Story: I believe it develops nicely although due to the censorship the progression of time does seem off, however that is not really something that can be helped all of the time. If there was a uncut version released I believe the story progression and development could very well reach near perfect.
Acting: I believe the two main actors play their parts well. They have not stepped back from the characters personality, specifically that the feelings develop nicely and do not get turned on like a switch out of the blue.
Music: The opening song is very nice, during the show the music is not overpowering.
Rewatch Value: I think you could very easily watch this over and over again because you are made to feel sad, empathetic, happy, embarrassed and shocked across all of the episodes. I found myself laughing at the characters and sometimes that is difficult to give to your audience.
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First of all, for people who had trouble with the darker aspects of this series, well, the title should have given you a clue. This isn't a sweet tween drama - Gu Hai's feelings for Bai Luo Yin are over-the-top, obsessive, and unhealthy - like heroin is. This isn't meant to be an ideal relationship - relationships can be complicated, even toxic.
Many reviewers have said Luo Yin doesn't reciprocate Gu Hai's feelings, but he really does - it's just that his expressions of love are subtle. When Gu Hai asks him if he likes him, he says "you already know the answer, so why ask?" Plus, Luo Yin invited him to live with him and sleep in the same bed, so that's another hint.
- Loved the cast. Timmy Xu who plays Bai Luo Yin is so beautiful it's painful to look at him. The acting is very solid.
- The writing is unusual, as it skips the saccharine quality of a lot of BL and actually gets a tad dark - you'll know what I mean when you see it. It's played for humor, and the Chinese title of the series is "addictive", so it does make sense, but some people will not find any of it funny. The power imbalance was kind of hot, to me at least.
- Although both boys have (semi- and ex-) girlfriends, this isn't the major and consuming obstacle to the main pairing like it is in many of the earlier BLs. Here, the girlfriends here mostly serve to help the mains figure our their sexuality, and they both fit into the addiction theme.
- While you have to wait for it, there are a couple of hot consensual love scenes, at least in the uncensored version. One of the characters is way more aggressive than the other, and in a couple of cases semi-forces the other, although never for anything more than a hand-job . In one scene the more passive one was clearly parading himself in an effort to drive the other crazy, but "he was asking for it" is a bit cringe-inducing even if it's two guys.
- If there's a flaw, there is some repetition, (although common to most serial dramas), especially rejection of physical intimacy. It later turns out there is some fear of pain involved, but hand and blow jobs don't hurt. Also, the main actors are clearly way too old for high school, although I'm not complaining about that.
Ironically, the censored version is more transgressive than the full version - there are physical scenes where cutting out just as it's starting makes it look like one raped the other whereas in the full version you can see that they didn't even have sex.
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I really loved the character interactions in this drama. Also the main couple had amazing chemistry throughout the whole show. The music was great too. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments and a lot of moments that just resonated with you.
What I Disliked
How the second couple never got together or developed thoroughly (maybe in season two I hope). How annoying a lot of the female characters.
Overall it's a good drama and I recommend giving it a watch.
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Looking back, Huang Jingyu (Gu Hai) and Xu Weizhou (Bai Luo Yin) were so talented in their performances I think they had a real connection. The chemistry and the make-out scenes were the best but just seeing how they interacted with each other was worthwhile. With that said, I think the title is totally accurate "Addicted Heroin". The love that Gu Hai has for Bai Luo Yin is addictive, it gives you the feeling that even if he wanted to stop he wouldn't be able to.
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All of the actors here are beginners and they did a good acting here.
I really liked the story itself and the characters different attitudes towards other, it was my first time to see and hear a soundtrack that is sang by 2 boys. Quite rare.
Why i disliked here is the other couple didn't have any chance to get attention to their story but aside fro, that, they give everything is this series.
The chemistry is really adorable, strong, and different.
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The story made me feel every possible emotion. I knew the finale was coming and felt like I was going to miss these characters. I love the very raw, powerful kind of portrayal. Something that begins from basically bullying each other in stupid ways to growing into a deep love. Just wow. Just one thing, if you get offended easily this is not the show for you. If like me you prefer flawed characters who make blunders because of what they're going through and you can suspend disbelief then you'll love it. The unfortunate reality of the majority of the Asian world is their lack of understanding for same sex couples. I realize that the entire team and actors were threatened and basically they were unable to make a second season. There's nothing you can do about that. But you know what, just forget that last scene of her appearance and it finished off perfectly at the parking lot car scene. That's it. Let's show our support for these shows so people can understand same sex stories are marketable and people love them, so love can win over hate. Again, thanks to the creators for being brave enough.
As for the two main leads both Timmy Xu and Johnny Huang are gorgeous (though I have a shameless preference for Huang).
Xu plays the role of Bai Luo Yin who was abandoned by his birth mother and has been living with his father for most of his life in a financially tough situation because of his father's meagre earnings.
Huang plays Gu Hai, who is extremely rich, but his birth mother died in mysterious circumstances and since then he's always held his father and his step mother responsible. Even though the step mom tries hard to get along with him, Gu Hai never listens to her or his father.
Basically when they interact at school neither Luo Yin nor Gu Hai realize that they both share a person-- Luo Yin's birth mother is actually Gu Hai's step mom who is about to marry his father.
But Gu Hai and his father have a falling out and Gu Hai leaves home to live in the same neighborhood as Bai Luo Yin. He hides the fact that he's rich from everyone. And the first time Bai Luo Yin encounters Gu Hai it's not pleasant.
They both end up not getting along and literally bully and tease each other to hilarious lengths. But one day when Luo Yin's complaining to a friend about Gu Hai, the friend tells Bai Luo Yin he believes Gu Hai doesn't hate Luo Yin at all in fact he explains why he believes Gu Hai actually likes him. Bai Luo Yin finds it strange that a person who bullied him that way could like him.
Anyway from here on out you are taken on a somewhat strange journey. As Luo Yin goes from extreme annoyance with the new guy who refuses to sit anywhere else but behind Luo Yin in class, to a weird kind of friendship to love and plain obsession from Gu Hai's end.
But man what a journey! I couldn't get over it for months.
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No…just no
I can’t encourage you enough to NOT watch this. I don’t have much of a critical eye, so you can trust me when I say this drama was just not good.I was sort of okay with it in the beginning it wasn’t amazing but it was fine. But once the nonconsensual behavior started I lost all interest in the characters. WHY would Bao Luoyin fall for the guy who is LITERALLY SA’ing him? Why would I want him to?
I finished it just for the sake of closure and didn’t even get that!!! It ends with a crazy random cliffhanger and there’s no season two.
Overall a disappointing show with a disappointing ending. Save your time and watch something good like KinnPorsche.
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Know your triggers before watching - Appreciate its rawness when watching in 2024
I don’t think I would appreciate “Addicted” as much if I were to watch this in 2016 and not in 2024. “Addicted” is one of the first uncensored gay romance C-dramas and we all know everything is censored now. There is a full on gay romance, and not the subtle bromance or implied gay romance. Additionally, this drama is starred by two big stars now, Timmy Xu and Johnny Huang.Timmy and Johnny had awesome chemistry and their acting is great considering “Addicted” is both of their first drama. As much as I enjoy them, their romance is problematic and toxic. Gu Hai (Johnny) is obsessed with Bai Luo Yin (Timmy). His way of courting and showing affection has red flags all over. At first, he’s acting like a typical high school kid who only knows how to show affection by being mean to the person he likes. If you are triggered and bothered by dubious consent to intimate acts and forced kisses, I do not think you should watch this. I am aware of these triggers, so I won’t fault this drama (too much) on some questionable actions/scenes.. I know what I am getting myself into. Having said that, I do not agree with Gu Bai’s method of keeping Bai Luo Yin in his apartment after they found out they are step brothers.
This is a decent low budget production. The acting of the main supporting cast is OK. But the acting of the minor roles, e.g. Gu Hai’s ex-girlfriend and cousin, is pretty bad. Those two characters are annoying. There are some weird plot holes. I am still not sure what’s going on between the other two friends, Yang Meng and You Qi. I thought You Qi likes Bai Luo Yin. So, what’s the deal with him harassing Yang Meng? Also, the ending…..that’s not how I expect the drama to end, and there’s no sight of a season 2 after 8 years.
There are quite a few scenes of the leads showing off their nice bodies/abs. Well, Johnny Huang has been keeping fit all these years. He looks just as good as I last saw him in “Bright Eyes in the Dark”.
The drama’s name is “Addicted” and also “Addicted Heroin”. At first, I thought it must mean Gu Hai is addicted to Bai Luo Yin like a druggie is addicted to heroin. After watching the drama, I realized their names together “Hai Luo Yin” = “Heroin”. What perfect names!
Lastly, there’s a quote from Gu Hai that sticks with me and pretty much describes how much he loves Bai Luo Yin - “No matter how much I hate your mother, it wouldn’t even be a fraction (1/1000th) of what I feel for you!”
I would only recommend this drama if you are aware of the triggers. It’s great to see a younger Johnny and Timmy, and how courageous of them and the production team to create such a raw drama. I’ve also watched the newer adapted version, “Stay With Me” and I would recommend that one if you want a tamer, sweeter and more romantic version of “Addicted”.
Completed: 5/23/2024 - Review #444
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WTF
So, technically, I saw this probably about two months or so ago, so my knowledge is a little shaky. This was my very first Chinese BL, which from the looks of the Chinese government, will be my last. (lol). I remember it being about these two dudes that go from hater to lovers, and then they realized that they’re stepbrothers. Initially, I gave this series a 9/10, but after going back and watching it wasn’t all that good, and highly problematic. Gu Hai literally kidnaps Bai Luo Yin and then states how much he’s in love with the dude. Ummm, no? Don’t do that? Then when Bai tells Gu Hai that he might have an STD (or HIV/AIDS, I really can’t remember) He just like, “whatever, it’s fine I’ll have it too cause I love you” Ummm, yeah, still no! Then of course the whole rape thing happens and it’s just super upsetting. Even when we see the after moments, Gu Hai is just beaming and the other dude looks uncomfortable.Along with all that chaotic mess, they’re going to be stepbrothers. Again with the incest, we gotta love it! (that was sarcasm, please don’t support incest). The only reason I can remember liking this was because of Yang Meng. He was so lovely and such a supportive friend, and I wish we would’ve gotten to see more of him and his (i think) love interest. I think I liked the main couple a lot better in the first few episodes when they would do stuff to annoy each other. Like cutting up their jackets (can we just talk about the fact that they have to wear tracksuits to school?), and sewing the sleeves together, that was cute. Anything else with this series was a fail, I wouldn't recommend this series at all.
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Toxic, Confusing, Wasted potential, Overrated
Honestly I wasn’t planning on reviewing this show because I wanted to just binge watch this one and Stay With Me. But omg this show makes me so mad and I just have to speak about it. First of all I really despise the fact that this show is so glorified and overrated because it seriously isn’t all that it’s played out to be. I will admit the actors are good, the plot had somewhat potential but overall it’s mediocre and just a typical story. Nothing out of the ordinary. And the fact that it got banned and they had to remove scenes doesn’t help this case (though I don’t blame them for this since it’s out of their control) but still even the deleted scenes aren’t the best because almost all of them are just Gu Hai sexually harassing Bai Lou Yin and it just makes me so angry. There’s nothing cute or romantic about someone forcing themselves onto someone when they obviously don’t want anything intimate. And honestly half of the people who comment or leave reviews don’t talk about this and it’s so weird. It’s just a show, I know, but overhyping this show even though it has a mediocre plot and the only “romantic” content it shows is just pure sexual harassment is just wow. Usually I trust the shows that are rated lower on MDL than the higher rated shows because for some reason I tend to like shows that are usually rated like 7 and under rather than shows that are rated 8 and up. Idk what it is but that’s just how it works for me. I do like to give overhyped shows like these a chance to see what all the hype is about but everytime it’s always just very basic and disappointing or very boring and bad. But anyway, back on track another thing that I disliked was how Gu Hai was always treating Bai Luo Yin as property, an object or some sort of belonging. With the over jealous behavior and even getting physical with people when he felt jealous, also straight up telling Bai Luo Yin that he belongs to him and that he owns him is just huge red flag. This man is just toxic all over and it’s disguised by “romance”. But to contradict what I’ve been saying in this review I will state that I enjoyed the last episode the most out of the others and it’s maybe because the kisses and intimacy was more consented this time and more voluntary on both sides which was good, also things were starting to get interesting since Bai Luo Yin’s ex came back and you can tell if this show hadn’t been cancelled then it would’ve been really good and probably much better. But once again it wasn’t something they could’ve controlled so I don’t hold it against them. I will say that the chemistry was confusing, it felt like Bai Luo Yin didn’t really like him until episode 15 and that’s when he acted upon his feelings but I feel like at the same time he was forced to start liking Gu Hai. But at the same time he could’ve had hidden feelings for Bai Luo Yin and at towards each episode he realized that more and more but was a bit in denial or scared which is common. Regardless it was a bit confusing and that could’ve been portrayed or explained a bit better through actions or something.Overall, would I recommend? No. It’s not horrible, trust me I’ve watched worse. But it’s an unfinished show, along with its censorship, but even with censorship poor Bai Luo Yin is just getting constantly sexually harassed, then the plot is just mediocre, the whole show is just Gu Hai chasing Bai Luo Yin and it makes me so irritated cause the feelings don’t feel mutual for like the entire show until episode 15. So yeah, don’t waste your time and watch something better. It’s really not worth it and wasted potential. And let me tell you they did not lie when they named this show Addicted because that’s just what Gu Hai is towards Bai Luo Yin. Addicted.
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Nothing says I love you as much as being forcibly kissed (this is a bad joke)
I came for the lack of consent, and I was not the least disappointed. Had I come for the romance then this would probably have me running by the first assault. This is a short and intense drama with high pace and and not a dull moment. The leads acting is superb, while some of the side characters could use an acting lesson or two with very few side stories if at all. I found all the characters interesting but in need of allot of emotional guidance.The drama is called Addicted-heroin, it has very little to do with the actual drug and more with a (several) persons addiction to another person sending them to make some pretty bad decisions (I will write more about those as a comment wit a spoiler tag).
And tells the story of an extroverted rich bad boy who (unknowingly) falls for his stepbrother an introverted poor yet super smart good boy icicle and douse all in his power to own him. While still having a girlfriend and denying his sexuality. Both leads seem to have connections to having (had) girlfriends with an addiction to them who need to learn to let go.
All in all an interesting watch, just be prepared for sexual and physical assault, and most importantly what ever you do not have this as relationship goals, or in any way accept this kind of behavior when seeking a partner.
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¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This show had a lot of good going for it in the first half, which is why I rated it kind of high. However, Addicted has a lot of bad going for it as well. I'm a big fan of the enemies to friends to lovers trope, which is exactly what happened between Bai Luo Yin and Gu Hai. In the beginning, their relationship was adorable. However, later on, in the show, Gu Hai becomes extremely aggressive, and whenever Bai Luo Yin says no or pushes Gu Hai off he just ends up pressuring Bai Luo Yin more, and it's extremely upsetting and uncomfortable to watch. I really wish they could have handled the relationship between the two of them better because they had a lot of potential. Also, the storyline was okay, the acting was very good, and it does unfortunately end a cliffhanger. I would be lying if I said the ending didn't leave me a bit upset because I did kind of want to find out what happened. I believe they had a second season planned, but China banned the show before it even finished airing.Was this review helpful to you?
