Ossan's Love (2021)

A good remake

I watched the original Japanese series quite some time back, but based on what I can recall, this remake uses the same basic story as the 2018 seven-episode series (not the 2016 single-episode one or the subsequent series with similar titles).

The story is now set in Hong Kong instead of Japan, but the changes to the main characters are minor as far as I can remember. The humor is perhaps given a bit more of a Hong Kong style, especially in the case of Edan Lui and his exaggerated expressions as Tin Yat Hung.

The story isn't really spectacular as BL, but I appreciate the range of likable characters with different predicaments and relationships. Perhaps the 2018 Japanese version had an edge over this remake because viewers knew less what to expect: will the ossan manage to win the love of his crush, for instance? Since the HK remake uses the same story, the ending isn't much of a secret, so many viewers already know how the ossan will end up.

For me, having watched the original one some time back did not mar my enjoyment of the remake. Perhaps this was because enough time had passed for me to forget quite a bit of the original. Perhaps the remake has its own peculiar flavor. I did appreciate the title a bit more because, (spoiler ahead) despite all the humor and lightheartedness in the story, the ossan's love is really touching. KK (the ossan in this remake) decides to give Tin and Siu Muk his blessings, and the latter are brought together by his selfless love.

This is worth a watch if you enjoyed the original and also worth a watch if you haven't watched the original.

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STARTS OUT FABULOUSLY AWESOME, THEN GOES TO CRAP

ONLY reason to watch this remake is for the stupendously amazing comedic acting of Edan Lui in episodes 1-6. After that it all goes to BL hell, following exactly in the footprints of the Japanese series original and movie before it. I have no idea why the producers put money and effort into this when it tells the same, original, lame-ass story as the earlier version. Nothing new or exciting, liberating, joyful at all. Just cliche after cliche to wind the story down from its exhilarating early episodes to its depressing second half. I'm watching to the bitter end, however, cause I've already put in 11 hours and I'm a masochist.

I would have loved to give this show a 9/10, which I did early on.

I'm ending up at a warmed-over 4/10.

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