A feel-good BL

I had a fun time with this short yet loveable BL. Having their romance boost from their professional job as a print media reporter and having fieldwork alongside each other was great and enjoyable to see. The plot and tension were just light but still satisfying.

Watching this after a year of release was a pity because I’m late yet still grateful for another quality BL produce from Japan. Jyutaro and Keito pairing sent out a good amount of serotonin. One is alluringly handsome and the other one is undoubtedly a cutesy. Sometimes, I feel that a few scenes needed huge acting performances that they both lacked at some point. Yet, the overall portrayal of their roles was enough for me to overcome with joy from their chemistry.

The supporting cast and guest roles also delivered a flavorful addition to spice up the story and connect the couple from getting to know each other. So this is mainly an office-based romance roaming between a simple yet smooth flow of love story. It was enough for me and I loved it!

Leia Mais

Their heartbeat of love and life is heard; it is loud and concise

Its first scene from the first episode was a pouring rain and it already had an impact on me, associating with the main couple’s emotional life story. Japanese BLs always give us a heart-fluttering show with a distinguished script, truly a gem to the industry. The concept of “notebook taker” was fresh and adorable. It also showcased the struggles of people with hearing disability.

An elevated narration that focuses on Kohei’s POV. Living his life tenderly and emphasizing that living with special needs does not make someone not normal. It serves as an eye-opener to its audience that they do not desire pity but instead need warmth and embrace to treat them belong to the world.

We also got Taichi’s POV - a jolly young man with a touching background. As a child with divorced parents, this boy manages to be positive in life all thanks to his grandpa. His decision to quit the university is understandable. Education is an important part of someone’s life but not everyone has the privilege to pursue it. He even wears the same shirts revolving with text from different U.S. states throughout the show but still acts beyond grateful for all the delicious meals he has eaten. From taking numerous part-time jobs to fully committing to focus on his new employer which provides a well-compensated salary, earning money became his top priority.

Their chemistry and pairing were adorably great. An energetic cutie meets a shy and reserved lover boy. I love them so much! But as the episodes went by, I felt that the drama failed to provide a romantic progression. They focus on the youth life drama so much that I badly needed to see more of Taichi and Kohei’s slow-burn romance. They should at least give us a more passionate ending for a couple instead of just confessing and finally accepting each other’s feelings. Nevertheless, there’s no doubt that this is one of the top BLs of 2024 that brings authentic charisma and a teary-worthy life story.

Leia Mais

Ethics are dead

Embark on a paranormal journey of revenge to direct us into a deeper and cruel perspective of life -that some people are too corrupted to disregard morals and principles. Honestly, the first few episodes were meh and almost dropped my expectations from the show. Not until the revelation of Non’s backstory happened and everything seemed to get more interesting.

Bullying has continued to ruin several lives since then. The story fueled my anger toward the students knowing that at a young age, these guys are already minions of Satan. Not even a single character from this show is lovable; everyone has a rotted personality. Indeed, birds of the same feather, flock together.

A mess, but the kind of mess that attracts one’s attention. Plot after plot happened but I feel disappointed in how they concluded the show in an open-ended type of finale, without giving proper justice to the victims. I am rooting for New/Tan's vengeance on what happened to his family. He deserves and has the right to be the sole main role here and not anyone else.

Thank you to Jjay for re-introducing me to the show which I used to ignore during its airing period. It was a good drama having a well-established storyline from beginning to end. Yet, the execution was weak to moderate. It has the potential for a sequel that can discuss the aftermath of the chaos in the vacation house, the public sympathy for the fallen victims, and re-surfacing another revenge plot against those who survived the bloody party. And I would like to see the adults too being imprisoned and perish in hell.

Leia Mais

Complete package but not totally my type

Categorize this show as an ordinary one especially since I am having a hard time deciding whether I liked it or not. They have the angst, the growth and connection of the romance, the appeal from the cast, the amazing setup of soundtracks, and a nice sequence of the stories from the beginning until the end. Yet, it is not my cup of tea and I am certain that people out there might enjoy this show to their fullest. But, I was hoping as well that despite not my preference in a romantic genre, it’s their job to make things work for everyone.

Aloha is so cute in this series with his sassy and bitchy attitude. However, Makoto devours this show with his excellence in delivering the perfect blend of emotions and charms. The intimate scenes were the best element in the drama; hot, sexy, and fulfilling. As expected with Japanese productions, they always took a lot of effort to create pleasant and arousing scenes for their characters. But not to the point of overly doing it, that mostly happens in Thai BL shows.

The story is dramatic in a good way in that it tackles reconnection and attempting to succeed on the second try. It was a good plot for two grown adults and how they face up against hindrances in their mature ages. It was cool to see them nourish their romance with a happy ending.

Leia Mais

Connecting two different timelines into a well-blended fantasy-action-romance BL

A palatable combination of history and modern set-up merging a few distinct genres into one supernatural series. At first, it never crossed my mind that it would be a fantasy genre as I was so hooked up with the vigorous appearances of the characters during their training days. It always showered with manliness and well-packed action scenes that I remembered getting excited for Yai’s role. This man always emits hot boyfriend vibes with his muscles screaming throughout his body.

Phaya and Tharn are interesting MCs yet, I get tired of watching their intimate scenes that have little to no connection with the storyline and and are just there for the sake of feeding the fandom. On the other hand, Khem and Thongthai’s love-making scene was a real comedy with an essence part to their love story.

I would also like to congratulate the creative and production crew for a realistic outcome of the celestial being such as the Naga the Dragon and the Mighty Birds featured as the MCs' past appearances. I also love the idea that Phaya dreamed about the past while Tharn can oversee the future by implicating his so-called ‘signs.’ It was a clever approach to the depth of their roles and allowed it to be the eye-opener in their relationship from the past.

The casting was all good from the main and supporting roles to even the guests from the show. They also have several side stories that are entertaining and serve as the stepping stone in revealing the main antagonist from the story, which turned out to be the political leader himself and not the divine being as the couple’s love interest.

Nicely done and executed but have more room for growth. I missed the charm and excitement from the first half after watching the last few episodes. I am demanding more unique progress of the story but the show itself keeps giving me sex scenes and prolonging the unnecessary drama from the love triangle. Nevertheless, despite its flaws, The Sign is a good BL with the show being memorable all because of its rarity in having the concept of supernatural creatures living in the modern era.

Leia Mais

Mediocre story yet the delightful charm from the cast triumphs

A teacher and student relationship might sound questionable but this drama allowed me to put it aside and just focus on the cute and fascinating story of the characters. I feel like I enjoyed seeing the cast more than the story itself. Toki, Rise, and Shinji are not just good-looking trio but also execute their most loveable side, their personalities. Although a lot of people from the show have prejudice regarding Toki’s behavior of fighting a lot, this boy has a heart of gold too. His girly and overdramatic gestures are too funny. Special mentions on his beautiful and elegant look when he plays as Snow White. Rise on the other hand needs a lot of screen time. I am curious about what will happen to his family since the story only talks about him having a lot of part-time jobs to help his family financially. Shinji is also a kind-hearted person with a masculinity that is still intact with his innocent looks. These three heartthrobs are my favorite people from the show.

Sahara’s past may be a tragedy but I’m happy with the way they portray his character’s change game. He might not have to be the top swimming athlete to complete until he graduates, but he became a cool and genuine teacher. I think that the character introduction of his junior was unnecessary but I take it since the boy is cute too.

Overall, the drama is not that good and not that bad either, it is just average and fine. I guess this is a better rating enough for a show that has the perfect balance of its pros and cons. Nevertheless, the music in general from this show is top-tier and I liked it a lot.

Leia Mais

Thank goodness that I gave them a chance

I am going to be honest, the pilot episode was a meh for me. My thought back then was that GMMTV kept on using violence and arrogance as the plot of their story. This pertains to Mhok’s introduction in his thug era. I was in the middle of letting go of the drama but I’m glad that I stayed. I always believed in Sea Tawinan and Mark Pakin’s character range which were the reasons for me hanging on with the show. Yet, I am surprised by the acting growth of Jimmy, he surely evolved and explicit a way better portrayal than his previous main character role. Namtan also nailed this one as well, as expected from our dramatic girl.

Well written story with the right actors. I have a soft spot for a series that tackles one’s disability to see things around them. The progression and narration of Day’s daily life struggle are heart-rending. Another thing that I got invested in the story is the reconciliation of the two brothers, Night and Day. As the one who hugely suffered in the car accident, Day’s resentful actions towards Night are reasonable. Objectively speaking, Night is not the one to be blamed for the incident. But Day’s coping mechanism at that time is to put a finger on someone which causes his eyesight to vanish.

It is always beautiful how the title aligns with their story. The majestic and tear-jerker Last Twilight scene is phenomenal. I cried and felt the pain of the main couple. That time when Day completely loses his vision but remains calm in accepting his reality that he will continue to live on for the rest of his life. EP11 was indeed my favorite episode from the series.

Leia Mais

When longing to disappear; take one day off to walk, eat, and let the mind wander

As someone who enjoys solo travel, this show is relatable. Going out alone and doing a variety of new things on each adventure was pretty cool. A good way for the story to give us a character that revolves around strangers and how her solo trips help her feel alive.

However, the concept alone is not enough for an overall greatness in its impact. As the episodes moved by, I tended to get bored, and it came to the point that I became uninterested in the next thing that would happen to the story. They tried their very best, which was good enough, but failed to provide consistent satisfaction to the audience. It became plain and unclear towards the end. Yet, it is reasonable since the major highlight of the show is to introduce us to the main character who self-meditates in terms of going out with herself alone.

My favorite episode must be when the woman met a man who dreamed of being a film director and they somehow flirted with each other but ended up separating on their ways. I love the tension and the short story that they portrayed. I hoped to see them again in the end but it didn’t happen.

Leia Mais

A savory love story

They served a wholesome menu with visually appealing actors and a delightful progression of their story. I have fun watching the main characters dwell in making romance between them happen once again. The script was okay for a small film project yet the actors shined so brightly that made the story more consumable.

Jung Do Hoon was a ball of sunshine here. Having such a tall figure, an intelligent marketing mind, and a kind-hearted heart. I easily fell in love with him and his personality. Working in a workplace where it seems toxic and overworked was too pitiful. Thankfully, his boss wasn’t that bad and protected him during the conflict with their client. If I were him, I don’t know if I can manage to survive working in such an environment.

The chef on the other hand, Lee Yoon Soo, was a sweet talker in a literal and positive way. I love his gentleness and for always caring for his loved ones. He has one of the sweetest speaking voices in Korean BLs -soft and lovely. I understand how he fell in love with his hyung, Jung Do Hoon, and wanted to take good care of him every day. Because our marketing boy is someone who you can feel too happy just to see him being happy, in short, he is an adorable big boy.

The conflict of the ex-boyfriend and suitors that happened between them was shortly executed and made a segway to how Jung Do Hoon kept the food that the chef prepared for him, untouched. It is both a good and bad way of transitioning a conflict to another conflict. Good in a way that we should know the feelings of the person who prepared food and cooked for us, the care and effort are priceless. Bad way in a form that the couple should solve the third parties involved with their relationship with deep communication involved. As a viewer, I enjoyed the other party being jealous but at the end of the day, I want for a proper talk between them that somehow doesn’t happen again in the finale.

Overall, Bon Appetit was another light BL that made me so happy until the end. I love the chemistry between the couple and I hope to see more of them in their next projects with the hope that they will be paired once again.

Leia Mais

Cute and fun, not until something bad happened

It had an intriguing yet refreshing start as a BL watcher for years. The story is not different from the rest of the BLs but there’s something unique about this show -and that is maybe the way that the visually stunning cast executed their roles perfectly despite being rookies in the industry.

I love the intimacy of the two couples; it devours their feelings into each other and lets them grow into themselves. The first-morning bed kiss with Fan Ze Rui saying “Good morning baby” was still one of my favorite kissing scenes. Then, they gave us the first bed scene on EP 07 which was unexpectedly followed by a set of devastating episodes. From EP 08 onwards, I was attacked by a series of needle pins into my heart. Why does Bai Zong Yi have to take the blame, be put into jail, and risk his life during the 4-year time skip? I hate it!

He has a bright future awaiting him, with the dream of becoming a doctor to help his family financially. At that moment, I just wished that he hadn’t met Fan Ze Rui. People inside a gang have a hard time falling in love with someone outside their circle. The violence and angst from these episodes are too much for me to handle.

For having the main couple lay low, we got the character development and bloom of romance from the second couple which was lovely. They did pretty well on serving another chemistry with their sassy and unaffectionate romantic feelings to becoming clingy and affectionate towards the end.

The essence of the drama mainly focuses on the love story of the main couple which I was hoping to see more kind of replenishment and rehealing process from all the things that happened between them and their family. Yet, I am also convinced that the production already did their very best to offer a good enough ending for the stories of the characters. I am also happy to see various stars from the previous BL romance that are having their cameo role in this drama. To be honest, I was expecting that the main cast from HIStory 4: Trapped may also have their appearance as they almost got the same kind of genre, but it didn’t happen. All of the actors in this project raised the quality and entertainment factor of the drama which brings a huge impact to the overall savority of the viewers.

Leia Mais

Ain’t that happy and ain’t romantic at all

I get the way that they’re trying to show us some artistic vibes through literature, but obviously, they failed to give us a better execution of the concept. This is too average to become a hit and I don’t follow the angst as it was messy from the very beginning.

Kim Jung Hyun is an annoying character who has an annoying attitude. Han Tae Young’s positive vibes somehow lighten up the mood but still not enough to save the entire show. The conflict presented in the story was not properly concluded in good shape. They just became co-workers in one company, sunset viewing on the rooftop while holding mugs. Ain’t a happy ending at all.

Yet, despite the huge amount of flaws and criticism, the show itself is not as bad and just plainly an average one. I don’t have any high hopes since the start but I’m hoping for at least having a nice conclusion towards the life of the main characters and not just by simply having them romanticize the present.

Leia Mais

Lighter yet complete version of the original

An unexpected remake project of the most controversial yet popularized BL story in China. Its power and influence remain the same as fans still acknowledge anything “Addicted”-related things. I salute all of the people behind this show and reproducing the first banned gay show in their country. Yet, they need to take some precautions by cutting out the intimate scenes and filtering out the romance between the two main characters. And this is pretty enough for fans who want to see the continuation of the drama into the series.

Gu Hai and Bai Luo Yin still hold the record in my favorites list as they have such notable and distinguished characteristics in both the novel and the first live adaptation series. Although they literally romanticized toxicity as a form of love, I can’t help but feel astonished by their love story every now and then. I remember reading the book with too much focus as I can feel how painful and dramatic each turn of events is towards these characters. Of course, Johnny Huang and Timmy Xu play a big role as they paved the way for most of the international audience to indulge in this story. They have such a firm and strong chemistry that leads me to imagine their faces while reading the novel.

After banning their show way back in 2016, fans left nothing but sadness. The first thing that came to my mind when I heard that earlier this year, a remake version will be released, is the question “can they match the standard set by the first version?” The answer I get is both a YES and a NO. It’s a YES, in a way that I can see that the production is following the main storyline of the novel with lesser tension and leaving out some significant scenes that may target their project again by the Chinese community. And NO because, despite the efforts, I feel like they’re always something lacking that leads me to feel bored sometimes. This may be due to my expectations that are too high for the remake project to satisfy me.
The nostalgic feeling adds spice to the show and it's hard for me to focus my attention on the remake and avoid reminiscing the scenes from the first version. Nevertheless, I feel grateful that they made this drama lighter and minimized cruelty to the characters’ perspective. If a sequel is possible, I am just wishing for them to continue sticking to the main storyline and avoid unnecessary cut-offs as much as possible.

Leia Mais

Fantastic chemistry with questionable story progress

A good one for a remake. They did better than the original drama based on Thailand. This Korean version is more cute, light, and fun. As usual, casting actors with eye-candy visuals add more excitement to the audience. The main casts nailed their character by executing an incredible and appealing chemistry. At first, it was too bland not until they became intimate with each other. Both couples delivered impressive kissing scenes that were too aggressive and soft at the same time. I lost count of how many times I kept replaying their kissing scenes -one of the best executions in a Korean BL.

Yet, despite all the good factors, it is hard for me to confidently give it a higher score as it has flaws that are too obvious not to ignore. The sequence of scenes felt too rushed, skipping from one scene to another without a proper explanation of the whole details of each scenario. Fast-phased it feels like they are cutting a lot of scenes and the ending is not beautifully made for a conclusion of a drama. The actors saved the show from at least having a decent overall score in general.

Leia Mais

The wind that blows me into your love

A happy-to-cried-with kind of drama. For subjective reasoning, they literally made me into tears ever since the pilot episode. I just love it when I find myself indulging in a series that talks about the romance between two individuals with sincerity and a little bit of tension roaming between them. The main couple’s love story may have taken too slow to progress but one thing is guaranteed; they became each other’s person of support.

Im Han Tae is another Oppa that added to my favorite list. He got the masculine vibes of a teenager who is both hot and cute. His smiles and positivity are so breathtaking. People can literally be their best version of themselves when they are wearing a smile on their faces. I want someone like Im Han Tae who will always be on your side.

On the contrary, Han Baram’s soft personality led other people to take advantage of him. He is so fragile that I even dislike him for letting his old music teacher plagiarize his song. These episodes were an eye sore to me. His first love actually wins my irritation and frustration. Good thing that they actually had a nice closure to settle the past and the present issues between them.

Light BLs with no dramatic plot twists and toxic characters are easily been tagged as my favorite genres nowadays. Sing My Crush is another drama that gives me butterflies that are solid and demure. There may be some flaws in the show but the critical thing is that I enjoyed the overall outcome. Thank you for bringing a genuine and appealing love story that made me once again, fall in love with the concept of love.

Leia Mais

Star studded casts that uplifted the show

This has to be a battle between loving it or hating it. I got mixed emotions from watching the show; sometimes I felt too excited and sometimes too bored. Doom -the character of destruction, is the only new flavor of the story and the rest has the norms similar to what I’ve seen from a fantasy-romance drama.

I’m a big fan of the actors playing in the drama. Yet, this isn’t enough to save the whole show from being average. They are excellent actors but their characters are a little bit off. This may be because of how overwritten the story progress is. I am happy that the last few episodes are actually better than the earlier episodes.

The story of the side couple that features an awkward love triangle is better than the main couple. However, the end game isn’t acceptable since one has to let go and the other wins like nothing happened between his closest friend. On the contrary, the main couple's story started too shaky but ended up too smoothly. I rated the score not too low and with much appreciation for the efforts and production quality. A bonus point is that Byun Baekyun once again sang the OST of a drama that mesmerized me and literally fits the magical and romantic vibes of the story.

Leia Mais