating, realistic, intense, I could go on for pages.
The actors blew my mind! Especially Tak Woo Suk, he left me speechless. Soooo talented.

I'm very very sad that this masterpiece is so brief. It would deserve like twenty, thirty episodes. There was so much potential, so much material! It is as short as intense indeed. I'm also a big fan of gangster stories, which made it even more exciting for me to watch, but I've also never seen/heard of a story like this. The emotions they felt, their attraction that was never directly spoken..I could feel it all, with a tension that boosted my interest. I really enjoyed the fights too (I have a thing for fights/martial arts), and overall I think it was filmed very well.

In my opinion, this story's one of a kind and totally worth a rewatch. 100% recommend.
Enjoy every second because it ends really fast!

Leia Mais

Cute, touching, deep. A pearl

This is one of those stories that really make you think. This series is filled with educational messages that are very important. The love story is sincere and it portrays the many difficulties of dealing with your sexuality and the outside world. How complex human heart is and how strong and blocking your fears can become. The weight of the world's judgement outside of the safe walls of your home.

Watching it I felt as if I was a witness to a real-life setting. I was the spectator of something very very beautiful and deep. It all felt extremely soft but, at the same time, full of struggles.

The prom part, where they dance and the environment suddenly changes, was breathtaking. Seriously, that scene was so well shot. It captured me and I rewatched it like three times. Those cuties were immersed in their own world and nothing else mattered or even existed. Because, well, when you're in love, even the world around you can magically change.

Amazing script, very beautiful soundtracks, very good actors. I hope with all my heart that we get a sequel. But at the same time I feel it's ok like this. I wouldn't probably worry anyway, given the great direction of these episodes.

Such stories are pure pearls that can make you reflect more about something and I'm sure they have the power to change some minds too.

Leia Mais

Just human

I defined this drama "just human" because that's how I see it. Because that's the adjective that fits best.
This story depicts the many facets of human beings and I'm going to list the reasons.

I want to start by saying that I rarely write a review, because if I do there must be at least one of these reasons: 1. It has to be a great story that impressed me positively or 2. It has to be a story that made me feel deeply sad about something/disappointed.
This drama gave me both.

The story is very well thought, I really feel like praising the screenwriter/s and the director. The story of the main couple is just delicate. Two teenagers portrayed with all their true emotions, difficulties, fears, hopes. They look real, spontaneous. The events just flow perfectly and with realistic dynamics.
The way they build their relationship is through hard work, collaboration (especially after Xiang Hao Ting gains Yu Xi Gu's trust). It's cute how both fall in love with each other and slowly start to know their weaknesses and faults. It was harder for Yu Xi Gu because he was very introverted, due to all of his life's challenges and I can't blame him at all for that. He was just defensive and only a stubborn, crazy guy like Xiang Hao Ting could reach his heart. He was a boy full of energy who put his all to achieve anything he wanted and I admired him for that. His character development was splendid.
Sexuality, desire, feelings, are depicted just as a teenager would live them. Those few scenes fit perfectly with the dynamics and weren't forced at all.

The second couple was cute too, and I can't say it's not common to see age-gap couples (and who am I to judge if there's true love and dedication?). Sun Bo Xiang was a very good friend too and I appreciated his character a lot.

This drama made me the spectator of something extremely real. Social problems, family issues, the conflicts of young boys who yet have to build their future. That's how life is for the majority of people.

What got me deeply into it was the display of emotions (anger, sorrow, sadness, joy) because the actors did an amazing job and expressed it all with heart + another praise to the sound designer for the soundtracks. The music was so beautiful and emotional that, for me, it had a huge impact on the scenes.

I cried a lot at the end. I also felt a bit disoriented with the flashforward, it took me some time to understand what was happening and what fate was reserved for Yu Xi Gu. Many people say it's not fair (yeah you're damn right) and other say they skipped the last episode. I didn't expect all that pain and it left me hollow. But after thinking about it, I came to a conclusion: life can be like that. You can put all your effort into something and then it can slip away from your hands. Happy endings don't happen for everyone, even for the best, hardworking people. Sometimes it's just fate, or bad luck, however you want to put it. I know people who lost relatives or their partner in similar, unfair, circumstances. Life can be like that too.
"You naively think that something will be there forever. But then you understand it's a lie. That one day, it could not be there anymore". So, what it conveyed to me was this: live your life to the fullest, cherish every moment and never stop believing in your goals.
I firmly believe that this drama deserves a lot more attention and love.

Last, but not least, give a damn Oscar to Wayne Song.

Leia Mais

Controversial

I want to start by saying that every episode was filled with heavy BL clichés. Like, ok, it can be fun and jokes but after some time, it was a bit too much.
Xiao Li Cheng and Teng Mu Ren's love story was pretty soft, classic friends-to-lovers. It was cute though. About the other couple, the step brothers, I don't have much to say. Theirs could have been a pretty good story too, since for me there's no problem about their love (they aren't related by blood so I don't see the issue, even though I can understand how hard it could be for their parents).

If it wasn't for what Fu Yong Jie did to his drunk brother, I probably would have given a higher score. And not just that, the stalker, creepy attitude before and after that was also too much for me. It felt wrong in so many ways and I felt incredibly uncomfortable. That's not love, I'm sorry, that's obsession. The fact that the mother knew everything and did nothing was quite disturbing and totally wrong.

Anyway, overall, it was ok. I felt like with this they got a few steps back, the quality just wasn't the same for me and I felt sad about it. Also, the fujoshis were just embarassing. Goodness that was ridiculous. I like BL but seeing those girls made me realize how other people see and portray the category.

The wedding was the real highlight of the show! I loved Sun Bo Xiang in the previous series and that just melted my heart. And of course brought back heavy memories. It's nice to see these cameos.
I saw a lot of potential but they pretty wasted it..
This is just my personal opinion, maybe someone will enjoy it more.

Leia Mais

Wise portraying of serious issues

I loved this movie, and I'm glad I watched the mini drama before. If not, I probably wouldn't have gotten the complete experience of this story. It's better to know of their past and the way it all started.

The story is great, the japanese tend to give the white-glove treatment to certain matters as in this case. Personally, I always feel like in many dramas or movies they push people to serious consideration and introspection, I really appreciate their ability of portraying serious matters like social problems or complicated emotions. Slow-paced as I could easily expect (and I don't mind it at all), I found it deep and very emotional. Sora-chan is precious and this whole story is. They spotlighted the right points and gave a direct message when it was needed.

I loved the actors too and they were perfect for the role. Coming from the drama I tried not to compare their two versions (younger and older) and I think they fit perfectly. I also found it amazing how much they were able to express with a gaze.

Stories like these always leave me thinking, and it makes me sad to think how much effort is still needed to change something in our societies (and I can only imagine how japanese society is, but I guess it truly is hard). It was also good that they showed both sides, meaning they hinted at Rena's situation. Very sad. Everyone in society bears with different expectations from others and have different ways of dealing with them.

I really really love this movie and would totally rewatch it.

Leia Mais

I wish there were more episodes!

This is one of those realistic stories that really suit my taste. I like when the characters react to events or think as real life people would. I love light, soft stories with sparkles and all, but I always see something more in stories like this. It feels more relatable and possible, which makes it even better when everything ends well. You see it's a real effort and it somehow inspires you too for your goals.

This story is very good and the actors did great! Perfect choice for the roles and very good acting. I liked it a lot, especially because I'm a big fan of couples with totally different personalities. It would have been awesome if there could be more episodes, because the plot really could have been extended a little and enriched with events.

Anyway, overall, it was very good. Totally recommend!

Leia Mais

Deeper than it looks

I binge watched this beautiful drama in one day. It absorbed me very easily. The directing was amazing (what to expect from the same person that was behind "Where your eyes linger" and "To my star"? Nothing but great results. If you haven't watched these two titles, well, do it!)
The mood was always accompanied by great music, which helped me immerse emotionally. This last thing was what probably stunned me most. Music and framing are just so good, I can't stress this enough with words. Coming myself from cinema studies I can't help but notice such technical details and I think everyone can feel it anyway. The use of lights and the way it's shot is just very good too and somehow adds a personal point of view in each scene. Like the use of close-ups in the most intimate scenes or the most touching ones.
Anyway, I was just very into the story and the mood in general, like I was totally pulled into their world. And that's great because, honestly, I don't see many dramas/series that are capable of doing this. This is just my personal opinion, of course, but I think that they were able to show us how to give a short series the right feeling and how it's possible to follow the right pacing of a story. It was insane to me how they managed to not rush it at all, even though each episode was quite short (but full of events and emotions). The managing of time and narration was very good.
Another great thing about Blueming is the depth of the characters. From my point of view even the most secondary character, even the ones we see interact with the main leads like only twice, have some sort of aura. You just can tell they are something more, that they're not "empty" and part of the environment, but just by a few interactions and details (even aesthetical) you can clearly feel they're people. They feel real. I also noticed throughout the viewing that, especially the main characters (so the mother and sister too) give the feeling of having a rich personality, of not showing us their whole selves. Especially Da Un: he doesn't speak much, but everything he says has depth and that gives us the feeling that there would be so much more to know about him.
The story was great, finally a serious story that can concentrare both on young love and family issues or traumas, bullying and more. The part where Si Won cries with the mother was just wonderful.
So, finally, my point is that this drama deserves attention. It's very good, maybe even something a bit new that can give us a point of view that, in my opinion, can stand out in the whole drama panorama. I think we all can easily empathize with Si Won and each worry that young people might face.

Leia Mais

Top-tier KBL

After watching this amazing drama I felt the strong urge to write a little review. It left me so positively astonished that I just couldn't stay silent.
Coming from the manhwa, which is currently my favourite among those I'm reading, I had a very high expectation, especially after I saw the choice of actors (protagonists). The first time I saw them I just couldn't believe how perfectly they resembled the characters. I know it's wrong to make comparisons and that wasn't my intention at all, but it naturally came up in my mind that they were literally the real-life version of them. It was just apparent. I was surprised by their chemistry, they looked very comfortable with each other and totally gave life to the characters.
What I loved most were three factors (which I think are fundamental):
- The acting + the wonderful kiss scenes that made me drop my jaw, as it was the first time for me to see such realistic kisses in a KBL
- The mood, the use of lighting and colours in every scene
- The ost/the general choice of music
Every episode glued me to the screen and I couldn't wait for each episode to come out. I haven't felt this excited in a long time honestly.
I don't really have the right words for this and many people already expressed a lot of positive and even more technical comments, so I just want to HIGHLY recommend this masterpiece to everyone, especially to those who don't know anything about this story. The story is very good and very simple at the same time, and here I'd like to underline just one fact: it doesn't have any unnecessary drama or misunderstandings etc. To me, this is a great quality.
Semantic Error feels like a milestone, in some way I felt like witnessing something incredible in the history of KBL dramas while watching it. It deserves tons of recognition, love and attention.

Leia Mais