Light on Me (2021)

I'm glad this drama existed

The storyline is very good, and relatable. It deals with the problems most of the students experienced in school or people in modern society. This is a light drama with no extreme melodrama, or annoying parents involved. Firstly, I love that each character gets a character development, well, except Nam Goong Shi Woon because his character is constant and stable. Although this drama is short, it gives a lot of great message to people: to be brave, to respect friendship, and change to be a better version of ourselves.

I just think maybe the actor who played Woo Tae Kyung, and Shin Da On could've done a better job. I know Woo Tae Kyung's character is supposed to be flat and boring, but flat and boring people also have variety of facial expressions (great example is Seo Yea ji playing Ko Moon Young in It's okay not to be okay). I feel like he can improve better in the next drama. Would love to see him doing other dramas in the future!

Choe Chan Yi also could've done a better job at portraying Shin Da On. I feel like some of his acting (not all of them) is awkward, especially the scene where he helps Woo Tae Kyung, and also when Woo Tae Kyung confronts him. I would like to see him acting more distressed and "don't know what to do" kind of expressions, but I didn't see much of it.

However, I love Kang Yoo Seok's acting portraying Noh Shin Woo, although "cold male lead" usually comes with a cold and flat expressions, he did a good job playing with different expressions. I also love Yang Seo Hyun playing Lee So Hee, she did a good job at playing a character who's shameless, and also vulnerable. Writers did a good job giving her a character development. The ending is kind of expected, but I think it's a great way to close the drama with them being friends supporting both ML being in love.

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An awkward but interesting love story

Another BL story around high school students. I feel like all iterations of stories that can come out of this trope has been covered. So you will find nothing new in this series. Group of boys attending school, developing feelings for their classmates, a rival, being shamed for their feelings only to later realise to fight against this shame and get together. Add to this a wise friend who is there to look out for his peers.
There is nothing that sets this story apart from many other series made around the same topic. However with 16 episodes, they did a very decent job of fleshing out the characters and describing their motivations. You are aware of how each of the characters behave and there is an arc for each of the main and supporting characters to make for a great narration. That being said the love between the characters don't seem genuine.
Woo Tae Kyung starts liking Shin Da On because he is very kind and he feels good being around him. Not sure how this can be described as being in love. Shin Da On falls for Woo Tae Kyung because he can open himself up and talk freely to him. Something that can be a precursor to love but not the main reason. Noh Shin Woo likes Woo Tae Kyung because he is interesting and that intrigues him. This failed to convince me that the love is genuine and might even last.
Due to this rudimentary feelings that each hold for the other I found myself rather routing for the wise friend. His genuine feeling of friendship and always being on the side of his friends was believable and made me relate more to him than other characters.
In conclusion, nothing new story-wise but the performances by all the actors has been exemplary. There might be a few scenes that could have been done better but that would be nit-picking. The story keeps you hooked till the end to know who actually end up together. A sure watch for those looking for a good Korean BL with love, heart-break, a bit of angst and lot of fun.

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I loved this, but the ending was bittersweet!

I really enjoyed Light On Me! I stayed up late most nights as I couldn’t stop watching until I finished it! LOL. The ending however was bittersweet for me. I wished it ended differently!

I wish that Tae Kyung and Da On were together in the end.
Considering how thoughtful, encouraging and friendly Da On was of Tae Kyung initially when he was alone and didn’t have many friends, essentially taking him under his wing.
They had a great connection and complimented each other,, so I was a bit disappointed at the end when I found out it wasn’t meant to be.

Am I the only one who feels this way?!

Chan Yi was the stand out in the show for me,
His acting in this show was awesome - he really nailed the role of Da On

Regardless, I will be coming back to watch this again soon as it is definitely worthy of a rewatch!

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An enjoyable drama with some questions?

There is not much to add to the discussion on this drama that hasn’t been said. Korean BL dramas are finally getting bolder although they will never compare to their Thai counterparts. This one as a story about first love and high school did a good job of showing awkwardness and blooming romance. The juxtaposition of Shin Woo’s confidence in his identity as a young gay man compared to Shin Da On who hides himself was really interesting. It cost Shin Da On the love of Woo Tae Kyung and his own happiness. It is the central theme of this drama that to be brave, and to be yourself is important. Woo Tae Kyung, the protagonist just is. He doesn’t question it. He likes who he likes, and is crushed by his trust.

Though I am lost on a few things…. What is with the teacher? Whose shoes are those? When he says the name at the end what does it mean? Also Shin Da On’s parents are clearly wealthy, they sit on the board of the school but you never see them. Does he just live alone? It seems interesting.

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Best Korean BL thus far.

This drama got me hooked from the first episode and kept me engaged throughout the 16 episodes. It had me laughing for the first couple of episodes. The characters are extremely likable, though at times a bit awkward, but I personally don't mind as if feel it made it more realistic. Speaking of realism I think the love triangle aspect was pretty realistic and well done especially for a bl. One critique I have though is (((((spoiler warning))))) is that Tae kyung and Shin woo's relationship wasn't as developed as I hoped it to be. I think they needed more screen time together, as a felt in the ending it was awkward. Also, I cringed a bit when they kissed because Da on was there watching them lol, it would have been nicer imo if it was in private. But overall I'm satisfied with the ending, and glad Da on also gets a happy ending.

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One of the best surprises of the year

I was very surprised with Light on Me. The 16 medium length episodes worked well to develop the plot in a way that wasn’t too rushed or too slow.

The main cast is amazing and all have fantastic chemistry with each other. I was onboard the wrong ship throwout pretty much the entire series, even though I knew from episode 1 that Shin Woo and and Tae Kyung would end up together. My favorite character was definitely NamGoong. Woo Jin was the best part of every scene he was in. I was surprised that the 2 year time jump didn’t show any hints of NamGoong pursuing So Hee, I’m not even sure she knows he likes her.

Regarding Mr. Seo’s last scene. I’m inclined to believe that his wish was to meet someone from his past. I by the looks to it, that happened in the hallway.

Light on Me proves that there’s no need to create a series full of twists and turns for it to be entertaining. The fact that the show is focused on the friendship between the main characters is more than enough. No need for many side characters or school related drama. As the beach scene at the end proves, we don’t need to know about their future, because we know they’re all still friends and part of each other’s lives.

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Not enough time even though it is long.

*happy ending*

This is one of the longest BLs I have watched and I was excited to watch it.

What I love:
- No angst upon heartbreak. I love how they all still remain friends in the end.
- I love how the bij girl turned over to a new leaf and became friendly.
- I love the acting of the actors and the cinematography of the show made me felt like it is just like other korean shows. Just simple love story.

What I didn't like:
- There is not much screen time for the real couple in the series. It is more on the time to confuse the viewers to this other guy. Making viewers think that Tae kyung will end up with this guy, but he didnt. Which left a bit of bad taste to me. And because of that, I feel bad to the other guy who really ended up with Tae kyung.
- the time where Tae kyung fell in love with the other guy and getting over his heartbreak is so short as well. It felt like the other guy became the 'second choice' rather than 'he has been with me all this time' choice.

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Sweet and Charming! New bar set for KBLS

Usually, I don't write reviews, but this show deserves a higher rating and more recognition. The actors portrayed each character spot-on, and it was fabulous. I will explain each part in detail and why I gave such a high rating.

STORY: So the main premise of the show was an introverted loner kid starting a new year in school and with this being said the show did over exaggerated how lonely he was or make him the defenseless lonely kid that everyone picks on! The writer really should be that Tae Kyung may have some setbacks with social norms but he, himself can and does stand up for himself when needed! This is something I don't usually see BL! They tend to lean into having the main character who is usually soft and waiting for his prince charming to stand up for him but Tae Kyung was very independent and I loved IT! So after speaking with a teacher who didn't just see Tae Kyung as a loner but as a human being that teacher offered to let him join a club! This is practically how the first ep went! They introduced the important and main character without making it seem like it was just an exposition dump! They also played the key plot points! It was super obvious that you can just tell what was gonna happen next but it was clear enough to make you binge the show in one day!! So later on in the episode we come across one of the best played-out love triangles IMO KBL history! The way each ep was changing my opinion on who Tae Kyung is going to pick and also showing us how well Tae Kyung is adapting to the world of having friends! The story was so sweet and real that at some points it felt more like I was watching someone's real life and not a KBL! There is no such thing as perfect when it comes to KBLs so the small issue that I found was the main trope of the jealous girlfriend after finding out the boy she likes may be gay. There is nothing wrong with having a crush on someone but when you take it to the level that Lee So Hee (the character's name) did. Then that is when it becomes a problem and the fact that the show spoke about it shows you the level of realism that the show had and I loved it!

Acting/Cast: Just brilliant how the actors portrayed themselves! Especially Lee Sae On who played Woo Tae Kyung the main character. I was in awe of the way he played his role! You need to watch it to understand how great this man was in the show! Some small issues were the supporting roles because they just seemed so dense and just placed in to make the story better which is the point but when it came to the student council teacher and the two (bullys?) I just sensed that I was missing something! Other than that everyone gave it their 100 and you can sense it with how good the scenes were!

Music: I honestly always skip the intro because it's either way too long or the song is just not to my taste so I don't even bother but in this case I LOVED IT! The music choice was so cute and not at all cringe. Also, they didn't overdo it with the music or sound effects that a lot of BLS tend to like to do! When serious scenes were on it was either a slight sound to make sure it wasn't silent or when need the silence was great! Also, it obviously wouldn't be a KBL without the Slowmo 360 with music playing in the background shots but even in those scenes, they didn't make it too cringe that you wanted to dig yourself a hole to hide it (LOL)!

Rewatch Value: I would rewatch this cute, semi-short series that takes itself seriously. I always watch a series at least once, and I'm thrilled to have found this one because it's now one of my favorite KBLS!

Overall: Light on Me is a great show that I highly recommend. Watching it may even help encourage the creators to make a season two that's even better than the first!

If you made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read my review! Also, I hope you enjoyed the show. Sorry for any grammar mistakes - I wrote this after binge-watching it for 7 hours! Ha ha.

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Simple youth drama done right

The story was neither super unique nor groundbreaking, it’s just a simple making friends (and love interests) and the complexities of relationships around them. What I liked about this drama is the existence of “layers” and “depth” which can be observed from the subtle interactions, the storyline’s twists and turns, the dialogues of the characters’ and the depth portrayed from how the plot goes. Namgoong’s character is one of the most interesting and well-written characters I’ve ever seen in a youth drama. He is someone who KNOWS the deal, and STIRS the pot because he knows something is going to be brewing. He makes his efforts as a friend, and he also knows his place/role in their circle. Salute to you man!

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Impressionada!

Comecei assistindo esse drama depois de uma sequência de bl’s que, para mim, foram desinteressantes.

Me impressionei muito com a história. Quando vi já estava no episódio 10 e nem havia me dado conta. O drama flui muito bem, é leve e fácil de assistir. Gostei muito do ambiente da escola e da sala do conselho estudantil, mas principalmente a sala, porque ela dava uma sensação de aconchego e pertencimento muito grande quando vemos os personagens reunidos lá.

É um dorama doce, trata de forma adolescente o primeiro amor e novas descobertas. Os personagens tem um desenvolvimento redondo, no 16º episódio nenhum deles é igual ao primeiro, todos tiveram um arco fechado. Isso pra mim foi o principal motivo para eu gostar e recomendar o drama. A trama se da basicamente por um triângulo amoroso, mas foi um dos poucos dramas que esse fato não me incomodou. Os três personagens envolvidos no triângulo tomaram suas decisões e ações de maneira muito plausível, sem drama em excesso e com, surpreendentemente, maturidade.

O fato de serem 16 episódios com 30 minutos de duração também me atraiu muito. Estou acostumada com os kbls sendo sempre curtinhos, quase sem dar espaço pra um desenvolvimento satisfatório da história e dos personagens, mas com esse bl as coisas foram completamente diferentes.

Vale a pena assistir!

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an amazing love triangle filled with cuteness but also deep storylines

I’m writing this after i watched the show for the second time, and just that tells you how much i loved it.
Everything was done right, especially the love triangle. I’m not lying when i tell you that even i knew how it was going to end when watching it again, i still had doubts on who the main character was going to choose lmao.
The best thing to me was the great character development that everyone had, even the “antagonist” ended up changing and being happy in the end. I also appreciated a lot how they incorporated the whole coming out and self acceptance journey, it’s rare for BLs to take that topic seriously like Light On Me did.
My only small complain is that i would have liked a more talkative main character because sometimes it was just too awkward and quiet in my opinion, and also i like more kissing and in general more physical contact, but this is mainly fluff and is a korean show so i understand.
To sum up i’d say that this is a beautiful fluff show, that is able to portray deep scenes and complicated love stories way better than many other series out there!

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The Triumph of the Second Lead

I always say that I want a drama where the second lead wins and to everyone who replies "Well doesn't that make them first lead then?", this drama is my answer. It's not just about who the main character has feelings for first or which character is the token "nice and patient one." It's also about the reasons the characters have for falling in love and the reasons why a relationship does or doesn't work out...and I felt like all of those reasons were answered beautifully in this drama.

This is exactly what I've ever wanted in every slow burn. Neither of the love interests are forcibly villainized or make stupid decisions to push the romantic plotline — it's simply about how each of them love and live in different ways. Not just for their relationships but even as individuals, every main character had depth and personality, and I just really love looking back and seeing how their friend group came together. True, there are some funny and cheesy high school kdrama cliches, but with how profound and touching the dialogue was, that didn't bother me at all.

The only character who I didn't really care for was a second female lead that came very close to being the typical jealous saboteur; even if there was some redemption and she was nowhere as extreme as other characters I've seen, it was still a little annoying.

This show isn't as long as a regular drama but it's not as short as other web dramas either, and I think this extra time made a huge difference. This will definitely go down as a comfort watch for sure, and there are some lines that will stay with me forever.

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