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Good with One Exception
I acknowledge this review will have an unpopular opinion.This had a great storyline. This is a BL series that also exposes the many problems with the BL industry. It had an outstanding cast which did a great job portraying their characters. I also like how many of the characters did not have your standard ideas of gender norms. However, there are some problems with the script. There are problems with the story continuity, especially with the age difference between Gene and Nubsib. Here is my unpopular opinion, I have a huge problem with the full ending of the series. I was good until the very end of episode 12 (part 4 of episode 12 if you are watching it on YouTube). This is where I got angry. Yes, I actually got angry about it. The full ending felt very lazy, as if the writer got tired with the series. I felt it also downplayed all of the problems of the BL industry that the series was trying to expose in the previous episodes.
Random Note: There are grammatical/spelling errors with the English subtitles if you are watching it on YouTube.
******Potential Spoiler Alert******
This is more of a recommendation than a spoiler. You should stop watching episode 12 after Nubsib whispers into Gene’s ear about how Gene should end his novel. You are really not going to miss anything by skipped the rest of this episode. This is how they should have ended the series.
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I placed any potential spoilers at the end of this review. This had a very interesting story concept with an excellent script. I only have one criticism, but it’s not really about the script. See potential spoiler alert at the bottom if you want more info. I like the cast and thought the acting was good considering many of the actors were new at the time. I don’t have a background in film production, so forgive me if I don’t express this correctly. The cinematograph is stunning. They did a great job playing with the different filming styles, such as black/white and vibrant colors. The transitioning scenes when Yeon Woo has the color rush and decolorization were remarkable. I also like the music.
******Potential Spoiler Alert******
My only criticism is the description of the series/move on Viki does not completely match what happens. It mentions parts of the storyline that does not actually take place in the series/movie. However, this is an ongoing problem on Viki. The description on MDL is more accurate.
Random Note: Why does the movie version only have the mysterious phone call at the end?
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It Was Different
I placed any potential spoilers at the end of this review.This series had a refreshing storyline. Although it is set in a university, at least it does not involve engineering or medical science students. However, the execution of the storylines is not the greatest at some points. It does have great cinematograph. The acting was also good considering many of the actors are new in the field.
******Potential Spoiler Alert******
My only criticism is the 6-month time jump was not done well and did not help the series.
I would like to see a second season or spin-off series with the two side couples. Especially for the characters Dome and Vee, maybe incorporate the word “waiting” in the series name. Just a thought.
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Give it a Chance
This series is not for you if you don’t like paranormal story lines with a side of sci-fi. If it is, you are in for a treat.I love this series even with the bittersweet ending. It had a great original storyline. I also like how they incorporated several nods to Lovely Writer in some of the earlier episodes. Great script, beautiful cinematograph, and very good acting. I love the music and the special effects weree used very strategically.
However, the editing of the free cut version is not the greatest. They cut a lot of scenes which makes some of the episodes disconnected and/or confusing. The uncut version is definitely better. The cut version has many scenes missing that are needed to help the viewers fully understand and appreciate what is going on. They also cut scenes that help with the backstories of the side characters.
Disclaimer: I did a slight edit of this original review and changed the Story, Rewatch Value, and Overall Rating sections to reflect the cut version of this series. Edits were done on 1/6/2024.
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- Did it add anything to the original series
- Was there either an absence, advance, or regression of character/couple development
- Was the story concept interesting
- Script quality
Although it did not add anything to the original storyline, it was nice to see them during their “break-up” college days. This episode was cute and the acting was good, but it didn’t have the same magic as the main series. The background music choices were great, but I was not a fan with some of the sound effects. My only complaint is the crossover component. I would have loved to see Pat and Pran get two complete episodes instead of almost one full episode.
Random Note:
I’m probably in the minority with not liking this crossover. I’m just a little disappointed with it. Bad Buddy and A Tale of Thousand Stars are both my top favorite BL series, but I really wish this series stayed consistent with the 2-episode per couple format. I have a theory as to why this was done but I’ll keep it to myself.
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You will have to adjust your mindset as you watch it.
I placed spoilers at the end of this review.I usually don’t start with this but it’s important to know the series description on this page (Director’s Cut) is not very accurate. That being said, it would have been hard to write a series description without giving away the main storyline. Although it’s not accurate, it is the best one because the description on GagaOOLala and the MDL page for the regular version are completely wrong.
Overall, this was an awesome series. This may be an unpopular opinion but the main story concept was great. With not given too much away, the beginning of the series started off with episodes (1; 2; 3-4; 5-6) showing standalone storylines using the usual BL concepts. However, all of them are connected in a very unique way. My advice is to pay close attention to the closing credit scene at the end of episode 2 and the extra scene at the end of episode 4 because both did a very good job foreshadowing what the series is really about. The script was good, but it was not perfect. It had a very strong beginning, but became weak around episode 6. At this point the episodes dragged a little and there was some wasted screentime. The entire cast was wonderful. A big kudos for the two main actors because they did an incredible job getting into their characters with each different storyline. I didn’t feel like I was watching them portraying the same character over and over again. It also helped that the styling department did an incredible job creating different looks for the different characters.
Random Notes:
The location used for Namping’s house (episodes 3-4) was also used in the series “Knock, Knock Boys”. The house location used for episodes 5-8 was also used in the following series: “Twins” (Sprite and Zee’s childhood/father’s house), “GAP” (Mon’s house), “Enchanté” (Akk’s house), and “Something in My Room” (Phat’s house).
******Spoiler Alert******
MDL for the Director’s Cut series description is the best one because it doesn’t give away what the series is really about. However, I did go into this thinking the love story concept involved either reincarnation or multiple alternative universes.
I thought Top and Mick did a great acting job. It is not easy to portray multiple characters, especially in the same series. Not to mention portraying a character that is an actor that is acting on a fictional series set.
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What’s Not to Love!!!!
Warning: Do not watch this if you are offended by nudity.This was an incredible series. It’s always wonderful to watch a mature series that involved adults. I was scared to watch this at first because a series that centers around sex can go very wrong, really quickly. Thankfully this series had the right mixture of mature content, comedy, drama, and heartwarming moments. I loved getting to know the main characters and their storyline had a good progression throughout the series. I may not have liked all of the characters (I have my favorites), but they were well written. The best part was the friendship dynamic between the main characters. They didn’t always get alone, but they were always supportive of each other. The cast was wonderful and did a great job portraying their characters. This had great music and cinematography.
Random Notes:
It’s not a major one, but there is a cliffhanger in the last scene. It gives a hint of the possibility for a second season which I would love to see.
My only complaint is the English subtitle timing is too quick on GagaOOLala.
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Home Sweet Home
I placed spoilers at the end of this review.Here is my usual warning that I am a sucker for series with a paranormal/strange element to it. This was a fun series. The first few episodes were a little rough around the edges, but the following episodes get better. Overall, the script was funny and heartwarming. I really liked the mini storylines involving the guest roles. The script also did a great job tying all of the various storylines together. Three out of the four main characters started off a little annoying and/or unlikable. However, the script did a great job explaining reasonings behind their behaviors as the series progresses which made them more likable. My only minor complaint is that I was able to guess some of the plot twists beforehand. As for the entire cast, they were amazing and did an incredible job with their characters. The cinematography and special effects were also amazing.
Random Notes:
The closing credit scene showed various stages of the team’s relationship development was very cool. I normally don’t watch closing credits, but found myself doing so because of this.
The saying on the neon sign with the burned-out letters was hilarious.
Home’s condo in America is the same one used in the series “Wandee Goodday”, “Only Boo”, “My School President”, and “Good Old Days”.
The smaller globe next to the one Home was staring at in episode 8 was the same one used in the series “Be my Favorite”.
******Spoiler Alert******
The beginning of the first episode threw me off because I didn’t realize that Home was in America. They could have incorporated some other hints to this other than the news. It did not help that I recognized the place from other GMMTV series.
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So Cute!!
If you are looking for a BL series to make you feel good, this is the one. This series was very cute and fluffy. Yet another good example that you don’t need a lot of episodes to tell a great story. The script was very well written and had a nice even pace. The cast was awesome and did a great job with their characters. It had just the right number of characters for an 8-episode series. You get just enough of everyone’s backstory without taking too much screentime. It was very refreshing to see an ex-girlfriend not placed in the crazy/evil stereotypical role. The only minor negative aspect for me was it had some shaky camera work at times.Random Note:
The timing on the English subtitles on GagaOOLala were too fast at times. I had to pause many times.
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Enjoyable story that clashed with poor execution.
I placed spoilers at the end of this review.Overall, this was not a bad series. Unfortunately, the script and editing were not it’s friend. This was a shame because the series had a lot of potential. In its defense, the series main goal to keep views interested was good. If the idea was to keep you confused about the storyline to keep you watching, it succeeded. I kept watching because I was trying to figure out what the hell exactly happened with Ji and Achi in the past. However, the script was underdeveloped in some areas and lacked direction at times. The first episode did a great job grabbing the view’s attention but set an expectation for the rest of the episodes that was not met. The script also did a poor explanation on many things. I did not mind the slow pacing of the series, but they did not use their screentime wisely considering this is an 8-episode series. They could have eliminated some unneeded aspect to help fully develop the more important parts of the script. All of the characters were great and likable. The actors did a great job considering what they had to work with. Overall, it had beautiful cinematography but the editing seemed a little off. There were scene sequences that appeared out of order which caused some continuity problem. Actors made references to things that happen in the past from previous episodes as if it was still happening. However, the flash back scenes were done very well and not confusing. Most of the songs they used were good, but they made some odd background music choices that did not fit the mood of the scene.
******Spoiler Alert******
They were actually very smart on keeping us in the dark about what happened between Jirawat and Achivich in the past up to the second to last episode. I was so confused as to why Ji was giving Achi the cold shoulder which made me want to finish the series. Thankfully this only had 8-episodes.
They didn’t do a good job showing the progression between how Ji and Achi became friends in the past and how they became friends again in the present day.
The kiss in episode 2 was unnecessary and served no purpose to the script.
I wish they gave more screentime to Ki and Kambee. As much as I loved them, don’t introduce a second couple if you are not going to give them a proper storyline. Again, a miss use of screentime.
Although it had the mostly used story element to drive a classic story concept, I like that they did not use any of the predictable conflict scenarios in the last two episodes.
What the hell was up with Ki's college degree? What was that all about?
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BL Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita: Crank Up Hen
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Hilarious Satire
I placed spoilers at the end of this review.This series was hilarious, cute, and heartwarming. This is a good example that you don’t need a lot of episodes to tell a great story. The script was very well written and didn’t take things too seriously. It had a lot of components that you think shouldn’t work, but it somehow did. The cast was awesome and did a great job with their characters. It also had great cinematography and graphics. I will have to say there is only one negative aspect about this series.
Random Note:
What an awesome way to end this year.
There was a few times when there are no English subtitles in the 2nd episode, but I was still able to figure out the overall mood of what was going on.
******Potential Spoiler Alert******
The one negative aspect about this series was the one kissing scene. We see the standard dead fish lips. If they are going to show this, I would have been fine with them not even having a kissing scene. However, this was only a minor negative for me because the rest of the series was just too funny and cute for me to care about it.
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Worth the Wait!!
This was a wonderful continuation of this series which is rare for a second season. Overall, the writers did a great job making you always guessing what was going to happen next. They also did a great job successfully connecting multiple elements and characters together. Yes, the story had a few inconsistences from the previous season, but it didn’t distract me from enjoying the series. It had a little more gore than the last season which some individuals may not like. However, it does reflect the high stakes the counters were dealing with in this season. My only real complaint is the ending was a little weak for me. The series did a great job introducing all the new characters and their back stories. It was also nice to see many of the supporting characters from the last season. On that note, the entire cast did a wonderful job portraying their characters. The cinematography, special effects, and FX make-up was outstanding.Esta resenha foi útil para você?
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Kudos for Trying
I placed spoilers at the end of this review.I give GMMTV credit for thinking outside the box and trying something different. This series had some interesting story ideas that were not well implemented. The script was messy and had many weak elements. It had a slow start, became interesting towards the middle, and then had a very lackluster ending. The script also had a lot of comedy that was missed placed. It had a fair amount of science fiction, but the scenes were not that suspenseful or interesting. The romance storyline was ok, but I could have done without it. I wished it focused more on the club/friend dynamic more. The actors were great with what they had to work with. Unfortunately, many of the characters were not completely fleshed out. See the spoiler alert at the end of this review if you want more information. The FX make-up and main costume used for 42 was not the greatest and appeared amateurish. I don’t even know what they were thinking with the second costume used for 42. It seemed most of the budget was used for the awesome CGI and cinemaphotography.
Random Note:
I want to see GMMTV continue with sci-fi shows, but use better writers. This easily could have been an 8- to 10- episode series because there was not enough content for 12-episodes. Many of the episodes had a lot of filler scenes that didn’t add anything to the main storyline.
I went back and forth about watching this. I was very interested after seeing the teaser trailer because of the sci-fi aspect, but was somewhat disappointed by the official trailer. However, curiosity got the better of me and decided to watch it anyway. The teaser trailer showed more potential and was more interesting.
********Spoiler Alert********
The character 42 was intriguing when she was first introduced but then was used more as a comical element in the middle of the series. The character development was better towards the end but they still had her in that horrendous costume.
I’m very puzzled by the name of the series. There were some hints of a romance between Erng and Mew but they never became a couple during the whole series. It seemed they were very attached to the series name, but didn’t know how to live up to it. The title could easily have been UMF (Unidentified Mysterious Friend) with the content we received.
The hinted love triangle was not that bad and was resolved very quickly.
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It has its moments
I placed a spoiler at the end of this review.It had a good story concept. I did like the series because it had some refreshing story elements. However, the script also had many weak elements too. The side story involving Khim and Dr. Petch was very annoying. See spoiler alert at the end of this review if you want more info. Another problem is the series had way too many random conflict scenarios thrown into it. I lost track of how many were introduced. The actors were great with what they were given. Unfortunately, the character development was a little off with Solo and Gui. It’s as if Nut Supanut received director notes on how to play Gui instead and vice versa. There were points that I got confused in the beginning on who was play which character. Additionally, the casting for some of the characters seemed a little off.
Random Note: If you do decide to watch this, I recommend skipping all the scenes involving Khim, Dr. Petch, and Dr. Perth. This improved my enjoyment of watching the series. I think the actors are good but this story line was unnecessary and very annoying.
******Spoiler Alert******
The side story involves Khim constantly trying to convince Dr. Petch that he and his friend, Dr. Perth, is gay. This was very annoying. It’s the equivalent of someone trying to convince me (a gay man) that I’m straight and that I just have to admit it. She also indirectly caused Dr. Petch hurting Dr. Perth and Khem (her brother) through her annoying actions.
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